by JA Low
“Sorry, sweetheart, tonight’s not going to happen with you or with her.” I hear Evan say to the brunette he’s with. Axel shoots me a concerned look.
“Are you serious?” The brunette doesn’t look happy at Evan’s dismissal. The girl is stunning and I’m sure she doesn’t get rejected much. Shit, I hope she doesn’t make a scene. I turn to the brunette beside me.
“Sorry darlin’, I think my boys are bouncing.”
“Oh.” She looks surprised.
“We would have had fun but…anyway, here, send this girl an email and she will have free tickets to our concert waiting for you, to say sorry for tonight.” I hand over Ness’ business card and she looks at me happily.
“Guys, I'm out,” Evan states, the brunette beside him fuming.
“Okay y’all, come on let’s get out of here. We have rehearsals in the morning and it looks like our girls may have had a little too much fun,” Axel tells the table. “You, sweetheart, are coming with me,” Axel coos to the redhead beside him. He holds out his hand and tugs her into him. Evan’s already stormed off before us. “I’ll meet y’all back there.” Axel waves as Christian and I quickly follow after Evan.
Evan reaches up and grabs Sienna from the table, throwing her over his shoulder. Holy shit, Evan isn’t mucking around. Christian and I do the same, grabbing a hysterical Isla and Ness. The crowd parts for us, looking at us in disbelief as we haul three unhappy women through the club over our shoulders. Sammy, our security guy, holds open the limousine door for us as we deposit three seething women into the back seat.
“Evan, what the fuck?” Sienna yells at him.
“I’m tired and ready to go home,” he argues back,
“We were just having fun,” Isla whines, fiddling with something in her bag.
“So it’s okay for you boys to have girls all over you, but when we get some attention you haul us all away like fucking cavemen. We are not your women to do this to,” Vanessa fumes.
“Exactly, you boys had perfectly willing women in your laps all night, you didn’t have to grab three unwilling ones,” Sienna seethes crossing her arms over her chest.
“Don’t forget you ladies work for us and when we say we are ready to go home, that means we are ready to go home,” Evan states. Oh man, bad choice of words Evan. We can see the anger level on the girls face rise even further as they turn and ignore us. We sit in silence for a while.
My phone beeps.
Evan: So…interesting ride.
Christian: I don’t get why the girls are pissed.
Finn: I didn’t like the way those men were looking at them.
Evan: What the hell got into them tonight?
We all shrug.
Finn: Something going on between you and those girls?
Evan raises an eyebrow at me.
Evan: Same thing that is going on between you and Isla.
“Nothing,” I shout out of nowhere, everyone in the car looks at me. I quickly type my response in a text.
Finn: Nothing is going on between Isla and me.
Christian and Evan look at me, letting me know they’re not convinced.
Finn: Oscar will kill me.
Christian: She’s had a thing for you since we were kids. You can’t tell me nothing has ever happened.
Fuck, I guess I haven’t been as stealth with my feelings as I thought I had over the years. I nod in their direction, a tiny little bit of pressure releases from my shoulders confessing to my best friends.
Christian: Secrets safe bro.
Finn: So u and Nessa???
Christian rolls his eyes before looking over at where she is sitting huddled with Sienna and Isla, having their own conversation.
Christian: The night of our house party, she busted her toy boy with his co-star and I tried to cheer her up.
Evan: Fuck.
Christian: She’s my best friend, it shouldn’t have happened.
Evan: May have done the same thing with Sienna.
I suspected something but never thought he would confess.
Finn: Shit.
Christian: Fuck! Vanessa will kill you if she finds out, she warned you.
Evan: It’s over now, we said while we were in LA that once the tour starts no more.
Christian: How’s that turning out for ya?
Evan: As good as you two.
We all nod at each other as we fall into silence – the three of us are fucked.
As soon as we arrive home the girls jump out of the car and stomp through the house. We all look at each other and smile then we split up and chase after our women. Isla’s room is on the second level, so I trudge up the stairs. I hear the slam of her bedroom door. She’s pissed. Guess I better sort this out.
194
Isla
I’m so angry with Finn. How dare he pick me up and carry me out of that club over his shoulder. There is no way in hell if Oscar was there that he would have pulled a stunt like that. Because you know, Oscar would have first. Ugh. I let out a frustrated scream. It would have been more embarrassing having my brother pull me out of the club. I’m not a fucking sixteen-year-old.
Knock knock.
I open the door. “What?” I stare at Finn, who thankfully looks a little ashamed of his actions.
“Just wanted to check on you.” I turn on my heel and walk back into my room.
“I’m fine.” He stands there in brooding silence. “Finn, seriously, I’m fine.” I turn around and begin to get undressed wanting to just get into my pajamas and go to bed after flying half way across the world today. Peeling off my black dress, I kick it off to the side. I can feel Finn’s eyes burning a hole in my back as I pull on my sleep shorts, but I’m so exhausted I just don’t care. Next, I take my bra off and an audible hiss falls from Finn. I ignore him, grabbing my tank and pulling it over me. When I eventually turn around Finn’s sea green eyes are burning emerald, his hands have balled into fists and his body is strung tight.
“I shouldn’t have hauled you out of the club like that, I just…”
“Followed Evan who was having an alpha moment.” I finish for him. He shrugs his large shoulders.
“Guess I did.” He puts his hands in his pockets, just like he did when we were young and he was nervous.
“Fine. Apology accepted.” I give him a sideward smile.
“Wow, that has to be the quickest resolution ever,” he jokes.
“Don’t push your luck, buddy.” I point at him, smiling. Finn puts his hands up in defense.
“So is that all?” I cross my arms over my chest, his eyes falling to the twin peaks pressing against my thin tank.
“Not really.” He moves silently toward me; I take a few steps backward until I hit the wall. Finn’s large hand hits the wall above my head.
“Don’t take another step, mister.” I grab his jacket and sniff it. “I can smell skank on you.” He grins.
“Nothing happened. I left with you.” He raises his eyebrow at me.
“No. I left with you, over your shoulder.” I remind him.
“But I’m here with you now.”
“Only because there are no skanks around.” Finn’s eyes narrow at me.
“I haven’t slept with anyone since Christian and Vanessa’s party, you know.” My eyes widen.
“Do you want a medal for going a couple of weeks without sex.”
“Um, yeah. It’s kind of a big deal. I’m a rock star, you know.” I roll my eyes at his joke.
“You feeling a little horny, Mr. Rock Star?” My hand slipping down and grabbing his denim clad cock.
“Don’t tease me, Issy,” Finn warns through gritted teeth.
“I have a confession. I haven’t slept with anyone since, either.” Teasing him just that bit more, I wait for Finn to lose control and give me exactly what I want, which is him.
“Issy.” His voice is deep and tense, which sends shivers over my body.
“What?” My fingers unbutton his jeans. Those green eyes flaring fury as I feign
ignorance. My hand slips into his jeans and wraps around him, his eyes close at the sensation. “This is what you want from me, isn’t it?” I can see he is digesting my words but the blood has moved south making it hard for him to think. His hand jumps out and stops me. I move away from him. “If you’re not going to sleep with me then I’m off to bed.” Finn’s a little shocked by my tone.
“I don’t think it would be a good idea.” I shrug and head toward my bed. I can see it on his face, he’s confused.
“Okay, night.” I jump into my bed.
“I can’t give you any more than a good time, Is.”
“That’s okay, ʼcause all I am looking for is a good time, I can either get that from you or someone else, it doesn’t faze me.” Finn frowns. “I’m tired.” He nods and closes the door. I let out a heavy sigh. Men suck.
Three months later
“What the hell are you doing here?” My eyes are searching for security. Where the hell are they? They need to get rid of him, STAT. Seeing Liam again after all this time, in London, at the end of tour after party for Dirty Texas, in the middle of the balcony, has to be one of the most shocking places to ever run into an ex.
“You’re looking well.” He gives me a tentative smile. I hate that he still looks as good as the day I met him.
“Why are you here?” Anger bubbles to the surface, I search for Sammy.
“I live here. I’ve been here for a while now.” He lives in London? That must be where he’s hiding out.
“I needed to get away from Hollywood.” No shit.
“I understand that. But why are you here.” I gesture to the floor beside me.
“I wanted to see you.” I shake my head. I have to be dreaming this. Seriously, this isn’t happening right now.
“And you actually think I want to see you?” My words drip with distain making his handsome face crumple.
“No. But I owe you an apology.”
“You owe me more than that.” I thump my hand against my chest, my emotions getting the better of me. “You own me so fucking much, Liam. A goddamn apology is not going to make what you did okay.”
“Issy.” He reaches out to comfort me, but I pull away.
“Don’t touch me.” He drops his hand.
“You ruined me, Liam.”
“I know, Is,” he whispers. “I turned into someone I didn’t like.” Wasn’t that the truth. “I fucked up.”
“You fucked up?” I repeat his words. “You more than fucked up, Liam.” He just nods and takes my verbal lashing.
“I know there are not enough words in this world that can express how truly sorry I am for how I treated you.” The sincerity in his voice catches me off guard. “But since moving here, going to therapy, working on myself, I realized that fame isn’t real. That you need to surround yourself with the right people to make it in this industry, and I didn’t. Not until Finn introduced me to the right people.” Excuse me, what the hell did he just say?
“Finn?” My voice rises and I see the look on his face. He’s just realized he let something slip.
“Shit, Is. He was just trying to help.”
“Help. He helped you after everything you did to me.” Tears begin to pool. I will not cry.
“He didn’t want to. I tried to blackmail him.” Nothing shocks me anymore with this man.
“What did you say?” Liam rakes his fingers through his hair and looks sick with himself.
“I’m not proud of what I did to Finn, Isla. But I was desperate. I thought I’d lost everything.” I can’t deal with this.
“What did you do?” I push him for an answer.
“I was going to release our sex tape if Finn didn’t pay me.” I think I’m going to be sick. I stumble and Liam grabs me.
“Sex tape?” I don’t ever remember making a sex tape, I’m not that stupid. He scrubs his face again.
“I used to film us having sex through a secret camera in our bedroom.” My hand comes out and slaps Liam hard across the face.
“You fucking did what?” I yell at him. My body is itching with fire; my stomach is on a constant rollercoaster ride. How the hell did I fall in love with this man?
“I’m sorry, Isla. I mean it. I’m so sorry.”
“You’re sorry that you secretly filmed us having sex. Do you have any idea how violated I feel right now?” I wrap my arms around myself. I honestly didn’t think Liam could fuck me over any more than he already has.
“I know, Isla. I know. But I’m not that man anymore,” he pleads with me.
“Do you still have the tapes? I need to destroy them.” He shakes his head.
“Finn has them. It was part of our agreement.” My eyes widen. Finn knows about them. I can’t believe he has kept this from me.
“Agreement?”
“If I get out of Hollywood and give him everything I had on us, he would help me start again. He’s a good man, Isla.” I don’t need Liam vouching for Finn. “I would have done it, Isla.”
“Done what?” I stare at him.
“I would have released those tapes. I was desperate. Finn saved me. Saved us both.” I shake my head.
“As far as I am concerned you two are as bad as each other. I fucking hate you. I never want to see you again. Ever! Do you hear me?” I poke him in the chest.
“I’m sorry, Issy. I really am.”
“Your words mean jack shit to me, Liam.” With that, I turn my back to him and walk back into the party.
195
Isla
“Hey, are you okay?” Tyler finds me in a corner cradling a bottle of vodka.
“Fuck men,” I slur.
“Okay, I’m guessing you are not okay.” I shake my head, letting the bottle slip through my fingers and falling onto the floor. Thankfully the bottle doesn’t smash. “Want to talk about it?” He sits beside me, making sure no one can see me. I look up into his kind, blue eyes. Why can’t I fall in love with Tyler?
“Liam, my ex was here.”
Tyler’s body stiffens. “What the fuck?”
I nod. “He wanted to apologize.” Tyler frowns. “He lives here now.”
“And how do you feel seeing him again?”
“At first it was good but then…it got progressively bad.”
“What happened?”
“He tried to blackmail Finn with some secret sex tapes he had of us.”
“Oh shit, babe. I’m so sorry.” Tyler reaches out and holds my hand.
“He betrayed me. They both did.” The tears fall again. “How could Finn help this man start a new life after what he did to me?” I’m devastated that someone who is supposed to be my friend betrayed me like this.
“He did what was best for you.” I’m astonished that Tyler is agreeing with him.
“What?” Tyler moves closer to me, his voice dropping to a calming tone.
“This man was blackmailing his friend with something that if it got out would be utter public humiliation. I believe Finn made a deal with the devil to save you.” I look up at him in disbelief. Does he really believe that?
“Finn betrayed me,” I tell him.
“No, he protected you.” A frown falls on my face. “Issy, Liam must have been a desperate man to try to sell images of you two together. He had nothing to lose.” I sniffle. Taking in exactly what Tyler is saying. “I would do anything to get rid of someone who I believed would hurt a person I loved.” My mind is fuzzy with vodka; I’m not thinking straight.
“Maybe I need to sleep on it. It’s been a crappy night.” Tyler leans over and kisses my forehead.
“Come on, I’ll take you back to your room.” Tyler, always my knight in shining armor.
We make our way to my hotel room. A door opens up and a girl steps out from the room, her dark chocolate hair is all messed up, she’s holding her heels on her fingers. Someone looks like they had a good time, lucky girl. But then I see the person who put that satisfied smile on her face. Finn. Those sea green eyes sparkling with desire and mischief as he looks at he
r. He’s dressed in nothing but a towel, which hangs loosely around his hips. He reaches out pulling her to him; his large palm cradles her face as he kisses her goodbye.
“Thanks for a great night, sugar.” His deep voice rumbles as the girl giggles at his compliment. Tyler clears his throat behind me and they both turn to where the noise came from. The brunette’s eyes widen when she realizes who it is in the hallway and her eyes lock in on Tyler. Finn’s face turns pale as he drops all contact with the girl. Seriously, karma, what the hell have I done to you?
“Hey, babe, do you have your key?” It takes me a couple of moments to realize Tyler is talking to me. He wraps his arm around my shoulder and nibbles my neck, surprising me. The brunette’s eyes widen. “Oh hi, Finn. I didn’t see you there,” Tyler adds, his grip tightening around me. Finn doesn't respond.
“Oh my God, you’re Tyler Dean from Sons of Brooklyn,” the brunette squeals, long forgetting she’s just spent the night fucking Finn from Dirty Texas. Her sights are now set on a new conquest.
“Sure am, sweetheart. But if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to take my girl to bed. It’s been a long night and I plan on making it even longer.” He gives her a wink, and I watch as Finn’s body shakes with anger. My hand rummages around for my hotel key. Karma! Seriously, putting my room two doors down from Finn’s. Have you not done enough to mess with me? I stop outside my door and push the plastic card into the slot. Tyler presses himself against me, his lips touching my neck, he slaps my ass. “Hurry up, babe, I need you out of these clothes.” And with that the door swings open and we fall into the room, both of us laughing as we end up in a heap on the floor. Take that Finn Connolly.