Love Desired

by Kelli McCracken

  “I’ve never been too drunk to remember sleeping with someone.”

  Bentley glared at me. He was about to say something, but he must have changed his mind when he noticed Izzy had walked around the bed and was advancing in our direction.

  “When you’re ready to admit your real feelings, I’ll be waiting. I’m easy to find.” Her gaze drifted to Bentley. “It was good seeing you again, Bentley. Maybe one day, I’ll get to see a lot more of you.”

  She raised one brow in a flirty manner and looked him up and down. Bentley curled his top lip and sneered at her. Then he pointed toward the living room. “The door is that way.”

  Snorting at his response, she exited the bedroom. Bentley followed her to the doorway then stopped underneath the threshold. A few seconds later, the door closed. Then Bentley was gawking in my direction.

  “Dude. What the hell did I just walk into?”

  “Ben, we’ve been friends a long time. You’ve been by my side through everything, including what that woman did to me. I doubt you’ve forgotten how much I struggled to get over what she did. Why would I want anything to do with her?”

  Bentley glanced at the bed again. “Then why was she in here?”

  “I already told you, I don’t know.”

  “Ayden, you were livid with Mia last night. I can’t recall seeing you that angry in the past. Are you sure you didn’t sleep with Izzy for revenge?”

  “No!” My voice grew shrill. “I may have been angry with Mia, but I would never sleep with Izzy again, not even for revenge.

  “Then you’re being set up just like Mia was.”

  His words made my face sting. It grew hotter the more I considered the possibility. If Izzy was setting it up to look like we’d had sex, Wesley could have done the same by letting someone into Mia’s room. It’s what she insisted happened.

  “It’s ironic, isn’t it?” Bentley questioned as he left the doorway and approached me. “You are caught up in the same situation as Mia. You’re protesting your innocence after accusing her of lying about hers.”

  Shutting my eyes, I took a deep breath, allowing my guilt to consume me. Bentley was right. I’d accused Mia of sleeping with someone else because of what I saw. Now my friend was questioning my innocence because of what he saw.

  “It sucks to be accused of something you know you didn’t do,” Bentley continued. “I bet that’s how Mia felt the night you accused her of cheating on you. Looks are deceiving, aren’t they?”

  I glanced toward the bed, searching for any sign of a condom or it’s package. If something had really happened between Izzy and me, I knew I’d at least find the packaging. I didn’t see anything, which only made me more confident that I hadn’t blacked out and had sex with her.

  Knowing I left my key in the door had me questioning if she came inside and took advantage of me then. I couldn’t see that happening though. I had been drunker than I was last night, but I’d never faced anything like this before. Izzy was a known liar anyway. Now that she knew Mia and I weren’t together, I didn’t doubt she would do everything in her power to make sure we stayed that way.

  As if I hadn’t.

  “You know what’s going to happen, don’t you?” Bentley waited until I shook my head before he answered, “She’s going to out you the first chance she gets. Hell, she’ll break her neck to get this information back to Andi and Mia.”

  “Fuck . . .” I grumbled.

  Everything he said was exactly what I was thinking. My best bet was to find Mia, apologize for assuming the worst of her, and confess to finding Izzy in my room. Maybe she would believe me. Even if she did, it didn’t mean she would forgive me.

  “So what do I do? Should I find Mia and talk to her. I’m not sure she’ll want to see me, but shouldn’t I at least make an attempt? It would sound better coming from me than her sister.”

  Bentley shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. I haven’t seen her yet. When I came here, Andi was about to call and see if she was awake. Maybe you should give her a little bit. Last night was rough.”

  The more he talked, the worse I felt about everything I’d done to Mia. I should never have believed the lies I was told. I broke the promises I made to her, including the one to protect her from her ex.

  “All I want to do is hide in here. The thought of going outside and seeing people who were at the bar last night makes me ill.”

  “It should. I’ve never seen that side of you. Even when you and Izzy split up, you were never that cold to her.”

  “Because I never had the chance. She gaslighted me. By the time I found out the truth, I was too stunned to do anything other than order her to leave my apartment.”

  “Bullshit, dude. You let her come back and stay the night after that.”

  “I felt bad for her. Regardless of what she did, I didn’t want anything to happen to her. All I did was allow her to fuck with my head again.”

  Bentley shook his head as he crossed his arms. “You took your repressed anger for Izzy and punished Mia with it. You blinded yourself to the truth.”

  I was on edge, ready to blast him for his next comment, but it shook me to my soul. I’d thought the same thing he had at one point. Now that he was calling me out, it convinced me that I’d been right. I’d taken things to a different level with Mia. She bore the brunt of my anger for Izzy, anger that had four years to build.

  “You’re right. I let what happened with Izzy influence me when it came to trusting Mia. I fucked up. I’m man enough to admit it. I just hope I can make it right.”

  Who was I kidding? I’d never get that chance, not after the way I treated her last night. Maybe before then, she would have given me another opportunity. Not now. I’d be lucky to keep our contract with the record label.

  Another thought came rushing to mind. Now that Mia and I were over, would she still be the one managing our band?

  * * *

  There was nothing around as far as the eye could see except hills, rocks, and sand. At this point, I was beginning to miss the trees back home and the shade they provided on the hottest days of the year. There wasn’t much protecting us around here.

  As I stared into the distance, I admired the sun and the way it dipped into the horizon. The stars were already twinkling in the East, and before long, they would be the only things visible in the sky.

  I relaxed my shoulders and took in the scenery, allowing it to soothe the stress knotting my muscles. Usually, drinking did the same, but that wasn’t an option tonight. The thought of alcohol made me sick. So did the memories of last night.

  My plan to find Mia and apologize had failed so far. At no point had I seen her today, and Andi was so busy I only caught a glimpse of her throughout the day. Not even Bentley had talked to her, aside from a few texts. She hadn’t mentioned Mia in any of them.

  I didn’t doubt Mia was still upset, but I never expected her to hide out in her suite all day. Did she hate me that much? I would, so I couldn’t blame her if she did.

  Didn’t mean that I was giving up on changing her mind.

  I heard someone approaching from behind. Turning to see who it was, I wasn’t surprised to see Bentley. “I was wondering where you went.”

  “I didn’t know you were searching for me.”

  He held a beer in one hand and patted my shoulder with the other. “Is everything okay?”

  Raking my hand through my hair, I couldn’t meet his gaze when I answered, “I’m the same. Nothing’s changed to make things better or worse.”

  “Is that why you’re out here staring into space?”

  Looking at him this time, I shook my head. “I’m not staring into space. I’m just taking in the scenery.”

  He grew quiet for a moment before taking a few more steps. “Something is on your mind. Wanna talk?”

  “I’m just wondering about Mia. Did Andi ever answer you when you asked about her?”

  Bentley shook his head. “No, but I’ll wait and ask in person. She knows I’m show
ing you the texts, so if she’s protecting Mia, I doubt she’ll respond this way.” He gripped my shoulder and gave it a friendly shake. “Don’t worry, man. I’ll get your answers.”

  Rubbing my face, I turned toward the arena, debating on whether to go inside. I’d noticed Izzy go in earlier. Thankfully, she hadn’t seen me. It was part of the reason I was avoiding going in. I would not set myself up to be embarrassed by her.

  “I guess now is a good time to admit that you were right.”

  “About?” Bentley drew his brows higher as he scanned my face.

  “You told me this would happen—that I’d find out the truth about Mia and regret everything I said and did to her.”

  He tucked his hands into his pockets and glanced toward the road that led out of Music Haven. “It’s easy to judge people and think the worst of them until you’ve been in the same situation. Life isn’t always black and white. It’s riddled with gray.”

  “She’s never going to forgive me. I broke her trust.”

  “Depends on the type of forgiveness you want.” When he peered at me, I frowned.

  “I want her back. I should have never let her go in the first place.”

  Bentley began to say something then stopped. His gaze went past me to the outer doors of the arena. Andi had come outside. She was heading toward the condos but scanning the grounds too. As soon as she saw us, she turned in our direction.

  “Here comes Andi. I don’t want her to overhear us, so I’ll say this. When it comes to Mia forgiving you, all you can do is try. I’m sure she’s calmed down since last night. Maybe you should give her a few days before you approach her.”

  “What about Izzy?”

  He didn’t answer me. By the time Andi reached us, it was easy to see by the way she wrung her hands together that something was bothering her. Bentley reached for her as she walked into his arms.

  “Hey. What’s wrong?”

  “Have either of you seen Mia?” She looked at me until I shook my head. Bentley did the same. “Great.”

  “I’m assuming you haven’t seen her.” Bentley’s face scrunched when she shook her head. “Have you talked to her or exchanged texts?”

  “No,” Andi snapped. It wasn’t until that point that I realized how much she was stressing over this. “I’ve sent a million texts, but she hasn’t responded. I’ve even tried calling. Her voicemail picks up. That’s it. The line doesn’t even ring.”

  “When did you see her or speak to her last?”

  Andi’s gaze drifted to me then back to Bentley. “Last night, when she left in her mom’s car, after her and Ayden’s fight.”

  I didn’t know if she added the last part about our fight because she wanted me to feel like shit. If that was her plan, she’d succeeded. I already felt that way. She’d only increased it.

  Bentley must have known how much her comment bothered me. He wore an apologetic look when he glanced my way and responded to Andi. “Ayden realizes what an asshole he was last night and how big of a jerk he’s been to Mia lately.”

  There was a condescending tone in her voice when she said, “Well, at least it’s a start.”

  She didn’t give Bentley or me a chance to say anything else. Instead, she peeked at her watch then toward the road Mia had taken when she left. “I need to search for her, but I have a few more things to do before I can. If you guys see or hear from her, will you please let me know?”

  “Of course,” Bentley answered as I nodded. After he gave her a short kiss, Andi returned inside the arena. Then I became the center of his attention. “Have you checked to see if the Corvette is parked behind our condo?”

  “No. I didn’t think about it. Guess I assumed Mia was here like she is every day.”

  “Maybe it’s time to check.”

  I didn’t need any further instruction. Both Bentley and I walked down the service road that led to the parking lot where Mia kept her vehicles. It wasn’t a short trek, but when we made it around the condo, we had our answer.

  There was no sight of the red Corvette.

  Chapter 21

  ~Ayden~

  Three days. That’s how long it had been since I last saw Mia.

  Three days. The length of time it took me to screw up everything.

  Three days. The number of sunrises I witnessed at the main gate.

  My mind spun in circles as I stared at the road, waiting—no—hoping like hell I’d see the car I longed to see. The higher the sun rose, the greater my doubt increased of seeing Mia anytime soon.

  Where the hell had she gone?

  I had no intention of standing here as long as I had. It wasn’t until I spotted Andi and Bentley coming from the condos that I realized I’d spent an hour lost in my thoughts and fears.

  Bentley saw me too. Instead of continuing the path they were on, he tugged Andi’s arm and motioned toward the gate. She joined her hand with his as they both advanced in my direction.

  “What’s up, Ayden?” Bentley asked when they were a few feet away.

  I didn’t answer until he was standing beside me. “Nothing. Just . . .”

  My throat constricted. I didn’t want to admit why I was there. They both knew anyway. Why were they forcing me to say it?

  “She’ll be back.”

  “Will she?” I glanced at him first and then Andi. “Have you heard from Mia?”

  “No.” She didn’t look my way. Her eyes trailed over the same road that held my attention most of the morning. “I filed a missing person’s report yesterday. Our local sheriff is a good friend of the Brooks family. He said he’d let me know if he got any leads.”

  Every nerve in my body twitched. This couldn’t be happening. Mia was okay. I had to believe that. Thinking anything else meant that I’d never get the chance to apologize or be forgiven for the stupid shit I did.

  “Can you think of any place she may have gone? A friend or family member’s house, or does she have another house somewhere, like a vacation spot?”

  Each question Bentley asked made me appreciate our friendship that much more. He knew the right ones to ask. They were the same ones on my mind, except there was a thousand more floating inside of my head.

  “I’ve called everyone I can think to call. Mia doesn’t have much family, aside from Izzy and their father. Her dad hasn’t heard from her, although calling him wasn’t the best idea.”

  “How come?”

  She took turns looking at Bentley and me as she hesitated on answering the question. “Her dad wants to come home. If he does and he finds out what happened, he’s going to be out for blood, and not just Wesley’s.”

  I knew she was referring to me. She didn’t have to say anything else.

  “I asked him to stick to his itinerary. Mia knows where he’ll be and if she goes to him, it will be somewhere on that list.”

  “What about friends?” This time, I asked the question. Andi pressed her back against the shale wall that surrounded Music Haven and shook her head. “Most of her friends are here. She has a few business partners she thinks of like family, but I’ve already been in touch. No one has seen her.”

  Damn. It wasn’t the answer I was hoping to get. “She’s still not answering her phone, is she?”

  “Nope, and no texts either. It’s like she’s disappeared.”

  “Fuck.” I folded my hands behind my head and stared at the ground.

  God, I’d screwed this up so bad. I was the reason she’d left. If something happened to her, I would be to blame. It wouldn’t be my first offense against her either. I’d broken her heart too.

  As much as I wanted to go back to my suite and sulk over my mistakes, I noticed Andi’s brows gathering above her nose. Her eyes drifted past me back to the road.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Instead of answering, she motioned toward the road with a single nod. When I took the cue and looked in the same direction, I saw a cloud of dust coming toward us. After a moment of staring, I realized what I was seeing.

  It wa
sn’t a cloud of dust. It was a vehicle.

  The closer it came, the more I could see what type it was. I couldn’t deny the disappointment I felt when I realized it wasn’t a red Corvette. It was definitely a car.

  Once it came around the bend, I could see the truck following it. Lights flashed on the top, resembling something I’d seen on a tow truck. Perhaps Mia’s car had broken down and now it was being towed home. If that was the case, then the other car could be something she rented.

  “Looks like a car and a tow truck,” I announced. “You think Mia had an issue with the ‘Vette and is having it towed?”

  “It’s possible.” The tension on Andi’s face faded as she considered the thought. “She may have broken down someplace where she didn’t have phone reception. It couldn’t have been close though. The sheriff would have found her.”

  It didn’t matter which scenario played out. All I cared about was if Mia was in one of the vehicles heading our way. If she ignored me once she got here, I’d be okay with it. She could scream and yell and punch me in the face. As long as she was okay, I’d take whatever shit she could dish me.

  I didn’t deserve any less.

  “Oh shit.”

  Andi’s voice invaded my thoughts. “What’s wrong?”

  She didn’t acknowledge my question. A crease lined her forehead as she pressed her hand to her lips. “That’s Gary’s car.”

  “Gary?” I asked. The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t remember where I had heard it.

  This time, Andi regarded me. “He’s the local sheriff I told you about. God, I hope he has Mia in there with him.”

  I couldn’t tell if it was hope or fear I saw on her face. She was anxious. That was easy to see. I couldn’t read anything else about her.

  On my next glimpse of the tow truck, I noticed a red vehicle on the back. The hairs on my neck stood when I made the connection. It was the Corvette. It had to be.

  “Mia has to be in there. That’s the ‘Vette on the back of the tow truck.”