Complicated

by M. M. Koenig

Ethan slid me forward and crawled in behind me. He positioned his legs around me before setting his plate off to the side. He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder. He gave me a peck on the cheek before pulling away and devouring his plate. I polished off mine and put both empty plates alongside us. Ethan repositioned his head into my shoulder with a content sigh. He ran his hands up my thighs before settling low around my waistline. With each gentle stroke of his hands, my mind and body started to drift back to our unfinished business from earlier. His lips lightly brushed along my throat. I moaned softly before turning my head towards him. My mouth neared his when the ruckus from behind us made me pause.

  “Mia, we’re heading up to the roof. If you can pry yourself away from your sex drive long enough, you two should come with us. The show is going to start soon,” Bri said mischievously.

  I groaned. This was going to be the running banter for the rest of the weekend. Ethan shook with laughter. My back jerked into him before I moved forward to get up. It was enough to stifle his chuckling. Ethan grabbed our jackets while I retrieved our VIP passes from the counter. We made our way out of the suite hand-in-hand.

  When we reached the roof, Ethan stayed with the boys and I followed Bri. We walked towards the tables tucked away on the opposite side of the rooftop. The entire roof was an outdoor patio that was enclosed by a twenty-foot glass wall on all sides. Tiki torches and heat lamps were scattered around to provide extra warmth. Long glass tables were dispersed throughout the area with booths that contained plush black couches every few feet. There was a bar off to the left side of the roof serving every drink imaginable.

  The sun had begun to set, with shades of maroon and auburn filling the skyline. I watched it for a while before I gave my attention to the guys. They had moved to a table and were in deep discussion about something as they kept their heads together, only breaking to order drinks from a passing server. Other people were up here as Bri had warned, but they more or less kept to themselves. We hadn’t seen her dad, but that was no surprise. He didn’t mingle much with the commoners – even if it was an event they were throwing on his behalf. The roadies were setting up for the private concert. My stomach started to flutter at the thought of hearing these guys live in such an intimate setting. Our server delivered my vodka tonic, which I proceeded to swirl as we sat in silence. Bri was deep in thought as she took brief swigs from her flask. I cleared my throat to get her attention. She glanced over with a tight smile.

  “Are you OK?”

  Bri shrugged, feigning indifference, while nervously twisting her hands together. “I won’t be able to do weekends on the fly like this ever again.”

  I sighed. “You’ll still be able to do stuff like this. You’re life doesn’t end because you’re having a kid.”

  “It won’t be the same. Everything is about to change. I don’t want it to. I’m not ready yet,” Bri said in an anxious whisper.

  Her face went strikingly white as her eyes pleaded with the universe for more time to accept the changes ahead. Her knuckles had become red with the constant twisting and cracking. I reached over to stop her before grabbing her chin so she’d look at me. Once she did, I saw the fear in her eyes. It had grown each day since she found out.

  “It’ll be OK Bri. Your baby is going to be so spoiled. It’ll probably be good for us. Lord knows we need something to curb our craziness,” I pointed out with a reassuring smile.

  Her eyes wandered to the hustle on the streets below. “The morning sickness started this week. I’ve yet to figure out why people call it that though. Some days I puke all damn day. I feel like some sick bastard gave it that name just to encourage women to think that this children idea was a good thing, like you’d only feel nauseous from eight to ten in the morning. Lying assholes.”

  I tried very hard not to laugh at her, but she spewed out that grievance as if she was talking to God and demanding he correct the error in humanity’s terminology. Bri glimpsed at me with a small grin. I sealed my lips to silence any further giggling.

  Her smile faded. She focused on a skyscraper while playing with the scarf wrapped around her neck. “I’m going to have to tell Trey soon, but before I do, I need him to tell me that he loves me,” Bri said wistfully.

  I fidgeted with the straw in my glass. “Yes, you need to tell him. And you know he loves you. As far as things changing, you can’t stop that either, Bri. Life is all about change. So many different people and things come into our lives that redirect our course entirely. If we resist it, we can miss so much. Keep that in mind when you feel the panic rise. You can’t predict tomorrow any more than I can, so do what you do best.”

  “And what’s that?” Bri asked dryly.

  “Maintain your indomitable will and positive attitude. You’ve changed countless lives with it. Believe in it now as you start this new chapter in your life,” I replied sincerely, with a wide smile.

  Bri’s face softened. She wiped the corners of her eyes to keep the tears from falling. “Thanks Mia. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I know what you’ve been doing, stopping home before and after work. And I love you for it. I’m also grateful you’re willing to take all the jokes about your sex life. It’s been an easy way to keep the boys’ attention off me.”

  “I don’t mind. Besides, we’re sisters for life,” I answered, giving her hand a squeeze.

  “Yeah, we certainly are,” Bri agreed, beaming.

  My eyes drifted over to Harrison’s building. My stomach somersaulted as I thought about that malicious asshole. The erratic text messages were starting to take a toll on me. The physical altercations had come to a stop, but it always felt like someone was watching or following me. Seeing Ian every day wasn’t helping either. He went out of his way to stare me down to reinforce Harrison’s hold over me. Whenever Harrison threw in a maniacal message, it made the terror rise even more. The past week had been a quiet one, so I imagined the next one would have at least one spine-tingling text in store. I downed the rest of my drink to soothe the drought in my throat that tended to spring up whenever Harrison slid into my thoughts, and ordered another one.

  With my eyes closed, I listened to the sounds around me. The roadies were testing the instruments, so the band was going on soon. I opened them to see the last rays of the sun hit the horizon. The moon had shifted to its rightful place in the sky as the lights sprang up on the pier. There was a new sense of peace I got anytime I saw the lake. My heart soared as I recalled what could now be considered my first date with Ethan. My serene feelings abruptly ended as I caught some movement on the rooftop from the skyscraper across from us. It looked like someone was staring at me, but it was hard to be sure. I squinted to bring the image into focus, but it was useless. If someone was there, they weren’t any longer.

  You’re not seeing things Mia. You know someone is watching. They’re always watching. One of these days, you’re going to have to make a move to find some answers as to why.

  Shut up! The harpy in my head loved to have an opinion but never seemed to see the danger in her bitchy suggestions. My drink arrived at the same time as the boys joined us. We relocated to the large corner booth to enjoy the comfort of the lavish couches. Trey slid behind Bri and Ethan did the same with me. Jackson and Shane had snagged two blondes and took their seats across from us, with the girls in their laps.

  The booth had the best view of the city and stage, and an exclusive server. Bri’s dad really did get the royal treatment when people wanted him to support their cause. I cocked an eyebrow at her. She remained indifferent and buried herself further into Trey. The uneasiness had disappeared from her eyes. She was doing everything in her power not to think about her problems. It was a damn fine idea so I grabbed my drink to help calm my own nerves. Ethan sensed my tension and tightened his grip around my waist.

  A loud shot in the distance shocked everyone at our table. Fireworks cascaded above us from a boat far out on the lake. We turned our direction towards the water. The band
had taken the stage so this seemed to be the kickoff for their show. Jackson and Shane strutted over to the center of the rooftop with their girls. Ethan turned us around so we could watch the display. Trey pulled Bri up with him and they followed Jackson and Shane.

  The fireworks ran rampant in the skies above us. Ethan and I inched closer as we watched them. There was something about fireworks that I absolutely love, and even more so now that they tended to go off in my body whenever I was with Ethan. He ran his hands along my arms before moving them underneath my jacket, looking for bare skin. I stopped him from getting us into any trouble in public. He sighed, but allowed it mostly because his tongue started to make quick work of my neck. My entire body was firing in time with each shot in the sky. His lips grew hungrier as they started sucking deeper into my collarbone. I shimmied forward and tilted my head back with a glare.

  “What?” Ethan asked, batting his eyelashes.

  “You said you wouldn’t do it again,” I scolded.

  “I wasn’t going to. I swear,” he protested, patting his chest innocently.

  “I don’t believe you. Keep your eyes on the show,” I recommended, rolling my eyes.

  Ethan pulled me into him, but kept his attention to my neck to a minimum. As the fireworks ended, the band kicked in with their latest hit. The rest of the gang joined us. Ethan swung us around to face the stage. Jackson and Trey immediately lit up at the opening song. It was one of their favorites that they played whenever they were tinkering around with their instruments at home. Trey’s hands started mimicking the beat of the drummer while Jackson’s fingers copied the lead guitarist. Bri and I laughed – it was always a joy to be with them at live concerts. You’d think they were right up there with the band. Ethan ordered the table a round of shots and drinks. Once they arrived, we grabbed them eagerly.

  By the intermission, our table had consumed a good five rounds. It wasn’t a moment too soon because my bladder was screaming for some attention. I also needed a break from Ethan’s constant sexual torment. As the night wore on and the more he drank, his guard fell tremendously, and he didn’t seem to give a damn who was watching us whenever his hands drifted across my body. At the moment, they were flitting in and out of my sweater. I pulled his hands off my stomach and gave them a gentle kiss. He gave me a crooked grin with glossy eyes.

  “I’m going to run to the ladies room. Be back in a minute,” I whispered, nipping at his ear.

  “I like where your thoughts are headed. We’ll have plenty of time before the band takes the stage again,” Ethan husked, sliding his hands up my sides.

  I halted his forward movement and hissed, “No way. I’m going alone.”

  Ethan crinkled his eyes. It was no surprise that he became disgruntled. Our corner of the world was one step away from becoming a giant orgy. No one seemed to care who saw how very shameless we had become with our significant others. Jackson and Shane came up for air from making-out with their girls to see Ethan and me staring each other down. He prevented me from moving by holding my hips while massaging small circles along them. It made my effort to leave without him even more challenging.

  “Let her go Ethan. It’s not like you won’t get laid later tonight. Let the poor girl take a break every few hours,” Shane joked before turning his attention back to the girl on his lap.

  Ethan scowled at Shane, but kept his hands on me. I gently started to pull them away.

  “Dude, Shane’s right. Besides, I already did some handiwork in the bathroom. You don’t want to waste your time in there when you have our luxurious suites. The area isn’t conducive to really getting your groove on, if you know what I mean,” Jackson chimed in. The girl on his lap decked him across the back of the head. It didn’t faze him as he dove in for another kiss.

  When he finally let go of me, Ethan was less than pleased. I placed my hands on his thighs and leaned in for a tender kiss. He bit at my bottom lip before giving me a playful shove. I thought about asking Bri to join me, but she was far too preoccupied with exploring the inside of Trey’s mouth.

  I chuckled at everyone’s risqué behavior on my way to the bathroom. It was beyond busy, so I had to wait in line for five minutes before I had a chance to get in and take care of business. On my way out, the hallway was practically empty compared to the masses of people that were in it before I ducked into the bathroom. As I rounded the corner to proceed through the final hallway to get back outside, my knees buckled at the sight in front of me.

  Fuck! The Fitzpatricks. What are they doing here?

  I wheeled around to avoid running into them. I hated whenever I ran into Kieran, Finn, Grady or Riley, because it never ended well. This was twice in less than three months. I wasn’t fast enough, because the mouthpiece of the group let out a loud whistle.

  “Well, isn’t that little Mia Ryan?” Kieran slurred.

  The four brothers picked up their speed to catch me before I made it around the corner. They were the spitting image of each other. They had dark brown hair with matching brown eyes and stood just above six foot. Their arms displayed a collection of tattoos paying homage to the various gangs that they controlled on the South Side. What stood out on this occasion was that they were actually dressed in clothes that didn’t have blood or grease on them.

  They stepped in front of me to block the rest of the hallway. I glanced behind me to see if there was any chance of getting away from them without drawing attention to myself. Another batch of people had flooded the hallway to use the restrooms. Security was filtering between the hordes of people to keep the drunker ones in line.

  Turning around, I took a deep breath and said, “Hey guys. Are you enjoying the show?”

  The oldest, Kieran, loomed above me. “Which show are you referring to?”

  I gulped and started to fidget with my necklace to avoid freaking out any further. “Umm … I’m not sure what you mean.”

  Riley, the youngest one, started to infringe upon my space with Finn and Grady right behind him. I started taking steps backwards. With each staggering step, my legs became heavier. The drinks in my stomach were starting to crawl upwards.

  “We’ve seen you all over Ethan. Our cousin sure went over-the-top with you. That looks like two carats,” he said, motioning to my necklace. “You must be pretty damn special. You should stand still for a minute so I can take a closer look, because that looks like a family heirloom.”

  My feet shuffled faster and I snidely answered, “I don’t think so. I’d say that it was nice to see you, but that’s never the case. If you don’t mind, I’m going back outside.”

  Christ Mia! One of these days you’re going to have your lights punched out because of your inability to shut your damn mouth! Stop antagonizing people!

  Finn licked his lips with a shake of the head and threatened, “Watch your mouth Mia. We don’t care if you’re a girl. South Side rules always apply.”

  I narrowed my eyes while digging deep within me to rid myself of the terror crippling my system. I shoved past him but didn’t make it very far as they scurried ahead to cut me off.

  Shit. Shit. Shit.

  They huddled around me and started to reach for my necklace, but they never got the chance. Suddenly they went flying in different directions across the hallway. Ethan and my boys each took a man as they started to beat their asses. Ethan went head-to-head with Kieran, bashing his sides continuously until he spit out blood. Kieran wiped his mouth before taking a quick swing at Ethan’s jaw. The connection of the two cracked loudly. I flinched and backed even further away. Jackson’s fists were covered in blood as he gave Finn repeated punches to the face. Shane had grown bored with simple punches and started using his years of Tae Kwon Do against Grady. Trey had kicked Riley to the ground where he proceeded to use him like a punching bag.

  “If you even think about touching my girlfriend, I’ll slit your throat!” Ethan warned.

  “You may think you’re better than us, cousin, but we’re cut from the same cloth. Spew all the th
reats you want because they’re as futile as any of the pleas that came out of your mom’s mouth. You’re tied to the family, whether you like it or not,” Kieran goaded.

  Ethan transformed into what I would consider the human version of The Hulk. His eyes bugged out so far that it was surprising they remained in his head. His face and arms flamed red, which was remarkable considering his arms were covered in tattoos. Ethan took out Kieran’s legs with a swift kick and hovered over him with his arm arched back, but he never swung through for the blow to the head. Kieran had reached around his back to retrieve his Glock and had it pointed at Ethan’s throat. My hands flew to my face to stop myself from screaming. The rest of the boys stepped away as Kieran roughly shoved the gun into Ethan’s chest. Seconds later, security strolled up behind me. Kieran slipped his gun into his jacket pocket as Ethan stepped over to me.

  “Gentleman, you need to clear out of this hallway. Your passes all indicate you’re VIPs. I’m going to do you all a favor by not reporting this incident. I suggest you leave now before I change my mind,” the guard recommended sternly.

  “We were just leaving. Sorry for the trouble,” Ethan said, in between deep breaths.

  He stepped forward with me in tow. The boys followed behind us without a word. Not one of us looked back at the Fitzpatricks. Ethan was still trying to gather his wits so I refrained from saying anything and rubbed my fingers along the inside of his wrist to help calm him down. There was a small cut on the upper part of his eye. I reached up and gingerly wiped away the few drops of blood. Ethan grabbed my hand on its way down and pressed a light kiss on it.

  Before we hit the rooftop, the boys veered off to the bathroom to clean themselves up. Ethan continued to march outside. As we approached the booth, Bri stared at me with wide eyes, but I shook my head as Ethan and I took our seats. She gazed at me, utterly confused at what was going on. The boys returned just as the band took the stage. Bri anxiously started whispering in Trey’s ear. Like me, he gave a headshake. It was obvious that Bri was growing more agitated by the minute. Trey distracted her by picking up their make-out session. Jackson and Shane did more of the same as the first song floated from the speakers.