“You have no right to be upset,” I said, raising my chin. “It happened while we were separated.” My lips quivered. I should be honest. Tell him that it didn’t mean anything. That it didn’t feel the same as when he kissed me—like worlds colliding or stars being torn apart. But I couldn’t make myself that vulnerable again. Everything seemed so uncertain.
Warren’s lip turned up. “Excuse me. I have no right to be upset?” He pounded the arm of his chair. “That motherfucker has always wanted you. Even when we were good, married and traveling, he was always calling, emailing, getting in the way. And don’t forget Billy thinks you two are dating again. The fact that he took your virginity when it should have been mine—” Various growly sounds and other unhappy noises erupted from Warren.
I sprang from the chair and rounded on Warren. In an instant, I’d switched from defensive to offended. “You get this straight, Warren Price. My virginity didn’t belong to anyone except for me.” I poked him in the chest. “Who I had sex with before we were together is none of your business. And quite frankly, who I kissed while we were separated is none of your business either.”
Warren’s jaw fell open. “There was more than one?”
My brow dipped, the wind temporarily sucked from my angry sails. “More than one what?”
“Guy you kissed while we were separated?”
I slapped a palm against my forehead, prayed for patience. “No, Warren. I kissed Gabe and it was only once.”
Warren was silent for a moment. Then his lips twitched into a half smile. “Gabe didn’t do it for you, did he?”
I groaned. “Add arrogant to the list.”
Warren rose from his chair, bringing his body flush with mine. “How come you kissed him, Addy?” His knuckles brushed my cheek.
My eyes fluttered closed and for some reason, tears formed in them. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do. You want to know what I think? Why you kissed him?”
“No,” I said. I really, really didn’t. Because he’d probably be right.
“I think you kissed him because you missed me, because you were lonely. But you don’t need to be anymore. I’m here and I’m never going to leave you.” He was so right. I’d kissed Gabe in an effort to fill a void in my gaping heart. But Gabe was a poor substitute for the real thing.
I opened my eyes. A tear slipped down my cheek. Warren thumbed it off. “Your love always has conditions,” I said. “You want me to tell Billy about the marriage. You forbid me from calling Gabe. It feels like I have to choose. If I keep Billy, I’ll lose you. If I keep you, I’ll lose Billy.”
“Ah,” Warren said. He swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing under his tattooed throat. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry about Gabe and Billy. I’m a jealous asshole.”
I placed a hand over his heart. “My asshole,” I said. Warren smiled and chuckled. Then I burst out laughing and buried my face in his chest. “That didn’t sound the way I meant it to,” I said, voice muffled. “I don’t trust you,” I admitted.
He tugged on my hair. I looked up. “I understand. And you’ll never know how sorry I am about that. I’m going to do everything in my power so you do again.”
He kissed me, tongue tracing the seam of my lips, begging entrance. I obliged. His arms were like steel bands around me. I trembled. He moved us forward, bending me back, and I felt the cold of Steve’s glass desk against my thighs.
“Ahem.” Another voice in the office had me shoving at my husband’s chest. But Warren stayed firm, plastered against me, hands digging into my hips, refusing to let go. And I knew now Warren had me. He had me locked down tight.
“That you, Steve?” he asked, never taking his half-lidded eyes off me. I couldn’t see anything but Warren’s massive body.
“Yep, it’s me. I take it you two made up?” the attorney asked.
“Sure did. I told Addy no hanky-panky in your office, but she insisted.” He shot a grin and a wink my way.
“Have you made any decisions about the divorce or ten-million-dollar clause?” Steve asked.
“We’ll keep the clause. But lose the divorce talk. We’re staying married,” Warren said, leaning forward to nuzzle my neck.
At the same time, I said, “We’re just taking it one day at a time for now.”
Days became a week.
Warren reacquainted himself with my body. No patch of skin had been left unexplored, unconquered or unkissed. Physical stuff was never a problem for us. It was the emotional shit that got in the way. Warren leaned into everything—arms open and ready to fall. I was a bit more hesitant. But the last few days I’d thrown caution to the wind. You’re hiding, a small, treacherous part of me whispered. I’m enjoying myself for the first time in three years, I retorted. Groaning, I gave up my internal conversation and turned my cell phone over in my hands.
Every few minutes the screen lit up with missed calls from Lily, Billy and Daisy. I chewed my cheek. Above the sun was bright, blazing and hot. Earlier Warren had kissed the daylights out of me before heading to the studio with Derren. He was meeting Lix and Ash there. Happy at the thought of catching some rays by War’s pool, I’d changed into a swimsuit and white, lacy cover-up. I was wearing Old Addy’s clothes again. I tried not to read too much into it. I’d also decided to return all the phone calls I’d been avoiding.
The surface of the aquamarine water broke every few seconds with Kelly’s breaststrokes. My murse had been in the mansion the whole time—Warren had given him lodging in a separate wing.
I scrolled through my contacts and thumbed the green call button. She answered on the first ring. “I’m not talking to you,” Lily said.
I half-smiled, tucking the phone under my chin. Sitting at the pool’s edge, I dragged my feet through the water. “If you’re not talking to me, how come you answered the phone?”
Lily huffed and said nothing.
I whistled low. “Wow. You’re really mad at me. May I ask why?”
Another gusty sigh from Lily. “You gave Ash my phone number,” she accused.
I sucked in a breath, deeply offended. I would never. “I did no such thing.”
“Then how’d he get it?”
I squinted against the sun. “I don’t know.” But then I thought about it. My lip curled up. Sneaky bastard. On the bus, after I’d gotten drunk as a skunk and spent the night in Warren’s bed, I’d left my purse on the counter. Ash had obviously scrolled through my contacts. Of all the devious, conniving… “I’ll kill him,” I whispered.
“He keeps calling me. The first time he called, I didn’t know the number and I picked up. I thought it was my parents.”
Poor Lily. My best friend’s parents were unique individuals—both held doctorates in anthropology, and they spent most of their time traveling the world. They flitted in and out of Lily’s life, giving more attention to the tribes they studied than their own child. Lily always took their phone calls, desperate for their approval and attention. I guessed that was what made our friendship so impenetrable. We both had mommy and daddy issues. “Shit, Lil. I’m sorry.”
Lily sniffled. “It’s fine. I’d change my number but it’s the only one my parents have. Now I have to deal with Asher calling and texting.”
I breathed out hard. “I left my phone out. He must’ve lifted your digits from there. I’ll take care of it, Lily. I promise.” The next time I saw Asher I was going to twist his nipples off. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask Lily what had happened between her and Ash, but I knew she wouldn’t tell. Lily would talk about it when she was ready. This might be never. That was fine. I’d stand by her. Always.
“How’s the tour?” she asked.
“It’s… interesting,” I said, noncommittally.
Pause. From the end of the line, I could feel Lily scrutinizing the evasive sound of my voice. It didn’t take long for her to draw a conclusion. “Oh, my God, you totally let Warren back in your pants, didn’t you?”
I choked on my own tongue. If I had a drink, I w
ould’ve spit it out. “Why would you say that?”
Lily snorted. “A couple weeks back in his orbit and you succumb.”
Indignation snaked its way up my spine. “It’s not that way at all.” It was totally that way. Murse Kelly alighted from the pool, water dripping from his slicked-back hair and down his body. A faint trail of light yellow hair traveled from his belly button into his low-slung shorts. “I think I met someone you might like,” I said, throat dry.
Lily made a grumpy sound. “I’m not dating anymore. I’m becoming a nun. Tell Asher. I’ve taken a vow of chastity. Never mind, don’t tell him that. He’ll see it as a challenge. Tell him I’m sleeping my way through the United States.”
I chuckled. “Will do.”
A pause. “You okay, Ads?”
I sobered. “I’m okay.”
“You’d tell me if you weren’t?”
“I’d tell you.”
“To Edward Cullen,” Lily said, quietly, reminding me of our inside joke, reminding me of how much we shared. This was her way of saying I love you, three words that didn’t come easily to her.
“May he stay young and forever beautiful,” I shot back.
The phone disconnected. Lily had trouble with goodbyes. I’d call her in a few days, after I handled Ash.
Speaking of the devil, the four members of Wild Minds walked through the double doors and onto the veranda. Yes, Warren’s house had a veranda, complete with parallel curving stone steps that led down to the pool.
“Addy!” Warren called, cupping his hands over his mouth, shouting over the balustrade. Clearly, he hadn’t seen me yet.
Kelly rolled his eyes, looping a towel around his neck.
“Addy? Where the fuck are you?” Warren bellowed.
I stood and waved my arms. “Here, War.”
Warren ran down the stairs, a slow, salacious smile on his lips. Closing in on me, he whispered in my ear. “I knew I’d find you here. I was thinking about you wet.”
I blushed, and convinced myself it was from the heat and not Warren’s words. Asher sauntered down the stairs, sunglasses on and hat pulled low. “I have a bone to pick with your brother,” I told Warren.
“I’d rather you pick your bone with me,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. “That was bad, even for you.” I pushed him away and stalked to Asher, poking him in the chest. “You stole Lily’s number from my phone.”
Asher grunted. He removed a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, tapped one out and lit it. “How else was I supposed to get it?” he asked, exhaling.
I waved the smoke from my face. “If she wanted you to have it, you would have it.”
“Duh, Addy,” Asher said.
I put up a fist.
Asher stepped back, hands up, cigarette smoke twirling. “All right. I got it. No more calls, not like she’ll talk to me anyway.”
I nodded, pleased.
A small tap on my shoulder had me turning. Derren stood behind me. The drummer scratched his short beard. “Can we talk?” he asked.
I eyed Derren up and down. “I guess,” I said, though I couldn’t imagine what he might want. Hadn’t he said enough the other day?
He led me to a corner of the patio, to a cabana. He motioned at the striped lounges. “Want to sit?” he asked.
Derren shuffled his Converse-clad feet. He was uncomfortable. Or nervous. Hopefully both. Based on the way he’d treated me the day before, he deserved it. “I think I’ll stand,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
Across the pool, Warren and Lix joked around with Ash. Kelly was back in the water, doing laps. Derren paced back and forth, kicking imaginary rocks. He drew a hand through his hair. “Fuck, this is hard. Look, I’m sorry, all right? I’m sorry about all the shit I thought and said about you.”
I blinked, his super-yelly apology taking me by surprise.
Derren’s voice lowered to a soft plea. “I’m sorry.”
“You hurt me,” I said. If Derren was going to bare his soul, I’d return in kind. “I thought that out of all the band members, you’d have my back. But as soon as I left you started concocting all these stories. You didn’t even try to call me.”
“I know.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Warren was a wreck. I was a wreck. Jesus, Ads, you were my best friend and then you just up and took off.”
“And you never thought I might have had a good reason for bailing?”
“Honestly, I couldn’t see past my own anger. Then Warren got all grumpy and broody, saying shit like you left him because he wasn’t as successful as your father.”
My jaw dropped open. “I never cared about money.”
“I know that now. Are you going to accept my apology or not? This is killing me, Ads.”
I thought for a moment. I was ready to forgive and forget, to move on. But justice still needed to be served.
My chin rose. “I’m going to need something more than an apology.”
He gave me a wary look. “Like what?”
An idea formed. I smiled, wicked. “Something to remind you never to doubt me again.”
I grinned, enjoying myself immensely. Derren lay face down on a black table covered in thick plastic, pants pulled down to his knees, baring his ass. Nearby Lix, Ash and War snickered, watching the tattoo artist work on Derren’s left butt cheek.
Derren grunted in pain and eyed me. “This is demented,” he said.
I shrugged. “You wanted to make it right.”
He gritted his teeth. “I thought you’d want a public apology. Not permanent mutilation.”
“You’re proving your undying friendship to me.”
Derren shifted and let out a yowl of pain as the needle dug into his skin. The tattoo artist peered up. “Keep still, man. This tattoo is fucked up already, no need to fuck it up further with crooked lines.”
Derren muttered an apology, stilled and laid his head in the cradle of his arms.
Warren sidled up next to me. “It’s a little concerning how much pleasure you’re getting from this.”
I looked up, studying War’s profile. He hadn’t shaved in a day or two and his jaw was scruffy. Last night, I had woken with Warren between my legs. Now the insides of my thighs were deliciously pink, scratched with marks from his cheeks.
I sucked in a breath, staring at Derren’s red and irritated behind. “I’m surprised he went for the dinosaur.” I’d been generous giving Derren three options: a portrait of Chuck Norris, a fisherman with his line cast in an unmentionable region, or a Brontosaurus with the words “never forget” tattooed underneath. Derren had gone for the latter.
My vision snagged on Ash. He was tapping something furiously on his phone. I narrowed my eyes. He had better not be texting Lily.
Warren’s hand traveled down my arm to grasp my wrist. “They’re almost done. You want to get out of here? There’s a bar next door. We can go get a drink.”
“Sure,” I said. I hadn’t eaten yet. Maybe there’d be greasy bar food. Visions of mozzarella sticks danced before my eyes.
Warren tugged me out the door, shouting, “Addy and I are going next door to get a drink. None of you are invited. Especially you.” Warren eyed Kelly, who stood outside on the street.
My murse had followed us to the tattoo parlor. Kelly took his job super-seriously. Until Billy called him off watchdog duty, the blond giant was stuck to my side like glue. Case in point, Kelly had ignored Warren’s disinvitation and followed us to the bar, where he took up residence at a back corner table, crossing his beefy arms and doing a great imitation of a “don’t fuck with me” vibe.
The bar was dark, cozy and nearly empty, thank goodness. The band hadn’t been recognized yet. But as soon as they were, I’d be hightailing it back to Warren’s mansion. The days of us traveling incognito in Europe were long gone. The last thing I needed were tabloids plastered with pics of me with Wild Minds out on the town. Billy would blow a gasket. He thought I was holed up somewhere in L.A. licking my wounds, taking the time I ne
eded to come to grips with his new family. Which I purposefully hadn’t thought about. Denial was so much easier.
Warren ordered us beers while I perused the menu. I nearly did a fist pump when I saw mozzarella sticks and Tater Tots. I ordered both. We took our drinks and settled into a red tufted booth. Warren leaned down. “Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” I said back.
“I feel like I haven’t seen you all day.”
“We saw each other this morning, this afternoon and now. We’re practically living together.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked. “Yeah, but we’re not really living together. Are we? We’re just playing house.”
Once upon a time, his comment would’ve raised my hackles. I would’ve gone toe-to-toe with him, accusing him of wanting too much. Why wasn’t what I gave him enough? But today, I was tired of this battle between us. I touched his cheek, tried to soothe his temper. “I thought we said no fighting this week.”
He palmed his head, fingers spiking through his hair. “I fucking hate how temporary everything feels, like you could just get up and leave again.”
With a hand, I turned his face to me. “I’m here now.”
“But for how long?”
“Does there need to be a time limit on everything?”
“Yeah, there does. I need to know you’re with me here. That you’re all in like I am. I can’t lose you again, Addy. I don’t think my fucking heart can take it.”
I kissed him gently on the lips. “I just need more time, War. Things with Billy and me aren’t great right now.”
“I’m trying hard not to push you, babe. But you gotta give me something here.”
He was right. I was being unfair. But I couldn’t bring myself to make a promise I wasn’t sure I could keep. I nudged Warren. “Let me out,” I demanded.
Warren’s face scrunched up. “What—”
“Let me out,” I said again, shoving him.
With great annoyance, Warren exited the booth, allowing me to pass. At the back of the bar, near where Kelly had parked himself, was a sticky dance floor and an old jukebox. I fished a couple quarters from my purse and thumbed through the options. Slim pickings. Finally, I found something that would do. I pressed play and whirled back around. I approached Warren and grabbed his hand. “C’mon, they’re playing our song.”
Good Lies (A Wild Minds Novel) Page 15