“Mac,” I say.
“I have to say it, sweetie,” Mac says.
“Holy fuck,” Violet says.
Mac leans toward me and kisses me.
Then he stands up and walks to the door.
“Call me if you need anything,” he says. “I’ll be back in a little while. You two do your thing.”
He leaves the bedroom.
Violet looks back at the door. “He didn’t lock the door.”
“No,” I say.
She looks at me. “We can leave. Right now. He can’t do this to you.”
I grab for Violet’s hands and I put my butt on the floor.
We sit across from each other.
“You’re my best friend, right?” I ask.
“Yeah,” she says.
“Then you need to be quiet and listen to me…”
Violet takes another drink from the bottle.
“There better be more of this,” she says. “Because I still don’t believe this.”
“Here, watch,” I say.
I stand up and walk to the door. I open it.
“And you don’t just run?” she asks.
“Violet, this isn’t me kidnapped for real,” I say. “How many times do I have to say it?”
“I don’t get it,” she says.
I shut the door and laugh. “I don’t know what else to say.”
“So this is because of your father? Your father? Really?”
“Yeah,” I say. “He’s got himself tied into something bad. I have no idea what. But Mac is trying to find out. I was almost killed in my own apartment, Violet. And things just kept getting worse. Everyone wants to blame Mac… but what if it wasn’t because of him at all?”
“This is beyond crazy,” she says.
“I know,” I say. I start to pace the room. “Um… tell me what they’re saying about me. Like, what’s happening out there?”
“Well, first off, I fucking hate you,” Violet says.
“For what?”
“You’re gone,” she says. “The calls and texts… your phone…”
“That’s fish food,” I say and frown.
“Ohmygod,” Violet says. “I called and texted for hours… days… and they tracked your phone to the ocean… and I just…”
I slowly drop to my knees and touch Violet’s shoulders. “Look at me, Violet. I’m fine here. Do I want to be here? No. But I have to be here. Mac bringing you here to see me is a big deal. He can get into serious trouble.”
“Oh, good, so we can all die?”
“Stop it.”
“What am I supposed to do or think here? I thought Mac was kidnapping me. I was out for a run and he-”
“You were running?” I ask.
“Yeah. That’s how stressed I am.”
“The only time I’ve ever seen you run was after a cute guy at the beach.”
Violet pushes at me. “That just goes to show how much I care about you. My heart’s been broken, Jolie. And I knew it had something to do with Mac. I fucking knew it. But I didn’t say anything…”
“You swear?”
“I swear,” she says. “I told them nothing was out of the ordinary.”
“Yeah. Good. What else happened? What about my parents?”
Violet shakes her head. “I just… I couldn’t get a hold of you for a day and I started to get worried. I figured you were with Mac. I went to the beach and didn’t see you. Those other tough guys were there but I didn’t have the nerve to talk to them.”
“Van and Clay? The surfers?”
“You know everyone, don’t you?” Violet asks. “Who are you, Jolie?”
I smile. “Do you really want me to answer that?”
“No,” Violet says. She swallows hard. “I went home and the police showed up. To tell me you were missing. I refused to believe it. There’s no way you’re missing… but the cop I talked to…”
“What was his name?”
“His name?” Violet asks.
“Was it Declan?”
“Yeah, why?”
I smile bigger.
Violet kicks away from me. “No. No way. No. Stop it…”
“Please,” I say. “It’s all part of it.”
“Was that even a real cop?” Violet asks.
“Yes,” I say. “He’s a real cop. Just leave it at that.”
“Okay,” Violet says. “He was asking about you. Wanted to know the last time I saw you. That kind of stuff. I couldn’t think straight. I cried. I cried so much, Jolie. I didn’t eat. I didn’t sleep. Then I got angry. What the fuck are you thinking with this?”
I shake my head. “Trust me, the less you know the better. But it’s for my safety. I promise you. You didn’t see my parents at all?”
“No,” Violet says. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” I say.
The conversation falls silent.
We stare at each other.
Violet is still in disbelief.
I scoot my butt on the floor and get close to her again.
I hold my arm out.
“What?” Violet asks.
“Pinch me,” I say. “Prove I’m real.”
“Shouldn’t you pinch me?” Violet asks. “To make sure I’m not dreaming?”
I reach for her and pinch her arm.
“Ow!” she yells.
“Dreaming?” I ask.
“No,” she says.
I stand up.
“Come on,” I say. “Let’s forget about this stuff and hang out.”
“Can we go to the beach?” Violet asks.
“You can fill up the tub in the bathroom and pretend… oh, better yet, let’s pretend it’s a hot tub…”
“Okay,” Violet says.
I help pull her to her feet and she falls into me.
We fall down to the bed together and start to laugh.
This is far from normal.
But laughing feels good.
“How does this look?” Violet asks.
She struts into the bathroom wearing a big, white towel.
She has her sunglasses up on her head.
And she’s got a small, bathroom cup full of vodka.
“You look stunning,” I say.
I’m standing in shorts and a bikini top.
Violet is wearing one of Mac’s t-shirts.
She drops the towel and I point.
“You’re not naked, are you?” I ask.
“No,” she says. “But I have to go in there in what I wore here.”
I grab the bottle of vodka off the bathroom sink and walk to the tub in the corner of the bathroom.
It’s full of hot water.
All the jets are rumbling and making the water dance.
“We just need some music,” Violet says.
“I don’t have a phone, remember?” I ask.
“Oh, that’s right. Your kidnapper took it and threw it into the ocean.”
I snort. “My kidnapper.”
I step into the hot water and slowly sit down.
My body shivers for a second.
Violet takes out her phone and balances it on the windowsill.
She puts on some music and then wiggles her hips as she dances toward the tub.
She get into the water with me and we sit across from each other.
When we look at each other, we start to laugh again.
“Jolie, this is fucking insane,” she says. “I’m pretty sure I’m drunk right now and it’s still insane.”
“Trust me, I know,” I say. “But what am I supposed to do?”
“I don’t know. Not get involved with Mac.”
“That’s your fault!” I yell. “You wanted to go to the beach.”
“And you let me!” Violet yells back. “You’re supposed to be the good voice in my ear. Not this crazy bitch… I mean…” She sighs. “The second you looked at Mac, I was like ‘oh fuck no…’”
“I know,” I say. “He just gets me.”
“Gets you… gets in
side you… right?”
“Well, of course,” I say with a grin.
“I’m almost jealous of you.”
“Almost?” I ask.
“Yeah. I mean, you’re fucking crazy. This whole thing is fucking crazy. I’m not sure I could do it.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” I say. Then I snort and laugh.
“Your life is so much better than mine,” Violet says.
“I know my bedroom life is,” I say. “That’s for sure.”
“Look at you… you never talk like this…”
“Well, if you saw Mac’s-”
The bathroom door opened and Mac stepped in.
“Whoa,” he says. “Are you naked?”
“Naked?” a voice yells.
“Fuck,” Mac says.
A second later, Taz bursts into the bathroom.
He looks at the tub and he smiles ear to ear.
Violet points at him. “No. Don’t you fucking dare.”
“Too late, darling,” Taz says.
He kicks off his shoes and takes his shirt off in a second.
He then drops his jeans, showing off red boxers that really didn’t cover up much.
“Taz, don’t be an asshole,” Mac says.
“Once again, too late,” Taz says.
He jumps into the tub.
Water slashes up over the sides.
Water covers Violet’s shirt more than she probably wanted.
Meaning her shirt - which is Mac’s shirt - is now skin tight against her body.
Taz sits right next to her and smiles.
“Hey, you,” he says.
“Go away,” Violet says.
“I’ll only go away if I can come,” he says. “Think about it.”
“Taz, we’re trying to just hang out and relax,” I say.
“What the fuck is going on…”
Les’s voice trails off when he enters the bathroom.
He looks at Violet.
I look at Mac.
Mac just shakes his head.
“Let’s see who’s wearing what in this water,” Taz says.
He dips his head down into the water.
“The water is clear,” Les says.
“He’s trying to get near Violet,” I say.
Violet lets out a playful yell a second later.
She grabs Taz’s head and pushes him into the water some more.
“How many seconds until he stops talking?” Violet asks.
“I like your thinking,” Les says.
Violet looks at Les and blows him a kiss.
Oh, Violet.
Taz pops his head up out of the water and shakes his hair like a wet dog.
He turns and gets way too close to Violet.
“Trying to drown me down there?” he asks.
“Oops,” Violet says.
“Your turn to drown between my legs, darling,” Taz whispers.
“Hey, bro, shut the fuck up,” Les says.
Taz stands and turns.
His ass is right in Violet’s face.
She moves to the side and looks at me.
She smiles and nods.
Not bad she mouths to me.
Drunk Violet near these guys is a dangerous combination.
“What the fuck is your problem, Les?” Taz asks. “Don’t have the balls to jump in here with us? I’m willing to share.”
“I agree,” Violet calls out. “Share! Share! Share!”
“Violet, calm down,” I warn.
But it’s too late.
Les is stripping himself down to his boxers too.
Taz is built like a monstrous beast.
Les is toned with cuts of muscle I only know exist because of Mac’s body.
He climbs into the tub and sits on the other side of Violet, which puts him right next to me too.
He looks at me and grins. “You don’t mind, right?”
“Not at all,” I say.
I look back at Mac.
He steps back and leans against the wall.
“Oh, come on, bro,” Taz says. “Live a little.”
“Yeah, Mac,” Violet says. “Don’t be afraid.”
I kick my foot at Violet.
“Hey! Ow!” she yells.
Violet is drunk and giddy and feeling good about herself. But that doesn’t mean she can say what she wants. She still has no idea who Mac is or what he or his crew are capable of.
I bat my eyes at Mac. “Are you coming in or what?”
“I have a better idea,” he says.
He walks to the edge of tub and reaches down for me.
His arms go into the water and he picks me right up out of the water.
I let out a playful yell as he turns and I’m over his shoulder.
I lift my head and look at Violet.
She looks shocked.
She’s now alone with Taz and Les in the tub.
Mac slides me forward and puts me on my feet.
Water drips everywhere.
“You’re soaked anyway,” I say to him.
“Yeah, I know, sweetie,” he says. “But I want you alone.”
I look over at Violet again.
Taz has an arm around her.
Les is staring at her with very dangerous eyes.
“I’m not sure I should leave Violet alone with them,” I whisper.
Mac presses his body against mine. “Do you really care?”
His hands climb up my back and tug at my bikini top.
I smile.
I’m a little drunk myself.
No matter what, Mac will always be number one in my book.
Violet and I stand at the bedroom door alone.
Now comes the crushing moment she has to leave.
Everyone is dried off.
The tub thing lasted only five minutes after I got out.
Taz wanted to do something else.
He jumped out of the tub and left Violet and Les alone.
Violet tried to get out on her own and she ended up slipping and almost falling back into the water.
Les caught her.
There was a moment.
Then Taz ruined it.
Other than that, we kept drinking here and there, talking, laughing, telling old stories to new people.
Violet loved talking about the guys she hooked up with.
I loved the way it pissed off Taz and Les.
But now it was almost midnight and this distraction is over.
Violet grabs my hands. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes,” I say. “You got to see it. And it’s not for long, Violet. But, listen, I have to tell you something. You have to listen…”
“Okay.”
“Not a word,” I say. “You have no idea what could happen if you say something.”
Violet nods. “I can fake sadness. I mean, it won’t be that fake. I miss you. I can’t stand that I can’t call or see you.”
“I know,” I say. I jump forward and hug her. “Just please listen to me.”
“I will,” Violet says.
The bedroom door opens and Mac steps inside.
“It’s time,” he says.
“I’ll miss you, darling,” Taz says from the hallway.
“I’ll miss you too,” Violet says back.
Taz touches his chest and exhales.
Les just stands cool and calm.
Mac looks at me just before he takes out the blindfold and puts it around Violet’s eyes.
That part makes my heart hurt.
He ties it and then leads her from the bedroom.
That’s when Les makes his move, grabbing her hand.
He holds it, squeezes it, caresses it, until he has to let her go.
Mac walks Violet to the steps and that’s all I can watch.
I slowly shut the bedroom door.
The fun is over.
Reality sinks in.
It’s the first time I almost miss my old life… the one before Mac.
5
/> MAC
I watch her sleep and I know she’s sad.
I know this entire thing is hurting her. And confusing her.
What she doesn’t know is that it’s going to end soon. As soon as tomorrow.
Well, today.
There’s something happening and I’m going to be there.
Once we know the truth about her father - and the story of her mother - then everything will be okay.
I mean, in reality, it won’t be okay at all.
Nothing will be normal or okay in the sense of what Jolie has known for her entire life.
But she and I can get back to normal. She and I will be okay.
That’s what matters most to me.
I put my nose to her shoulder and I smell her skin.
I shut my eyes.
When the morning light wakes me, I find the bed empty.
I sit up and look to the corner of the bed.
That’s where Jolie is sitting.
I stretch my neck and clear my throat.
“Morning, sweetie,” I say. “What are you doing?”
Jolie looks back at me.
She smiles.
She slowly turns and shows me her hand.
There’s a cigarette in her hand.
“What’s that for?” I ask.
“I was thinking about taking up the habit,” she says.
I push the covers off me and slide up next to her. “What?”
“Why not, right? Can you picture me smoking?”
Jolie puts the cigarette between her lips.
I won’t lie, she looks fucking beautiful like that. She’s still got this perfect, innocent look to her. Add in a cigarette and it’s just… damn.
“Are you serious right now?” I ask.
Jolie plucks the cigarette out of her mouth and puts it into the palm of her hand again.
She’s holding it like it’s a tarantula or something.
Like she’s afraid of the cigarette.
I lean toward her and kiss the side of her head.
“I know this is all fucked up,” I whisper. “Soon, sweetie.”
“How though, Mac? How do I get kidnapped and then just show up again like normal?”
She looks at me.
She’s put a lot of thought into it.
I touch her face. “Who knows about it? That’s the question. Missing. Kidnapped. They’re two different things, Jolie. For all anyone knows, you got burned out and took off. Threw your phone into the ocean and went on a road trip. By yourself. The word kidnapped wasn’t done by you.”
Mess Us Up (Brooks Crest Book 3) Page 4