Gone Guy (Sand & Fog Series Book 5)

by Susan Ward

I shrug.

  “He asked me to marry him,” she hisses in my face. “He had a ring and everything. Got down on his knee. It was heartbreaking. I couldn’t keep up the lie anymore. You tell me, Eric, what was I supposed to do?”

  “You don’t tell him another word, Tara. You’ve done enough damage to my brother. Let me handle Ethan.”

  I head toward the house and hear her following me.

  “That’s what I wanted to do. But you weren’t here,” she barks at my back.

  “Go home, Tara. Stay out of my family and my life.”

  “I am home, Eric. I moved my stuff in when I got back from Vegas. Without your help, I should point out.”

  Fuck. “You stay in your half of the house, away from me, or I’ll change the locks on the doors.”

  Her shoes clicking against the tile register like nails in my spine. “How long is this going to go on, you pretending to hate me?”

  I swing back toward her, my jaw tight and my eyes I’m sure blazing. “I’m not pretending. And I’m serious, Tara. We’re over. Permanently. The best you can do is stay out of my way. I can take back everything as easily as I gave it to you. Don’t think I won’t after what you did to Ethan.”

  She clutches my face and plants a hard kiss on my lips. “You don’t mean it. I took the room at the end of the hallway. You don’t have to knock. Just come in.”

  Click. Click. Click on my tile as she walks, her delectable ass moving with a dick-stroking shimmy.

  God damn it. I don’t want her here, but I can’t toss her out. Fuck, this wasn’t what I planned. Ethan doesn’t have a clue how lucky he is I stopped her from marrying him. Tara would have ruined his life just like she’s trying to ruin mine.

  If I let her.

  Which I won’t.

  I slam my bedroom door and lock it.

  I can’t sleep. It’s after midnight and I’m tired, but I lie on my bed, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. Worse, I’m still wearing the shirt I came home in and I can smell Willow’s sweet fragrance on it.

  I didn’t expect to, but I miss her.

  Why the hell isn’t Willow the girl moving around in my house like she belongs here? Somehow when I was in Seattle I managed to let only a highly abridged version of the gruesome realities I left behind in LA enter my brain. Out of sight, out of mind was working for me. But Tara storming onto the scene sharply readjusted the movie of my future into a horror flick.

  I check my cell for the umpteenth time. No text back from Ethan. I can’t forcibly evict Tara until I talk to him. She’s cunning enough that she’d go after him and spew everything she said to me last week to land him in my place if I bail too soon.

  Whatever it takes, I’ve got to put up with this until it’s safe to show her the door. That girl will stop at nothing to have what she wants—Manzone name, money, and a rock star husband—and she’s got us both locked in a trap.

  I clutch my head in my hands. Why couldn’t I have met Willow first? Tara wouldn’t have my balls in a vise if I had. No way would she be a fixture in my life, a fixture in my home that I’m sentenced to deal with forever if I’d met Willow first.

  My heart clenches. Text me back, Ethan. We’ve gotta hash this out so you can stop hating me. Once you know everything, we’ll be solid again.

  Willow’s dark hair teases my flesh as she falls against my chest, laughing.

  We’re on her bed.

  I’m lying on my side.

  She’s sitting.

  The room is full of bright sunlight, sending shimmers across her face, her eyes. “You’re so full of it. I don’t believe a word you say.”

  “It’s the truth. You’re the only girl I’ve ever loved.”

  I lean in to claim her mouth and the room goes dim. Then Willow’s sweet face is lost behind Tara’s…

  I wake, my heart hammering like I’ve run a marathon.

  A nightmare.

  I haven’t had one since I was five.

  My nerves are wound too tight.

  I need to keep it together to get myself out of this.

  Pain lances through me.

  I need to focus, work the problem.

  If I don’t, I’ll lose everything.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Eric

  SHORTLY BEFORE NOON THE next day, I slip out of my house without Tara spotting me.

  Once I’m safely in my Bugatti heading through the gate, I try to focus my mind on the meeting ahead with Hugh and the guys. It’s going to take every ounce of willpower not to tell them all to fuck off once Henry’s done explaining what’s what.

  According to my figures, the band owes me over sixty thousand. That oughta shut Hugh and the guys up. It cost money for PR and to create a buzz. That’s what gets notice and record deals. We’d be slugging it away on the road, playing small venues another year, maybe two, if I hadn’t taken our career into my own hands.

  That thought brings me to Willow and uplifts my mood. I’m a take control kind of guy. I don’t let anything control me, and I use that to console myself that I can get out of the unpleasant situation I find myself in with Tara and into the future I want with Willow.

  Christ.

  Future.

  I can’t believe I’m thinking that way about a girl.

  I hit the call button on my steering wheel. “Call Willow.”

  It rings three times before she answers. “Hey, I talked to you two hours ago. I’m working.”

  Not the greeting I hoped for, but I smile anyway. “I know. But I wanted to hear your voice before my meeting starts.”

  “It’s just with the band, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Then why do you sound so nervous?”

  “I’m ready for everything to be good again,” I say, and I mean it in more ways than I can share with her just yet. “That way I’ll have more time for you and me, and nothing blowing up to wreck it.”

  “Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself today,” she advises sweetly.

  “Can’t. There is no me without you. I don’t think. Not anymore.”

  She laughs. “My oh my. What have I done to you, Eric James? I’ve nearly completely cured you of being an arrogant prick in less than a week. Your family’s not going to recognize you. Someday when I meet them they’re going to say Willow turned Eric into a teddy bear.”

  “Trust me. My family will never say that about me.” Chuckling, I brush back my hair and do a fast check in the rearview. “I’ve gotta go. I’m almost there.”

  “Good luck. Call me when you’re done.”

  “I will.”

  I click off the phone and turn into my parents’ front drive. It’s a half mile to the locked gate. When I reach it, the heavy reinforced iron barrier doesn’t open.

  Really?

  They’re making me check in at the gate?

  I glance through the windshield.

  Yep, it’s Dillon, the head of my parents’ security team, standing outside the guard building. He’s worked for them forever and knows damn well who’s sitting in this car.

  I roll down my window and poke my head out. “Open the fucking gate, Dillon. I’m late.”

  “Nice to see you, too, Eric.”

  He nods at the guy sitting inside the building.

  This not-treating-me-like-part-of-the-family crap is the next thing on my list to fix.

  The meeting with the band is brief, though Hugh manages to be a pain in the ass through it with all his questions to Henry. The rest of the guys just sit there and listen. They’ll do whatever Hugh decides.

  Same old shit, new day.

  Well, hopefully after this they realize who it was that got them where they are. Me, not Hugh. There can only be one leader in a band, and it’s past time the three of them acknowledge it’s me.

  I zone out thinking of Willow instead of focusing on how humiliating it is to have my dad sitting on the couch in his recording studio, listening to this
. True, he’s agreed to produce the band’s next release. True, he owns the majority of stock in the label. But it’s also true he’s my dad, I had to earn getting signed by the label without his help, and he could take a bit of the stink out of this for me.

  Oh shit. The room’s silent. Henry’s packing up his account records. I shift my gaze to Hugh. “I told you everything was on the up and up. We good?”

  Hugh’s leaning forward, elbows on his knees, his expression still hard. Why’s he being such a hard-ass about this?

  He looks around the room then taps his chest with his fist. “It came from a place of love, Eric. It was more about knowing you were OK than the money.”

  My jaw tightens. One trip to rehab and no one in my life will let me forget or trust me again. I wonder if they know it fucking hurts. “I’m good. Better than good. I’m great. You could have just asked me instead of doing it this way.”

  His brows lift as his eyes widen. “You’ve been acting off, dude.”

  My temper flares. “We’ve known each other for a long time. Do I seem off to you?”

  His eyes flash—surprise?

  “No, you don’t.” He unbends enough to smile. “I’m sorry, brother. We’re good.”

  I let out a breath.

  One problem down.

  “See you guys Friday at the signing meeting?”

  “We’ll be there.”

  We all stand, hug, and slap backs. I wait until they file out of the room with Henry before I turn to my dad.

  “I told you everything was cool, Dad,” I say, sinking down in the chair by the sound board and turning to face him directly. “Anything else you want cleared up before I head for home?”

  Alan stares at me.

  Black eyes unreadable.

  Expression enigmatic.

  He leans over the arm of the sofa and shuts the door.

  He arches a brow. “Hugh might buy there’s nothing wrong, but I don’t. I’m your father, Eric. I see things the guys don’t. Whatever it is, tell me and we’ll think it through together. What kind of trouble are you in, son?”

  “Nothing. In fact, I’ve met a girl. I think you’d like her.”

  He studies me for a moment then crosses the room to lean against the sound board, standing close to me. “Did you knock her up? Is that what you’re afraid to tell me?”

  Heat runs my skin followed by prickles. “What?”

  “You’ve been jumpy for the past few weeks and looking like you’ve got the weight of the world on you. You used to behave the same way when you were little and hiding something.”

  “Dad.” It’s all I say because I can’t think of anything else.

  His potent black stare locks on me. “I’m here to help, Eric. When you’re ready to talk we’ll think it through together. You’re my son. I love you.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about.” Hell, my voice is choked.

  Alan pats me on the back and leaves. But before he disappears into the hallway I catch a glimpse of my dad’s face. He’s disappointed in me and worried.

  It feels like there’s a truck parked on my chest.

  Seeing him that way.

  He’s my hero.

  The guy I want to be.

  It hits me hard between the eyes.

  He’s not wrong to be disappointed and worried.

  I’ve been lying to him and my family for weeks.

  No wonder they thought I was using again.

  No wonder everyone’s suspicious of me right now.

  I’m covering up lots of shit in my life and, worse, they know it. But I’ve gotta keeping doing it. For a little while longer. I have to talk to Ethan before I tell my family everything. It would be wrong to do it any other way.

  Deciding my next stop should be talking to Ethan, I weave my way through the house, but each room I check is empty. I go to the kitchen, stopping beside the giant marble center island and look into the family room. No, no one. That never happens. It’s the one room in the house where there’s always someone.

  Fuck. If I have to check every room on all three levels to find my brother it’s going to take me half the day. I contemplate texting Khloe to see if she knows where Ethan is, then I hear splashing from the pool.

  I stare through the wall of glass. Like I suspected, it’s my mom swimming laps. I haven’t said hello to her since I’ve been home. I slide open the door, cross the patio, and crouch down at the edge of pool to wait for her to see me.

  She stops kicking as she glides to the side of the pool and her face pops out of the water. As she brushes back her long blond hair, I grab the towel lying beside my feet and hold it out to her. “Hey, Mom, have you seen—”

  Chrissie’s eyes flare wide, and I’m thinking a rash of shit over what’s been going on is about to come my way, but then she lifts a brow. “Hello to you, too, Eric. Or are you too busy to say hi to your mother?”

  I hold back a smile by making a pout. “Not too busy. I said hey.”

  Chrissie pushes up out of the water using the concrete, sits on the edge, and plants a kiss on my cheek. “Hay is for horses. Hello is for your mother.”

  I roll my eyes, but in truth, dorky little sayings like that out of my mom come off sweet. “You’re so funny, Mom. Haven’t heard that one before.”

  “You’re going to keep hearing it until it works, kid. One of us is going to break and it’s not going to be me.”

  I laugh as she pats her face dry with the towel.

  “Quite an adventure you’ve had this past week, EJ.”

  I tense. No one can sneak in a touchy subject in the middle of nothing talk as smoothly as my mother can. I rake back my hair. “Yeah, it’s been interesting.”

  Her enormous blue eyes search my face. “You doing OK?”

  “Yeah. I’m fine, Mom.”

  “That’s what counts.”

  She assesses me again and her golden brows pucker. Having her gaze fixed on me makes what’s gone down have added bite. I say it before I can stop myself. “Listen, Mom, I’m not completely the bad guy here. Whatever you’ve heard, there are two sides.”

  She tilts her head until it’s resting against mine. “I know that, EJ.”

  “I love you, Mom.”

  I can feel her smile though it’s not on her face. “I love you, too, baby boy.”

  Her pet names are so awful, but hearing her call me one eases a bit of the twisting in my gut. She has a way of making everything feel like it’s going to be all right. She’s the most special woman I’ve ever known. Tough as nails on the inside, gentle and loving on the outside, and let’s face it, she’s got to be amazing to be able to handle my dad all these years. Not exactly a small job.

  I sigh. “I need to talk to Ethan. He won’t text me back. Do you know where I can find him?”

  The edges of her lips move downward and I realize she can tell I’m sad. “San Diego. Surfing until tomorrow. Then Monday he’s heading back to school.”

  Fuck. I refrain from groaning. Not the news update I wanted. If Ethan can manage to avoid me until he’s left California, I might never be able to fix things with him.

  I drive for hours trying to clear my head. When I get back to my place, Tara’s lying in the sun wearing a string bikini that hides nothing.

  Seeing her, my heart rate immediately spikes in a bad way. Avoiding her is the smarter move, but I go out onto the patio anyway.

  “Listen, you and me are never going to happen, Tara. I fucked you once. That’s what we were to me. This situation is done. Find a house somewhere. I’ll pay for it. You need to pack your shit and get out. I’ll step up but I’m not stepping in. We’re done doing things your way.”

  I don’t bother to disguise how I feel about her. It’s better that she gets the message.

  “I’m sorry the meeting with Hugh went badly, but don’t take it out on me,” she scolds, her voice laced with annoyance.

  “It didn’t go badly—” I stop mids
entence. How does Tara know about the meeting?

  She lowers her sunglasses, assessing me above the rims. “We have all the same friends, Eric. I know everything that happens in your life.”

  My gaze narrows on her. “What did you do to turn all our friends against me?”

  She relaxes back on the lounger with her chin on her wrists. “Not a thing. Eric, you’re being paranoid.”

  Paranoid, my ass. I can feel when someone’s fucking with me, and even if I couldn’t, nothing’s been good in my life since I hooked up with Tara.

  I stare out across the lawn and wonder what Willow’s doing. One thing’s for sure, she’s not lying in the sun, being a bitch, and trying to fuck me over.

  “I’m leaving Sunday for Seattle. I want you gone by then.”

  “OK.” She sounds amused.

  “Tara…it’s for the best.”

  I don’t want to get baited into a fight with her, so I head quickly back into the house. I check my phone, hoping in vain that there’s a text from Ethan.

  Nothing.

  I go to my bedroom. I need a few z’s before I head out for the clubs. Staying in all night with Tara is not happening.

  I contemplate getting drunk.

  But drunk and alone with her is a worse situation.

  That’s how all this started.

  Tara showing up on my doorstep with a bottle of tequila and an eight ball of coke. I’d been alcohol and drug free ten months by then.

  But she got in my head and got me heated up.

  Because, fuck, she’s hot and knows how to use it.

  Next thing I know, I’m doing lines and shots all night with her. Seeing her for what she is, then being seduced by the challenge of getting her out of my brother’s life for good, I seized the opportunity to prove she was playing Ethan and fucked her. Only I’m the one who got played, no matter how I spin it when I talk to the guys.

  I stretch out on my bed.

  What a fucking fool I am.

  I could see exactly what Tara is behind all her fake sweetness, and she got her hooks into me anyway.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Eric

  TWO DAYS LATER, I lean over the conference table and add my name beside the guys’ on the last page of the band’s record contract.