Dropping my shoulders, I watch the happy couple until they’re out of sight.
“Crazy what love makes people do, isn’t it?” Leo flops down next to me, sighing.
“You ever had that feeling?”
“What feeling?”
“The feeling of being so in love that you’ll do anything for someone. You’ll happily act a fool just to make someone smile?”
He fidgets next to me as he leans his elbows on his thighs, interlocking his fingers. “Bit deep, Ri Ri.”
“Sorry.” I pause. “I guess I want that.” I gesture with the bouquet in the direction the couple went. “Someone to scream that they’re mine and not care who hears. Someone to want to be seen with me. And not just for the contacts I have.” I continue to stroke the tulip petals as I think of how Ezra used me and my family to get his foot in the door and then dropped me without a word when he got his connections and made his money. I was nothing to him but a means to get to the top.
“Trust me, Ri Ri, that man is out there.” He turns, giving me a small smile.
“But where?” I groan. “Ugh, I’m being such a sap.”
Chuckling, he sits up and wraps his arm around my shoulder, and on instinct I curl into his warmth. Kissing the top of my head, he says, “Want to do something stupid?”
I beam up at him with a devilish stare. “Definitely.”
Chapter 13
Leo
Oh, fuck.
My stomach rolls as I turn over, stretching out to curl my pillow round my head.
It’s no good. The pounding in my head is getting louder. I need an aspirin and a gallon of water.
Slowly lifting off the pillow, I rub the sleep out of my eyes and check my phone for the time but it’s dead.
Fuck.
I quickly plug it in and pad to the bathroom.
I need a shower. Maybe if I freshen up, this thumping will slow down.
Last night is fuzzy after I followed Ria out of the club when I saw she looked a little lost and sad. She had been dancing andknocking back shots with Lily and Grace, and I couldn’t help but keep an eye on her. She was worrying me after Ezra showed up. She looked confident when she was confronting him, but I could tell it shook her. Kai also spotted my wandering eye and I think I managed to brush him off with, “I’m just looking out for her for Hunter.”
Turning on the shower, I wait for it to heat up then strip out of my boxers and walk under the spray. Leaning my palms against the cool tiles, I hang my head, trying and failing to recall what I did and how the hell I made it back here. The last thing I remember is Ria’s bright eyes sparkling up at me with mischief. I couldn’t stand the pain in them, so I knew I had to make her smile.
Groaning, I lather up my hair, trying to massage away the pain shooting through my head and my wrist.
My wrist?
Twisting my arm, I inspect where I feel the sharp sting. Looks like I got a tattoo. How very cliché of me. It’s a queen of hearts with tulips twisted around the card, but the hearts are blue, not red, and so are the tulips. Actually, it’s done perfectly with the rest of my sleeve, like it should have always been there. Relief floods me that I didn’t do something totally stupid I would regret.
I finish off my shower and wrap a towel around my waist, feeling a bit more human. Running my hands through my damp hair, I walk back into my room, finally surveying the carnage. Looks like I literally threw my clothes wherever I walked out of them along with a shit ton of chips falling out of the pockets, an “I heart Vegas” hat, some ridiculously large sunglasses with pink flamingos around the rim, and a pink feather boa thrown over the lamp. I’m a walking cliché. Stumbling over to the bedside table, I check the time on my phone which has now come back to life and frown.
Hunter - We need to talk
Throwing on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, I then search for the aspirin I know I packed for this exact reason. Popping a few, I wash them down with a water from the minibar and head out to see what’s got my boy’s panties in a twist.
I can hear muttering as I enter the kitchen and spot everyone huddled around the island.
“Morning, family,” I say brightly, ruffling Deacon’s hair as I pass, making him growl. Reaching for a mug, I pour myself a coffee and lean against the counter, confused when everyone has their eyes on me and they’re deathly silent. “Umm, guys why do you all look like that?” No one says a thing; they’re all frozen staring right at me. “What?” I chortle. “I know I’m fucking beautiful, guys, but you’re freaking me out.”
