AllFreeNovel
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“Hey, bro.” I beam into the phone.
“Is that piece of shit giving you a hard time?” Axl asks over the people talking in the background.
“What piece of shit?” Looking around the group, I ask, “You’re talking about Gunner? No, he’s fine. Hasn’t burned the house down yet.”
My twin hears his name, and he gives me a goofy grin and a middle finger that I return.
“Good. God knows he tends to fuck it all up.”
I take a deep breath, watching my brother talking and laughing with Evan and Frankie.
“He’s doing okay, as far as I know, Ax,” I tell him, turning around.
He pauses for effect. “I know, but I worry about the fucker. He’s trying, but trouble chases the son of a bitch wherever he goes.”
I chuckle. “True, but he got himself a job he likes and is working on it.”
“Yeah, we’ll see how long this is gonna last. Boy has a track record of previous fuck-ups to last a lifetime, or twenty.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I’ll keep my eyes and ears open.”
“Good. Well, enough about the little shit. The record company is throwing a party down the road from your house. All your names are on the list, so you better get your asses over there. The cousins want to hug you.”
I snort. “Is Dad going to be there?”
“Nah, he went back to the studio. He looks good, by the way,” Axl says, coughing a couple times. “Better than he did before.”
“I know. I think Grandpa has something to do with it. They’ve been building new guitars together; it’s a good way to get their minds off things.”
He sighs. “Baby you might be on to something.”
“Congrats, bro, by the way.”
I hear him click open his lighter.
“Thanks, sis. Love you. See you in a couple.”
It takes us longer than usual to get to the club with the guys all swaying from left to right. People move out of our way. That’s the great thing about having guy friends: I don’t worry about being groped—I get that enough from Frankie already. Smiling he pinches my ass before draping his arm over my shoulder as we head to the venue.
We stop at a church that’s been converted into a night club. There is already a line stretching all the way around the block. People give us envious looks as we make our way to the front. Taco, one of Evan’s friends, is handling the door with a beautiful girl standing next to him who is in charge of the guest list. Her eyes light up, checking Frankie out.
“We are on the list, sweetheart,” he drawls. I recognize his tone; it’s his ‘I need to get laid this evening and sooner rather than later’ voice. This guy.
She blinks a couple of times before checking our names. Taco opens the door for us, and I see her slip Frankie her number. He accepts it with a grin and an eye roll from Gunner. Evan looks pissed.
Inside the club the sounds and lights engulf me. My heart rate picks up and I start sweating like crazy. I used to love to dance but now it all reminds me of that fucked up night. The stunt he pulled on me at the strip club was over a month ago and I haven’t heard from him since. I’ve spent the last weeks drinking at the bar Frankie works at, and the rest hiding in New York.
I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment, and I can still smell him around me. Standing in this club, my mouth dries and my breath hitches thinking about it, about him. I don’t want to admit that recalling the way he stood behind me, his strong body covering mine, still gives me goose bumps all over. Remembering how his mouth felt against my lips makes it all come tumbling down on me: the good and the bad.
Frankie bumps into me from behind, waking me from my daydream. “Come on, Allie, the party is this way.” He leads me to the bar where the other guys are already toasting my older brother.
Axl takes me in his arms and kisses the top of my head. I hug Sterling, who flashes me one of his sweet grins.
“Been too long, darling,” he says, giving me a smile.
“Missed you too.” I hug him back, scanning the club for his damn brother.
Sterling must notice me looking around. “Rone ain’t here.” He gives me a wink.
