AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Should we answer this?” Marina quietly mouths the question. “Or are we about to get murdered?”
“…Answer it?” I guess, silently mouthing right back to her, even as a frown comes over my expression. “But if we get murdered, it’s all your fault.”
“Okay, in that case, let’s hope we don’t get murdered then.” Marina whispers her final response right before she cautiously pulls open the door.
And then her mouth falls open in surprise as Rhys, Van, and Cameron tumble through the doorway, each of them wearing sunglasses and top hats, the outfits matching and overly conspicuous.
“How did you…?” I start as I look them over, confusion flowing through my veins. “I don’t…My location was kept completely under wraps. How could you even find me? The only person who even knew where I was is Marina—”
“Welp, that’s my cue!” Marina beams, before she playfully twirls out of the room.
I then let out a loud groan, remembering that my best friend is anactress, which means there’s a pretty good chance she already knew that the guys planned on coming over, which is why she was just heading out the door.
“Why are you all dressed like that?” I ask, when I finally bring my attention back to the guys. “You look like you’re trying out to be extras in something.”
“Because Rhys thought it would be a good idea to keep a low profile,” Van answers first.
And Rhys casually shrugs. “It’s worked for me before.”
“I told you this was a stupid way to go,” Cameron grumbles, pulling his shades away from his face. “And you guys already know how I feel about wearing sunglasses, anyway.”
“No one’s going to think you’re an asshole for wearing sunglasses, Cameron,” Rhys replies. “They’re only going to think that you’re an asshole if you’re acting like an asshole.”
“What are you doing here?” I cut into their side conversation, even though I can’t help but smile at their interaction. It’s almost like nothing has changed at all between them, and between us, too. “I already told you guys, if I’m ever ready to come back to L.A., I’ll go—”
“We just wanted to be the first to tell you the good news,” Rhys says, a familiar smirk on his face.
“What good news?”
“We took care of the Geesha Riley problem,” he continues. “We…she came over to my apartment, and let’s just say, she pretty much confessed to trying to smear your name in the press. We got her on video and everything.”
“And after we busted her, we sent it straight to Harrison’s office,” Cameron adds. “He was pretty damn excited about getting it, too.”
“Yeah, he might be a total creep, but maybe he can start making up for it,” Van muses. “Or he’s just going to use the attention and cash he’ll get from putting dirt on Geesha Riley’s name and hopefully just leave the fucking country.”
“We can only hope.” Rhys sighs, before he looks back over at me. “So, that’s what we wanted to come and tell you, darling. We took care of it. Just like we said that we would.”
“I…don’t really know what to say,” I admit, a little stunned by their revelation.
“You could start by saying ‘thank you,’ princess,” Van suggests, his eyes locked on mine.
“Yes, of course…I’m just so stunned. Of course, thank you.” My words come out low, as I let out a shivering breath. “Seriously. I’m happy you cleared my name. At least this way the band doesn’t have to pay the price for my total lack of self-control—”
“This is the part where you come back to L.A., Alyssa,” Rhys replies, closing the distance between us, now resting his hands on my waist. “That’s really the main reason we came here, to take you back where you belong.”
“You really think I belong out there?” I scoff at the idea of it. “Rhys, that city pretty much chewed me up and spit me out in the span of, maybe six months?”
“But you survived it,” Rhys murmurs as he presses his fingers underneath my jaw, forcing me to look up into his gaze. “Do you know how many people can say that shit? Especially after everything you’ve gone through?”
“…I don’t know if that’s enough, Rhys.”
“Fine,” Rhys whispers, still staring down at me as he speaks. “If that’s not enough, then how about the fact that I’m in love with you?”
“Rhys—”
“There’s no one else for me, Alyssa,” he continues. “And I don’t think there’s anyone else for you, either. And I don’t…I don’t think any of this works, I don’t thinkIwork if we’re not together. It’s like nothing makes sense anymore.”
“…That’s how I feel, too,” I admit, my lips trembling with my every word. “Rhys, I…I thought getting away from L.A. was going to make me feel better, but being away from the band, all of you, just made me feel so much worse. It’s like…I can’t go back to being the person I was before I met any of you. I thought I could, but it’s like…”
