AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“At least she was an organized manipulating bitch,” East says and Connor snorts. I take in all the labeled files, videotapes, and date rape drugs, then step back.
“I don’t know if we should touch this or give it to the FBI. Who knows what shit she has in here,” I say and Connor grunts, shoving me aside, he searches through the files and pulls out ours, dropping it on the desk and starts to read.
“Fuck!” he groans and then looks over at us. His eyes look guilty and remorseful. What the hell? I walk over to where he is and he’s holding a silver bracelet in his hand. I take it from him and then pick up the file. Right there in a pretty purple pen is Penny’s loopy cursive.
Kyna didn’t overdose, she died from an allergic reaction from the sandwich Layton had made prior to threesome. Idiot guys panicked and buried her in the woods.
Allergy bracelet was too good not to go back for.
I drop the bracelet and bile rises up my throat. East has moved beside me and read what I did.
“We didn’t kill her,” I mutter and he gives me a big smile but takes in my frown, eyes going wide with understanding. I drop my head in my hands and moan.
“But how the fuck am I going to tell Lay?”
e
We board a flight to Nashville and I sigh. This should be a happy day. But I know I need to come clean to Cara about everything and now Lay must know the truth. He called me last night when he found out about Penny. Didn’t say much about my dad, not that I blame him. He knows how I feel, and that man was dead to me a long time ago. We didn’t talk long. He said he was at a show with Cara. I mentioned I’d like to see them and he said soon. I don’t think he’s thinking as soon as I am since we are on the way.
“Bro, can you calm down a bit? I swear you're as keyed up as a coke addict in winter,” Xav complains and I snort, then turn to face him.
“Why winter?” I ask and East groans, he doesn’t like when I encourage him. Xavier’s eyes widen as if I should already know this answer.
“Um, snow!” he shouts louder than he should on a packed flight, and I laugh.
“Okay, that was a good one. Fuck, I can’t calm down. You don’t need to convincetwopeople to take you back. Not to mention they're seeing someone new,” I say with a shake in my voice. East nods to Connor. He nods back then stands, switching seats with my brother, who buckles himself in then does it again. East is a nervous flyer. He grips my hand tight and takes some breaths. I know he's trying to comfort me, but I think I’m calming him down more.
“We need to make a game plan. We can’t just bust into their place and go full throttle. Cara is still hurt and we will need to make it up to her in a big way. I think maybe we should rent a place of our own. Maybe close to where Memphis lives,” East suggests and I think it over. I know it’s smart but I don’t think Cara would kick us out.
“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea. To have a back up plan. But I don’t think we need a long lease, maybe six months?” Connor says and Xavier coughs.
“I am not spending six more months away from Cara. I am going to be in her bed by tonight. Unlike you assholes, I’ve given her the space she asked for and I didn’t even do anything wrong in the first place,” he scoffs, then turns and looks out the window.
“Xav,” Connor starts but he just pulls his earbuds out of a case and puts them in, then pulls his hood over his head and closes his eyes.
“I love her and I’m not letting her leave me again,” he mutters, before shutting us out.
e
We spend three days in Nashville looking at places to rent. East is so fucking picky it’s driving the rest of us crazy. He’s been worried about safety and enough space. I’m confused as hell why he’s worried about having a fireplace in the bathroom, or a large swimming pool in the backyard. Those places seemed kickass.
“Okay, Mr. Hawthorne, we have one more place to see today. It’s a bit over your distance limit, but I think this will be the perfect family home. It has twelve acres, a backyard oasis, including a fenced in pool for safety. Six bedrooms, a spacious living area and den and a walk in music studio. There is also a guest house and a shed.” I move away from our realtor Sandy and climb back in the SUV. The guys pile in after me and we drive thirty minutes.
“Why are we being so damn picky if we’re only staying for a few months?” Connor grumbles and I rub my eyes with a shrug. We pull up to a gated driveway and Sandy hops out, typing in a code, before getting back in and driving the five minutes to a large farmhouse style brick plantation home. She parks and we all get out. Connor looks around and he has a huge smile on his face. Xavier walks off towards the front door and East comes over to me.
“Well… What do you think?”
I take in all the trees and the large wrap around porch, with a porch swing that reminds me of Kansas. I shrug and he scowls, before walking over to Sandy and asking an absurd amount of questions.
“Privacy was one of the main factors for the previous owners. They were big on the country music scene before they decided to go to LA and try acting. The inside has all been redone. New marble flooring in the entrance and bathrooms. Though I believe the bathroom's flooring is temperature controlled. New carpet in the bedrooms upstairs, but a dark rustic hardwood throughout the rest of the house and even down in the music studios and game rooms.”
East nods like this is acceptable, as she lets us in the house.
The first thing that catches my eye is the grand chandelier over the double staircase. I can’t help but think of the stairs in Jhonson Hall. Sandy brings us on a tour throughout the massive space and I find myself liking it more and more. It’s not cramped or crowded so we can all have our alone time and space if we need it.
East follows Sandy upstairs and I move back to the kitchen. It’s huge and the back wall is all windows, so you can see outside to the pool area and what looks like a childrens playset. Connor comes around the corner and he stops at the breakfast bar.
“This seems insane for a few months.” I roll my eyes and nod. We walk up the stairs and find East looking out a huge bay window in a small sitting room, outside the master bedroom. Sandy is talking about how this was used as a nursery and he nods.
