BAD WICKED TWISTED: A Briarcrest Academy Box Set (109 page)

“My favorite color is cobalt—also cornflower or indigo or azure or steel or lake or sky—hell, I just love blue.”

—Spider (Clarence)

“HOW MANY BLUE shirts do you need?” I asked Spider as we left Gucci and headed down Rodeo Drive. He might look like a thug, but he was a well-dressed one, always scouting the men’s stores for the best looks and designers.

We strolled along wearing Dallas Cowboys caps pulled low and aviators. Not that it helped much. Those hardcore fans always recognized us.

“I’m in what I’m going to call my
blue phase
, whether it’s my hair or that sick blue Lamborghini we looked at last week.” He lit a cig and blew out smoke. “I think I’m going to buy it. What do you think?” He slid his eyes at me. “Dude, you look like shit warmed over.”

“Thanks. That’s just the look I was going for.”

I’d agreed to come along even though all I really wanted was to go home and crash. Usually I was the Energizer Bunny. Not today. Something clawed at me. Maybe it was because I’d been up until two in the morning drinking and waiting for V to play. Same as the night before. But she never did. The only time I saw her was at the studio. I’d even tried to talk up Mrs. Smythe and find out what days she’d be at the orphanage, but the woman was tight-lipped on all things V.

She’d said she wouldn’t regret us, but she did. Most of the time, all I wanted was to just pull her in my arms and kiss her, but I couldn’t lead her on.

I had nothing to offer her. No love. No future. Just friendship and sex. I rubbed my face. Since when did Sebastian Tate wallow in self-pity over a girl?

Just then I saw Blair across the street, walking with her flashy entourage in tow.

My mind went back to the day Harry had introduced me to her in his office a few months ago, before we’d moved to LA. She’d been sitting there splayed out on his leather couch like a Playboy centerfold, her shirt unbuttoned down to her waist and tiny boy shorts on. She’d giggled at me, flicked her hair over her shoulder and tackle hugged me, her melons squashed against my chest. Her body was tight, no denying it, but underneath she was a twisted bitch. Only I hadn’t been able to see it at first. I’d just wanted to fuck her, plain and simple. Harry had sucked me in with his idea of making us a couple.
Be seen around town
, he’d said.
Pretend you’re in a committed relationship
, he’d encourage.
The Hing movie will fall in your lap
, he’d promised. And maybe it would have worked if V hadn’t came along, but I wasn’t blaming her. I blamed myself. I’d willingly agreed to the lies just to get ahead. Sure other couples in Hollywood did it all the time, but I was disappointed in myself. Lying wasn’t me. Hadn’t I told V that I valued honesty?
I
was a fucking joke.

I grabbed Spider’s arm and muscled him through the door of the next store. “Hide,” I hissed. “I can’t deal with her shit today.”

“Who? Godzilla? Zombies?” He gazed around at the glittery displays in the store and paled. “Dude, we’re in Tiffany’s. If you’re here to get me to buy a ring for Mila, you can just back the f—”

In a cloud of cloyingly sweet perfume, Blair waltzed through the door. She rushed up to me just as her entourage surrounded Spider. He grinned and welcomed them with open arms.
Fuck
. I just wanted to run.

“Basty, baby! I’m about to pee myself that Tiffany’s is where you wanted to meet me.” She smiled brilliantly and then leaned in to hiss in my ear. “Act like you’re happy to see me.”

I arched a brow. “I came in here to get away from you.”

Her big lips tightened as she pulled me to the side. “I have called you a million times, asshole. I heard you went horseback riding—without me. I also heard you practically begged V to talk to you at Rio’s.”

I narrowed my eyes. Was she following me?

“So what? I didn’t get the part, anyway.”

Her strapless dress swelled as she sucked in a sympathetic breath. Her voice was sugary. “Harry told me. Apparently, I’m still in, but if we keep up this nonsense of not being seen—”

“Stop,” I snapped. “I’ve been doing some soul searching and I don’t care anymore about negative publicity. You can do your best. Paint me as the bad guy. Tell everyone I cheated on you. Make yourself look fucking
golden
. It doesn’t matter to me. I am ending this charade. I want my life back.”

Her mouth opened. “
This
is all about that little twit of a girl, isn’t it?”

A roaring took up in my head. “So help me God, Blair, don’t bring her name into this. She’s
nothing
to do with this.”

A tinkling laugh came out of her. “You’re in love with her, aren’t you? Some stupid girl named
Violet
who plays the
violin
. It’s so incredibly ridiculous and trite that I can’t even fathom what you’d see in—”

“This fake relationship is done.” I gritted my teeth. “My suggestion is you get your PR girl to meet with Mila and let the two of them work out a statement together. But if you so much as touch V with scandal, I will hunt you—”

“If you think that I’m going to sit by while you ride off into the sunset with your one true love, then you have me all wrong.” She fluttered her lashes and called to the girls over my shoulder. “Come along, ladies. Apparently Sebastian needs some space to pick out my engagement ring.”

They flashed their camera phones at us and floated out the door.

Spider said, “Bollocks, she’s scary as shit. Meaner than my Irish whiskey-drinking Grandma.”

My adrenaline plummeted. I weaved and clutched the side of the jewelry counter.

“What the hell, mate?” Spider caught me by the arm. He steered me toward the hovering saleslady who’d already pulled out a rolling chair for me.

“I’m not a baby, Spider.”

“You’re pale and weaving like you’re hammered.” He leaned in to check my face. “You haven’t been drinking, have you?”

Not since last night. I pushed him away. “No. Get out of my face.”

“Bloody hell, you’re a belligerent one.”

Dizziness hit and the room twirled. “Fuck,” I muttered, and leaned over to put my head between my knees. “Sorry, man. Give me a minute. I forgot to eat this morning, that’s all.” Truth. In fact, I’d lost a few pounds since the camping trip two weeks before.

He hovered around me. “Normally I’d avoid talking about your personal life—too touchy feely for me—but you’re in the shitter, my friend. You’re distracted half the time, not eating, staying up late and generally in a pissy mood twenty-four seven. Is it because you didn’t get the movie or is it because you slept with V and now you regret it?”

“Fuck you,” I muttered, and sat back up in the chair. “I need something to eat, that’s all.”

He turned back to the saleslady who’d moved to stand behind the jewelry counter. “Excuse me? Do you have some candy here or maybe a power bar?”

He focused back on me and let out a sigh. “Okay, here’s what I think: You came to Hollywood to settle down … for roots … V
is
your roots, man.”

I shook my head. “I can’t even look at her without wanting—fuck, I don’t know—more. But all I can think of is Emma’s lies. Not so much Emma herself, because I’m over her—but still, she lied to me and V lied to me. And then there’s Geoff. I keep thinking she’s going to up and run back to him. Go back to New York. Especially now that her music is back.”

“Dude, you’re the glue that holds us all together.
You
. We all gravitate toward you. Me, Mila, your fans, even Blair. V is no different. Give her a chance.”

The saleslady pushed a power bar in my hands and I tore it open and inhaled it.

I
was
losing it, and I knew why.

I didn’t want to be without V in my life.

Her music had sucked me in from the beginning, wedging into my bones, but it hadn’t been until the night at the canyon that my heart had connected the dots. We’d been extraordinary. And it wasn’t just the sex. I got her; I saw straight through her grief to the beautiful part of her that was aching to emerge. Her darkness had called to me, her music had enthralled me, but it was her soul that was mine.

Was that love?

IT WAS MIDNIGHT and V still wasn’t home.

She’d yet to return from her night out with Mila. I’d called her earlier to see if we could watch a movie, and maybe I’d be able to talk to her, but she’d already had plans—which is how I found myself dog-sitting for Tater at her house. Spider had dog-sat the last time they’d gone out. He hadn’t been happy about it either, us at home while they partied at the clubs.

I sat out on her patio lounge chair while Tater slept on my chest.

My phone pinged. Mila kept sending me texts and photos of them out at some club. Pics of V chugging tequila. Pics of her twerking with some beefy looking dude. I was getting angry.

Half an hour later, I heard a car pull up, so I stood and walked around to the front of the house, still holding Tater. She climbed out of her car looking dangerously sexy in a red mini skirt and heels. I bit back a snarl imagining male hands on her tonight.

“Aw, she’s asleep,” she said as she leaned over to peer at Tater’s face. “Thank you for watching her.”

“Did you have a good time?” My voice was laced with tightness.

Did she really love me or had she just said those words in the moment?

She nodded. “Yes, and I’m sorry if Mila kept texting you. She had this hare-brained idea of infuriating you and Spider into …”

Silence settled between us as her voice trailed off.

“What?” I snapped.

“Nothing,” she sighed. “Thank you for keeping Tater. Do—do you want to come inside or go sit on the patio?”

“Patio,” I said and we walked around the house and came to a stop at a table next to the pool. I sat Tater down on a seat cushion. “Look, V, there’s something I need to say.” I swallowed.

She got still, her eyes searching my face. “Yeah?”

I paced around. “Something’s wrong with me. I can’t write, play music, act, sleep.
Eat
. All I do is think about you.”

Her face softened. “Oh.”

My stomach fluttered with nerves. “I don’t care what anyone thinks, but I need you in my life everyday. I don’t want to wake up and not see you in my bed, V.” I leaned down to her and pushed both hands in her hair and tugged her to me. “Please give me a chance, V.”

“What about Blair? Your career?”

“I want the world to know you’re mine. I ended things with Blair.”

She looked away from me, making me antsy. Doubt niggled at me.

“I won’t stand for you messing with Geoff, V. Tell me now if you want him back.”

“No, it isn’t that. It’s Blair. She came up to me at the club earlier this week. It’s never going to be over for her.”

I kissed her softly. “Focus on us. Give us a chance, and I mean more than just a one night stand.”

She nodded and her eyes searched mine, as if waiting for something more.

“What?”

She swallowed and looked away. “It’s just—you know how I feel.”

She wanted me to say
I love you
.

“Love. Once I’d pushed it away. Now, I’d die without it.”