Miles Apart (The Not So Bad Boys of Rock Book 2) (4 page)

CHAPTER
THREE

Brooke~

“So, I take it things are better between you
two? I’m glad to hear it. I was starting to get worried. If something happened,
and you hadn’t stayed together, I don’t know how that would have worked for my
relationship with Dek.” Jade responded, after listening to me go on about how
Sebastian and I had worked things out. I couldn’t help but notice the relief in
her voice.

“I’m
sorry. I know it was a bad position to put you in, that’s why I tried to keep
my distance.” It had been hard for me, not having a friend to talk with, and
sharing with her now helped alleviate some of the stress I had been carrying
with me since the night of the party. After everyone had gone, Jade had stuck
around, doing her best to console me, even though I hadn’t been very consolable
at the time. She had been hesitant to leave me alone, but she had to get back
to her job in Michigan, and I needed time to reflect.

“It
was very hard. Dek and I have been beside ourselves, not sure what to say, or
even how to help. He said that Sebastian has been off his game. He seems to
think that seeing you this week will bring him back around.”

“I’m
not sure, I hope it’s not too awkward, being around all of them. I caused the
pain that he is going through. I’m responsible for the choices he’s made since
I left.” I fight hard not to break down again. The weight of my selfishness is
something I carry with me everyday.

“Stop
that. You’re choices may have hurt you both, but you are not responsible for
how he has handled himself. He’s a big boy, he needs to own his reactions.
Don’t take on that burden,” she scolds me, knowing very well that it’s within
my nature to do exactly that. “You have enough baggage of your own, don’t try
to be responsible for his too.” She sighs and takes a deep breath. “Listen, you
two are meant to be together. The emotional connection is too strong to deny.
You love each other, and you need one another, do the work to make it right.”

“I
know,” I admit. “I know you’re right. Oh Jade, I’m afraid I’ve become my
mother,” I whispered.

“No!
Do not say that. Listen to me, Brooke. You are not her, you never will be her.
You love Sebastian. She only loved herself and her job.” Jade shared
Sebastian’s sentiments on my mother’s behavior. I had two people in my life
that I loved more than anything, and they both hated the very woman that
brought me into this world.

“She
must have loved me though, even through it all, she still cared for me in the
most basic of ways. She didn’t completely abandon me.” I replied in a shaky
voice. Most of the conversations revolving around my mother ended with me
calmly defending her actions. Maybe that was how I was able to live with making
the choices I had made along the way.

“I’m
sure she did, but don’t allow that to cloud your judgment, what she did was
still wrong.” Jade said, firmly.

“No
more wrong than the choice I made.” She didn’t respond. At this point she knew
that nothing she said would make a difference.

On Tuesday I went
to the restaurant with
the intention of preparing the team for my upcoming absence. I had been going
over the responsibilities with one of the managers that would be handling
things for the next three days. I was fairly confident that everything would
run smoothly, we had been functioning pretty well as a team, but I was still
uneasy about leaving. My natural instincts were to remain here and do my job,
foregoing any chance I had of spending time with the man I loved so dearly. If
at any point I felt that Victoria couldn’t be trusted, I would have to make a
tough decision and cancel my trip.

I
made my way to the office, expecting to find it empty, but when I opened the
door I found Max sitting in my chair, working on the computer. He looked up and
smiled when I closed the door.

“What
on earth are you doing here?” I cocked my head, smiling at the answer I already
knew he would give.

“I
wanted you to be able to spend time with Sebastian, without worrying about
things here. We’re a team, remember. I’ve got this. You two need time to work
this out. Things are really beginning to turn around here. Who knows, you may
be home in L.A. sooner than you think.” He smiled, turning back to the
computer.

“My
flight doesn’t leave until tomorrow.” I pointed out, not ready to get my hopes
up about L.A.

“No,
but my plane is ready and waiting for you at the airport. The crew has the
flight plan and all they are waiting for is my call. So what do you say?” I
stared at him, overwhelmed by his support and generosity. I know his offer was
part of the reason for the trouble Sebastian and I had been walking through,
though the dishonesty was all on me, but he genuinely cared about me and my
happiness. He watched me, studying him, and rose to take my hands in his. “I
want to show you that you can have it all, Brooke. You don’t have to pick one
or the other. Just go to him, surprise him, I think he needs that kind of a
boost right now.” I looked into his kind eyes and nodded.

“You’re
right. I think we both need it. Thank you. Thank you so much. This means
everything to me.” I pressed forward, against his chest, wrapping my arms
around his waist, gripping my wrist tightly, introducing him to the
bone-crusher.

“Wow,
that is one powerful hug.” He chuckled, patting my back tentatively.

“I
know,” I mumbled into him, pulling away awkwardly, though still smiling. “It’s
called a bone-crusher. Sebastian’s mom perfected it, and he taught me, so now I
am sharing it with you. It’s one of the things I miss most about him.”

“Well,
get on that plane and go get yourself one. I think you deserve it kid.” His
smile was warm, and assuring.

“See
you in a few days.”

“Stay
as long as you need, don’t worry about things here. My plane will be there when
you’re ready to come back.”

“Thank
you,” I stammered, backing out of the room slowly. “Thank you for everything.”
I turned and ran through the restaurant, my mind utterly focused on the one
thing that mattered most, reuniting with the love of my life.

Sebastian~

“No way, not happening.” I declared, pushing Dek
away from me. He had just spent the last five minutes trying to convince me
that skydiving would ease my anxiety over Brooke coming to see me. Even though
I was amped over the idea of being with her, I was also nervous since it had
been over a month since we last saw each other. We’d gone that long without
physical contact before, but this time it felt different. This time we had hurt
one another, something I never thought would have been possible when it came to
our relationship.

“Oh,
come on, don’t be a wuss.” He grunted, shoving me right back. “You need this,
man. Blow off some of that energy before you two see each other. You’re all
wired. The energy coming off you could light her hair on fire. You need to burn
it off, that way you’ll be calm when you see her again.” He glared at me before
his eyes softened, urging me to trust him.

“Okay.
Alright. I’ll go skydiving with you. But you do remember what happened last
time, right?” The last time we went had been was before Charlotte had died. The
anticipation had started during the pre-jump training, then the thrill of the
ride down had been contagious. We’d gone back four times that week, seeking out
the high, it was intoxicating. The last jump we made was solo, and the
exhilaration of taking that first leap of faith, then watching as we soared
high above everything else, and landing without killing ourselves, had been
enough to send me over the edge. I had felt invincible. That night I went home
and couldn’t keep my hands off Charlotte, still amped from the high. I became
addicted to the thrill. After the accident I couldn’t bring myself to go up
again, feeling undeserving of that sensation. In all honesty, it seemed
ridiculous to me that I would jump again at all, after this long, but also
because I wouldn’t have anyone I loved to share my high with.

“Yeah,
I know, I remember. But she’ll be here tomorrow and you can try to relive the
moment then.” He brushed off my hesitation and headed for the car. “You coming
or not?” He tipped his head toward the car.

“What?
Now?” I swallowed, hard.

“No
time like the present my friend.” He laughed wickedly, sounding like anything
but a calming presence. “You’ll thank me for it later.” He winked.

“Don’t
count on it.”

We
made our way to the airfield. Dek had obviously researched this on the internet
before accosting me. We paid for the jump and made our way to the training
room. Each time you jump you are required to go through a tutorial, no matter
how qualified you are. It had been a couple of years so I found myself paying
close attention, having probably forgotten more than I’d ever known. We suited
up and began the walk to the plane. I felt the anticipation forming, and the
familiar thrill began to take up residence within me. I turned to catch a
glimpse of Dek, wondering if he was feeling the same, and he gave a jaunty
wink. He was definitely riding the same high.

When
the plane reached an altitude of 13,000 feet we took our places at the aircraft
opening. I took a deep breath and stepped in front of Dek.

“Later,
dude.” I jumped out, instantly feeling the rush as my arms crashed through the
atmosphere. I positioned myself to freefall, and the euphoric sensation took
over my body as I watched the earth’s surface get closer. I looked to my right
and found Dek nearby, having positioned his body in the shape of a torpedo to
catch up with me. We realigned ourselves to slow our fall. When we reached pull
altitude we launched our pilot chutes, slowing down our freefall, then the main
chute deployed and we steered our way to the ground.

“That
was freakin’ awesome baby!” Dek exclaimed, jumping up and punching the air,
still intoxicated from the jump. My body was tingling, and my nerve endings
were on high alert, even the sound of his voice caused my body to react. This
was something I had missed, and I hadn’t even realized it until now. Ever since
we were kids, Dek and I had been adventurous, dangerous even. We began thrill
seeking as a way to burn off nervous energy before a big show. For awhile it
had almost gotten out of hand, and Dek had ended up in the hospital on more
than one occasion. Both of us had broken many bones and suffered through
various bumps and bruises, all in the name of seeking the thrill. After
Charlotte died, I still sought out the high, only then it came in the form of
substances that could have killed me in a different way.

“It
felt great, I can’t lie. I never realized how much I missed it, you know?” I
stated, gathering up my chute.

“Oh
no," He replied, shaking his head. "This was a one-time deal. I just
wanted to take your mind off your troubles. I’m not sure I’m up to more broken
bones.”

“Too
late buddy. You’ve opened up a can of trouble.” I teased, giving him a light
shove. “I told you to leave it alone, but you wouldn’t listen. You only have
yourself to blame.”

“Oh,
Lord. I hope Jade still finds me sexy when I’m battered and bruised.” He
groaned loudly.

CHAPTER
FOUR

Brooke~

I’ve never really been fond of flying, at least
not until today. Max’s private jet is certainly a far cry from flying
commercial. I mean, talk about rich boys with their toys. This baby has two
bathrooms, a fully stocked wet bar, fully reclining leather seats, leather
couches, a private bedroom, and a meeting room complete with a twelve person
conference table. After takeoff, I spend the next thirty minutes just exploring
every square inch of opulence. I’d never seen anything like it in my life.
Sebastian’s told me stories of flying on the record companies private jets, and
at the time I had been doubtful that something as utilitarian as a plane could
be so plush. Strangely enough, I found myself resting comfortably as we flew
over Amsterdam.

Max
has a driver waiting for me when I arrive. I double check my phone, making sure
I have the right hotel, then relay the information to him as we set off. The
ride takes less than twenty minutes, and before I know it I am standing on the
sidewalk, bag in hand, staring up at the cement building before me. I take a
deep breath and realize that I am nervous, really nervous. Even though we’ve
been talking on the phone, more often lately, I haven’t laid eyes on him since
his birthday. Everything about this brings on a tremendous weight of
self-doubt, coupled with a strange amount of nervous energy. The sudden desire
to feel his lips on mine takes over, and soon I am consumed with need. I enter
the hotel and it dawns on me that I don’t know what room he’s staying in. It
hadn’t been necessary information since the original plan had been for
Sebastian to pick me up at the airport tomorrow. I make my way to the
reservations counter and share my dilemma with the clerk behind the large
marble surface. Her smile is politely fake as she gives me that practiced
response to requests of this sort. I am certain that on more than one occasion
there has been a celebrity staying here and a fan has delivered the same sob
story to her, but I’m not just a fan. I sigh heavily when I realize that I’m
going to have to forgo the element of surprise and call Sebastian.

He
doesn’t answer, so I leave a generic voicemail asking him to call as soon as he
can. I manage to convince the clerk that I will be staying in the hotel and she
agrees to let me leave my luggage behind the counter, but not for too long. I
make my way to the adjacent lounge and take a seat in the far corner,
contemplating my options. I could wait here, hoping that he returns my call
soon. Or, I could order a glass of wine and watch as people come and go. I
decided to combine the two. Forty-five minutes into my people watching game it
dawns on me that I could call Chris. Since
that night
we’ve only spoken
via text. He had tried to contact me a few times but I was afraid that it would
complicate things for Sebastian. I tried explaining that to Chris but he didn’t
understand. He then reminded me that no matter what happened with Sebastian I
was still his little sister, and he would always be there for me. The phone
rang three times before he picked it up, sounding somewhat out of breath.

“Brooke!
Is that you sis?” His tone went up a notch as he spoke.

“It’s
me,” I squeaked. “I’ve missed you. How are you?”

“Good,
all is good. The tour is rocking along, it’s keeping us busy though. I hear
you’re joining us tomorrow. I can’t wait to see you.” He gushed. Hearing his
voice again made my eyes fill up, and it took everything I had within me to
keep the waterworks at bay.

“Well,
that’s one of the reasons I’m calling.”

“You’re
not backing out are you? Sebastian has finally been tolerable, don’t back out,
not now sis.” He pleaded desperately.

I
laughed, giving him a moment to breathe. “I’m not backing out, I promise. I’m
actually here now. I flew in early. I was hoping to surprise Sebastian, but I
don’t know what room he’s staying in. Do you know where he is? He doesn’t
answer his phone.”

“Well,
I know where he is, but I don’t think you’re going to like it very much.” At
the sound of his words I am instantly scared, my mind assuming the worst, given
that we have been apart for a month.

“What
aren’t you telling me?” I ask, hesitantly. “Is there someone else? Please tell
me if there is another woman. I can’t take that kind of surprise Chris.”

“Easy
sunshine, there’s no one else. You’re the only one for him, trust me, we all
know that.” His declaration calms me, but I am still left wondering what it is
that I won’t like.

“So
where is he?”

“He
and Dek went skydiving.” He blurted out.

“What?”
I ask, dumbfounded. I had no idea that Sebastian was that adventurous. I found
it odd that he’d never shared this information with me. I suddenly wondered
what other secrets we may have inadvertently kept form one another. “Has he ever
been before?” My heart was racing a mile a minute, and I felt beads of
perspiration forming on my forehead.

“Oh
yeah, for awhile there he and Dek were major thrill seekers. They’ve done a lot
of stupid stunts in their time, but nothing since the accident two years ago.”
His voice softened at the mention of the accident. So, Sebastian had been one
for pushing limits, risking his life for a thrill. It appears that the accident
may have taken one life and saved another. It frightened me to think that he would
risk injury or death again, after what we were trying to rebuild.

“When
do you think they’ll return?” I asked, trying my best to remain calm, though my
hands were visibly shaking.

“Are
you okay? You sound scared. I’m sorry Brooke, maybe I shouldn’t have told you
that. Where are you now?”

“In
the hotel lounge. I’m going to have to leave soon though, the desk clerk is
going to boot me out, along with my luggage. She’s not very nice.” I forced a
laugh.

“I’m
just upstairs, I’ll be down in a minute.” I heard a click and the line went
dead. I made my way back to the clerk and collected my luggage, thanking her as
I walked away. I turned and saw Chris standing there, arms open wide, waiting
to embrace me in a brotherly hug. As his arms wrapped around me I could no
longer hold back the tears, and my body shook against him as I let go of four
weeks of hurt and regret. He stroked a hand over my back, muttering soothing
words of affirmation. We remained there, tightly bound together, for quite some
time. He didn’t rush me. He just held me.

“I’m
so glad you’re here,” he smiled, warmly.

“I’m
glad I’m here too,” I sniffed. I pulled back, seeing wet splotches on his shirt
where I had fallen apart. “I’m sorry about your shirt.”

“Pfft.
This old thing? Don’t worry about it sweetie. Let’s get you upstairs. I’ll call
those lunatics and see where they are. It’s getting late, so I assume they must
be on their way back by now.”

We were sitting in
Chris’ hotel suite when
the call came in. He had been trying to reach them for the past thirty minutes,
but they hadn’t answered. We’d finally given up and tried watching television
to pass the time.

“Yo,
where are you guys?” Chris asked, nonchalantly. The conversation went on, with
a few uh huhs muttered, then he casually asked them to come back to his room
before heading to their own. He told them he had something to show them.
Something really important. He winked at me as he spoke, doing his best to keep
the surprise alive. After he hung up he smiled proudly and patted himself on
the back.

“I
am so good,” he beamed. “They’ll be here in fifteen. Man, they sound wired up.
Freefalling used to give them such an adrenaline high. I guess it’s a good
thing you’re here to pacify him. He used to get all sorts of antsy and drive us
insane.”

My
nerves kicked in again and I felt the hairs on my arms standing at attention.
“Should I be worried about his behavior? I’ve never been around someone on a
thrill high, or whatever you call it.”

“No,
it’s nothing bad. Although I should warn you that he may be very touchy-feely. I
heard it used to scare poor Charlotte sometimes.” I cringed slightly at the
thought of him being intimate with her, even though I knew it was a long time
ago. “Shoot, I’m sorry Brooke. It was out of line for me to say that. I sometimes
run my mouth without thinking. Forgive me?” He groaned, and raised a hand to
his mouth as he fought with himself internally.

“It’s
okay, no big deal. We all have a past.” I smiled, doing my best to hide my
unease.

“Yeah,
well I didn’t need to go an throw it up in your face. I’m sorry. That was a
long time ago, and you mean so much more to him than she ever did.” He said,
doing his best to reassure me.

“Chris,
it’s not a contest. I know he loved her, and I know that it’s over. I have to
accept that the same way he has to accept what I shared with Devon. I’ll be
okay.” I squeezed his hand lightly before moving over to the window to gaze out
at the vast city before me. I suddenly wished I were back home, back in
Michigan, back in the safety and security that I had built for myself. Even
though Chris was like family, without Sebastian here I felt very much out of
place.

I
excused myself and went to the bathroom, feeling a pressing need to splash cold
water over my face. I stared at my reflection in the mirror and took note that
I should fix myself up a little before seeing him for the first time in a
month. I pulled a few items out of my purse and went about reapplying mascara
and blush. I touched up my lip gloss and then blotted most of it off, knowing
that a few kisses would obliterate it anyhow. I washed my hands and as I turned
off the water I heard voices in the main room. One voice in particular pulled
at my heart strings, setting off a whole new wave of emotions, bringing back
the butterflies in my stomach that always seemed to appear when we were first
together. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm my nerves.

“So,
what’s this important thing you have to show us? Let’s get on with it, I’m too
wired to just sit here.” Sebastian blurted out. I opened the bathroom door,
making my way to him silently, and Dek’s jaw fell open, alerting Sebastian that
something was up.

He
turned around, and fire blazed in his eyes when he saw me. He was upon me in
two quick steps, wrapping me in the warmth of his strong arms, erasing any
doubt I’d had about this reunion. Our lips found each other, tender flesh
pressing firmly together, both of us fighting for control of the kiss. Four
weeks had passed since I’d had his lips on mine. Four
long
weeks. Thirty
days of absolute heartbreak. Thirty days of fear and regret. Thirty days of
longing for him, needing his touch. One kiss was all it had taken to erase all
of it. One swipe of his tongue made me forget the pain. One brush of metal
against my quivering lip was all it had taken to remind me of what it was that
I had walked away from, and what I never wanted to lose again.

I
reached behind him, pulling him tighter against my body, feeling all of him,
yet still needing more. The intensity of the kiss was unlike any I had ever
known. It was out of control and yet it centered me. Our tongues swirled
together like a finely woven fabric, each turn and stroke relying on the other.
I was mildly aware that I was breathing, yet somehow breathing felt
unnecessary. In that kiss I felt as if he was giving me all of him, yet I still
craved more.

“I
can’t believe you’re here,” he said, pulling away breathlessly, lips still mere
inches from mine. The electric charge I felt coming off him was exhilarating,
and I couldn’t stop touching him.

“I
wanted to surprise you.” I brushed my thumb over his piercing. “Surprise.” I
whispered, pulling his lip between my thumb and forefinger. I brought my mouth
to his for one more round before I remembered that we had an audience.

“Oh,
don’t mind us.” Dek laughed. “We love watching Sebastian get the girl, nothing
new here.” He teased.

“I
told you I had something important to show you.” Chris smiled, smugly.

“Something
important is right. Hey guys, if it’s okay with you, I’m going to take Brooke down
to my room. I think we have a lot of catching up to do.” The sound of his voice
made my body surge with anticipation. I couldn’t wait to be alone with him, but
I also couldn’t wait to just be in his arms. I had missed him so much more than
I’d even realized.

Sebastian~

We had so much to talk about, yet I couldn’t
stop kissing her long enough to speak a complete sentence. I had missed her,
there was no denying it, but I didn’t fully realize just how much I’d longed
for her touch until I turned and found her standing behind me. The first press
of her lips was ecstasy. Coming off the thrill high, and then finding her there
in front of me, I couldn’t have asked for a better ending. My lips explored
every part of her skin. I think I just needed proof that she was, in fact, here
with me, and not just another dream. When I closed my eyes and got lost in the
kiss, everything was perfect, but I couldn’t stop thinking that when I opened
them she would be gone, and the nightmare would return.