Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 151044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
Barrett looked so much like Hale in so many ways, yet they were completely different. He had a rugged style about him, stubbled and outdoorsy. Hale was all smooth lines and sleek luxury. Both men had incredible bodies, but carried themselves in completely different ways.
“You don’t need any of that shit,” he said softly. “You’re beautiful just the way you are.”
I meant to say thank you but it came out as a burp. I turned my head and blew out a breath. “Sorry.”
“Jesus. Stay away from open flames.”
Just then, my phone vibrated and I gasped. “It’s Hale. I’m in trouble.”
“Why?”
“I ran away from Marty.”
“Who the fuck is Marty?”
“Martel. My driver.”
“You mean Sharoski?” He laughed. “Please tell me you call him Marty to his face.”
“Of course I do!”
He laughed harder. “Meyers, the guy’s an ex mercenary.”
“Well, he’s my buddy. I bought him a hot cocoa and potato tots.”
He nearly doubled over with laughter. My phone buzzed and vibrated across the sticky tabletop. Barrett grabbed it and answered, laughter in his voice. “She’s with me.” He paused and scowled. “It’s Barrett, you maniac.”
I giggled, only able to hear a slight chirp on the other end.
“She’s had a bit too much to drink. You’re lucky I found her.”
“No!” I hissed, covering his mouth.
He pulled away my hand and laughed. “She escaped Sharoski and was running around New York unsupervised. That’s the fastest way to lose a fiancée, Hale.”
I gripped my head and plopped my elbows on the table.
“No, we’re not far. I’ll see that she gets home safely. Do you want to talk to her?”
Alcohol curdled in my empty stomach as he handed me the phone. Drunk guilt was the worst because I was usually too intoxicated to remember why I felt guilty in the first place.
“Hi, babe,” I said, sheepishly taking the phone.
“Rayne? Are you okay?”
“Yeah?” That wasn’t supposed to come out like a question. “Jussa lil tipsy.” I pinched my fingers in the air and squinted.
“Why aren’t you with Martel?”
I didn’t have an answer that wasn’t complicated and at the moment my brain was a little too pickled to think. “I just needed to be alone.”
“With Barrett?”
“That wasn’t my plan.”
“How did it go with your dad?”
I shook my head. “I can’t do that talk right now. My—” Distracted by the musicians, I gasped. “Ooh, the band’s about to start!”
“Rayne?”
The drummer slammed down his sticks and noise erupted from the stage. “Hale, I gotta go. It’s getting real loud in here and I can’t hear you.”
“Rayne, wait—”
“I’ll love you later. Call you.” I handed the phone off to Barrett.
“Hey.” He covered his ear to listen to whatever else Hale had to say. “I will. Relax. I’ll personally make sure she gets home safely. You got it. Bye.” He tossed the phone on the table and mumbled control freak under his breath, stretching to loop his arm over the back of my chair. “This band better be good.”
Detox and Tuxedos, Oh My!
I woke up to the piercing sun shining through the windows of the penthouse and my body sprawled across the bed. I was still in my clothes from the day before, but my boots were off.
I coughed and winced. “Oh, God.” My mouth tasted like ass and my head throbbed. I turned my face into the pillows and groaned. “Percy?”
“Yes, madam?”
“Do you have some sort of magic bullet for a hangover?”
“Right away.” He disappeared and ten minutes later I was sipping some citrus concoction and washing down two little white pills.
“Mr. Davenport left this note for you.” Percy handed me the slip of paper and I frowned.
“Hale was here?” Then I looked at the handwriting and realized he wasn’t talking about that Mr. Davenport.
Meyers,
You’re going to feel like shit tomorrow. Take it easy and call your dad. Life’s too short to waste being pissed about the things we can’t change. Rule number one about fathers—they usually suck at the hard stuff. At least he’s trying.
And call Hale.
—B.
My brain needed a moment to detox before I could handle any of that.
After a long shower and another citrusy drink from Percy, I was feeling slightly human again. I called Hale, knowing it was after midnight in Tokyo. He answered right away.
“Rayne?”
“Hi.”
“Are you home?” He sounded groggy.
“Yes. At the hotel.”
“What happened last night?”
“Nothing. I went out and ran into Barrett. I had too much to drink.”
He sighed in that silent way that said he didn’t approve. “Why didn’t you take Martel?”
“I wanted to be alone.”
He shifted and his voice sounded closer. “I’m guessing yesterday didn’t go as you hoped?”
I still didn’t want to talk about it, but then I thought about everything Barrett said, and tried not to waste energy being upset about the things I couldn’t change. I focused on the positive.
“We had a really nice lunch. He’s coming to the wedding and he’s going to walk me down the aisle.”