Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Even if it was Connor.
Connor Clash was an enigma. He could be the rudest person you had ever met, but he could also be sweeter than pie. It was all rather confusing and one fateful day on the bus, eight days into the tour, I found the courage to ask him a loaded question.
“Why are you the way you are?”
He chewed his gum loudly, snapping it in an irritating fashion. “Why so serious?” He popped the gum again then smirked.
“I don’t know,” I told him with a light shrug. “I think I’m getting to know everyone pretty well, but you…” I smiled keenly. “I still don’t know you.”
“No one does.” He returned my smile and bit his tongue cheekily. “You wanna make out, Emmy?”
I was coming to realize this was something Connor did. When a situation started to get out of hand, he would make a brash and crude comment to turn the tables and regain control. Once I learned this, Connor became much less frightening. I felt like I finally understood a small fraction of his complex being.
Yes. It was a small victory but a victory nonetheless.
“I think that’s sad.” He heard what I said and slowed his chewing. My face aired my dejection. “To have so many people love you and watch your every move but to have nobody really know you. It’s kind of depressing.”
“Wow, that’s deep,” he stated, his brows rising. “You sure know how to make a man’s testicles retreat into his gut.”
From the seat behind me, Noah spoke. “Don’t do it. Don’t try to enter his psyche. You’ll get lost in there and we’ll never dig you out.”
Connor blew a bubble until it popped then grinned cheerfully. “A scary place to lose yourself, baby.”
I didn’t like that I liked him calling me baby. The catch was if I told him I didn’t like it, he’d do it to annoy me, so I said nothing.
“He’s complicated,” Lee chimed in. “A puzzle wrapped in a riddle.”
Connor nodded, keeping his eyes on me.
Noah added, “It’s hard to explain. Yo, Hell, what did you call him a while back?”
“What? Oh, hang on.” A moment passed, and Hell yelled back, “An emotionless fucktard.”
Connor’s face screwed up and he responded, “Ah, rude.” Then he looked at me and clarified sincerely, “Also true though.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me. These guys were crazy, and I was fast becoming invested in them. There was something about this group. They were so different but no matter how singular each man was, they came together to create this spectacular, well-oiled family unit. And I adored that.
Leaning across the table, I narrowed my eyes at Connor and muttered, “Who are you, Connor Clash?”
He met me move for move, leaning over to meet me. He searched my face a long while before he leered. “Just another wet dream.” His chin jerked. “You gonna think about me tonight, baby?”
I wanted to show him I wasn’t scared of him. Sadly, I slunk away at the last moment. He’d won this round and we both knew it.
Blowing me a kiss, he winked then sat back in his chair.
We openly stared at each other until the next stop. One way or another, I would get to know Connor Clash.
Famous last words, if I ever heard ‘em.
Hell was hiding me. I was in his cubby, the top bunk, and he lay in front of me on his side as I remained squished in the corner. Anyone who peeked in would only see Hell’s bulky frame. It was the perfect spot.
Why was I hiding?
Because Lee was looking for me.
We were fourteen days into the tour and earlier in the day, I’d borrowed—stolen—his Nintendo Switch. From behind Hell, I played the red and blue console, muting the sound and turning down the illumination until it could barely be seen.
“Emmy.” This was Lee and he sounded far away, so I kept battling.
From behind the gigantic wall of man, I snickered, and Hell shushed me, throwing his spare pillow on top of me.
I heard Lee ask Noah, “You seen her?”
“Not recently.” Lies. Noah lifted me, giving me the boost I needed to climb into Hell’s sleep hole.
“Emmy!” Lee called out then muttered an infuriated, “Where the fuck could she have gone? It’s a bus.”
Connor sounded preoccupied. “Maybe she’s taking a dump.”
As I lay on my belly, I lifted my head and let out a sound of pure outrage. Hell’s body shook and I nudged him. He prodded me back and kept chuckling. His stomach grumbled and for a split second, I got anxious.
I whispered urgently, “I swear to God, Hell, if you fart…” He burst into laughter. Not very reassuring. My stomach turned at the thought of being trapped in Hell’s Dutch oven of stink. “I’m not kidding. I’ll vomit.”
“Emmy, I know you have it! Come out, kid.”