Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Dragon raises his hand to his head, trembling. “But I have to be… The band…”
“The band is going to be fine,” Maddie says. “I’ve talked to Jesse and Rory.”
“Man, they’re going to be so pissed at me,” Dragon says.
“Jesse doesn’t believe you took anything. He thinks the two women you were with drugged you.”
Dragon blinks. Blinks again. “Two women? Two women, and I don’t remember? What the hell?”
Okay, weird. A moment ago, he remembered the four women and getting into the limo. His mind is still a mess.
The nurse smiles. “Mr. Locke, try to be happy that you’re alive.”
He nods.
“I’ll be back to check on you in a bit. Are you feeling hungry at all?”
“No. I kind of feel like shit.”
“You may be experiencing some symptoms of withdrawal already. I’ll get the doctor to order some methadone.”
“I know what to expect,” he says. “I’ve detoxed before.”
“Then you know it’s not pretty,” the nurse says.
“Lady, none of my life has been pretty.” Dragon frowns, almost scowling. “Detox is the least of it. And I don’t want any methadone.”
“That’s your call.” She leaves quickly.
Dragon’s words make my heart ache. Nobody really knows anything about Dragon Locke. Except for Jesse.
“I’m texting Jesse,” Maddie says. “He wants to know when you’re awake.”
“Man,” Dragon says. “He’s going to hate me.”
“My brother could never hate you,” Maddie says. “He’s the most loving person I know.”
I resist raising my eyebrows. Jesse is the most loving person Maddie knows? First I’ve heard of that.
“You ladies should go to the concert,” Dragon says.
Maddie bites her lip.
“No,” I say. “Jesse asked me to make sure you’re okay, so I’m not leaving your side.”
Maddie drops her jaw and looks at me. “Bree?”
“Someone has to stay with him, Mads. You go to the concert. Go with Brock, Donny, and Callie. I’m not leaving.”
“You should get some dinner.”
I point to the package of McVitie’s—the digestive cookies—that I bought at the little market in the hospital. “I’m good.”
“Oh, come on, Bree.”
“Mads, let me do this. Jesse and Rory are your brother and sister. You’re the one who deserves to be at that concert. I want to stay here.”
“Brianna, I know you’re a big fan of the band.”
“So I’ll see the next concert. It will be fine. You get ready to go.”
She finishes texting Jesse. “If you’re sure…”
“Yeah, just call a cab.”
“Don’t have to. Adolpho gave me his card, remember?”
“He’ll probably be busy transporting the band to the venue,” I say. “Call a cab. Go back to the hotel and change clothes. Text Donny and Callie and go to the concert with them. Please, Maddie.”
She finally consents, and I let out a breath.
I want her to go. I promised her a good time on this trip.
And now I have to pay the penance for my own sins. For being so manipulative. For keeping Jesse distracted when he should’ve been paying attention to the band.
This is my punishment, and I’ll take it gladly.
Chapter Nine
Jesse
With everything in me, I want to go to Dragon.
“You can’t,” Rory says, again reading my mind.
Of all my siblings, I’m closest to Rory. She would probably say she’s closest to Callie because they’re only two years apart. But Rory and I share something that Callie doesn’t—our love and passion for music. Especially since Rory joined the band. It’s like we can finish each other’s sentences and read each other’s minds. It’s damned annoying most of the time.
Despite the fact that Dragon tried to take her to bed not so long ago, I still feel like I should be there for him. I still feel like I let him down.
“Maddie and Brianna are there,” Rory continues.
“Maddie and Brianna don’t know Dragon. He barely knows them. I’m not sure he knows Brianna at all.”
“Are you kidding me?” Rory says. “Brianna and the rest of the awesome foursome have been following you guys around at Murphy’s for the last year, ever since they came of age and could get in.”
“Yeah, but Dragon never pays attention to them. He knows Maddie because she’s our sister, but Brianna?”
“Think about what you’re saying, Jesse. Of course he knows Brianna. She’s beautiful.”
My sister’s not wrong.
Brianna Steel’s image haunts me.
“I know that look,” Rory says. “You’re blaming yourself again. Don’t. Think of the big picture. The band. This chance that we have. Don’t you go running over to that hospital, Jesse. There isn’t time before the concert.”
My sister’s wrong. I should be blaming myself, but instead I was thinking about Brianna, about how my lips feel against hers, how my cock feels inside her. I wipe the picture from my mind.
“I know.”
Cage and Jake excused themselves after finishing dinner, so it’s just Rory, Brock, and me now.
“Do I need to put you on a leash?” my sister asks.
“For God’s sake, Ror.”
She narrows her eyes. “I see it on your face, Jess. Your instinct is to go over to that hospital. You think you can get there. A quick ride there and back, just to check. But we’re leaving for the venue in an hour. An hour, Jess. There isn’t time.”