The lie that binds us br.., p.9
The Lie that Binds us (Broken Truths Book 1), page 9
“Now, this is a bachelorette, so you have some new friends for the night who will take care of you. It’s all on the house.” He winks as we slide onto the plush velvet seat. “The only thing that’s a requirement for this, is that you have fun,” he adds.
Liv blows him a kiss, and he pretends to catch it in his hand and puts it in his pocket, making her giggle again.
“Thank you so much,” I say to him. Honestly, I feel so bad about my earlier sour thoughts at seeing him here when he’s gone all out and arranged this for me.
“No problem. Please, enjoy your night.” He gives us a little bow, then backs away out of the VIP section.
“Isn’t he just the best?” a platinum blonde simpers while leaning over the table. Her tits strain against the zipper on her dress, and she gives us a little wave
“We are super excited to be here to celebrate your bachelorette. My name’s Lottie. Next to me is Tiff, then Rae, and Sian at the end,” she fires off rapidly.
I smile, trying to be polite and memorize their names, but my attention is too focused on the zip. It looks like she will be giving us a peep show really soon.
“When Leo called us on our night off to come and party with his friends, we couldn’t wait!” she adds with a squeal and a shimmy. The zip rolls down slightly, and she adjusts it slightly.
“You work with Leo? Here?” To be honest, in the time that I’ve seen Leo, he’s never mentioned what he does. Also I’ll admit, I’m curious to see what this fling of Liv’s does to get us into the VIP with all this alcohol.
Rae leans over Lottie and gives me a warm smile. “All of us work out in the back, if you know what I mean?” She twirls a lock of auburn hair around a finger.
“You’re hookers?” I blurt and immediately cringe. That was so rude of me to assume.
They all give each other a secretive look before laughing at me, and I can’t help the breath of relief that they aren’t mad at me.
“No, girl. That’s just offensive.” Sian glares at me. Oh, maybe they are mad. Shit. She leans back in the seat, her ebony curls shining purple in the light. “We are high-level companions to the clientele. If they do want extra, then it’s all for the right price.”
I open my mouth to apologize, but Tiff swats her on the arm then leans over, running a hand over her platinum blonde pixie cut hair.
“Ignore her. We aren’t offended. It gets mixed up all the time. After all, we are basically high-end hookers.” She snickers as the others protest good-naturedly, like it’s an age-old argument between them.
I smile at their camaraderie, instantly liking them all, and they’re really forthcoming, telling me that Leo in fact owns this whole club. It’s clear to see by how they speak about him that he goes out of his way to look after the girls working for him.
The girls can handle their drinks, and it isn’t long before I’m a drunken mess. Again. I feel a lot worse than last night, though, and the room spins as they haul me off the booth and towards the dance floor. I’m laughing too much to protest, though, just soaking in the fun and the atmosphere.
We spend ages on the floor, laughing and drinking, just letting loose. The girls manage to find me a headband with flashing dicks from somewhere and shove it on my head like it’s a crown, and I give them my best beauty pageant wave. Lottie and Tiff then run to the bar and proceed to tie a load of napkins together to make some sort of veil. Sian wanted to blow up some condoms and give me them instead of balloons, but luckily Liv put a stop to that idea.
My face feels like it’s going to split in half with how hard I’m laughing. The girls all make sure I have a drink in hand and a huge smile on my face.
Leo dances over to us at one point, just to check how we’re getting on, and Liv wraps herself around him, shoving her tongue down his throat. Sian mimes being sick, and Rae hip thrusts behind Liv and Leo but trips over and falls flat on her face.
I go to check on her, but a strong arm wraps around my chest from behind. I’m so wasted that I lean into it with a hum of contentment, closing my eyes.
“I’ve missed you,” a deep, sensual voice murmurs into my ear, sending my muscles into a spasm.
I open my eyes and Liv and Leo have broken apart, staring at the man over my shoulder. Lottie and Tiff have taken Rae away, and Sian stands stock still, mouth agape. The voice is another achingly familiar one, and my eyes snag on Liv’s as she tries to figure out who this is.
When I turn around, Rex stands in front of me, his hands now shoved into the pockets of his chinos, a lopsided grin on his beautiful face.
“Rex,” I breathe, and despite all the emotions swirling through me, I am mostly glad to see him. “What’s a famous fucker like you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at New York fashion week?”
“Hey there, firecracker.” He opens his arms, and damn him, but I step into them, savoring the warmth emanating from him.
I allow my eyes to close briefly as I take in the woodsy scent which is so Rex. His chest rumbles under my cheek, and I realize that he is trying to speak to me.
I pull away from him and his arms fall down to his side.
“What are you doing here? Are you with Sebastian?”
His face turns solemn, and he crosses his arms which stretches the fabric of his mint green shirt.
“I heard it didn’t go too well with you two last night, but he also didn’t tell you why we were here. Which is the most important part.”
He guides me towards the edge of the dance floor, and I allow him, giving Liv a nod to let her know I’m okay. She takes a step in my direction with a grim set to her jaw, but I mouth, ‘it’s okay,’ and smile, trying to put her at ease.
“Ella, the reason that we are in Mexico is because we received a phone call about Carter. It’s bad. I promise you that it’s a huge coincidence, us being here at the same time as you; but we feel you have a right to know.”
My stomach churns at the sudden downward spiral this conversation has taken. Like with Sebastian the other day, I knew something was going to change in my life, and I know I’m right when he takes a breath before blurting out something which makes my heart stutter.
“He’s been in an accident and is currently in a coma. The doctors say he might not wake up. Carter could die.”
Ella
Age Seventeen
My eyes peel open, and for the longest moment, all I can do is stare at the obnoxious pink frilly curtains of my bedroom. How did I get here? Blurred memories, like broken fragments, flash in my mind as I try to piece together what happened last night.
I jolt when a loud sigh sounds from beside me, and when I turn over to my side, I come face-to-face with Aaron. He’s lying on his side, staring at me, with red-rimmed eyes which make his iris look even more electric blue.
My heart skips a beat as I allow myself to get lost in the depths. He knows that I like him, but he doesn’t know that I’ve started to like him more than just a friend. I could stare into his eyes for hours. I know that it makes me sound slightly crazy, but fuck, they are gorgeous.
“Morning, candy floss.” He grins, using the nickname they have concocted for me this week.
They love thinking of random things to call me. This time it came from Rex saying I was sweet like candy floss. It’s cute when he and Carter get excited about calling me something new; and they persuade Seb and Aaron to use it too. They only use the names when just the five of us are around, which makes it feel even more special.
“Morning, sparky,” I reply, using my latest nickname for him, but my chuckle ends in a hiss, when a sharp pain lances through my head.
His face turns serious as he regards me. “What’s wrong, babe? Are you okay?” He twirls a stray curl around his fingers, waiting for an answer.
My heart rate increases at the contact, and I swallow thickly. “I’m fine, why do you ask?”
He doesn’t immediately reply, focusing on playing with my hair, and for a moment, I feel jealous of the strands being caressed under his fingertips.
“Do you remember what happened last night?” he asks cautiously. He stops stroking my hair while he waits for my answer.
His quiet intensity is worrying me, especially with this dark hole in my head about last night. I think back to the fractured memories that I can piece together. Mom set me up with that guy, Carrington, and he took me to dinner before… before…
“It’s blurry,” I start hesitantly, lifting myself into a seated position and wincing at another sharp slice of pain that rips through my head. “I went to dinner, and he gave me wine, even though I’m underage, and we went to watch a film… I think. But it’s all blurry, like trying to watch something through a blizzard. Why? What happened?”
Aaron sits up next to me. His hair is adorably messy and gets even more out of control when he rakes a hand through it. He blows out a long breath, seeming to be at a loss for words. I scoot backwards against the headboard, curling my legs underneath me, waiting for him to drop the news. It must be awful if he’s being so serious. The silence ticks on. My heart thrashes in my chest, wanting to know what has him so worried, while another part of me just wants to run and hide.
“Babe,” he starts to speak, and lets out a growl. He rubs a hand over his face, looking weary. “You were on a date with that prick, Carrington. He drugged you with something and then took you away to a cabin in the woods with the intention to… take advantage of you. Rex spotted him on his way out, and thought he looked like a slimy fucker, so he alerted us. We all decided to keep an eye on you all night, just to make sure you were safe.”
As he talks, the words spark dark memories of last night. Carrington carrying me while I was useless to stop him—
Aaron grips my hand, pulling me out of the horror-filled memories. “We had our suspicions when you started acting a bit unusual at the restaurant, but we couldn’t be sure if you were drunk or if it was something more sinister. He left before we could intercept you at the movies. So we followed you back to the cabin, and our suspicions were confirmed. Thank fuck we made it in time to save you.”
The fury radiates from him in waves as he finishes speaking, and my eyes prick with tears as his words trigger another fractured memory. Carrington’s face when he loomed over me with the knife, trailing it down my body, playing with me as if I were a toy.
I don’t notice that tears have broken free and are streaming down my face until Aaron grabs me firmly against his chest and lets me sob on him. After what feels like forever, I pull away awkwardly, realizing my tears have soaked through his top.
“Sorry,” I choke out awkwardly, wiping my eyes. “I didn’t mean for that—”
“Hey. Stop that, Ella.” He grips my face in his hands, staring into my eyes with a burning intensity. “You did nothing wrong, babe. I’m here, and you’re one of my best friends. I would never let anything happen to you,” he finishes, wiping the last of my tears with his thumb.
Best. Friend.
That word pounds in time to the beat of my heart. Of course he only sees me as a best friend. I mean, look at him, sitting there all fucking gorgeous. And there’s me: plain, boring, and ugly. Ugh, come on, Ella. This is not the time to be thinking these thoughts. I have to process what happened last night.
I make an effort to give him a small smile and reassure him that I am okay to walk to the bathroom when I shuffle off the bed. Thankfully, he doesn’t push it.
I turn the shower on as hot as I can handle it and stand under the pelting stream for a while. Then I get to work scrubbing last night’s events off my skin.
When I emerge in my towel, Aaron is still lounging on the bed, lying on his back with his head resting on his arm like a freaking god. His shirt rides up slightly, and I get the smallest glimpse of his tanned, smooth skin underneath.
I wrench my gaze away and wander over to my wardrobe, rifling through my clothes, eventually settling on a cheerful sundress that doesn’t match my mood at all. Aaron clears his throat, averting his eyes like a gentleman—and best friend—while I get myself ready.
Once I have put my war paint on—that’s what the boys call my makeup—we amble into the dining room. It’s strangely empty, which is unusual. Normally, like clockwork, my mom is in there at this time of day reading the newspaper and drinking a Bloody Mary. Aaron notices my confusion and puts his hands on the chair next to me, his knuckles turning white like he is about to pick it up and throw it against the wall.
“Your mom and I had a… conversation last night,” he sneers, eyes turning glacial. “When we brought you home, and she saw the state you came home in… It wasn’t pretty. She’s lucky that my parents are her friends, because anyone else wouldn’t be let off this easily. Let’s just say, she won’t set you up on a date again,” he adds with a grim set to his jaw.
My stupid heart flutters again at his sincerity, that he and the others looked out for me when they suspected something was wrong.
“Thank you. For everything,” I reply, putting my hand over my heart, needing to keep repeating it.
“It’s okay. Like I said, babe, we would all bleed for you,” he murmurs, letting go of the chair and stepping back. “Come with me. The others will be here soon. Cook promised she would make your favorite French toast.”
He leads me into the east wing, and I frown when we enter the gym. Aaron crosses the mat, stopping at the punching bags and free weights. This is a room I barely enter, letting the boys use it when they’re over. I much prefer the peace and solitude of the swimming pool.
“Ella,” Carter yells, startling me as he rushes towards us, sweeping me into his arms and swinging me around. When he sets me down and steps backwards, I notice he discretely wipes at his eyes.
“Aaron told us to wait here for you. He wouldn’t let us anywhere near you until he made sure you were okay. We’ve been going out of our minds with worry.” He pulls me back into a hug as if he can’t help himself, needing to be close to me. “How are you doing? Are you feeling alright?”
I smile at his gentleness. Carter has always been the most sensitive of the boys, most in touch with the feelings.
His parents can’t stand him, saying that he needs to toughen up to get into Law school. He can hold his own; though, he prefers the gentler approach first. I have seen him lose his shit once, and he was scarier than all the others combined.
“I’m okay, really. Thank you for coming to save me last night.”
Sebastian and Rex barge into the gym, pulling me out of Carter’s hold. Each one checks me over to make sure I am all right, and not just saying it, all speaking to me at once.
“All right, enough,” Aaron barks. “Come on, give Ella some space. You all know why I asked you here, and it has something to do with her safety.”
So that’s what we’re doing in the gym. Some sort of safety meeting. Although I appreciate them doing this and coming together for me, I level them all with my best glare, but they all match it with equally stubborn ones.
“From what I can remember, last night was fucked up. I’m grateful that I can only remember tiny flashes and you guys came to rescue me, but I’ll be alright.”
None of them respond straight away, but as if they have choreographed it like some dance, they begin to close in on me from all sides.
“How would you cope if that ever happened again, and we weren’t around to help. What would you do?” Rex eventually questions, stepping into my personal space.
I back away from him and smack into Sebastian’s enormous chest. He grips the top of my arms, keeping me in place. I turn to the side, and Aaron waits there for me with a savage grin.
“Stop it!” I yell, frustration and a tiny trickle of fear working its way through me.
Seb doesn’t budge an inch when I try to wriggle free, holding me tightly against him. Carter steps in front of me, reaching an arm out to tickle my side, and I let out a huge squeal. My leg snaps out, but Rex grabs it, and Aaron lunges forward to grip my other one.
“How are you going to get out of this one, Ella?” Rex taunts.
I thrash between them, feeling boneless, while Carter tickles me relentlessly.
“You need to push past the sensations. Focus on the escape.”
“I think I’m gonna pee myself,” I scream, managing to elbow Sebastian in the ribs. He tenses, but it may as well be a feather brushing against him for all the good it does in making him let go.
“Okay, enough. Put her down now,” Aaron commands and they immediately comply, setting me down. He gestures to the others. “We were just messing around. But after the shit of what happened last night, we need to train you in self-defense combat, and how to recognize the signs if anyone spikes your drinks.
Aaron crosses over to the bench on the other side of the room and throws me some shorts and a top. “Put that on, and then we can begin.”
“But what about the French toast?” I whine. I try to back towards the door, but find Sebastian blocking it with his massive frame.
Aaron gives me a grin that is all teeth. “Come on, princess. The quicker you start, the sooner you can have that French toast.”
I collapse to the floor with an agonized groan after Rex sends me flying over his shoulder to the mat. Sweat runs down my face, pooling between my breasts. The boys, in their attempt to help me, have been absolutely merciless.
They made me run on the treadmill until I thought my legs were going to fall off, then spent ages sparring with me—individually, at first, and then in a group. I would never admit it to them in a million years—I can't deal with the smugness—but it’s really cathartic whaling on them all and pretending it’s Carrington’s face.
Carter helps me to stand again, while Aaron barks instructions like a fucking overlord and orders me about.
“Remember, never put your thumb in the fist for punching. You need to make sure it’s outside, otherwise you're gonna break it,” he drawls, watching me stand opposite Rex.
None of the assholes have broken a sweat. It’s just me who's drowning in it.
