The Beats in Rift (16 page)

I’M LYING ON Jared’s naked chest. My night has not turned out how I expected. I was planning on letting Crystal’s brother have some tongue action tonight. He’s had a crush on me for a while but instead, here I am. No matter how much time passes I still can’t get enough of Jared.

His strong hands stroke my back. I feel his arousal grow against my stomach. “Already?” I ask, impressed.

His heart-stopping smile beams up at me. He rotates his hips and then twists, pinning me against the mattress with his strong body.

His hands entwine with my mine. He holds them beside my head and softly brings his lips to meet mine. Fire ignites in his eyes but like every other time before, I also see his need for me emotionally.

I lift my head to meet his lips and enjoy the soft caress he offers. His erection prods at my entry. I wrap my legs around his waist, giving him permission and he takes it, slowly sliding inside me. He’s firm but slow, taking all of me. His eyes bore into mine as his lips taste every part of my face. Lifting my hips to meet his thrusts, our bodies stroking together. His eyes never leave mine as he increases his tempo; his hands remain tight in mine. His breath steams against my skin, his sweat blending with mine, our moans forming a duet of pleasure.

He thrusts hard and I feel myself build and contract against him, pulling at his cock, milking him for everything he has to give. He follows me over the edge with a growl of my name.

Jared collapses on top of me careful not to crush me with his weight. I stroke at the tattoo over his heart.

“Yes,” he mutters, his breathing still heavy.

“Yes?”

“Yeah, it’s a tribute to you.” I scroll over the text.

‘
The words in my lyrics, the music in my sound, the beat in my heart.’

“It’s beautiful,” I murmur.

He kisses my nose. “You’re beautiful, Beats.” He rolls to his side and pulls me into him, cradling me. My eyes get heavy and the room goes dark.

There’s a buzzing. It takes me a while before I realize the buzzing noise is a phone. I untuck myself from Rift as he stirs. “That’s yours,” I mutter, still half asleep.

He groans and rolls to the side table. “What’s up? When? No. No, Silver, wait for me. Ten minutes, okay?”

I stroke down his muscled back. “Everything okay?”

He slips from the bed and smiles down at me while reaching and pulling on his jeans. “Yeah, baby. I need to go out. Stay there and sleep, okay?” I pull the covers up to conceal my naked form, and nod. He bends down and kisses me, the passion still in full force. “I need to go. I’ll wake you when I get back.”

The sun bleeds through a crack in the blinds.

I hear muffled voices getting louder and louder until the door bursts open. A blonde-haired woman rushes into the room, her top showing off her stomach, her jeans tight. She’s heavier set than me, her boobs clearly fake.

“What the hell is this then, Razor?” She looks to a tall guy filling the doorway. His dark hair is pulled back into a low ponytail. He has a goatee and striking green eyes. He’s wearing leather trousers, a white t-shirt and … a leather cut. I saw Rift put one on before he left, and all his friends at the bar were wearing them too. I thought it was a band thing, but when he dragged me through the club downstairs I noticed they all had them on. I had seen them on a TV character Crystal has posters of, she told me it’s a biker thing they call them cuts, she rambled on about some president called Jax and how she wanted to ride him reversed cow girl, at that point I stopped listening. Razor has full-sleeved tattoos on both arms.

“For fuck’s sake, Tessa! You can’t do this shit here. Rift will kill you!”

“Fuck him! It’s been a week since I lost his kid and he’s already filling his bed with bar whores.”

I wrap the sheet tight around me as the guy in the door stares at me with a knowing grin. “Hey, sweet ass. You want to hop into my bed for a while before you leave?”

I feel like I’m still dreaming; did he really just say that to me? Have I gone back in time to when this shit happened to Justin and me? No this is of a much bigger magnitude. Did that woman say she lost Rift’s baby? Did that guy just proposition me, while I’m naked from spending the night with someone else? Will Rift ever stop crippling me with his disappearing act? Where the hell has he brought and left me? Oh God I’m having a meltdown, this is what it feels like to lose your mind. After everything that has happened to me I’ve finally cracked.

“Hey, why you still here?” I shake my head in disbelief at Tessa. She scoops my dress up and throws it at me. “Get dressed and get the fuck out.”

Another guy leans his head through the doorway. He looks at this, Tessa and then at me. “Fucking hell, where did she come from. She new?”

“The bar last night, man. But if she’s staying, I call dibs on her ass next.”

I just threw up in my mouth. I’m vibrating in my own skin with the need to get away from here.

“Would you all mind going away so I can get dressed?” I whisper.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Razor grins.

Tessa huffs. “Get out, let the tramp get dressed.” She ushers the men out and follows them.

I rip my dress over my head and pull it down. I jump from the bed and go to the dresser. In the drawers I find a pair of Jared’s workout shorts. He must live here. What the hell. Has he changed that much? Is this where he ran too all those times. I pull them on, rolling them at the waist to tighten them so they don’t fall down. I pull my dress over them and slip my heels on. Degraded, dejected and the old favorite, pain occupy my mind and heart. Can I believe what the screeching banshee blonde woman said, why would she lie? God he could have had a child with someone else. The cold creeps over my heart trying to protect me but it can’t, it never could when it came to Rift. I’d be damned if I was going to keep listening to these assholes treat me like some whore, paid by the hour.

I go to the door and yank the handle. Tessa is waiting for me and so are the other two men, and a couple of new ones have joined the crowd. “Oh, yep, that’s the honey he came in with last night. Hey sugar,” a blonde-haired guy says as I push past them and down the stairs. I’m one step away from taking my shoes off and attacking the leering pervs with them.

They all follow me down. “The door’s that way, bitch,” Tessa tells me, pointing.

I turn to her, anger rising like the tide to the surface. She is grating my last nerve. I shouldn’t have to put up with this shit, I deserve more than this from him and maybe she’s hurting too, but fuck her and fuck him too “Watch your mouth when you’re talking to me, and tell Jared I’m the one running this time.”

She screws her face up at me. “His name’s Rift, bitch.”

That’s the last straw. I pull my arm back and smack her right on the nose. There’s a pop, and blood sprays from her face, coating my dress. It hurts like hell, my knuckles explode in pain but I relish the throb, she earned that.

“I know what his name is. I fucking gave it to him… bitch.”

She crumbles to the floor. Gasps and howls pour from the guys in the bar. “Shit, Tessa, she fucked you up,” Razor bellows, then grabs my wrist. “Wait. What do you mean you gave him his name? What’s your name?”

“Meadow. What’s it to you?” I yank my hand from his grip.

“Meadow as in Beats?” he asks. I look to him and notice the whole bar has gone quiet, including the moaning from Tessa. I ignore him and push through the door. I’m shocked to see I’m in a huge building like a plane hangar. I march across what’s used as a parking lot and head towards the huge metal gates. There are two guys manning them. “I want out!” I shout.

“Sure, sugar. Make sure you come back though.” They grin at me and I feel dirty. I’ve never had so many filthy eyes undress me before. I walk down a drive and follow the road until I find a cab to take me back to the hotel.

“MEADOW!” CRYSTAL BARKS pulling me from my memories. She’s staring at me, her eyes wide. “What the hell? You’ve been sitting there like a zombie. Are you going to tell me how you know him?”

I get to my feet and swipe at a tear. “It doesn’t matter, I won’t see him again anyway. He likes to disappear.”

She follows me across the room. “Well, if he’s sending requests on Facebook, he clearly wants to see you again.”

I turn to her. She has been my best friend for two years. We share everything but I’ve never shared my past with her and she’s always known not to ask. “That’s his brother not him. They’re twins.”

She gasps. “Twins? Holy shit, which one is it Meadow?”

More tears fall. She comes over to me, offering me comfort in her embrace. I cry into her hair which smells of smoke and vomit. “I don’t know.”

“Meds, this is bad.”

I pull away and swipe the remaining tears. “It’s not bad. We’re going home today. I can’t go back to your brother’s. I need to get back home today so I can forget all about this fucking trip.”

I see understanding in her eyes as she tells me okay.

We pack up our stuff and load up her car; we drive in silence until we hear a familiar voice bleed through the radio.

“If I stand in the rain, will it wash away the stains you left on my skin?

Can it wash away the sadness, the pain from within?

Can the rain cleanse me, make me new, and make me good enough to be loved by you?

Can it wash away my memory, wash it clear?

Stop you from hurting me even when you’re not here.

Can the wind carry my sins away?

Make you want me, make you stay

Can the wind take away the ache, blow life back into me?

Carry the pain away, set me free?

Can the sun ignite my soul?

Heat life back into me, make me whole

Can it warm my blood, bring a beat to my heart?

Can it warm my body, force it to restart?

Can it burn your birthmark from my soul?

Turn me back to the person I used to know.”

I hear a sniffle coming from Crystal. I look over to see tears falling from her eyes. “It’s beautiful. God, he really did it. That’s your song he’s singing.”

I smile at her, my heart warming at the sound of Drake crooning my lyrics on the radio.

“Mom we’re home,” Crystal calls out as we walk into her house.

“We’re in here girls.”

We follow her voice to find her in the living room. She’s on the floor, sitting with Jasmine and Jules who are giggling at her. “Mom, Mom, Mom,” they coo as we approach.

“Hey, babies. Mommy missed you both.”

I sigh, wrapping them both in my arms, their beautiful amber eyes roaming my face.

“You’re home a day early.”

“Yeah, Meds missed the girls. Wow, Mom. Who are the flowers for?” I look to see Crystal picking out a card from a huge bouquet. “They’re for you, Meadow. Figures.” She hands me the card.

Meadow,

You’re taking us all the way to the top, beautiful.

We need to discuss more. I’ll be home all week.

Can you make it home?

Love Drake

“God, my brother has been blowing up my phone all day. I’d better call him and let him know we won’t be at the show tonight.”

I reach for her arm. “Drake wants me to go home to discuss the song.”

A smile tugs at her lips. “Can I come?”

Jules pulls on my top. I give her my attention, kissing her soft cheek. “What if Justin’s there?”

“Meds, you need to tell me everything because I can’t be a good friend and give you advice with no details.”

I bury my head into Jasmine’s neck, gaining a giggle from her. “Okay, you’re right. Let’s make coffee and talk.”

“So, she tried to throw you out and you punched her?”

I nod. “I’m not proud of it, but I’ve had bitches like her talking to me like crap my whole life and I was so angry.”

She beams. “I wish I was there. God, I know it’s a fucked up situation but you and this Jared seem like soul mates.”