Uncut (Unexpected Book 4) (32 page)

“E
ncore.” The audience pounds the walls, stomps on the floor, and continues begging for more. Chris doesn't react, he just continues putting away his guitar. Two members from the security detail are the only barrier between the rowdy crowd and us. My first move is to check the bar. Thea is too close to this time bomb. My eyes meet Tristan’s who continues holding her, as he’s been doing all night. I tilt my head toward the bouncer at the door and then to Thea. He nods and takes out his phone.

“Matthew, AJ duty.” Jacob didn't have to say it. I was about to grab her into my arms before he spoke. There’s always been a method to our madness, but I guess, that’s part of the method. His line, so to speak. As always, he puts himself in front of us to cover her. Fuck, I don't like this. We've had our share of crazy fans, and we can take them, but our baby sister has never been involved.

“Get her over to Tristan and come back,” I tell Jacob as I search for Bradley.

“You two are overreacting,” Chris says as he places Jacob’s guitar in the case. “Mason is in charge.”

Mason Bradley being in charge isn’t exactly reassuring for me. In my experience, he likes to throw a few punches before absconding. However, Bradley has changed over the past years because of AJ. He’s not as aggressive. Man, we are growing up, aren’t we?

“Is this normal?” AJ stutters, her usual bravado gone.

“Nope, but I think tonight we have more fans than allowed,” Jacob lies, and I’m sure he's glad Pria stayed behind to babysit Gracie.

Maybe taking the sister out of danger now is the way to handle this. As I'm about to say go, Mason Bradley topples a couple of guys, breaking through the fan barrier, and giving me the typical stink eye.

“Good, G.I. Joe is here to save me.” I fail delivering a good joke.

“Let's go, Chris. Leave the equipment. I can't have my wife—your daughter—in the middle of a bar brawl,” Mason orders Pops. “If they break any instrument I'll replace it. My guys are ready. The cars are too. Now.”

Chris hands his old guitar to Reed, who without any trouble, squeezes himself through the sea of bodies and enters the bar, closing the door. Mason raises his hand and motions to several men carrying long black sticks who proceed in making a barrier between us and the emergency exit. Mason takes AJ and we follow. Tonight is an eye-opener. My skin prickles as the hands of strangers reach for us, pulling, tugging, while chanting our names. Our fans are usually great. But this bunch is loud, rambunctious, and drunk. Normally, I don't care, but worrying that Thea or AJ might be hurt has my blood boiling. We coordinated the event poorly, putting the people we love in danger. As I'm about to head to the bar, instead of the exit, one of the guards redirects me. Damn, I need to make sure Thea is safe. As we reach the black SUVs, Bradley helps AJ climb into the first one. Dad and Pops follow, and he signals Jacob and me to take the second one.

“Dude, I need to check on them.” I angle my head toward the Silver Moon. “I'll be fine, I can take care of myself. Go home and make sure my sister is safe and my parents are all right.”

He nods and leaves.

“Tristan was with the bartender chick all night. You know that, right?” Jacob scrutinizes my face and I’ve no idea what he’s insinuating. “Snuggling, kissing . . . looking a lot like a couple. Sure didn’t look like the guy is giving up his lifestyle for you, Matt. AJ told me what happened between the two of you.”

“I appreciate the concern, dude, but you have no idea what you’re talking about. Right now I have to make sure he took her to a safe place.” He frowns and as I'm about to walk away, I stop. “Her name is Thea, Jacob. And she’s more than a bartender—she’s my girl.”

His eyes have that intense big-brother look of concern. He crosses his arms and tries to act like he really has a few years on me. “What are you doing, Matthew?”

I lift a shoulder and give him a non-committal
not sure yet
smile, leaving him standing next to the car. With more time, I’d have shared with him a play-by-play of what’s going on. Right now, as everything is new and neither one of us has any idea of the direction we’re taking, I’d rather not say a word. Thea and Tristan did look happy, like a perfect couple already settled and in love. If I weren’t part of them, I’d accept it. But not only for the past two weeks, but for the last few months, we’ve been falling slowly in love with each other.

We have daily phone conversations where I talk with Thea until she falls asleep, or watch her through the camera of her phone during breakfast. Tristan and I do our thing. We’re building something where each one knows what the other feels and wants, where we want to make each other happy. Maybe where we love each other too, or if not, we’re falling and not planning on stopping. It’s just a matter of finding a way to live in harmony with our relationship.

“Where is she?” I ask Tristan when I enter the employee room.

“I took care of her. She’s safe. On a side note, tonight isn't the best night to spring any relationship talk. She was stressed for most of the concert. Too many people and the music. Plus the confusion that’s stirring in her head didn’t help with the anxiety.” He runs a hand through his hair and leaves it on the nape of his neck. “I can’t give her up. I wouldn’t ask you to give her up because I know how much she means to you. Fuck, I had the best two weeks of my life, so this is hard. But I’m not sure what to do. I’ve seen her daily struggles. Mostly they happen when we talk about you, when I kiss her. She wants us both, but can’t fathom accepting us both. She can’t choose either. Matt, I have no fucking idea of what we’re going to do.”

I shut the door and lock it. “I don’t want to give up either one of you. Why can’t we all have each other?” I place my hands on his narrow waist and press my forehead to his.

“Fuck,” he swears as his lips press into mine. He reaches for the back of my head, his strong hand wrapping around my neck as his thumb traces my jawline.

My cock twitches as our kiss becomes a battle where we yield and snatch the power from one another. The kiss consumes us as our tongues fight the lust we carry. Earlier when I saw him with Thea, I wanted to hold the two of them so badly. Be Tristan, so I could have her in my arms; become Thea, to be held by him. But reason comes first. The urge to leave the place with my girl
and
my guy. Ultimately, I end the kiss instead of fucking him against the table as my dick wants.

“I’m in love with her, Matt.” He gasps for air. Our eyes meet for one second but he closes his eyes, leaning his head over my shoulder. His arms circle my torso. “So much, it hurts to think that she isn’t here right now.”

I see the raw emotion written all over his face. “Me too, and you know what, Coop? We have to take a step beyond what we all know. This isn’t a fucking love triangle where we’re fighting for the same girl.” I place my hands on his shoulders and push him away lightly, because I want to watch him as I say this. “I’m deeply in love with Thea, and I’m falling in love with you. I won’t give up either one of you. We can find a way to convince her that it’s possible, and make it happen. We belong together. She’s half of my heart. You’re the other half.”

Tristan sighs deeply while worrying his bottom lip. He seems to be contemplating my words, which fills me with both elation and surprise. Here I thought he would immediately shoot them down before the first sentence even completely made it out of my mouth. “We’ll try it your way, Matt. It’s wrong in many ways, but feels right in here,” he says and touches his chest.

I give him a quick hug and a kiss, open the door, and look toward the bar where our security detail continues to work on containing the crowd. “Is she upstairs?”

“No, I had no idea how bad it would get and I sent her to your place. Mason said he’d make sure she got there safely.”

My eyes bulge. We only had two cars. I snatch my phone out of my back pocket and fire off a text to Jacob.

MJ: Is Thea with you?

JC: No, did you already lose the girl?

MJ: Shit, she must be in the car with AJ then.

JC: Please tell me AJ isn’t in the dark.

“You sent her alone with my family?” I rub my face. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

“H
i, I’m AJ.” She looks at me inquisitively and then asks, “Have we met before?”

I stop breathing.

Does she recognize me?

A familiar feeling of foreboding comes over me. Dread. Maybe she’s seen me before. No, how would that even be possible? I already worried all night about the reporters that were at the Silver Moon for the concert. Now I have to worry about the Deckers knowing. My head starts to pound. I take off my baseball cap releasing some of the compression it’s creating. The air thickens and I want to get out of this car. God, what’s going to happen when they find out who I am? What I’ve done . . . My father will have a chance to sell some old story and make up several new ones. Sell me again.

“Thea.” My voice is a tiny whisper.

“Are you . . . are you okay?” she asks. I want to lie, answer yes, but I’m not. The memories are climbing out of their hidden place.

“That thing you did with Mr. Lambert, the kisses . . . Remember?” Mr. Lambert is the producer of
Sophie Knows It All
. Dad needed me to show him how well I can kiss so I could keep my job. I have to do it often, but it’s okay. Practice. As Sophie, my character gets older and starts dating. We’ve done it for the past year, but I don’t like that now he is trying to touch me. I want to tell my dad, but I can’t. He said not many girls my age were as lucky as I was. I nod at my father, assuring him that I know what he is talking about. “This time you have to do the same, Aggie.”