The XOXO New Adult Collection: 16 Full Length New Adult Stories (340 page)

“No.”

Liv eyed me up and down, searching with her accusatory eyes before she shrugged and headed to the sink, dropping her little bag of cosmetics on the counter. “I need to put my pretty girl face on. Can’t be looking like I beat the next door neighbor down to a pulp, can I?” She dabbed some concealer around her purpled eye, studying the healing yellowing bruise under the skin and frowning. “Remind me that I owe Jonas a nice black eye.”

“You think he’d let you give him one?” I huffed.

Liv snickered and sighed. “I’ll disguise it as an accident.” She winked before reaching for the foundation. Watching Liv transform for the show tonight made me feel underdone. She motioned toward the bag as if reading my mind. “Knock yourself out. You could use some stuff on that blotchy skin.”

“Hey!”

“Just saying.”

“Thanks. Love you too.” I snatched the concealer and smeared it on the still red spots across my under eyes. Unfortunately, she was very right. “That jerk better not come near you again. I’ll make him regret it.”

“Well, you better restrain yourself because he’s here.”

I dropped the cap of the foundation bottle and stared at her through the mirror, my mouth hanging wide open. “What? Here? Tonight? I told you not to call him.”

“It’s done, so you might as well cooperate with this, Sis.”

“You’re not my keeper. You always say that I’m not yours either.”

Liv pressed her lips together, the lipstick outlining her pouty lips in a striking way. “I know, but if you mess this up, we’re dead. Want to be dead?” Her one drawn eye brow lifted at me, mocking my years with every little pencil mark.

“Dammit, Liv.” I finished lining my eyes and stuffed the makeup back into the bag. “You’re always so difficult. Nothing is ever easy street with you.”

Liv blew me a kiss, buying a death glare from me. “Show time, Sis.”

“Fine. You owe me.”

“Big time. Tab it for me.”

Shaking my head, I started for the door when Liv pulled at my arm. “Wait! Here. I got you something.” With that, she pulled out a glittery silver and purple scarf from her jacket and hung it around my neck, wrapping it around once before dangling the two ends down my chest. “There. Rock-chic defined.” Then she twirled around and disappeared out the door.

I reached up and touched the soft material. It was so light; I barely felt it on my skin. I peered at my reflection in the dingy mirror across from me. Water spots surrounded my image as I reveled in how it’d transformed me. She was right. A bit of makeup and the right accessory made all the difference. I looked like Liv, when she didn’t have her hair dyed a few shades darker. We could be twins with the makeup and styles on.

Somehow, the kinship between us calmed me. She was wild hearted, but I couldn’t stay angry with her near me. I forced a smile, and the girl in the reflection looked beautiful even. Keeping the wattage on, I pushed the bathroom door open and found Saul with my eyes, waiting on stage for us. He looked charming there, without any effort. My determination wavered, realizing again that he couldn’t see me with my face done up and my gorgeous scarf. Shrugging it off, I determined it was okay because he’d already said my voice was perfect. If he could understand my music, he had a major plus on his side for that.

Maybe it would be good to have someone really see me, without their eyes, for once.

Liv

IT WASN’T HARD
to find Jonas in the crowd. The bar was bustling with loud patrons and smoking hot scantily clad women with torn stockings and heavy makeup. The smoky air disguised the age of most of them, blurring their faces in the myriad of flashing lights. It kept most of the bar dimmed, setting the mood as the room filled with electric energy.

Jonas was the only one dressed in casual dress pants and a button down shirt with a metallic blue striped tie. Not one hair out of place, his sleek look reminded me of the Hispanic bad boy singers I often drooled over in music videos. He could pass for one of them without effort. One leg crossed the other, his Armani shoes reflected the rainbow flashes of strobes that flickered with the beat of the house mix music. His bodyguards sat around him like bored puffed up drones, waiting to pounce on any one who dared step one inch too close to their king.

It was rather comical to me, like watching some Spanish television novella with overly good looking actors playing the villains. This was real life, though, and I had to play my part down to every little scene. Jonas was my opposite and looked every bit ready to play the game.

Show time.

Straightening and lifting my chin up as I strolled past the groping patrons with their jealous girlfriends who shot daggers in my direction, I made my way toward this man. Before I closed the distance between us, one drunken woman lost her footing and tripped, landing almost in his lap. His guards were already grabbing at their pistols, yanking them from their shoved positions into their pants, but Jonas waved them down with one lift of a finger. I watched him as he helped the obviously intoxicated woman up, offering her a charming smile while wrapping his fingers around her skin, kissing her hand, and causing her to flush red from the attention. She stumbled away, rejoining her concerned girlfriends who promptly dragged her ass away from the deadly looking bunch. Their hushed, urgent whispers fluttered past with their reprimands at her as they pressed their bodies to the complete opposite side of the room.

Chickens.

I knew just how right they were to run away from this particular bunch; the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, warning me of such things. I ignored it, pasting on the brightest and most flashy smile I could muster as I waltzed to stand before this kingpin.

“Hello, Jonas.”

His soft dark-brown eyes twinkled under the assault of the club lights, but I could still see the furious desire in them as he took in my outfit. The skin tight black skirt, torn up leggings, and buttoned up vest which was splayed open to show the swell of my breasts with a few well-placed opened buttons was distracting to say the least. I knew he wouldn’t be able to rip his eyes away from me all night in this. It was the start of my fail proof plan, one I was betting my freedom on, and that of my sister’s.

“Hello, Liv.” His Spanish accent elongated the ‘o’ and made my name sound sensually charged as his dark chocolate eyes devoured my entirety. I switched the smile a notch brighter and hoped he’d offer me a chair. From the combined pressure of all eyes on me from his entourage bearing down on me, I was sure I was going to cave when Jonas waved his hand in the air again, turning to glare at one of his partners. “Emilio, offer your seat up to the lady. Don’t be rude.”

His right hand man, literally, was as good looking as Jonas, but in a different way. He lacked the chiseled bone structure but traded that for a more rounded face with a straight nose and piercing tiger brown eyes. He was also Latino, like Jonas, with light mocha skin and dark black hair. A twitch along his smooth, freshly shaved jaw betrayed his irritation as he narrowed his eyes just enough for me to see them digging into me as I stood beside his chair.

He stood up with a swift motion, pausing to take a long, hard and invasive look at me before he shifted behind the chair and gave me a slow mocking bow. His movements were as smooth as a tiger’s.

Emilio. I hadn’t seen him with Jonas before, and it made me wonder where he had come up with this particular hound to service his very predatory needs. The guy’s eyes chilled me to the bone as I approached the chair he’d previously occupied. I turned slowly but kept my eye on him until the very last second as I slid into the chair next to Jonas.

“Don’t mind Emilio. His manners have become rusty being stuck in the hacienda back home with nothing but chickens and lazy ranch hands to torment all day.” Jonas huffed a snort out, and the others joined in, laughing like it was the silliest thing ever—everyone, except Emilio. I did my best to keep my warm smile from freezing onto my face and chuckled along with the rest of them, trying to look alive. Emilio’s icy glare dug into my shoulder blades, but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of turning around to meet his deadened eyes again.

“I hope you enjoy the show tonight.” Why did I feel so nervous? My fingers grasped the edge of my skirt while my palms soaked the fabric. Jonas was handsome, but I knew he was not what he appeared to be. At least Emilio wore his insanity on his sleeve. Jonas hid it efficiently, looking as relaxed as a fed lion on the savannah prairie. I knew better though. He could turn on you like a cat starved for days and rip a person to shreds.

My throat was dry, and I waved a waitress down as Jonas responded to my comment.

“I’m truly looking forward to it. I’ve spent many hours watching you before at Ruben’s bar, but his penchant for heavy metal rock n’ roll never really let me hear your real music. From what I hear about it, it’s absolutely enchanting.” The lights made his liquid black eyes flash a multitude of colors as he watched me. He didn’t move, but continued to lean on the table, his fingers holding his head tilted to the side as he studied me.

“What can I get you?” The waitress shifted in place, unconsciously nervous from the static energy these guys emitted by the butt load. She flicked her eyes around to check them out, but let them focus on mine. I could tell she was afraid to let her gaze wander to the wrong person.

“I’d like a Bailey’s and a water.” I flashed my toothy smile, trying to reassure her with it as she nodded and rushed away, back into the swallow of people grinding to the house music. I had barely heard her repeat my order before she left since the place was so loud and crowded.

“This tempo makes me tired. When are you on, Preciosa?” Jonas’ fingers reached out to pluck my hands out of my lap and bring them up to the table, running his fingertips over my palms. It sent small sparks shooting up my arms, and my breath stilled as I watched him closely and fought to not pull away.

“Not long now, probably five minutes.” The waitress returned and placed a napkin on the table, followed by my drink and a glass of water.

“Anything else?” She waited patiently to be paid before Jonas shook his head and pressed a fifty dollar bill into her hands, dismissing her. She grinned, still flighty with her feet bouncing as she nodded and left the weight of stares from the group and went back into the safety of the bar.

Boy, did I wish I could escape like her too, but I was stuck. No turning back now.

I grabbed my drink and slammed it down, feeling the burn of the heavy alcohol fire up my esophagus, where I promptly chased it with a cool drink of icy water. Coughing from the burn, I cleared my throat and turned back toward Jonas.

“I have to go set up. I’ll see you after the show?”

He nodded, his lips giving me a smooth smile as his eyes bore into my own. He was intense; I had to give him that.

“Of course.”

I took that as my cue to get up and walk away toward the stage. The more steps I took, the easier it became to breathe, as if the presence of his little mafia had stolen the oxygen from the surrounding atoms. Peeking back for a second, I found not only Jonas’ gaze lingering on me, but Emilio’s as well. Where Jonas’ eyes shined with desire, Emilio’s were coldly sharp like obsidian blades.

What was his deal?

Whatever it was that pushed down on me while I was with them, I was relieved to get to this momentary quiet in the ever approaching storm, pummeling down my way faster than even I could ever hope to outrun.

Audrey

The set had
gone as smoothly as any had. Dressed to the nines with Liv’s help and with the perfect music, it made for a flawless evening. Though I had watched Liv interact with Jonas without a hitch across the room, I couldn’t help but feel a thread of uneasiness wrap its little tendrils tightly around my chest as I struggled to fight off the anxiety building in me. Only the music had calmed my uncertainty, that and Saul’s constant reassurances.

“She’s an adult. How long before you let her go?” He’d leaned into my ear and whispered loud enough for me to hear over the loud club music thumping in the background. I didn’t need him to tell me such an obvious observation, but he didn’t know Liv like I did. Yes, she was grown up. No, we weren’t nine anymore, when tragedy struck and left the remains of embedded scars forever tattooed across our souls, but that was beside the point. Liv could tread into the fire so easily, without a second glance behind, burning her very soul at the same time. It wasn’t until afterwards, when her ship had sank and her heart lay in tatters of a thousand shredded ribbons across the floor, did she come running back, begging me to pick up each and every little shard.

“There is no letting go, not when you’re in this deep,” I whispered back. I turned and almost bumped noses with Saul. His faded blue eyes looked through me, but I could feel his soul bearing the weight of concern onto me. Funny, his eyes may not be the windows to his spirit, but their ghostly shadows still amplified the soul within. “She’s like that. She jumps in full throttle and goes until she crashes and burns. It’s not that she can’t handle it. It’s not that she can’t live another day after it all goes down. It’s that she takes me down with her. She drags me in, no matter how hard I try and fight it with every little morsel of my being. Somehow I get dragged into it. Somehow it ends up on my shoulders. Yes, I’m tired of it, and no, I shouldn’t let her grip onto me so hard I can’t shove her off, but that’s the way we are. She’s my sister. I have to protect her.”

“Do you really know what you’re protecting her from, or are you doing it for reasons that don’t exist anymore?”

Why did he have to push so hard? If I wanted psychoanalysis of why I did things, it sure as hell wouldn’t be with some stranger I barely knew. I pressed my lips together and turned away, slamming the amp chord into Liv’s acoustic guitar. I lowered it to its stand on the stage and jumped up to thread the amp’s power cord toward the plugs against the wall. Saul stopped being so philosophical, and I moved back to the busy work that kept me sane−setting up the instruments for the show. We would be up in less than five, and I was the kind of girl that liked to have everything perfect.