Page 61 of The Burdens We Share
I laugh, “That’s why we hire people to do it for us.”
She gives me a disapproving look, “I want to do a lot of it myself. I want it to feel special and have that special touch. I also want to feel like a normal person and not a rockstar for once.”
I lean back on the couch, “I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t wanna be a rockstar. Our lives are pretty fun.”
She taps her chin, “Sure they are. You know, when we aren’t being attacked in hotel rooms, stalked, having our homes broken into, getting framed and set up for sex tapes, getting drugged, all the fun stuff.”
I chuckle, “When you put it that way our lives sound like dogshit.”
She tilts her head at me, “Sometimes they are.”
She has a point there. Brody taps the screen a few more times before she sighs, turning the iPad off and setting it down on the coffee table. She tosses herself back on the couch and exhales, “That’s enough of that for today.”
“When I get married, I’m hiring the best wedding planner in the business so that I don’t have to stress. Stress gives you wrinkles, Brody. I can’t have wrinkles. I’m too hot for that,” I place a dramatic hand against my chest right over my heart.
She rolls her eyes at me, “You are pretty hot.”
We both laugh and she asks, “Speaking of you getting married, how are things with Dallas? You guys seem like you’ve gotten closer.”
I scoff, “Moving a little too fast for marriage, B. But we’re good. Really good,” I smile affectionately. “I think I’ve fallen for him,” I admit, keeping my voice down just in case the guys can hear us from the other room.
Brody presses, “You’ve slept together?”
I nod, blushing. She claps, “I’ve been waiting for this. How was it?”
“Fucking amazing,” I think back to that perfect moment and feel pure bliss.
“I’m so happy for you. You guys both deserve happiness. I’m glad you’ve found it,” she’s so genuine when she says it and I love her for it.
“Thank you.” I let my mind wander for a moment before I add, “Isn’t it crazy to think of how far we’ve come? All of us?”
She looks so serious as she nods, her eyes wide. “If I’m being honest, I don’t even recognize us anymore.”
“I know. It’s such a strange thought. But at the same time, I’m happier now than I was back then.”
“Couldn’t agree more. We were pretty fucking wild and wehad a shit ton of fun, but I think we all needed to grow up in our own ways. We each had our own flaws and obstacles to overcome,” she thinks out loud.
I give her a soft smile, “I’m really proud of us.”
“Me too,” she agrees.
I reach for her iPad on the table and unlock it, opening Pinterest and looking at her board. I imagine what I would want my own wedding to be. We each have our own styles and our own personalities. Brody is marquis diamonds and minimalist dresses whereas Aria is Halloween weddings and cushion diamonds. I think for myself I’d like a nice emerald cut with pink flowers everywhere. Definitely no roses though. I shiver at the thought.
“Holy shit!” We hear from the other room where the guys are. Brody and I exchange worried looks before we leap off the couch and run to the guys.
They’re speaking fast and loud and we can’t make out what they’re saying. “What’s going on?” I ask.
Dallas looks at me over his shoulder, a proud smile on his face as he pushes out of his chair and cups my face in his palms. He leans down and kisses me chastely, “We found him.”
I suck in a surprised breath, “You did?”
Harvey grins, “We did. Look,” he points to his computer screen with a picture of an unfamiliar man on it. He has messy blond hair that could possibly pass as strawberry blond. His eyes are a rich brown and he looks completely innocent, as if he could never be capable of the horrors he put me through.
Dallas wraps his arms around my waist as he commands Harvey, “Call our contact at LA police and have them arrest that motherfucker. I want him behind barsnow.”
Harvey nods, raising his phone to his ear as he steps out of the room. I just stare at the screen in complete awe. All of the horrors in my memories of what this man put me throughsuddenly feel so different now that there’s a face associated with that faceless shadow. Is it all really over? I’ve gotten so used to this being my life that the thought of him being caught and of me being safe almost feels unattainable.
“You okay, Little Devil?” Dallas asks quietly in my ear.
