Grey hung his head in shame and shook it no.
Laughing, Rook said, “See, you’re not even talking to your own brother, so why should I go to the Grammys and act like we all love each other when I know we’re all fucked up?”
Grey took a second to think before he answered. Rook thought Grey was just going to get up and leave, since he hadn’t responded, until he lifted his head and said, “We owe it to ourselves, Rook. We worked our asses off to get to where we are; we owe it to ourselves and our fans to be there.”
“I don’t owe anybody anything,” Rook said, as he turned and shut Grey out.
He knew he was being an ass, he knew he was being ungrateful, but there was nothing that he wanted to do in life, nothing at all. For all he knew, his life was over the minute he had to give Maisy away.
Getting the clue, Grey got up and walked out of his room, leaving the tux behind. Rook was grateful Grey dropped the topic of going to the Grammys and left, because Rook hated being a bigger ass than he needed to be to Grey. The guy was doing all he could to help him, and the sad thing was, Grey didn’t realize that Rook didn’t want his help; he didn’t need his help. All Rook wanted was to crawl back in his hole and hide.
There were too many things out in the real world that reminded him of Maisy. It was too painful to be constantly reminded about one of the biggest mistakes of his life. And the funny thing was, he was actually trying to be the bigger guy, to protect Maisy from his life, from his father and the fucking bastard decided to go and die a couple of days later. That was the joke of it all, that Rook sacrificed his entire life for nothing, for fucking nothing.
The sunlight faded away, and the night sky started to shine through the window. Minutes meshed into hours and hours faded into days; he really had no clue how long he’d been away, but he only wished he could go back.
Another knock came from his door, and Rook just mumbled for Grey to come back in.
“Rook, honey, can I talk to you?” Mrs. Cross asked in her gentle voice.
Because Rook had an extreme amount of respect for the woman, he sat up in bed and gave her all his attention. She was wearing a light pink sweater set and a pair of khaki capris and boat shoes. She was the typical mom, at least what Rook assumed was the typical mom; he really had no clue, given the piss poor example he had while growing up.
“Hi, Mrs. Cross,” he said politely.
She handed him a tray with a plate on it that had saran wrap on it, and from what he could see, the plate was full of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and broccoli. There was also a glass of water and silverware on the tray.
“Here you go, dear. I want to make sure you keep eating, even if you’re not up for having us as company at the dinner table.”
Guilt instantly flooded him as he took the tray from Mrs. Cross and set it on the nightstand. He took a deep breath and said, “It’s not that I don’t want to have you as company, Mrs. Cross. I’m very grateful for everything and your family has done for me, it’s just…” How did he explain the numbing pain he felt every day, ever since he let go of Maisy? “I’m just going through a rough time right now.”
“You miss her, don’t you?” Mrs. Cross stated, cutting straight to the point. Rook just nodded his head, not having to explain anything, because Mrs. Cross could see it all over his face. “I can’t quite say I understand what you’re going through. I don’t think anyone really can, but I can relate. If I ever had to give up one of my boys or my husband in order to keep them safe, I think I would feel just as sour and sad as you do. From what I know, you did a brave thing.”
Rook shook his head and hung it low. “I fuc…I mean, I screwed up everything. I gave up everything that’s important in my life, Mrs. Cross.”
“But, did you?” she asked, confusing him.
“I don’t get what you’re asking.”
“You have three boys who adore you, who lean on you and rely on you. They look to you for leadership, for guidance, for someone to lean on. They are as much a part of your life as Maisy was, and they deserve to keep you in their lives. You didn’t leave them; you left Maisy. Don’t let them down, Rook, they’re relying on you.”
“I’m hurting, Mrs. Cross. I can’t be the guy they want me to be.”
“And who do you want to be?” Mrs. Cross asked.
Looking out the window for a second, Rook responded, “I want to be the guy that takes care of Maisy, that loves her and makes sure she’s protected at all times.”
“Isn’t that what you are, though? You sacrificed everything you cared about; you sacrificed your love to protect her. I’m pretty sure that’s a very noble thing to do.”
“But it was pointless,” Rook argued. “The threat of my dad died a couple of days later. I let her go for nothing.”
“No, you let her go because you love her, and your dad died, Rook; you didn’t. If you sit back and allow yourself to continue to fall into this dark hole that you find so comforting, then guess who wins? Your dad. He would love to see you fail, to falter, to fall off the right track you were on. You, my boy, are full of so much strength you don’t even know you have. You are strong, smart, and kind. You are full of love, and you have an opportunity in this lifetime to rise above your demons, get your head straight, and take what you want. You want Maisy? Well, then go out and get her. You deserve to live, you deserve to love, and you deserve everything you put your mind to. You’re a beautifully damaged boy with a heart of gold. I love you, Rook, and I’ll be damned if I just sit back and watch you waste your life away. Do you hear me?”
A lone tear fell from Rook’s cheek as he took in all of Mrs. Cross’s words. Never had he had someone yell at him in a parental type way, nor had he ever had someone care about his future as much or straight up say they loved him, besides Maisy and his bandmates. The parental guidance that Rook craved his whole life was delivered to him in a sweet little blonde-haired package, wrapped up in a light pink sweater set.
Mrs. Cross rubbed the tear off of his face and then gripped his cheeks.
“I love you, Rook Tyler. You are one of my sons, and I know, deep down in my gut that you will be happy. Did you hear me? You will be happy.”
Rook shook his head and then wrapped Mrs. Cross into a hug. He thought he needed Maisy, well he needed this too. He needed someone to care about him, to treat him like a son, and the talk Mrs. Cross just gave him would forever change his life. She didn’t know it, but she just saved him; she gave him the one of best gifts anyone could ever give him…she gave him motherly love.
“Now, try on that tux and get a haircut, because this mop you have on your head is not going to win back that girl of yours.”
Laughing, Rook pulled away and eyed the tux. “Do you really think I can win her back?”
“I do,” she spoke with honesty in her voice. “I think you’re going to have a hell of a time trying to win her back, but that’s all in the fun when it comes to love, the chase. It’s not going to be easy, and you’re going to want to give up at times, but you keep fighting. You and Maisy were meant for each other. If you’re honest with her and treat her with the respect she deserves, then you’re going to be able to slowly gain her trust back.”
Rook nodded his head and then looked back at Mrs. Cross.
“Thank you so much. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all you’ve done for me.”
“Anything for one of my boys,” she patted his face and stood up. “Get to it and make me proud.”
She had no clue how much he was going to make her proud, and it would start with getting his mind in the right place; it was time to go back to a therapist. He also needed to shed himself of everything from his past and start new. He needed to talk to Pete and get rid of his dad’s debt and the shithole childhood home he’d been left. That house was full of evil, and Rook was done with it. Nothing good came from that house, and nothing good would ever come from it. He would talk to Pete about taking down the whole place and maybe building a park in the lot for the local kids in
the neighborhood. It was the least he could do to brighten their lives.
Feeling a bit hungry, Rook unwrapped his dinner, and started forking it into his mouth. This was the beginning of a new chapter in his life, a better chapter. His sulking time was done; it was time to take action.
**Cruz**
Images of Sunday’s brunch kept running through Cruz’s mind, and not the part where he was eating quietly with Maelani, even though he did enjoy that. No, the part that kept haunting him in a good way was the way Maelani looked, riding his cock with her head thrown back and her mouth partially open from the pleasure rolling through her body. Fuck, he must have beaten off to the image at least five times since.
Willow was over last night, and they did their normal routine of fucking everywhere in the house, but she almost seemed distant, as if she wasn’t fully with him, and he wondered if it was because last time they were with Maelani, or if she was thinking about someone else. Whatever it was, he was a bit pissed afterwards, because if he was going to fuck someone, he wanted their full attention; he wanted them to look at him the way Maelani did.
While Willow was taking a shower, Cruz snuck into her phone and grabbed Maelani’s phone number. He needed to see her again, he needed to have her wrapped around him, and he needed to bury himself inside of her. There was a connection with Maelani that he was craving, something he was missing from Willow.
He liked Willow a lot, but for a week now she’d been blowing him off and acting disconnected, and it was really starting to bother him. He hated to admit it, but ever since Willow started giving him attention, started relying on him for her needs, he felt fulfilled as a man. He craved that feeling now, to please a woman, to be there for her. He wasn’t quite ready for a serious relationship, fuck, he wasn’t sure if he ever wanted to get married, but to know that there was someone waiting for him…that was a feeling he could get used to. It was a feeling he was hoping Maelani could possibly give him.
Taking a chance, Cruz pulled out his phone and started typing out a text message to Maelani. He just prayed that he didn’t creep her out, since she technically never gave him her phone number.
Cruz: Hey, beautiful. Ever since you left my place Sunday, I can’t stop thinking about you. Tell me you feel the same.
Cruz pressed send and hated himself for temporarily losing his balls. When did he become so sensitive, so desperate? He blamed Willow. She whipped him up with that fine pussy of hers, and now that she was slipping away, he had to grasp onto something, and Maelani wasn’t a bad replacement.
Shit, he needed to remind himself to never refer to her as a replacement; that wouldn’t go over well.
His phone beeped back with a text message. Eagerly, he opened it up.
Maelani: Hmm, Sunday was a busy day for me. Is this Blake? James? …or, God, what was his name? He was a sexy Latino with a dick that swallowed me whole.
Cringing from what hopefully was a joke, Cruz texted her back.
Cruz: Baby, if you can’t remember my name, then I didn’t do a good enough job of making you scream it.
Maelani: Ahhh, so it’s the Latino. Damn, I was hoping to hear back from Blake.
Cruz: A man’s ego can only take so much…
Maelani: I didn’t take you for the sensitive kind…CRUZ.
Even though he knew she was yanking his dick, he still felt a little relieved at her mentioning his name. What kind of man would he be if he had a threesome with someone and they couldn’t even remember his name?
Cruz: Only sensitive because you kind of grabbed me by the balls when you were here. I have to see you again.
Before sending his message, he really thought about if he wanted to show his cards so early, but then he thought, fuck it, he needed her, and he prided himself on being an honest bastard, so he sent the text message.
When Willow left his house this morning, she told him she would see him around. Usually, she said she would call him or she’d schedule a fuck session for later, but not this time. She had a distanced look in her face, and when they weren’t fucking, she was hanging out in the bathroom, which confused the hell out of Cruz. He had no clue what she was doing in there. Cleaning up, maybe? Whatever it was, she was pulling away from him.
His phone beeped again, pulling him out of his thoughts.
Maelani: Do you have to see me with Willow, or it this a solo rendezvous?
Did she want Willow there? Cruz had no clue, all he knew was that he wanted Maelani, and that was it. He wanted the little Hawaiian hottie to himself for a night.
Cruz: I want you solo, unless you need Willow, then I will take you however I can get you.
Maelani: Good answer. I want you and you alone, but I’m going to be busy for a little bit.
Cruz: Busy? Are you some kind of lady of the night?
Maelani: …and if I was?
What the fuck? He liked to joke around, but Cruz had no fucking clue if she was joking or telling the truth. Not knowing what to say, he typed some things out, but then deleted them. He was about to settle with a basic “lol” when his phone rang and Grey’s dipshit face popped up on his screen. Annoyed at the interruption, and semi grateful as well, he answered.
“Hey fuck stick, how’s our moody friend?”
“He tried on his suit,” Grey responded with excitement in his voice.
“Well, that’s progress. Do you think he’ll show up?”
“He damn well better. I’m not going by myself. The fucker is my date,” Grey responded.
“Well, isn’t that fucking adorable. Have you talked to your brother?”
“Can everyone just get off my back about that? I’ll talk to him when I want to talk to him. Fuck.”
“I see maturity has graced your presence recently.”
“Why did I call you?” Grey asked.
“Because you can’t live a day without hearing my sexy ass voice.”
Grumbling into the phone, Grey said, “Is Twisted Perfection going?”
“Yeah, they are. We’re going to have to make sure we keep our distance, because Maisy is with Cole Meyer now, and I’m pretty sure Rook would lose his shit over seeing them together.”
“All of them are going to be there?”
“Are you asking if Willow is going to be there?” Cruz said with a smirk. “She is. Dude, I have to tell you, I fucking had a threesome with her the other day and some fine piece of Hawaiian ass. Fuck, I can’t believe that wasn’t the first thing I said to you.”
Silence was on the other end of the phone and Cruz smiled to himself. He knew Grey had feelings for Willow and, frankly, he didn’t care. The guy needed to grow a pair, and if he wanted something, he needed to go for it.
“By your silence, I’m assuming you didn’t want to hear that,” Cruz pointed out.
“You’re such a dick, you know that?”
“Yeah, I do actually,” Cruz responded. “But hey, someone has to have fun around here. I was actually just talking to the little Hawaiian hottie when you called.”
“Wait, so you’re not with Willow?”
“I never said that. I can have more than one woman, you know?”
“Do they want that?” Grey asked between gritted teeth.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but Willow and I have an understanding, which seems to be fading out. I think she has someone else in her grasp and Maelani, that’s her name by the way, I haven’t really set any ground rules with her yet, but you can bet that pencil dick of yours that I will be poking around in her flesh valley very soon. She’s so fucking hot.”
“Fuck, you’re such a pig.” Grey paused for a second, and then said, “Do you know who the other guy is that Willow is with?”
A real laugh escaped Cruz’s lips as his head fell back. “You’re pathetic, man, you know that? So Goddamn pathetic. Try locating that little peanut sac of yours and ask her yourself if you’re so damn interested.”
“Don’t be late on Sunday,” Grey said, dropping their conversation.
“Yes, Mom.”
Grey hung up the phone before Cruz could say anything else. He was such a little bitch, and Grey always had a hard time dealing with people ribbing him, but that never stopped Cruz from giving him a hard time whenever he had a chance.
When Cruz checked his phone, he saw that he’d received another text message from Maelani while he was on the phone with Grey.
Maelani: Guess the whole hooker thing is not what you’re looking for.
Not knowing what to say and whether or not she was joking, Cruz went for the casual and evasive text back.
Cruz: What you do on your time is your business, but when you’re with me, I expect you to cry out my name while I bang that sweet pussy of yours.
Maelani: Very forward, Cruz, but can you handle me alone?
Cruz: Test me, babe.
Maelani: Monday night, your place.
Cruz: Can’t fucking wait.
Chapter Eight
**Landon**
“Have fun tonight, handsome.”
“Thanks, sweetie,” Landon said into the phone, just as his limo pulled up in front of the red carpet. “Got to go; we’re here.”
“Okay, enjoy yourself and soak in every moment; you guys did it.”
“Thanks,” Landon said, as he hung up the phone, feeling a little pride surge through his chest. His band might not be fully together, but they did do it…they made it to the Grammys.