Tamed (Torn #5)(34)

Once my parents had started back into their usual routine, Logan and I would spend most of our days by the pool. I’d even managed to get him to go to the mall with me a couple of times. He’d grumbled the entire time, but I hadn’t let him ruin my good mood.

After texting Adam to let him know I’d made it home safely, I hadn’t heard from Adam—at all. I had expected him to text me once in a while to let me know how the tour was going. Instead, I would find myself checking my phone daily, only to be disappointed when I didn’t see anything from him. I told myself that it didn’t matter. Adam and I were friends and nothing more. But still…didn’t friends text when they were apart? I wasn’t expecting a love letter, but even text saying, Tour is going good, or, Hope you’re well, would have sufficed.

I tried not to think about him too much. Some days were better than others. I also had the small problem of the fact that I hadn’t had sex for two months. To me, that was an eternity. I debated on if I should go out to find some random * to hook up with, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Somehow, I doubted if Adam was having the same problem as me. He was playing shows constantly, surrounded by women who were more than willing to tumble around with a hot guy who played in a band. Guys in bands were f*cking nirvana to most of the female population.

Every time I thought of him with someone else, I would feel a surge of jealousy.

Chloe had been almost as distant. Besides a phone call here and there, she didn’t really try to stay in contact with Logan and me. When she did finally take a break from her busy life, she would barely give me any details as to what she was up to. I did know that she’d ended up staying with her aunt longer than she’d expected, but I didn’t know why.

So, when she called me late one evening, I was surprised. Logan and I had just walked inside from spending a few hours by the pool when my phone rang.

“Hello?” I answered cheerfully. When she didn’t respond after a few seconds, I spoke again, “Chloe? Are you there?”

“Yeah,” she croaked out. I listened as she cleared her throat before continuing, “Yeah, I’m here.”

Her voice didn’t sound right, and I instantly went on alert.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s my mom,” she choked out.

“Oh hell, what did she do now? I swear to God, I’m going to punch that bitch in the face! I’m so sick of this shit!” I growled.

I knew that her mom would try something with her. That was why I hadn’t wanted her to go to Ocean City in the first place.

“You don’t have to worry. She’s dead.”

“She’s…what?” I asked, unable to process what Chloe had just told me.

“She killed herself.”

“I…oh God, Chloe!” I cried. “Logan! Logan, get in here!”

Logan walked into the room with a look of concern on his face. “What’s wrong?”

His whole body went rigid as I told him what Chloe had just said. He lurched forward and grabbed my phone from my hand without saying a word to me.

“Chloe? Are you okay?” he asked, his voice full of concern.

“No, not really,” I heard her say as I leaned close to hear the conversation.

“Where are you?” Logan asked.

“At my aunt’s house. Danny and Jordan are both here with me.”

“Give us a couple of hours to get packed and make the drive. What’s the address?”

Logan grabbed a pen off my desk and scribbled the address on the back of an envelope. He disconnected the call without another word. He tossed the pen back down before walking toward the door. “Hurry up, and pack. We’re going to Ocean City tonight.”

I packed quickly.



It was several hours later when we pulled up to a black wrought-iron gate.

“Are you sure this is the place?” I asked skeptically. I knew Chloe’s aunt was loaded, but a security gate seemed a little much.

We stopped next to a guardhouse.

“Only one way to find out,” Logan said as he rolled down the window.

A moment later, a man appeared at the window. “Can I help you?”

“We’re Chloe’s friends. Can you let us in?”

“Miss Richards?” he asked.

Logan nodded. “Yeah.”

“What are your names?”

Logan gave our names and waited as the man scanned a piece of paper on a clipboard.

“I don’t see either of you on the list. I’m sorry, but I can’t let you in without permission.”

“You can’t be serious,” Logan said, irritation clear in his voice. “Let me call Chloe.” He grabbed his phone out of the console and dialed Chloe’s number. When she answered, he spoke, “Chloe, it’s Logan. We’re at the gate, but the guard won’t let us in.”

I tried to make out what Chloe was saying, but I couldn’t hear her.

Finally, Logan took the phone from his ear and handed it to the guard. “She wants to talk to you.”

“Miss Richards?” The guard glanced at us as Chloe spoke to him. “Certainly. Sorry to bother you.” Finally, he nodded. “Miss Richards has cleared both of you. Please pull forward when I open the gate,” the guard said before disappearing from sight.