Shattered Dreams (Boys of Bellerose, #3)(53)
Rhett returned to his spot on my right side, and Angelo emerged from Vee’s room, freshly shaven, wearing a white button-down shirt and black slacks over shiny dress shoes. You could take the man out of the mafia but apparently not the other way around. Like Jace, though, he had that shirt rolled up along his forearms, and if a little drool escaped me, the sexy men in this room were the ones to blame.
Angelo didn’t look like a rock star tonight; he looked like a sexy, dangerous businessman, and I was equally as into it. “Bella,” he greeted me, “you are stunning. Red has always been your color.” He leaned down to kiss my cheek as well, choosing the opposite side Jace had and leaving me with a burning brand on both sides of my face. Tonight was either going to be one of the best nights of my life or it would completely destroy me.
Instinct told me there would be no middle ground.
When we headed for our transportation, our security surrounded us, and I found myself thinking about Grayson. Jace had said he was meeting us at the club tonight, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. On one hand, I wanted to know where he was and that he was safe; on the other, I wanted to enjoy this night and his presence was going to make that fucking hard.
Rhett reached out and took my hand, and I returned his squeeze. “My mission for you tonight, Thorn,” he said softly as we reached the doors of their private elevator, “is to turn your brain off. It’s one thing I love about you, the way your mind works, but sometimes it stops you from just enjoying the moment. The past and pain will wait for tomorrow; I promise you it will. Tonight is a celebration.”
He was right, and I was determined to give it my all. “As long as you’re with me,” I said, beaming up at him because he just made me that fucking happy, “I’m going to have the best night.”
He let out a low groan, leaning down once more to kiss the hell out of me. The cold chill of his piercing and the hot swipe of his tongue had my legs weak by the time we made it into the elevator.
Vee shot me a slow smile when I was able to focus again, and I also noticed that I had more than just Rhett’s attention. Angel and Jace were watching me too, and suddenly, this small box felt even smaller.
Thank fuck the security guards were staring at the door and not witnessing all the testosterone floating around back here. Vee shuffled her way closer, wrapped her arm around me, and nudged Rhett out of the way a touch. She turned and whispered, “I know I’m gay, but this tension is doing things to me that I can’t explain. It’s like… I envy you this attention, and I’m also intrigued to see how you manage the four of them.”
“Three,” I shot back. I had no idea how I could ever get to this spot with Gray again. Then I cringed at how easily I’d just claimed Angelo.
Vee chuckled. “Whatever you say, gorgeous. Whatever you say. There’s a reason they’re called Bellerose. They belong to you.”
They belong to you.
Damn, those words were going to live rent free in my head for a really long time.
The ride to Club Lovin’ went quite smoothly, with everyone focusing on music, alcohol, and the small joint that Rhett produced from somewhere and passed around the limo. By the time we spilled out, heading for a private side entrance with a dozen or so security around us, I felt relaxed and buzzed at the same time.
My worries were firmly secured in the back of my mind, and the aim for the night was to keep them there.
The club was packed when we entered. Security and staff led us up to the private balcony area they had secured for Bellerose. A lot of their roadies were already there, but I didn’t see any sign of Hannah. I wasn’t sure if the temporary tour manager would be into this scene or not. Brave of her not to be here to keep an eye on the band, though.
Maybe Brenda had warned her Bellerose wouldn’t take lightly to interference in their personal lives and to focus more on keeping the tour schedule running smoothly.
Our table ended up being right near the edge of the balcony that looked over to the packed main dance floor. Lights flashed in the darkness, and the beat was heavy and pumping. My body moved to the rhythm, and I wasn’t the only one, with Rhett and Jace already finding the beat.
A huge tray of drinks waited for us in the center of the table, which was built like a giant ice bucket, and I reached out and snagged a pre-mixed vodka, happy to see that it was still firmly sealed. The last thing I wanted to worry about was some overzealous groupies trying to drug us so they could have their way with my boys.
The boys of Bellerose.
Another phrase that lived rent free in my head, thanks to that fucking blog.
Rhett settled in on one side of me, Vee on the other, and as Jace and Angelo took a spot opposite to where I was, I sucked in a long drink from the glass bottle in my hands. The vodka warmed me immediately, and the extra sugar in this sort of pre-mixed version spiked in my blood so fast that it felt like the buzz was immediate.
The first drink went down so easily, and I was very content to snuggle in next to Rhett while quietly eye-fucking Jace and Angelo, who were deep in conversation about something. It was unreal to see them side by side once more, so different in looks and yet the same in many ways, from their height to broad shoulders to that devilish fucking glint in their eyes when they were touching me.
I didn’t know the truth about my parents any longer—that fight from my flashbacks was filled with so many missed details—but I owed them thanks for choosing just the right house to move into. That house—and it’s neighbors—would shape my entire destiny, and while some of that was heartbreakingly destructive, other parts of it were perfection.