Destroyed (Lost in Oblivion, #3)(71)

Simon fell into the leather couch they’d stashed against the wall. “Jesus f*ck, how many people was that?”

“Three-hundred-and-eight,” Gray answered from across the room.

“How do you do that?”

Gray shrugged. “Just can, man.” Jazz was sitting across from him on the other couch and he was rubbing her feet.

“I’ve got a little something for you guys.” Harper pushed a cart in. “I know the singing types aren’t supposed to do dairy, but they didn’t say anything about Sno-cones.”

Simon laughed as their resident chef scooped shaved ice into little cups and wielded a rainbow of flavors.

Exactly what they needed after the heat of the day and night, he decided as he stood behind Nick and scooped out a handful of ice.





* * *



Margo hid behind the couch that had been pushed into the center of the room like a bunker. She looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was going to ambush her from behind.

She reached her hand into her bra to scoop out ice. Deacon had already dive-bombed her from above. Damn giant.

She shook her cup but her weapons were low…and melty. A trip to the basin of ice was in order, but Jazz and Gray had teamed up to guard that.

They were ninjas.

“Nick, where are you?” she called out.

“Your six.”

She turned around and saw the ice ball coming her way and ducked just as it slapped into the couch. “And here I was going to play Black Widow to your Hawkeye.”

Nick peeked up from his hiding spot. “Really? Do I get to know what happened in Budapest?”

She aimed and caught him in the neck. “You wish.” She kept her face expressionless as Lila came up behind him.

“You little…” Nick scooted forward to get to the next hiding spot. “I need reinforcements.”

“Nope.” Lila poured a five gallon bucket of water over Nick’s head.

“Cheater,” Nick roared.

“Absolutely,” Margo said and crossed to high five an equally drenched Lila.

“Cheaters never win,” Simon and Deacon shouted and the entire pan of leftover ice came their way.

She and Lila shrieked and crouched.

“Holy shit,” Lila said with chattering teeth. “And to think I was crying about how hot I was an hour ago.”

Margo sluiced water off her face and flipped back her hair. “There will be retribution, boys.”

“Bring it.”

Harper came in with three mops and a bucket. “Enough! I bring you people treats and this is the thanks I get.”

Deacon headed her way with a cup of ice behind his back.

“And if you think that ice is going down your pregnant wife’s back, you will be sleeping alone!”

“Aww, c’mon,” Deacon said.

She pushed a mop into his hands. Turned to Simon and Nick with the other two.

“This is sexist,” Simon said.

“No. This is your mess to clean up. You started it, Simon.”

“I did not.”

Harper’s eyebrow rose. “You were the one that dropped a handful down Nick’s shirt. I saw it. You were the instigator.”

“Dammit.”

“Gray take Pix to get her cleaned up.”

“How come they don’t have to clean up?”

“Because, Pretty Boy, Jazz has been on her feet too long. I got to sit while you guys were doing photo-ops.”

Simon growled.

“Chop, chop.” Harper turned toward the kitchen. She held a finger up. “If I come back in here and you guys left the room a mess, you will never live through my retribution.”

“Would she really be that bad?” Simon asked.

“You don’t even know,” Deacon answered.

Margo helped Lila push the furniture back to where it belonged and collect the leftover fan club memorabilia. “You guys are kind of amazing.”

Lila shook out her wet hair. “We do all right. These guys are still excited about everything. It helps for all the fan stuff.”

“True.”

“So, you’re going to stay with the tour?”

Margo looked up. “I want to. If they’ll have me,” she said on a low voice.

Lila smiled. “No need to whisper. They’re excited. The thing is you have to decide if you’re going to stay with me at the hotel—which I don’t mind—or take the bus with the guys.”

“With Simon and Nick?”

“I doubt you want to take the baby central bus.”

“Um, no.”

Lila grinned. “Didn’t think so.”

The idea of being on the same bus as Simon had her stomach swirling and her head spinning. “Can I take a look at it first?”

“Sure.”

Margo glanced at the three guys mopping. “They look like they actually know what they’re doing.”

“Bars. Lots and lots of bars.”

“That makes sense.”

“Doesn’t it?” Lila nodded to the doorway. “Let’s go take a look at testosterone express.”

“I’m probably asking too much for an ounce of privacy.”

“You are correct.” Lila laughed and took the stairs to the side of the venue where the busses were parked. “But it’s a lot nicer than their first bus.”