Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Adam

Listen to Damn, I Wish I was Your Lover

by Sophie Hawkins

A fter Landon ran out of the bar in her usual dramatic fashion, I needed another drink.

Max was cursing and seemed torn about her exit. “I can’t take this shit anymore,” he muttered. “This was supposed to be a fun, chill night.”

I patted him on the back and ordered two more shots. “Going after her?”

He groaned, staring at the door. “I don’t know, man. I’m not up for the drama.”

On cue, the other girls came over. “Where’s Landon?” Elle demanded.

I hooked my thumb and motioned toward the door. “Probably trying to get an Uber.”

“What did you do?” Elle asked Max.

I shook my head. Of course, it was always Max’s fault. “Spoke with Gabriella,” Max said miserably. The shots came and he took it like medicine. “Landon freaked out.”

Daisy nibbled her lower lip. She hated when anyone fought, but in this group, it was impossible. “We better go after her.”

Elle agreed. “Grab your purse and I’ll tell Coop and Noah.”

Without another word to us, they rushed out after their friend. Max let out a humorless laugh. “Things are gonna be fun tonight.”

“Then you better enjoy yourself now.”

He laughed, and the mood lightened. I watched as my best friend visibly clicked his brain off from Landon and focused on the present. He was good at it. At becoming whatever role was needed for the moment, whether it was doting boyfriend, party boy, or employee of the month. It was easy for him. Always had been.

I’m just glad I wasn’t jealous. Max had tons of casual friends, but not too many close ones. I figured it revolved around envy—it was hard for most to accept he was born not with just a silver spoon, but looks, charm, and a decent brain. He didn’t fall into shit; he fell into gold bars. I’d been friends with Cooper since high school, and he’d met Max when they were doing some modeling gig together. It didn’t take long for the three of us to form a bond. Max was always fun to hang with, even if we sometimes got fed up with his bullshit. Because the thing you needed to know right away about Max?

He was a liar.

It never bothered me. I’d grown up around liars my whole life and knew how to handle them. You can love them, hang out, and have a shit ton of fun. You can admire their brains, talk for hours, and be entertained. You can go on trips, drink into the night, and pick up women together.

You can’t trust them.

Once I knew the cardinal rule, the rest was easy.

Max raised the shot to me. “Might as well. I’ll deal with my fuck up later.”

I grinned. “Let’s find Coop and Noah.”

The next hour passed without fights, drama, or tension. I loved when it was just me and the guys. Hanging with the girls brought a different vibe. When we were free, there were no more rules. Coop and Max reverted to their usual wild, dumb-ass selves and I was reminded of who we were before Landon came into our group and ruined everything.

We ended up crushed at the end of the bar with a few women surrounding us, but Max was being good. Probably in enough trouble not to raise the stakes. I talked a bit with a cute brunette who was out celebrating a break-up, and figured she’d be up for a one nightery, but I wasn’t in the mood. I ended up with her digits, and walked out with my friends when the bar closed. People were still crowded on the streets, smoking and calling for rides, but I wanted to walk and clear my head. I’d been in a mood for a while about my music and felt the darkness closing in on me. It was dangerous when I got to that level. I lost my control and did things I always regretted.

“Hey. You in trouble with your girlfriends for talking to me?” a husky voice asked.

I turned and grinned at Gabriella. She was a smoke show, and knew it, but not the same way as Landon. “No girlfriend to piss off,” I said easily, taking in her expression. I wasn’t sure if she wanted a hook up or was interested. She had a good poker face.

“Good. I’m tired of being in the mistress category over nothing. Heading home?”

“Yep, gonna walk it.”

“I’ll come with you for a bit. I like to stop by the bakery when they open. The bagels are sick.”

“I love that you eat carbs and don’t give a crap.”

She shrugged. “Life is too short not to eat. Besides, I like my curves. They’ve served me and my audience well.”

I studied her with curiosity and briefly wondered what we’d be to each other, if anything. I may not work at Red but I knew how tight our group was. Whether Landon liked it or not, I had a feeling Gabriella wasn’t going anywhere. She’d sniffed out a place for herself and the Queen Bitch wasn’t about to block her. Should make for some interesting entertainment.

Except for Max. He’d just be punished.

We started walking. The streets were mostly empty at 4:30am except for some delivery trucks and shops opening at 5am. Our heels clicked on the rain slickened sidewalks. The muggy summer heat was already beginning to steam up and clog the air.

She shook out a pack of cigarettes from her purse and lit one. “So, what’s your story?”

The question made me laugh. “Not much. I’m a college dropout. I write songs, play music, and work at a studio.”

“What type of music?”

I reached out a hand and she gave me the cigarette. I took a deep pull, enjoying the burn. I hated vaping, wasn’t into drugs, but loved a good nicotine hit now and then. Her red lipstick had made a ring around the butt. “Like Ed Sheeran. A male Taylor Swift. Adam Levine. Songs with something to say and not just for a pop beat.”

“Got a band?”

“Nah, tried that a few times but I don’t play well with others. I’m more interested in writing lyrics, but singing my songs is a way to get the word out.”

“Cool.” I sensed her approval but she didn’t expand. It was nice—too many women fawned over anything to do with music, like I was some kind of fucking lead singer that anyone gave a shit about. The actual work was tiring—a bunch of writing, figuring notes out myself, singing it over, then trying to find contacts to give a shit. But I loved it. Loved working in the studio around musicians.

“What about you?” I asked.

“I’m studying digital media and want to start my own business. Online fashion with free wardrobe appraisals. No sites offer it yet. Imagine jumping on a zoom call to have a meeting with a consultant who can direct you properly. You get to shop at home with the same benefit of going into a store.”

I was impressed and I told her. Handing back the cigarette, I watched her finish it and thought about kissing her. Thought about her in my bed, naked, all those hot curves on display for me.

The visual gave me mild interest, but it was almost like looking upon a perfect painting and not feeling excited. For some reason, there was no crazy chemistry or physical need to tear off her clothes. And fucking Gabriella deserved a hell of a lot more than what I was feeling. It wouldn’t be right. I was careful with who I slept with. Even though my reputation in the group was known as a male slut, I really wasn’t. I liked them to think that, though. Made things easier.

We reached the bakery. “Gonna grab a bagel?” she asked.

“Nah, gonna keep walking.”

“K’ay.” She stamped on the butt with her high heel sexy shoe. “I like you, Adam. I’d invite you home with me, but I can already tell we’ll be better as friends.”

Damned if she didn’t surprise me again. I nodded. “Agreed. Are you always this direct?”

“Sure, why waste valuable time? Especially when it comes to sex.” She tossed me a grin. “You don’t take orders from Landon too, do you?”

“No. You’re good with me, Gabriella. In fact, why don’t you join us at the Rooftop Sunday night?”

She raised her brow. “Your group cool with that? I got the impression I’m not wanted around.”

My smile was cold and deliberate. “Then you can be my date.”

Her laugh tinkled in the air. “Give me your digits.” I called them out and she typed in my contact info, then turned around. “Done. Let’s blow up some shit.”

I watched her head into the bakery, the scent of fresh baked bread and sugar floating in the air, and continued walking.

Landon may have Max locked in jail, but she’d never control me. Besides, Gabby was fun to be around and refreshing. Not like the usual social influencer who obsessed over every post and like. The image of Landon hit me full force, pissing me off. She was better off without Max but she didn’t have the guts to be on her own. I pegged her type the moment we met and she staked out Max as her goal.

I knew what she was doing from the first. The way she analyzed his looks, his wallet, and his potential. I may have been an asshole to warn Max off by insulting her, but I’d already seen the disastrous end and wanted to help him avoid it. Of course, he didn’t even hesitate. Just dove right in and tumbled right into a committed relationship. He acted like a puppy dog around her, but on his own, he was the same old asshole he’d always been.

Yeah, she had him wrapped tight. Too bad she wasn’t happy. Because I knew exactly what Landon needed; what she craved but was too afraid to ask or search for it. Maybe we hated each other from the first due to fear of being seen. All I know, is that when I laid my gaze on her; before she saw Max; fire crackled between us, but not the good kind.

No, this was the dark kind that hid in shadowed corners. It was full of shame and dirty secrets. I dated a lot of women myself, looking for someone who could satisfy me. I hadn’t found her yet until that one awful night she’d stalked into a bar, blonde hair cascading down her back, blue eyes flashing passion and confidence and the perfect amount of bitchiness. Her body made my dick hard in seconds, and all I could imagine was her down on her knees, full pink lips taking me deep while I twisted her hair in my fist and made her gorgeous eyes wet with tears.

But she’d gone to another man and from then on, I cultivated my disdain for all aspects of her. I accepted my body wanted someone my brain despised, and that she’d be stuck in my life 24/7 because she’d hooked up with my best friend.

I was cursed because the moment I met Landon, I knew one sickening revelation.

I wanted to fuck her more than I’d wanted anything else.

It would never happen and I had to deal with it. In the meantime, I took every opportunity to either avoid or insult her. Our fights were legendary but no one knew that underneath bad stuff lurked, tempting me, hoping I broke the rules and showed her what she was missing by not being in my bed.

I wasn’t about to betray my best friend. I couldn’t.

Or at least, I didn’t intend to.

I finally reached my place. Pushing thoughts of Landon and Max aside, I headed in to sleep the night off.