CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Payton

I CLIMBED OUT of the truck before he could make it to my side and waited for him to grab my stuff from the back. Once he had my bag, he took my hand and we headed to the elevator and up to the lobby.

There was a new doorman, apparently, so we went through the normal process of signing in and getting permission to ride up to Macey’s floor, but we did it without the friendly banter that I normally had with the other doormen. I was glad, however, this new person was as diligent as the others.

I knocked on my old apartment door and my brother pulled it open. “Nice of you to join us, sissy,” he said, and pulled me in for a hug.

“Shouldn’t you be gone by now?” I asked.

He chuckled. “Soon.”

I felt Alex’s hand on my lower back and pulled away from my brother. “Brock, this is Alex.”

My brother eyed him up and then shook his hand. “We’ve met.”

“You have?” I asked.

“Yeah, long story,” Alex said.

“Where have you been for the last twenty minutes?” Macey demanded as she walked into the living room. “You texted to say you were here like six days ago.”

I giggled. “You’re funny.”

She hugged me and then smiled at Alex. “Hey, Hawk.”

“Hey, babe.”

I introduced Alex to everyone he didn’t know, which was pretty much only Bailey. Alex got around it would seem. Dani, Kim, and Booker were already there, so Booker and Alex gravitated to one another while the rest of us reconnected. Dani looked gorgeous in her killer dark blue dress, knee-length and low-cut that showcased her very full chest… I’d die for boobs that big, alas, I was stuck with my B-cups… and a dark blue pair of peep toe boots that showed off her shapely calves.

Kim was new to me and she was gorgeous. I was sure she must be a model, because she was tall, probably five-foot-ten or eleven, with killer legs that went on for days. She had long dark hair, soft brown eyes, and full lips that seemed to be in a permanent smile. She wore a skin-tight tiny black dress that stopped just below her butt and stiletto boots that went up past her knees, emphasizing her long legs, and she was super sweet.

“Can I get you a beer?” Dallas asked Alex.

“Nah, I’m good.”

“Okay, honey, you can go,” Macey said.

“In a bit,” Dallas said. “Where are you going?”

“I was thinking Blush,” Dani said.

“Fuck me,” Booker said.

“Too soon?” she asked, and Kim started laughing.

“I’ll host you at Blush,” Booker said. “But another time when I can keep an eye on you.”

Dani giggled. “Killjoy.”

There was obviously a story there and I couldn’t wait to find out what it was.

“We’re going to Mississippi Studios,” Macey said. “Under Oaks and the City Suns are playing.”

“Then where?” Brock asked.

“You’re on assignment all night, honey. Or did you forget?” Bailey said, smiling up at him.

“So?” Brock countered.

Bailey rolled her eyes at me. “So, we’ll be fine.”

“Hey, big brother, we can take care of ourselves you know,” I said. “Hawk’s playing chauffeur tonight.”

“And I got Dani and Kim,” Booker said.

As the group talked logistics and my fellow girl posse objected to the sudden need for babysitters, I turned toward Alex and narrowed my eyes at him. He smiled, but he looked guilty.

Grabbing his arm, I faced the group and forced a smile. “Excuse us for a minute.” Before anyone could respond, I dragged him into the hallway and crossed my arms. “When did all of this come about?”

“What?”

“You know what.” I paced the hall, waving my finger at him. “I’m just curious… do you have to touch your magic rings together to physically become the Super Protecto Twins?”

“Babe.” Alex laughed. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“If you put on glasses, would I suddenly fail to recognize you?”

“Payton.”

He sounded a little peevish, but I was going for contrite.

“There is one thing I’ve always wondered, handsome.” I paused in my pacing and settled my hands on my hips. “Do y’all have to wear those tights? Are they government regulation, an aerodynamic thing… or just a lifestyle choice?”

“Fuck me,” he whispered as he dragged his hands through his hair.

“So, you didn’t offer to drive just because you were being sweet and wanted to make anything up to me, you are essentially a glorified bouncer.” Okay, now he was looking mildly contrite. “Right. No argument. Got it.”

“If I could speak, Payton, then I could explain.”