Beautifully Broken Read online

  Bane: Honestly, no. Crew’s out tonight but he can’t stay.

  Me: Fuck. Okay be there as soon as I can.

  I drop my phone in my lap and pull the elastic from my hair, just to tie it up again. I pick up my phone, scrolling through the contacts and stop at Logan’s name. My thumb hovers over it, before hitting the home button. I can’t bring Logan into this. He’ll lose his temper, draw attention to us, and then we’ll all be in trouble. I drop my phone beside my leg, between Rex and me.

  Think.

  Think

  Think.

  “You good?”

  “No. I need to go.” I pick my phone up again and download the Uber app. I’ve never used it before, but I don’t have time to wait around for the bus tonight. I go through the motions, answering what feels like a million questions about myself. Clicking through stupid informational messages without reading them.

  “I can drive, you know.”

  “No.” I don’t bother to look up. I’m too busy linking my debit card. Besides, this isn’t his mess, it’s mine.

  “Piper.” Rex puts his hand on my phone.

  I sigh, my body shaking in fear. This, Cooper being at Bane’s, is all my fault. I don’t know why he’s there, but if Cooper is that torn up to go to him, he must be in a bad way. “I need to go home.”

  “It’s not a big deal. I’ll take you.”

  I shake my head. “Not that home. My old one. Cooper’s in trouble.”

  “And it’s your job to save him, why? He’s a grown man, Piper.”

  Rex can’t understand. From the first night terror when I was eight years old, Cooper was there, rushing into my room before his parents. He held my hand in the hallway at school every day that year, not giving a damn about spiteful third graders, who quickly learned to keep their mouths shut. He’s had my back time after time. He knows everything I went through as a kid and never once judged me. In fact, I think my hardships made him love me more. He loved me because I was broken. I think Cooper felt it was his job to fix me. “Because he’s always had my back when I needed it. Even when I didn’t want him to. It’s my turn.”

  Rex mulls over my words a few moments then nods. Whatever it is that makes him understand I’m glad. I don’t have the energy to argue right now.

  “I’m driving.”

  “No, Rex. It’s not safe.”

  “And that’s exactly why you’re not going alone.”

  Twenty minutes later, we’re parked in front of apartment 2A. Bane’s place is nicer than Monica’s. The paint outside is fresh, powder blue with only a handful of sprayed tags on the side. The potholes in the parking lot were filled last spring, and the landlord attempted to landscape the first floor with shrubs. They died because no one watered them and now it’s just twigs out front. Still, for the area, it’s the nicest complex around.

  I turn the knob without knocking, a death wish in this part of town. Bane’s frozen in the hallway that separates the bathroom and bedroom from the living space. He stands, one foot behind the other at an angle, a pistol pointed at us.

  Rex notices it before I do. His hand curls around my waist, pulling me three steps backwards. He steps in front, physically shielding me in case things go wrong. Brave, but stupid. Rex is going places; he can’t be putting his life on the line for me like that.

  “Fucking hell, Piper,” Bane says slipping the pistol beneath the band of his pants again. “I could have killed you.”

  I step around Rex and fist bump Bane. “You wouldn’t have shot me.”

  “No, but I damn sure would have shot this one,” he says looking at Rex. “Fucker is huge.”

  Rex chuckles. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” He holds out his hand. “Rex.”

  “Bane.”

  “And I’m Piper.” I say sarcastically.

  Bane smirks and flips me the bird. I wrinkle my nose and stick my tongue out at him. We both laugh, remembering a time when life was simpler. When all we had to worry about was staying out of gang turf and not getting mud on his mama's carpet.

  Silence slips its way into the room until the cha-ching of a cash register sounds. Bane pulls his phone from his pocket and frowns. “We gotta move fast. Someone saw you.”

  20

  Rex

  Piper’s an idiot. No girl, especially one as beautiful as she is, should be in this part of town alone. She could get mugged, or raped, or even killed. As much as I hate knowing she shares a bed with Cooper at night, I’m glad she’s not living here anymore.

  I look out the door. The street’s dead, illuminated by a single lamp with three women standing under it. Skinny, frail looking women who need to put some clothes on. I don’t care who you are, a lady should have more respect for herself than to walk around in their bra and a scrap of fabric that’s supposed to be a skirt. Outside of them, I don’t see anyone. I think Bane’s full of shit. No one saw us, and even if they did, I don’t see how it matters. We’re here to collect Cooper. Nothing more.

  I shut the front door and follow Piper and Bane. She leads the way, twisting the knob of the bedroom, opening it like she owns the place. I don’t like how comfortable Piper is here. They obviously have history, and I can’t help but wonder how far it goes. I give Bane a once over, sizing him up. Dude’s tall, but not as tall as me. Every inch of his arms is covered in colorful ink, making his muscles even more defined. I could take him, but it would be close. I push those thoughts away. For now, Bane and I are on the same team—team Piper—and until he becomes a threat, I’m just gonna have to deal.

  Piper kneels beside the bed. “What happened?”

  Cooper’s passed out on the bed, one hand down his pants, drool leaking out his mouth. Bane shakes his head. “No. Fucking. Clue. Dude came here with a purpose, pounding on my door, yelling things I couldn't understand, then asked to take a piss. When I checked on him a few minutes later, he was passed out on my bed.” He holds his hand out. “Like this.”

  “And he can’t sleep it off here why?” I ask.

  Piper wipes Cooper’s mouth with the bottom of her shirt. His lips press together a time or two before falling open again with a snore. She pulls her hair tie out and twists her long locks up again a second later. “His car’s too expensive. Parked out front for a few minutes, not a big deal. But unmoved for this long, people take notice. They talk. This isn’t the kind of place you want to stand out in.” She looks from Bane to me to Cooper and then back to me. “Let’s load him in the back of your car. It’s bigger. I’ll follow you in his.”

  “You can't take him home,” Bane says, a worry line between his brows. “Where are you gonna go?”

  Piper looks at me, her big eyes begging without words.

  Fuck. “He can sleep in the guest room.” Not like I don’t have enough space in the house.

  Piper smiles. “Thanks.”

  I nod, hiding my irritation. I don’t like Cooper. He has a thing for my girl. They shared a bed most nights, and have enough history to write a book, but Piper cares for him. I guess that means I have to play nice. “You grab his arms,” I tell Bane. “I’ll take his feet.”

  Five minutes later, Cooper’s drooling on my leather seats. He’s going to pay to get my backseat detailed after this shit. Piper faces Bane, her back to me, saying a goodbye I can’t hear. He bends low, whispering into her ear. She nods, her shoulders slumping forward, then raises her hand for a fist bump. She turns, walking in my direction. Bane raises his hand, a silent goodbye to me. I give a one fingered salute and turn my attention to Piper.

  Bang.

  Bang.

  Bang.

  The sound echoes in the night. One pop of a gun bouncing off the other, milliseconds apart. I hurl myself onto Piper, knocking her to the ground. We lay there until the sound of tires squealing against the pavement fade into silence. “Sorry,” I say getting to my feet. I extend a hand for Piper. She takes it, letting me help her up. “I heard the first pop and didn’t think.”

  “It’s fine,” she says brush
ing dirt off her ass. “Bane?” Piper looks over her shoulder and shrieks. “Bane!” She runs the ten steps to him. He leans against his door, a trail of blood leading down to his spot on the ground.

  “I’m good,” he grunts.

  “The fuck you are!” Piper tugs at his hand. “Get up. You’re going to the hospital.”

  Bane pushes against the ground with his good arm and stands. His left arm covers his side, a puddle of blood seeping from the hole, drenching his shirt. “It’s not like I have a few grand lying around to cover the bill, Pipes.”

  “Screw the money, Bane. You can’t die on me!” Piper shoves him in the chest. He winces but she’s too emotional to notice.

  “I’ll be fine!” he insists. “Rita can stitch me up.”

  “With what? Her heroine needles?”

  I exhale through my nose. Piper’s becoming more frantic by the minute and we can’t risk the shooters circling back. “Get in the car, Bane.”

  “You too?”

  I step forward until we’re nose to nose. “This can go two ways. One you get in and let them fix your gut, my treat. Or two I knock your ass out and they treat you for a concussion too. Either way your ass is going to the damn hospital.”

  Four hours, eight thousand dollars, and one pissed off doctor later, Bane is passed out in the upstairs guest room. The one Piper’s been sleeping in. Cooper’s still knocked out in the downstairs room. Reason for their placement? Bane, while groggy, can walk. I didn’t want to carry Cooper’s heavy ass up the stairs by myself.

  “Hell of a night,” Piper says sliding a plate across the kitchen counter.

  I grab two cups from the cabinet, fill them with water, then sit beside her. “You’re telling me.” We sit in silence, eating our sandwiches until our bellies are full and the plates are in the dishwasher. “So.”

  “So,” she says with a smile.

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m beat.”

  Piper pulls her hair from her ponytail and slips the tie around her wrists. Her fingers run across her scalp, pushing her long bangs from her eyes. “Yeah, I’m exhausted. I guess we should go to bed.”

  “I’m kinda out of guest rooms, but you can take my parents room if you want. Or…”

  “Or what?”

  “Or you could stay with me.” I’m half joking but the moment the words leave my mouth I regret them. Piper’s not that kind of girl. I like that she’s different, guarded. Timid yet fierce. Sometimes I feel like I’m walking on eggshells with her. Terrified that with one wrong move she’ll pull away. The past couple weeks I've made progress in leaps and bounds, crossing from nonexistent semi-stalker to friend with the potential for more. Now I may have screwed it all up with one stupid comment.

  “You could always sleep on the floor beside me,” Piper says, a glint of playfulness in her eyes. She’s got a come-and-get-me look mixed with a hint of terrified.

  “Ouch. Way to secure my seat in the friendzone.” I tease. Damn. I did screw up. Way to go foot. You found my mouth again. “But if that’s what you want.”

  She tucks her hair behind her ear and chews on her cheek. “No. Definitely not.”

  We climb the steps together and stop at the top. “What’s it gonna be?”

  Piper bites her lip, looking left then right before meeting my gaze. Her big grays that I’m now convinced are secretly blue stare up at me. “I…”

  My heart beats against my chest. If this girl doesn’t speak soon my rib cage is gonna be bruised. Please stay with me. Please stay with me. Please… She exhales loudly. “Can I sleep with you?”

  Yes! Hell yes! I smile, hoping it looks natural and not overly excited. I put my arm around her shoulders and kiss her forehead. “Anything you want, Babe.”

  I take Piper to my room and open the door. She steps in and stands in the center, looking around. She walks over to the bookshelf and studies each trophy. I have six in all, but only three actually count. She then walks over to my desk and picks up the only picture in the room. My arm’s over Jenny’s shoulder. I’m looking at the camera and she’s sticking her tongue out at me. With a faint smile, she sets it down. She does a little spin, taking in the rest of the space and says, “Your room’s really clean.”

  I close the door out of habit, then wonder if I should have left it open. Not wanting to seem nervous, I shove my hands in my pockets and lean against the edge of my desk. “You’re lucky. I just cleaned it yesterday.”

  Piper looks over her shoulder, her fingers running across the shirts in my closet. “You don’t let the maid in here?”

  “Nah,” I say walking over to the bed. I sit on the end of it, waiting, wondering if Piper will do the same. “I don’t want her going through my things.”

  She follows and sits beside me her tiny frame barely making the mattress dip. “And what kind of things might she find?”

  I shrug. “Normal boy stuff. Dirty magazines. Condoms. Maybe even a little weed every now and then.”

  Shock dances across Piper’s face but it’s gone as quickly as it arrived. “I never pegged you as a smoker.”

  “It’s not something I do often. Under the right circumstances with the right people, yeah. But those people don’t live here so I gave it away at one of my parties a while back.”

  Piper inches closer. “And the condoms?”

  I slide my foot underneath me, allowing myself to scoot a little closer. I’m sitting too close to her for my own good, the smell of her perfume does things to me. Add that we’re in my bed…yeah. “Never can be too prepared.”

  Piper leans in. Close enough to let me know she wants to kiss but far enough that I have to lean in too. Her fingers run down my chest, sending a wave of goosebumps over my body. “And who are you preparing for?”

  I swallow hard. Why the fuck does she make me so nervous? “No one in particular.”

  “Too bad,” Piper whispers, her hand sliding up the leg of my shorts. “I almost wish they were just for me.”

  Whoa! I scoot back couple inches. Piper’s hand slides off my thigh. My dick is screaming that I’m an idiot. It’s pressed tight against my shorts, ready to come out and play. As much as I want it to, God I want it to, I want more than a one-time fuck.“Piper, just because you’re in my bed doesn’t mean we have to do anything.”

  Her eyes widen, mouth falling open. “You don’t want to?”

  Fuck! If a man-card were a thing, mine would be revoked right now. Piper is giving me all the signs and I’ve got a damn conscience. Fuck-fucity-fuck-fuck-fuck! “Of course I do, but we should go slow.”

  She snorts. “You sound like a girl.”

  “Maybe I just want to do things right.” I brush a strand of hair behind her ear, but Piper pushes my hand away.

  “Well maybe I just want to see how far I can go before my body freaks out on me again. And I thought...” She groans.

  21

  Piper

  I slam Rex’s bedroom door behind me and run downstairs, out the kitchen, shut myself in the pool house and fall onto the bed. I slam that door too. If there were pictures on the walls they would shake and probably fall to the floor, shattering into a million pieces like my ego. Why is it that when I get the courage to make a move it doesn’t work? Why do they always turn me down? First Cooper and now Rex. What’s wrong with these boys?

  Cooper I can maybe understand. We’re best friends, but Rex? I thought all guys wanted sex. I’m pretty...ish and Rex looks at me like I’m the only girl in the world. But he doesn’t want me. There has to be something wrong with me.

  He knocks on the door. I lift my head from the pillow. “Go away!”

  The door creaks open. I don’t bother to look; I don’t want to see him. My ego can’t take the hit again. Hell, my nerves can’t handle it. Cooper’s a mess. Bane was shot and now this. Nope. I’m done. The bed dips beside me, Rex rests his hand on my lower back. “Piper.”

  I turn my head and look at the wall. I’m having my first girlish-over-reacting teenage moment and the boy
I’m freaking out about is the one comforting me. Tell me again how Life isn’t out to fuck me?

  “Don’t be mad, but I overheard your conversation with Cooper the other day.”

  I groan and curl into the fetal position. No wonder Rex doesn’t want me. Even though Gerald didn’t penetrate me with his dick, he still touched me. Dirtying me. Why would someone as beautiful and perfect as Rex want something a nasty forty-year-old man has tainted.

  “It was kind of hard not to hear. You were practically screaming at him.” Rex pauses, probably waiting for me to respond. When I don’t, he continues. “Cooper’s got it wrong. You’re not depressed. You're traumatized.”

  “You think?” I chide.

  “Look at me.” Rex puts his hand on my shoulder and turns me onto my back. He cradles my cheek and rubs black tear stains from my skin. “Do you like me? Or am I some weird experiment you’re doing with yourself?”

  I suck in a breath and exhale loudly. He’s not one for messing around, is he? “I like you Rex. I like how you make me feel.”

  “Okay.” he says with a grin, leaning down to kiss me.

  “But,” I add. Rex sits back up and looks at me quizzically. “I don’t know my limits. I’m so used to not being able to do anything. Whatever this is terrifies me. Can’t we just get the big stuff over with so I know how far I can go?”

  “No, Piper. We can’t just get it over with.” He takes hold of my arms and pulls me until I’m sitting up. “I’ll do whatever you want, but we need to take it in stride. We don’t have to go snail slow, but I don’t want to try too much at once. I want our firsts to be memorable.”

  His words while kind, sting. There’s the promise of tomorrow in his eyes but my tomorrows are limited. “Pretty sure you’re not a virgin.”

  His head bobbles side to side. “True, but I’ve never had a girlfriend before. So, everything I do with you would be a first.”