Page 128 of Bound By Shame
“Okay…”
“Distract Pooh Bear from doing something stupid, like breaking his sobriety and for the love of the God I don’t believe in, make sure Remy doesn’t go home with that guy grinding on him.”
Her brows pinch. “Where areyougoing?”
I glare directly at the ruggedly handsome bane of my existence, holding motherfucking hands with my beautiful nightmare.
Melody follows my gaze. “Ohhh shit.”
“Yep.”
“I get it now.”
“Yep.”
She grimaces. “No doubt about it. He’s up in his guts.”
I groan. “Stop. I’m tryingnotto remember how good they look together naked.”
“Oh, Drea, you’re so screwed,” she sighs, patting my shoulder. “The one in the hat could impregnate a man post vasectomy.”
“What the fuck does that even mean?” I mutter, squeezing past her. Her laugh rings out over the music at my back as I down more liquid courage and brave the crowd.
Fifty-Nine
SEBA
Blueand purple lights strobe across a mob of bodies undulating to the beat of that awful robot-moaning music Cade loves. Every step deeper into this rundown college club reminds me why I never go to these kinds of places. My boots are sticking to the floor. It smells like Dad after a bender— vomit and vodka. There’s only one accessible exit. I can’t hear myself think. People are staring.
Nothing about this seemsfun.
But here we are.
As soon as I finished work, I rushed over to make Cade dinner, but rather than enter a quiet kitchen, I walked into a full-blown battle. This round? Cade versus his dad.
“I’m not a fucking child!” Cade shouts.
Declan slams his fist on the counter. “You are MY child.”
“Good to know you remember that now,” my stepbrother seethes. “Would’ve been helpful when Mom starved me and tried drowning me repeatedly in the fucking bathtub.”
Oh shit.
Declan opens his mouth— probably to deny or make excuses— but I don’t care. He made my baby upset enough to bring up his mother.
“What’s goingon?” I ask, moving toward Cade, who assesses me intently.
Declan sighs. “He wants to meet this girl?—”
“My girlfriend,” Cade interrupts. Then directly to me, “Andrea.”
I barely manage to school my shock. He’s never called her that before.
“There’s no way you already have—” Declan starts.
“Where?” I ask Cade.
His eyes narrow. “The Landing.”
