Four Letters (The Lust List: Devon Stone #3) (7 page)

I kick Devon under the table. He’s got to stay cool.

“I’m sorry about the way I acted when you guys came up,” Lex says. She speaks calmly, and I’m glad to see the effects of her morning high have worn off. “It all caught me off guard, but that’s no excuse.”

“Fine.” Devon grabs his glass of wine as quickly as our server sets it down. He takes a large swallow and pushes his hair back from his face. “So what do you want now?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t been around family in so long I—”

“I’m family now?” Devon smirks and shakes his head. “Actually, that brings up an important point. I was talking to Kaidan about you.”

That’s news to me. When did he talk to Kaidan? How did Kaidan react?

Devon continues, “Our family has seen its share of scams. People try to trick us out of our money, our business secrets, our personal freedom. So Olivia and I take a trip to Oregon to find my mother. We find you instead, someone who’s been living off money that wasn’t hers. Why should I even believe you when you say you’re my sister—oh, I’m sorry.
Half-sister
.”

The condescension in his voice couldn’t be any thicker. He has a point though. Unfortunately, unless Lex is a great actress, the resemblance between these two is enough of an answer alone.

“You’re serious? Why would I lie about that?” She looks genuinely confused by the accusation. It’s the same way I reacted to Kaidan asking me if I was using Devon.

“Why? The same reason others do. They want money, fame, power. I don’t know. Greedy, selfish people do crazy things.”

Lex leans forward visibly pissed off. “If I were greedy
or
selfish, don’t you think I would’ve shown up long ago? You’re the one who came and found me. It’s not like I plotted some devious scheme to convince you.”

“That’s the thing. I
need
you to convince me. Now, before this conversation can go any further.”

Lex lets out a frustrated sigh and reaches into her back pocket, pulling out her wallet. She opens it and delicately brings out an old, creased photo. I can tell it’s been living in that wallet for years.

She lays it down in front of Devon, and I lean over to get a closer look. A young woman sits in a rocking chair with a preschool-aged girl on her lap. Both are beaming with great big smiles.

“Am I to believe this is you and mom?” Devon asks. He tries to keep the same skepticism in his tone, but I see pain flash across his eyes.

“It is,” Lex says. Then she pulls out a second photo, placing it next to the first. This one’s not tattered and worn. It has the same woman in it—this time holding two newborn babies swaddled in hospital blankets. “This one should look more familiar.”

Devon doesn’t say a word. Does he still doubt her? Who’d fake these photos? And how would she, anyway—by searching through yard sales until she found a woman who looked like her mom who just happened to be holding twins?

I watch Devon, waiting for him to speak. Instead, he pulls out his own wallet. I hear him let out a frustrated breath—or maybe it’s sadness. He lays a picture on top of the others. This photo is bent on one side from getting caught in the fold of the wallet, but it’s unmistakable. It’s the same exact photo Lex brought.

“You’ve been carrying that all this time?” I ask him. He didn’t even know his mother’s name until recently, yet he’s had this photo?

“I found it back when I was searching for my father’s will. Remember, when I was trying to find out if I’d been written out of it? I wasn’t sure this was even me and Kai, but…I was just in denial.” He replaces the photo, putting his wallet away.

I turn to Lex, “Do you know what happened—why she left?”

“She was my mom, and I loved her and all, but she was fucked up. I guess she was even worse before I was born.” Lex looks at Devon. “She said she was terrified after she gave birth to twins. She couldn’t get sober and was a mess and couldn’t handle being the mom of one, let alone two babies. Your dad gave her an out—but it came with a sacrifice. He provided her with the means to live comfortably. Granted, she spent a lot of it on drugs, but she was taken care of. And in return, her babies would have a life she could never give them. Then she had me a few years later.”

Our table is silent as we let the truth settle in. It’s a heartbreaking reality, but it sounds like Melody Hastings made the best decision at the time.

One question still lingers, and I find the courage to ask it. “When did she pass away? What happened?”

Lex collects her photos and carefully puts them back in her wallet. For a second I think she’s going to ignore my questions. But she clears her throat and tells us. “She never could get clean. When I was sixteen, she got sick. Sharing needles and whatnot. She stopped coming home, relying solely on her dealer to care for her. He took her money and kept her doped up until she died of an overdose. I think the fucker did it on purpose but…”

How horrible. “You stayed at the apartment?”

“Yeah. I got emancipated. We couldn’t find my father, and with no one else around to take care of me, I took care of myself.”

I’m not sure that’s how I’d word it. Judging by her behavior—getting high, leaving with strangers, being homeless—she seems more like she’s following in her—
their
—mother’s footsteps.

We finish lunch in contemplative silence. Under the table, Devon takes my hand, caressing each of my fingers with his thumb. I squeeze his hand in a supportive gesture.

Then he looks to Lex. “How can I help you get back on your feet?”

She can’t hide the smile and relief that crosses her face. “Right now, I just need a place to stay. And…it’d be nice to get to know my brothers.”

I couldn’t be happier that these two are getting a chance to build a relationship. I’m so proud of Devon for cooperating, hearing her out. The truth is painful, but so’s not having any support, any family. Lex needs him, and I think he needs her. He was holding onto the photo of his mom. He wanted these answers. Now he can get to know his mother through his sister.

“How about we go out tonight?” I pipe in. “We can go to LUSH or something. Lighten the mood and just have some fun.”

Devon looks at me like I’m crazy. Lex’s eyes brighten.

“Sounds good to me,” she says.

We both stare down Devon waiting for his response. “Fine, we’ll go out.”

I find a couple Calypso Day dresses for us to wear, and Lex and I get all dressed up in my room.

“Thank you,” she says, “for earlier, at lunch. I’m not sure he would’ve talked to me if it weren’t for you.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty certain he wouldn’t have. Kaidan might have been a better one to approach first.” I think. I don’t know. He seems nice, but that could be the facade he uses to hide his own hardened interior.

“He’ll be the next one I talk to…eventually. So what’s this LUSH place? A bar?”

I smudge some black eyeliner around my eyes and put on a flattering shade of red lip stain. “It’s
the
celebrity spot. It’s an exclusive night club that has ridiculous lines down the block.”

Lex’s shoulders drop. “Hollywood crap? Ugh.”

“I had the same thought at first, but it can be fun.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

I grab a red clutch to match my crimson dress and reach for my phone to toss it inside. Before I do, I notice a voicemail waiting from an unknown number. My pulse quickens at the thought of Nat trying to mess with me again. Should I bother listening?

I let curiosity get the best of me.

Ms. Margot. This is Ron from Auto Care. I had a look at your car, and it seems the damage came from a punctured brake line. It causes the problem to worsen each time you stop until the brakes give out completely. Seems like that’s what happened here, so uh—I suggest filing a report with the cops ‘cause it looks like you upset the wrong person. This was no accident. Now, if you can give me a call tomorrow…

I hang up before hearing the rest. It wasn’t an accident. And it wasn’t simply “someone” who punctured the brake line. Obviously, it was Nat. She could’ve killed us. What the hell is wrong with her?

“You alright?” Lex asks. “Looks like you saw a ghost.”

I put my phone away and pretend to check my makeup one last time. “I’m fine.” She doesn’t need to know about my problems, but I do have to tell Devon. The text message was unwelcome. The flowers were creepy. But this…this is taking it too far. I can enjoy myself tonight. We’re safe, and I’ll be with Devon. Tomorrow morning though, Devon and I will have to figure out what to do about our psycho stalker.

Mark pulls up in a limo, and Devon—dressed sexy in a black button-down and dark denim jeans—holds the door for us, acting like a gentleman.

“You’ve got to be kidding?” Lex mutters, looking around the interior of the limo.

Devon opens the mini fridge and pulls out a bottle of whiskey, pouring us each a couple shots into lowball glasses. Before I lift mine to my lips, Devon throws his back, gulping it down quickly and pours another one.

I sip at mine. This stuff burns. What’s up with him though? “Everything okay?”

He drops his hand onto my leg, rubbing my thigh. His touch sends shockwaves through me.

“I’m fine,” he says, sounding an awful lot like me after listening to my voicemail. “Just have a headache.”

I let it go and lean my head against his shoulder. I want us to have a good time tonight and show Lex how she can be happy without the need to hang out with skeezy people.

Mark pulls up to the front of LUSH and walks around to open the door for us. A dozen cell phone cameras flash as we step out. Waiting in line to get in this place must have its own excitement when you see celebrities pull up right in front of you.

Lex keeps her head down, but apparently I’ve gotten used to this. I send a quick wave to the waiting crowd, and Devon wraps his arm around me, leading us in.

“Couldn’t just keep it low-key, could you?” Lex says, irritated by the sudden onslaught of attention.

“Like I said,” I tell her, putting my arm around her shoulders, “you get used to it. I swear. I hated it at first, but…it grows on you.”

Lex shakes her head, not believing me. “Whatever. I’m going to need another drink if you expect me to hang out with first class snobs all night.”

I don’t bother arguing. For all of us who came into this bizarre, luxurious life as former outsiders, we carry a number of preconceived ideas. So far, most of my own have been proven wrong. The few celebrities I’ve talked to—and the one I’ve been sleeping with—have seemed like nothing more than normal people living extraordinary lives. I used to daydream of being a little starlet, having everything handed to me, but honestly, I wouldn’t trade lives with them anyway. We all have our demons, and they aren’t excluded.

Devon takes my hand and pulls me toward the back VIP rooms. We pass through a velvet curtain and find a quieter space—dark, more private. A couple couches are filled with people talking and laughing and drinking. I consider the fact no one’s doing lines of coke in the middle of the room and decide this is a massive step up from the club Devon brought me to in San Francisco.

“What about Lex?” I say, looking back. Did she see us come in here? I don’t want her to think we ditched her.

“What about her? She’s a big girl. She can find us if she wants to, but I’ll put money on it. The first movie star she recognizes, and she’ll be like any other fan girl coming to this city for the first time.”

He falls back onto a couch rubbing one hand over his forehead.

“Still not feeling great?” I ask, sitting next to him.

“You could say that.” He pulls me closer to him and kisses the top of my head. “You look sexy, by the way.”

I feel my cheeks warm. “Thank you.”

He traces his fingers down my bare arm, and I shiver. I turn his way and kiss him. The warmth of his mouth, the taste of him, relaxes me and makes me wish this room were even more private.

I pull away and take his hand in my own. Softly, I trail my index finger from his fingertips to his palm. I can’t help but notice a tremor in his hand. He’s shaking. Is he sick?

“You want to leave? We shouldn’t have gone out if you’re coming down with something.”

He smirks and shakes his head. “I’m not sick, Olivia. I’m just…dealing with stuff.”

What does he mean by that?

“Let me get you a drink, okay?” I say. Clearly, he needs to relax. Something’s bothering him.

He nods and I go to the VIP bar. A quick glance to the other end of it, and I recognize an actor leaning against the back of a barstool.

“A whiskey, dry. And a cranberry-vodka. Please.” I wait for our drinks, trying to be subtle as I pinpoint who the actor is. Then he catches me looking, and I divert my gaze to the liquor bottles on the top shelf behind the bar. Too late. He walks over.

Once he’s closer, his name pops into my head. Nolan Aries. Of course.

“Olivia, right?” he says.

It’s so weird having these people know who
I
am.

“Yeah, and you’re Nolan?” I shake his extended hand.

“I saw your TV spot you did for the YOUTHelp Foundation. Good work, but sorry I put you in that situation. I was stuck in New York.”