Euphoria (Arrangement Series Book 4) Page 3

“She’s back,” I say, not able to say anything else.

  Bowie stays quiet for a while and then he clears his throat. “Where is she?”

  “At the art gallery.”

  “You need me there?” He asks.

  “You’d come even after 12 years of nothing?” I ask him.

  “You are still my best friend and the only person who has ever had my back. You treated me like family and I turned my back on you. Even if I won’t apologize for feeling the way I felt I want you to know I’ll always have your back and it’s time we get our girlfriend back,” he states.

  “Wife,” I correct.

  “Wife?” He questions.

  “She signed the papers. She didn’t even read it, you know how she never, ever reads things when we tell her to.” I shake my head, smiling.

  Bowie chuckles. “Oh, little lamb, so what you’re saying is by law, she’s our wife?”

  “Yes,” I answer. “Your cousin Harley is here too and he’s pushing up on her. I should kill him,” I state.

  “I’m on my way,” Bowie says. “And Nix, thanks for calling me.” He hangs up.

  I take another deep breath and make my way towards Bambi.

  Throughout the entire exchange between me, her and Harley Hanlon, Jagger’s idiotic cousin that everyone tolerates but doesn’t fuck with, I’m ready to murder.

  “Yes, wife. Now, shut the fuck up and show me around before I murder this man in cold blood, then spread it all over your beautiful pant suit,” I say meaning every word.

  Harley having the nerve to fucking challenge me like this tells me he’s forgotten the fact that I beat his ass back in high school, almost putting him six feet under. Bambi doesn’t move fast enough so I reach out, bunching up the lapels of her blazer in one hand. I snatch her little ass away from Harley, pulling her even closer to me. “Are you fucking deaf, Bams?”

  “Not here,” she whispers. “Please, it’s my job,” she pleads with me.

  I curl my lip in disgust but that’s not how I’m feeling. Fuck, I love it when she’s like this. “Then do your fucking job.” I grunt my response and practically drag her with me to the next art piece.

  “Let go!” She whispers harshly right above her pleading whisper. Trying to pull my hand away from her blazer discreetly.

  I lean in closer to her face,which honestly is back breaking. Fucking shorty. “Don’t make me embarrass you, Bambi. You know, I’d enjoy a few delightful stories about one of the infamous Bishops fuck ups in the tabloids. These people don’t really give a fuck about you and they won’t save your little ass either.”

  “I’ll behave if you let go. I need this job, Markos.”

  I cringe at the name. I let her go instantly. “Call me that again and I’ll handcuff you to me for the rest of the night.”

  Her eyes are wide. She clears her throat, looking around at the people who were pretending to mind their business. Nosy fuckers.

  Bambi

  I need to make an escape, quickly. I blink again, stealing another glance at Phoenix as he stares at the painting in front of him. He’s so beautiful. I didn’t expect to ever see him again but now I feel like I’ve done myself a disservice. How could I go on for so long without knowing whether he was doing good? I know about his condition. I’ve always known but when I was an idiot sixteen-year-old, I thought the world of him. I told him he wasn’t what they diagnosed him as, he was more than that.

  Now I want to feel that way but I’m afraid because I know it makes Phoenix unpredictable. He isn’t like the rest of us. He can’t process things like we do. Everything he’s doing, he knows that I can feel a certain way about it all but to him this is rational. This is okay to him. Even if it’s not.

  I shake my head, taking him in. His dark hair is slicked back, falling a bit past his shoulders. He’s wearing a black crisp dress shirt with golden bumblebees tucked into black dress pants and complemented with dress shoes. The top couple of buttons of his dress shirt are unbuttoned, revealing a gold chain with a bird that has their wings spread wide open. I never thought I’d see it again. It was my gift to Phoenix. There was no reason for it but I still got it for him.

  His reaction to the necklace was odd, it was like he was unaffected and that’s when he told me about his condition.

  “Stop staring at me.” Phoenix’s words sound downright poisonous.

  “I, I’m not staring,” I confess.

  Phoenix scoffs. “Right and I have no ass cheeks,” he says sarcastically.

  I can’t help it as I crack and snort. Phoenix is a buffoon. This makes him turn towards me and just stare at me. It can unnerve you if you’re not used to him but for me it is comforting and I can’t let him know that. I blink rapidly, looking away and walking away to the next painting.

  Phoenix follows. I clear my throat, “This is…” I lose the words because this is my painting and I don’t remember ever putting it up.

  I usually hide my work and never sell it. I stare at it. The dark red and purple colors stand out much more but if you concentrate, you’ll see the same big winged bird. Its wings are bleeding off the painting and behind the wings, there is one golden-brown eye and another blue one. Eyes belonging to two certain someones who haunt me in my dreams.

  “You painted this, didn’t you?” Phoenix says.

  “No, I didn’t,” I lie.

  Phoenix’s glare burns a hole to the side of my temple and I sheepishly look up at him. “Don’t lie to me, Bambi. I know your signature. That X.O. in the corner is yours. I know you, short stacks. Every single footprint you leave behind, I can identify it as yours with my eyes closed. Don’t ever fucking lie to me.”

  Phoenix grunts and walks off. I scoff. I’m so confused. Why is he mad all of a sudden, or rather his form of being mad?

  Chapter 3

  Phoenix

  Murderous thoughts. That’s all that swims in my head. All I want to do is ring her little neck until she’s close to passing out and let her go again. She deserves to live. I don’t need to think I’m some god. I don’t think I am and I never will be. If I were a god, I’d eviscerate so many beings on this earth, so it’s better to not play him. I’d rather be myself and face whatever the fuck I want.

  I grit my teeth, disappearing into the background where I can be myself. I watch Bambi for a moment, by the features of her face, she’s confused and dare I say it, lost. Bambi’s entire face transforms as if someone has taken something away from her. She looks around, searching. Sasha Phillips walks up to her and she stops her from looking like a crazy person on the verge of tears. I know who Bambi is looking for. She wants to see if I would disappear without her knowing. I find it funny because two seconds ago she was acting like she didn’t want me around. I shake my head. She always searches for me like a lost puppy.

  “If I wasn’t so good at tracking people, I would’ve missed your big ass entirely,” Sawyer Nash says to me.

  I smirk, not turning to face him. “I heard you coming. Remember, I’m the brother with the eyes behind his back.”

  Sawyer scoffs. “Stop staring at my girl. She’s mine and no one can have her.”

  I roll my eyes. “I’m not looking at Sasha, I know that you want her, I can see it in your eyes and how you watch her like you’re about to devour her. Trust me, as beautiful as she is, I’m not looking. I don’t do that.”

  Sawyer snorts. “Who wouldn’t want her?”

  “You need something? I’m fucking busy,” I interrupt.

  “You look like a fucking creep staring like that,” he says as he walks away.

  “And?” If only I gave a damn.

  I crack my neck, stretching it like a man unhinged. Sasha has taken Bambi with her while they speak to some other potential buyers. I make my way towards the same painting and like Bambi has always done, she turns to me and I beckon her towards me without so much as a lift of my finger. She shudders and hesitates. I cock my brow and as she walks towards me I realize something, I’m going to make her life miserable for lea
ving me.

  I mean she had the right to leave but that she left is beyond me and now she’s going to have to suffer. Face the consequences for her stupidity. If she thinks I fucked up her life before then she does not understand what I’m capable of doing now. I’ve learned different tricks of the trade in making someone wish they were dead. Everyone assumes that being tortured is the worst kind of pain—not that I would know or understand—but it’s not. The worst is having the man that semi-tricked you into being his wife for life makes you wish you didn’t exist. I bite my lip because I’m getting a hard-on just thinking about it. I slip my hands in my pockets as she stands right in front of me.

  “So, wife, tell m—.”

  “Wife!” I hear a hushed tone from behind me.

  I don’t have to turn around to know who it is. “Hey Esme,” I say, but glare at Bambi.

  “A wife, huh?” Esme repeats.

  I chuckle, turning to face her. “Yeah.”

  She looks amused. “Well, good for you! I, too, am… um, seeing someone. I’m engaged! Yay!” She exclaims.

  “Oh! Congrats. Send me an invitation,” I say.

  There’s no bad blood between us two, so I think I’m invited. I wonder who the bastard is?

  “I will,” she says with conviction. “When did you two crazy kids get married? I haven’t seen her around.”

  “14 years ago,” I answer, shrugging my shoulders.

  Esme’s eyes look ready to jump out of their sockets. Pretty sure this is a surprise to her and everyone else who is within hearing vicinity.

  “Nice!” Her voice is high pitched, then she coughs. “Let me uh, let me go grab my fiancée so you can meet him.”

  Without giving me a chance to say yes or no, Esme pivots on her heels, she searches for a second then walks towards the entrance of the gallery as a man walks in. Before I can get a clear picture of his face, she grabs him and starts speaking. He smirks at her and wraps an arm around her midsection, pulling her in for a kiss. Shit! Go Esme! She’s done well for herself! I think? Feels like she’s lying but I could be wrong. But it’s not really my place to ask.

  Bambi

  “Where’s your office?” He asks.

  I blink, not sure why this is important.

  “Bams…” he calls my name in a warning. I know that tone and if only I paid close attention to it, then I would’ve known the life he lived back then when we were together.

  “Upstairs, down the hall, second door on your right,” I say.

  Phoenix takes my hand in his and leads me away from everyone. I look at Sasha, mouthing to her, I was sorry. She smirks, shaking her head. I’m glad she noticed that I would never do this. I’m not unprofessional.

  I let Phoenix take me up the stairs all the way to my office. I look at our joined hands. Over the years I’ve dated other men but none of them ever held my hand like this. I don’t know what it is or if it’s because it’s Phoenix, I’m thinking it’s different.

  I missed him. Every single day I woke up in tears and saw him in my nightmares. Saw someone snatching Phoenix from my hands. I’d hold on to him but somehow I was always pushed down a black hole that was endless. There was no way to get back to him. That nightmare still haunts me sometimes.

  Phoenix’s fingers snapping in front of me shocks me out of my thoughts. We’re in my office and he’s sitting back on my desk with his legs spread open. Typical manspreading. I don’t blame him though since his long legs don’t give him much of an option.

  “Where did you just go right now?” He asks.

  This is the Phoenix that I’m afraid of. The one who can see something without me telling him. My worst fears, my hopes and dreams. All of them, he sees.

  “Nowhere.” I shake my head, looking away.

  “I warned you about lying to me, Bambi. You’ve got one more time to do that shit,” he scoffs.

  “What do you want from me?” I say in Spanish. I throw my hands up and slam them down on the side, exasperated.

  “There she is.” Phoenix smirks.

  “Seriously, why did you bring me in here? Why are you here? How did you know where I was?” I ask question after question.

  Phoenix cocks his brow. “I brought you here because I want your undivided attention. I want to torture you, fuck with your pretty little head and make sure you understand how big of a mistake you made when you didn’t say goodbye to me. Don’t be fooled though, I knew you left, but the fact that you didn’t tell me is where we seem to have an issue.”

  I look away from the intensity in his eyes. Away from the hurt that’s so clear it shakes me. I didn’t know you could see loneliness in someone’s eyes.

  “I did it for you,” I whisper.

  “What?”

  I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and my hands form fists on my side.

  “I did it for you,” I say a bit louder. “I didn’t know your affiliation or that you were practically a Bishop. I thought you would get into trouble. You were 18 and you just killed my stepfather. I didn’t want them to put you away. I didn’t want you to be gone. So, I was going to take the fall for it. I was going to tell them what he had been doing to me and that I had a moment where I lost it. I was 16, they would probably send me to juvie but I couldn’t have them do that to you. I was protecting you!” I raise my voice a little.

  I can feel the hot tears on my face. Great, not even a day in front of Phoenix and I’m already crying.

  “Look at me,” Phoenix says.

  I open my eyes and I can tell he’s angry. The vein in the middle of his forehead is clear. He’s pissed as hell.

  “Protect me?” He asked through gritted teeth. “I’ve never needed that shit a day in my life. How dare you?” He seethes.

  I’m shocked. “I don’t understand.”

  “Get out,” Phoenix says. He shuts his eyes then opens them up again, glaring at me.

  “This is my office, you can’t tell me to get out.” I stand my ground.

  “Bambi, get the fuck out!” He raises his voice.

  “Fine, Markos!” I huff.

  Phoenix practically growls in my face. He grabs me by my lapels again and pulls me to him. “You’ll regret that, I promise you. I’ll make you wish you never dared to protect me. I’ll fuck with you so hard you’ll wish you never met me. Get. The. Fuck. Out. And if you think of staying in here, I’ll keep you for good, Bambi.”

  I hesitate. I want to leave but the sadness in his eyes keeps me captive. I shut my eyes and open them again. These eyes have haunted me since the day I left and now they make me realize that I’ll always protect him. I don’t regret telling him to leave. I don’t think as I do the stupidest thing I’ve done since I was born. I lean in and kiss Phoenix.

  I’m shocked that I did it and so is he but then not even a second passes when he takes over, kissing me like a man on a mission. I try to keep up but I’ve been missing out on what it means to kiss. Phoenix pulls away from me. He stands and puts physical distance between us. He’s breathing hard, his chest is moving up and down quickly. Just when I think he’s going to do good on his threat, he surprises me by walking out without so much as another word thrown my way.

  What is going on?

  Chapter 4

  Bowie

  When Phoenix called me, I was in the middle of trying to get some damned sleep. I told myself that I would get some days off from touring. I’ve been doing it for a full year non-stop and avoiding my entire family. What made everything an eye opener for me was missing my cousin’s wedding. I don’t hate him because he isn’t my father or his. His mom was always nice to me, so I talked to her. As for my mother or rather my father’s wife and him, they could kiss my ass. I haven’t talked to them ever since I signed a deal at 20 and now it’s been 12 years. They didn’t look for me and I didn’t look for them.

  I dressed up in sweats and a simple t-shirt, not giving a fuck. I threw a sweater and a beanie over my head as I made my way out of my home. I went the back way, leaving my cars and secu
rity. These fuckers thought they knew this place better than me but I grew up in this huge lonely house. I snuck out for parties and to see my girl. Nostalgia hits me as I realize that I am sneaking out to go see the girl who isn’t my girl again for the first time in years. I take a deep breath, jumping over the back gate near the pool house. My parents, when they lived here, never cared to get a higher gate.

  I slowly jog over to what is now Jagger and Ainslee’s house where I sneak in. I make my way down the hall and Ainslee is walking around in a bra and panties set. I whistle and she screams. She throws a punch I didn't expect to my gut. An oomph sound is the only thing that I can release since I just got sucker punched in the gut. “Jesus, Bubbie, what the fuck!” I shout.

  “Bowie? What the hell!” she yells back at me. “You scared me!”

  My cousin comes out of nowhere, “Baby, you okay?” he asks. “The fuck are you doing here?” He glares at me.

  I could respond but I’m too concentrated on the weird contraption that he has on. Both of his wrists are cuffed and attached to some belt going around his neck. It’s like when he pulls, it gets tighter around his neck. “The fuck are you looking at?” He asks me again. His lashes flutter at the sudden movement.

  “I need to borrow one of your cars really quick. I’ll bring it back,” I say with a smile on my face. I grin.

  Jagger rolls his eyes. “Fuck off. Go grab one and don’t you dare touch my Aston, bitch.”

  “Maybe next time. For now, I’ll leave you to your…” My eyes glide over to take Ainslee in. I’ve never really seen her this naked. I take a mental picture for myself. She looks stunning, even for someone who had twins. “Wife,” I finish.

  “I will kill you.” Jagger narrows his eyes.

  Ainslee smirks at me. “Aren't you going somewhere?” She asks.

  “Yes, ma'am…” I say and I wink at her side, stepping Jagger who was getting out of the cuffs. “I taught him how to get out of cuffs and shit,” I say to Ainslee.