Avery’s POV


“Remember tonight is about you and me,” Brian whispered, his forehead pressed to mine. His chocolate brown eyes bore into mine with such intensity that I forgot about everything around me. I could barely breath let alone form a coherent thought. All I knew was that I didn’t want him to leave me.

The next thing I knew, Brian’s lips crashed down on mine captured me in a deep kiss, his hand tangled in my hair and pulling me close. Our tongues danced together as I took in his intoxicating taste. I just couldn’t get enough of him and I whimpered lightly when he pulled away. “Just you and me,” he said against my lips before he pulled away completely and headed out the door, leaving me breathless.

I stared at the door as it shut behind him, my mouth slightly agape. How could Brian kiss me like that and then just turn around and leave? It just didn’t seem right and was a huge tease. Not to mention leaving me all worked up. That wasn’t fair!

I sighed, my body craving his touch like a drug, leaving me wanting more. Would it always be like this between us? Would he always leave me craving more of him? Would I ever feel fully satisfied without being by his side? I hoped I would never have to find out because he seemed to be the reason I kept going. Brian made me feel safe and for the first time in my life it was okay to be me and not who I had been trying to be all these years. As odd as it sounded, he had become a part of me and I felt the most like myself when he was around. I was brave and strong and I loved that feeling. Brian completed me and there was no other way to explain it.

With a smile, I quickly flew over to my suitcase and pulled out Brian’s favorite dress. It was a navy blue lace mini-dress with back cut outs and a very short hemline. He had only seen me wear it once before but it must have left quite the impression on him if he was requesting it.

As I scurried around the room gathering my things for a bath, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Brian was planning for us tonight. Our last date in Huntington Beach had been amazing and I bet this one wouldn’t be any different. Brian just seemed to understand what I liked and I really appreciated that. No guy had ever done so much for me before, well except for my dad.

Fuck, up until now, Brian had made me completely forget about the meeting with my dad tomorrow. I sighed as I sat on the edge of the Jacuzzi tub in the white bathrobe, waiting for the tub to fill with the lavender scented soap. This was supposed to be relaxing but now I felt anything but. Everything could come crashing down again tomorrow and I didn’t want that to happen.

What would my dad actually do anyway? Would he freak out and drag me home by the hair or would he simply fall to the ground from a broken heart? I couldn’t stand the idea of causing him in pain, but I also didn’t think I could happily live without Brian. There was no way he wasn’t going to freak out over me being here the whole time, and it certainly wouldn’t take him long to put the pieces together once he saw me. I feared that look of disappointment and sadness in his eyes. It always crushed me and made me feel extremely guilty. How could I make him understand that what Brian and I have is a good thing?

I nervously chewed my bottom lip as I pondered that thought. Was there anyway that my dad was going to listen to a word I said after he found out that I’d been lying to him for the past week? I was in so much fucking trouble that it wasn’t even fun. But if I was being honest with myself, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I loved Brian and I wanted to be with him. I just wished I didn’t have to hurt my dad in the process.

Maybe Brian was right, maybe this bath was just what I needed to clear my mind. I hoped that he would be back soon, even though I was desperately afraid of losing him tomorrow when the conversation with my father went down hill. I couldn’t crush my father but I also didn’t what to lose Brian. How was I supposed to make all this work? Who would I choose if I was forced to make a decision? The man I loved or my father?

I took in a deep breath, trying to calm the raging anxiety inside of me. “Come on Avery, don’t lose your shit now. Get in the damn tub and relax so you can have an amazing evening with your boyfriend,” I muttered to myself, turning off the water and standing to remove the robe. God, I even sounded crazy. How Brian could love this little hot mess of a person was beyond me.

Just as I dropped the robe to the floor I heard a knock on the door and a wicked smirk fell over my face. That was a rather quick meeting because he had only been gone about fifteen or twenty minutes now. Was Brian playing a game with me or had he forgotten his key?

“Coming,” I called mischievously as I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my body. If he wanted to play games, so could I. “You know, I was just about get in the tub…though I don’t know what the point is when you already left me soaking wet...” I said, opening the door and dropping my towel at the same time. Only it wasn’t Brian at the door it was Matt.

I shrieked and scrambled to pick up the towel as Matt gapped at me before covering his eyes. “Fuck…I’m sorry I-I thought-thought you were Brian…” I stammered, my face burning from embarrassment. I was such an idiot and completely mortified. I would never hear the end of this one, I’m sure.

“I mean I’m flattered but…” Matt chuckled, blushing himself. I couldn’t meet his eye and settled for looking down at the floor. “I was just looking for Maya…”

My eyes snapped up when he mentioned my best friend and all I could do was shake my head. “She’s not here…” I frowned, wondering where she would be if she wasn’t with Matt.

“Are you sure because she told me she was going to talk to you,” Matt said, looking just as confused as me. His brow furred and I just shook my head. I hadn’t heard from or seen Maya since we got off the bus. Should I cover for her and say she went to the vending machine? I didn’t want to get her in trouble but somehow I didn’t think that Matt would believe me if I told him something different. My little strip tease at the door ruined all that. “And Brian’s not here either?”

“No he left about twenty minutes ago for a band meeting…” I suddenly felt this sinking feeling in my stomach as Matt raised his brow at me. So Brian wasn’t at a band meeting? Then where the hell did he go? Why lie to me?

“There is not a band meeting that I’m aware of, unless those bastards didn’t invite me,” Matt frowned. “Shit…where the hell did Maya go then? I just walked past Jimmy in the hallway and he’s not with her.”

“She must have been the one meeting Brian,” I said softly. Why wouldn’t he just tell me that if he needed to see Maya? Why would Brian lie to me about that and why would Maya lie to Matt? Was something going on there?

My head was suddenly spinning in a flurry of thoughts and I couldn’t see straight. If Brian was lying to me about simple things like meeting my best friend for whatever reason, then what else was he lying to me about? If we couldn’t be honest with each other, what was the point of talking to my dad? I was suddenly more confused than ever.

Matt frowned but quickly recovered, seeing the look of panic coming over my face. “Don’t worry, I’m sure they are planning something for tonight or tomorrow. I’ll go check on them. Go take your bath,” Matt said, before rushing down the hallway. Even though he sounded collected, I could tell by the way he walked away that he was fighting an internal struggle.

I felt sick to my stomach as I closed the door and leaned against it. I just didn’t know why Brian would lie to me when I would have trusted him to meet with Maya. Though I couldn’t deny that I was also a little jealous that she called Brian instead of me. What could he help her with that I couldn’t?

I suddenly didn’t feel like going out or having fun, not when I didn’t really know what was going on. How could I hurt my dad for someone that couldn’t even be truthful with me? I mean if he lied about having a band meeting, then what else had he lied about? I knew I was probably overreacting but I couldn’t help it, especially since my mind was already freaking out over tomorrow.

“I have to get out of here,” I breathed, my heart rate increasing as I looked around the room. I felt like a caged animal and I just needed some fresh air to clear my head. Just a little walk would do wonders I think and then maybe I could logically talk to Brian when he got back from his ‘meeting’. I still couldn’t believe he lied to me about that—it wasn’t even a big deal! So why lie unless there was something else going on, right?

I pulled on a pair of jean, my dark blue UCLA hoodie, Brian’s sunglasses, and threw my hair in a messy bun on top of my head. I quickly grabbed my purse and the room key and headed out the door, not realizing that I left my phone sitting on counter or that the bathtub was still full of water. I just needed to get out and to think about all this.

Once outside of my room, I headed toward the stairs, the need to run overcoming me. I used to run every morning but since we joined the tour, I had really been slacking in that. Maybe it was time to start that little habit again.

I burst through the door to the stairs and let my feet carry me up the flight of stairs to the roof and then back down into the third floor corridor. I didn’t care that it wasn’t my floor; I just needed to breath for a minute. When I stopped outside the door, I put my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. I felt completely out of shape and that was embarrassing. Man I sucked at this and really needed to get moving again. I used to be able to run for miles but these stairs had done me in.

“Shh…you’re going to get us in trouble!” My eyes shot up to the opposite end of the hallway when I heard voices. To my surprise I saw Jimmy and Jess sneaking down the hallway before entering one of the rooms.

Jimmy. Yes that was it! Jimmy would be able to help me forget about everything! He as the best a distracting me, well besides Brian, but it didn’t help when he was part of the problem right now. The three of us could have our own little party and then I could deal with all this later. It sounded like a brilliant idea to me.

I sprinted down the hallway and anxiously knocked on the door that the pair had disappeared into. He would know what to do and how to help me, and maybe I could become even better friends with Jess too. What were they doing together anyway? Was Jimmy adding another member to our secret society?

“Jimmy!” I called, banging on the door before it burst open and revealed a frowning drummer. Was that a curse I heard before the door opened? Was this a bad time?

“Little One? What are you doing here? Were you followed?” He asked, before grabbing my arm and pulling me inside the dark room. “Who are you working for?” he continued as I took off the sunglasses and put them in my purse. Jimmy sat me down in one of the chair by the entrance and kneeled down in front of me, looking me up and down. “Are you hurt?”

“No…well…I don’t know but I’m not working for anyone but you,” I assured him, my eyes moving over to Jess. She was blushing and I didn’t really understand why. Had I interrupted something? I suddenly felt guilty and started to twist my hands in my lap. Nothing I did was right anymore. “I just needed an escape and to relax…you know….and I saw you guys. I thought maybe you could help me… but-but I can leave if—”

“Don’t be silly.” Jimmy raised a brow at me before looking back at Jess. He mouthed something to her but I missed what it was. “I think we might be able to help. What are you running from? Are the Berry’s at their evil tricks again?” Jimmy’s blue eyes shifted around the room, like he was looking for cameras. “Is this room been checked for bugs?”

“Bugs?” Jess asked, looking grossed out and I giggled. “God I hope so.”

“He means did you check for spy equipment or intruders,” I clarified. Jess shook her head at me and we both watched as Jimmy shadow boxed around the room, checking every crevice for suspicious items.

As Jimmy searched, Jess moved closer to me, looking me up and down with a frown. “Is everything okay? You look upset,” she said and took in a shaky breath.

“I just don’t know what to do,” I admitted. “You see my dad, Larry Jacobson, the man who hired you doesn’t know that I’m here. He forbid the guys and Maya and I from having anything to do with each other…and you obviously know how that worked out. Anyway, he is coming tomorrow and we are going to try to talk to him about our relationships….” I twisted my hands together before Jess set one of hers on top of mine. “Only, I don’t know what to do because I don’t want him to be pissed at me but I also don’t want to lose Brian…but he just lied to me about meeting Maya and now I have no idea what to think…” I felt the tears pooling in my eyes and couldn’t stop them as they rolled over and down my cheek.

“I think you need a drink,” Jess said quietly, moving over to her bag and pulling out a bottle of Patron. “I bought this before I left to join the tour for a special occasion but this seems like as good of time as any.”

“My queen!” Jimmy yelled, running back over to us as I took a shot. “Your residence is secure. Thank god those fuckers hadn’t thought to booby trap your room…or did they send the gnome to spy?”

“She is clean, Knife Master, I checked her over,” Jess said and I looked between them with a raised brow, taking another shot. “She just needed a break.”

“Gates work you too hard? Isn’t it a little early for you to appear yet?” Jimmy chuckled and I rolled my eyes. “Or did he do something to hurt my little gnome?” His blue eyes suddenly got serious and I just shook my head and threw back another shot. This was really helping and I would have to buy Jess a new bottle of Patron as a thank you.

“Not quite…he just…it’s stupid,” I sighed, my head starting to spin. Jimmy took a seat on the arm of the chair and put his arm around me. “I-I just don’t know what to do, Jimmy…”

Jimmy cocked his head to the side and looked down at me with a confused look on his face. “Follow your heart and screw the rest. That’s what I do,” he said like it was the simplest thing on the face of the earth. His eyes shifted over toward Jess and I smiled. I could tell that he liked her and I was happy for him. He was a great guy and deserved to be happy too. I just hoped that I hadn’t interrupted anything because then I really wouldn’t forgive myself. “Even if it means going through the grocery store kicking and screaming because they are out of fucking spaghetti-o’s. I fucking love those things…”

“I wish it was that easy…” Jimmy’s eyes bore down into mine and I suddenly felt very small. “I-I just hope I’m going to make the right choice…I mean…”

“Just follow this,” Jimmy took my hand and put it over my heart, holding it there so I could feel it pound beneath my hand. Why was he always right and so wise about everything? I knew it longed for Brian…but I guess I just didn’t know how to face him right now. I wanted to believe that he was just meeting Maya to plan or evening together but I couldn’t shake that one little thread of doubt that was hiding there.

“And drink this,” Jess added, shoving another shot in my hand, seeing the look on my face. I must have looked panicked again, and rightfully so. I guess my biggest problem was throwing away the one stable thing in my life, for someone that could easily replace me, well at least in theory. I know Brian said he loved me and I loved him, but would it last? My dad would always love me, that wasn’t even a question. So which kind of love did I go for?

An hour later, Jess and I were lying in her bed laughing at whatever show Jimmy had turned on the TV. She really was an awesome girl and just as funny as Jimmy. Somewhere within the hour, the three of us had finished the bottle of Patron. Though I couldn’t miss Jimmy checking his phone every so often and then looking over at Jess. What was that about?

“You guys are the best friends a girl could ask for,” I yawned, leaning back and cuddling into Jess’s side. Oddly Jimmy hadn’t joined in our cuddle party, he just paced back and forth in the front of the room, texting on his phone every once and while.

“Yeah…this night has really been a blast…is it always like this?” Jess asked and closed my eyes.

“More or less…” I yawned again. “Less drama usually…” Even though Jess was comfortable, I still longed to be in Brian’s strong arms. I just couldn’t stand the thought of having to say goodbye to him in the morning. I didn’t want to do that but I had a feeling that’s what it might come down to. I still didn’t know what I should do. There was no way my dad wasn’t going to make me make a choice.

“It’s always a big fucking party, specially when you’re in a and with your best fucking friends,” Jimmy said just as someone pounded on the door. I slowly sat up with a furred brow. Who would that be coming to Jess’s room at almost midnight?

My heart dropped into my stomach when Brian stepped into the room, looking somewhere between pissed, relieved, and worried. “Thanks Jimbo,” he said patting his friends back before coming over towards me. “Let’s go,” he said curtly before grabbing my hand and dragging me out of the hotel room. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked up into those eyes, knowing that I was in trouble.


Matt’s POV

After leaving Brian and Avery’s room, I head straight down to the bar. What the hell was Maya doing meeting with Gates and why did they both lie about it? I had only stopped by their room to let Maya know that I was going to go down to the gym, but I guess I would go find my girlfriend now. I didn’t think she was doing anything with Gates, I just wanted to know why she lied to me about it.

As soon as the elevator door opened, I stood face-to-face with the two people I was looking for. I frowned as I stepped out of the elevator, not missing that Gates disappeared as quickly as possible. Must be he released that he would be in trouble with Avery after seeing me.

“Hey big guy, I was just coming back upstairs,” Maya said, taking my hand and looking up at me with a smile. That simple motion right there suddenly made my frustration slowly disappear. “I just had to check with Brian about something. What are you doing down here?”

“I was going t ask you the same question since Avery said you never showed up there,” I sighed, leading her over to the small conference room and shutting the door behind her. I wasn’t mad, I was just confused and didn’t really understand what was going on. Nothing was making real sense after that dream I had this morning and the talk with Avery helped, but I didn’t know how to bridge the topic.

Maya sighed and pushed me down on the couch, taking a seat on my lap. “I was going to talk to Avery, but then I realized that Gates would be the better person to talk to…” What? Since when was Gates good at girl talk? He was the most obtuse out of all of us when it came to girls, so why would she go to him?

“Look…” Maya continued, sensing my confusion. Her hand moved to my cheek and I couldn’t help but close my eyes and lean into it. Her touch felt too damn good to ignore. “I went to talk to Brian instead of Ave because, well, we are a lot more alike then I realized.”

“Maya if you—“ I started but she put her finger over my lips, chuckling slightly.

“Not like that you, goon,” she laughed. “We are just very alike in how we think.” I frowned and raised brow at her and she sighed. “Okay, so look at this way, before I met you, I was basically a female version of Synyster Gates. I was just out for fun and never thought about setting down and being in a relationship, let alone…” she sighed again but smiled. “Let alone have someone that I cared about.”

Maya bit down on her lip as moved a hand to cup her cheek. She looked like she was freaking out a little bit inside, and I didn’t know what. “You know you can tell me and trust me with anything, right? “

“I know that…” Maya nodded, averting her eyes from mine. “It’s just…” she sighed again just as my heart started to race. I didn’t like all the sighs and the silence. In my experience, that never led to anything good. “I-I’ve never had anyone that really cared for me before…and I’m trying to figure out how to deal with that. I’ve always run away before letting myself care because I don’t want to get hurt…its like a defense mechanism for me, I guess,” she whispered. I had to listen very carefully to make sure I could hear her correctly.

So my dream was right and so was Avery. So maybe Maya just didn’t know what to make of her feelings, just like Gates with Avery? That made sense, a lot of sense. So I would do what that little brunette suggested, keep showing her my love and supporting her.

I nodded my head. “Thank you for telling me.” I pressed my forehead to hers, taking in her intoxicating scent. I knew that wasn’t easy for her to share that with me but I was so thankful that she did. I wanted to know more, though I knew I shouldn’t push the topic. “I love you, Maya…and I really mean it. I wont hurt you,” I tried to assure her again. “I’m not going anywhere, no matter what you say, Larry, or anyone else. You’re like fucking tattooed on my brain and its not possible for me to stay away,” I practically growled, my hands running up and down her sides.

“You are too good to me.” Maya shivered and closed her eyes. “You deserve someone better than me…”

“That’s not possible, I promise you. I’ve met loads of women and none of them even come close to comparing with you, beautiful,” I breathed, pulling her close. When our lips touched, a shock of electricity erupted between us and I knew that she had to feel that too. There was no way I was the only one that felt that.

When I pulled way, Maya touched her fingertips to her lips, looking at me. “Did you feel it—“ I started. However, just as Maya opened her mouth to respond, the door flew open.

“Where the hell is Avery?” Brian asked, looking extremely stressed out.

“Isn’t she in the bathtub?” Maya chuckled but her expression feel when she saw the look on Brian’s face.

“She’s not in the room? She was there ten minutes ago when I left her,” I said with a frown as Gates ran his hands over his face.

“No she’s not in the fucking room. The bath was full and her phone was on the counter but she is nowhere to be seen. Where the hell would she have gone? I already checked with Zack and the other at the bar. And I guess Jimmy and Jess went to get food…I don’t fucking know…” I had never seen the guy looked so stressed out in all of his life. Usually he was the calm one out of the bunch, but not today. This was a whole new side to Brian Haner Jr.

Maya stood up from my lap and I quickly followed behind her. “Relax, she wouldn’t leave the hotel by herself,” Maya said calmly, pulling out her phone.

“She wouldn’t have decided to go home would she?” I asked and Brian paled and Maya’s head snapped over to look at me. “What? I was just asking. I mean she did just appear here without telling any of us.”

“I don’t fucking like this…I don’t like this at all…” Gates said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Why would she leave the room with a full bath and without her phone?”

“She’s got to be here somewhere,” Maya assured us, putting her hands up in the air. “She wouldn’t leave without at least telling me and I’ve got nothing. Let’s check the hotel and the gym. Sometimes she likes to run when she gets stressed. Maybe se is there.”

We made our way to the pool and gym but the little gnome was nowhere to be found. Where would she go anyway? I just hoped me coming to her door looking for Maya hadn’t triggered an impromptu trip somewhere.

“Where could she have gone?” Brain raged, running his hands over his head after we had walked through the entire hotel two times. He looked over to Maya and I but we had just as much information as he did. Brian looked like was starting to lose it.

“Let’s go back to your room, maybe she is back there?” I suggest, hearing Brian’s phone going off in his pocket. He looked down at the text and then looked back at us with concern. “Who is it?”

“Jimmy,” Gates frowned. “And it just says 325. What the fuck does that mean?”

“The hell if I know,” I threw my hands up in the air, tired of this little game of hide and seek. As selfish as it sounded, I just wanted to take Maya back to my room, though I knew she wouldn’t go until we found Avery. “Ask him.”

“Maybe that’s where he is?” Maya shrugged while Brian texted back. It was only seconds before he got a response. “What did he say?”

“Gnome…” Gates looked between us before taking off sprinting down the hallway, leaving Maya and I alone.

“So what were you saying to wanted to do tonight?” Maya asked, moving over and wrapping her arms around my waist. I smirked down at her and scooped her up into my arms. She would find out soon enough.

Notes

So what will Brian do now that he's found Avery? Will Jimmy and Jess finally have some alone time? Is Maya close to saying those three little words to Matt? Comments please! :)