Page 66 of Drive

Ben was beautiful; his nice guy disguise was deceiving as hell. It was what was in his eyes that spoke the truth about him. And his voice was capable ofanything. I couldn’t wait for Lexi to witness what I was, front and center. In the midst of a love fest with the band and a lust fest with the oblivious drummer, reality bitch slapped me.

Paige: You have mail here.

Can I come get it?

Paige: Neil will drop it off.

Thanks.

I stared at my phone and waited. Was she reaching out? What could I say? Neil had forbidden her from doing more than talking to Reid in passing. It was bullshit, pure and simple. She was on a control trip, but she was losing. And I had a feeling Neil was getting the shit end of the stick. I’d finally called my parents. And after an hour of my father yelling at me, he passed the phone to my mother.

That was hell, but I managed to plead my case, and shortly after, I was getting angry texts from my sister. Apparently, they gave her an earful after they got off the phone with me. I can’t say I didn’t smile a little when I got her shitty excuses.

Ben sat next to me on the couch as they finished their last set. Reid was still screwing around with a back and forth he was working on for a new song.

“What’s up, beautiful? Who are you texting?”

“Not Lexi,” I answered with a grin.

He curled his lip and then leaned in. “He’s less bitchy these days.”

“I promise he’s not.” We both chuckled.

“I fucking heard that,” Reid said from his set, his eyes finally connecting with mine.

“Look at the two of you. It’s adorable,” Ben said, unfazed by Reid’s menacing tone. “I see a bright future for you kids.”

Reid stayed tight-lipped as I looked anywhere but at him. Reid started his beat as I leaned over to whisper to Ben. “We’re just stuck together in the corner.”

“Paige still giving you guys shit?” Ben asked. “Not cool.”

“It’s like I came and screwed everything up,” I said low so only Ben could hear. He nodded and then gave me a good view of his sparkling white teeth—not a single cavity. “It could be worse. You could be sleeping with Rye,” he said as he nodded his head toward him. Rye was ripping through chords, thrusting his hips as if he were screwing air. We both dissolved into quick laughter as Ben pulled me into his side. “His ex, Lia, I hated her,” he whispered. “I mean I fucking hated her. She was toxic and she played the victim. It was always about her.Always.I think you’re good for him. That wreck was her fault.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I knowher. And he hinted around to it, but won’t fully admit it. They were arguing. He was breaking up with heragain, and she pulled the wheel. Shit, I’m busted.”

Reid glared at us from his drum set and then pointedly at Ben’s hand wrapped around my shoulder.

“Want to stop pawing her, dickhead?”

“I like it when you get all alpha, baby,” Ben cooed.

So do I.

Reid stood from his stool, his hair dripping with sweat, chest glistening, and walked toward us, pushing his arms through his shirt. He pulled me to stand as he kept his eyes on Ben. “Let’s go.”

On the way home, Reid stopped at a twenty-four-hour store so I could buy some decent shampoo and other things I’d gone without since I’d been staying with him. I’d made enough tips on our last shift to put some food in the fridge, but felt the heaviness of his steps as I continued to add to the cart. We walked the aisles silently. He was exhausted, and I was on edge. I couldn’t help the feeling I was in trouble, but his eyes told me differently when he glanced my way. But the silence remained, and I got a mere ten feet from the store when I couldn’t take it anymore.

“What?”

He continued walking and unlocked his truck, putting the bags in and taking mine from my hand when I caught up with him. He climbed in, and I had no choice but to follow. Starting the engine, he glanced over at me. Iwasin trouble.

“I like to keep my life private, Stella.”

“Is Ben not a close friend?”

“I just don’t like my shit talked about in the open,” he said with his hands on the steering wheel, eyes straight ahead.