Page 189 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol 4

"It's going to be okay, Hails."

I closed my eyes. The moment was too perfect. For some reason, I couldn't have Tyler's arms around me and see something so beautiful at the same time. It was sensory overload. And I'd rather focus on Tyler's arms. Who was I kidding? I was pathetic. I wanted to cling to him because I loved the feeling he gave me. That anything was possible. It was childish and naive. And fleeting. It's not like I was actually in love with him or anything. That would be crazy. Besides, he was in love with someone else.

It'll be okay?No, it fucking wouldn't. I shrugged out of his arms and stepped to the edge until my toes were actually sticking off the side. And I screamed. I screamed at the top of my lungs. I screamed because I was frustrated with Tyler. Because I was worried I was going to lose my dad. And because I was terrified of actually getting to Pasadena and facing my fears. I knew people were staring at me. But I didn't care. God, this felt good. I balled my hands into fists and screamed again.

I thought Tyler might say something. That he might be embarrassed of me. It would be a normal reaction to some girl you just met screaming at nothing. But I didn't care about the onlookers. Let them judge me. Let them see me scream.

What I didn't expect was for Tyler to step up right beside me and scream too.

"Wow, that feels good," he said. And then he screamed again even louder.

People started stepping away from us.

I laughed and grabbed his hand again. Together we both screamed as loud as we could, letting our pain and fears echo off the dips and valleys of the canyon.

"Feel better?" he asked.

I smiled up at him. "So much better. Come on." I pulled him back toward the car. "I think I want to go to Vegas after all."

"Yeah?"

If it delayed getting to Pasadena by one day, then absolutely. I didn't look back at the Grand Canyon. I felt like I had thrown my worries, fears, frustrations, and insecurities into it. It was now a pit of everything I wanted to offload. And now I needed to move on. No more looking back. I was only looking forward.

Missing Pieces - Chapter 34

Tyler

Wednesday

"There is no way in hell that I'm wearing that," Hailey said as she stared at the red dress I was holding up.

I laughed. "If we're going to Vegas, we should do it right." I tossed it at her.

"Why does doing Vegas right mean I have to dress like a hooker and you get to wear that."

I pulled on the lapels of the $20 suit I had just picked out from the thrift store. "I can't help it that I look good in everything." I winked at her.

She rolled her eyes.

"Plus...I'm paying," I said.

"You're not my pimp, Tyler Stevens. I can pay for my own clothes. And I like this one." She gestured to the froufrou skirt she was wearing. It covered way too much of her perfect legs. It was almost sinful.

I leaned against the doorjamb of the changing room. "At least try on the red one."

"Fine. But I'm not going to like it."

I laughed and stepped away from the door as she slammed it in my face. I wasn't exactly sure how we had ended up in a thrift store just minutes away from the Las Vegas strip. Hailey had insisted she wanted to do the Las Vegas scene right, and now she was suddenly being shy. Why she felt uncomfortable showing off her perfect body, I had no idea.

The door to the changing room opened a crack. "Seriously, Tyler, it shouldn't even count as a dress. There's not enough fabric for it to garner that definition."

I pushed the door open. She was breathtaking. The tight red fabric plunged low in the front and tied around her neck, leaving her back completely bare as well. And the hem of the skirt landed right below her ass.

She shifted, trying to pull the fabric down her thighs.

"You look sexy as hell."

Her face turned red. "Stop it."