Page 68 of Never To Suffer (The Hollywoodland #4)

UNSHATTER

LINKIN PARK

“Daniella, open the door.”

“No!”

“I’ll take it off the hinges if you don’t open the door.

” We’ve been communicating through the bathroom door for twenty minutes and I’m tired of it.

Communicating . I guess that’s what I’ll call it since it’s more or less been me checking on her, and her telling me to go away.

Words have been spoken, but to say it’s conversational is overstepping.

“Dani, come on. You don’t need to do this alone. ”

“I do!”

I rock my head forward and it thumps against the door.

This is the part of relationships no one likes, and sometimes, it’s the part that ends them before they can begin.

This is the kind of shit I’ll bring up when people want to talk about all the sex I must have in a poly relationship.

Yeah, there’s sex, but there are also four distinct personalities going on a journey of emotions with each other.

Sometimes—most of the time—they’re not in sync with each other.

There’s no way to plan when one, or all of us, is sad, depressed, and unwilling to budge.

“Beetle, I want to help you. If you open the door, I’ll go away, or I’ll hold your hand. I’ll stop talking and listen, or I’ll tell you stories till you fall asleep. I’ll do whatever you need, but love, I need this door open before I can. Please?”

There’s a shuffle of movement, the lock clicks, and the door whips open so fast her loose hair flies around her head in the breeze. Her red eyes and nose scrunch up into a scowl and she pushes past me with a grunt.

“Dani?”

“WHAT?!” she spins, teeth bared. “I opened the fucking door. Now, what the hell do you want?”

I don’t move, I don’t even speak, I just look at her.

Her mask of anger melts away and her eyes fight to find more tears to cry, but she has none left.

I hold my arms out and, with more hesitation than I’d like to admit, she comes back to me, slamming into my chest so I can wrap around her.

Theo’s due home soon from his family. He doesn’t know volatile things are right now.

More explosions are imminent, along with more tears once her body has time to replenish them.

“I only want you to know you’re safe. You’re going to get through this, and when you’re ready, we’re here for you. But I won’t let you lock yourself away like that. I can’t. The worst things happen behind locked doors.”

She sniffles, reluctantly moving her arms around me. It’s more holding on than hugging, but I’ll take it.

“Do you want to get out of here for a bit?” She nods against my chest. “I need to go meet up with everyone. We’re going to the Irish bar near Steve’s gym. Why don’t you come with me?” She nods again as I rub her back in slow circles. “Do you want me to help you get dressed?”

Her head pulls back, and she looks up at me, resting her chin on my chest. “Can we go find Xander after that?”

“Yeah, love. We’ll come back and get Theo, and we’ll find our little lost boy. I promise.”

There’s a thunk from somewhere outside the bedroom before Theo calls out. I lean over and kiss Dani’s forehead, giving her one more squeeze before I let go over her. I always hate letting go of her. It never seems fair.

“I’m gonna go shower.” She nuzzles her face against me, wiping her dried tears on my shirt. “I’ll leave the door open.”

She grabs her things and turns on the water while I go out to find Theo leaning against the frame of the passageway we built. His face looks a little softer, but he also looks like he needs about a week's worth of sleep. “Permission to enter the fight circle?”

“Permission granted.” We embrace, but it’s more than a hug. It’s welcome home. I’m sorry, things are crazy. I missed you. I read between the lines of the open book that is Skylar as we hold each other up. “You picked a hell of a time to come home. I’m sorry, it’s not a warmer welcoming committee.”

“You’re more than enough, Skylar.” His gentle words set my heart pounding. There’s so many ways to say ‘ I Love You’ without using those exact words, and usually, they’re deeper and more meaningful. He kisses my cheek and we finally part as he looks around the apartment. “How bad?”

“Well, I finally got her to open the bathroom door. She’s showering now, and I’m taking her with me to see the guys about the whole court thing.

I figure she needs her people right now, even if she won’t admit it.

” I stop, pulling him in for a soft, deep kiss.

I missed him well past what I tried to convince myself.

His lips brush against mine like they don’t want to leave again as we breathe each other’s air. “How did Paris go?”

“Therapeutic, but I need this more.” His hand snakes up my back, taking a handful of my hair as he holds me to him, kissing me harder as he backs me against the wall.

Soft whimpers escape as he takes the control away from me, granting me a few moments of reprieve while he sucks on my neck and squeezes my ass.

“Glad to see you remember your place like a good boy.”

“You keep talking like that, and I might forget. Maybe you’re a switch and need to open yourself up to the experience, Doc.

” The shower turns off in the other room and Theo and I break apart.

We’ll finish that later, I’m sure, but right now, there are more pressing matters.

“We’ll come by after and pick you up, check out a few of Xander’s local spots. ”

“No need. I’ve got a few places I can check, a few numbers I can call.

Keep me in the loop if you find anything, and I’ll do the same.

” He brushes his knuckle down my cheek, and the weight on my shoulders from the last week lessens a bit.

“You’ve done great, Skylar. No matter what you’re thinking up here. ”

What I’d hoped to avoid, or at least hoped to handle in my own time, came smashing into my face a few weeks ago.

Seeing people from my past was inevitable.

They’re all still friends with Dani and Xander, but seeing them all at once?

It’s been too long and I’m not sure what to expect.

They might be so occupied with Elle’s new charges to remember if they’re mad at me for leaving or not.

Or me being here might prove to be the outlet they need after getting that letter, taking out their frustrations with the legal system on me.

Either way, I hoped to have backup. But Dani’s mind is somewhere else, and she won’t talk to me about it.

Jamie walks in first, filling the dimly lit bar with more sunlight than it’s seen in a while as he’s followed by Chase.

I’m surprised to see Chase since he’s supposed to be filming in Canada, but with his arm still in a sling from the fallout with his stalker, he won’t be filming anytime soon.

To my knowledge, Elle never got to him. But he’s the glue that holds the group together.

Without him, Jamie would live as a recluse in a mountain somewhere, refusing to talk to anyone, and Steve would be…

well, who knows where he’d be. Coop pushed Steve to ask me out in our senior year of high school.

That seems like yesterday, but also a hundred years ago.

“Skylar?! You’re here? Since when?!” Jamie doesn’t bother reaching out a hand to shake.

He pulls me in, much like Coop did, giving me a bear hug that’s damn near cathartic.

For both of us. “Fuck’s sake, bro?” He asks Dani, before he turns to me.

“Where the hell have you been? We need to hang out so I can catch up on what’s going on. How long have you been back?”

“A few weeks now. I, uhm, I’ve been touring with Dani. She kind of picked me up in Fresno. I’m still working on getting around to seeing everyone again.”

“Have you seen?—”

“No. Not yet. You were next on my list. I wanted to save him for last. Guess that’s pretty much out the window now,” I sigh. “He knows I’m here, though.”

“Wait, touring? You’re back for good, though. Right?” His smile grows wide. “Please tell me you are.”

I take Dani’s hand away from her beer, which she barely notices, and lace my fingers between hers. “Yeah. I’m back for good.”

“What?! Why am I always the last to find this shit out?” Jamie yells at Coop, who shrugs and offers no explanation as he brings over a round for everyone.

“Uh, because you’ve been AWOL in your studio for the last month, working on that commission for the mural downtown.” Coop answers, putting a fresh round of beers in front of everyone. “I tried to call you to come hang with us, but you ghosted me!”

“It’s not ghosting if I’m working. You could come over.”

“You didn’t text me back. That’s at least friendly ghosting,” Coop replies.

“That isn’t even a thing,” Jamie sighs.

“It is now!” He laughs, slapping Jamie on the shoulder before turning to Dani. “D, what the shit is up with you?”

“Nothing.”

I shrug, mouthing Xander’s name, and they both give knowing nods.

The door opens again, sending my heart racing for my throat, ready to jump clear out of my mouth if I give it the chance.

But it’s a false alarm. An older couple, probably regulars, shuffle down to the end of the bar and take their seats.

“Don’t freak on us, Sky. Steve’s gonna be happy to see you. And if Ethan doesn’t have practice and comes with him, you’re gonna love him. That kid gives Steve so much of the shit he deserves.” Coop smirks, shaking his head. “They’re like an old married couple, I swear.”