Page 1 of The Break Out (Denver Dragons #3)

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W orking as my best friend, Spencer’s, publicist has its pros and cons.

Pro, we get to spend a ton of time together. She’s an extremely well-known singer and the most talented person I’ve ever met. It’s amazing to get to travel with her and watch her perform all the time. I get to hype her up constantly. Honestly, it’s a dream come true for both of us.

Con, she goes rogue and announces her new relationship while her ex is still pissy. I then have to deal with the massive fallout for her because I don’t need her stressed about it. Plus, that’s what I’m there to do for her.

And as her best friend, I want to be on her side about the picture she posted as a “fuck you” to her shitty ass ex. As her publicist, I kind of want to kill her for doing so without talking to me first.

Right now, I’m on the phone with Spencer’s ex, Kenneth’s, publicist .

“I just think we should have had a heads up so we could have approached this together,” she says.

“I know, I get that, but Spencer did approach Kenneth about a joint statement, and he basically told her to kick rocks. Which is why she posted her solo statement.”

“This is why you and I handle these things.”

I sigh, “I know. She was mad and vindictive, so she posted the picture. Can we just move past this. Spencer would like to cut all ties with Kenneth.”

“Fine. I’ll figure something out.”

“Thank you.”

We hang up and I toss my phone across the hotel bed in annoyance. There’s several texts, emails, and phone calls that need to be returned and I don’t feel like dealing with any of it.

Spencer is currently on tour, and we are in Denver because she had some days off, but we fly out in the morning to her next stop. Which is Kansas City, I think. Or maybe it’s Detroit. Honestly, I can’t keep up without my planner on my tablet. We’re here because her new boyfriend, Jared, is a goalie for the Denver Dragons hockey team. The same team that my brother, Brent, is the captain of.

We went to a game tonight against the Spartans, which is the team her ex played for. Then, she decided to post a picture holding hands with Jared and shut off her phone. She’ll be hearing about all of this from me on our plane ride .

For now, I’m here in my hotel room about to drink myself to sleep. I like being in Denver and being able to see my brother and his unconventional family. His girlfriend, Chandler, is also dating two of his other teammates. It’s a little weird, but not my business and I like her a lot.

Could never be me. I don’t want to deal with one hockey player, let alone three. My brother and I have a good relationship, though. He basically raised me because our parents suck and he’s the oldest. We have three other siblings with me being the youngest.

Well, I guess we had three other siblings.

Two years ago, my second oldest brother, Brandon, died of an overdose.

I shake away the memories because I don’t have the mental capacity to deal with the spiral that will send me down right now. Though, the single reminder is sobering enough to remind me not to grab a bottle to deal with my problems.

Instead, I take a nice, hot therapeutic shower before climbing into the cool sheets and do my best to fall asleep. If only it were that simple, because as soon as I do my mind is consumed with all my thoughts I suppressed during the day. All the guilt and resentment that comes from being a Collee comes rushing back and sleep is a lot more elusive than I would like it to be.

Spencer is already seated on the private jet when I arrive because I’m late, which is unlike me. She’s texting and looks up when she hears me enter .

“Hey, I was starting to worry about you,” she says right as her phone goes off signaling another text and she looks down smiling. I assume it’s Jared.

“Yeah, sorry, I couldn’t sleep,” I plop down in the seat across from her.

“Someone keeping you awake, too?” She wiggles her eyebrows at me, suggestively.

I bark out a short humorless laugh, “Not in the way you’re suggesting. Mine was all work related.”

She sets her phone down on the seat next to her. “Yeah, I’m sorry about posting that picture.”

I wave her off, “Don’t worry about it. That’s why you pay me.”

“I was just so mad and annoyed at Kenneth and wanted to make it known that I’m happier without him,” she explains.

“It’s really okay. I get why you did it, I’ll get it handled.”

“You’re the best. Did you happen to see the rumors about Colton Wheeler possibly getting traded?” She asks.

“Nope, I only have eyes for you and your news,” I joke, batting my eyelashes at her.

“Aw, how sweet. And hilarious. Now tell me what that guy’s deal is. ”

I groan, shaking my head. “He just likes annoying me because I turned him down before.”

“Wait, I don’t think I know about that.”

I shrug. “It wasn’t a big deal. You know how I feel about dating a hockey player. One of the times we went to Kenneth’s game he came up to me, flirted with me, and asked me out. I said no and to never try again. He’s taken that as a challenge and made it his personal mission to bug me every time he sees me.”

“Where was I when that happened?” She looks confused.

“I don’t know, talking to someone, I’m sure. Seriously, Spence, it’s not a big deal. I can handle it.”

Spencer’s phone goes off again and I see she wants to grab it, but then looks back at me. I chuckle, grabbing my own from my purse. “Talk to your boyfriend, we have the whole flight to talk to each other.”

She picks up the call from Jared while I go through my emails and flag the important ones I’m going to need to get back to once we land.

The flight takes off and Spencer passes out almost immediately. I try to do the same but am widely unsuccessful and end up looking out the window in the distance as we pass through the clouds. Flying never ceases to amaze me, how we can be so high up in this flying tube of metal.

It also makes me think about the way my life has turned out. No one back home would have believed that Brynn Collee would end up on a private jet regularly .

Honestly, no one would believe any of the Collee kids turned out to be anything. I love proving them wrong. Brent shielded me from a lot of the horrors in our house, but once he moved out there was only so much he could do. Brandon was rarely around after that. Bryson did what he could for Bailey and me, but eventually he left too.

Once again, I shake off the negative thoughts in regard to my childhood and focus on the here and now. And the here and now has me doing a lot of work with no need for distractions.