Reeve (The Phoenix Boys #3) (22 page)

“Leah, I told you I was making tea; why did you fill them up with all that sugar before they eat a proper meal? God girl, I hope you have more sense when you have kids of your own,” my mam says. She loves me really, because I am the baby of the family. But her words make my breath catch. My hearts sinks all over again; shit, will the pain ever stop? My phone beeps in my back pocket but I know who it is before looking.

Juicy: We need another Skype.. Now if you can, I have plans later.

Me: Ok, give me two minutes.

“I’m going up to my room to Skype with Juicy.” I don’t wait for their responses as I run for my room. I sit on my bed and lift my laptop up onto my lap and sign in to Skype. I bite my thumbnail as I wait for it to connect. We have chatted a few times since I came home but whenever Juicy or Rafe bring up Reeve, I change the subject or make an excuse to cut our chat short. I know I am avoiding, but it hurts to talk about him. The screen pops up and I see them, four very important people to me. Rafe is holding Rowan and Lucy is holding Lyric. They have gotten so big over the last few weeks. Time has flown by.

“Hey there is my Welsh cake, how you doing sweets?” Juicy asks. I can’t help but smile.

“I am good, taking one day at a time. Anyways, look at my babies, look how big they have gotten.” I watch has Rafe looks down at his daughter with a proud dad look all over his face. He is an amazing father and Lucy is a fantastic mother, they deserve this.

“So, how is everyone back in sunny LA? And why did you want to Skype right now?” I ask. They give each other a look and Juicy’s face falls. “What? What’s happened?”

“We have plans later and I just wanted to check in is all,” Lucy says.

“We have to tell her, Snowflake. He is wrong keeping it from her.” Fucking hell, I know they are talking about Reeve. Oh My God. Has he moved on already? My breathing increases as I try to keep a casual face, but fuck if I can.

“Fuck, just tell me, I am going crazy here thinking all kinds of shit. Please.”

“Reeve did not want us to tell you because he said that you would come back here for the wrong reasons and he didn’t want that. Leah, a few days after you went home, Kurtis was killed in a car accident. We haven’t been handling things well. The family is devastated.” I see Juicy is crying and a few tears leak from Rafe’s eyes. I cannot stop my own tears, oh poor Kurtis; he was such a good kid, funny and loving.

“I am so sorry, Rafe,” I hiccup between words. “I know words can’t make a difference but know that I am sorry, he was an amazing boy. The world is a shittier place without him.” They both nod. I wipe my tears away and clear my throat. I look behind them and notice that they are not at home. Or they redecorated their place.

“Um, guys, where are you? You are not at home.” I state, they both smile and look at each other, wishing the other would answer.

“Um, we took some time away and we are at a hotel.” Rafe looks at his watch.

“Snowflake we have to go and umm.. you know, that thing you wanted to do.” Yeah, they are up to something.

“Ok shit yeah, I did not notice the time. Babe, you ok to chat tomorrow?”

“Yeah, but in my afternoon or evening, I am working tonight, so I want a lay in.” I need as much sleep as I can since I have been waking throughout the night.

“Ok, that’s cool. Chat soon, bye Leah.”

“Yeah, cya Lipsy.” My breath catches as no-one has called me that in weeks. I smile and disconnect the chat. That man has ruined me. I sometimes think that maybe my dad is right and I should have let Reeve explain, but fuck if I wasn’t hurt when she answered that call. I check my phone and see I have a few hours before I have to get to work, a nap is in order I think. I send Ryan a text because I am simply too lazy to walk downstairs and tell them that I am going for a nap before work.

A few hours later, I walk into the bar that I work at, Ten Feet Tall. I love this place, so down to Earth with a rustic look and feel about it. We have a small stage at the back with a bar running along the wall and there are random lamp shades hanging from the ceiling. There are dark wooden tables and chairs as we serve food here as well. The candles are already lit and the flowers have been placed in the center of each table. I see that a band is already set up; I didn’t know we had a band playing tonight. I walk into the back room and see Carwyn standing by the mirror, brushing his hair yet again. Vain bastard.

“Hey, Carwyn. You looking at pulling tonight?” He is such a man whore but he is totally adorable; he has never flirted with me because he is best friends with Ryan.

“Oh, Cariad, you know I am. I am always looking to pick a new bird. How are you holding up, babes? Ryan said that you have been better the last week or so.” I nod and smile.

“I’m getting there Car. Hey, I didn’t know we had a band booked for tonight.”

“Nor me, Babs booked them, some American band, wanting to break the UK pub scene. I had better get out there before the place starts filling up.” He kisses the side of my head and walks out the door. The thought that the band could be Inside Noise flits through my head, but no way would they come here. They have no reason to, do they?

The bar is filling up when I walk out to the bar. Stepping behind it, I start serving customers; the music is playing and I get lost in my job. I hear a few beats of the drum set on stage and turn to look but I can’t see the stage too well as the bar is packed, so I get back to serving.

“Evening, everyone. We are very lucky to be here tonight as it was a last minute gig.” My body freezes mid turn, I almost drop the bottle in my hand but Carwyn is there to take it from me and he keeps me standing. “We are Inside Noise and we … I am here to get my girl back. Lipsy, will you come here please?” I shake my head no and my nose burns again with unshed tears. Carwyn pushes me forward to the end of the bar where Lucy and Letty are waiting for me. I would normally bitch them out but my voice is lost in all the emotion coursing through my body.  Juicy and Letty take one of my hands in theirs and pull me towards the stage. I try to stand my ground but they are having none of it.

“You see guys, I love this girl here. But something happened a few weeks ago and she left me but I need her to understand that what she thinks happened did not happen.” Anger boils in me and I explode, all the pent up emotion I have been holding in comes to the surface.

“You seriously flew all the way here to lie to my fucking face? You are such a knobhead, Reeve fucking Phoenix. You are going to stand up there in front of everyone here in my own town and tell them that while I was waiting for you at a restaurant, that you weren’t shagging some bird back at the studio. She answered your phone Reeve and you told her to come back to bed for another round. So fuck you.” Someone shouts out, calling Reeve a ‘wanker’ and I laugh to myself. I turn to leave and turn into a wall of hot muscle that is Braxton Preston. He smiles down on me with his million dollar smile.

“Lipsy, he didn’t cheat, please listen to him, baby girl.” He places his big hands on my shoulders and turns me back to the stage. He marches me forward until I am in front of Reeve. He looks bloody amazing and my eyes slide over him from toe to head. He is wearing black boots, and light blues jeans with the perfect rips on them. My eyes keep going up, and I see that he is wearing a black V-neck t-shirt which is slightly tucked into the front of his jeans, showing his Batman belt buckle and his black Phoenix leather wristband.

“Let him explain, love,” a bloke shouts from my left.

“Fine, talk,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.

“I left my phone at the studio after the boys and I finished. I was driving to meet you when some old dude ran a red light and hit my car, neither of us was hurt but I had to wait for the police. I couldn’t contact you to let you know. When I found out you had left me and I didn’t know why. Then I read your note.” He takes a deep breath, “I went back to the studio and found my cell, but it was already too late. You had already called me but Brax’s girlfriend answered, baby it wasn’t me in the studio, you get me?” I nod, “I was giving you space and then the news of Kurtis came and well everything went to shit but it made me realize what I already knew, Leah Adams you are enough for me, fuck you are too good for me but I am a selfish prick who refuses to let you go. Lipsy, you are my Inside Noise and I love you. Listen to the words, Lipsy.”

The boys start playing Hoobastank’s ‘The Reason’ and my chest tightens as I let the words wash over me. The song is Reeve baring his soul to me, he is showing his struggle. The song tells me that he knows he isn’t perfect but he wants to be a better man but he just needed a reason and that reason is me. No pressure then, mate. I know I am crying, but I really don’t bloody care right now. I can’t seem to take my eyes off the man I love, up on that stage singing to me, pouring his heart out. The song finishes and Reeve steps forward to the edge of the stage and I step forward more.

“Baby, I love you and that song says a lot about how I used to feel and how I feel now. You are my reason, Lipsy. You are my Inside Noise. I will keep saying it until my last breath, babe. I have one more song just for you. If my singing this song does not show you how much I fucking love you, then I have no clue what will.” He straightens up and steps behind the microphone stand. He winks at me and I am sure I hear women swoon from behind me; I turn to see a bunch of semi dressed skanks eye fucking my bloke. Poxy slags.

Inside Noise plays One Direction’s ‘What Makes You Beautiful’  and my heart melts all over again as I burst out laughing. Everyone sings with the boys and everyone dances around the room. Reeve knows I have a weakness for boy bands. I dance with Lucy and Letty, while Inside Noise plays.

Once the song finishes, Reeve jumps off the stage and wraps me in his big warm tattooed arms and kisses the breath out of me but I don’t care, I will take everything he has to give and everything he takes from me. His wet hot tongue invades my mouth and I suck on it, making him growl into my mouth. Now I remember Juicy and Letty telling me how sexy it was when Rafe and Ryder growled, but holy shit they were right. He grips my arse, pulling me towards him, making me feel how hard he is for me.

“Baby, you still love me?” He asks breathlessly, after he ends the kiss.

“Yes, Reeve I still love you, I never stopped. These past few weeks have been hell.” I bring his ear to my mouth, “I need to talk to you about something important, follow me.” I take his hand and drag him to the staff room at the back of the pub. Clapping and cheering rings out behind us but I don’t care, I have my man back and I am not letting him go.

Chapter 23

Leah

I pull Reeve into the room and shut and lock the door behind us. Reeve wastes no time and pins me to the door, lifting me off my feet and I wrap my legs around his hips. His hard-on is now flush against my core. His takes my mouth in a deep, wet hot kiss. Licking the inside of my mouth makes me moan. His touch has always made me lose myself; he slides his hand across my stomach and I tense up. Shit, we need to stop and talk before we go any further. I reluctantly pull away and I rest my forehead against his, only our breathing fills the room. I unhook my ankles and slide down his body, hoping that this little chat will go in my favor.

Standing before Reeve, my heart is beating so erratically, I think it is going to come through my chest. I take Reeve’s hand and lead him over to the brown couch that sits in the corner of the room. I sit and pat the seat next to me, which he takes. I give him a small smile and grip his hands in mine. I am not sure whether I am trying to hold him to me if he takes the news badly or comfort myself.

“Lipsy, whatever it is, we can handle it ok? Unless you slept with someone else, please don’t tell me you let someone else touch what’s mine?” The words rush out of his mouth. I shake my head no and his body sags with relief, “Oh thank fuck. I know we were semi broken up but, Jesus woman, you almost gave me a heart attack.” He huffs a laugh.

“Reeve, my news still might give you a heart attack, I am just not sure how you will take it. You need to understand that I didn’t mean for this to happen, well not yet anyway.” I know I am rambling but the words won’t fucking stop, “I get it if you want to go home and never see…” He cuts me off by pinching my lips together with his fingers.