Vivid Lies (13 page)

Leslie sighs and shakes her head at Miles behind him. He glares at me, biting his lip. I can tell he wants to yell. The man who's usually a calm and soothing sky blue is turning into a deep, navy blue. I see the tints of black filling in, tainting the gentleness in him.
 

"I didn't mean in like that, London. I'm glad you came."
 

Maybe it's not black I see seeping in. It's green. Like envy. Miles is jealous. He doesn't like Kane and I can't decide if it's because of me or Brooklyn. Which one of us does it bother him more to see with another guy?

"Make sure she doesn't drive," he tells Kane, who is still standing tense behind me. Miles leans forward and places a quick kiss to my cheek before leaving. Braxton follows and soon the guys are back on the stage.
 

"Sorry," I mumble, taking the fresh drinks from the server.
 

"No need," Kane says, paying for our drinks. "Should we go?"

I shake my head as the sound of Miles grabbing the mic silences the bar.
 

"I got something new for you guys tonight," Miles says, earning several cheers. "I hope you guys like it. It's very personal to me."

Kane comes to stand next to me, his hand touching my lower back lightly. The slow and hypnotic notes of Miles's guitar fill the space. It's a haunting tune that pulls at something sad inside me. I feel sad just from the melody, but I don't understand why.
 

Miles's voice joins the strums of his guitar. The drums slowly follow, along with the keyboard. Each instrument sneaking in, adding but never overshadowing Miles's words. I hear each one loud and clear.
 

The first words are about love so fierce that it burns. He sings of fire and flames. Each verse is pulled from his chest, pouring out over the stage and the people watching in respectable silence. Images from my nightmares play in my head along with his words.
 

He sings of loving someone so untouchable that he has burns and scars to prove it. A love that is indestructible but invisible. He loves so deeply that he breaks. Everything around them turns to ash.
 

Kane's touch gets firmer as my knees get weak. Every word feels like it's personal and aimed at me.
 

Words about smoke and burning accompany the dramatic notes. He's searching the flames, fighting the smoke for her. The emotions he shows match those in my nightmares. The fear. The love. The hopeless searching.
 

He says he will never give up searching for her. Her body may burn but his love never will.
 

The vision of Miles on that stage, staring out at me starts to blur. Fire and smoke taint my vision as the alcohol and emotion mess with my head. The stage starts to fade, along with the rest of the room. I feel like I'm floating and spinning as everything goes black.
 

Brooklyn

I come from a family of extremes. My dad couldn't have just one drink. My mom couldn't just have one kid. She had to have two. At the same time.
 

London and I are no different. Our life is a balancing act from my extremes to hers. Wild to calm. Sweet to sour.
 

I was never the emotional one and London feels too much. She would cry when our father came home and spewed hateful things at us for being an inconvenience in his life. I stayed strong for her, showing her it didn't have to hurt. That strong and hard act is tough to keep in place at all times.
 

The one thing I actually like about living in Florida is the roof of our apartment. It's just as run down as the rest of the place, but it's empty. No one comes up here because the sun is almost unbearable without any shade. At the right time of the day, though, the apartment building next door casts a shadow.
 

That's where I set up the cheap lounge chair. It's faded from the sun and constant exposure. Up here, I do the one thing I hate the most and that's feel. I can worry about my sister's constant nightmares. I can feel guilty for bailing on Miles and London last night.
 

As much as I wanted the two most important people in my life to be together, part of me felt left out. Miles may have kissed me first, but he never has since that night. If he kissed London, what does that mean for the three of us? Does that make her mean more or me mean any less?

What bothers me the most about all these haunting questions is that I have them in first place. London is the one chasing after romance. She reads about it, photographs it, and wishes for it. I avoid romance and anything to do with love like it's the plague.
 

I want fun, passion, and something so consuming you feel like you're high. Actions matter to me more than feelings or words. My heart isn't built like London's. It's not warm and open. It's cold and closed off to everyone else. It's better this way.

I jump when I hear footsteps echoing up the stairwell behind me. The door to the roof opens and Kane steps through. He seems surprised to see me. I relax my tense muscles. I'm sure I'm not allowed up here, but I didn't think there was anyone who would bust me.
 

"What are you doing up here?" he asks as he comes closer.
 

He looks different in a white shirt and basketball shorts.

"I come up here sometimes to tan. You?"

He looks me up and down, finally resting on my face.
 

"You always tan fully clothed? In the shade?"

"Do you always answer a question with a question?"

"I work out up here after my runs. Never knew anyone else knew how to get up here."

I came up here by mistake the first time actually. I was smoking on the fire escape when London came home one day. I climbed up the stairs to finish my smoke and ended up on the roof. Only once I was up here did I find the door leading back into the building. From inside, it looks like another apartment.
 

Kane drops to the ground and does push-ups as if he is proving a point. If he is going to go about his business, then I will go about mine. I sit back down on the weathered chair and watch Kane. His muscles in his back flex under his damp shirt. With every push, he makes a grunting sound. Soon, I am done feeling and thinking.
 

Kane jumps up to his feet and pulls his shirt over his head. He uses it to wipe some of the sweat off his chest. I watch him as he pulls out his headphones and comes to sit next to me. I can feel the heat off his skin. He still somehow smells good.

"You stood me up last night," he finally says.
 

"I know."

"Something tells me that I should have expected that."

"Something or someone?"
 

He glances at me sideways and lifts a brow.
 

"How is your sister anyways? She feeling better?"

"Better?" I ask, confused. I didn't know she was sick.

Now it's Kane's turn to look confused.
 

"She fainted last night at the bar. Miles took her home after she came to."

"Shit. I had no clue. I should go check on her."

I stand to leave but Kane grabs my hand and pulls me back down. I'm surprised the lounger doesn't break under the impact.
 

"I'm sure Miles is taking care of her. He's a bit protective of you guys."

I nod and fidget in my seat. I'm pissed at myself for not knowing about what happened to my sister last night. It makes me feel worse for not being there with her last night.

"Why did you bail?" he asks.
 

I sigh and lean back, letting the sun hit my face.
 

"I'm not a very reliable person. I don't do dates or keep promises very well." I shrug, wishing I had something substantial to give him. Truth is, I just didn't feel like playing nice for the night. I wasn't ready to bring Kane into our little group. I don't think I will ever be ready to bring anyone into it.
 

"No hard feelings," Kane says as he stands.
 

Turning to face me, he grabs my hands and pulls me to my feet. We are chest to chest as I look up at him. He is still shirtless, and I can smell the mixture of sweat and salty air. It's masculine and intoxicating. Kane runs his hands up my arms, over my shoulders and down my back.
 

I can tell we are done with the talking. This is the part that I like about being with Kane. The physical part. The way our bodies communicate with each other. His rough fingers tickle the skin of my lower back as he sneaks them under the hem.
 

"What are you doing?" I ask, sounding breathless.
 

"You look like you need cheering up. You once did the same for me," Kane says. "I'm returning the favor."

I nod but I'm not really listening. My mind is blissfully quiet again as it focuses only on Kane. My body is humming with energy, simmering under the surface, ready to explode. Everything is intensified with Kane. His light breath on my face feels like a forceful wind. The heat from his skin feels scorching even under the harsh sun above us. The fingers lifting my shirt slowly might as well be tearing it off.
 

In my shorts and my bra, I glance around. We are alone on the roof but other buildings surround us, although none of the windows seem to face this way. Kane notices me looking and pulls me over to the door. I think he's going to take us back downstairs but he opens the door all the way and shoves me against it. The metal is cold on my bare back and I gasp with the contrast to the heat of his chest on my front.
 

Kane dips his head and latches his teeth to my neck. I buck against him but he grabs my hands and uses his body to keep me in place. His biting turns to sucking, then licking. I'm melting into him, feeling heat flood my insides. Lifting one leg, I wrap it around his waist, grinding against him.
 

He's hard under the thin fabric of his shorts. I can feel it through my jean shorts as I grind against him. The friction sends shock waves through my body. I can feel myself getting wet and I struggle to break my hands free. I just need to get rid of everything separating us at the moment.
 

Kane raises my arms above my head and forces my fingers to grab on to the top of the door.
 

"Don't let go." His voice is gravelly and rough in my ear. I tighten my grip.
 

Kane steps back so I'm forced to drop the leg I had wrapped around him. Quickly, he undoes my button and yanks my shorts down. They fall at my feet to the hot tar of the roof. I step out of them just in time for Kane to grab the back of my thighs and lift me.
 

I wrap my legs around him and forget about where we are. I don't give a shit that we are out in the open. I don't care that my fingers hurt from holding to the top of the door or that I will get bruises on my back. All I care about is getting release. I need the messy collision of our bodies, the fleeting connection, the uncontrolled lust.
 

With one hand, Kane reaches between us. I hiss as the back of his hand rubs between my legs. My whole body is craving him. I feel my legs shaking around him as I arch into his body. In my haze, I hear the tearing of a condom. Without further warning, he pushes into me roughly. I cry out in relief like I finally had a drink on the brink of dehydration.
 

Kane stills once he's deep inside me and I open my eyes. He is watching me and I clench my muscles around him. I need him to move. I need it hard and fast. I want Kane to fuck me so hard that all I can feel or think of is him. When Kane doesn't move, I tilt my hips so he's forced deeper. A rumble moves through his chest, vibrating my needy body.
 

Any control that Kane may have had finally snaps. My victory is short-lived because he soon delivers exactly what I want. He pounds in to me without mercy, slamming me into the door. I don't even bother keeping my screams to myself. I stopped caring about being heard when Kane dropped my shorts where anyone could see. The thrill of being so careless only adds to the heightened intensity.
 

I can feel my orgasm creeping up on me. My fingers struggle to keep hold of the door and I start to slip. I can't hold on. I can't do anything but prepare for the explosion that is about to happen. Kane seems completely tuned into my body and takes my weight for me just before I let go.
 

"Come loud for me, Brooklyn," he growls into shoulder. "Let me hear you scream."

After another hard thrust and throwing me into the door, I obey Kane's demand. I come loudly and without shame. My eyes close tightly as waves rack through my body. Kane keeps pumping into me, increasing his pace as he gets closer to his own orgasm. Like last time, I drag my nails down his back and it pushes him over the edge.
 

My whole body trembles and weakens as Kane lets go inside me. I feel him pulsing inside as it sends aftershocks though me. Spent, he slumps into me, both of us panting and sweaty. It's exactly how we should be. Raw and primal. Unforgiving and uncaring. Exhausting but mind-blowing. Simple.