Page 59 of Broken Pieces
Chapter Twenty-Five
Raelynn
My brother just bought me a shot.
What is going on in the world?
It’s my birthday and I am officially twenty-one. I force a smile on my face to keep up the façade that I am happy. I mean I should be.
I was hoping that when Summer planned a party, they would throw me one at the house. Not at Sawyer’s. The two other nights I spent here creep into my brain turning my mood foul on a night I should be enjoying myself. But since I have had a fake ID for three years, bars are not really that appealing to me except when necessary. This is not one of those times.
“You don’t look like you’re having much fun?” Brooks asks me as I lean against the wall waiting to use the bathroom.
I shrug. “I am.”
“Liar.” He leans his shoulder against the wall, his back to the crowd so no one can see who he is talking to. Most would assume some girl he is planning on taking home. “I know you are thinking about what happened last time you were here.”
My eyes cut to his. No idea how he could read my mind.
The back of his hand rubs against the side of my cheek sending shivers down my spine. “You are safe here, Blue. No one can hurt you with this many people around.”
I nod knowing he is right. No guy would get past my brother, Trace, Brett, or Brooks. But the thought of what happened before still haunts me.
Brooks leans his forehead against mine. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
The intimacy of the moment isn’t lost on me. His breath hums across my lips and I know he is about to kiss me, but I pull away. “Not here.”
The door to the woman’s bathroom opens and a girl about my age walks out. She checks out Brooks, but he ignores her and squeezes my hand. I squeeze it back before he lets me go and walks back out into the crowd.
I look into the mirror in the bathroom. Thinking of all the mistakes I’ve made in the past. And I can’t help but think if Brooks is going to be added to that list.
I take a deep breath, fluff the loose waves of my hair, and fix the bit of eyeliner that is smeared under my eye. I take a good look at myself for the first time in a while and notice the subtle changes to my body. I’m not pallor anymore, the time in the sun has done wonders for my skin. My body is still tiny, but I look less like skin and bones and more like a normal girl. The scars on my arms are nearly faded, the only ones still present are the ones on my thighs, but those won’t fade as quickly. Just like the scars on my heart.
I decide I should be happy with these changes. Happy I have been able to put some of the past behind me. I take one last deep breath before putting the smile back on my face and heading out to my family and friends.
When I sidle up to the table, I squeeze in between Brooks and Ivy. He squeezes my hand once more under the table. I look into his eyes to reassure him I am okay. He nods briefly before turning back to his brother.
I notice Easton look at me funny across the table. I glance away from him. He couldn’t have thought anything was going on between the two of us with that one second glance. He turns toward Harper who is holding their baby and whispers into her ear. She looks over at me and shrugs before turning back to Easton.
“Who the hell brings a baby to a bar?”
All thoughts of what Easton was thinking fade away when I hear Tacoma’s voice over the raucous of the music and the crowd.
I squeal as I turn around and run toward her. I hug her and nearly knock her over in her staggering heels.
“Hi baby sister. I missed you,” she says as she pulls back and tucks my hair behind my ear.
I smile at her. I am beyond happy she showed up. I haven’t seen her in a year, and I take her in. She is tall like Easton, getting our father’s height, nearly six feet tall. And on top of that, she has one of those bombshell bodies men drool over. Her big boobs, tiny waist, and huge ass, the perfect hourglass shape. Her brown hair hangs in loose curls down her back. “You dyed your hair!” I shriek.
“I got tired of being blonde, wanted to go back to my roots,” she laughs with a twinkle in her matching green eyes. The only thing I have in common with both her and Easton is my green eyes. Both took after Dad, with his height and dark hair. I look more like a replica of Mom, tiny and short with honey blonde hair. When we were younger, some people questioned the fact we were siblings, our eyes the only thing that gave it away.
“I can’t believe you came!” I shout still overzealous with excitement.
“And miss my sister’s twenty-first birthday? You know I couldn’t miss a party!”
I turn around and we walk toward our small group. Harper shoves the baby into Easton’s arms and turns to give Tacoma a hug. Easton puts his free arm around Tacoma, but she pushes him away as she grabs baby Theo out of his arms.
“I have been waitin’ forever to meet you little guy!” she exclaims as she repeatedly lifts him high in the air before bringing him back down to her chest.