Complicate Me Read online

  I am damaged goods.

  Bruised and battered, hidden behind a façade of smoke and mirrors. A pretty package wrapped up with shiny blonde hair and pouty lips, a tiny ass and flawless skin, but inside it’s a fucking mess. Reid said it himself and he’s right.

  I just want normal so bad.

  “You okay?” Justin asks, but his question lacks the sympathy I hoped for. It’s almost like he’s asking so I don’t think he’s a dick.

  “Yeah, I will be. I’m sorry you had to…” He’s shaking his head and I stop speaking, my words catching in my throat before they go too far.

  “It’s okay. I think you might need some time to…I don’t know,” Justin mutters. “Maybe figure out what’s going on with…”

  “I don’t need any time to figure out what’s going on with Reid,” I immediately say, but it’s clear that was not what Justin was thinking. He closes his eyes, shaking his head.

  “I was gonna say with your dad.”

  “I’m sorry,” I murmur, my eyes welling with tears once again.

  “Seriously, Sienna. It’s okay. I get it. I’m here if you need me, but I think you need some time to process what’s happened here. I’m gonna go.” He tosses a thumb in the direction of the door and at the moment I don’t have the resolve to argue or to ask him to stay.

  When the door closes behind him, I walk straight into the bathroom, kneeling down on the floor, I retch over the toilet. My nose is running and my eyes feel like sandpaper, and when I finally pull myself from the floor, the person in the mirror looks like no one I know.

  Why is this even happening?

  Chapter Ten

  Reid

  I storm back to my house, my blood boiling. How in the actual fuck could Sienna think I’d make up something like her dad dying just to stop Justin getting in her pants? Fuck’s sake, does she really think that little of me? Has our friendship gotten that bad?

  Just as I slam the front door shut, grateful no one else is home, I see Justin’s car tear off down the street, the passenger seat empty and I instantly know he’s gone because this has all gotten too hard for him.

  “Asshole,” I mutter, not at all surprised that he’d bail now. There’s not a chance in hell he actually gives a shit about her. He was only hanging around to get in Sienna’s pants and as fucked up as all of this is with her dad, at least it’s taken care of the Justin problem for me.

  I stalk into the kitchen and grab a beer from the fridge, knowing I probably shouldn’t be drinking less than twenty-four hours after a concussion, but not really giving a shit. My head already hurts, how much worse can it get? I take a long pull on the bottle, my mind whirling with images of Sienna, of the look on her face as she stood there and screamed at me.

  But just as quickly as I picture that, I remember the feel of her in my arms as I held her on her front porch. How fucking good it felt, even if that’s the last thing I should be thinking about.

  Regardless of whatever’s happened to us, I know I can’t leave her alone right now, especially after Justin has also bailed. Leaving my half-drunk beer on the counter, I turn and head back to Sienna’s place, hoping to talk some sense into her.

  But she doesn’t answer the door, which I discover is locked, leaving me to wonder where the hell she might have gone so quickly. Exhaling, I take a seat on the bench on her front porch so I can wait for her, knowing we need to talk about this and how we’re going to get back home.

  Pulling out my phone, I start to type out a quick text to her.

  Me: Sienna…look, I’m…

  I pause, suddenly unsure what to type. I thought I’d be apologizing, telling her I was sorry for being the one to have to tell her about her dad, for calling her a coward and making all of this so much worse than what it needed to be.

  But now, I’m not even sure if I am sorry. Now I think I’m just pissed. Pissed that she’s being this selfish to her brother, the guy who gave up everything so she could have a future, so that she could be the one to get away from their dad. The least she can do is go home and see if he’s okay, fix up the fucking mess their dad has probably left behind.

  “Hey, Reid.”

  I look up and see Ruby walking up the steps, a smile on her face.

  “Hey, Ruby,” I say standing as I shove my hand through my hair. Fuck my head hurts.

  “You here to see Sienna?” she asks, unlocking the door and walking inside. She leaves the door open in invitation and I follow her in.

  “Yeah,” I murmur glancing around, the opened but uneaten In-N-Out bag sitting on the coffee table. “I’m not sure she’s home though.”

  “Really?” Ruby asks, surprised. “I thought she was. I thought Justin…” she trails off, her expression turning to one of confusion as she takes in the untouched bag of food. “Is everything okay?”

  I shake my head, my phone still gripped tightly in my hand, the unfinished text to Sienna still open and unsent on my screen.

  “What’s wrong?” she asks, and I can hear the concern in her voice now.

  I exhale hard. “Sienna’s dad died,” I say, figuring there’s no point beating around the bush with this shit. “She’s pretty messed up about it and I need to get her back home, but she’s refusing to go.”

  “Shit,” Ruby exhales, collapsing onto the sofa. “I mean…how, what…what happened?”

  I glance at her, see the confusion still on her face. It’s pretty clear Ruby doesn’t know the full story about Sienna’s dad and all the shit he’s put her and Caleb through. I’m not surprised Sienna hasn’t told her; it’s not the kind of thing you tell just anyone. Neither of us are big on sharing the details of our childhood and I know that part of coming here was so she could start fresh, in a place where no one knew the shit she’d had to live through. No one except me.

  And while it’s not my place to fill Ruby in on the details, I do need to get her on my side with this plan that’s starting to form in my head.

  “I’m not sure on the full details,” I lie, moving to sit on the coffee table. “But I know she needs to go home and see her brother.”

  “Yeah, of course,” Ruby says, nodding. “How though?” she asks, looking up at me. “She can’t afford a flight.”

  I smirk. “You think I’d be able to drag her kicking and screaming ass through the airport? The TSA would have my ass if I tried that.”

  Ruby laughs a little. “So how? She doesn’t have a car either.”

  “I’m going to drive her,” I quickly say, knowing this is our only option.

  Ruby cocks a brow at me, a surprised look on her face. I know exactly what she’s thinking right now.

  “Yeah I know,” I say, letting out a short laugh. “Think you might be able to help me out with that?”

  My alarm rings out early the next morning, although I’m already awake. I’d barely slept the night before, my brain racing with endless possibilities of where Sienna was, how I was going to make today work and what Caleb was currently going through. The headache that started when Caleb first called only getting worse as the hours ticked by.

  Ruby had texted late last night to let me know that Sienna had finally come home. They hadn’t spoken much, and Ruby had pretended that she didn’t know about Sienna’s dad so she didn’t have to admit I’d come by. After I’d filled her in with what I wanted to do, I’d then texted Caleb to let him know of our plans.

  I know I have to act fast this morning, before Sienna disappears again, so throwing back the covers, I take a quick shower, before grabbing some Tylenol, picking up the bag I’d packed the night before and quietly walking out of the house to my truck. I didn’t bother leaving a note for my roommates and only Logan knew of my plans.

  Opening the back door, I throw my bag in before driving the two doors down to Sienna’s place, knowing I can’t risk walking her back here without her trying to get away.

  The door opens before I have a chance to knock, Ruby yawning as she lets me inside the
house.

  “How is she?” I whisper.

  Ruby shrugs, rubbing her eyes. “Pissy, although I’m guessing that’s nothing compared to how she’s gonna be in about five minutes.”

  I let out a huff. “Yeah, tell me about it.”

  “I’ve made you guys some coffee,” she says now, gesturing to the two travel mugs sitting on the table by the front door. “And packed some food and stuff for the road. How’s your head by the way? Are you even okay to drive?”

  I pause. I’ve never really gotten to know Ruby over the two years Sienna’s been friends with her. Although I see her around a lot and she seems like a really cool chick, most of our interactions have always centered around Ruby trying to maintain some sort of peace when Sienna and I start screaming at each other. But I realize now just how much of a good friend she is to Sienna and it makes me grateful she’s has someone out here, especially given the current state of our so-called friendship.

  “Yeah I’ll be fine,” I tell her. “And thanks,” I say, feeling weirdly awkward. “That was nice of you.”

  She shrugs, letting out another yawn. “What you’re doing for Sienna is nice too,” she says. “Not many people would go to this much effort if they didn’t care about someone.”

  I glance at her, see the smirk on her face, her eyebrow rising in question. Shaking my head, I attempt to laugh it off, ignoring the hidden meaning behind her words as I move toward Sienna’s room. “Guess I better go wake the dragon.”

  I ease open the door of her bedroom and find the room in darkness. Moving toward the curtains, I pull one aside to let in some light before turning to the bed. I stop when I see her, my mouth going dry as I watch her, curled up in her bed, hands hidden beneath her pillow and her eyes closed.

  Her long blonde hair is spread across the pillow and my mind immediately goes to images of that hair spread across my chest or my thighs. To thoughts of waking in the middle of the night and rolling over to bury my face in it or wrapping it around my fingers as I held her close.

  The duvet is pulled to her waist and I can see she’s wearing a tiny tank, her shoulders bare. I wonder what else she has on, what I’d find if I pulled the duvet lower.

  God, she’s beautiful. So tempting and so damn perfect that all I want to do is crawl into her bed and curl myself around her.

  Because she looks so fucking peaceful and relaxed right now, and it kills me that I’m about to ruin that for her.

  Stepping toward the bed, I put my hand on her shoulder, her skin warm beneath my touch and gently shake her. “Sie.” She grumbles a little before burying her face deeper into her pillow. “Sienna,” I repeat. “Wake up. You need to wake up.”

  Her eyes suddenly fly open and lock with mine. For a second, we just stare at each other, neither of us saying anything. In another time and another place, this could go in a very different direction.

  But then the shit really hits the fan.

  “Reid, what the hell are you doing in my room!?” she shouts, sitting up, the covers falling off her.

  I stare down at her, my eyes involuntarily moving to her chest and the tight little tank she wears that clings to her tits. I swallow hard, forcing my eyes back to her face.

  “Get up,” I tell her, my voice firm. “You need to pack and then we’re leaving.” I turn and start opening drawers, pulling out random clothes and underwear and trying to ignore all the cotton and lace I’m holding in my hands.

  Hands pummel at my back, her fists pounding into me. “Reid, what the fuck?” she yells. “Get out of my room!”

  I glance over my shoulder to where she’s standing behind me. “Unless you want to go like that,” I tell her, my eyes once again raking over her body, “I’d suggest you get dressed. Now.”

  Sienna stamps her foot this time, letting out a loud yell as I continue to pull random clothes from her dresser.

  “I cannot believe you are doing this,” she shouts, stomping around her room now. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

  I stop, turning to face her and level her hard stare with one of my own. “Sie, stop,” I say firmly. “Stop fucking yelling and start packing. I don’t give a shit whether you want to do this or not, you’re coming with me. You owe it to Caleb and you fucking know it.”

  “I am not!”

  “Yeah, you fucking are,” I tell her. “Now get dressed.” I grab a bag from the closet, shoving her clothes inside without bothering to fold them. Next I grab her phone and charger, tossing those inside before moving toward the door so I can grab some things from the bathroom.

  Ruby’s standing in the doorway, a bag of toiletries in her hand and a half smile on her face.

  “Thanks,” I mutter, as I take it from her and add it to the bag.

  “What the hell? You were in on this?” Sienna suddenly asks, her eyes on Ruby as she finally catches on to what’s happening.

  Ruby shrugs. “You should go, Sienna,” she says quietly.

  Sienna stares back at her as though she cannot believe what her friend is saying. Eventually she lets out a long sigh, her shoulders visibly sagging as though she’s finally realized she’s not getting out of this.

  “How are we getting there?” she asks. “‘Cause I can’t afford a plane ticket.”

  “I know. I’m driving you,” I tell her.

  “What?” she asks, finally turning to look at me. She looks shocked, as though this is the last thing she expected.

  Our eyes meet and something weird passes between us. “I’m driving you,” I tell her quietly.

  “But…but…what about… Fuck, what about my classes?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know, email your professors? Catch up when you get back? Does it matter?”

  Sienna glares at me. “Yeah, Reid, it kinda does,” she says.

  “Look,” I say, stopping my random packing of her stuff. “You’re going, okay? Even if I have to tie you to the seat of my truck. You know you have to do this, Sie.”

  She levels me with another hard stare, but it’s softer this time, as though she knows I’m right and the only reason she’s fighting me on this is because she really doesn’t want to go home and face the shit storm her dad’s death has created. Doesn’t want to start processing the guilt she has that Caleb is the one who’s had to deal with it all.

  “Come on, we need to get going. Get dressed,” I say, my words softer.

  Sienna stares at me for a few seconds longer, her face now unreadable. “Fine,” she eventually huffs out. “But get out while I get dressed.”

  I can’t resist giving her another once over, my eyes slowly moving from her face, down over her chest and her perky tits which are clearly peeking through the barely there white tank. Stalling for a second, I take them in before my gaze moves lower, down over her stomach and lower to the tiny shorts she’s wearing.

  “Actually,” I say, grinning as my eyes flick back to hers. “I’m okay with you travelling dressed like this.”

  “Reid,” she says, her voice firm. “Get. Out.”

  Twenty minutes later, we are finally in my truck and hitting the road. Sienna has barely said two words after hugging Ruby goodbye and I can practically feel the hostility toward me radiating off her. Combined with the fresh scent of vanilla, after she insisted she take a shower before we left, it’s a heady combination and I suddenly realize how fucking hard this road trip’s going to be.

  How am I going to sit in a confined space with Sienna for days on end?

  Depending on how many hours we drive each day, it’s at least a three-day trip back home. Three days of spending every waking minute with Sienna and no one else. Three nights of hotel rooms and endless possibilities if I chose to allow myself to think about them.

  Fuck. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

  “Just so you know,” Sienna finally says, distracting me from my thoughts of her and I alone in the middle of nowhere, no one else around. From the corner of my eye I see her prop he
r feet up on the dash as she sips on the coffee Ruby made for her. “I really fucking hate you right now.”

  Chuckling, I glance over at her, unable to resist running my fingers lightly down the outside of her thigh. “Just so you know,” I tell her, turning back to the road, “that’s pretty much your standard feeling toward me these days.”

  Sienna huffs, crossing her arms over her chest as she stares out the windshield, refusing to look at me.

  I don’t miss the light blush on her cheeks though, the way it creeps over her skin after I touched her just now. It surprises me, her reaction, that I could cause it.

  Yeah, fuck me, this is gonna be one hell of an interesting trip.

  Chapter Eleven

  Sienna

  Oh my god do I hate him, but his words from last night cling to me like sap from a tree.

  “You don’t get to do this to Caleb.”

  I hate that he’s right and I hate it even more that I’m now sitting next to him on our way to a place I swore I would never return to.

  His truck is absolutely pristine, which is not at all what I expected, and I settle back down into the seat knowing I have at least three days trapped in its confines.

  A pin drop could shatter the silence as it bounces between us creating even more awkwardness than what played out on my porch last night. But of course when I look over at Reid he looks as if he doesn’t care, as if the silence means nothing.

  I want to punch him in his smug face. He’s sitting over there thinking he won, that he’s the reason I got my ass in his truck. Luckily Ruby thought ahead and had coffee waiting otherwise the start to this day would’ve been far more unpleasant than it already is.

  It’s taken me a bit to get past my selfish anger before I realize Reid probably shouldn’t even be driving. It’s only been forty-eight hours since his concussion and the doctor said seventy-two hours of brain rest.

  “Should you even be driving?” I snap at him. “You’re probably going to kill us both.”