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Chapter 49: From Finn
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Boys of RDA Chapter 50: More from Finn
The female character hangs beside him. The painting's technique is the same, but her frame, while in the same color and material, has elaborate swirls etched into the wood. On this set I have to agree with Aspen. I like them as well."You should buy them and hang them in your new place," she coaxes. "They're only five thousand a piece." Her fingers reach out and tap on the small place card beneath the pictures with their name and price. Her comment might sound flippant to those around, but the way her eyes widened as she read the dollar amount displays her true emotions at the outrageous fee.I stifle the laugh at her tight disbelieving expression. "Ten thousand dollars? No wonder these are starving artists."Aspen doesn't answer, but she gives me her double eyebrow raise with one eye open much wider than the other look. Her attempt at a raised brow. It's horrible, just horrible. I love it."Okay, I'll buy them both, but we have to put the female at your house." If it wasn't fr
Boys of RDA Chapter 51: Lag
VOLUME TWO: LAGLag:A noticeable time delay between a player's actions and the reaction of the server.I was promised paradise, but no one warned me it would come with extraParadise Island is exactly what the brochure guaranteed. Paradise. My body relaxes deeper into my large white lounge chair as the sun travels higher in the sky, heating the surface of my skin."Oh, look, Simone. He's a hottie. Go talk to him." My mother's voice carries from her position to my right, but there isn't enough strength in my body to move my head and give her a good eye roll."Mother, he's way too young for Simone. She needs someone responsible and mature to be dull with." The perky blonde to my left, otherwise known as my sister Elena, adds her unsolicited opinion.I lied.Paradise Island would be perfect if it weren't for the two blonde, nosy companions on either side of me. There wasn't a single warning in the brochure about my mother, Sheila, trying to hook me up with every seemingly
Boys of RDA Chapter 52: Paradise
Bypassing the tables, I slip onto one of the bamboo stools and wait for the bartender to make his way in my direction. The area is mostly empty at noon, and it doesn't take me long to order our three beverages. I'm sure to pick a girly drink as well so my sister has a greater chance of her damn pink umbrella she's so desperate for.A slow breeze kicks up and ruffles the leafed roof above me and the smell of steak and garlic follows. My thoughts move to lunch and how much food I'll put away on this all-inclusive vacation. I may not go home with a man, but if the amount of bacon I've consumed at breakfast is any indicator, I'll carry an extra five pounds of me on the plane.The stool to my left is pulled back, and the legs scrape on the tile, breaking my bacon-smothered daydream. I take a quick peek at my new companion and forcibly stop my grimace by placing a hand over my mouth."Beautiful day today in paradise, huh?" The were-doctor leans toward me as he uses his cheesy line. One
Boys of RDA Chapter 53: Don't Let Elena Get Kidnapped
Elena slips down the hallway from the suite we share with our parents. Her short green dress shifts with each step and I worry for a moment about letting her out like this. How often do cute, blonde, American girls get kidnapped on vacation? I can't let anything happen to my baby sister."Elena! Hold up. I'll come with you," I call to her as loudly as I'm comfortable with, which isn't much since I don't want to risk one of our parents hearing.Elena turns back to me and cocks her head to the side as she sizes me up. "You aren't dressed for the club and Dad will figure it out if you go back in now," she loudly whispers back.I steal a quick peek at my outfit as if I've forgotten what I have on. Am I in pajamas? My dark colored skinny jeans with sandals and a pink tank top isn't horrible, but maybe not dance club material either. Not that I have any desire to go to a dance club. God, am I that old? I sound like a twenty-six-year-old grandmother."I'll sit at the regular bar, it'l
Boys of RDA Chapter 54: You're Kidding?
"You're kidding right?" I ask as I get control of myself again.Before Trey answers our waiter returns, our drinks on his black round tray and a blue Mexican blanket thrown over his arm. I've seen blankets similar to these all over with their various striped patterns. They seem to be on sale everywhere, but I haven't picked one up yet.The waiter hands me a plastic neon green cup and I place it on the edge of the fire pit while the blanket is wrapped around my back and over my shoulders to create a shawl. The fabric is thick and firm, a little scratchy, but it keeps the wind from my bare skin.Trey hasn't continued his answer even as the waiter walks away leaving us alone again, so I decide to prod him along. "Are you from New York? What do you do?"He breathes in a large gulp of air before the words rattle out of him. "I'm CEO for a digital arts company in San Francisco. We make apps and computer games. I'm not crazy like apparently New Yorkers, but I did make our receptionist
Boys of RDA Chapter 55: White Sandy Beaches
The white sand from the open beach in front of us crunches under my feet with each step, my flip-flops sending the tiny shell particles flying behind me. Trey walks a few steps in front with my big white SeaBag tote slung over his shoulder, and a pink beach towel flops against the blue and green stripes on the bag with each of his steps.We continue for a few more paces before Trey stops and turns back to me. "I'm pretty sure our guy will meet us along the beach over there." He points to his right at some unknown landmark in the distance. We hit the edge of the water and begin to head in the direction he pointed, my steps easier now on the dense wet sand."A pretty ride for a pretty lady?" A heavily accented voice comes from behind causing Trey and me to turn together.Behind us a shorter dark-skinned man stands a few inches into the water. The surf pushes past his calves as each wave comes ashore. His jean shorts are wet on the hem, but the bright blue Hawaiian button up shirt h
Boys of RDA Chapter 56: Vacation Simone is Sentimental
My butt sinks into the dark blue thickly woven blanket covering us from the sand and I slip off my flip-flops before I lift my feet onto the blanket. The blanket is similar to the one I used last night. The one that's sprawled across my bed back in the room. The one I'll be discreetly packing with the rest of my stuff unless Trey asks for it back outright. Even then there's a chance he'll have to rip it from my fingers. Apparently vacation Simone is sentimental. Who knew?"Order anything you want." Trey passes a long thin laminated menu to me from his place on the blanket while he looks over his own.The selections are for lunch at one of the resort restaurants. There aren't prices on the sheet, but I remember the name, The Sea Shell, as one of the higher end options from the brochure.It fits with what I learned about Trey earlier. I fell into bed after Elena busted us in the hallway, too tired to research him at the time. With my new blanket wrapped around me under the sheets,
Boys of RDA Chapter 57: Did Grandma Die?
Not even the bright airy living room of our suite chases away the darkness in my heart. The creamy yellow color of our walls paired with the open windows fill our suite with light, but it does nothing for me. Past the wall of windows our view of the ocean is unfettered. A cloudless sky promises a beautiful day past these four walls, but while everyone below us laps up the sunshine, my skin remains cold — the whole suite a sun-filled dungeon.My eyes follow a couple as they walk on the beach. The woman with long brown hair bends down to grab something from the shore, probably a shell the morning scavengers missed. She shows it to her companion and he tucks it in his pocket. My eyes leave the couple and track a seagull's flight across the water. I've propped a shoulder against the window. The sun's rays warm the glass, but my skin can't soak it up.Today is the day Trey leaves."Why do you look like Grandma died?" Elena stands next to me. Her eyes sweep the area outside our fourth-
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Boys of RDA Chapter 246: Series Epilogue
Six months later"I thought you were painting this room silver?" Hudson asks dropping his half of the couch inside of our brand-new tiny living room. That's not fair. It's bigger than the apartment when I lived with Marissa. Living here will be like me having my own special mansion. Except this time the rent is higher.I put my end of the couch down and then promptly sit at the end of it. I've done my part of moving. This is why we hired movers. I don't know what it is about men wanting to lift heavy objects. Plus, it's not like there's much furniture to move. The old apartment came furnished. This stuff is new.I look at the wall, which shimmers in the bright light from our large open window in the new living room. "I did. It's Silver Fox.""This color is gray.""No, it's Silver Fox.""It looks gray to me."I shake my head in dismay. "Gray is darker."He nods slowly. "Uh-huh. Whatever you say."Hudson and I have been living together since he made the permanent move t
Boys of RDA Chapter 245: Finn Hooked You Up
A few weeks later"Wow, Finn hooked you up." My eyes blink a few times trying to adjust to the overpowering glare of so many television screens in one room.Hudson laughs as he steps behind me. "Ridge taught me you can never have too many cameras.""Well, you definitely put his words into practice." No less than thirty flat screen TVs line a wall in the room Finn and Hudson started calling the war room. I'm pretty sure Finn has a camera everywhere Aspen may go in San Francisco. There is even one in the comic shop. The transition has gone well for the most part. Finn and Aspen had a heated debate over her bodyguard situation.Once Hudson accepted the position, he didn't waste time. It's been less than three weeks and he has a war room set up and is spying on half the residents of the city. My man gets shit done."Are you happy?" I ask turning around so we are face to face.Hudson rolls his eyes and says something silently to the ceiling of the room. He's recently taken up pr
Boys of RDA Chapter 244: Full Marissa Style
The glass automatic door at the airport entrance slides open and I saunter in with a purpose. No woman has ever been as determined as I am to put a man in his place. Full Marissa style.And then maybe win him back. It depends on his response. I've been through tons of shit the last few weeks. I need someone who can handle me and won't chicken out.Aspen and Finn checked me out of the hospital and then took me back to my apartment making me promise I wouldn't leave when I asked to be alone. My mother even listened when I told her it was a great time to visit my brother in Washington. He'll love it.Besides my shattered heart, I'm medically fine. There's no reason for people to be stuck hovering around me. Hurt or not, I've still peopled too much these last few days, so it wasn't hard to press that I needed quiet time. I promised to head right into bed and sleep for a few more days.But I've broken many promises lately. And kept secrets. I am not the same girl I was last year. An
Boys of RDA Chapter 243: Horrible Timing
I hate to be a bad friend — who am I kidding, I'm always the bad friend — but Aspen could not have picked a worse time to make her visit. And I love her. She was here all day yesterday. Getting water, refilling water, fluffing my pillow and accidentally pulling on my IV before doing it again while apologizing for pulling on the IV. Hudson and I haven't had two minutes to ourselves. I tried to fake sleep yesterday afternoon, but then they stood around the bed looking and me and whispering."Do you need your pillow fluffed?" she asks for the thousandth time. It's become her filler question. What she asks me if she doesn't know what else to ask.I shake my head, giving Finn my best "calm her down" look, but he doesn't notice. He's so madly in love with Aspen he thinks everything she does is adorable. "I'm fine, Aspen. Relax."My best friend is definitely more put together than Hudson in the last two days, but not by much. Her hair is flat on one side, a little curly on the other, an
Boys of RDA Chapter 242: A Scene I Never Want to See Again
A STEADY STREAM of beeps wakes me up to a stream of light.A hospital. It's the place I've woken up the last two days. I can't complain. It's one hundred times better than a concrete floor in an abandoned factory in Oakland. Even still I fight the panic as my brain comes into consciousness. The hospital therapist says eventually there will come a day when I don't wake up ready to flee, but I'm not sure I believe her.My awake body is heavy and sluggish. Yesterday I spent most the day sleeping as my conscious mind worked around what happened after I was taken from the sidewalk in front of Cosmo's.Hudson was shot. I watched it with my own eyes. What I didn't know at the time was the bullet grazed the side of his body and most of his injury was due to the shock of being shot. Even though my mind didn't want to believe it at the time, he led the charge to rescue me. And yes, he absolutely shot Jimmy in the head — a scene I never ever want to see again, but one that plays on repeat e
Boys of RDA Chapter 241: Kidnapped
Breathe. I hit reality with a start. Tears form as I blink my eyes to open them. My shoulder hurts, a tingling stiff sensation like I slept on it wrong. At one point I must have broken out in a cold sweat and my skin is clammy, moist yet chilled. My knuckle scrapes the hard ground underneath my body as I sit up and the events of what happened flood back. It wasn't a bad dream. I've been taken right from the front of Cosmo's. Kidnapped.They shot Hudson.I have no idea how long I slept or where I am. No longer in the van, the room is dark around me and it takes longer than I want for my eyes to adjust. Of course, there's no positive to be found when they do. Sawdust and dirt smells permeate the air. On the ground there's not only cold hard concrete but sharp pieces of wood. I wipe a few from my pants legs only to have them stick to the skin of my fingers.As I try to stand, there's a clink of metal. I tug my foot to find it doesn't move. My leg is bolted to the ground with thick m
Boys of RDA Chapter 240: Forgive and Forget
"Are you sure you won't walk in there and start crying?" Hudson asks as we stop in front of Cosmo's Comics and Café.I take a deep breath and check myself before I answer because frankly he's probably right to be worried. It's been two days since we met with Drew at the restaurant in Oakland and I spent most of that night crying. I haven't talked to anyone since then. More than likely they think I've been taking this time to apologize to Hudson. He promises he's forgiven and forgotten and even understands why it took so long.Hudson spent the last few days consoling me as I came to terms with finally admitting what happened that night and saying goodbye to Drew if only in my own mind. He's been perfect. He didn't push or yell at me to do it faster or tell me I was being ridiculous. He listened and held me when I needed him. I couldn't ask for a better man.Hudson is everything I've ever wanted in a guy. Sensitive enough to figure out when I'm hurting, but strong enough to tell me
Boys of RDA Chapter 239: Final Answers
"That's your answer?" Hudson's eyebrows lift.I hit my knee against his. "Hudson."He sighs in agitation."Well, Drew, the way I look at it Amanda doesn't have much to tell. It sounds to me as if in her story you were a friend who was there to help her out. Who didn't want to get involved in a police investigation. But before I can trust her opinion that you're a nice guy, I need proof."Drew laughs even though it's inappropriate for the time. "I don't think I'm a nice guy, but thanks, Amanda.""Um, you're welcome?""I started working construction jobs part time when Clare and I were in foster care." He stops talking right as the story gets good."But you don't do construction work now, do you?" Hudson asks the exact question I've been thinking.It's like pulling teeth to get facts out of Drew, but what he doesn't understand is Hudson will have no qualms telling Ben if he's not satisfied with his answers."Yes and no. From time to time my boss asks me for extra favors
Boys of RDA Chapter 238: Truthful Memories
"Sorry, Dean, I've got to get home. Lots of Christmas prep to do."There's no time to chase another raid with so much work to do for Aspen's Christmas celebration. They overdo it for most holidays, but the big ones are the worst.He nods, accepting the answer. I rarely take him up on offers for more raiding or the hundred times he's asked me out for coffee. "Okay, see you next time." He waves, following a large group of people making their way to cars and bikes before heading toward the wharf.I step onto the sidewalk outside the baseball stadium to look for a cab. The road is eerily quiet since there isn't baseball in December and the people from the raid snatched up the cabs. Even though Grant, Clare's boyfriend would kill me, I scroll through my phone and find the Uber app. If I have to call for a ride anyway, I should at least make it a cheap one. He'd be pissed over how close I am to his neighborhood without someone here with me, but it's too late to worry about that now.
