The Sterling Boys(6)

"That's just it; I did use actual events all the way through. I just exaggerated several pieces and embellished certain parts of the story."

She seems confused as we load the elevator, studying me with her scrutinizing eyes.

"What?" I snap, suddenly feeling rather irritable.

"It's just... It's obvious you didn't get the ending Reva got, so what happened?"

Never again will I drink tequila. Betraying bastard. After all I've given that toxin, it decides to take my dignity in front of my assistant. Great.

"That's one of the parts I embellished. In real life, Dean never went to Reva after she poured her heart out on a three-page letter. Instead, he let her go, rarely called for the first three months, and they haven't seen each other in six years. It wouldn't have made the best romantic ending in the fictional version. In real life, we don't get always get the HEA."

A reverent sigh graces her lips. She knows I'm right. Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't live, write. At least that's how I feel.

The taxi is waiting when we reach the outside, and Viv follows me in, quickly rattling off all my events from my calendar. I need to make some changes. I need to find that piece of me that's connected to my writing. I can't stay in this stall or I'll go crazy.

Hearing Vivian chirping about all the signings, interviews, and various functions, I refrain from slapping her. I need... a break.



We pull up to the private portion of the airport, and I smile when I see the familiar face waiting for me on the far edge of the runway. I'm out of the car in no time, nervous and excited about getting this over with.

"There she is," Kode says, grinning salaciously as he holds his arms out.

I go willingly into the embrace and squeal when he lifts me from the ground to spin me around. When he puts me down, I turn to see Viv's mouth has dropped. I guess I should have introduced them sooner. It's a little rude to do it right when I'm leaving.

"Hey, I'm Kode Sterling," he says, flashing her the prize-winning grin I've seen stronger women than Viv dissolve under.

Her lips clap shut several times after falling back to a gaping position. Obviously Kode is gorgeous—I'm not blind—but to me he's just... Kode. Dane's brother. My friend. In the past six years, he's become my best friend. Well... sometimes it's a toss-up between him and Maverick.

Speaking of Maverick...

"It's about fucking time your pretty little ass comes back home," Maverick says through his excited chuckles as he scoops me up and slaps a sloppy kiss on my lips.

I groan as I curse him, and he snickers while I wipe my mouth. I change my mind. Kode is definitely my best friend all the time.

Corbin is next, swiping me from Maverick's embrace and pulling me into his. I giggle when he swings me the way Kode did. Then I see Dale. I can't believe it. He got out without his fiancée being out of town.

I've got numerous cousins, but I'm not close to them the way I am these boys. Kade Colton is probably my favorite cousin, but I rarely see him. The Sterling boys... I don't know what I'd do without them. They're my family.

"There's that whooped boy. Straying from home on a school night?" I tease, making Dale roll his powder blue eyes.

"Funny," he snarks before jerking me to him and hugging me close. "I wouldn't miss escorting you back. Besides, it's not every day I get to ride in Pretty Boy's plane."

Kode groans, and I laugh lightly. He hates being called pretty.

Kode's soft, dirty-blonde hair is shaggy, but perfectly sexy. His lean, tanned body, perfect prince posture, and cockiness all add to his appeal. It's too bad I can't see him as something other than the boy who used to cheat off me in math class and helped me sneak into his and Dane's house when I had nightmares and needed to be held. It was always Dane's bed I went to.

Maverick... He's tall, gorgeous, and so damn arrogant, but he's also sweet, funny, and giving—once you get to know the real man behind the thick facade. His jet-black hair sweeps his forehead, bringing out his deep brown eyes, and his favorite thing to do is flex all of his muscles.

Corbin looks like a NFL quarterback. Tall, dreamy, and trimmed with all the right ripples. With his longer brown hair that shags down to his shoulders, he has a surfer-boy vibe as well.

Dale is the shortest of the boys, even though he's still six-feet tall. His hair is militant, as always. I half expect him to salute at any given time. I sometimes wonder if it hurts to stand so straight and tense all the time. That's just Dale, though. He's also the only one of my boys to have a real relationship.

It's sort of annoying, since I'm selfish like that. I'm moving back home, and I want to spend time with them—all of them. My four boys and not their fiancées that hate my guts for no real reason.