Page 57 of Four Times Forever

"And Eric?" he asked.

"Look, it shouldn't be surprising that everyone's not your biggest fan at the moment. Me, excluded, of course. Even though I could have wrung your neck last night for what you did. But..." I sighed. "I know the weight you must be carrying. The thing is, you haven't taken a single moment to find out how I am, how any of us are handling it. It's just always about you."

"You guys never want to talk about it. Every time I bring it up..." Ryan started.

"You guys coming or what?" Ethan came around the corner and glared at us sitting on the bed. "Let's go."

Ryan swallowed.

"As I said, the ball's in your court, Ryan. I'm here if you want to talk, but I'm not going to be attached to your feet all the time anymore. If you do come, you can use this as an opportunity to prove to Lily and Eric, and Ethan...and me, that we can trust you. If not, I'll offer to drive you there myself, and I'll just take a detour on the way to the private hangar." I threw on my backpack and started walking. "Maybe you'll even get your phone back."

I waved it in his face before dropping it in my pocket. We were all freaking out last night, and as a precautionary measure, paranoia drove me to sneak his phone away from him.

"Hey, I was looking for that!" He jumped up, but I was faster than him.

"You can't do that," he said.

"Yeah, until I know we're safe, I'm not taking any chances." I hurried off after Ethan.

At least it got Ryan up and out of his deep sulking as he chased me, wrestled me in the elevator, and attracted all manner of attention on our way to the car. By the time we got there, Ethan was fuming and I was fuming.

"Fuck it, Ryan. You know what? Here's your fucking phone." I thrust it at him. "You're fucking reckless and thoughtless."

"Will you shut the fuck up, you two?!" Ethan grunted. "Don't you think you've attracted enough eyes? Hotel cameras have us now."

Panting, I turned to scowl at Ryan. "The decision's been made. You're not coming with us."

"What?" Both Ethan and Ryan said at the same time.

"He can't come with us. As we all agreed, he's a liability." I turned away from Ethan to Matt. "This was your chance to prove to us that you could be trusted, and you decided to harass me for your fucking phone. There, you have it. Call the fucking police if you have to. We'll be long-fucking-gone by then."

"Wait, Matt! I'm sorry. Don't leave me here alone." He called after me, but I was already storming off.

I was fuming even more when he climbed into the car with Ethan and me.

"We're all sticking together. I'm not letting him out of my sight," Ethan growled.

"Great." I sucked air in through my teeth and glared out the window.

Chapter 44

Lily

The blindfold fell off my face, and I opened my eyes to find myself back in front of another private jet.

"I don't understand." I looked between the four of them.

Ethan was standing on the jet's stairway with a stupid grin on his face. Even Ryan was smiling next to me. They said they had a surprise for me and kept me blindfolded the whole way here. We hadn't discussed a trip.

"Are we going back home already?" I asked, disappointed that I'd have to leave his family so soon. I didn't even get to say goodbye to them.

"Even better." Matt took my hand and led me toward the stairway. "We're going to Paris."

What? It was like a gong had just gone off inside my head. I was brought to a halt and placed a hand over my chest to catch my breath. I'd never been to Paris. Never left the country. I didn't know if I was one for surprises of this magnitude. I was going to feel like an ass for leaving the Fletchers' home without saying a word.

"B-but, what about the wedding? I thought we were going to have it in Florida." That was all I could think to say as my brain struggled to compute this fantastic news.

I'd only ever seen Paris in magazines and movies, or when wealthy influencers posted it to brag. I wondered if it would be as beautiful in person.

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