sound of the automated doors preceded the tinkering clicks of multiple cameras directed at the twins. The flickering of flashes and shouts from the paparazzi had Mave stepping ahead of Max as the two of them hurried toward the SUV. They ignored the shouts of offensive questions and dove into the backseat.
“Well, at least things should straighten out now that we know what’s ailing ya.” Mave began tapping a beat against the leather seats while looking relieved.
He should have known better.
•♫•♫•♫ •
One day… One trip to the hospital… And one unfortunate picture. That’s all it took to turn the gossip rags into a tizzy of bogus reports that spread quicker than an irritated rash.
As Max flipped through the latest gossip magazine, his thoughts pondered about how a celebrity could be painted in a glamourous Godlike depiction in one moment, but then completely shrouded in condemnation and vulgarity the next.
The pictures and the false headlines proved it. Rock Nation’s Drummer King Falls, Maverick Takes a Tumble, Rehab for the Rocker. The lie was even trending on the social media sites.
“This is stupid!” Max roared as he slung the magazine across the kitchen, landing it in the trash where it rightfully belonged. “Dude is clean.”
“We know that, and more importantly, God knows.” Tate clamped Max on the shoulder for reassurance, but it did little good.
His phone vibrated with an incoming text. Max pulled it out of his pocket and stomped to the back deck. Relief flooded his system at the sight of Mona’s name on the phone screen, even though he knew he wasn’t worthy of it.
Mona – R u ok?
The media took the pictures of the twins leaving the hospital as a sign that Mave was the one in duress, but Mona knew them well enough to pick up on the fact that in every photo Mave stood in front of his brother as a shield for him. It was an instinctual habit the twins shared.
Max inhaled a shaky breath and typed a reply. Good news, I don’t have worms. Bad news, stupid thyroid is jacked up. He hit send and sank into a lounge chair.
Mona – That doesn’t sound good to me.
Max – No worries. Nothing a pill won’t fix. He hit send, but cringed when rereading it, so he sent another one. Need to get the heat off Mave. Will u release a statement about me having hyperthyroid and being treated. His fingers faltered a beat with knowing that wouldn’t be enough juice to sate the media, so he added, also let them in on our split.
A long pause punctuated her hurt before Mona replied with a simple, ok .
Nausea rolled through his gut with knowing he was intentionally inflicting pain on Mona, as well as himself, in order to save his brother from the lynch mob.
“Are you alright?” Jewels asked as she sat on the end of the lounge chair and nudged his leg.
“Right as rain.”
Jewels shook her head. “You don’t fool me, Maxim King.” She reached over and boldly read the texts still on the screen.
“Nosy much?” He yanked the phone away and shoved it in his pocket.
“What happened with Mona?”
“She deserved better.”
“Is that what she said?” A slice of irritation mingled with her tone.
“I said,” he quietly answered, hoping to hush the topic away.
“Oh please. How lame is that?”
“How many years did you hold on to the same notion you weren’t good for Dillon? Half your life at least. Yeah, how lame?” Sarcasm deepened his voice.
Jewels was undeterred by his jab, waving her hand as though dismissing her own foolishness into the ocean breeze. “You can use my lame excuse all you want, but you still don’t fool me. You’ve gotten this bizarre idea stuck in your hardhead that if you abandon them first, then they won’t have the chance to do it to you.”
“Now you sound like Aunt Evie.” Max snorted, pushing a teasing elbow into her side as he sat up.
“Why thank you.” Jewels quietly giggled before growing somber. “But you really opened your life to
“Well, at least things should straighten out now that we know what’s ailing ya.” Mave began tapping a beat against the leather seats while looking relieved.
He should have known better.
•♫•♫•♫ •
One day… One trip to the hospital… And one unfortunate picture. That’s all it took to turn the gossip rags into a tizzy of bogus reports that spread quicker than an irritated rash.
As Max flipped through the latest gossip magazine, his thoughts pondered about how a celebrity could be painted in a glamourous Godlike depiction in one moment, but then completely shrouded in condemnation and vulgarity the next.
The pictures and the false headlines proved it. Rock Nation’s Drummer King Falls, Maverick Takes a Tumble, Rehab for the Rocker. The lie was even trending on the social media sites.
“This is stupid!” Max roared as he slung the magazine across the kitchen, landing it in the trash where it rightfully belonged. “Dude is clean.”
“We know that, and more importantly, God knows.” Tate clamped Max on the shoulder for reassurance, but it did little good.
His phone vibrated with an incoming text. Max pulled it out of his pocket and stomped to the back deck. Relief flooded his system at the sight of Mona’s name on the phone screen, even though he knew he wasn’t worthy of it.
Mona – R u ok?
The media took the pictures of the twins leaving the hospital as a sign that Mave was the one in duress, but Mona knew them well enough to pick up on the fact that in every photo Mave stood in front of his brother as a shield for him. It was an instinctual habit the twins shared.
Max inhaled a shaky breath and typed a reply. Good news, I don’t have worms. Bad news, stupid thyroid is jacked up. He hit send and sank into a lounge chair.
Mona – That doesn’t sound good to me.
Max – No worries. Nothing a pill won’t fix. He hit send, but cringed when rereading it, so he sent another one. Need to get the heat off Mave. Will u release a statement about me having hyperthyroid and being treated. His fingers faltered a beat with knowing that wouldn’t be enough juice to sate the media, so he added, also let them in on our split.
A long pause punctuated her hurt before Mona replied with a simple, ok .
Nausea rolled through his gut with knowing he was intentionally inflicting pain on Mona, as well as himself, in order to save his brother from the lynch mob.
“Are you alright?” Jewels asked as she sat on the end of the lounge chair and nudged his leg.
“Right as rain.”
Jewels shook her head. “You don’t fool me, Maxim King.” She reached over and boldly read the texts still on the screen.
“Nosy much?” He yanked the phone away and shoved it in his pocket.
“What happened with Mona?”
“She deserved better.”
“Is that what she said?” A slice of irritation mingled with her tone.
“I said,” he quietly answered, hoping to hush the topic away.
“Oh please. How lame is that?”
“How many years did you hold on to the same notion you weren’t good for Dillon? Half your life at least. Yeah, how lame?” Sarcasm deepened his voice.
Jewels was undeterred by his jab, waving her hand as though dismissing her own foolishness into the ocean breeze. “You can use my lame excuse all you want, but you still don’t fool me. You’ve gotten this bizarre idea stuck in your hardhead that if you abandon them first, then they won’t have the chance to do it to you.”
“Now you sound like Aunt Evie.” Max snorted, pushing a teasing elbow into her side as he sat up.
“Why thank you.” Jewels quietly giggled before growing somber. “But you really opened your life to
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