Hollywood Hearts (A Bad Boy Love Triangle Romance): (Hollywood Hearts Book 1) Read Free Page A

revved the car, reversed it aggressively and skidded out of the parking lot. I stumbled a little bit, now drunk with both alcohol and intense sexual frustration.  

    “Gunner!” He was just getting entering his car in the parking lot and glanced back at me. “Can I please get a ride? I’m way too drunk right now.” With his head down, he gestured me over.

    “Those guys are no good for you, ya know. They’ll wear you down soon enough. They’re my friends but I’d never date the mutha-fuckas.”

    “Sorry if I…hurt you.”

    He scoffed and sat in the car. “Hurt me? Riles, I’ve been through a lot worse than an outta my league young lady not wantin’ me, trust me on that. Where’s Astrid at by the way?” Oh shit. I opened my phone to find a million missed text messages.

    ‘Girl, where’d u go?’

    ‘Helloooo?’

    A missed call.

    ‘ Call me when u get this. Just want to know ur safe.’

    ‘Holy shit, call me right now. Life’s a trip. You’ll never guess who the fuck we’re here with!!’

    ‘Just hung out with your man-crush. No biggie. Why’d you leave??????’

    By man-crush, did she mean Rafe? I punched the dashboard. Did I really just sacrifice a chance to hang out with Rafe to have sleazy car sex with some random nobody?

    “Everything okay?” Gunner rested his hand on mine.

    “Yeah, sorry. Astrid’s fine.”

III
    Astrid called in sick to work the next day. She woke up at four o’clock this afternoon on a marble floor in a mansion in the hills, her nose powdered in coke, scratches on her arm and used condoms all around her. She still described it as an amazing night even if she didn’t remember most of it.

    “Alright. Drink loads of water and try eat something alright?” I said over the phone. “I’ll see you later tonight. Love you.”

    “You gonna be okay on your own?” Beside me the club owner, Mike, counted the till for the evening shift. “That stupid girl. Some people really can’t cut it out here, huh? Temptation’s a funny thing. But not calling me until a half hour before your shift, fucking idiot.” He talked violently but meant everything out of love. He’d never fire me or Astrid. We were too good of a team. “I’ll help you out when I can but shouldn’t get too crazy.”  

    The bright afternoon sun beat in through the opening front door. I glanced up to see Hunter’s foreboding figure walking through it and right over to me. I had a light panic attack of shame. Hangovers had a way of raising my anxiety levels especially when I did questionable things with questionable people the night prior.

    “We’re not open yet, asshole,” shouted Mike.

    “Mike!” I scolded then walked over to Hunter who held out his hand to me and I swear I saw him trace his eyes over my entire body then lick his lips.

    “You left this in my car last night,” he said, revealing one of my tiny earrings in his palm.  

    “Oh, th—Thanks.”

    “No problem.” An awkward silence ensued as he stared aimlessly around the empty bar.

    “That’s all you came here for? For an earring.” What else could I say? It seemed so strange for him to return for something so small though I guess I should be more thankful.

    “Yeah, well I wasn’t sure if you might need it.” He pinched and played nervously with his stubble. “Anyway, you have my number if you want to hang out again.” With a pitiful wave, he turned on his heel and left.

    “What the fuck was he doing in here? I hate that little shit,” said Mike once he’d left.  

    “Why?” I laughed.

    “Fucking arrogant bastard, that’s why. Thinks he’s hot shit. Came one day to ask me to up his pay because he was worth more than our fucking headliner apparently.   You hear his set the other night though?” I shook my head.

    “Bombed. Fucking. Bombed. Crowd hated his little bad boy persona he had going on. He acted like some wounded Jeff Buckley type and the audience was visibly gagging. And I relished every