Page 75 of The Twisted Beats

I glance down with a knot in my gut. “She goes on these shoots and comes back exhausted.”

“How so?”

“I think she does a lot of blow and speed while she’s away to keep herself going. When she comes back, the crash hits her and she…takes a few weeks to get back to herself.”

“I didn’t know your mom did drugs.”

“She doesn’t do it much unless she’s on location or trying to prepare for a job.” I push my concern down and my chest hardens. “It’s no big deal. She’ll chill out in a bit.”

Livianna stares at me and nods. “I’m sure she appreciates your concern.”

“Yeah.” I gaze at one of the rides and point. “We need to go on that before we eat lunch.”

Livianna turns to see what I’m talking about. She whips her head back at me, and she has big, wide eyes.

“Callum, I can’t drop from that high, only to be a human slingshot before it’s over. I’ll die of fear.”

“You won’t die.” I steal a bite of her cotton candy. “The rush is like nothing else. I swear you’ll even wanna do it again once your adrenaline simmers off.”

Her expression grows wary. “But what if I’m the one person who has a heart attack before that happens?”

“You won’t. Besides, I told you I was going to teach you how to enjoy yourself.”

“I’m having fun and death doesn’t have to be a part of it.”

“This is only the beginning, love. Only the beginning.” I give her a nudge. “Time to start living.”

I convince her to give the ride a try. They make us put our phones and sunglasses in a locker so they don’t fall off and hit someone while we’re flying through the air.

She trembles and nearly cries while we’regetting strapped in, but she finds her bravery and takes the ride with me. When it’s over, she can barely walk.

She leans into me, laughing. “I can’t feel my legs and I lost my wig.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think that part through.” I look around. “It’s got to be around here somewhere.”

Right as I say it, someone recognizes her. There is a squeal, then ten phones, then thirty. Our anonymity dissolves like sugar.

Young kids flock around her, screaming and tugging on her. Their parents take pictures and ask her for her autograph.

She’s a bigger star than I am at this point, but soon enough someone realizes who I am. We can’t escape the crowd.

Our VIP tour guide tries to keep the fans at bay and calls security to help, but it’s a lost cause. We end our amusement park date early to avoid the intrusions.

She swears on the drive back to her place, it was worth it even if her director finds out she skipped work to go out with me. Just hearing her say that makes my chest swell.

She put me above everything else in her life just so she could spend the day with me. I hope someday I can return the favor, but until I can figure out how to take care of everything that needs my attention, that day will have to wait.

I just pray she’s still around by the time I figure out my life.

Livianna throws her arms over her head, resting back against her fluffy pillows after giving me another mind-bending blow job. I crawl over her and unzip her pants.

Her breasts are bare and I’m naked. She’s already taken care of me and it’s way past her turn.

I pull her jeans and panties down. She raises her hips so I can remove them. Her smoky blue eyes watch my every move.

“Callum.” She shimmies from side to side to help the process. “I’ve never done this. What if I do it wrong?”

“Lily, there’s no way you can. Just lie back and I’ll do the rest.” I toss her pants to the side and work myself between her thighs. “Relax.”