Lyrik punched the code into the door to open it, and I followed him out. It ran me smack into the heat, a wall of oppressive humidity instantly coating my skin in a slick of sweat.
Or maybe it was visceral.
This reaction that made me feel like I was gonna come right out of my skin. I had no fuckin’ clue how I was supposed to spend the summer living on the same property as that woman.
Come to find out, Eden was actually hell.
Now that was what was called cruel and unjust.
But I guessed if the punishment fit.
In front of me, Lyrik stalked along the sidewalk that edged the left side of the pool.
The thick, stagnant air was full of the sound of the fountains gurgling and splashing into the carved stone reservoirs, birds chirping and flitting through the trees.
It felt like a complete contradiction to the drone of the city encircling the estate. Sirens and engines and the blare of horns.
Lyrik climbed the two steps to the guest-house porch and swung open the door. “Here we go. Code is same as the house.”
“Got it.”
I angled inside, passing him and pulling my suitcase behind me. My attention bounced around, not that I really cared what my accommodations were going to be like. They could have put me up at a run-down hotel and I wouldn’t have given two fucks.
But this?
It was warm. Comfortable. The living room in the front had every luxury you could ask for. Fluffy pillows adorned the plush couch, two sitting chairs set up on either side that faced the huge TV that hung on the wall. To the far side on the right was a high-topped bar that overlooked a small kitchen on the other side. I could only assume the short hall to the left of it led to a bedroom.
But what caught my attention was the drum-set and assortment of guitars and musical instruments that were set up in a cove on the left side of the living room.
“Figured you might want to play in your downtime,” Lyrik said like it was no big deal.
“Probably going to need to practice a few new songs I don’t know.” I attempted to crack a joke, to lighten whatever this bullshit was I could feel clawing my skin, a million fire ants marching to a grim drumbeat across raw, bleeding flesh.
He just shrugged. “Don’t have any worries that you won’t catch on just fine.”
There was an edge to him. A disquiet that I could feel radiating from his being.
Or maybe I was just projecting.
On a huff, he dragged his tattooed fingers through his hair. “Want you to know we are all grateful that you dropped everything to come help us out. Know Sunder has been playing together for a long time, but we don’t want you to feel like you’re just backup or a stand-in. This is you on this album. These songs will belong to you every bit as much as they belong to us. As long as you’re playing with Sunder, you’re a part of Sunder.”
I gave a tight nod. “I appreciate that. And you know I’ll give it my everything.”
“Which is why you’re the only one fit to stand here.”
He edged back, glanced around before he said, “I’ll let you get settled.” A gleam lit in his dark eyes. “My wife is demanding that you join us for dinner tonight. She wants to make sure you feel welcome. We eat at seven.”
I lifted a hand to reject the offer.
Because no.
Just fucking no.
He put up two. “Don’t even try to argue, man. Know you don’t know my wife, but take it from me—she invites you to dinner? You better accept the invitation.”
I bit down on my tongue to stop the curse from dropping free.
“Great. No problem. I’ll be there.”
“Good. Just holler if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
Guessed I really was projecting.
He turned and stepped up to the door, only to hesitate when he pulled it open. His back was to me, the guy holding onto the doorknob, clearly warring with reservation.
He looked at me from over his shoulder. “And what we talked about the other night? About the fact my family is my main priority? Their happiness and their safety my one concern?”
This time, my nod was tighter, so tight it was lucky my neck didn’t snap in two.
“You need to know that applies to my sister. She’s been to hell and back, and she’s here to heal. So I can keep her safe. Last thing she needs is to be toyed with. If you catch my meaning?” His head cocked to the side. There was no mistaking the warning.
Stay the fuck away from my sister.
Got it because that shit was not a problem.
Still, my goddamn body physically jolted with the confirmation.
Knew it, that night. The girl had been running scared. Looking for a way to get lost. Swept away.
Now, I felt desperate to know the depths of it.
What the fuck he was actually implying.
Anger threatened to lay siege to my logic.
To raze my focus to the ground. I knew better. I didn’t have the time or the space or the goodness to care or to make it my problem.
I shoved it down in the pits of my corrupt spirit where it belonged.
It was no concern of mine.
Girl was fucking hot. My dick noticed. That was it. Nothing more.
Teeth grinding, I forced a smile. “No need to mention it twice. I got you. Wouldn’t go there, anyway.”
He studied me for a beat. No doubt, he hadn’t missed whatever the hell that interaction was that had gone down between us in his family room. Whatever power had stopped both Mia and me in our tracks. Stole our breaths while something profound pounded through the atmosphere.
He was no fool.
But neither was I.
His nod was clipped. “Figured not.”
I feigned an unaffected smile.
“See you at seven,” he said, stepping out the door.
I itched, not sure how I was going to make it through this shit show. This mockery that was my life.
Motherfucking Karma.
She’d moved into my room and taken a seat at the bar, holding her glass in the air in a silent cheer.
She truly was a bitch.
“I’ll be there.”
Seven
Mia
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I shook out my hands where I paced the guest suite on the far wing of the house where I was staying with my children.
There was a living room in the middle with two bedrooms on either side. The entire place so warm and welcoming and perfect except for who was going to be shacking up in the house across the yard.
I shook my head, unable to believe my luck.
Life really did love to play cruel, sick jokes, didn’t it?
I mean . . . seriously.
I’d all but begged that man to sleep with me, thinking it would be a single night. A single encounter. A single experience.
Desperate for a reprieve.
A balm for the pain.
But I should have known if I dipped my toes into the fire, I was gonna get burned.
Scorched.
And boy, oh boy, was I on fire.
I glanced at the mirror that hung over the dressing table, my cheeks beet red and my skin flushed a matching embarrassing color.
I touched the heated spot right over my heart.
Leif.
His name was Leif. Leif, the temporary drummer for my brother’s band. Leif, the guy who was going to be staying in the guest house for the whole damned summer.
Leif, the man who had clearly not been thrilled to see me.