by Alex Grayson
My inside warms as hope fills me.
“You really think so?”
She smiles and reaches across to grab my hand. “I know so. He’s never looked at anyone the way he looks at you. He practically has stars in his eyes, if that were a thing for a man.”
I have no idea what to say. I only know the feeling her words give me. Pure elation. I’m happy, and I hope what she says is true, because Lord knows my feelings for Enzo are growing in leaps and bounds.
“So?” She tips her head to the side, her expression earnest. “Is my brother someone you could see spending a future with?”
I suck in a deep breath. “Yes,” I answer honestly, then give her more of the truth. “It’s crazy to think about since we haven’t known each other that long, and really, how well do you know a person in that length of time? But Enzo is special. He makes me feel special. He makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.”
Allison’s eyes glisten and the smile that’s stretches across her face is full of happiness. Little pieces of white cloth fall into Heidi’s lap as I watch her, out of the corner of my eye, shred her napkin to bits.
Is it petty of me to want to smirk in her face? Whether she wants Enzo for herself or not, she obviously doesn’t want me to have him.
Too bad, girly, because I plan to hold onto him for as long as he’ll let me.
I mentally high-five Nova.
Allison and I make small talk for the rest of the meal. Blessedly, Heidi keeps her mouth shut, despite Allison’s attempts to draw her into our conversation. When the bill comes, I insist on paying.
“That’s okay. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of times to treat you to lunch. Since you’re going to be my sister-in-law,” she finishes with a wink.
I can’t help the giddy feeling in my stomach her words cause.
After the waitress comes back with my change, I excuse myself to the ladies’ room. My bladder is so full I barely get my panties down before I have an accident.
God, how embarrassing would that be?
Once I’m finished, I shimmy my panties up and adjust my dress before I go wash my hands. I’m pulling a paper towel out of the dispenser when the door whooshes open and in walks Heidi. We eye each other through the mirror as she approaches the sink. We both know she’s not here to use the facilities. Even so, she turns the faucet on and proceeds to wash her hands.
“I would congratulate you on your impending happiness, but it would be cruel to do so,” she says, her expression full of smugness.
I lean a hip against the sink and indulge her. “And why’s that?”
Her smug look turns into a full-blown nasty grin. “Because it won’t last long.”
“Again, why’s that?”
Turning off the faucet, she walks toward me. I hold her stare and keep my place. Her brows go up as she looks at the paper towel dispenser behind me. It’s childish, I know, but if she wants to dry her hands, she can damn well walk around me to get a paper towel like a normal person would.
With an eye roll, she does just that. There’s no way I’m having my back to this girl, so I turn around to keep her in view.
“Enzo will see what you are, and when he does, he’ll come running to me.”
“What am I, exactly?” I cross my arms over my chest, amused.
“A bitch just after his money.”
“You don’t know me, Heidi. If you did, you’d know I have plenty of my own money. I certainly don’t need his.”
She scoffs. “Everybody wants more money than they have. Enzo is loaded.”
I lean forward and say sweetly, “So am I.”
Her brows dip down in uncertainty. She has no clue what she’s talking about. My grandparents, God rest their souls, were some of the wealthiest in Texas with thousands of acres of oil rich land. They were smart, and instead of selling the land to the government like they wanted, they leased it to them. Although they could have lived off that money, they were farmers at heart. They took care of their farm with the money they made from selling livestock. What the government gave them went straight into the bank. That kind of money builds fast. By the time dad was born, they had millions. The day I was born, my grandparents handed my parents a CD worth more than any living person could spend in a lifetime. Their instructions were to give it to me once I graduated college.
Many people don’t know how ungodly rich I am because I don’t feel the need to flaunt it, and I live modestly. Just because I have the money to spend, doesn’t mean I need to spend it.
The smirk dies and her lips form a straight line. “Doesn’t matter. Enzo will realize what he’s been missing all these years and come to me.”
“Why are you after him now?” I ask, genuinely curious. “Why not make a play before he left for his last tour?”
She shrugs, tossing her paper towel in the trash and moving toward the door. “I wanted to give him the chance to sew some wild oats. Once I get my hands on him, he’ll never touch another woman again.”
I laugh. “What makes you think that, after all this time, if he hasn’t come to you yet, he will now?”
“Because I plan to show him exactly what he’ll get with me.” Her eyes run up and down my body, her look scornful. “And it’ll be a hell of a lot better than what he’s getting from you.”
Tired of this little chat, I slowly walk toward her. Satisfaction hits me when a hint of fear enters her features. She fights it, but I can see her indecision on whether to run from me or hold her ground.
“I’ll give you a little piece of advice, Heidi,” I sneer her name, because yeah, I still hate it. “I fight dirty when it comes to protecting the things I hold dear. And my relationship with Enzo is one of them. So, if you want to play this little game, you better bring it on strong, because I won’t hesitate to take you out.”
Her eyes narrow, but she doesn’t say anything else. I toss my own paper towel in the trash and walk out the door, leaving her behind.
Chapter Sixteen
ENZO
“I’ll see your fifty,” Alaina sets down a blue fifty-dollar bill, “and raise you a hundred.” She plops down a tan one-hundred-dollar bill on top of the growing pile of money.
All eyes move to me. Looking at my cards, I debate if I should fold or match the pot. I have a damn good hand with four queens and a spare king. I look up and eye each of my opponents. Hudson, the poor sap, isn’t even looking at his cards. His focus is on Nikki, who’s trying her best to ignore him. She folded, so I don’t need to worry about her with this round. I can tell by Juliet’s face she’s nervous, which means her cards aren’t great. She tries to play it cool, but she’s bouncing her leg. James is harder to get a read on. He’s got a poker face that would rival even the most devoted professional player.
I turn my attention to Alaina, and for a moment, my thoughts are side-tracked. She looks utterly fucking delicious in her tight black t-shirt. If the others weren’t here, I’d lay her out on the table in front of me and feast on her body.
As if sensing my thoughts, she gives me a knowing smile. I may not be able to devour her amazing body right at this moment, but I’ll be damn sure to do it later.
“Dude, stop eye-fucking Alaina and get back to the game,” James says, kicking my foot under the table.
I flip him off with my free hand as I look back down at my cards. Grabbing a fifty and a hundred-dollar bill, I toss them on top of the pile. “Call.”
It goes around the rest of the table. Everyone calls, except for Juliet, who folds. It’s the moment of truth. Hudson puts his cards down first. He’s got three of a kind with tens. Decent, but not good enough. It’s James’ turn. His eyes dance as he puts down a dud hand. The king of hearts, four and nine of clubs, six of hearts, and a jack of spades.
“Why in the world would you bet on a hand like that?” Juliet asks, eyeing the cards with a wrinkled nose.
“Because I like living dangerously,” he answers with a smirk and a wink.
I flip my cards and toss them on t
he table in front of me, confident this round is mine. “Read ’em and weep,” I crow proudly, reaching for the pile of Monopoly money.
“Nuh-uh. Not so fast, buddy,” Alaina announces and drops her own cards on top of mine.
A royal fucking flush. Well I’ll be damned. I glance at her, my grin big.
“You’re getting better.”
She smiles back at me proudly. “I’m quite impressed with myself.”
“For someone who claims to suck at poker,” Hudson says, grabbing all of the cards to shuffle, “your pile of money seems to be growing fast.”
Gathering her money, Alaina shrugs. “Luck, I guess.”
“Me thinks someone is cheating. Enzo, check her lap to see if she has any cards down her pants.”
She snorts. “Had you been paying attention to the game and not watching Nikki the whole time, you’d know I’ve kept my hands on the table.” There’s a thump under the table and Alaina yells, “Ow!” She looks to Nikki. “That hurt, you hoe!”
Nikki glares at Alaina before snatching up her phone and tapping on the screen.
Hudson grunts then begins dealing the cards, wisely not saying a word because we’ve all witnessed his puppy dog eyes on Nikki most of the night. He grumbles under his breath as he deals.
“How are you handling not being part of the band, Enzo?” Juliet asks.
“It’s going better than I thought. It’s a whole different experience being on the other side of the glass when they’re in the sound booth. A good kind of different.”
“Do you miss it at all?”
“I think I’ll always miss it to a degree. It’s been a big part of my life for so long. I’ll miss the camaraderie I had with the guys the most. But having the weight of performing off my shoulders feels really fucking good.”
“How’s the new guy doing?” Hudson asks, throwing down a couple of cards and taking two more.
Snagging my beer, I finish off the last of it. “He’s damn good. I think he makes a great addition to the band.”
Alaina grabs my empty bottle and gets up. “Want another?”
“Thanks, baby.”
“I’m grabbing more pizza. Anyone want another slice? Or another beer?”
“Only thing that’s left is your anchovy pizza. Hard pass for me,” Nikki pipes in, lifting her eyes from her phone and wrinkling her nose. “How can you stand that shit?”
“Hey! Ain’t nothing wrong with eating a little fish with some pizza.”
James mimics coughing in his hand as he says, “Bullshit.”
“Sorry, Alaina, but fish should never be on pizza.” Juliet pretends to gag.
I have to admit, when she gave me her pizza choice, even my stomach rebelled against it.
“Fine. More for me.”
“Isn’t this like your sixth slice tonight?” Juliet asks.
“So?” She walks into the kitchen, looking over her shoulder. “I’m hungry and it’s good.”
She comes back a few minutes later with a paper plate in one hand and two beers in her other. I take the contents from her and put them down on the table. Before she can retake her seat, I haul her into my lap, planting a smacking kiss on her lips. It lasts only a second, but my dick’s already twitching in my jeans.
I fucking love the smile she gives me as she gets up and takes her seat.
“This is the last game for the night,” I announce.
“Already choosing hoes before bros.” Hudson sucks his teeth and shakes his head.
“James,” Alaina calls, leaning her elbows on the table, her voice sugary sweet. “Sock Hudson for me, would you?”
“With pleasure.”
Hudson has no time to brace before James lands a solid punch to his bicep.
He winces and rubs the spot. “Fuck, man. That stung.”
“It was a hell of a lot tamer than I would have done. Be lucky he was the one closest to you and not me,” I say without looking at him. I drop a card in the pile and grab another.
“Shit, I was only joking,” he grumbles, still babying his sore arm.
We finish our round—Alaina stomping our asses again—and everyone gets up from the table to clean away their shit.
“My house in two weeks. I’ll provide the steaks, someone else brings the beer,” Hudson declares, pulling his keys from his pocket and tossing the ring around his finger. He looks over at Nikki, anticipation dancing in his eyes. “You ready?”
Her lips are a firm line when she gives him a tight nod. I almost feel sorry for the girl. Her car’s in the shop getting new tires, so when she asked for a ride tonight, Hudson jumped at the chance to have her alone for a while. Of course, one of us could have insisted we give her a ride, but we’ve felt the tension between the two for months. Maybe this will give them the chance to get through whatever shit is between them.
Alaina hugs both girls goodbye—why do women feel the need to hug each other as if it’ll be months before they see one another again, when in reality, it’ll only be days—and both couples leave.
As soon as the door is closed, I turn and face Alaina. She has her back to me as she puts the Monopoly money back in the baggie and gathers the cards. I stalk up behind her, pressing my hips against hers, letting her feel my hardening cock.
“Leave that for now,” I say huskily in her ear. “I’ve thought of nothing for the last hour except you naked and spread out on that table.”
She answers with a moan and reaches back to thread her fingers through my hair, tugging my lips to her neck.
“Have you now?”
“Yes.”
“What if I’ve thought about nothing else except being on my knees before you?”
The visual she gives me has a guttural groan leaving my lips. I drop my forehead to the back of her neck and inhale a deep breath. “You really know how to kill a guy, don’t you?”
She giggles then spins around in my arms. “Torturing you is so much fun.”
After pressing a kiss to the side of my neck, she slowly drops to her knees, and proceeds to do just that.
Lifting the sponge, I squeeze the sudsy water over Alaina’s breasts and watch it slide smoothly over her puckered nipples and creamy flesh. Dipping it back in the water, this time I set the sponge at the hollow of her throat and begin washing her.
“You told Juliet earlier that you were good with leaving the band,” she comments, holding her arm out for me to wash. “You’re not jealous at all about the new guy taking your place?”
“Hell no,” I grunt. “My life as a performer is over. I’m just grateful the guys have someone as good as him to replace me. That’s what weighed on me the most. I hated leaving them without a guaranteed replacement.”
“You don’t think the guys resent you, do you? For leaving.”
“Nah. They all knew I’d be leaving. It was just a matter of time.” I move the sponge to her stomach.
“What about the other guy? Trey? Has he made a decision yet?”
“Not yet, but I think he’s going to retire. He loves performing, but his family means too much to him. It’s been difficult for him leaving them so much. He has about four months to make a decision. The next tour is in six.”
She rubs her foot up and down my calf. “Is writing songs the only thing you plan to do from now on? Or is there something else you want to do?”
“I really enjoy writing the songs. Besides playing the guitar, it’s what I’m good at. But I’ve been playing with the idea of opening my own recording studio.”
Turning her head to look up at me, she smiles. “You should. I’m sure you pretty much know all of the ins and outs by now.”
“The only problem is, I’ll lose my position with Phenix as the song writer. Max and Bennett have been really good to the band. They took a huge risk when they signed us. I know the guys will want to follow me, but I don’t want to pull them away from Tanner Down, but then again, I don’t want to give up writing their music either.”
“Have you talked to Max or Bennett?�
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I sigh. “No, and I’m not sure I should. I need to figure out if opening my own studio is something I really want to do.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out. It’ll just take time.”
“Yeah.”
Grabbing some bubbles in her hands and lifting them to her face, she blows out a steady breath, letting the bubbles fall back to the water.
“You know what I’ll miss?”
Leaning my head forward, I press a kiss to her ear. “What will you miss?”
“Being able to see you sing in person. You were beyond amazing singing at Juliet and James’ wedding, but I would have loved seeing you in your element with the entire band.”
“Well….” I draw the word out. “You’re in luck. I got a call from Grayson yesterday asking if me and the guys could come do a few songs next month at Hooligan’s, the bar in Sunnyville, for Sidney’s birthday.”
“And you said yes?” Her eyes spark with interest.
“Of course. I haven’t confirmed it with the guys yet, but I know they’ll be down. We were actually talking the other day about missing doing little shows like that.”
“This is great!” she exclaims excitedly. “So, I will get to see you play with the guys. And this is better because I won’t have to deal with thousands of adoring fans.”
I kiss the smile on her lips.
“I also want to take the opportunity to talk with Grady’s wife, Dylan. You remember she’s also a song writer?” She nods. “I’ve talked to Grady and based on what he said, she seems to be pretty satisfied with the label she’s with, so it’s a long shot, but I want to see if it’s possible to tempt her to come work with me once her contract is up. That is if I decide to move forward with my own record label.”
“That’d be a big risk on her end,” she says thoughtfully.
“It would. That’s why I would offer her a percentage of the company.”
“Wow. I would say that’s a huge risk on your part, but I remember the songs she wrote for Jett. She’s good. Really good, in fact.”