by L A Cotton
“Do I get to know what that girl of yours has planned yet?” Damon jammed his hands into his jean pockets.
“You’ll find out soon enough.” I smirked.
“Hopefully it involves lots and lots of liquor and a night out. I’m feeling restless.” Hudson’s eyes went wide, guilt swirling there. “Sorry, Lev. That was—”
“Seriously, you guys,” my brother let out a strained breath, “I’m okay. Are some days harder than others? Fuck, yes. But you don’t have to tread on eggshells around me.” He met my eyes in the mirrored walls of the elevator. “I’ve realized a few things lately.”
“Yeah?” Hudson asked.
“Yeah. I’m trying to keep my shit together, I promise. There’s too much on the line.” His eyes burned into the glass, but he might as well have been looking right at me.
“Good to hear it, man,” Damon said. “We’re all proud of you, Levi. All of us.”
The atmosphere turned tense, but then the doors pinged open and we filed out in the hall.
“It’s quiet.” Hudson’s brows crinkled. “Are you sure they didn’t leave without us?”
“They’re probably still getting ready,” Levi grunted. “You know how long girls take with that kind of stuff.”
I hung in the back, letting the three of them go on ahead. Stalter shot me a knowing look as we approached him.
“Are the girls still here?”
“Yeah, they’re inside,” he said, giving nothing away.
Damon was first at the door. He opened it and stepped inside. “What the hell?” he mumbled as we all followed him. The place was silent, stepped in darkness, shadows dancing across the walls.
“They’re not—”
“SURPRISE!” Someone hit the lights and Eva, the girls, and a couple dozen guests all cheered at Damon’s arrival.
“Holy shit.” Hudson let out a low whisper as he took in the suite.
Eva had gone all out. There were decorations, a homemade bar, snacks, and a… piñata. I smiled to myself. There was even a DJ set up in the corner of the room.
“Happy birthday.” She reached us, enveloping Damon in a hug. “I hope this is okay?”
“Shit, Eva, I can’t believe you did all this... for me.”
“Hey now,” Letty chimed in, “she had help.”
“Thanks, seriously. This is...” Damon swallowed, cupping the back of his neck. “I’m speechless.”
“Gifts, we need to do gifts.” Eva grinned. She looked so fucking good in the denim mini skirt and off-the-shoulder plaid blouse. Her hair was a wild mass of curls framing her face, her smile painted bright red, and totally kissable.
“This is from me and Rafe.”
“You got a couple’s gift? Uh, whipped.” Hudson coughed loudly, earning him a clip to the ear from Letty.
“I can’t take any credit; this was all Eva.”
“Open it.” She handed Damon the box and he wasted no time tearing into it.
“Holy shit,” he breathed. “Original Fender Patent prints. How the hell did you track these down?”
“I had a little help.”
Damon flicked his eyes to me. “Don’t look at me,” I said.
“I’m not just a pretty face, you know.” Letty scowled but it melted away seconds later. “Happy birthday, Damon.”
“I’m blown away, thank you.”
I reached for Eva, pulling her back against my chest. “Thank you.” It was a whisper against her ear.
“What for?” She leaned back, tipping her face to mine, grazing my jaw with her lips.
“For being you. For loving me, and them.” I flicked my head over to where Damon was busy opening more gifts.
“They’re your family.”
Family.
It was a word that had never held a simple definition for me before. There had never been family trips to the coast, or family meals and holidays spent with loved ones. There had been me and Levi, learning to survive after our family had chewed us up and spat us out. Then when we met Damon and Hudson at the music program, our family grew. We became four. Four guys who would go on to say 'fuck you' to the rules. A group of guys who would find themselves with the world at their feet and no one to guide them right.
And then came Eva.
Whether she realized it or not, whether they realized it, she was the glue. Meeting her hadn’t been a coincidence. She came barreling into our lives at a time when things could have so easily spiraled out of control.
She changed us.
She made us better.
And there was no way I was ever letting her go.
I dropped my chin on her shoulders, watching as our friends celebrated. Someone started passing around drinks and we all toasted Damon before the DJ dropped a heavy beat and the place erupted.
“Where d'you find the DJ?” Hudson asked.
“You really have to ask?” Letty hip bumped him. “Don’t worry, he knows the deal. Signed his NDA on the way in.”
“We come bearing shooters.” Phoebe appeared with Molly in tow.
“Guys, it’s good to see you all again.”
“Looking good, Molly. Phoebe.”
The air turned thick as my brother barely looked at her.
“Here, pass them around.” Molly started handing out the shooters, oblivious to the sudden tension.
“I thought we agreed nothing too wild?” Eva grimaced, reluctantly taking one.
“Just one, to toast the birthday boy?” Molly waggled her brows.
“I like your style, Steinberg.” Hudson lifted his glass to hers.
“Too bad you won’t be sampling the goods. Ever. Again.” She smiled sweetly at him, but it was full of venom. And I realized Eva was right. Perhaps Molly was exactly the right girl to whip Hudson into shape.
“To Damon,” she said, “on three.”
“One... Two... Three. Damon.”
We all knocked back our shooters, even Eva.
“Okay, wow, that was...”
“We need to toughen you up, Angel.” Hudson hooked his arm around her neck and pulled her close. “If you’re going to tour the world with us, you need to build up some resistance.”
“W- world tour?” Her mouth fell open.
The party was in full swing now, people laughing and drinking. But the eight of us remained together, in our own little bubble.
Everyone was looking at Eva now. We hadn’t talked about what happened after the US tour ended. We still had a leg left. But Letty had dropped it out that since the Masterpiece endorsement, a world tour was looking more and more likely.
“As in outside of the country?”
Hudson exploded with laughter, the rest of us following. She was still so damn sweet and innocent.
“Well, yeah, Country.” Levi smiled, a real honest-to-god smile. “What do you say? Fancy spreading a little Hunter-Walker magic around the world?”
“I... wow.” My girl stumbled over her words. “I have no idea what to say. Alistair hasn’t said—”
“Because I was waiting for the right time to talk to you about this.” He strolled over to us. “This is really something, Eva.” He glanced over his shoulder to where everyone was having a good time.
“Oh, it was nothin’ really.” Her cheeks bloomed pink. I took her hand in mine, threading our fingers together.
“The details are still being finalized, but, yes, the label wants to take the tour global, and they want you too.”
“Ohmigod,” Molly’s shrieks filled the air.
“I... I don’t know what to say.”
“Yes, obviously. The answer is yes.”
“Molly has a point, Eva.”
“Hold the phone. Did the arrogant Black Hearts drummer, the one and only Hudson Ryker, just agree with me?”
“Jesus,” he said through gritted teeth, shaking his head.
“You don’t have to decide anything yet,” Alistair added. “It’s a big decision and I’ll sure you’ll want to—”
“Yes,” she breathed.
“Yes, I want to do it.”
“Holy shit, for real?” Hudson asked, and Eva nodded.
“Well, all right.” My brother whispered something to Letty and she and Phoebe took off.
Seconds later they returned with a bottle of some expensive looking champagne and glasses. Alistair took the bottle from her, doing the honors. The cork popped spraying everywhere.
“Oh shit,” Molly gasped. “Here.” She held up her glass catching the spillage.
“Pass it around. This requires a toast with something other than whisky or those god-awful shooters you insist on drinking.”
“Way to show your age, Ali.” Levi snorted.
“Does everyone have one?”
We all nodded, waiting for our manager to start. “The day I saw you performing in that dive bar in Atlanta, I knew I’d found something great. You didn’t just play your instruments; you became one with them. I’d never seen anything like it. And then Levi started singing and that was that. I knew I was staring at the next big thing.
“You don’t always make it easy for me, and I know I give you a hard time more often than not, but it’s only because I believe in you. Because I have every faith you can rule the industry for the next two... five... hell, even ten years.”
“Hear fucking hear.” Levi lifted his glass up and we all followed.
“You’ve got what it takes to go all the way. I see it, the label sees it, even Dowager sees it. But you’re still young. Impressionable.” He glanced at my brother. “You’ve got to keep your heads about this. Work with me. Take direction when it’s suggested.”
“Boooo,” Hudson teased. “You had to go and ruin a perfectly good speech, didn’t ya?”
“All right, all right, I’ll save the TED talk for another day. But know that I’m proud of you. All of you, and Eva, I’m real happy you’re here. I think I can speak for everyone when I say we all are.” He raised his glass in the air.
“Hang on a second,” Damon chimed in and Alistair stepped back. “Since it’s my birthday I think I should get to say a few words. The last few months haven’t been easy. In fact, at times, they have been downright shitty, but I couldn’t think of a better bunch of guys to experience all the highs and lows with. And now we get to include Eva in that.” His eyes settled on mine.
“I couldn’t think of a better girl to come on tour with us. I mean, damn, if a girl gets you a piñata for your birthday, she’s a keeper.” He winked, raising his glass in the air. “To Eva and the band.”
That was something I would never get tired of hearing.
Eva and the band.
It bound us together.
Made us one.
But most importantly, it meant I got to share every second of this crazy ride with her.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Eva
* * *
I was so high I didn’t want to come down.
A world tour... with the band.
With Rafe.
It seemed implausible, and yet, Alistair had stood there and said it—he’d even toasted to it.
The party was a sure-fire hit. I’d switched to soda after the first couple of celebratory drinks. I didn’t want to embarrass myself. Besides, I didn’t need a synthetic buzz, not with the amount of adrenaline coursing through my veins.
“I’m going to see if Johnson and Stalter will join us,” I said to Rafe.
“You worry too much.” He dipped his head, peppering my face with kisses. “You already took them cake.”
“But it’s late. Surely they can leave their posts for thirty minutes and come kick back with us.”
“Kick back, huh?”
“Oh, hush.” I kissed him, letting my tongue tangle lazily with his. Soft, deep licks that had my tummy clenching and my pulse racing.
“We get to do this all over the world...”
“I still can’t believe it,” I breathed.
“Believe it, Starshine.” Rafe’s hand cupped the back of my head as he deepened the kiss. “Is it time to call it a night yet?”
“Soon.” I smiled against his mouth. “I love you.” Untangling myself from his grasp, I grabbed two beers and headed for the hall. But movement in the shadows near the door stopped me in my tracks. Phoebe was caged against the wall, Levi’s body leaning over her, his hand pressed against the wall at the side of her head. They weren’t doing anything besides talking, but it looked like a private moment.
An intimate moment I didn’t want to disturb.
I’d gotten to know Phoebe over the last week or so and had quickly realized my snap judgment about her was all wrong. She was witty and organized. She didn’t push or prod, and the guys all seemed to like her. Much like I had done, she’d slipped into the group with ease, and I already couldn’t imagine not having her around.
Deciding to let them have their moment, I went to double back but Levi’s gravelly voice gave me pause. “It’s okay, Angel,” he said. “It’s safe to look.” There was a hint of humor in his voice.
“Busted.” I turned around and slowly approached them, feeling my cheeks heat. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were out here.”
“It’s okay.” Phoebe sidestepped Levi, smoothing a hand down her dark locks. “We were just talking.”
Levi frowned at that, brushing a thumb over his bottom lip as he watched her. I’d seen that look before—it was the classic Hunter gaze. Hot. Possessive. Levi wanted her. I just wasn’t sure either of them were ready for that.
“I’m going to head back in.” he motioned to the hall leading to the suite. “What you did for Damon, Eva, it was a real nice thing.”
Levi left, leaving me with Phoebe. She let out a shaky breath. “You were right… he’s intense.”
“Is everythin’ okay?” She looked a little shell shocked.
“I’m fine, I just didn’t expect…” Pasting on a warm smile, she added, “It doesn’t matter. Tonight is Damon’s night. And yours. Congratulations, on the tour.”
“Thank you. It still doesn’t feel real.” A beat passed. “Listen, are you sure you’re okay?”
“Honestly? I’m not sure…”
“You’re right. Levi is intense and complicated, but I think he likes you. I don’t want to speak out of turn, but please don’t—”
“Hurt him?” Phoebe didn’t blanch or look offended, and I knew then, that she did understood Levi in a way most didn’t. “I can’t explain it, or maybe it’s just my own screwed up issues, but I feel… something.”
“Just promise me you’ll be careful. Both of you.”
“Oh, trust me, baby steps are all I have right now, for anyone.”
“I’d really like to hear your story one day; if you ever want to tell me?”
She smiled. “I’d like that. Right, I guess I should go back inside.”
“Okay, I won’t be long.”
I watched Phoebe head back inside. There was something about her… a sadness in her eyes I hadn’t really noticed before. There had been no mistaking the chemistry between her and Levi, and although I knew not to get carried away, a little part of me couldn’t help but hope she was exactly what he needed.
After persuading Johnson and Stalter to take a break and come hang out with everyone, I slipped back into the party, only to be ground to a halt by the sight before me.
“Look…” Molly rushed over to my side, sliding her arm through mine.
“They’re…” The words dried on my lips as I watched Rafe and Levi serenade the room with a stripped back version of a song I hadn’t heard before.
“Oh, Eva, you really love them, don’t you?” Molly was staring at me.
I dabbed my eyes, swallowing down the rest of the tears. It was like a dream come true, watching these two damaged broken beautiful boys perform together. Sure, they did it night after night with the band, but this was different. This was acceptance. It was brotherhood.
It was unconditional love.
“They’re so damn good,” Molly swayed beside me.
&n
bsp; “How did this happen?” I choked out the words.
“Levi asked Rafe to play with him.”
“He did?”
“He did. Your Black Hearted boys are goin’ to be okay, babe.”
“They really are.” Warmth spread through me as I watched them weave together a song so haunting and powerful the entire room had fallen under their spell.
Someone moved to my other side, and I glanced up to find Alistair standing there. “Now isn’t that a sight to behold?”
I nodded over the lump in my throat.
“When I found out about you and Rafe, I honestly didn’t know if they would survive it.” He stared out at them, pride shining in his eyes. “I don’t know what it is about you, Eva, but whatever it is, we need it. They need it.”
Alistair squeezed my shoulder before slipping away, leaving me to ponder his words. I clutched my chest, completely enamored by the way Levi’s voice blended with Rafe’s backing vocals.
“Sweet baby Jesus,” Molly whispered. “Can I get a job on the tour? You’re a lucky, lucky lady, Eva Star Walker.”
Wasn’t I just?
The song finished and everyone gave them a standing ovation, but Rafe only had eyes for me. He didn’t wait, striding across the room toward me.
“I’ll give the two of you some space,” Molly whispered, giving my hand a gentle squeeze before disappearing.
“Hi,” I said when Rafe stopped in front of me.
“Hi.” His eyes were clouded with disbelief, nervous energy rolling off him.
“That was unexpected.”
“Tell me about it.” He hooked his arm around my waist, pulling me close. “I was just standing there, watching everyone, and he strolled up to me and said, ‘everything will work out, you know?”
“He did?” My brows furrowed. That didn’t sound like a very Levi thing to say. But no one could deny the change in him of late.
“I think he sensed my torment.”