by McAdams, Mia
Lyric
I’ve never been fucked like that in my life. No one fucks like Wolf. Not even remotely close. He reaches a deeper part of me that has nothing to do with the orgasms—he touches my soul. He shows me love, even in his need and haste, every single time. I don’t question it. I’ve never questioned his feelings for me. It might have taken me longer to get here, to this point where trust solidifies our connection, but the journey was necessary. I’m never letting him go.
Now, as I watch him sleep soundly, almost to the point of snoring and drooling, there’s no question I’m crazy about him. He’ll take care of me. Put my needs first. Never hurt me. Never make me question his love. He’ll stand by me during the lowest points in my life, and I’ll never have to look back.
I slip out of bed, grab a silk robe from the bathroom, and head into the kitchen. The rest of the house is still and silent, everyone sleeping off the late night of partying. I know I could sleep all day. But lounging isn’t something I’m used to or comfortable with. And after the workout Wolf gave me last night, I need food. So will Wolf when he wakes up.
I get out the eggs, chop up some vegetables, and throw a pan of bacon in the pre-heated oven. Everything is almost ready when I feel arms wrap around my body. I quickly shut off the stove and smile, realizing once again just how happy I am.
“Hey, babes.” He nuzzles my hair. “I’m wishing we didn’t have to record today. I’d love to enjoy Miami with you.”
I raise my eyebrows at him in surprise. “Really? Sounds like you want to have a real vacation.” My eyes soften, remembering one of our first conversations. Wolf has never been a vacation person. He’s always been totally and completely devoted to the music. Vacations were pointless for him with no one to share his adventures with. In a way, I was much the same.
He shrugs, his expression reminding me of a little boy, too shy to admit he wants to go outside and have a little fun. “It’s different with you.”
“Yeah?” I grin.
He rolls his eyes and turns away from me. I pull him back and slide my hands up his chest. “Tomorrow should be a slower day at the studio, right?”
He nods. “We should have some time off the rest of the week, too. We’ll do something. Explore Miami. Go shopping. The beach. You name it.”
“Really? Shopping?”
He chuckles. “I threw it out there. I’ll take you wherever you want to go, even if it means standing around while you try on dresses or shoes or whatever the hell you girls like to do.”
I nip at his hard chest. That could be fun. “I’m liking this idea. Whatever I want, huh?”
His smile fades and eyes darken, although his expression never loses the playfulness. “Just remember, whatever torture you put me through will be paid back somehow.”
“Sexual torture?”
His eyes smolder as he presses me back into the island that sits between the kitchen and the dining room. “Most likely.” His hands move to the belt of my robe, undo the knot, and let it fall apart. He glances down at my naked body. “Hmm.” He leans down to his favorite spot just above my collarbone. “That reminds me. You’re never allowed to leave the bed again when I’m sleeping.” He presses his erection into me and lifts me up until my ass is on the cool granite. My legs spread wide to accommodate his frame as he nestles in between them.
He grins again and kisses me. It doesn’t take much for me to come undone in Wolf’s hold. He stares at me and I melt. He kisses me and I’m a flurry of flutters. He touches me and I’m in heaven. I feel his touch everywhere.
“There should at least be some type of punishment for leaving me in bed alone,” he says as he continues to torture my breast. “I have needs in the morning, babes.” He nips at my chin.
I giggle. “Oh really? And here I thought feeding you breakfast was taking care of your needs.”
He growls and comes back to my lips but doesn’t kiss me. “Other needs.” He glances down at my open robe and slides his hands up and down my thighs, controlling himself from touching me there. If it’s torture he’s going for, it’s working. I’d give anything to feel the friction of his fingers, for him to give me relief.
“You left me with morning wood again, babes.” His eyes scroll back up slowly as he pouts. I take the opportunity to bite his bottom lip, then kiss him. “I demand an apology,” he murmurs before kissing me back, hard on the mouth.
I’m putty in his hold, ready for him to take me right here on the counter. I’m not above begging at this point.
Voices begin to break through our bubble. We groan, and he breaks away from our kiss to reattach my robe, a frown etched into his otherwise flawless features.
I laugh at the untimely interruption just as Terese, Melanie, and Derrick stumble into the dining room. They aren’t looking at us, too hungover to care what they’re walking into. I hop down from the counter and start putting plates for Wolf and me together. I only made enough for the two of us, unsure when everyone would be awake.
It’s been a long couple of days, so now with my dad off to talk to Destiny’s label, my mind feels free enough to get some work done. And I want to check out things at the studio later on.
Wolf and Derrick are bantering about plans for the evening when Terese comes up behind me and pinches my sides. I jump, even though I saw her approaching in my peripheral vision, then laugh and nudge her with my shoulder.
“Hey, what are we doing tonight? Double date night, right?”
“You up for it?”
My smile grows, realizing that I am. The chance to spend the evening with my boyfriend, best friend, and best friend’s boyfriend—who also happens to be Wolf’s best friend—sounds like the perfect evening. “I am.”
She grins. “Derrick said he’ll figure it out with Wolf and they’ll surprise us.”
My gaze shifts to the guys, who are huddled together talking animatedly. Bubbles rise in my chest. I could float. No, I am floating. I almost can’t believe I’m here, in this state of mind. I’m happy. For the first time in a very long time, I’m happy. Wolf catches my gaze and winks at me before returning to his conversation.
“You coming to the studio today?” Terese asks as she grabs an apple from the counter basket.
I finish plating breakfast and nod. “I’ll be there later this afternoon. I’m going to work in the office this morning.”
“Okay, maybe I’ll hang here today and go in with you later. I’m in Miami. My skin should be showing it by now.” She winks at me and takes her apple out onto the deck.
After setting Wolf’s breakfast in front of him and kissing his head, I take my plate outside to join Terese. It’s a beautiful morning—a little humid, but nothing I can’t tolerate. We’re in paradise. I’m not complaining.
Terese and I chat about our days in Vegas and promise we’ll take the boys to visit soon. Now that all is out in the open with Wolf and me, I’m looking forward to so many things. Vacations together. Traveling. Writing. A future—whatever that may consist of.
I fill Terese in on what’s going on with my dad and Destiny. She’s had her share of run-ins with Destiny and never cared for her. “The only reason she has a following is because of that album four years ago. You’re telling me you wrote the entire thing?”
I nod, amazed that I don’t have that sinking feeling I used to have when talking about Destiny.
“She hasn’t been able to come up with anything decent since, and before that, she was a joke in the business.” Terese is going off, unable to comprehend how a mother could take advantage of her daughter like that.
This is my mom Terese is criticizing. I probably should feel compelled to stick up for Destiny, but I don’t. I’m done protecting my mother from the world’s criticism. She’ll never change, but she doesn’t need to continue to hurt me in the process. “She knows she’s getting older. I’m sure she’s having some sort of midlife crisis.”
I pick at my food and sigh. “I don’t even care to
know why anymore. I just want my songs back. I think it’s time I start falling back in love with what I’m passionate about. Letting her take that all away from me was the worst thing I ever did.”
“So, ‘Dangerous Heart,’ huh?”
I smile. “Yeah.”
“How did that happen? If you weren’t sharing your music with anyone?”
I share the story about how Wolf found the lyrics by the pool, and she’s wide-eyed with interest for every bit of it.
“No fucking way.” She laughs. “I can’t believe you just gave him the lyrics. I would have asked for a royalty share.”
I laugh. “I know. He and Crawley were both shocked. The guys still don’t know it was me.”
“What?” Terese screams this time, and I laugh until tears fill my eyes. She stands up and waves to the guys through the open sliding door.
“What are you doing?” I whisper in horror.
She looks down at me. “Look, if you want to do this right, the guys need to know. I’m telling them.”
The guys start filing out onto the patio. Wolf takes a seat beside me, giving me a strange look. My face must be beet red. Terese looks at me, asking for my approval. I know she wouldn’t say a word if I was against it. I give her a nod.
“I have an announcement,” Terese tells everyone as they spill out onto the deck. “Lyric Cassidy has been keeping something from you all. Wolf, too.” She glares at him. “Lyric gave me permission to spill the beans, so brace yourselves for this one.”
I bury my head in my hands while Wolf tries to get my attention. I can’t even look at him.
“I know who the writer is behind ‘Dangerous Heart.’ And the last three songs you all started playing on tour.” I finally look up to see Terese pointing down at me.
Everyone grows silent at first, and then the silence grows into hushed whispers as the guys make the connection, and then . . . it’s all-out pandemonium.
“What!”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell us?”
“Holy shit.”
“How the hell did that happen?”
“We should have known. Her name is fucking Lyric, for Christ’s sake.”
“Babe, you okay with this?” Wolf asks me, his voice hushed near my ear. I hear the panic in his voice above the rest of the noise and nod.
He smiles at me and I reciprocate effortlessly. “That’s my girl.” He looks up at the guys and raises his hands in surrender. “Now you know why I fell in love with the girl. And I was legally bound to silence, so you all can’t be mad at me for keeping it a secret.”
“Shit, Lyric. Why didn’t you want us to know?” Derrick asks, taking a seat next to Terese.
I sigh. “It’s really a long story. Let’s just say people in the business have a habit of disappointing me and it was just something I wanted to keep to myself.” I nudge Wolf and laugh. “But this one here was nice enough to give me an out. Instead, I signed the song over in exchange for his silence. I’ve kept my songwriting a secret for so long, but I’m done hiding it.”
Wolf
Lyric has not only stepped out of her shell, she’s ripped it apart and stomped on the pieces that once confined her. I love everything about this side of her. Happy, free, and bare to the world. At least she will be when Mitch Cassidy is done destroying Destiny Lane. It’s late in the afternoon when Lyric arrives at the studio. We’re just about to head back into the booth when she bursts into the room and reads the text message from her father.
Mitch: Record label is in agreement. Destiny Lane is toast when she gets to their offices. She arrives tonight and they are ready for her.
I can’t describe the relief and happiness that wash over me the moment she’s done reading the message. My smile is stretched so wide the corners of my mouth ache. Everyone in the room cheers while I pick up my girl and hug her, swinging her around until she’s dizzy. When she plants her mouth on mine, I’ve died and gone to heaven. This is how things should be. The music. The love. The friendships around us. Lyric’s relationship with her dad may not be perfect, but they’re both trying and that’s all that matters.
The afternoon session is flawless and full of energy. We put the final touches on “Dangerous Heart,” and it’s fitting that Lyric is there to witness it, pride evident in the moisture glistening in her eyes.
We wrap up with a bottle of champagne, which is cracked open by Larry. Glasses are passed out around the room. Lyric is right where she belongs, wrapped in my arms while we all toast. There’s nothing better than this moment. The only thing missing is Mitch.
“We’re done a day early! Fuck yeah!” Hedge offers in his usual, overly confident tone. I laugh because we all know what that means.
“We’re a wrap until Mitch and the engineers have a listen to the track. We might have to come back in for cleanup.”
Hedge makes a face. “Sounds like we’re wrapped to me.” He raises his arms. “Party all day tomorrow! You got that, assholes? Invite everyone.”
I cheer with the rest of them, raising my empty glass. Someone refills it, and Lyric turns to throw her arms around me. I look down at my girl, and her smile melts my heart. “I love you, babe.”
“I love you, too.” She pulls me down for a kiss. I groan almost immediately. Pressing my hand into the dip in her back, I deepen the kiss before sliding my lips down her neck and to her collarbone. “Why don’t you and Terese go home and start getting ready?”
She pulls away, amusement and questions in her eyes. She knows Derrick and I are taking her and Terese out, but she has no clue where. “Why?”
I slap her ass and wrap my fingers around her wrists before pulling her arms away. “Just go get dressed. Something I can slip off easily later.”
She grins and pulls closer until she’s just under my ear. “Panties on or off?”
Fuck. “Off. Definitely off.”
Terese and Lyric strut down the hallway in the sexiest outfits I’ve ever seen. I only glance at the silver fabric on Terese for a second. Lyric’s got my attention from the second she appears in the living room. Her cream dress is snug on top and flowy at the skirted section, revealing every perfect curve of her sexy body. Her legs are long, shiny, and smooth, especially with those hot, leopard-print heels. The dress is short enough for me to see the tops of her thighs, but not too short, which is probably a good thing since we’ll be out in public. Lyric will make more than a few heads turn tonight.
She does a little spin to show off the back of the dress, which instantly makes me hard. The fabric lands softly against her ass. And those heels are sexy as fuck, raising her up a couple inches—enough to show off the definition in her calves. Her hair is curled, her face as porcelain and perfect as always.
Even with all that beauty in front of me, all I can think of is her question earlier.
“Panties on or off?”
Looking at her thighs, I almost have a panic attack. One wrong step and her pussy will be all over the Internet. My eyes narrow, and from the corner of my eye, I see her laugh. She knows what I’m thinking about.
My heart almost jumps out of my throat when she does another slow twirl, the fabric of her dress moving around her but never lifting enough to show off the goods. She faces me again and winks.
“What’s wrong, Wolf?” she asks, teasing.
My eyes move up to her face, my teeth clenching as I take her in. “That dress safe tonight?” I run my finger in a line up her body from her thigh, past her waist, to the fabric hugging her chest. When she takes in a shuddering breath, I smile. I love how affected she always seems to be by my touch.
“It’s secure.” She blushes.
Her face is done up with a tint of pink on her lips. I brush a finger across them, considering what I want to do to them later. “You look beautiful, Lyric. Almost too beautiful, if I’m being honest.”
She smiles, pleased. “Thank you.”
“Just—” I cringe before I speak again. “Don
’t bend over or anything. No sudden movements.”
She gives me a playful smile. “You said sexy.”
I lean in because I can’t help myself. As I’m kissing her cheek, I slide my hand up her spine until I’m holding the back of her neck. “You are sexy. Beautiful. And mine.”
I kiss her deep enough to slip her some tongue, leaving her dizzy with want when we break apart. Tonight will be fun. I grin back at her soft expression.
“No fair,” she says, pouting. “I was supposed to do that to you.”
I chuckle. “I think you know what you do to me, babe.” I adjust my pants, hoping to hide my erection until after dinner when I can finally have my girl alone. I lean toward her ear, desperate to know.
“Are you—” I press a hand against her lower back, fanning it out to slyly feel around for material under her dress.
She just smirks and pulls away. “You’ll find out later tonight.”
“What?” I can’t help the gruff tone of my voice. I could throw her over my shoulder, drag her to the bedroom right now, and demand to see what’s under that little dress. “When?”
“When I say so.”
Oh, the look she gives me. She owns me, and she knows it. She meets Terese in the middle of the room, and they whisper something, giggling together.
Derrick meets my eye. He’s just as amused and confused as I am. “Ladies, the car is waiting,” he announces.
Lyric throws me a devilish look and smiles. “We’re ready to be schmoozed.”
I grin at her before weaving her fingers into mine. “I’ll schmooze you, all right.” I squeeze our hands together and lean toward her ear. “I think I might go insane looking at you tonight.”
She winks. “That’s the plan.”
The restaurant is packed, but Derrick and I already made arrangements we hope will impress the girls. The hostess escorts us to the top floor where a private room awaits us. The large windows are wide open, overlooking the city. There’s a soft breeze coming in from the ocean, and it’s the perfect mixture of warmth and air conditioning.