Page 60 of Siren's Heart

"Just... make sure to stick with her, alright?" Summer frowns, and I tilt my head. "From what I'm seeing, they've mainly left her to deal with the fall-out alone. No signs that they increased her security or made any effort to award her any privacy. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if her label tipped off the paparazzi, considering how often whole groups of them coincidentally spotted them. So…make sure to show up, and stand up for her, big brother." Now, it's my turn to frown. What the hell does she mean, ‘show up?’ I'm already here.

"Of course,” I assure her quickly, but she looks skeptical. “And how is everything for you guys?" She knows that I mean her and my parents. "Any trouble yet?"

"Oh, a suspicious van in front of the property with masked people sitting in it; apart from that everything's dandy." She laughs, and I shake my head at her.

"Don't let them lure you with free candy."

"They'd have to up their game with puppies or no dice. Mom and Dad are having a lovely time catching up on your movies, so they're distracted." My eyes widen in horror, the corner of hers crinkling as she smiles devilishly.

"Oh no."

"Oh yes!" She bursts into laughter, and I bury my face in my hands. In one of my recent movies, I had the displeasure of doing a pretty explicit sex scene.

Of course, nothing's really visible, but the thought of my parents watching it makes my skin crawl like cockroaches run over it nonetheless. There are just things a parent should never see.

"Come on, you knew this would happen sooner or later. They watch all of your movies."

"I was just hoping they'd skip that one." Her cackle intensifies, and Millie pops her head around the corner to the bathroom, raising her eyebrow with curiosity. In a hushed tone, I fill her in on what has Summer sounding like a witch. She also bursts into laughter before getting back to her self-care. What a traitor.

"Was that Millie?"

"Yes, it was."

"Tell her 'hi' from me," she demands, and I nod before she continues. "Seriously, that woman has my respect. I wonder how she does it. Her fans are sweet as hell, but her haters are loud." She shakes her head and sighs heavily. "I don't know how she manages to deal with it; my self-confidence could never."

"And that's why you're not a famous pop star," I point out and chuckle when she shoots me a glare. "Well, that, and the fact you can't sing one proper note."

"I'll have you know, I am super–" She takes a deep breath. "Talenteeeed," she sings in a pitch rivaling Cinderella's evil stepsisters trying to sing ‘Sweet Nightingale.’ I grimace and put my index finger into my ear until she's finished.

"Well, in areas that are not singing, you certainly are. Like…" I take a moment to think. “Your pancakes are awesome.”

"I just love that you believe in me," she says dramatically, putting the back of her hand to her forehead. "Now, why don't you excuse me while I join Mom and Dad and vomit in a corner whenever your face is shown."

"I love you too, sis."

She waves at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes, and then the connection is dead. Fuck.

"God, I won't be able to look them in the eye anymore," I groan and direct my empty gaze at the ceiling, only darting down when Millie strolls back into the room, her fingers massaging a bit of product into her skin just under her jawline.

"Is it that explicit?" she asks, eyes lighting up. "Then I might have to watch it. Oh, I know, should make a party of it."

"You will not, and we will not," I say sternly, capturing one of her wet curls and twisting it around my fingers. "Sex scenes in movies are awkward as fuck to shoot, and you've got the real thing in your bed. Which, I might add, is a lot better than that scene."

"You're only fuelling my curiosity," she sing-songs, much more beautifully than my sister attempted only minutes ago. Millie gets on the couch next to me, resting the side of her head against my naked shoulder. "What was the name of the movie again?"

"I haven't told you, and I won't," I chuckle at her lousy attempt at getting the name. She purses her lips in a pout, and I can't help but kiss it. "But you can get the real thing anytime. Just give me a bit more time to recover."

Millie

"What are you doing here?" I hiss when Luca pops his head around the corner to Kayla's and my dressing room. Rob, our bodyguard, looms over him, but after giving him a brief nod, he leaves and lets Luca in.

"I wanted to come say 'hi' before your press conference," he steps closer with a sheepish smile. Without conscious thought, I purse my lips for a kiss, receiving one immediately. A chaste one, though, Kayla is in this room, too, after all.

"Only to say 'hi'?"

"And to tell you good luck and to ignore the asshats," he adds with a grin. "And to get another one of these." He leans in and brushes his lips against mine one more time.

"You two are disgustingly cute, you know that?" Kayla says from her corner, where she's popped out one of her headphones, and chuckles. "Seriously, I'm going to get caries watching you."

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