Page 57 of Finding Emotion

Erin snapped her fingers. “Karyn! That was it. You haven’t dated since then, besides all the groupie stuff.”

Damon wondered what his sister would think if he admitted he hadn’t done much with the groupies either.

Erin studied him. “I heard this stuff with Skylar is fake. All a media thing?”

Damon squirmed. “I like her,” he admitted.

“Well, hot damn.” Erin laughed. “I knew it! You two are totally getting it on, aren’t you?”

Heat filled Damon’s cheeks. “Come on, Erin. Give it a rest.”

“But—”

Nicholas reached for her, settling his hand over hers. “Not everyone is as open as you about these things, treasure.”

Erin sighed. “Fine. I’ll just ask Skylar at the girls’ night tomorrow. She seems pretty open.”

“A lot of that is a bluff.” Damon wondered if he should warn Skylar about his sister, but figured she could handle herself. “Honestly, I’m not sure how she feels.”

“Well, hell, Dame, did you ask her?”

Damon’s shoulders hunched. “It’s not that simple. There’s some stuff—”

Erin sprang up, dragging him out of his chair. “Don’t be stupid. Just go ask. Everyone complicates shit like this.” She herded him toward the door. “Come on, I’ll drive you.”

“I remember you adding your own complications, sis,” Damon accused, “so don’t act so high and mighty.”

Nicholas laughed. “He has you there, Mrs. Bryant.” He wrapped his arms around Erin, pulling her back long enough for a quick hug. “You hated whenever I wanted to talk.”

Erin’s hands moved to squeeze his arms. “That’s because you always had to talk way too much before fucking me.”

“Christ, Erin. I’ll wait in the car.” Damon wasn’t surprised when she didn’t immediately follow. He knew way too much about his sister’s sex life.

He pulled out his phone, already knowing Skylar wouldn’t have responded, but it looked like she still hadn’t even seen his texts. Hell, knowing her, she’d left her phone somewhere again. He wondered if she’d even be at the suite when he returned, but there was only one way to find out.

Chapter 22

The urge to pace or scream or curl up in a ball all gripped her, but Skylar couldn’t figure out which one to do first, so she just stood in the college’s music room with her head pounding.

“Notebooks,” she finally muttered. One counselor had suggested outlets, and it worked. Worst case, she could rip the damn thing apart. Only her hands were empty. “Did you grab one?”

Mandy was studying her with that look that Skylar hated.

“What?” Skylar snapped.

Mandy dug into the bag she carried and withdrew a notebook, but she didn’t release it, even after Skylar tugged on its edges. “We should talk,” Mandy said.

“No.” Skylar let go. “We really shouldn’t.” Her heartbeat competed with the pounding in her head.

“Skylar, I—”

“Shut up!” Guilt filled Skylar when Mandy flinched. “Shit, no, I know you want to help or something, but not right now, okay? I need some time alone.” She could still feel his hands on her shoulders. Her arms crossed as she clutched at herself, and her breath hitched. “Can you go away?”

Mandy hesitated. “Yes, all right.” She crossed toward the door, placing the notebook on the music stand nearby. Her hand gripped the straps of her bag as she stared at the frosted glass in the door with the word ‘music’ reflected backward from inside the practice space. “There are options, Skylar. We should talk through them when you’re ready.”

Skylar’s throat was too tight to respond. The door closed behind her manager, leaving the room extra silent with its muffled walls.

Mandy had been there to see and to hear. Probably that orgasm comment too.

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