Page 10 of Our Deceptive Heat

And that is exactly the point. Ryn Raines is a ghost.

I am a ghost. But that was the first step. An in with a band that is rising and could be exactly the kind of band that can take me all the way to stardom and fame.

They’re going to be my ticket to freedom.

Chapter three

Ryn

12 months later

I looked into youreyes and saw myself, how you saw me, and it stripped me raw- Ryn Raines

I lay on the couch, throw a cheese ball into the air, and catch it in my mouth.

“Damn, you’re good, Raines.”

I smirk at Mako. He strums the guitar, absently playing the melody we’ve created. Envy reaches over me and grabs a handful of the cheese balls, then goes and sits on the other couch. I try not to show how much his nearness affects me. Even after a year, I still get flutters when he comes close. Or when he looks at me. Especially when he’s playing anything, I could watch him make music forever. To be fair, Envy just needs to be in the same room with me, and I’m a hormonal mess.

“Well, that’s done!” Mako says with a wink, puts his guitar away, and flops down on the coach opposite mine.

“Another hit?” I tease. “How are your adoring fans? I saw you’re looking at expanding the pack. Shall I add my congratulations?”

“Shut up, you!” Digs mock growls and sits on my thighs.

I wheeze as he leans over me. “DIGS!! Get off, you’re too heavy! I give up! I’m sorry. Digs, I take it back!”

“Damn straight!” Digs growls. He reaches out, snags my bag of chips, and flings them away, earning a growl from Mako, and then sets to tickling me.

I squeal and struggle, but I’m helpless against his merciless attack.

“Five hit songs and two more coming out,” Tyr says, walking past, ignoring us like nothing is even happening. I’ve become part of the furniture here. What was a single visit quickly turned into me being here multiple nights a week. We’re all workaholics, but it worked. Fate’s Choice sealed their career with Alpha Labels and are no longer on the chopping block.

Digs sits back and then shifts so he’s beside me. “Yep, we’ve got our magic unicorn here!” He leans in so his lips are pressed to my ear. “My Aura.”

I snort but sit up, still breathless and hopelessly unable to get rid of the smile that is stretched across my face. Digs is pure joy in this world.

“This unicorn has to head home,” I say and can’t help my smile dropping. I never want to leave them.

“Aww, do you have to?” Digs cries and captures one of my thighs as I stand up, pressing his face against it.

Now, normally I’d have a racing heart, breathlessness, arousal at the feel of his fingers stroking the inside of my thighs in slight whispers of movement, but Digs doesn’t mean it. He simply is a touchy person, so I ruthlessly suppress all my emotions and reactions to the big joker. I can’t feel a thing. I really can’t. It’s nothing!

I think my heart is going to explode in my chest.

“Let her go, Digs,” Envy says as he brushes past us and throws himself down on the couch.

I stand there and smile at Envy. “Next time, you owe me one of those chocolate things.”

I’ve gotten to know the others fairly well, but Envy remains distant with me. He’s polite and accepting of me here but just stays out of my way and seldom interacts with me.

But he watches me a lot. Like he’s trying to figure me out. Like I have something he wants. He makes me nervous and unsure of myself.

I push at Digs’ hand, which is far too close to my valley of abstinence for my comfort.

Don’t awaken sleeping dragons, Digs.

His thumb shifts, almost like he strokes my inner thigh, but I see no change on his face. Too bad I’m close to self-combustion. A whimper starts to slip out, but I slam my teeth on my lower lip and smother the sound.

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