Page 92 of On The Edge
“But therewillbe time?” Melody says quickly, so quickly I want to laugh. But I don’t. None of us do. Because we know that the moment we do, she won’t bring it up again.
And from the looks of it, it’s something weallare very,veryinterested in.
“Yeah, baby. There will definitely be a time,” Reis says gruffly, his eyes dark.
I don’t mind taking turns.
Not one bit.
TWENTY-TWO
“I think leavingher alone is a stupid idea,” Kai grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff. He’s sitting in the middle row of seats in the SUV with his head against the window, looking out the window defiantly as if I kicked him.
A freaking toddler throwing a tantrum.
Sighing loudly, I rub my temple. This isn’t the first complaint from the guys today and we only left her at the penthouse less than twenty minutes ago. Markus sits in the far back, equally as pissed off, nodding exaggeratedly.
I turn in the front passenger seat, feeling like the Dad of this group as I snap, “I don’t want to fucking leave her either, but Louis has got an issue and I’m not going to subject her to it.”
“What could he do, really?” Adam shakes his head.
“I thought you agreed with me!”
“I do, I just…” He runs a hand over his light hair. “I feel uneasy about leaving her.”
Sighing heavily again, I turn and face the front. Our driver does his best not to chuckle, but when I glare at him, he coughs to cover it up and keeps his eyes forward.
“It’s an hour. We can make it an hour without her,” I say, more to myself than to anyone else. “She has our numbers. She said she wasn’t going anywhere. We’ll give Louis an earful, get our questions answered, and then go to the studio at home and rehearse. With Melody sitting right there as our muse.”
The drive to Louis'office wasn’t terribly long. His office isn’t too far from our penthouse and today I’m very grateful. Normally, it’s fucking annoying because Louis uses it as an excuse to call meetings at any hour.
The four of us climb into the clear glass elevator, grumbling with annoyance the whole time.
“What are you going to say?” Adam breaks the silence.
“I will fucking say something. I’ll tell him to shut his damn mouth when he thinks about talking to us about Melody in any way,” Kai mutters under his breath, stuffing his hand into his jeans pockets.
“Let’s see what he says first.” I put a hand out to try and calm the tension. I know they’re all pissed off at the email he sent, but we have two years left to deal with this guy. Unless we take a major loss and pay the breaking fee. As annoying as Louis is, he’s made it clear that he can always get more annoying. Our career is built and strong, but one well-placed issue could always knock it down a peg.
As he’s so fucking terrified of happening.
“He says one goddamn thing,” Markus says, not finishing the threat. I don’t need to hear it to know how serious he is. He’s leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Markus is theteasing one in our group. The one always willing to crack a joke, keep the mood light, and flash a smile. Even through the pain I know he’s dealing with inside.
He’s not fucking around now. Especially not about Melody and her protection. About her, he’s all business, and from the fire in his eyes I can tell that he’d knock out a fucker for very, very little.
“I’m right there with you,” I agree. I’ve given Louis a chance. I’m not about to give him any more. Not when it comes to Melody.
The elevator door dings and opens. The four of us usher out into the reception area of the management firm. We’ve been here many, many times, and have made these people enough money that we have our album on the wall. It was our second album; the first to go platinum, and we’re all standing in a semi-circle on the cover with our masks on, shirtless and flexing. It’s a good picture, but moreso, it’s one that signified our step into the big leagues.
“Reis,” the receptionist coos, seeing me walking up with my guys behind me. She's a moderately attractive, fake blonde with heavy makeup and obvious work done to her eyebrows and lips. And, annoyingly, I’m fairly sure we’ve slept together.
I cannot remember a name of any kind for the life of me. Probably a night where I was blasted out of my mind.
We must have, or she wants to, because she fixes her tits and pulls her shirt down just as I come to a stop at her desk.
“We have a meeting with Louis, now,” I say in a monotone so she doesn’t look into anything. We may or may not have slept together, but there’s not a way in hell I’m going to let her think she has a shot now.
No one will ever have a shot again. No one except Melody.
