Page 12 of On The Edge
Now, the tension in the car is so fucking awkward, and leave it to Kai to do that shit and not be phased.
“How are you, Mel? It’s been way too long.” Adam’s voice gets closer as he leans forward, resting his head on his folded arms on the back of her seat. Melody turns in her seat as much as she can, and her ass bumps against my thigh as her knees rests on Kai.
Even in the low light I’m able to see the smile she gives Adam; the kindness just radiating from her, just as it does with him. It comes so easily to him, forgiveness and light, not like it does for the rest of us.
The asshole.
“Well, it’s been… a lot has happened in seven years. Obviously, you guys know that.” She chuckles weakly, putting both hands on Adam’s arms. My eyes focus on where they touch and I seethe silently with jealousy.
I wish I was the one she was touching.
“My seven-year gap is nothing as remarkable as yours, obviously.”
My mouth opens to say something, but Reis beats me to it. “We worked our asses off.” His voice sounds like a thunder strike cracking through the air. “We sacrificed. We made deals with devils, but we made it. We’re famous millionaires, and get to do what we love every day. We’resuccessful.” Reis throws the words over his shoulder like he didn’t drop a fucking emotional bomb.
Watching as Melody’s face drops, I reach forward, slipping my arm along the side closest to the door to flick his ear in retaliation. “Ow!” he snaps. Leaning back, I smirk at his pain.
“Enough about us,” Kai snaps, and cups her knee with his hand. “We want to know aboutyou, Melody. What have you been up to throughout the years? Anything interesting?” His voice booms in the small car and I chuckle.
“I definitely want to know about you, Songbird,” I whisper against her shoulder, the nickname slipping off my tongue easily even after years of being spoken only in my mind. I used to call her that because melodies carry the lyrics. She’s the one that carries us, even if she doesn’t know it. I knew that back then, and I know it now.
“There’s nothing really to tell,” she says.
“In seven years? I find that a little odd,” Adam remarks. “Come on, Echo. Tell us,” he asks in a sing-song, begging kind of way.
Melody looks around, unsure and nervous, but bites her lip and sighs.
“Well, after you all left, I finished out my senior year. Went to prom, graduated. I got into OKU, but after a semester I decided it wasn’t for me. I’ve always been good at social media stuff and I helped a few friends build their online businesses. Then they hired me to manage all their socials and marketing. It clicked, and now I own a social media marketing management business. The Social Buzz. About a year and a half into it, it took off. Now I have clients all over the world.” She shrugs nervously like she didn’t just blow us all away.
I shake my head. “I fucking knew it.”
“Knew what?” Mel looks at me in alarm, and I see her dark eyes illuminate for a split second by the light from a passing street lamp.
I inhale softly, making sure I can still breathe because I’m fairly sure she took my breath away.
“That you’d be a huge success,” I answer genuinely.
Her eyes soften at my words and she gives me a shy smile, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “I worked hard and it paid off. You guys seem to know all about that.” She glares at the side of Reis’ head as Kai and I chuckle under our breath.
“We’re here, gentlemen. And lady,” the driver announces, pulling in front of a building that has a line of people, wrapping all the way around the corner. The bass is so strong I can feel it in the car.
This is going to be so much fun.
My fingers itch to roll a joint, but I have a feeling I’m going to want to be level-headed for tonight.
We all climb out, probably looking like giants tumbling from a clown car. Kai turns and offers Melody his hand, which she takes quickly, and slips down to the ground like a dark princess.
I watch their backs as a few patrons in line take out their phones and start snapping pictures, calling out for us.
“Reis! Reis!” A blonde girl calls out over the noise for Reis, and he waves with a tight-lipped smile.
“Markus! Markus, over here!” I hear a girl scream for me, and I nod in the general direction. I’m all about girls usually, but tonight I havethe girlby my side. The only girl who’s ever really mattered on my arm. I’m not going to entertain any other possibility tonight.
One of the girls screams out, “Adam! Adam, please! Please, I love you!” Melody jolts and looks down, keeping her face covered.
Kai wraps his arm around her to shield her from prying eyes and pushes forward into the club, but not before some unknown woman in line grabs his arm and pulls, screaming for him to fuckher. I see the rage in his eyes, the embarrassment, but he just tips his lips down and pushes forward.
All in all, this is one of the least invasive entrances we’ve had. I could’ve gotten groped, Reis could’ve gotten flashed—that’s happened before. Fans are touchy-feely when we enter their orbit.
