Chapter 28
We walk upstairs, and I unlock my apartment’s front door. “Alice? Alice?” I look around the cramped apartment and poke my head into her room and find it empty.
“We’re alone,” he says darkly when I return to the living room. He watches me with his hooded eyes as he leans against the front door, turning the lock without breaking eye contact.
A thrill zips through me like being on a fast roller-coaster, dipping up and down hills at lightning speeds. “What should we do?”
He places his hands on my hips and brushes his nose against mine. “Can you put your mermaid tail back on?”
I laugh, shoving his chest, but he doesn’t move. “You really want all this tied up?” I bend my knee and stroke my thigh.
He groans. “Never mind. I want you naked.”
“So, demanding…” I kiss his mouth and wrap my arms around his neck.
He picks me up effortlessly and we enter my room. He gently sets me on my bed. “I have a gift for you.”
“Oh?” I move back to rest against the pillows. “It’s not even my birthday.”
He pulls out a velvet box from his pocket. “Don’t get too excited, Schatz.”
That nickname sends tingles between my legs. I inhale a sharp breath and stop breathing as he hands the little box to me.
“Open it.” I flick my gaze up, watching how he bites back a smile waiting for my reaction.
Exhaling and trying not to choke on air, I reply, “Alright.” I crack it open and see a pair of silver starfish earrings.
“Thought they were fitting for my mermaid,” he says, giving me a wolfish smirk.
“They’re perfect.” I close the box and wrap my arms around his neck. “Thank you!” I kiss him and pull him onto the bed with me. My legs wrap around his until we’re entangled in each other.
He kisses me and where his lips touch ignites into flames. His phone goes off, but he ignores it, tossing it onto a random pile of clothes, and presses me onto the comforter. He’s on top, kissing my collarbone as his hands tease my breasts.
The phone draws questions, but I don’t dare ask them. Instead, I enjoy Sully’s firm yet delicious touch and close my eyes. He’s tender but rough and I watch the fireworks explode behind my eyelids.
Hours later, Sully snores beside me. I pad into the bathroom to freshen up and check my phone. Alice is crashing at Emily’s and she sends kissy faces. It’s like she knew what this night would bring.
There’s a strange message on my Insta. Someone requesting to chat. It’s usually fans or people asking advice on how to kickstart their mermaid careers.
My stomach plummets to the floor when I see the name Amy and the picture is of the same stone-cold bitch I met at Sully’s. The message is simply: call me and her number.
How did she find me? Oh, I was a smartass and told her my damn handle. Good job, Veronica.
Crap. I pace in the living room as panic builds behind my eyes.
Why should I call her? I don’t answer to her. But Sully turned his phone off. Could something have happened and they need to get a hold of him and they can’t? Maybe it’s an emergency.
I’m about to dial her number when Sully stalks out of the bedroom, rubbing his eyes. “Do you want to go out for breakfast or do you have anything here to eat? I’m good with cereal or…” He rubs his jaw and notices my phone. “What’s wrong?”
“Amy sent me a message on Insta to call her.”
“The band’s Amy?” he asks, confused.
“Yeah…I don’t know anyone else by that name unless you count the singer of Evanescence, and I doubt she wants me to call her.”
“Don’t worry about it. She’s just pissed my phone is off.” He strolls into the kitchen. “I need coffee before I talk to her.”
“What if something bad happened?” I set my phone on the counter and watch him fill the coffee machine with water.
“She makes everything sound worse than it is. I’m needed at the studio. That’s all.”
“Hmm…” I steal the coffee can from him so he’ll look at me. “You can’t blow off your band for me.”
“Watch me.” He takes the can back and pours three tablespoons of grounds into the machine, closing the lid and turning it on.
“Why do you think Scarlet Failure hardly tours? I don’t have it in me anymore, and they won’t find another bass guitarist because of the deal we made—that we’d stick together or the band’s dead. ”
I cross my arms, studying him. “What about the music awards tonight?” My voice comes out sharper than I mean it to—part accusation, part wounded hope.
He pauses, glancing at me over his shoulder like he can feel the shift in the air. For a second, something flickers in his eyes—regret, maybe.
“We’ll see,” he says with a shrug, too casual. He turns and opens the fridge. “You need to go grocery shopping. Your milk’s gone.” He tosses the empty container into the sink.
“Yeah. Alice does that.” I roll my eyes. “But don’t change the subject.”
He closes the fridge and kisses my lips. “Don’t worry. I’ll sort it out after we eat. Now help me find food.”
“Okay,” I mumble, caving in.
We find cherry pop-tarts and eat at the two-seater table drinking coffee. He does what he promised, calls Amy, and orders a ride to the studio to meet up with his band.
“Do you want to come?” He offers me his hand.
I interlace my fingers with his and we climb into the car.
We arrive at the studio and Amy’s fuming when she spots me. I hold my head high and enter with Sully.
Charlotte sits on a stool next to the producer as Ben and Lars lounge on the couch.
“Hey, Veronica.” Charlotte greets me with a hug and ushers me to the soundboard. “You have to hear this track.” She motions for the producer to play something. He nods and music starts. The song is heavy and the lyrics deep, about being lost in a world you don’t understand.
“Wow. I love it,” I say once it’s over.
“Thanks. It’s going to be the first single off the new record.”
The door opens again and slams closed. When I look over my shoulder, the temperature in the room drops twenty degrees. Gigi shrugs out of her black fur coat and tosses it at Lars like he’s part of the furniture.
“Great. She’s here early,” Charlotte mutters.
“Why is she here?” I whisper.
Charlotte rolls her eyes. “Amy and her PR games. Talked Gigi into singing on one of our new songs and dragging poor Sully to the award show tonight.” She grimaces. “I’m sorry. I said Sully should take you, but—”
“It’s fine. It’s for the upcoming tour. Nothing personal.” Right?
Gigi spots Sully sitting in the corner on a stool with his guitar. He’s been holding it silently as if he didn’t make a sound, he’d turn invisible.
“Sully! There you are.” Gigi floats toward him in her seven-inch heels like she’s walking on air.
He adjusts his guitar and strums the strings. “Hey. I’m tuning this and then I’ll be ready to play.”
She pouts and runs her thumb under the thin bra strap on her shoulder. Amy rushes to Gigi’s side. “Can I get you anything?”
Gigi blows a bubble with her gum and pops it loudly. “Coffee.” That’s when Gigi’s eyes fall on me. “Is that your job?”
I stiffen. “No.”
Amy waves a hand at me. “She’s nothing.”
Sully stands and sets his guitar on its stand. “Veronica is my guest.”
A ping hits my heart. What’s this weird feeling taking over me? Is this jealousy?
“Oh.” Gigi steals the seat next to the producer and scrolls through her phone. “Someone getting that coffee?”
Amy nods. “Yes. Right away.”
Charlotte touches my arm. “Don’t worry about her. She’s a diva.”
I nod and glance at the clock on the wall. “It’s okay. I need to be at work soon anyway.”
Sully cuts in, cupping my face in his hands. “I’m coming over after the show, okay?”
“I’ll see you then.”
He kisses me and I wave my goodbyes to the rest of the band.
I walk to the diner around the corner and ask Alice to come pick me up. As I lean against the brick wall, I glance up at the video billboard promoting the award show. To my surprise Scarlet Failure is on there with a bunch of other artists, including Gigi.
My insides feel hollowed out thinking of Gigi hanging on Sully tonight. I hate Amy and PR. I hate games to make sure bands get more exposure. And despite my best efforts, I am falling in love with Sully, and it makes me ill knowing my heart is placing itself on the chopping block once again.