Chapter Twenty-Five #3
She wanted some family time. Is that too much to ask?
We walk toward the back pool deck, passing through the giant sliding doors. The back deck is set out like a Caribbean cabana. Stylo is over by the bar, mixing drinks in his jeans, black shirt, and leather jacket. Not your typical pool wear, but it’s the two other people who catch our attention.
Lyric stands stock-still, letting out a small scream.
Her hands fly into the air as she takes off from me, running.
I stand, my eyes wide as she rushes toward a woman who has black dreadlocks with a purple ribbon running through them.
She’s wearing a black bikini, and her body’s covered in tattoos that don’t seem to match.
She races toward Lyric as well, and when they slam into each other, they embrace tightly, while I walk a little closer.
“Oh my God, what are you doing here?” Lyric practically yells.
“Hey, what am I? Chopped liver?” A guy with shaggy blond hair, no shirt, and board shorts with muscles that could rival mine, rushes up to the duo, throwing his arms around them in a group hug.
“Holy shit, you’re all here?” Lyric asks, then bursts into tears.
“Yep, we’re here. We heard you were having a tough time, and you were always there for us. It’s time we were all here for you, Lyric,” the goth girl announces.
It’s all starting to click into place.
“And besides, it’s not often I can use the excuse of a family emergency to get time off from tour,” the blond guy adds.
Lyric’s eyes widen. “No! You didn’t use me as an excuse to leave, did you?”
“Lyri, I needed a break. I’m thankful for a little R and R with the fam-bam.” His eyes shift to me. “Plus, I have to scope out the new lover boy. Make sure he’s good enough for my big sister.”
“You’re Clef?” I ask, suddenly feeling a little intimidated about meeting her entire family.
“None other.” He lets Lyric go and walks over, placing his hand out for me to shake. “Nice, firm grip… I like him, Lyri. Good choice.”
I stifle a laugh. “Well, that was easy.”
Her little sister, Aria, still attached to Lyric, narrows her eyes on me. “You hurt my sister, dude.”
I wince, my stomach flipping as a reminder. “I know. And I promise you I will never do it again.”
Aria detaches from Lyric, strides over, and meets my gaze square in the eyes. “You pinky promise?” She holds up her hand.
“Aria, don’t be silly,” Lyric calls out as Clef chuckles to himself.
Aria continues her death glare with lethal intensity, so I wrap my pinky around hers and grip tight.
“I pinky promise I won’t hurt Lyric. Ever again.
I promise only to love and do right by her.
And, if I fuck up again, which I won’t, you have full permission to feed me to the wolves, or pull me up on stage and roast me for a solid hour in front of millions of your loyal fans.
Fuck, you can even put out a hit on me if you want, because I would fully deserve it. ”
Aria’s eyes widen like she’s impressed. “Well, all right, then. That was better than I was expecting. You’re okay by me, sir.” She lets my hand go, slaps my chest a couple of times, and then spins, walking back over to Lyric.
“All right, then,” I mutter, taking a centering breath.
Stylo steps over, handing me a small tumbler of whiskey. “Sorry about my spawn. They’re idiots. But protective idiots. They want Lyri with the best man possible, especially after the last fucking asshole.”
I dip my head. “Zane?”
They all grunt their disapproval, making Lyric snicker.
Stylo exhales dramatically. “You’re nothing like him, Chase.” He fixes me with a hard stare. “Keep it that way, yeah?” He slaps my back. Really fucking hard. So hard I almost drop my whiskey before he walks off toward his wife, who’s standing just inside the house, watching us all.
I roll my shoulders, clear my throat, then take a sip of what’s left of my whiskey. As far as first meetings with an entire family go, this wasn’t that bad—a flirtatious mother, an overprotective sister, a blasé brother, and a stern father.
Yeah, this could have been much, much worse.
I stride over to Lyric, who’s chatting with her siblings, and invade their time.
“So really, you guys are good now?” Aria asks.
“Yeah, little sis, we’re more than good,” Lyric answers. Her eyes shoot up to meet mine as she reaches for my hand. “In fact, we’re moving in together,” she announces as she pulls me to her.
Aria’s eyes widen as she gasps. “Shit, really?”
I dip my head, wrapping my arm around Lyric with one hand, holding my drink in the other. “Lyri’s moving into my place with me. Her, Polly, and Petey.”
Clef turns up his nose. “For someone who wanted to leave the rock-star life behind, you’re kind of doing the opposite of that.”
She tenses. “Chase is a music producer. I’m going to be around the music scene now, whether I like it or not. So, I may as well live in a nicer house.”
Aria throws a backhand across Clef’s chest, then lifts her chin. “Well, I’m all for it. At least you’ll be able to maintain his garden for him. Right, big man?”
“Lyri can do whatever she wants to our garden. I want her to be happy in our home.”
She sinks into my side as I say it, and she exhales. “I like it when you say it like that.”
“Me, too, Starlight. Me, too.”
“Dinner’s ready,” Annie calls out.
“About time. I’m wasting away here, Mom,” Clef calls back while bounding past me as if he’s an adolescent teenager. He’s anything but, being a man of my height and build, just with an air of lightheartedness about him.
Aria chases after her older brother, grabbing a sarong from a sun lounge on the way. I throw my arm around Lyric casually as we stroll back inside the house.
“Dinner with my entire family. Who would have thought?” she murmurs cheerfully.
I lean in, kissing her temple. “Are you happy?”
Her eyes shift to mine. “Blissfully.”
***
The Griffins’ chef cooked a delicious meal, and we’re sitting around the dining table listening to another round of ‘what happened on tour.’ This time it’s Clef’s turn as he gossips about how much ass he’s getting on the road.
I watch Lyric take in every word. She’s lapping this up, all the time with her family, because we all know when we leave, everyone will go back to their busy schedules, and who knows how long it will be before we’re all in the same room again.
Everyone’s joking around, having a great time. I feel a little awkward with the looks Annie’s sending my way, but I ignore her and keep my hand on Lyric’s thigh the entire evening.
Dinner ends, drinks are served, and the conversation flows easily.
This family really has a lot to talk about, but I guess being famous does give you some damn fine stories. With all the drinks flowing, I find I need to use the restroom. I turn to Stylo, who’s at my left, and ask, “Hey man, where’s your bathroom?” while the others continue to chatter.
He gestures to his right with his drink in his hand. “Down the hall, last door on your right.”
I nod, down the rest of my soda water, and stand. Lyric notices but keeps talking, so I wink at her.
Tonight’s going great.
More than great.
I couldn’t have asked for a better time with her family. In her element, Lyric’s glowing more than she ever has. She loves her family so much it makes me want to find a way to have them around more.
I make my way to the facilities, and the second I step inside, I’m hit with just how absurdly overdone this place is.
The gold fixtures catch the light, gleaming so brightly that I squint.
I half expect to find out they’re solid gold, and knowing Stylo, they probably are.
Even the toilet has gold trimming, which feels less high-end and more deliberately excessive.
The mirror stretches almost the entire wall, framed in intricate detail, the kind of craftsmanship that screams imported and expensive.
The double vanity is carved from a single slab of marble, flawless and cold beneath the warm lighting.
And sitting off to the side? A chaise lounge chair, red velvet with gold legs, just waiting for someone to collapse dramatically after too much perfume.
I’ve got money. I’ve got style. But this? This borders on palace-level indulgence. Every inch of the room seems to be trying to one-up itself in extravagance. My eyes drift upward to the chandelier hanging above me, glass-cut crystal, spinning soft rays across the ceiling.
I let out a breath and shake my head—a chandelier in the restroom. Of course.
I exhale, finish up, then move over to the sink to wash my hands. I stare into the massive mirror and murmur, “She doesn’t want this life, Chase. You have to remember that. You can give her what she wants, what she needs, without all… this.” I wave my hands around the room like an idiot.
Then I find my calm and straighten out my shirt.
I’ve got this.
I turn, walking for the exit, but when I open it, Annie’s standing there, her arm up against the doorframe, blocking my exit. I come to an abrupt halt as I take her in.
Her eyes run over me as she grins a little too salaciously. “Giving yourself a pep talk in there, Chase? Think you’re not good enough for my baby girl?” she asks, stepping inside the bathroom and forcing me to take a step back.
I stand taller. “I think I’m exactly right for Lyri,” I tell her honestly.
She steps closer to me again, but I don’t want to give off any chicken-shit vibes, so I stand my ground. The woman inches right up in front of me, staring into my eyes. “You think she gets her good looks from her mother?”
There’s no right answer to that question.
“I think Lyri’s stunning. She has a great gene pool from both her parents.”
Her hand comes up, trailing down my chest. “Are you saying I have good genes, Chase?”
I fix my gaze on her. “I’m saying your entire family is blessed by their appearance. But Lyri is the only one I have my eyes firmly set on.”