CHAPTER 6
MATT
The following day, I woke up feeling more like myself.
By six, I was pounding the weights at the gym, following my one hour of strict strength and another one for cardio.
Then I walked around the block for my caramel latte and went back to my apartment right in time for my breakfast to be delivered.
One hot shower later, I sat watching the quiet city through the window while I enjoyed my eggs, bacon, and sausage with my sweet coffee.
The structure made me feel human again.
Sierra and Raphael would be arriving later tonight. I asked Tyler, Emmie’s bodyguard and sometimes our band’s security, to pick them up from Iona.
I had a few things to wrap up with Trevor and had a meeting with a potential investor, but I would be there right in time to welcome them in.
I had no clue how to handle two people living with me. I’d never had anyone live with me before.
One thing at a time, I told myself.
I’d tackle the situation as it comes. Everything could be controlled, and every problem had a solution, so there was nothing to worry about, right?
By the time the car rolled into the driveway, it was nine that night, and I was exhausted.
“New York City, here I am,” Raphael screamed, pumping an excited fist in the air as he exited the car. The only problem was he was in the middle of the fucking street.
“Move the fuck away,” reprimanded a soft voice, shoving Raphael away. He dramatically jolted forward before catching himself with a grin.
A tiny pair of legs clad in soft blue jeans darted out from the SUV before they landed on the curb. Swallowed by a similar hoodie, Sierra yawned into her hand as she stepped beside her brother. “Is this where we get to live?” she asked in awe. Her eyes grew wide by the second when her neck rolled upward to the height of the building.
“Yes, Sister.” Raphael smirked, planting his arm around her shoulders. “Just say the word, I’m famous now. I’ll buy an apartment or two. Big man, how much does one apartment cost around here, 50k? 100k?”
Sierra sighed, her tired hazel eyes darting to me. A faint flush painted her cheeks when she realized my eyes were on her.
“Yo, big man.” Raphael jumped in front of me. “My sister asked for the apartment.”
“I didn’t ask for anything,” she mumbled in the background.
“I believe the average house in this area is no less than five million.”
“Five fucking what!” Raphael screeched, his eyes rounding like saucers. “Si, I’ll buy you a city somewhere. What did they build this in? Gold? It’s a fucking rip-off.”
She groaned, smacking his arm, to which he shouted, earning a nasty look from a few passersby.
Sweet, sweet regret filled my blood, so sweet that it poisoned me from the inside out. I was only going to be signing artists from now on who had gone through an extensive psych evaluation that would redeem them as sane. And I would also make sure they wouldn’t be related to anyone with a color of eyes that haunted me the way hers did.
I thanked Tyler, stating that I would take it from there as he loaded their bags on the elevator.
Sierra’s eyes still gleamed with awe as she gawked around the reception while Raphael sported a stupid-ass grin on his face.
“Through here.” I gestured for them to get in and waited with a hand by the elevator door as they hurried. “This is a private elevator,” I explained. “Just for the band and the family. The code for the elevator is two-four-two-four-seven-seven.”
“I’m not good with numbers. Can you write it down for me?” Raphael questioned, which both Sierra and I ignored. I guess we were both at the breaking point for his antics.
I released a breath of relief when the elevator landed on our floor.
“It’s the first one to the right,” I stated.
Raphael exited first, trudging his two suitcases and guitar case through the empty hallway.
I took hold of the handles of the suitcases that Sierra was clutching and pulled them toward me.
“That’s okay, I can take them,” she said, shyly looking at me through her lashes.
My mother would have my throat if I let a lady carry her bags. “Go.” I gestured for her to get out before the doors closed.
“Ah, okay.” She jumped, casting me a shaky smile as she hurried out, but the shiny golden doors drew shut just then, catching the edge of her backpack.
A squeal left her lips as she dangled midway.
“Careful,” I bit out.
I slammed one hand on the door and the other on the bag and pushed her out, but instead, she lost her balance and tumbled on me.
The air gets knocked out of my lungs when I maneuver her on top of me to take the fall. My back landed hard on the marble floor, with the two suitcases crashing on my side and a soft weight colliding right on my gut.
“Fuck,” I grunted.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.” Two pairs of palms pressed on my chest as Sierra scrambled to a seat on top of me, with her feet on my sides. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Evans.” Her smooth skin burned a bright red, and her eyes shone wide in panic. “I didn’t mean for that to happen. Are you hurt?”
“No,” I grumbled. This wasn’t the position I’d imagined we’d be in on the first day. Under different circumstances or different scenarios, this would’ve been highly inappropriate, but I killed that thought as soon as it came. That was never happening.
“I’m so glad.” She sighed, looking at me with her molten hazel eyes but still didn’t attempt to move.
“Umm.”
“Yes?” She smiled, leaning forward.
“Are you going to move?”
Her eyes rounded so big that I worried they were going to bug out of her head.
“Ah, yes, yes, Mr. Evans.” She nodded frantically and tried to escape to the right but got blocked by her heavy suitcase and landed right back on me.
I huffed a breath. “Call me Matty.”
Her eyes snapped to mine. “Yes…yes,” she stammered. “Matty,” she said hesitantly as if she couldn’t believe it.
“Yo, what’s going on here?” Raphael finally showed up, holding the elevator door open. “Sierra, have you executed your plan already?” He grinned with glee.
Plan?
Sierra turned another shade of red, deeper than the last time. “You fucker. Shut the fuck up and help me out.”
“Fine.” He laughed.
It took exactly five minutes to finally get out of that death trap. I was never going in another elevator with her again.
Ever again.
My order was already falling apart, like room-temperature butter slipping out of my fingers, and they hadn’t even stepped inside my apartment.
What did I get myself into?
“The door code is two-four-two-four-two-four,” I muttered, punching in the code as I dragged the suitcases inside.
“Still don’t remember it,” Raphael complained, following after me.
Sierra was still as red as the moon on a rare night, her eyes stuck to the floor. She looked like she’d been defeated by mere minions before she could even battle the final boss.
I turned the lights on and showed them around the extensive living room decked with a full-blown gaming system, walnut-colored polished marbles, plush couches with windows to the right, and a closed-off wall to the left.
“This is my music room,” I said, pointing at the first room through the hallway on the left. “It’s off-limits.”
“You’re no fun, big man,” Raphael whined, wheeling his suitcase along dark wooden flooring.
I gave him a sharp glare before leading them farther. I gestured to the other rooms on this side of the apartment.
“This is mine.” I pointed toward the master bedroom at the end of the hallway. “Also, off-limits,” I firmly said, my eyes going straight to Raphael, who stood there grinning proudly. Did he ever act normal? Where the fuck did he get all this energy from? But it was kind of a good thing. He would have a commanding stage presence.
I opened the door to the room right next to mine, with a soft beige and warm brown setting. “Raphael, you can take this one.”
He nodded, not saying anything for once.
I walked them across the living room to the other side of the apartment and showed them the kitchen and the attached dining room. Behind the kitchen was the last room in the apartment. It was on the smaller side but had the most beautiful view, with two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows showing off the city skyline.
“Wow,” Sierra breathed as she stepped in.
“I hope this is okay for you.”
“Yes.” She cast me a small smile. “Thank you.”
I nodded, striding out.
“I’ll leave you both for tonight. If you want food, there’s pasta in the fridge. Since we’ll be living together for a while, I’d like to discuss a few things.”
Sierra looked at me expectantly while Raphael huffed out a breath like he was already bored with the conversation.
“We’ll do it over breakfast tomorrow.” And with that, I turned to leave, but a soft voice called out to me.
I spun around to catch Sierra standing in her bedroom threshold, her fingers flicking on the edge of her hoodie.
Raphael had already walked out of the hallway, so it was just the two of us.
“Yes?”
“Ahmm.” Her hesitant hazel eyes landed on me. “I’m sorry about earlier.” She swallowed, pink dotting her cheeks. “I’m not usually like that. I don’t want you to think I’m an idiot like my brother.”
A moment passed. Was that all?
“I didn’t.”
“Oh, okay,” she mumbled.
I nodded, walking away.
Today already felt like the start of a ride I didn’t sign up for. Assuming the album would take at least three months to finish, I had to swallow this unaccustomed pill till then.
God, save me.