Page 90 of First Verse

Smiling to myself, I push to my feet and head to my bathroom to do something about my frizzy hair and eye bags.

* * *

A pajama-cladEddie answers the front door. Shoving the drink carrier and bag of bagels into his arms, I rush past him into the house. He blinks at me in wide-eyed surprise, green mohawk soft and flopping over his right ear.

“There’s a coffee for each of you,” I say as I face the mirror in the entryway and try to fix my hair after the wind massacred it on the walk up from the curb. “I already drank mine. Bagels are in the bag. I got a variety, so have whatever you want, but leave an Everything for Wilder, okay?”

Eddie makes a strangled sound.

“Eva?” Jax stops beside his brother, looking from his full arms to me. His mouth hangs open. “Did Wilder know you were coming over?”

“Nope. It’s a surprise.” I jerk my head toward Eddie. “Coffee and bagels. Is Wilder still sleeping or something?”

Please tell me he’s still in bed.

Jax clears his throat. “Actually, he, uh… He’s not feeling great. Should I tell him to call you later?”

My hands still, then sink to my sides. A fluttering sensation takes up residence in my throat. I face the men, finally absorbing their expressions. Eddie is unusually pale. He swallows convulsively, his eyes flickering to his brother every few seconds. And Jax looks like I caught them burying a body.

I try to swallow and choke. Cough to clear my throat. Drag in air thatburns.

Footsteps pound down the stairs at the back of the house. “Did I hear the doorbell?” calls Zander. “Please tell me it’s my food and not another psycho ex-girlfriend.”

My ears ring.

Eddie closes his eyes.

Jax flushes.

Zander appears in the hallway past the kitchen. When he sees me, his eyes bug out. “Oh, shit.”

My vision distorts like I’m underwater.

“It’s not what you think,” Eddie says quickly.

My hearing wanes like someone cranked the world’s volume down. All three men are talking, but their voices are muffled.Wah-wahah-wahh.I touch my ears, half-expecting to find them plugged. They’re not.

Suddenly, my senses turn back on.

“Tell her, Jax,” snaps Eddie.

“It’s the right thing to do,” murmurs Zander.

Jax drags a hand over buzzed blond hair, his heavy sigh the hissing descent of a guillotine. I lock my knees. My armpits prickle. Each of my short, fast breaths is sandpaper against the silence.

Jax takes a step toward me, eyes radiating sympathy.

“Just say it,” I croak.

“He’s not cheating on you. He’s…”

The guillotine pauses.

“He’s what?”

What the fuck could be worse than cheating on me?

His expression hardens with resolve. “You know what? Screw this. I’m done covering for him. Follow me, Eva. You deserve to know.”

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