Page 35 of The Pursuit of Happiness

She gives me a sympathetic look, “Are you okay?”

I nod almost too quickly, “I’m fine, seriously. Just stressed, but I’ll get through it.” Does it feel like I’m going to get through it? No. Why? Because what happened will always come up in an online search when someone looks me up. This will always be tied to my name.

She gives me a look like she doesn’t believe me but she drops it, thank God. “So,” I focus my attention on Sly. “Show us what you’ve got, drummer.”

He twirls the sticks around again and winks at me as if he’s fully aware of the effect it has on me before he grins, “I thought you’d never ask.”

He brings the sticks down aggressively on the drums, heavy on the cymbals and the bass drum. There’s no denying he’s good. Brody acknowledges it too, an impressed look on her face. His sound is heavy, a lot heavier than anything we’ve ever played before. His style is more metal where we’re usually hard rock. I like it, though. Enough that I quickly grab my guitar from the wall and start messing with it as Sly continues playing the drums.

I try to match his vibe and it doesn’t come right away but after trying a few different things, I make a sound on the strings I’ve never made before. It’s heavy in a metal way and matches the sound that Sly is making perfectly. We play together, just the two of us and the room around us along with everything else seems to disappear. There’s nothing I love more than playing the guitar, but playing it with Sly on the drums? I feel like I’m on cloud nine.

It’s just Sly and I and as we stare into each other eyes, eachplaying our instrument, we share a moment of intimacy that blows our moment in the hallway and our sex tape out of the fucking water.

Sly finishes his piece with a loud crash on the cymbals and I meet him with a fading riff. When it starts to grow silent, the room comes back into view along with Brody and Ivory. They’re jaws are wide open with shock and what looks like awe.

I can’t focus on them though. The only thing I can focus on is Sly. Why does this man have to be tempting at every second when I’m around him? As if his beauty wasn’t enough now he has to start playing in perfect tandem and harmony with me. The sounds linger in my head and send chills up my spine.

“That,” Ivory breaks the silence, “was fuckingamazing!” Her entire face is lit up.

Brody agrees, “That was the perfect fusion between Satan’s Angels’ sound and Thunderstrike’s.”

Sly flashes me his signature grin, “We sound pretty good together, Kane.”

The sound of my last name on his lips brings me back to the hallway, his fingers inside of me and his lips on me. It felt amazing and I want it again so badly but I know I can’t have it. My cheeks turn red under his stare and I give him a small smile, “We do, Nicks.”

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ABOUT FIVE HOURS LATER, we’ve made progress. We have the foundation laid for two songs and Brody and Sly seem to be getting along a lot better. I think Brody stopped blaming Sly for her not playing the drums on this album which is good because it isn’t his fault. It’s mine.

Ivory seems to like him too. Our trio has such a specific dynamic that most people don’t fit into. That’s why Sly fitting in so well shocks me. I guess if anyone was gonna fit in withus, it would be the happiest person on the planet. I think it’s physically impossible to hate Sly. Trust me, I’ve tried and failed.

“Why can’t you just be a permanent member of Satan’s Angels?” Ivory asks him.

He gives her a menacing look, “I don’t think Aria would like that very much.”

Ivory pouts at me and complains, “Can we keep him? Please?”

I roll my eyes, “He’s not a puppy, Iv. Besides, Thunderstrike needs him.”

Sly walks away from his drum set and walks over to where I sit on the couch. He plops down next to me, so close that he’s almost seated in my lap. He wraps an arm around the back of the couch behind me the same way he did the night we met and I cross my legs to staunch the sudden desire I feel flooding my veins. It’s like I have absolutely zero self control where he’s concerned.

He leans in close to the side of my face, “You really don’t want me?” He asks, a playful note to his voice. I know exactly what he’s doing. This isn’t about the band, he’s playing games withme. He knows I’m incredibly turned on wherever he is concerned and he’s taking full advantage of that.

I frown, “No,” I lie. We both know it’s a lie.

He smirks, “Liar.”

Brody pulls her phone out of her back pocket and points it at us. “Smile, guys. Or do something cute.”

I stiffen, “What? Why?”

She gives me a look as if the answer is obvious, “Because the media needs to see pics and videos of you together outside of public appearances if we wanna sell this fake relationship shit.”

Sly nods, “You’re right.” He turns to me and looks like he’s trying to stifle a laugh, “Give me a kiss, Kane.”

The look of shock that crosses my face from his boldness only makes him smile harder. “What?”

“Don’t act like you’ve never kissed me. You don’t have to act shy in front of your friends,” he teases.

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