Page 80 of Protect Your Queen

I resisted the urge to wag my finger in front of Lea’s face. She was expressionless. Ice-fucking-cold.

“Better than anyone?” She tilted her head in question. “What about her brothers? Do you think you know her better than they do? What about her sister? You’ve known her a whole week or so, and you think you have a better beat on her than her own family? Is that what you’re saying?”

I could see what she was getting at, but I wasn’t going to back down. Songbird wasmymuse, and I would worship and love her, and keep her until the end of fucking time.

“You go after her, right now, while we’re on the job, you’re going to need to let her brother punch you in the nose for him to be okay with this arrangement.” She crossed her arms in front of her. They were actually massive, considering how short she was. Her forearms flexed as she clenched her hands into fists. “And I won’t stop him. Neither will anyone else, because he’ll be right to. But if you wait…”

I tried not to sigh. Because she was right. If I could have kept my hands off of her until the danger had passed, then everything would have been simpler.

But I hadn’t. I wouldn’t have been able to.

“I couldn’t help it,” I confessed. “It’s like she was designed for me.”

Lea nodded. Whether she was on my side or not, I’d never be able to tell.

She grabbed her coffee and walked back to the office where she and her brother bunked out.

“Don’t get frisky in the common areas anymore,” she said, simply. “You left her panties under the piano.”

“Shit,” I said under my breath as I rushed to grab the offending item.

Chapter twenty-nine

Happy Endings

Jestiny

Ididn’t like it when Chris left. The bed felt cold and empty, and I knew that I wouldn’t go back to sleep. The darkness would come with a vengeance, demanding it’s time inside my head.

Was this what I had been missing my whole life? This feeling of closeness with another person.

No more dates with Phoenix Asher …that simple phrase made me smile. He was jealous, and possessive. I liked that.

He didn’t want me to be with anyone but him, and I could oblige that, right? Stasia Dryden wouldn’t force me to go out anymore if I didn’t want to.

I brought the blanket up to my nose, allowing what remained of his scent to invade my senses.

Today would be my first time in the studio with Stasia and the new team she had promised. I had to look put together, not like I was distracted by a man. She wouldn’t appreciate that.

The whole ride to the studio, with Lea in the front seat, I had to keep from smiling. They say that you have a glow after sex. I could believe it. I looked at myself in the mirror and Ifeltbeautiful.

I hadn’t felt that way in a long time. Hell, maybe I hadneverfelt that way.

“When will Chris be back?” I asked Lea, trying to sound cool and collected.

“I wouldn’t expect him back today,” she said, as she turned into the studio lot, and lowered the window for security.

“Oh?” I wanted to sound unaffected but failed. I wanted to see him.

“He’s got a lot on his plate today,” she said cryptically.

What did that mean? What was he doing?

Her words made the hair on the back of my arms stand on end. It was like that sinking feeling that sometimes came with the Santa Ana winds. I felt a sense of foreboding that made me want to sink into the seat.

Once in the studio, I felt a little more at home. I had a new songwriter, Gavin, who was young, with gauged ears, and tattoos up his arm. He started by hearing me sing scales, then asked me what kind of songs I liked.

Jazz. I liked jazz. At least, I did now. It conjured an image of a certain pianist, sitting at my Baldwin in my house. What would I need to do to have him there all the time? How much would it cost to end my day in his arms?

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