Page 11 of The Final Deal

Pocketing my phone, I inhale deeply, filling my lungs with blistering Texas air to calm my heart rate. I can’t go inside with a reddened face or twitchy behavior and make the guys suspicious.

I’m a woman scorned looking to punch a man in the chest and rip his heart out.

I might fucking eat it, too.

Once I’ve breathed in and out slowly enough times to plaster on a fake resting bitch face that’ll pass for normal, I yank the door open to find Robbie, Zak, and Adrian still jamming, and Shannon fully absorbed in whatever he’s reviewing on his phone until he glimpses up at me.

I point at the circlejerk when I come up to Shannon’s side. “This is probably gonna go on for a lot longer than normal, so I’m gonna cut out early.”

The drum beat stops; cymbals and guitars ring as the room quietens.

I quirk an eyebrow at the three. “Oh, you hear ‘leave early’ and suddenly y’all are all ears?”

Adrian gives his panty-melting simper. “You know it, princesa.”

“Whatever,” I grunt with an eyeroll. “The new material is great, by the way.”

“You just don’t wanna work on something new, yourself,” Robbie teases as he removes the black strap over his shoulder.

I shrug as I put my deep green guitar away in its case and place it in the guitar corner. I’m a little too distracted to worry about writing anything for the new album.

Zak is distracted, too, so I grab his arm. When he turns to face me, I quickly kiss his pierced lips before he has a chance to realize. “Love you.”

He stumbles over his words as I walk away, but he manages to respond, “Love you, too.”

Adrian leans against the couch with crossed arms, carefully watching as I approach. The front door swings open and bathes the place in glaring sunlight as Shannon and Robbie start to leave.

Unthinking with panic, I pause in front of Adrian to kiss him, too, murmuring, “Love you,” as I rush for the door.

Shannon and Robbie stare at me as we leave the studio, both with brows raised sky high and eyes full of questions.

Shit—no one really knows about me and the twins yet.

“Rob, mind coming by the house real quick?” I ask nonchalantly.

“As long as whatever the fuck is going on in there doesn’t blow up like it did last time, fine,” he jabs.

I shut the door behind us firmly. “We’re working things out, alright?”

“You can’t be with both of them,” Robbie insists.

“Says fucking who?” I push past them. “We’re adults and can do what we want.”

Shannon and Robbie speak to each other in low tones, but I ignore it as I head down the limestone pathway winding from the studio to the driveway. I pause to read a new message when I grab my phone from my pocket.

I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but I suggest you figure it out. My two cents? Don’t fuck around like this when it comes to business and romance.

Then maybe your son needs a lesson in how to take no for an answer.

I toss my phone aside, growling as I peel out of the driveway and onto the main road with Robbie following.

That’sexactlywhat I’m going to do.

Thankfully, Mom and Dad both are gone, and the coast is clear. The second Robbie hops out of his Durango and shuts the door, I grab him by the arm and drag him toward the backyard.

“Hey, hey!” he exclaims. “What the hell is going on?”

“Shh,” I hiss. “Keep quiet. I need your help.”

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