What the Heart Takes

by Kelli McCracken

  This group had to be a bunch of locals. Why else would they have the audience so enthralled? Now that she could see past the lights, she studied each member but didn’t recognize the vocalist or the bass player. At least they were good-looking, which explained the salivating females below. The music didn’t matter. Neither did how well they performed. Those women had one concern. Being chosen.

  The drummer rolled out a string of beats that had the crowd whistling and cheering, but she didn’t care. She needed to find Layne, not get distracted with the crowd’s fascination with this band.

  As her eyes passed over the guy with the magical drumsticks, she did a double take. Disbelief rocked her to the core when she met a set of fiery eyes—eyes that seared her soul deep.

  She couldn’t believe she’d finally found Layne, or the fact that he was the one sitting behind the drums.

  CHAPTER 20

  Heaven eased herself into a chair as Dylan hovered in front of her. She had just enough space to peek around him toward the crowded dance floor. A horde of fans swarmed Layne as he jumped down from the stage. He did his best to move through them as quickly as possible, but some were relentless, namely, the half-dressed attention seekers in the front.

  Surprisingly, Layne didn’t give them a second glance. He’d even dodged a few hugs, as well as some groping. Every scorching wave of his energy said one thing for sure. He didn’t have the time or the patience to focus on their wants. His took precedence, and what he wanted most was staring back at him. The weight of his gaze had her drawing in a breath.

  A few women lingered in the distance as he left the onlookers behind and headed toward the table. She didn’t doubt they were waiting to see if he’d change his mind and take them up on what they had to offer. Anticipation flickered in their eyes. She’d love to tell them to give up, that he had no interest in them whatsoever.

  Shaking the thoughts from her head, her cheeks heated at the recognition of her jealousy. She had no right to feel jealous over Layne. He wasn’t her soulmate. Granted, she wanted to protect him from the type of pain her sister caused, but it didn’t give her the right to be envious of any woman. Short of their Seeker-Keeper bond, she had no claim to him.

  Unless their affinity had something to do with it…

  Once Layne made it to the table, he glared down at her and then in Dylan’s direction. “Dude, what the hell?” He gestured toward her as a deep crease formed between his brows. “She’s fucking pregnant. Why would you bring her to a place like this?”

  Dylan stood his ground, even when Layne invaded his space. He crossed his arms and widened his stance, staring at his friend the entire time. “We’re here because it’s important to her, because you’re important to her. She would have come regardless, which is why I don’t understand how you could take off the way you did. You knew it would upset her.”

  Layne didn’t miss the opportunity to get in his licks. He tossed his head back and grunted at Dylan’s answer. “Kinda like you knew I’d get pissed if you took her away from me?”

  “So this is payback?” Her husband stressed the words as he stepped back to her side. “Does she mean that little to you?”

  The fire in Layne raged on, flaming around her with increased strength. He stole a glance at her and then refocused on Dylan. Despite the guilt that lingered in his soul, he held onto his anger.

  “You know the answer to that.”

  “Yeah, I do. I know you care a great deal about her. We’ve already had this discussion.”

  The news had Heaven looking at both men. How many private conversations had they had about her? Was this the one that had them at each other’s throats the night they left Jamaica?

  She wanted to demand answers, but Layne spoke before she could. “Why are you bringing that up? Are you trying to get her pissed at me?”

  Anger quaked within Dylan’s energy. It had her reaching for his hand, hoping to calm him down before things turned ugly. He acknowledged her worry with a gentle squeeze, but his attention remained on their friend.

  “I’m bringing it up because you weren’t honest with me. I asked you specific questions and you lied to me on every single one.” The air around them thickened at Dylan’s response. Regret burned in Layne’s eyes as he looked away, but it didn’t stop Dylan from continuing, “I know I’m partially to blame, and I’m trying to accept things. I just wish that for one minute, you’d put yourself in my position. You’d struggle, too.”

  Layne shook his head and leaned his weight on a nearby chair. “You need to go back to Brightsville, Heaven.”

  “Not without you.” She stood from her chair, returning the glare that he was giving her. After everything her husband confessed, Layne still wouldn’t listen. Damn him and his stubbornness. “Unless you’re ready to walk out that door, I’m staying.”

  “I don’t need a chaperone, damn it.” He gritted the words through clenched teeth and tapped his chest with his finger. “I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.”

  He wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all her. Didn’t he realize she could sense his intentions? “I don’t doubt that you can handle yourself, Layne. The thing is, if I leave you here, I have a feeling I’ll never see you again. Whether by your choice or someone else’s, I don’t know, but I can’t live with the thought.”

  His eyes trailed down her body and up again, lingering on her lips this time. Heat filled his gaze as his jaw flinched. Though the moment was brief, he considered doing as she asked. Then he met her eyes, again.

  “Go home, Heaven.”

  He tried to walk away, but she gripped his arm and tugged. “Layne, please.”

  “You don’t understand.” He shouted the words as he shook her off and glared at her. “I’ve been shit on one time too many. I can’t deal with Faith or the idea of what she did. I can’t even deal with my connection to you. It’s too much.”

  “You had a bad weekend, Layne, partially because of us. It will pass. Things are going to change.”

  “Why? Because Dylan said it would?”

  She noticed her husband’s arms fall to his sides. His energy beat with patience, but the more resistant Layne grew, the thinner that patience ran. Nothing helped, not even the soothing vibes she sent him.

  “Yes, Layne. Dylan said it would, and I believe him. I wish you would too. He’s sincere.”

  “You think so?” he scoffed as he eyed his friend. “How about we test his sincerity. Let’s see how on board Dylan is with our connection.” He took another step closer, shifting his attention back to her. “You said he’d understand if I needed you for a day. That means he’s willing to share his time with you, but what else is he willing to share?”

  Disbelief stung her face. She couldn’t avoid his gaze or the hidden message she sensed in his words. Curiosity coiled in her soul, leading her to ask a question she knew she shouldn’t but did anyway.

  “Is there something specific you have in mind?”

  It wasn’t hard to miss the gleam in his eyes when he stepped toward her again, his blond hair partially covering his face. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  Had the band still been playing, she would have missed the husky sound of his voice. Not that it would have mattered. She felt the desire coalescing in his heart. The heat of his hands scorched her cheeks as he grabbed her face and pulled it to his. Everything grew hazy. The bar. The crowd. Dylan…

  Layne’s lips swept over hers, branding her with the passion consuming his soul, passion he unleashed with each swirl of his tongue. A crisp, clean, citric scent penetrated her nose. It intoxicated her, stealing her away to some alternate plane that existed in the deepest corner of her mind. An array of images played through her thoughts, images that had no place there, like Layne’s body pressed to hers, his hands trailing over her face, her breasts, her hips…

  And just as his hand cupped her bottom, the images, right along with the heat of his mouth, faded. She opened her eyes to find Dylan gripping Layne by his shoulders, pulling hi
m away.

  Her Keeper didn’t oblige. He escaped Dylan’s grasp and pushed him back. “I’m sick of you putting your hands on me.” His hands fisted Dylan’s shirt, drawing him forward as they went nose-to-nose. “I’m sick of your threats.”

  “And I’m sick of you wanting my wife.”

  Both glowered at each other with all the fury pounding through their energy. Yet a smug sense of satisfaction rose in Layne. “I prove my point, Heaven. He isn’t as on board as you think.”

  “That’s not fair, Layne.” She tried to wedge her body between them. “You kissed me. How do you expect him to react?”

  Loosening his grip on Dylan, he finally released him, allowing her to squeeze between them. The heat of his body warmed her stomach when he didn’t back away. “I’m not really concerned with his reactions,” he chuckled. “But yours… Yeah, I liked your reaction.”

  “Stop it,” she snapped.

  Fire filled her cheeks at the thought of his words. There was a small amount of truth to them, though she wouldn’t admit it to him. She wouldn’t admit it to anyone. Ever. She shook her head, staring him in the eye as she stepped back.

  “You’re drunk. You need to come home and sleep it off.”

  “My home is in L.A.”

  “Maybe it used to be, but now it’s with me. Get over it.” He snorted at her response, which infuriated her even more. “You know what? I’m not asking you to come home anymore. I’m telling you.”

  A deep roar of laughter shook his chest, gaining the attention of a few other patrons. “You’re telling me?”

  She stood there, watching him act like the tough guy he pretended to be, but deep down he was like a vulnerable child, one who’d been beaten. He didn’t want to trust anyone, didn’t want to care. That he trusted and cared about her terrified him. He had no control over their connection, and no control meant one thing. It left his heart defenseless.

  “Please don’t do this,” she choked. “Not here, not now. At least come to the car and talk to us. We can get through this, Layne.”

  He wanted to believe her. Every beat of his heart said as much, but his mind was winning the battle between the two. He took a couple steps away from the table, as well as her, shaking his head the entire time.

  “No, we can’t. Do you honestly not know why?” When she didn’t answer, his jaw flinched. “Don’t pretend like you don’t know how I feel about you.”

  Her chest tightened. Not because she worried how Dylan would react, but because she knew Layne was right. She did know how he felt about her, knew that those feelings grew stronger every day. They had to increase. Delia said they would. She even told Dylan he would have to accept it.

  What she neglected to do is tell Heaven how it would affect her, how it would play with her emotions, how it would affect her and Layne when they were together. Layne couldn’t keep his hands off of her, or his lips. Yet there was a softer side of him too. That side of him caressed her belly, wanting something he felt he didn’t deserve—happiness, a child, and a life with her.

  As she tried to respond to his comment, a familiar surge of energy pulled at her from across the room. She moved her eyes past the crowded dance floor over the bar, to the tables near the entrance.

  “Something’s not right,” she said, scanning the area for someone she might recognize, though she didn’t know any psychics before they went to California. Then again, she didn’t know her parents were either.

  Men and women, both short and tall, heavy and slim, young and old were spread throughout the building. Some stood in groups or as couples. Others were clearly loners, pissed with the world or looking for action. They donned a variety of clothing, everything from jeans to short skirts and tops of every color.

  “It’s not going to work, Heaven,” Layne grumbled as he came closer, blocking her view. “I’m not falling for this. You’re trying to get me to leave.”

  “No, Layne, I’m serious,” she hissed while stepping around him. There wasn’t one part of the bar she hadn’t scanned, but she did it again in case she’d missed something. “There is someone here with a lot of energy.” The baby kicked as another surge quaked through her. “I think there may be more than—”

  The words caught in her throat when she saw him, dressed in black. He hadn’t spotted her yet, but if she stuck around, it wouldn’t take long. A rush of panic filled her as she did a quick glance over the crowd, looking specifically for the people in dark clothing. Her heart sank after spotting three more. Each face appeared exactly as she remembered.

  “We gotta go. Now.” She grabbed Layne by the arm and tugged him as she faced Dylan. “Does this place have a back door?”

  “Just behind us, around the corner. What’s going on, Heaven?”

  “Yeah,” Layne chimed in, breaking free from her grasp. “What did you see?”

  “We don’t have time to discuss this.” She said nothing else as she moved for the corner. The only sure way to get them to follow was to be the first to leave, and she did just that.

  “Heaven, answer me,” Dylan called from behind, but she didn’t stop. She rounded the corner, feeling a sense of relief when she noticed the metal door at the end of a tiny hall. She sprinted toward it, pushing it open in a matter of seconds.

  A brisk gust of air ripped through her coat, chilling her skin once she stepped into the alley. It helped relieve some of the heat in her cheeks, but it wasn’t long before the relief disappeared. Layne’s energy mixed with the air, changing it to a tropical-like breeze.

  “What the hell is your problem?” He stormed toward her, determined to get an answer. “Why did you rush out here?”

  By the time he and Dylan reached her, she’d made it halfway down the alley, heading toward the main street where they’d parked. “I saw him,” she said, struggling to catch her breath. “And he’s not alone.”

  “Who?” The question came from both men as they glanced at each other.

  “Raphe and his crew.”

  Layne’s energy rushed around her like a ring of fire, but it was Dylan who pulled her close. “Are you sure?”

  She started to answer, but a blinding light flashed behind them.

  “Son-of-a-bitch,” Layne said, pulling her out of Dylan’s arms. “It’s the press. We gotta go the other way.”

  She almost lost her balance as he took off running, pulling her behind him. Luckily, Dylan prevented her from falling. He held on to her waist, keeping in step just behind her.

  They ran for what seemed like forever, darting into one-way streets and other alleys throughout the city until the flashes faded. The last alley they turned into split off in opposite directions. Layne slowed his pace enough to look behind them. After a few seconds, he came to a stop near an old fire escape.

  “Think we lost them?”

  He panted for air and leaned against the brick building. His chest rose and fell as heavily as hers and Dylan’s. She couldn’t find the breath that would allow her to speak, so she nodded, but Dylan found his voice.

  “I’m not sure we should wait around to find out. It’s not just the cameras we need to avoid. It’s Raphe and his crew. They could be anywhere. We need to keep moving.”

  “We have to catch our breath and figure out which way to go. We need a plan.”

  They looked around at the buildings surrounding them. A few had signs on their back doors, though most did not. She doubted any would be accessible, anyway.

  “We’re going left,” Dylan stated as he laced his fingers with hers and tugged her in the same direction.

  They hadn’t made it two steps when Layne gripped her other hand and pulled her toward him. “That will take us in the same direction as the bar. We need to go right.”

  “No,” Dylan barked. “You’re drunk. We can’t rely on your decisions.”

  “Bullshit, man. I’m not drunk. I couldn’t run this fast if I was. I’m telling you, we have to go right. My instincts are telling me to go right.”

  “Your instincts?�
�� Dylan laughed. Glass from a broken bottle crunched underneath his boot as he stepped forward. His chest pressed to her back when he pulled her against him. “What instincts?”

  Layne’s eyes flitted between Dylan’s and hers. He hadn’t released his grip on her hand, nor did he plan to. Another tug brought her back to him. “You know which instincts. I’m meant to protect her. Why wouldn’t I have the ability to know when she’s in danger or how to get her out of it?”

  Moving around her, Dylan wedged himself between her body and Layne’s until he forced Layne’s hand away. “I don’t care what you think you have. I’m not listening to you. It’s your fault we’re in this mess.”

  “You’re the one that brought her here.”

  Dylan stepped closer to Layne, causing him to back into one of the nearby doors. “You’re the one that left.”

  Thunder rolled in the distance as the rusty scent of rain filled the air. She stole a glance toward the sky, noticing a flash of lightning in the distance. The rain would be upon them in minutes. They needed to go somewhere safe and dry so they could wait out the storm.

  It would give them an opportunity to discuss their situation too. Hopefully, she could talk some sense into her Keeper. He needed her just as much as she needed him. They’d figure out a way to work through the intensity of their connection.

  Before she could make the suggestion, Dylan backed away from Layne, causing her to do the same. When a few good feet opened between them, he guided her to the left side of the alley then faced Layne once more. “I’ve given you chance after chance to prove she’s your top priority. Instead, you get drunk, run off, and cause her to worry. I don’t know why the press is here or how Raphe found us, but I do know this. I’ll be damned if I let you put her life in danger.”

  Wrapping his arm around her, he turned to the alley, keeping her close as they began their journey to find safety. He didn’t look back at Layne, but he did call to him once more. “You can stay and take your chances or you can follow. Either way, we’re leaving.”