All of the guys lost a finger.
“Nice play, Tessa.” Oliver sent me a wink. “Nice play.”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Parker said, and I peeked over at him. He was grinning, his dimple making an appearance. “We’ll fix that shortly.”
Oliver cleared his throat before he went and sent me another wink. “Well, never have I ever shaved my legs.”
I groaned playfully as I lowered a finger, and Whitney giggled as she put her first finger down. She’d gotten into my stash of razors this past year, and I had not been impressed.
Surprised to catch Kai trying to secretly remove a finger without us noticing, I shot him an inquiring look.
“I wanted to know what it felt like,” he said in defeat at being caught, though his eyes shined with humor, and the others snickered.
“Never have I ever had a cavity,” Hunter said, taking his turn.
I’d had a couple when I was younger, though Whitney’s teeth had always been squeaky clean. All of us but Hunter, Ace, and Whitney put a finger down.
Kai pouted dramatically as he lowered his one finger left standing. “Damn it. I lost.”
“Never have I ever had a beard,” Whitney said triumphantly.
All the men put a finger down, and Parker lost as well.
“Hmm,” Ace said thoughtfully, his eyes meeting mine, “Never have I ever kissed a man.”
I removed a finger from my hand, refusing to look any of them directly in the eye. Hunter glared at Ace then and lowered a finger slowly. He kept his middle finger up as he was down to one finger on his right hand and flipped it at Ace.
It also surprised me when Christian lost a finger, and I quirked an eyebrow at him. He wouldn’t meet my eyes, and I looked back over at Hunter, hoping he would enlighten me.
He grunted. “It was during ‘truth and dare’ when we first started the band. Ollie dared Chris and me to kiss.”
“And you did?” As I tried to picture it, my cheeks heated. I quickly cleared my throat as the sinful image of Hunter’s hands cupping Christian’s cheeks while he stroked his tongue over Christian’s bottom lip played across my mind.
“Well, yeah.” He sounded a little uncomfortable.
“If you felt uncomfortable, then you could have said no,” I pointed out, blinking away the image.
“You’re right,” Kai said, his voice heavy with implication. “They could have said no, but they didn’t.”
Because both Kai and Parker were out, Christian went next, seeming to want to change the subject as he thought of something quickly.
“Never have I ever had a pillow fight,” he teased.
I rolled my eyes at his choice as Whitney put down a finger.
When I didn’t put a finger down, he seemed surprised. “You’ve never had one?”
“Nope.” Samantha and Whitney had, though. I ignored the look he sent my way. I was up next anyway, and it served to change the topic. “Never have I ever smoked a cigarette.”
“Oh, s’mores,” Oliver grumbled as he lost his final finger. Christian grinned as he also put down his last finger, which left only Hunter, Ace, Whitney, and me in the game.
“Never have I ever peeped on someone while they were changing,” Hunter smirked, and I glared at him, keeping my last finger up.
The others chuckled at me.
“Come on, sunshine,” Hunter said with a teasing lilt in his voice. “No lying.”
Huffing, I put down my last remaining finger. “I wasn’t trying to peep on you, Hunter. I was worried you might have hurt yourself.”
Hunter met my eyes, disbelieving. I didn’t budge, though, refusing to be pinned for something I didn’t do.
“Never have I ever been in a band.” Whitney grinned victoriously as the remaining guys put down a finger.
I smiled at everyone as they all relaxed back into their seats. It was nice to get to know them all better, and it was nice to see Whitney having fun.
Oliver snatched a bag of chips from the table and started snacking on them. He reached up and held a chip up to my lips.
Soft coughing sounded, and I jumped up from the seat, knocking the chip to the floor as I did.
Whitney wheezed, her breath coming out choppy, and she took several sips from her water bottle to help. I stood in frozen terror, knowing I’d overreacted but unable to soothe my erratic heart.
“Tess?” Parker asked, his voice low and calm. “Are you all right?”
Swallowing my fear, I gave him a curt nod. “Um, yeah, I’m fine.”
I sat back down in my seat, shifting at how tense the room had become. Hunter distracted Whitney by letting her count the number of freckles on his cheeks. He was currently at fifty-eight.
“You don’t have to tell us anything you don’t want to,” Kai whispered into my ear. “But are you really okay?”
“I didn’t mean to overreact,” I said quietly.
“We all have demons from our pasts. None of us are without our flaws,” Ace murmured, his voice barely audible.
Arthur poked his head inside, letting us know the others for the meet and greet were ready to come. He opened the door for several girls of all ages to enter.
“Love, remember what I said,” Ace whispered in my ear. “We all have our demons and issues to deal with. But spend time with us, and we’ll do our best to help you through yours.”
I shivered as his breath tickled the bare skin of my neck and nodded.
“We can talk more later,” he said. “For now, let’s have fun, yes?”
Nodding, I settled back into the plush couch cushions.
For the next hour, the room was invaded by excited whispers and hooded glances as girls and their friends conversed with each other. Whitney sat in between Parker and Hunter, showing them a disappearing coin trick Oliver had taught her earlier. It was obvious to me by their horrible acting skills they knew how the trick worked, but they played along with her anyway.
“Is this your first time?” A young brunette whose face still held on to its baby fat spoke to me. Bright, blue eyes looked me over curiously, and she smiled. “You don’t look familiar.”
“Uh…” I paused, unsure how to answer that question. Yes, this was my first time to their concert. Was this not hers? “Yeah, this is my first concert ever, actually.”
She laughed and scooted closer to me on the couch. “What a great one to start with.”
I cast my attention to the guys. Christian nodded with a forced smile on his face as a lady explained, in great detail, the misery of her menopause. Kai stood near the exit with a group of younger girls, chatting animatedly with his hands. The drumsticks tucked into his back pocket appeared to be close to slipping out.
“What’s your name?” The girl drew my attention again. She still stared at me, and I felt oddly uncomfortable with it.
“Tessa.”
She smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Tessa. I’m Julia.”
I hoped the smile on my face didn’t look like a grimace. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”
“Sissy, look!”
Hunter now sat with one awkwardly placed ponytail on the top of his head. His sandy-blond hair was barely long enough, and a few strands fell from the elastic.
His hair reminded me of the knot on a garbage bag.
Whitney beamed proudly at her masterpiece while Hunter just sat there with a passive expression.
“Whit, leave poor Hunter alone,” I said with a chuckle.
“Nah, she’s fine.” Hunter tapped his foot on the ground. “I have sisters.”
“She’s cute.” Julia watched Whitney and Hunter.
I nodded in agreement. “She sure is.”
Julia tapped her knee. “So, how do you know the guy—”
“Sorry, ladies, but we’re going to end the greet.” Arthur nodded his head at the room. “If you want any more autographs or pictures, now is the time to do them.”
The girls swarmed the guys as they asked for signatures on shirts and photos. Meanw
hile, I sat back and watched it unfold. Once they got what they hoped for, the girls left the room and were directed out of the building.
I was pretty positive Whitney and I were supposed to wait for the guys, but I wasn’t entirely sure.
“Thank you, ladies, for your time this evening,” Ace said politely as some of the final girls trickled out of the exit.
“It was nice meeting all of you!” Oliver called, his face bright.
Julia sent me a small wave as she left, and I sent one back, though it felt weird. I didn’t know her.
Once the room emptied, Oliver reached out for my hand. “Guess what, beautiful?” A playful smile adorned his lips.
“What?” I asked him as he pulled me to stand, placing my right hand in his palm. He supported most of my weight, and I was grateful for it. I was exhausted.
His full lips widened into a bigger smile. “We’re going dancing at a club downtown.”
“Really? Aren’t you guys tired?”
The room filled with mild chuckles, but I didn’t get what was so funny.
Kai spoke up. “Of course, but it doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun before we turn in.”
“Do you want to go?” Christian rubbed a tanned hand along his jawline and sent me a wink.
“Oh, I’ve never been,” I said slowly. It was never my scene; I was an introvert through and through.
“Why don’t you come? We won’t stay out too long.” Parker stuffed his thumbs in his front pockets.
My eyes turned to Whitney. “I have Whitney.”
She rolled her tired eyes at me and rested her head against Hunter’s bicep. “Sam won’t mind if I stay with them tonight. Remember?”
I frowned, wondering how I’d raised such an adult. “I don’t want to leave you alone.”
“I wouldn’t be alone,” she pointed out.
Oliver chucked me under the chin and began pulling me out of the room. “Why don’t you call Sam and double-check to see if it’s okay? I think you could use a night out.”
I sighed and diverted my eyes back to Whitney to make sure it was really okay with her. She gave me a thumbs-up, and I pursed my lips. I knew what she was doing. She was trying to play matchmaker.
“Okay, but only if Sam really says it’s fine.”
Oliver’s eyes flirted wickedly with mine. “Perfect.”
CHAPTER 20
O liver dragged me toward the back door, the men in black suits appearing by our sides and opening the door for us.
It was dark outside, and the wind whipped my skin harshly. The noises of cheering fan girls met my ears and threatened to cause permanent damage to my poor eardrums. The cloudy sky created a smoky haze above the rooftops of the buildings surrounding us. The glow from the moon peeked from behind the clouds’ cover, but the majority of the light came from flashing cameras and the occasional streetlamp along the road.
We huddled close together as a group, and someone pressed the heat of their palm against the one Oliver didn’t currently hold. Their skin heated my chilled fingers, and I latched onto the hand gratefully. Glancing up, I found myself staring into a gaze the shades of a stained-glass image of the sea.
Parker sent me a lopsided grin, but I noticed the hard edge to his expression. Something pink caught my eye, and I found myself staring at a smudged lip-shaped mark on the curve of his jawline.
My stomach clenched sickeningly, coming to the realization one of the groupies must’ve kissed him there. I unlocked my hand from his, feeling childish as I did it but too bothered about the lipstick kiss on his face to really care. Parker’s eyes glanced down quickly, a cloud of hurt passing over his eyes, but I ignored it. I felt bad, mostly because it wasn’t his fault that girls adored him, but jealousy took camp in my heart the longer I stared at the kiss mark.
We clambered into the SUV, and I quickly called Sam to make sure she was still okay with Whitney spending the night at their place. She promised she was just fine watching Whitney for the rest of the evening, and a stain of guilt spilled over my heart. But I knew I probably needed a break from, well, responsibilities.
After dropping Whitney off with a kiss and goodbye, we were on our way to the club.
We wove through the city streets, making our way to an unimpressive building in downtown Salt Lake. The outside looked like dirty gray brick. I wondered if we were at the right place, but the line of scantily clad men and women trailed all the way down the block assured me it was.
Hunter sat beside me, his muscular thigh rubbing against mine in the tight space, and I clasped my hands in my lap as I tried to ignore the tingles sparking against my thigh. He watched out the tinted windows of the SUV, and I did the same.
Our SUV parked at the curb to the entrance of one of the only dance clubs in Salt Lake City. I looked out the back window to see if the bodyguards followed us. They stood by as we exited the vehicle, and I nodded my thanks to them as we hurried over to the bouncer.
The bouncer’s arms bulged dangerously, the veins rising in a way that worried me. Ace took the lead here, whispering to the bouncer as he checked the list for our party’s name. The bouncer nodded and opened the door to let us enter, and the loud sound of techno music enveloped us. We followed Ace into the club, and I raised a hand to shield my eyes from the onslaught of blinding lights.
The inside of the club was already packed, the clubbers and partygoers grinding to the music. It was hot inside, the heat from partially exposed skin raising the temperature. My nose wrinkled at the smelly mixture of sweat, body odor, and alcohol.
Oliver didn’t wait long to join the throng, though. He snatched my hand and helped me weave through the hoard of dancers. I sought out the rest of the guys, finding Ace and Hunter heading to the bar while the others followed Oliver and me out onto the dance floor. They didn’t seem very happy as Oliver wound his arms around my waist, swaying to the music’s eccentric tempo.
I was a little embarrassed because it had been so long since I’d danced with anyone, but I mimicked his movements, hoping I didn’t appear too stiff or awkward. Luckily, other dancers filled the room, so if I danced weird, no one would really pay me attention. Though the six pairs of eyes watching me made my stomach twist in nervous knots.
“Focus on me, Tessa,” Oliver said next to my ear. The roar of the club made it hard to hear him. “Just focus on me.”
I did just that. I focused on his green eyes, eyes that reminded me of forest leaves after a fresh rain. I paid attention to the way the lights skipped over the fabric of his ripped shirt and the warmth of his fingers against my waist.
Soon, I forgot all about my nervousness. Oliver led me in a leisurely dance, and I was both grateful and disappointed he didn’t try to dance with me the way the others in the club were. He was too tempting for his own good, and I knew, given the right opportunity, I wouldn’t be able to control myself.
Strong arms towed me from Oliver’s embrace and broke our spell. Blinking out of my daze, I found Parker behind me, holding me to his chest. His eyes were hard on Oliver, but they softened when they peered down at me.
“Mind if I cut in for a dance?” Uncertainty laced his tone. It was probably because I had pulled away from him earlier. I was still a little irritated about the situation but knew it wasn’t his fault.
After my nod, he pulled me in close and danced to the upbeat rhythm blaring from the speakers. He appeared so relieved that the stain of guilt on my heart spread. If I had said no to dancing, I wouldn’t have seen this sweet smile on his face.
The others stayed close by as we all danced, and I felt comforted knowing they were all there with me. I let myself go, the quick tempo pulsing through every move I made. I felt so completely different from the Tessa twenty-four hours prior. I felt alive...
Partway through the song, Parker leaned forward, his lips brushing against my cheek as he moved to whisper in my ear. “Sweetheart, can we talk?” he asked, and I shivered as his cool breath teased my sweaty skin.
Tilting m
y head back to look into his eyes, I nodded. He smiled again and pulled us off the dance floor and toward the restrooms at the back of the club.
As we waded through the crowd, we saw Hunter standing in the sea of dancers. That’s right. He just stood there as everyone else swayed and rocked around him. Why was he in the crowd if he wasn’t going to dance?
He raised an eyebrow at us in question, and Parker signaled we were heading in the direction of the restrooms.
Once we left the floor, Parker’s hand relaxed around mine. I hadn’t even noticed how tight he’d been holding onto me until he did it. We made our way down a narrow, dimly lit hallway with some restrooms and an exit sign at the end of it. He didn’t stop until we walked out the exit door, and I glanced quickly behind to see if anyone was watching and would get us in trouble.
The others’ eyes caught mine just before the door closed, leaving Parker and I alone outside the club building.
The moment the door sealed, warm arms snaked around me, wrapping around my waist. The smell of amber embraced me as Parker hugged me to his chest.
“Parker?” I asked, surprised by his sudden hug.
He turned me in his arms until I faced him. His serious eyes landed on mine, and my breath caught at the tender expression mixed in their depths.
“I’m sorry.” He stroked my cheek. “I just wanted to talk to you.”
Relaxing into his hold, I let his warmth permeate my chilled skin.
“What did you want to talk about? Are you all right?”
“I’m not sure.” A wrinkle formed between his two brows. He pulled back and cupped my cheek. “I just needed to get this off my chest before I lost my nerve.” Taking a calming breath, he said, “It’s kind of funny, thinking about how things turned out. One night, I was trying to be normal by riding the bus, and the next, I met the girl whose heart mirrored mine.”
My breath caught in my throat at the meaning behind his words. “Mirrored?”
He nodded. “The night we met, my heart ached to connect with yours. Because I think we are connected. Through here.” Parker placed his hand on my heart, sending me a sweet smile. “Have you ever heard the term ‘disambiguation’?”
Lonely Lullaby: Ballad of a Broken Soul Series | Book 1 Page 15
