Melody of the Heart (23 page)

“I will.”

“Hey Lily,” Rhys said behind us. I whirled around from AJ to go to his waiting arms. He squeezed me tight, which for Rhys was saying a lot. “So sorry about your dad.”

“Thank you.” When I pulled away, I smiled at him. “Thank you for the check.”

He shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

And that was one of the reasons I loved Rhys so much. He came from his own private wealth before the band, but he never wanted to brag about it. He also gave to people in need not to look good, but because he truly believed they needed it. “It’ll really help my mom out a lot. She asked that I thank you, too.”

“I’m glad,” he murmured softly.

I bestowed a kiss on his cheek too. “You better come over here and give your man a kiss after showing these guys so much love,” Brayden said.

I turned away from Rhys just as Jake came out of one of the bedroom doors. He momentarily froze when he saw me. 

“Well, well, if it isn’t our very own Yoko Ono,” he said. Although there was a teasing lilt in his voice, I didn’t like being referred to as someone who broke up a band because of her hold on her man.

I strode past Brayden to stand right in front of Jake. His cocky little grin set something off in me. I then did something that I would have never imagined doing before, but my grief, coupled with the last eleven months, was a volatile mixture.

I slapped him.

Hard.

“That’s for all the times I sat back and let you treat me like shit! And don’t you
ever
demean Brayden’s and my relationship again! I’m sorry that you’re so self-absorbed that you’ve never been able to give yourself to somebody else. Maybe one day you’ll wake up and see what an egotistical asshole you really are!”

When I finished my tirade, silence echoed around me. I could even hear the sound of the maid vacuuming down the hall. I cut my eyes over to AJ and Rhys, taking in their wide-eyed, open-mouthed expressions. I’d really done it now.

As I braced myself for Jake’s retaliation, he merely nodded. “I think you pretty much nailed it, Lils.” He turned and walked to the door of the suite. When he got there, he paused. “I really was just teasing you before. You really aren’t Yoko Ono. You’re way more Paul’s Linda. She kept him together, just like you keep Brayden. Hope you guys don’t fuck things up again.”

And then he was gone. “Well, that was intense,” AJ said, breaking the silence.

Covering my face with my hands, I groaned. “I can’t believe I did that.” When I peeked through my fingers at the guys, they were all still staring at me in surprise. “I’m sorry. That was wrong of me.”

Rhys shook his head. “No, Lils. After the way he treated you, he deserved that.”

“I agree,” AJ replied.

“Really?” I asked.

AJ nodded. “He needed a strong woman to put him in his place. I guarantee you gave him something to think about.”

“Well, I could have gone about it differently. I’ve never hit a man in my life.”

With a snort, Brayden said, “That is so not true. You’ve hit me plenty…especially in bed.”

While AJ and Rhys thought his comment was hysterical, I merely proved Brayden’s point by smacking his arm. “Easy killer, I have to play with this arm tonight.”

Eyeing his expensive looking watch, Rhys said, “Yeah, we better get over to the MGM Grand for rehearsals.”

Before I could argue that I would stay here in the hotel and relax, Brayden was dragging me along behind him. Jake appeared to have left without them, so I piled in the limo behind AJ and Rhys.

“So how long are you guys in Vegas?”

“Three nights and three shows.”

“Wow, that’s intense.”

AJ flashed me a wicked grin. “Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you become famous rock stars.”

I laughed. “I’m glad to see it hasn’t changed you.”

With a wink, he replied, “Nope, I’m still the same guy I was when we were traveling around on the old clunker bus.”

“I hope so.” Glancing between him and Rhys, I said, “I don’t think I could have bared it if you guys had changed.”

Realizing that all the talk of change was a bit of a sensitive subject, Brayden quickly steered the conversation in another direction by rolling the window down and showing me more of the sights along the strip.

When we arrived at the MGM Grand, I was surprised that he didn’t pawn me off on some of the handlers. Instead, he kept his arm around my waist and led me inside. “While we’re rehearsing, you can sit down in the front row.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I am.” He gave me a beaming smile. “I can’t wait for you to see the show tonight.”

I returned his smile. “Me too.”

A roadie in a headset came up to us then. “Bray, we need you out on stage.”

He nodded. “Can you please take Lily down to the first row?”

“Sure.”

Brayden leaned over and gave me a kiss before he headed off. I was happily surprised by how attentive he was being to me now that we were back in his world. Once I took my seat, I bounced my leg anxiously as I awaited the guys to take the stage. When Jake came out, his gaze instantly went to mine. Instead of a sneer or smirk, he just merely nodded his head at me. The next thing I knew the guys had taken their places and began to warm up.

I don’t think I moved during the next half hour. I was that mesmerized. After all the bars and small venues Runaway Train had performed in, it was really amazing seeing them on a huge stage. I could only imagine what it would be like later tonight with all the lights and then the screaming fans.

When he was done, Brayden immediately came down to find me. “What did you think?”

“Amazing. Seriously amazing. I can’t imagine how much better it will be tonight.”

A wide grin stretched across his cheeks. “Really?”

“Yeah, really.” I gave him a lingering kiss. “You make me very proud.”

“Thank you, babe.” He pulled me against him and gave me a kiss that had my toes curling. When he finally pulled away, we were both panting.

“Anywhere around here where we can be alone?” I questioned, wagging my eyebrows.

He laughed. “I think I can find someplace.”

“Then let’s go.”

                                                                                    ***

After a storage closet quickie, Brayden and I emerged to find the band looking for us. When we got into the main dressing room, the guy’s eyes widened at the sight of us. My face immediately felt like it was in flames as I tried to smooth down my hair and clothes.

“We were just going to grab some dinner in the restaurant before the show,” Jake said.

“Looks like you two have already had dessert,” AJ added, with a smirk.

“Shut up,” Brayden grunted, while I wished the floor would open up and swallow me whole. It was going to take some time getting used to being around four men again, especially when it came to the free for all of discussing sex.

Trying to change the subject, I said, “Yes, let’s eat. I’m starving.”

“Guess you worked up quite the appetite,” Rhys mused.

At my humiliated squeak, the guys dissolved into laughter. “Damn, it’s good having her back,” AJ said, as he started out of the dressing room.

When I met Jake’s gaze, he smiled, “Yeah, it is good having her back.”

LILY

The Past

I was half-way in between consciousness and sleep when the hotel curtains were unceremoniously shoved aside and intense desert sunlight streamed into the room.

With a groan, I rolled over onto my stomach, burying my face in the pillow. “It can’t be morning already,” I muttered.

The bed dipped as Brayden came to sit down. “I forgot how much you weren’t a morning person.”

“It’s not just that.” Turning my head on the pillow, I peered up at him. “I only have today left with you before I have to leave.”

Brayden’s amused expression faded. Scratching the back of his head, he asked, “Can’t you take another week off from school?”

“I could, but I probably shouldn’t.” I reached out to cup his cheek. “I wish I could stay in this hotel room with you for forever.”

He brought his hand up to cover mine. “I really don’t want you to go, Lily.”

“You’re not making this any easier.”

His expression darkened. “How the hell am I supposed to act? I just got you back. I don’t want to lose you again.”

Rising up on my elbows, I leaned over to kiss his lips. “You’re not going to lose me. Just because I have to go back home, I’ll still be right here.” I touched the bare skin over his heart.

“That’s not good enough,” he whispered.

“What do you mean?”

Burning intensity shone in Brayden’s eyes.
“
Marry me.”

My heart fluttered at his words, but I tried my best to keep calm. We’d just reconnected after almost a year apart. Everything seemed to be happening at warped speed. “You know, I’m having an odd sense of Deja vu,” I teased, trying to lighten the moment.

Brayden smacked my ass playfully. “I’m serious, Lily.”

“How was I to know that? Besides, you’re not treating this seriously since you just smacked me.”

“Do you want me to get down on my knee again because I will? I’ll do anything in the fucking world you want me to if you’ll just be my wife.”

His words and his earnest tone sent tears springing to my eyes. “Oh Brayden.”

“Is that a yes?”

I nodded my head emphatically as I swiped the moisture from my cheeks. “Yes, I want to marry you, too.” I leaned over to bestow a soft kiss on his lips. “I really never stopped wanting to be your wife. At least the wife of the person you once were.” Leaning my forehead against his, I said, “Thank God, that man is back.”

“I promise you he’s never, ever going to leave you again.”

“I believe you. I really do.”

Jerking on my arm, Brayden tried to pull me out of the bed. “Let’s go tell the guys the good news.”

“Um, have you forgotten you’re naked?”

He gave me a sheepish grin. “Okay, let’s go shower together, get dressed, and then we’ll tell the guys. After that, we’ll go ring shopping. I don’t want you leaving Vegas without us making it official.”

I laughed. “You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I am. We’re getting married, and the sooner the better.”

“I like that idea a lot.”

“Then let’s get going.”

“I can’t help but point out that I don’t think the guys are going to be as excited as you are about us getting married. Well, AJ and Rhys will be happy for us, but I doubt Jake will.”

Brayden appeared contemplative. “He might surprise you and come around.”

“Really?”

He nodded.

The more I thought about Jake, the more a thought began to roll through my mind. “Let me talk to him first.”

Brayden’s brows shot far up into his hairline. “Are you insane? You think I’m going to leave you alone in a room with Jake after you slapped him?”

“I can keep my cool.” Leaning up, I gave him a reassuring kiss. “Trust me.”

He rubbed the stubble on his jaw before he finally nodded his head in agreement. “Okay. But I’ll be right outside the door if you need me…or if Jake needs me”

I grinned. “I can handle that.”

Brayden then dragged me into the bathroom. After our shower that got way hotter than the scalding water, I slipped into one of the nicer dresses I’d brought with me before sliding into my black knee boots. It wasn’t that I was dressing up for my talk with Jake, but more about the fact, I didn’t want to look homeless when Brayden took me ring shopping.

When I came out of our bedroom, I found AJ and Rhys lounging around on the couch and loveseat. At the sight of me, AJ gave me a beaming smile. “Oh good, you’re up. I’m starving.”