My Soul To Keep (Soul Series Book 1) (40 page)

“You guys know each other?” Dread creeps over me as I wait for his response.

Rhyson scoots behind me on the lounge, coaxing my head back against his chest so he can run his fingers through my tangled hair.

“Let’s just say if life was a Marvel comic,” Rhyson says, pulling my elbows up on his knees so I can get more comfortable between his legs. “Drex and I would be arch nemeses.”

The dread that was creeping over me freezes into a sheet of ice covering every inch of my body.

“Wh-why? What do you have against him?”

“Plenty, but it started with what he had against me.” Rhyson pushes my hair to the side, dropping a kiss on my neck.

“I met Drex at the School for the Arts, same as Marlon and Jim. He assumed I would be an entitled, arrogant prick and hated me on sight.”

Rhyson laughs behind me.

“When in all actuality, I was a total and complete dork. He tried to make life hell for me. Petra and I were still dating, even though she lived in Russia. We were basically glorified pen pals. I mean, my parents kind of orchestrated it. But we were dating, and she was on tour here, so she visited.”

“What happened?” I ask, afraid of how this is unfolding.

“He fucked her.”

Oh. God.

“He wh-what?” I turn, twisting around to see his face.

“Yeah, he’s the one she cheated with.” Rhyson’s mouth tips in a wry grin. “We weren’t in love or anything, but it still hurt and was embarrassing as fuck.”

“So
that’s
why you hate him.”

“Oh, it goes much deeper than that.”

Deeper than Drex screwing his girlfriend? How much deeper could it go? I’m afraid to find out.

“Not sure if you remember when my first album dropped,” Rhyson says, “but there were several tracks leaked. And they weren’t even mastered. They sounded awful. It almost ruined my release. Definitely cost me sales. I know he was behind it.”

“No way. Oh my gosh, Rhyson, are you sure?”

“I can’t prove it, but he was in the studio a few nights, and one of his boys was an engineer on the project. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

This is so much worse than I thought.

“Even now,” Rhyson continues. “If he’s at Wood, they give me a heads up. I’m not the only owner, and he and I are cool with some of the same people even though we aren’t cool with each other. But everyone knows we can’t be in the same room. If he’s booked, they let me know.”

“Why do you think he hated you so much?”

“I don’t know how it started, except jealousy maybe. He had no idea that I’d been through hell. From the outside looking in, it probably seemed to him that I had it all. He just always wanted what was mine.”

His phone rings, and Rhyson grunts, glancing at the screen.

“I promise this is the last call.” He swings one leg over the lounge, standing up. “It’s Bris again.”

He leans down, teasing me with his eyes before kissing my lips quickly.

“Apparently everyone’s really interested in my new girlfriend.”

He walks a few feet away, giving me just enough space to draw a deep breath and consider all that he just told me.

He just always wanted what was mine.

How can I tell Rhyson that Drex had something else that was his? How can I tell him that Drex had me?

I’M TIRED OF THIS ALREADY. IT’S
been a week since the pictures posted and the story broke, and photographers still seem to be everywhere I am. I keep telling myself it will die down, but as soon as I step out of the rec center after my dance class, a pack of photographers swell forward, hurling questions at me, shoving cameras in my face.

“Kai, how long have you and Rhyson been together?”

“Are you living with him?”

“Will you be going on the road with him?”

I ignore them, just like Rhyson told me to, lowering my head even though my hair is pulled up and doesn’t shield my face from the cameras’ flashes.

I estimate how long it will take me to run to the bus stop, already regretting telling Rhyson I’d be fine without Gep. The girls from my class laugh and squeal behind me, but I don’t turn to say good-bye. I take off running, partly to put distance between me and the paps. Partly because I can’t afford to miss the next bus.

A few of the persistent ones chase me for a little bit, but honestly, I’m not that big of a deal. I expect this rabid interest to pass soon. Rhyson’s the star. Not me.

Not yet. Maybe after this lunch meeting, I’ll be one step closer.

As soon as I sit on the bus, my phone rings.

“What took you so long to call me back, San?”

“I do have a job and all, Kai. I mean, I know I’m not dating a rock star like you, but you’re not the only one with a life.”

“San, this is serious.” I can’t believe I’m having to swallow back tears on the Metro, surrounded by people who could have been Googling me this morning.

“What’s wrong, pipsqueak?” His voice holds concern that undoes me even more, forcing a tear down my cheek.

“I’m going to lose him,” I whisper, lowering my head and cupping my hand around my brow to shield my eyes.

“Kai, calm down. That guy’s nose is wide open for you.”

“No, listen to me. D’you remember Drex Martin?”

“I thought you said we weren’t ever to talk about him again?” San slows his words down because he knows for me to bring up Drex this must be serious.

“Rhyson hates Drex. Like despises him to the point of won’t be in the same room with him.”

“It can’t be that bad.”

“No, it is.” I close my eyes, replaying my conversation with Rhyson and the horror I felt the more he shared. “Petra, Rhyson’s only other girlfriend, cheated with Drex in high school.”

“Damn. That’s bad, but it was high school. I’m sure Rhyson’s not still stuck on that.”

“And then Rhyson’s convinced Drex leaked those tracks from his first album.”

“Aw, hell. That is bad.”

“If Rhyson ever finds out I . . .” I look around the bus, not sure who might be listening or have their phones recording me. “He can’t find out, San.”

“I think you should just tell him, Kai.”

“No, you don’t understand.” I press a trembling hand to my forehead. “We just started, and I love him, San. Like, I
love
him. I can’t lose him now.”

“You won’t. Rhyson’s not unreasonable. He’ll understand that you and Drex had your thing before you even knew him. Just—”

A beep from another call cuts off whatever San would have said. I glance at my screen. My heart lifts and falls when I see R. Geritol.

“I gotta go, San. It’s Rhys. Can you still drop me off at his place later?”

“Yes, and tell him!”

“Bye, San.”

I switch over.

“Hey, baby,” I say quietly.

“Hey, Pep. You okay?”

I try to steady my voice and sound as normal as I can.

“Yeah, I’m good. Just leaving class.”

“How was it? Any trouble with reporters?”

“Just a few, but it was no big.”

“Where you off to now?”

How to answer? If I tell him I’m meeting Dub, we may argue, and things have been perfect between us. I’ve been staying at his place for the most part, falling deeper and harder every day. Between the one-night stand with Drex and meeting Dub for lunch, the things I’m keeping from him are piling up, and I hate it.

But I have to. On both fronts, I have to.

“Just grabbing lunch.”

“Then you’re coming home?”

Home. It sounds so good when he says it. Would it freak him out if he knew home for me is wherever he is? That I’d move in tomorrow if he asked me? Where is that girl who was scared to trust him? Who wanted to take things so slow? After little more than a week together, my heart is unreservedly his.

“Yeah. Then I’ll be home.”

“Can Gep come get you?”

“Um, I’ll be fine.”

“Pep, I don’t like you taking the bus.”

“San will bring me to your place later. I need to swing by my apartment to grab a few things.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure.” Someone tugs the rope to stop, and I realize I need to get off too. “Hey, this is my stop.”

“Okay.” His voice drops. “I’m at home writing. Missing you.”

“I miss you too.” I look around at the other passengers, wondering if any of them recognize me. Wondering if any of them are surreptitiously aiming their camera phones at me. “I need to go.”

“Love you.”

I catch the eye of a girl staring at me just a tad too long for comfort. Does she know who I am? Or at least who I’m dating?

“Pep?”

“I heard you. Me too. I’ll see you later.”

There’s a pause before he answers.

“Okay. See you.”

As soon as I’m off the bus, and oriented to where I’m supposed to meet Dub, I pull my phone back out and text Rhyson.

Me: There were people all around and I wasn’t sure if any of them recognized me so I didn’t want to say it, but I live you too.

R. Geritol: You LIVE me? Thanks, Pep. I live you too.

Me: LOL! Damn autocorrect. I LOVE you, idiot. TTYL.

I scan the tables lining the sidewalk, searching for Dub’s broad shoulders and platinum hair.

“Kai, over here.” He waves me over to the table where he’s already seated.

I sit across from him, and immediately wonder if it was a good idea to meet in such a public place. This needs to be fast. I don’t want to be rude, but we need to cut to the chase. I ignore the menu at my elbow and meet his eyes directly.

“So you got the footage?”

He raises his brows and turns his mouth down at the corners.

“Well, aren’t you all business?”

“Sorry. I don’t mean to be.” I glance around at the other diners on the patio. “Just been kind of crazy for me the last week, and being out has been tough.”

“Oh, yeah. You and Rhyson.”

I look up at him, not responding with anything but a nod.

“Look, I know it might be a little awkward now that you’re dating Rhyson,” Dub says, “Seeing as how I asked you out a couple of times before.”

A couple? Try six, but who’s counting?

“Okay, more than a couple.” His self-deprecating laugh reaches me across the small table. “But I didn’t know you were Gray’s girl.”

“I wasn’t at the time. We were just friends.”

“I’m not sure you were ever just friends.” Dub lifts one dark eyebrow, a wide grin showing off his white teeth. “Even when I saw you at Jimmi’s party, he was pissed off when we danced together.”

“You knew that?” I tilt my head and consider him. “Did you provoke him on purpose?”

“Maybe a little.” Dub shrugs those massive shoulders and grins. “Not many people in this town seem to have the balls to go head to head with him, but I got my start boxing in Ireland. I don’t back down from nobody.”

“Yeah, well, now you know, and Rhyson knows that you and I are just friends.”

“If things change between you two . . .” He lifts and lowers his dark eyebrows suggestively.

“They won’t.” I laugh like he knew I would and pick up the menu. “Now what’s good?”

After we’ve both ordered our salads and mineral water, Dub pulls out his phone to show me some of the footage from the video.

“Oh, wow.” My hand covers my mouth. I can’t believe that’s me. I look like . . .

“You’re a star, Kai.” Dub nods when the video ends. “It’s obvious.”

“Thank you so much for the opportunity. I can’t believe how well it’s turned out. Is Luke pleased?”

“Oh, hell yeah. Everyone is, including John Malcolm.”

“John Malcolm?” I take a sip of my water, trying to place the name. “Who’s that?”

“He’s one of the executive producers on
Total Package
. He flipped when he saw you dancing. When I told him you sing too, he said he had to hear for himself.”

“Are you serious?” Excitement dries my mouth out, so I take a giant gulp of my water.

“Can you be ready to audition for him in a couple weeks?”

I almost spew my water, catching the dribbles with a napkin.

“Sure, I can.”

“He wants you to audition for this season.”

“I can’t believe it.” I shake my head, unable to fully absorb this opportunity.

“Believe it.” Something catches Dub’s eye across the street. “Looks like we got company.”

I follow his glance. The camera lenses reflect the sunlight, blinding me for a moment. At first it seems to be just a few, but then I realize there are several more gathering up and down the sidewalk. They start snapping pictures.