I shuddered out a breath and tried to remain strong. But there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t resist the power behind the stare I felt searing into my flesh.
That unsteady feeling trembled beneath my feet and hummed in my ears
My eyes flitted his direction.
Powerless.
Lyrik stood there looking at me, tattooed hands stuffed in his pockets. Everything about him was casual and unaffected. Yet striking and bold.
Severe and cruel and altogether aloof.
A damn enigma the very foolish side of me wanted to explore.
Layer by layer.
Touch by touch.
I swallowed around the rock sitting at the base of my throat.
I knew better than acting like a na?ve school girl.
He would come like a plunderer, swooping in and tearing everything in his path to shreds, setting the world on fire.
With zero regret.
Zero concern for the mayhem he caused.
Zero remorse for his sins.
He reveled in them.
Like I said.
Cruel.
Ash’s brash voice broke the tension. “Did any of you really think Baz was gonna hang tight in L.A. for two months after Shea and Kallie came back here? Dude was about to lose his shit. Slave driver had our asses in the studio nonstop for the last week to wrap things up so we could get back here sooner.”
He stretched out his tattooed arms. “Of course, since we’re talking about this group of badasses, wrapping up the album sooner was no problem. We make magic, baby.”
Ash Evans had to be one of the cockiest guys I’d ever crossed paths with. Scary thing was, it just made him all the more endearing, added to the charm that oozed from him without a thought, the guy all charisma and dimples and ego for miles.
And he was gorgeous.
Poor girls didn’t stand a chance.
But all that overconfidence? It was so different than Lyrik’s. Where Ash’s was friendly, Lyrik’s felt like a direct threat.
“So I take it you’re all here to celebrate. Let me grab some drinks.” My eyes bounced over each of them, a little quicker over Lyrik.
How obvious.
Just awesome.
“Everyone want their regular?” I asked.
“Sounds good to me, darlin’,” Ash was all too quick to supply. “But considering the magnitude of what we’re celebrating, make them doubles.”
“You do realize you always ask for doubles.”
He laughed. “Then make them triples.”
Good God.
These guys were nothing but a pack of trouble. All except for Zee, who stepped up with an affectionate shake of his head, as if he were apologizing for the company he kept but wouldn’t have it any other way. He gave me a quick hug.
“Nice to see you again, Tamar.”
“Good to see you, too.”
He headed for the secluded booth Sebastian had first claimed then Sunder had made their own.
Shea called, “Thank you,” as Sebastian began pulling her toward the booth. Ash was all too keen to follow.
Lyrik seemed slow to conform as he cast me one more unsettling glance over his shoulder, as if he was making sure to drag my attention with him.
To torture me a little more.
Forcing myself back behind the bar, I filled three rocks glasses half-full with Jager.
The pour of the thick, dark liquid reminded me of the promise in Lyrik’s eyes. A tempting, seductive vow of a night filled with delicious, carnal fun.
But that promise came with the consequence of a nasty hangover in the morning.
I did the same with Sebastian Stone’s ridiculously expensive tequila he liked to drink and grabbed a bottle of water for Shea, then arranged everything on a tray. I wove back through the growing crowd.
Ash grinned up at me as I passed out the shots. “Ah…never thought I’d say it, but it is good to be back in Savannah. Tell me, Tam Tam, have these walls been missing me? How about those ladies? Tell me they’ve been asking for me. You know once I make an appearance, the place isn’t ever gonna be the same.”
I rolled my eyes. “Hardly. Half the female population is scarred from your last appearance.”
“Oh come now. Don’t act like you don’t know my presence just makes everything better.” The dimples in his cheeks deepened. “Kind of like bacon. Put it on a burger. Better. Put it on a salad. Better. Spread Ash around. Better.”
I couldn’t help it. Laughter escaped, all incredulous and full of disbelief, but there, nonetheless.
“See…” he prodded like he’d just proven a new theorem, “better. Admit you missed me.”
“Okay, okay, if it’ll shut you up then I’ll gladly cop to missing you.”
Ash was the first to lift his glass. “To Baz and Beautiful Shea, two people who love each other so much they think they need to get married twice.”
Zee laughed, Lyrik grinned.
“But for real…the two of you?” Ash continued, “You’ve got something good. Don’t ever give it up.”
Don’t ever give it up.
The words rang through my mind, and a flash of sadness threatened to swallow me whole and take me under. I squeezed my eyes closed, lifted my glass, and threw back the shot. A fiery burn rolled hot down my throat, wrapping me like a warm blanket as it settled in my belly.