Razing Ryker (Dissonance Book 1) (11 page)

Grant burst into the room, his face alight with excitement like a kid at Christmas. “Holy shit,” he whispered breathlessly. “Are you doing what I think you’re doing?”

Jace grinned, dancing his fingers effortlessly over the ivories. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“It looks like you’re writing.”

“Weird, because that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

“Jace?”

“Yeah, man?”

“I’m scared to move. If I move, will I wake up?”

“I don’t know shit about dreams. Ask Leonardo DiCaprio.”

“If you’d give me his damn number, I would.”

“He’s straight,” Jace chuckled.

Grant scoffed. “That’s what he thinks.”

“You’re distracting me.”

“I’m gone. I’m a ghost. I’m a phantom in the wind with—“

“Am I going to have to order an exorcism?”

“I’m gone!”

He disappeared out of the doorway leaving Jace smiling down at the keys under his fingertips. He wasn’t writing anything in particular. It was more of a melody that wouldn’t leave him alone. One that he heard in his sleep and woke up with on his lips. There were words yet, but it was a feeling. A strong feeling. One swirling with amber and emeralds.

His phone buzzed on top of the piano, the message alert dinging and finding its way into his melody. He shook out his hands and lifted the phone, equal parts eager and afraid. Lately it was a crap shoot whether a message was from someone he wanted to talk to and people he wanted to avoid.

His heart froze when he saw the message was from Lexy.

Saw the promos for the Washington concert. See you there.

This was getting stupid. He’d have to talk to Grant about it soon because the girl was just not getting it. If he had to get a restraining order he’d be pissed.

Don’t,
he told her simply.

She didn’t answer.

He closed the piano, standing and cracking his back. His rhythm was gone, ruined by her crazy and he didn’t know how to get it back right away. He could call Greer but she should have been in the air by now. He wished again that he could be with her on her first flight. He’d made sure she got a seat by the window. And one in first class. He’d had to spring for first class for the whole crew, but it was worth it to spoil her as much as he could. If he could have gotten away with flying them all privately he would have, but Grant would ask questions. Questions he wasn’t ready to answer yet.

He was supposed to be laying low, not starting up something new. Grant had asked him to keep his shit together, keep his nose clean, and project that image of availability. He’d gotten rid of Lexy – as much as he could without help from the courts – and he had to be careful not to be photographed too much with Greer. There was already a photo circulating of him walking her home but Grant had been playing it off as him being a gentleman to his dance crew. He made it seem noble, and it was, but what no one else knew was how much he’d wanted to ask to come upstairs when he’d dropped her off. How strongly he’d considered pushing her up against the brick of her building and kissing her senseless.

No one needed to know that. No one but Greer and he told her every day how much he wanted to touch her. How much he wanted her.

That day in the studio when he’d thrust his fingers inside her until she’d fallen apart around him was on constant replay in his mind. Her eyes, her face, her rasping voice pleading with him and promising him she wanted to stay with him.

That was another reason he was keeping this thing with her on the low; he was scared she’d run. He could feel it in the air around her, in the tightness that took her eyes, that she was a flight risk. She was skittish and scared, but she was just as entranced by him as he was by her.

“Jace!” Grant called to him.

He rolled his eyes, following his friend’s voice out to the living room. “Jesus, Casper, you’re the loudest ghost I’ve ever seen.”

“You’ve never seen a ghost.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes I do.”

He stopped in the entryway and leaned against the ornate molding. “How?”

“Because the ghosts told me,” Grant told him with a smirk. “Have you checked your phone?”

“I just did. I got a text from Lexy. She’s still crazy. Says hi.”

“I’ll deal with that, don’t worry. I’m guessing you didn’t see the e-mail from Sarah?”

“Nope.”

Grant handed over his phone. “You’re gonna wanna see this.”

Jace scanned the e-mail, recognizing the format of the details. He had an offer for a performance. New York. Open ended.

What the hell?

“What is this?” he murmured.

“You can read.”

“It’s an offer to take the lead role in a play. One going to Broadway.”

“Going
back
to Broadway.”

Jace ran his hand over his mouth, staring at the phone. “It’s fucking
Rendezvous.
”