Refrain (Soul Series Book 3) (13 page)

“That’s what I want, too.” His sigh from the other end is resigned. “Cassie says she and Kai are meeting when you come to Vegas next week.”

“Yeah. I think my sister has tickets to the showcase for her. For you both actually.” I glance at my watch, remembering that Kai and Gep are late. “Look, I need to go. Like I said, you’ll need to talk to Kai about all this.”

“I understand.” The sadness in his voice tweaks my sympathy. “Well, maybe I’ll see you next week in Vegas.”

“Maybe,” I reply noncommittally.

“Thank you for taking care of her,” he says before ending the call.

I hold the phone for a few seconds. I don’t want to feel sorry for the guy at all, but I do. Kai refused to see me for three months, and it was the most miserable three months of my life. Not the same, but I do empathize.

“Hey, handsome.”

I look up to find Kai standing at the door, a grin on her face.

I motion her in, grabbing her around the waist when she’s close enough and sitting her on my lap.

“You’re late.” I bury my face in the curve of her neck and shoulder, silky tendrils of hair tickling my nose. She looks casual from the neck down in her jeans and tank top. Her hair is pulled up into a messy bun of some sort, with little wisps escaping and making her adorable. Her face, though, is still fully made up from the photo shoot.

“I’m sorry.” She trails kisses over my chin and down my neck. “The shoot went over.”

“What’s it for again?”

“
People Magazine’s
breakout stars, or something like that. I’ll have to ask Bristol to be sure.”

“I was just about to call Gep.” I pull her a little closer and inhale the scent of pears and cinnamon lingering on her skin.

“I could drive myself to these things, you know.”

“Sure, but you need security with you anyway, so he may as well, right?”

Her mouth cements into an obstinate line. We’ve had this argument more than once. I push. She pulls. She doesn’t think she needs security. I insist. Her lips part, and I already see the protest on her face before it has a chance to leave her mouth.

“I just got off the phone with your dad.” I figure this will distract her from an argument for now.

“My dad?” Surprise colors her expression. “He called you?”

“Yeah. Well, he called the studio and left his number so I could call him.”

“What did he want?”

“I think to be invited to our wedding.” I rub the little soft wisps of hair between my fingers and watch her expression.

“He doesn’t think he’s gonna give me away, does he?” She draws back a little, irritation on her face.

“I told him no one gives to me what’s already mine.”

She giggles and palms one side of my face.

“You said that to my
father
?”

My hand cups her breast through the tank top and I rub my thumb roughly over the nipple until it beads. I nip at the silky, scented skin of her neck with my teeth.

“Is it not true?” I whisper, loving the constellation of goose bumps sprouting on her arms.

She nods and tips her head back, shifting on my lap.

“Wait till I get you home,” I say against the fragile line of her collarbone. “I’ll remind you how true it is.”

“Why wait?” Her eyes toy with me. “I seem to remember putting a piano to good use here once before.”

A husky chuckle crosses my lips.

“Too many people here tonight. We’d get caught.”

“The risk kinda makes it more exciting though,” she says, voice husky and eyes simmering. “Don’t you think?”

“I’m not risking anyone seeing more of you than they should.” I stand up, taking her with me and setting her on her feet. “So let’s go home so I can make love to you.”

“Will you take a bath with me?” She slips her hands under my t-shirt, her palms gliding over my back, provoking a shudder through me.

“Yes.” I bend to kiss her hair. “You want me to fuck you in the tub again?”

“Yeah, if you’re taking requests.” She yawns and her lashes droop over drowsy eyes.

“Come on. Let’s get you home. It’s been a long day.”

We’re making our way across the dimly lit parking lot before it occurs to me she could be tired because of the baby.

“Did you pick up the prenatal vitamins Dr. Allister prescribed?”

“Man, I forgot.” She looks up at me, her eyes sparking just a little. “I guess I’m this tired because of the baby. Kinda cool, huh?”

“Not cool.” I bring her knuckles up to my lips. “We’ll get them tomorrow.”

When we reach my truck, she slumps against the passenger side door. My hands find her waist and settle low on the curve of her hips as I bend to steal one more kiss before we get on the road.

“Did it rain?” She glances over her shoulder.

“Not for a long time. That’s why our grass looks the way it does, babe.”

“No, something’s wet.” She arches away from the side of the car, reaching back to touch her shirt. She rubs her fingers together. “Ew! It’s sticky.”

I touch the side of the car to investigate the wetness and notice something hanging over the side. I grab the lump of soaked cotton.

“Fuck!” Even in the barely lit parking lot I can see that the t-shirt is soaked in something red that I suspect is blood. The passenger side door is covered with it.

“What is that?” Kai asks nervously, peering down at the t-shirt I haven’t dropped yet.

An icy hand punches right through my chest.

It’s one of those “Mrs. Rhyson Gray” t-shirts fans are always wearing, but it’s drenched in blood and has slashes through it, as if from a knife. I toss it back onto the car, hoping I haven’t disrupted any forensic evidence by touching it. I wipe my hands across my jeans and dig my phone out of my pocket. I pull Kai away from the car and practically drag her back towards the studio. My glance bounces all around the parking lot for any sign of danger or anyone ready to hurt her. The person who did this could still be close. Could be here right now. Could be watching us.

“Rhyson,” Gep responds on the first ring. “Sorry about getting Kai there late. I should have texted.”

“Forget that.” Voice terse, I gently urge Kai into the safety of the studio. “We have bigger problems. I need you at Wood as soon as possible.”

“Maybe it was just a sick joke.” Kai looks at our stained hands. Now that we’re in the bright lights of Wood’s reception area, we can clearly see that it’s blood.

“Well, I’m not laughing.” My face is so grim it aches. “And when I find out who did this, they won’t be either.”

“WE’RE NOT GOING TO VEGAS.”

Rhyson’s declaration swivels all heads in his direction. It’s been a long night. We’re finally home, and everyone’s assembled around the kitchen table. I watch every face for reaction. Gep doesn’t look surprised, but just nods. Disappointment, then resignation flashes over Grip’s handsome face. Bristol doesn’t bother hiding her outrage.

“The hell we aren’t going to Vegas.” She pops to her feet, hands already fisted on her hips. “It was an awful, stupid thing someone did tonight, but it’s not going to stop us.”

“Bristol, I’m not arguing about this with you.” Rhyson faces away from us, arms stretched out to the side, hands gripping the counter tightly, muscles bunched under his t-shirt.

“Yeah, we will argue if you think that months of planning is going down the drain because some super fan poured pig’s blood all over your car.” Bristol plants her hands on her slim hips. “I know it’s freaking you out, but—”

“Oh, you know?” Rhyson faces her, propping his back against the counter. “You know how it felt to see ‘Die Bitch’ written in blood on my window? To know that’s meant for Kai? That someone out there could seriously want her dead?”

I train my eyes on the table, clutch my glass of water, and draw in deep, calming breaths. Once we got back inside the studio, Gep and the cops came. They saw the ominous message written on the passenger side window, in addition to the slashed, bloody t-shirt. I want to dismiss it as a silly prank, but it’s too sinister. It doesn’t feel like a joke. There’s nothing funny about someone wanting you dead, much less writing it in blood.

I’m startled by Bristol’s hand squeezing my shoulder. Her sympathetic eyes apologize for something that isn’t her fault. She walks over to her brother and leans against the counter beside him to take his hand.

“I know it’s a lot.” When he tries to pull away, she won’t let go. She dips her head, forcing him to meet her eyes. “It’s scary, but Rhyson, we can’t just cancel this trip.”

“We can.” He pulls away and walks over to the refrigerator to grab one of his energy drinks. “We will.”

“No, we won’t.” Bristol firms her lips. “You
do
you realize this is being streamed online? Media outlets from all over the country, from all over the world, are sending reporters? We have interviews scheduled. Appearances. The showcase itself. A contract with the hotel, who’s been billing this for months. All of you have fans flying in just for this.”

When Bristol lays out the full scope of the showcase, it’s apparent we can’t just cancel Vegas. I see it on Grip and Gep’s faces. Despite the fear coiled in my stomach, I know that. We’re all just waiting for Rhyson to arrive at the same inevitable conclusion.

“Okay.” He nods and joins us at the table. “You guys go. Kai and I will stay here.”

“It doesn’t work that way, Rhyson.” Bristol massages her temples. “You are the linchpin. None of this works without you.”

“Well, I’m not going anywhere without Kai.” Rhyson glances at me briefly before looking away to the can he holds. “And I don’t want her going. It’s too much. Too many people. Too many variables we can’t control.”

“Gep, tell him we can keep Kai safe,” Bristol urges.

Gep clears his throat before speaking.

“You know we can, Rhys,” he says.

“No, Gep, I don’t know that.” A deep “v” settles between Rhyson’s eyebrows. “If I knew that, we wouldn’t be having this discussion now.”

“Well, we can,” Gep says. “We’ve always kept you safe. This isn’t our first time dealing with a stalker.”

That word “stalker” makes me tense up even more. If it were up to me, I’d lock me and Rhyson and this baby upstairs in our bedroom behind a bolted door. I know Rhyson is concerned about me, but I’m just as concerned about him.

“Kai, talk some sense into him.” Bristol adds pleading eyes to her request.

“Don’t do that, Bris,” Rhyson says sharply. “Don’t use her against me like that.”

“I’m not using her against you.” Bristol rubs a hand across the back of her neck. “Sometimes she’s the only one you’ll listen to.”

Rhyson and I stare at each other across the table. As much as I don’t want to go to Vegas either, we’ll have to. It’s not just us. It’s the band and Luke and Grip. They all have a lot riding on this showcase.

“I keep thinking . . . wondering . . .” He looks away from me, dismissing the words he didn’t speak with a quick shake of his head.

“What?” I ask. “You keep wondering what?”

“Well, I’ve always gone to such trouble to protect my privacy, and the one time I put it all out there, it’s come back to haunt me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our engagement was everywhere. I proposed in front of fifty people, and videos of it went viral. If I hadn’t—”

“Don’t even think that.” I lean over to cup his face, looking into his eyes. “I love the way you proposed to me. I love that we took our story back, that you wanted the whole world to know I’m your girl. Some sicko wishing it was her doesn’t change that for me.”

He pushes the hair over my shoulder, his fingers caressing my neck.

“For once I wanted everyone to know something about me,” he says quietly. “The fact that you love me and choose to spend the rest of your life with me—there’s nothing I’m prouder of. Nothing. I didn’t want to hide it or disguise it or pretend I’m not happy with you.”

“We are not going to live our lives like hostages.” I blink back tears.

He nods and drops a kiss on my nose.

“Exactly,” Bristol says, reminding me we aren’t alone. “That’s why we’re going to Vegas.”

Rhyson levels an exasperated look at his sister.

“You never let up, do you?”

“It’s my job to not let up.” Bristol shrugs.

“No one can ever accuse you of not doing your job,” Grip mutters.