Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
The surprise in my tone slants River’s adorable head. “I do.”
“Knox?” I query, still lost.
The axis of my world is tilted for the third time today when strands of dark hair fall into River’s eye when he shakes his head. “Laken.”
“Laken is your brother?” I choke on my spit when his headshake shifts into a bob. “But Knox introduced you to me as his brother. He said he raised you since you were three.”
My answers come from a voice above me instead of the man seated across from me. “Knox tells everyone that. Especially when he wants to get in her panties.” Laken works his jaw side to side before gesturing his head to the seats at the back of the plane. “We should sit back there, River. We don’t want people confusing us with the talent.” He spits out my profession as if I’m a dog who performs for treats.
River stomps his foot down. “But I like it here.”
“Now, River,” Laken barks out, proving their relationship isn’t a ruse. His tone is bossy and determined, almost on par with my father’s stern tone when I act like a brat.
“Fine.” After dropping his eyes to mine to issue a silent apology and hugging me for the third time in the past ten minutes, River stomps to the far end of the jet.
It takes Laken a little longer to shadow his stalk. I assume it is because he needs time to work his apology through his head before delivering, but am proven wrong when he places a gold-hooped earring onto the tabletop housing two untouched glasses of champagne.
My hand shoots up to my left ear when I recognize its design. My left earlobe is still missing the accessory only my right ear wore throughout our exchange last night.
I hadn’t noticed I’d lost an earring until Laken pointed it out while gathering my hair in a fist. Since the earring’s value was a pittance compared to the confidence bombarding me because I was on my knees in front of a man I’d only just met, I mourned its loss for three seconds before shifting my focus to making Laken as deliriously spent as I was when he had his head between my thighs.
“Where did you find it?” I ask, my voice high with shock.
“In your bathroom.” I discover a reason for the angst in his tone when he adds, “Right next to a half-used bottle of aftershave.”
“Laken—”
“I’m no expert, but you should probably mix things up this time around.” When he nudges his head to my songbook, I snatch it up before he can threaten it more than he already has. “Not even country bumpkins want to listen to love ballads about homewrecking cheaters.”
He leaves before I can offer him an explanation I’m not sure he deserves.
11
LAKEN
For the first four hours of the flight to Los Angeles, I pretend I’m sleeping.
Over the next hour, I flick through glossy magazines while acting like I don’t recognize the name of the person featured on almost every page.
The shit the media makes out as factual is crazy. The articles are outrageous and expose why I would have much rather forged a name for myself in music from behind a sound desk instead of a microphone.
“It doesn’t even look like her,” I spit out while tossing the magazine with Nicole’s supposed ass on the cover onto the table separating River and me. Its skid across the table mimics the jet’s tires as it comes in for the landing. “The minute hint of red in that woman’s hair is as lackluster as my beard. Nicole’s hair is orange. As orange as…”
“An orange?” River fills in when an analogy evades me, his tone as firm as his grip on the armrests.
He’s never been on a plane, but he handles the landing like a pro.
I was hopeful I’d slot into my position just as easily, but I should have given it more thought. I’ve been known to jump the gun when it comes to decision-making—especially when it effects River—but this is a whole new low for me.
How can I protect someone when I’m the man she needs protecting from the most?
While nodding in agreement to River’s comparison, I slump low in my chair before once again slinging my eyes to Nicole and Knox at the front of the plane. “Does it not bother him that they’re writing this shit about her? She’s his…”
I can’t say it.
I can’t admit that Nicole is anyone’s girlfriend but mine.
Which is fucked considering Knox is my best friend.
Unease curdles through my stomach when River unlatches his belt while saying, “To Knox, any publicity is good publicity.”
Not one to sugarcoat things, I say, “That’s shit.”
“I know, and I plan to change it. I just need him to take me seriously.” After pulling his backpack out from under his chair, River spins around the laptop he’s been tinkering on for almost five hours. It shows a design for an album cover. It is simple but announces everything you need to know. Who the artist is and their field of expertise.