Shackled Hearts (Chained Hearts Duet 4)

Will they hate me?

Like me?

“There is literally not a more perfect person in this world. Now, stop fidgeting and come on.” He walks up the stairs, and I follow him.

The door opens before he even knocks, and a lady stands there, beaming a smile at us. Her smile is contagious and beautiful, and her soft eyes fall to mine. Her honey-colored hair is tied back in a bun, and she’s wearing a tight-fitting dress.

“Chanel.” She steps out and wraps her arms around me. I stand frozen for a moment, then lift my hand and pat her back. The whole exchange being a little awkward when I have no idea who she is. When the woman pulls back, I step back until I reach Lucas. My side bumps his, and I stay there.

“It’s so good to see you again, and you’re looking better as well.”

“Chanel still doesn’t remember who you are.”

Sailor looks to Lucas, eyebrows drawn close together, then back to me. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize. Well, I’m Sailor, and it’s so nice to see you again.”

I smile at her words. “It’s nice to see you too. Thank you for having me over to your house for dinner. I’ve been dying to get out. Even though Lucas is great company, it’s time for me to go out into the world again.”

“Lucas, great company? That’s a joke.” Lucas hands over the tray of food, and Sailor smiles at it.

Someone comes up behind her.

He isn’t the man who came to the house—this is someone new. He has playful eyes and a kind smile.

“I’m Joey, and it’s good to see that beautiful face again. Pity it’s next to that prick.”

Okay! I look back at Lucas, his face is expressionless, so I turn back to Joey. “Thank you. I would say it’s good to see you again, but I don’t remember you.”

“Okay, let us in.” Lucas steps forward as they move back, and he grabs my hand, pulling me in after him. We go straight to a dining room where another guy, as well as a woman, are seated.

“Piper and Joey insisted they be here,” the guy at the head of the table says to Lucas, then looks back down at his phone.

I remember this man when he came to Lucas. Keir.

“Keir, you remember Chanel.” He looks up and nods before he goes back to his phone, completely uninterested in me.

Well, okay, not very talkative, then.

Lucas goes to the table, pulls out a seat for me, and then sits next to me. “This is Piper.” Lucas nods to the lady across from us. I offer her a smile as she sits back with a glass of wine in her hand and some sort of expression on her face I can’t make out.

“You hated him. Did he tell you that?” Piper says.

Lucas doesn’t respond, but I know she’s talking to me, so I reply with, “He did. Said I paid him back.”

She throws her head back and laughs. “That you did.”

“Piper, play nice,” Sailor says, entering the room, holding a tray of food with Joey behind her doing the same.

“What is it you do for work?” I ask her as the food is placed down on the table. Everyone in the room goes silent at my question, and I feel bad for asking. Was that not something I was meant to ask? “I’m sorry, was that rude?”

“No, no, it’s not. Have you asked Lucas what it is he does?” Piper questions, leaning forward and placing her wine on the table, her elbows now resting on the edge and again an expression I am unsure of. Glancing over my shoulder to Lucas, I see him pick up a glass of whiskey that Joey placed in front of him, and he places it to his lips, taking a large swallow.

“I have, and he’s incredibly vague. All I really know is the part about owning the bar.” I turn my attention back to her. “Do you own a bar too?”

“No, only Lucas holds that title, though Keir has stock in certain bars. One of them is called a traffic light party. Have you heard of that? It’s actually where Sailor and Keir met. Yeah, funny story. She went there with her husband and left with Keir.”

“What’s a traffic light party?” I ask.

“It’s a place where you go to meet like-minded people. Certain colored wristbands show your willingness to…” she trails off as my mind thinks, Oh, okay.