“Rissa,” he greeted with a laugh and bent to lift the little girl into his arms. He dropped down on the couch beside his cousin and started asking questions about Marissa’s day.
Ignoring her brother’s girlfriend who parked herself on the edge of the couch beside of Liam, Marissa gave him a minute-by-minute account of her day. I had to admit that Liam had once been one of my favorite people in the world until he met Tawny. He’d been a great guy up until he’d gotten involved with Satan’s sister and fallen into the depths of hell with the first taste of drugs she’d offered him. But even now, when he wasn’t on my list of favorite people, I couldn’t help but miss my friend as he gave Marissa his full attention. Tawny or no Tawny, Marissa was and always would be Liam’s main priority.
And the bitch knew that and tried to keep him away from her as much as possible.
Rolling my eyes at the jealousy I saw shining in the devil’s sister’s eyes, I turned my full attention on the two men now walking through the apartment door. Devlin entered first with a bag of groceries under each arm. I took one from him and glanced inside, seeing the fixings for some killer sandwiches. Sighing, I gave him a mock glare.
“I guess I’ll be crafting these beasts, huh?”
Devlin’s eyes were full of amusement, but he pouted those lips of his at me. “Pwease, Annabelle. Pwetty pwease?”
“Funny.” I started to turn for the kitchen when Zander walked in holding two more bags. “Really? What else is in there?”
“Stuff for those barbeque sausage things you make in the crockpot. Some chips and dip, a few frozen pizzas.” Devlin shrugged. “We want to make a good impression on the dude that takes over for Noah.”
Another pain clenched at my heart and I stumbled a moment before putting a smile on my face and dropping my grocery bag on the kitchen counter. Devlin disposed of his own and Zander placed his beside mine before wrapping his arms around my waist and brushing a kiss over my cheek from behind. “I’ll help,” he murmured against my ear.
I shook my head. “No. You’ve worked all day. Sit down and relax.” I turned in his arms and stood on tiptoe to brush a quick kiss over his lips. I heard several shocked grumbles coming from the living room but ignored them. Their opinion on what was going on between Z and me wasn’t important.
Zander’s hold on my waist tightened, pulling me closer for a deeper kiss that left me breathless before stepping back with a sexy smirk and going into the living room to sit beside Devlin. I just stood there, trying to recover from his amazing kiss. A silly grin spread across my face and I finally started on all the food that Devlin wanted to use to impress Noah’s replacement.
By eight thirty, Noah had come up from the garage and was showered. Chelsea had arrived and was helping me finish up the last of the sandwiches and the rest of the food Devlin had requested I fix—even though I kept having to fix extras when he and the other beastly men in the apartment kept stealing the food as I made it.
The guys wanted the atmosphere to be casual for these rehearsals. Except for Wroth, who had his acoustic guitar, and Zander, who had his bass, no one else was going to be playing. They wanted the guy who took over for Noah to be able to work with minimal music, needing to know the full range of his voice before they offered anyone the position.
Three guys showed up at just after eight thirty and the guys made small talk with each of them, offering them a seat on the couch and to make themselves at home with all the food I’d made. While they snacked on the sandwiches and barbeque sausages, I took my time inspecting each of them.
They were all young and seemed cocky enough to think they would be good for the open vocal position. Two of the three even seemed decent enough and might have even made the band a good fit just on their attitude alone. One definitely fit the part of rocker material, with his long dark hair and tattoos that seemed to take up the majority of the space on what skin I could see.
He wasn’t bad to look at, but something about him made me a little uneasy. Maybe it was the way his eyes kept going to Marissa who was sitting on the floor by Wroth coloring her little heart out. Every few minutes I would shoot a glance at the big beast and realized I wasn’t the only one who was aware of the attention the little girl kept getting. Even Liam was sober enough to realize the tension vibrating off his cousin and wasn’t blind to the reason.
After a few more minutes of Wroth sitting there with murder in his eyes, I took Marissa into the bedroom and turned on the smaller TV set and let her get comfortable with a G-rated movie before returning to the others. As I entered the room, I realized a fourth guy had arrived to audition and I stopped dead in my tracks when I spotted him.
His hair was just slightly on the long side and looked recently dyed, but the jet-black color suited him. I also noticed fresh ink on his arm, still glossy from the ointment that needed to be constantly applied to a new tattoo. Even with the new hairstyle and fresh ink, I recognized the guy. It would have taken a blind person not to realize that this guy was Anthony Huntington. He lived on the uppity side of West Bridge with his snotty-as-hell mother.
He hadn’t gone to school with us because his mother had sent him to some big-bucks, high-class private academy well over an hour away. Still, the few times I’d seen him in town, I hadn’t gotten the ‘I’m better than you’ vibe from him. Unlike his mother who looked down her nose at everyone she saw.
This new version of Anthony shocked me speechless, however. He’d been a very handsome boy with his slightly shaggy, sandy-blond hair and hazel eyes. Now, with that jet-black hair and that badass ink on his arm, I had to admit that the guy was seriously sexy.
I greeted him with a shy wave as I took the spot on the floor between Zander’s feet and everyone else in the room got comfortable. Noah was going over the requirements of the audition. Telling them to relax and sing whatever cover song they were most comfortable with, but one that would show off their vocal ranges best.
They went in order of who had arrived first and I leaned my head against Zander’s knee as I watched intently as they each took their turns. The first two didn’t have the voice that OtherWorld was looking for, and some of the tension in my stomach actually started to ease. Of course my instant guilt over being glad that those two guys had basically bombed filled me with self-hate.
The third guy, the one who had set most of us on edge because of his bizarre attention to Marissa, actually had a decent voice. I might have hid an evil smile, because I knew that there was no way in hell Wroth would let that prick become a part of OtherWorld. No one said anything, though, just letting him sing the cover of a Skynyrd song.
By the end of the song Noah was nodding his head, but when his eyes landed on me, asking my opinion, I shook my head. He stood and offered his hand to the three other men. “Thanks, guys. I appreciate you all coming by tonight. Give us a couple of days and we’ll let you know. We’re going to let this guy get something to eat before we let him sing for us.”
They all shook Noah’s hand and filed out of the apartment. While they did that, I offered to make Anthony a plate. The new version of the guy I’d always known to be so preppy smiled up at me. “You don’t have to do that, Annabelle. And the name isn’t Anthony any longer. I changed it two days ago. I’m Axton Cage now.”
My eyes widened. “Really?”
“Call it a late rebellion against the dictator that is my bitch of a mother.” He winked up at me and for some reason I couldn’t help but grin at him. “I would take a glass of tea, if you have it, though.”
“Sure. I’ll get it for you now.”
It took less than a minute to get his drink and when I retook my place at Zander’s feet, he stroked his fingers through my long hair and dropped a kiss on top of my head. I leaned into him, loving the feel of his lips on me even if it was just on my head.
Everyone else around us seemed to settle down to get comfortable once more. Wroth even went into the bedroom to ask Marissa to join us again, but she had crashed while watching the movie I’d
put in for her. As he took his place on the now empty couch, he nodded for Axton to sit down beside him and asked him what song he wanted to do.
Axton scratched his chin, thinking about his selection, and then shrugged his lean shoulders. “Let’s mix it up, man. If you want to hear my full range I’d need to do several songs for you guys. Let’s start with Aerosmith, then go into some Skynyrd, and end it with some Metallica. That okay with you?”
Wroth shrugged. “Which songs?”
Axton grinned. “Surprise me.”
I nearly snorted at the arrogance of the guy, but held it back as Wroth’s talented fingers started the first few chords of Aerosmith’s “Angel.” All urges to snort or laugh at the new guy evaporated as soon as he opened his mouth and everyone in the room became entranced with the man we knew was going to take over for Noah.
As I listened, I couldn’t fight back the tears that suddenly threatened to choke me. From the first note that left Axton Cage’s mouth, I knew that there was no way OtherWorld wouldn’t go far with this guy front and center for them. He wasn’t just good; the man had a fucking gift. And it broke my heart into a million pieces. One look at OtherWorld performing with Axton singing their songs and any manager with a working brain would sign them on the spot.
Swallowing hard, I glanced at Noah. The look on his face was a mixture of amazement and gut-wrenching pain. He knew as well as I did—as well as everyone in the room—that not only was Axton going to fit with the band, but that this guy was better than even he had ever hoped to be. The pain in my heart at the knowledge that I was even closer to losing Zander than I had been just thirty minutes ago, doubled at the pain my beloved brother was going through right then.
The Aerosmith song faded easily into the Skynyrd song, “Free Bird,” and even though Axton’s vocal range changed, it only showed just how talented he really was. I lowered my gaze to the floor, hiding the tears that were so close to spilling over. I wanted so hard to hate Axton, wanted it with every fiber of my being, but I couldn’t. None of the pain I was feeling was his fault. He’d just shown up to a freaking audition, unknowingly ripping my heart from my chest with that amazing voice of his, and shattered it into a million little pieces.
I couldn’t hate him. Not when he was going to help the man I loved succeed in his goals.
Skynyrd drifted seamlessly into Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” with Wroth’s talented fingers. Glancing at Zander, watching him keep beat with the bass, seeing how much he loved being a part of this music world, I lost the battle. One tear escaped from my eyes and was quickly followed by a hundred more. I stood, keeping my face averted from everyone as I went into the bedroom and shut the door quietly behind me.
I quickly tore off my clothes as I entered the bathroom. Turning on the shower, I climbed in before the water even had time to warm. My knees gave out and I slid down in the corner of the tub, letting the cold water beat down on me as the first sob tore my heart loose from my chest. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I hid my face in my raised thighs and cried for the loss of the man who wasn’t even gone yet.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Zander
It was late when Axton left, but I had a grin on my face as I pulled off my shirt and jeans before climbing into bed beside Annabelle.
I thought she was asleep but, the second I wrapped my arms around her waist, she turned in my arms and brushed her lips over mine. My body was still humming from the high of the amazing jam session I just had with the guys. That plus my constant ache for her and the taste of her lips was like a detonator on my self-control. With a growl I didn’t even realize had left me, I turned onto my back and pulled her across my chest.
My hands tangled in her long pale hair, holding her head at the angle that I wanted it. Thrusting my tongue deep into her hot little mouth, I couldn’t help thinking of thrusting into her heat elsewhere. My left hand tightened on her amazing ass, pulling her down harder against my aching dick as I ground into her sweet spot through whatever pajamas she was wearing.
Her soft gasp of pleasure only revved me up that much more. Ah, hell she felt so good. I could have gotten off just rubbing against her like that and, as lost in the feel and taste of her as I was, I might have done just that if there hadn’t been a knock on the door two seconds before it opened.
I kept Annabelle right where she was, but stopped kissing her as her brother stuck his head around the corner of the door. He couldn’t see anything since the room was almost completely dark other than the small ray of light that was shining from behind Noah.
“She has school in the morning, dude. Don’t keep her up too late,” Noah spoke quietly and I could hear Chelsea laughing at something on the television in the living room. “Night, man. Night, Annabelle.”
I had to clear my throat before I could answer him. “Night.”
“Night, Noah.” Annabelle’s voice was soft, full of all the desire that I was still making her tremble against me with. My hand tightened on her ass, letting her know that I was just as far gone as she was.
After another few seconds, Noah shut the door and Annabelle tried to search for my lips again. With a groan I turned us so we were both on our sides facing each other in the dark. It took a little while before my eyes adjusted to the darkness, but finally I could make out the shape of her face. Lifting a hand that trembled, I stroked a finger down her cheek.
“We shouldn’t,” I told her even as my body was screaming that I was a fucking idiot.
“Wh-why not?” Her breath hitched as her soft hands traced over my bare chest. Her fingertips trailed over my stomach and straight for the top of my boxers, and I reluctantly caught her hands, lifting them to my mouth to press kisses to each palm. “Please, Z.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing I shouldn’t let it go further, but I wanted her so fucking bad. Muttering a curse, I pushed her to her back and promised myself I’d just get her off, nothing more. I wouldn’t dare take something that I didn’t deserve, and I sure as hell didn’t deserve to be the one to take her virginity. I was too much of a fuck-up, too fucked-up in the head, to ever be worthy of something that precious.
Jaw clenched, I kissed my way from her lips, down her neck and straight for her amazing tits. Motherfucking hell. The thin straps of her pajama top came down way too easily and then I was wrapping my lips around one of her sweet nipples. Her breath hitched as I sucked harder, but she just barely kept from moaning. I quickly turned my attention to her other tit. Fuck —how did this one taste better than the other?
Selfishly, I wanted to take my time with her —Make her first orgasm be something she would remember for the rest of her life —but it was already late and she needed to get up early for school. Reluctantly, I left her tits and kissed down her flat stomach to the waistband of her pajama shorts. Eagerly she lifted her hips as I tugged them down.
The heat and scent of her desire nearly crippled me with need. Touching her smooth, soft thighs, I had to bite back a groan when I felt her need damp on the inside of her slender legs. Lowering my head, I kissed each thigh and realized for the first time why it was so easy for Liam to get so addicted to the drugs he poisoned himself with every day. If they tasted this good, if they made him feel this alive and hard, then no wonder he couldn’t stop. No wonder he wanted more and more and more.
My dick flexed against the mattress and I drowned my groan by burying my face between Annabelle’s sweet-smelling legs. I wasn’t the kind of guy who enjoyed eating pussy often. I’d only done it a handful of times and had hated every second of it. Yet from the second I tasted Annabelle, I realized maybe it wasn’t that I didn’t like eating pussy, just that I didn’t like tasting anyone but the girl now withering under my tongue.
I couldn’t get enough of her taste, the feel of her tiny clit under my tongue and the heat scalding me from her opening. Unable to resist, I teased my middle finger around her opening and pushed in ever so slightly. “Z, oh, God.” Her walls clenched around my fingertip, trying to suck me dee
per. My dick thickened even more, my balls tightening. Holy shit, I was going to get off just from licking her pussy.
Annabelle was getting close. I could feel it in the way her body was tensing, the way her walls kept contracting harder around my finger, and especially in the way her sweet cream flowed faster and faster. I lapped up every drop, desperate for more. Her little gasps and pants were driving me crazy and my balls were so tight I knew it was going to be over in less than a few seconds.
I moved quickly, knowing I was going to hell anyway so what was once more crime against me? I pulled my throbbing cock out of my boxers and rubbed the pre-cum-covered head over her drenched pussy lips, teasing it over her clit. Once. Twice. The third time I thrust my middle finger into her a little farther, not quite deep enough to touch her virginity, and she came apart for me.
Fuck, I wished the lights were on so I could see her as she soared with her orgasm. I wanted to know what her face looked like when she fell over the edge of release, wanted to see how her body glowed with the pleasure.
Biting back a curse, I gave one last stroke over her wetness before I had to cover the head of my dick as I came harder than I had ever come before. My back arched so hard it was a wonder I didn’t break my spine. Gritting my teeth, I held back the yell of release that was shredding my throat for freedom.
When I could breathe again I climbed out of bed and went into the bathroom to clean myself up. Returning to the bed, I used a warm, damp cloth to wipe away the rest of her sweet-smelling cream. She was lying there, her breathing finally evened out, and from the glow of the bathroom light I could see her sleepy expression. Pink filled her cheeks as I cleaned her up and then brushed a kiss over her lips.