Catch Me When I Fall (Falling Stars 2)

No, more money wasn’t on the table today, even though they’d be worth every cent.

Richard Ramsey wasn’t the only talented one.

The entire room was loaded with it.

Each member possessed their own unique style.

Their own distinct sound.

Contributed a piece that couldn’t be replaced.

It made Carolina George a name that couldn’t be replicated.

Which was why Daddy Dearest was salivating to get his grubby paws on them.

Not a fucking chance was I going to let that happen.

I returned a rigid smile to Rhys Manning. The guy played bass like he was roping a bull in a rodeo. Wild and reckless and so skilled you didn’t know what hit you. Country all the way to the dusty boots he wore on his feet and a face that made innocent girls lose their minds.

I let my attention drift across the table to where Leif Godwin sat.

He was precisely that.

A god in his own right.

Drummers tended to fade into the background. Secondary. Songwriting far from their repertoire.

Not Leif.

He was just as enigmatic and indispensable as the rest.

And then there was Emily.

Emily Ramsey.

The girl was crucial.

Essential.

A necessity.

She possessed what had to be the sultriest, sexiest voice on the planet.

A face and a body to match, all wrapped up in a sweet southern shyness that made good men want to do wicked things.

Thing was, wicked ones wanted to do worse.

And every fucking component of this was riding on her.

Then she had to go and shock me with the way she’d affected me, the first girl since her who made me feel like I couldn’t breathe.

That should have been enough of a warning.

This girl was the one who was the threat. The first with the power to cloud my judgement.

I wouldn’t let it happen. Wasn’t going to mess this up any more than I already had.

Touching her again wasn’t an option.

Didn’t mean I wasn’t going to be fantasizing about it.

“Let’s get started.” I kept my voice low and indifferent, like I hadn’t had her propped on a table last night. Like I couldn’t still taste her on my tongue or feel the scratch marks she’d left on my shoulders.

She gasped out a small, shocked breath, clenching and unclenching her fists, chest jutting with pants where she stood trying to rein in the disbelief and disgust shimmering in her eyes.

I deserved it all.

The woman who’d opened the door all of a sudden rushed to catch up with me, like she’d, too, been locked in a trance and had just broken free. “Mr. Reilly. Welcome. I’m Melanie, assistant to the band. Please, have a seat. Can I get you a cup of coffee?” She cocked her pretty head, taking me in, something wry pulling into her expression. “Or maybe a whiskey or a scotch?”

I got the feeling she was stamping me with the label of bad.

Smart girl.

“No, thank you, I’m fine.” I unbuttoned my suit jacket and slipped into the chair at the head of the table. Just to let them know where I stood.

I let my attention bounce around all of them again. “I apologize for interrupting your busy schedule, but I was in Savannah on business, and I thought it would be a good idea to meet with you while I was here.”

I’d left Sebastian Stone’s house a half an hour before. A legend who I’d idolized as a teenager before he’d become a friend.

He’d warned me that this was messy.

I’d told him I didn’t care.

It was worth it.

“Nah, no apologies, man,” Rhys said, rocking forward with an easy smile. “There are things we obviously need to talk about.”

He glanced at Emily, gauging her reaction, like he was hoping she would take one look at me and jump on board.

Highly unlikely.

Not with the stupid fucking stunt I’d pulled last night. Knew I’d regret it. Didn’t know it so much until right then.

“Yeah, no worries.” Leif waved a hand, watching me like he didn’t know whether he should trust me or not.

“Thank you,” I told him. Honestly, it wasn’t either Rhys or Leif that I was concerned about.

Richard followed me in, though he remained standing. He hung onto the back of a chair, letting his wary gaze jump around the members of his band. “So, guys . . . you all know we’re coming up on having to make a decision soon.”

Every eye turned to Emily.

Discomfort had her shifting on those toned, bare legs.

What the fuck was she wearing, anyway? Flimsy material caressing her shoulders and those tits, shorts so short she looked like she was ten feet tall, all legs and seduction. It was almost worse than the tease of that dress from last night.

I cleared my throat, drawing the attention from her. Clearly, she didn’t want it.

She probably wasn’t going to like what I was getting ready to say any more than having all eyes in the room on her, though.