Catch Me When I Fall (Falling Stars 2)

About what he wanted.

Royce backed me up to a wall to get out of the bustle of servers and the slew of guests that rambled down the hall. The smile that curved his full lips was almost sad. “You’re worried about the kind of lifestyle I want to lead?”

I gave an erratic nod. “I know so little about what you want in this life, Royce. I know your job is important to you. So important. That you’re good at it. I also know you’re based in L.A. And not that I wouldn’t want to live there or couldn’t live there, but God . . .” I trailed off, realizing I was rambling, that I was getting so far out ahead of myself, and I didn’t know how to stop.

Thinking about a future we’d only hinted at.

Wincing, he reached out and twirled a lock of my hair with a tattooed finger, his nose close to brushing mine. “Lifestyle doesn’t matter to me, Emily. I’ll live in a shack if it means my sister is safe. If it means you’re safe. The only thing I care about is you accepting me, loving me, when you figure out who I am.”

With a shaky hand, I reached out and cupped his face. “I know who you are, Royce Reilly. I see you, feel your beautiful heart that is beating behind that menacing exterior.”

Those eyes flashed, and he cleared his throat, taking me by the hand. He led me deeper into the house. Royce grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing server since we had fifteen minutes until we needed to meet with Mr. Fitzgerald. Royce drained his while I sipped at mine, watching the mingling groups.

The rich and the famous.

The view totally surreal, me standing there, ill at ease and trying to play it cool while Royce watched on like some kind of soldier.

Hard and brash.

A furor rippled through as a group made their way inside, showing at the end of the hall, shaking hands and returning the enthusiastic hellos as people vied to get a chance to meet them.

Sunder.

What had to be the hottest band in the world.

It appeared as if they stood in a spotlight, stealing the attention from every other celebrity in the space.

I was no fangirl, but my belly knotted. I’d met them a couple of times through the years, but always from afar. That and the fact that Leif and Mia felt like an extension of them. A part of their world that had been tied to ours.

But that didn’t mean it lessened the impact of being at the same party as them.

Royce squeezed my hand. “We should go say hi.”

I remained frozen to the spot. “Are you crazy? That is Sunder.”

Okay, so maybe I was a little bit of a fangirl.

He chuckled low, cutting me a glance from the side. “Are you starstruck, Emily Ramsey?”

Redness flushed.

“They’re the most down-to-earth people you’ll ever meet.”

“You know them?”

“Yeah,” he said, though it seemed like admitting it almost bothered him.

As if it were some kind of sin.

“We go way back.”

He hauled me by the hand across the posh living room to the group that had gotten accosted at the end of the hall. One of the guys lifted his hand when he saw Royce approaching.

Lyrik West.

Oh my god.

“Royce, my man, how are you, dude? It’s been forever.” He went in for one of those man-hugs while I awkwardly shifted on my feet.

Royce hugged him back as if they were the oldest of friends. “I know it. Too long. How are things in your world?”

Lyrik wrapped his arm around the waist of the woman at his side, hugging her close and stealing her attention. “World is perfect, man. Fucking perfect. Only because I get to call this one wife. This is my girl, Tamar.”

She reached out to shake Royce’s hand.

The woman was stunning, wearing a black leather and lace dress that few others could pull off. Sleek black hair and covered in tattoos, she was the perfect match to the devastatingly wicked man who stood at her side. The lead guitarist of Sunder was imposingly tall, nothing but lean muscle covered in a canvas of ink.

I peeked between Royce and Lyrik.

I guessed they kind of matched, too. The vibe they threw. The two of them larger than life. Commanding all the attention in the room.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Tamar. I heard someone finally lassoed this asshole.” Royce seemed sincere, but still, he kept looking around.

On edge.

I wanted to reassure him that we were a done deal.

He could relax.

It was the rest of us that were suffering from rampant nerves.

Tamar canted a sultry grin up to her husband, who was looking down on her as if she were the brightest sun. “Someone had to do it.”

He smirked down at her. “Think the real answer to that is there was only one person who could do it. Only you, Baby Blue.”