Abby
Gauthier is close to getting everything she's worked so hard for. The band she
manages, Sinister Riot, has been offered a major record contract. But it comes
with a catch: the band must add Eli Jamison, winner of the talent show The
Spotlight, to the lineup.
Devon Sinclair is the singer of Sinister Riot, and he's Abby's best friend. She's in love with him, but fears she'll lose him if she makes the first move. Devon thinks adding Eli to the band is dangerous, and he's right. Eli's interested in more than just making an album. He wants to take control of the band, and he wants to get to know Abby better. A lot better. When tensions between Devon and Eli threaten to destroy Sinister Riot, Abby must act on her true feelings or lose everything she's ever wanted.
Devon Sinclair is the singer of Sinister Riot, and he's Abby's best friend. She's in love with him, but fears she'll lose him if she makes the first move. Devon thinks adding Eli to the band is dangerous, and he's right. Eli's interested in more than just making an album. He wants to take control of the band, and he wants to get to know Abby better. A lot better. When tensions between Devon and Eli threaten to destroy Sinister Riot, Abby must act on her true feelings or lose everything she's ever wanted.
EXCERPT
“That’s
why I think you should just start a label, Abby. We wouldn’t have to deal with
this sneaky bullshit.” After Devon strained the macaroni and stirred everything
together, he sprinkled hot sauce over it and handed me a bowl.
“Someday,
maybe that will happen. But I’ve got to go work for the big guys, too, so I
know what I’m doing.” I hadn’t realized how hungry I was. Maybe it wasn’t so
bad that Devon came back with me after all. “But I’m not going to get any job
if I fail that test and don’t graduate.”
Devon
put his bowl down on the counter. “Shit. With everything that happened, I
forgot all about that.” Yeah, right. I was familiar with his work. He smiled
sheepishly. “Do you still want me to go?”
Fuck.
“No. You can stay.” I hated myself for giving in, again. He’d probably be able
to figure out another place to sleep, but that sucked. It was almost midnight.
He
squeezed my shoulder on his way back to the bedroom. “You’re the best.”
I was an
idiot. “I know.”
“What
can I do to help you study?” he asked. “Is there a quiz or anything?”
“Yeah.”
He took my bowl and went back to the kitchen, then came back to my bedroom with
a pot cover and big spoon. I brought up the app on my tablet, and handed over
to him. It was going to be impossible to concentrate over the noise of the
party, but I didn’t have a choice.
Devon
scanned the screen, looking for the right question to start with. He asked me
the questions like he always did, in his best cheesy game show host voice.
“What was the cause of the Vietnam War?”
Man, I
wasn’t prepared for this test. “America wanted to keep it from falling into a
communist state.”
“I’ll
accept that. Who was the disagreement with?”
Easy.
“The Soviet Union.”
“Yes!
Those Commie bastards. Vietnam was formerly a territory of what country?”
“China?”
They had something to do with this.
“I’m
sorry, Miss Gauthier, but your answer is wrong. So very wrong.” He hit the
spoon against the pot cover, the gong echoing through the room. I’d never not
find it hysterical. “Please rephrase your answer with the correct information.”
Now all
I could think about was that contract laying on my nightstand. “Give me a
hint.”
“New
Orleans was also a settlement of this country.” Devon pretended to look at a watch.
“Time is running out for your answer.”
“France!”
“Very
good. You do realize, Miss Gauthier, those who don’t learn from history are
doomed to repeat it?” It was a lesson I was all too familiar with.
Finally
I got everything right, and Devon was satisfied I was ready for the test. Of
course, none of that would matter if I slept through it. “You need to get to
sleep.”
“Yeah,
about that.” There was no telling Mallory to quiet down. “Are you still
staying?”
Devon
ran his tongue over his lip ring and looked toward my curtains, the little
lights twinkling and swaying in the breeze coming in through the window. He
slid down under the blanket, and motioned for me to join him. “Are you sure
it’s all right for me to stay?”
I
snuggled against him. Every reason I should tell him to go rattled inside my
head. “Yeah.”
“Soon,
we’re not going to have to worry about any of this.” He started playing with my
hair, lulling me to sleep. “We’re going to get everything we want.”
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