Page 100 of The Jaded Notes

Shaking with nerves, I knock on Bren’s hotel suite door even though his bodyguards have radioed someone to let him know I’m here.

Bren appears when the door swings open. “Livianna! Get in here.”

I jump into his arms. “It’s so good to see you.”

“Better than good.” He swings me around, then places me down. “You missed one hell of a show tonight.”

“I’m sure I did.” The door shuts behind me, and I peek inside. “Jesus, Bren. This place is fancy.”

He jerks his chin forward. “Come with me. There’s a perfect spot for us to sit and talk.”

I follow him out of the entryway and down a hall as my gaze sweeps the area. Bren leads me into the main living area, away from the marble foyer.

The space is adorned with elegant woodwork and moldings. Exquisite artwork is on display.

The large living room is off to one side. It’s bright with cream furnishings, and an independent formal dining room is in the other direction. Both rooms open to a terrace with a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower.

I’m still in shock at the beauty and the enormity. “Bren, this place is the size of an apartment.”

“Yeah, it’s listed on their website as one, so that makes sense.”

“Mayhem is big enough now you can afford to stay in something this nice?” My smile grows because of their success. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks. As hard as Cash makes us work, we deserve this.”

His casual mention of Callum has me biting my lip. Please don’t let him be hiding somewhere in this suite.

I get comfortable on the large U-shaped sectional sofa. “You look more muscular than you did before. Are you trying to impress the ladies?”

“Nah.” He sits on the other end and angles himself in my direction. “Believe it or not, Cash has me working out with him now.”

“That’s cool.” I glance away, still wondering if Callum’s going to jump out from behind the drapes. “So your tour is over in December. That has to be nice.”

“It’s long overdue. Fuck, Livianna. I haven’t been home in what seems like years.”

“What are your plans when you get there?”

“I’m gonna buy my own place.” He laughs. “I’m twenty-three and can’t be living with Mom and Dad.”

Another sore subject. I sigh and peer out the window to the terrace. “Isn’t Paris beautiful?”

“I see the appeal, but let’s go back to Mom and Dad. Wanna tell me the latest?”

“Mom’s more distant than she used to be. I have to text or call. She doesn’t answer the phone, so we’re down to generalized messages. Dad feels bad that they never talked about Lehlani Rose and tells me everything will work out, but his support is with Mom right now.”

“Fuck, Liv. That’s some crazy shit that went down.” He tosses me a lopsided grin. “Can you imagine how hard my life would’ve been if there had been two of you?”

I pretend to glare. “Shut up. I’m not that bad.”

“Nah, you’re not. You’re great, and it would’ve been cool to have twin sisters.” He gestures to the bar area in the room. “Can I get you a vodka soda, and we can talk about it?”

“Sure. May as well drown out the nuclear war I started by admitting I not only knew about her, but I’m rebranding everything as Lehlani Rose Designs.”

He shoves off the couch to fix our drinks. “That’s fucking mind-blowing. I wish I would’ve been there when that happened.”

I follow him, needing to move. “Believe me, you should be glad you weren’t.”

“You know what I wanna know?” He takes two tall glasses and fills them with ice.