Page 49 of Lyric & the Heartbeats

It was better to miss out on a pack completely, to never know how it felt to have that bond, than to have it and lose it.

He spooned some soup into his bowl and tried to avoid staring at Lyric.

“Yeah. Twenty-one. Granted, I used my mom’s inheritance to buy the place, but at least it’s all mine.”

Emerson’s hackles rose, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Did your mother’s pack not help?”

Lyric’s gaze met his, but it was empty of the contempt or frustration that usually followed his questions, and he breathed a silent sigh of relief. He was genuinely curious. Why hadn’t the pack taken care of Ly—

“My mom was a beta, and she never found a pack.”

Lyric must have sensed the questions that ran amuck through their heads at that announcement, because she sighed. A kaleidoscope of emotions reflected in her gaze, in the lines of her face, and the tightening of her fingers around her spoon.

“It’s kind of a heavy subject, and we can always get into it later. We’ll have the whole tour to get to know each other, but let’s keep it light tonight. Is that okay?”

Emerson nodded before she even finished asking. “Of course, sorry to pry,” he murmured softly, holding her gaze. A pang of guilt tightened his chest at the thought of her reliving unnecessary pain, and he opened his mouth to change the subject.

“Two days. Are you ready?” Odd asked.

The look Lyric sent him was filled with appreciation, and Emerson dropped a hand to squeeze Odd’s thigh briefly in thanks.

“Yes… but that reminds me, Andi picked a new tour manager.”

Relief breezed through him. Andi would pick someone who would fit with them.

“Who is it?” Nohen queried.

Lyric shook her head. “I have no idea, and we probably won’t know until we get on the bus. But Andi says he’s safe and has a good record.”

“Does that make you nervous?” Desi questioned eloquently.

“It does,” Lyric admitted with a small smile. “If you can’t tell, I don’t like being told what to do, especially not by someone I don’t know well. I was lucky I got the label to agree to Andi in the first place. But now that she can’t come…” Lyric shook her head. “It’ll be fine. It’ll all work out because I trust her.”

“That’s the attitude. And if the new manager is a total dick? We’ll just kick their ass,” Emerson said with a shrug.

The smile he got out of Lyric was totally worth it.

“So…” Emerson started once they got in the car.

“We’re so fucked,” Odd breathed. The curse left his lips without hesitation, and Emerson’s head swiveled toward him as it registered.

“What are we going to do?” Emerson asked.

Adra had gotten so used to the muted, dulled version of Lyric’s scent, it had been a shock to his system walking through her door. Surrounded by her scent, in her home, had left an ache in his body, mind, and even… more.

Instead of climbing into the car and pulling away from the curb, he wanted to run back up the stairs, fling the door open, carry her to her nest, and spend the rest of the night buried in her scent—whether it be her marked blankets and pillows or… her body.

“We aren’t going to do anything. You get that, right?” he challenged, chancing a stern look at his friend. His brows were furrowed in that stubborn expression Adra had come to know so well, and a growl slipped from between his lips. “Get that thought out of your mind. You heard her. She’s not looking for a pack. We joined a band. It’s a paid job.”

“Okay! Okay, I get it,” Emerson grumbled. “I don’t know why you’re being so adamant about it. Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?”

“Maybe both. But you know I’m not one to push. Whereas you…” Adra trailed off before he could say something he’d regret. Shaking his head, he sighed. “We both just need to be careful around her, okay? Having each other around is going to come in handy.”

The familiar shape of their duplex was washed in yellow from the headlights.

“It will,” Emerson agreed. Then a dark chuckle rumbled out to fill the silence. “Speaking of handy…”

Unabashedly, Adra watched as he lowered his hand to adjust himself in his pants, the bulge showing just how difficult tonight had been.