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14
Boyd
I tried to play it cool and act like the guy who had his shit together. But seeing Echo was like a punch to the gut. My reaction was that physical. It threw me off-balance, and I had to take a moment.
I kept my eyes on her. Some Hollywood wannabe was hanging off her, trying to get her attention, and that pulled at something in me. Something primal. I wanted to pound my chest like fucking Tarzan and drag her off to some dark corner where we could do all the things I’d been thinking of since the cabin.
Someone tugged on my arm and, pissed off, I turned to the woman in question. Angie? Angel? I had no idea who she was other than a model I’d banged last time I’d been to New York. She’d pretty much been glued to my side since I’d arrived. Malcolm said he’d take her off my hands, but he disappeared about fifteen minutes ago, and I had no idea where he was.
Wingman my ass.
By the time I extricated myself from Anita, Echo was gone.
Fuck. Me.
The place was huge, and there had to be at least one thousand bodies packed inside. I spotted Lyric near the bar and headed in her direction, ignoring those who called my name or tried to get my attention.
She was surprised to see me, no way she could hide that, and I scooped her into a big hug, genuinely happy to see her face. I set her back down and drank her in. Man, she looked a hell of a lot different from the Lyric I was used to. I guess my expression said what I was thinking, because she blushed and shrugged.
“Echo’s glam squad caught me at a weak moment.”
“You look gorgeous as hell.” I gave her one more hug and caught sight of Malcolm a few feet away. I motioned him over and introduced him to Echo’s sister.
Lyric shook his hand and blushed when Malcolm was slow to release it. I gave him a look that said back the hell off, and with a grin, he did just that. She turned to me, and I saw the question before she asked it.
“Echo doesn’t know you’re here.”
“She does now,” I replied. “I just saw her, but she disappeared before I had a chance to speak to her.”
Lyric was silent for all of two seconds. “And what is it that you need to say to her?”
I hid a grin. The youngest Mansfield had always been shy, the kind of kid who liked to hide in the background and wouldn’t speak unless spoken to. But this here version, well, she was all grown up, and though she hadn’t lost that hint of innocence she’d always had, she sure as hell was a lot more confident.
I liked this new version.
“We’ve got some unfinished business.”
“Are you going to hurt her?”
I was annoyed she’d even ask something like that. But based on our history, I got it.
“No.”
She seemed to consider my answer and then, after accepting a tall glass of champagne from a passing waiter, motioned for me to follow.
“You got this?” Malcolm asked. “I think your pal Anita needs some attention. I can’t stand the sight of that there pout. She looks like a goddamn blowfish. I might have to do something about it.”
“Have at it.” Malcolm was a horn dog, and I was pretty sure that blowfish pout would be wrapped arou
nd his cock before the night was done.
I followed Lyric through the crowd and up the stairs to the right. We kept going until we reached the upper balcony, where there was another bar but the crowd was significantly lighter. I spotted Echo at about the same time I saw her ex, Aiden, stumble up to her.
“That’s not good,” Lyric said, coming to a full stop. “He’s a bad drunk.”
“Don’t worry, I got this.”
“Just remember, it’s a charity thing, Boyd.” Her voice rang in my ears as I pushed my way through the crowd. When I finally reached Echo, I could see the two of them were already getting into it. Asshole Aiden kept trying to grab her arm, but the guy was so loaded, she easily kept out of his reach. They both looked up when I planted myself inches away.
