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“You heard the lady,” Rig takes a seat on the same stool Michael used. “Get the fuck out and let me sing.”
Michael gives Rig the finger, but they’re both smiling, and I roll my eyes as I make my way behind the desk in the control room.
“Why the Crypt?” I ask, indicating the room, and Michael smiles.
“We made an exact replica of the underground recording room in our Boston studios, which is right under where a church used to be,” he explains as he slides buttons and twists knobs. “No coffins, don’t worry.”
“Trista told you about my aversion to zombies?” I speculate, and Michael’s grin broadens. “Is there anything she didn’t tell you about me?”
“How your smile lights up the room.” He says it so casually it just serves to further fluster me, and heat creeps up to my cheeks.
“You and your words.”
“Are they working?” He flashes me a smile.
“They always do.” I grin back, taking the extra headset he hands me, and we both place them over our ears.
“Okay, ready when you are,” Rig informs us from inside the live room, and we both fall quiet as Michael’s expression becomes focused and intent.
I spend the next few hours mesmerized as two broken men turn their pain into music, watching the beautiful man I’ll be sleeping with tonight reinstate the barracks around his heart after letting them down for a fleeting second to bleed his wreckage on a piece of paper.
And if there was ever a speck of doubt in my mind, today I witnessed firsthand why a future with Michael is something I could never have.
Chapter Thirteen
Lauren
“Fancy,”I state dryly as we walk up the path leading from the driveway to the country club entrance, disgusted by the familiarity of it. We’re at the fourth of the six events Michael has scheduled, and despite feeling nervous at some of the previous events, this is the first time I’ve actually wanted to turn around and run home.
“Uh, yeah. You know, golf.” Michael shoots me a sideways glance with a frown. “You okay, Lore?”
“Yeah, sure.” I swipe my fingers through my bangs before realizing it’s a dead giveaway that I’mnotokay and smooth the offending hand down the midi bubble skirt of my two-piece navy blue sundress and into the invisible pocket, staring at my nude bow accent pumps before looking back up at Michael. “This is Jason’s country club. I used to behisarm candy for brunches here. I wasn’t aware that this is where we were going.”
Michael swerves us back toward the driveway so quickly I almost fall over, and he has to catch me around the waist.
“Sorry! I’m sorry.” He pulls me closer and kisses the top of my head. “Let’s go home.”
“No.” I dig my heels firmly into the ground and force him to stop. “I can’t keep leading my life to Jason’s beat, Michael.”
He looks at me with that serious tawny stare, assessing me as he weighs my words.
“Remember what to do if you panic?”
“Look at you, and I’ll know I’m exactly where I belong. By your side,” I repeat with a whisper, rooted by the intensity in his eyes. “Kiss me.”
Michael swoops me into his arms, kissing me as if his life depends on it, his heart thudding under my palm as I melt into his embrace. His lips leave mine on an uneven breath, arms still tight around me as he peers down with tumultuous emotion.
“You belong by my side,” he whispers with determination, leaning down to press his forehead against mine, his eyes squeezing shut, heartbeat strong and fast, and breathing still shuddery. “You belong by my side, Lauren, don’t ever doubt that. Not because ofhim.”
“What if I doubt it because ofme?” I caress his cheek, meeting Michael’s broken gaze when his eyes open.
His head dips, and he presses his lips firmly to mine for a fleeting moment. “You’re killing me here, Lore.”
“Don’t die. I might need you to punch Jason if he’s in there,” I reply with a wry smile, and Michael laughs humorlessly.
“If Jason is in there, I’m going to find a corner and make you scream the way he never could. I’ll make sure he knows you don’t even remember he exists.”
“Could you do that even if Jason isn’t in there?” I ask hopefully, and this time his laughter bubbles up from the depths of his chest, lighting his beautiful eyes.
