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Smith and I didn’t talk that much, and the few times we had had a conversation, he kept the exchange to monosyllabic responses. I wasn’t sure if he didn’t like me or if he was just the quiet type, but I didn’t know the drummer well enough to figure him out. As for my brother, he hated Cannon. Even when our parents had gotten on board with my relationship with my now-fiancé, Ash had remained a complete ass when it came to everything Cannon. Smith wasn’t just Cannon and Jagger’s drummer, but he and Cannon were friends. They occasionally went out for drinks together when we weren’t on tour.
But the fact that Asher was standing there made me a little uneasy.
“Jagger is running behind,” my brother excused. “He asked Smith to pick up Cannon, and he will meet us at the club.”
“And you and Smith are what, besties now?” I asked, my brows lifting as I glanced from one guy to the other.
“We live in the same building, Piper,” Asher reminded me. “We decided to drive to the club together. And since we were in my car when Jagger called Smith…” He trailed off with a shrug. “I’m the designated driver tonight anyway.”
I wasn’t surprised. Given our dad’s history with addiction, and that Asher always had seemed to have an addictive personality, he avoided temptation by never drinking.
“I didn’t realize you guys needed designated drivers.” I shifted my gaze up to look at Cannon’s face. He hadn’t mentioned drinking, although I wouldn’t have tried to talk him out of it. A few drinks were fine. Because of his own history and demons, he didn’t typically overdo it when it came to alcohol.
“I was going to have a beer or two, sugar. But that’s all.” Grasping my wrist, he tugged me, so I was standing in front of him, his eyes eating up the sight of me in my dress. The front had a plunging neckline that went to my navel. The straps were thin, and it was obvious I wasn’t wearing a bra. A little double-sided tape kept the material over my boobs, so I didn’t accidently flash anyone a nipple during the evening. The skirt ended at midthigh, but when he twirled me around, he couldn’t miss that the dress was basically backless.
Jaw clenched, he shut the door, separating us from the two guys still in the corridor. “This is what you’re wearing out tonight?”
“Mm-hmm.” I pulled my hand free from his grasp and fluffed my hair, unconcerned with the jealous, predatory look in his blue eyes. We’d been together for two years, and my clothes were always a sore spot for him, but I wasn’t going to change any part of myself to soothe the little green-monster that resided within him. He knew it was a battle he was never going to win, but that didn’t stop him from getting all growly over any of my wardrobe he didn’t appreciate.
“And what club will you be going to with the girls tonight?”
I smirked up at him. “I don’t believe I told you. Nor did you tell me where you were going. I think that was a requirement both Jagger and Shaw insisted on, so that no one would crash the other’s party.”
“Right,” he grumbled. “Wouldn’t want to ruin your fun.”
I stroked my thumb over his left dimple. “And I wouldn’t even think of crashing your party, baby.”
“Who is picking you up again?”
“Trin. She and Shaw planned my party together. It was a little idea that Violet and I came up with in hopes of getting the two of them to put their animosity aside.”
Cannon grimaced. “Shaw has been trying for two years to get Trin to forgive her for all that shit. Trin can hold a grudge, though. And I really can’t blame her, but it’s been stressful for everyone.”
Admittedly, I understood Trin’s reasons for blocking Shaw out. My soon-to-be sister-in-law had crossed a line when she’d taken her assumptions about Trinity’s health to Jarrett Dawson instead of simply talking to Trinity about what she thought was going on. Instead, she’d gossiped about Trinity and her possible miscarriage to Aunt Dallas, and then when Aunt Natalie came to them with her own theories, they’d kept it between the three of them rather than talking to Trin about any of it. She felt betrayed by someone she’d always considered family. A betrayal that went so deep, she didn’t feel like she could trust Shaw again.
Which had definitely put a strain on everyone, especially our close-knit group. Shaw was about to be my sister-in-law, and Trin was one of my dearest honorary cousins. I was torn between my loyalty to both women. I didn’t want to take sides, but if they didn’t settle this thing between the two of them, we would all eventually have to choose. And based on who I would pick, it would cause bigger issues. When I gave someone my loyalty, I didn’t do it in half measures. If Trin couldn’t forgive Shaw, I would back Trin, and that meant cutting Shaw out of my life.
Given that we were about to become in-laws, that would make family functions awkward as fuck. But I was a pro at pretending people didn’t exist, even if they were standing right in front of me. Ironically, it was a trick to surviving that I’d learned from Shaw’s brother and now the love of my life.
“I know, that’s why Vi and I decided to try to push them to work together on this. Wish me luck that we don’t end up with another catfight on our hands tonight.” I pouted out my bottom lip. “Although I’m seriously sad we weren’t there to see the first one. I bet it was hot.”
“Stop it before I puke,” he groaned. “That’s my sister and a girl I consider my sister.”
“Neither of them are girls now, Baby Cage,” I teased. “And they are both hot as fuck.”
“Pipes,” he warned, his face turning green. “You know I love it when you get turned on by other women. But not this time. I’m gonna blow chunks.”
“All those dimples,” I sighed dreamily. I tilted my head back and winked up at him. “Do you think our kids will have dimples?”
“Our kids?” he squeaked. “Where the fuck did that come from?”
My amusement faded at his reaction, and I pulled back. “It was just a question,” I muttered, adjusting my skirt a little. “You should go. Trin will be here soon, and you know how impatient Asher gets.”
“Fuck Asher,” he grumbled unhappily. “Where did the kid thing come from? We haven’t even gotten married yet, and you’re talking about kids. This is… Can’t we just have a little time enjoying being married before we bring kids into the equation?”
Angrily, I walked away from him. “It was just a fucking question, Cannon. No one mentioned bringing kids into this relationship. Goddamn, you would think I’d just told you I was pregnant.”
“Are you telling me that you’re pregnant?” he half shouted, and I swung around to glare at him.
