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Prologue
Today is the day my heart shattered into a million pieces. It’s also my sister’s wedding, and I’m so happy for her. My heartaches are separate from the beautiful ceremony I’m part of. Each detail is exactly the way my sister, uncle, and I planned. Most importantly, her grooms are standing at the end of the aisle waiting for her excitedly. Lennon and her men have walked through fire together, and this is their happily ever after. They deserve every perfect moment.
Tears of happiness keep welling up in my eyes, and I blink them back. I know there will be photos later, and I don’t want to ruin my makeup. Yet, those same tears slowly dry up as I see Atlas and Mav sitting in the front row, looking beautiful in their tuxes.
I know why my sister didn’t tell me they’d be here, but I’m furious just the same. Atlas and Mav were a crush that I let become something more, something they didn’t deserve, and now I’m licking my wounds. I can’t lie and say they mean nothing to me when my heart aches just looking at them.
Walking up the stairs to my spot as the maid of honor, I turn to look at my boyfriend, Tyler, with a smile. He can tell there’ssomething wrong, and I can feel the unwavering support from him. We haven’t been together long, but we click well.
Tyler is sweet, with a deep well of patience, and an equally strong need to protect the people he cares about. As I turn to watch my sister move down the aisle with my uncle, I feel blessed that I’m one of those people.
Tyler knows Mav and Atlas played with my emotions on tour, winding me up before throwing me away to fuck each other. Those two have this presence that’s impossible to ignore, even as I feel their eyes on me.
I still have this feeling as if I’m not enough for anyone. It's an unfair perception when my family shows me every day that I’m more than enough, and now Tyler. It’s amazing the scars an interaction like this can leave on you. I’m a twenty-one year old virgin, but not for lack of trying.
Swallowing hard, I avoid the heavy tripled weight of eyes on me as Lenny is greeted by Turner, Derek, Orion, and Roark. Their love is enough to force myself out of my funk, listening to every word my uncle utters as he marries first Roark and Lennon and then hand-fasts them all.
By the time it’s Roark’s turn to speak, I’m struggling not to sob at how beautiful their vows to each other are. This is an all-consuming love. There’s not a dry eye at the ceremony as the adults all celebrate these incredible people. Let’s be honest, the kids probably wonder why we’re leaking everywhere, and I can hear them trying to console their parents.
Evil could have won instead of love, but it didn’t. Holding tight to this, I look over at where Atlas and Mav are sitting as Roark directs something over his shoulder at them. My ears ring as I see they’re no longer sitting there. My vision blurs as if trying to make them reappear and make sense of this. Worst of all, I have to catch myself before anyone else notices, because theworld started to tilt. I’m not taking this very well. I can’t pass out at my sister’s wedding.
How dare they leave?
They’re my sister’s dearest friends and they couldn’t stick around long enough to sit through the damn ceremony?! My fingers tighten so much that they appear bloodless against my dress as I stand there stunned. Roark, in true fashion, shrugs as he goes back to his vows.
I think I’m in shock. I should know by now. Atlas and Mav aren’t the sticking around type. Not for me. Not their best friends. The least they could have done was swallow their discomfort and wait until the damn vows were over.
I won’t make this mistake again. I will never forget this, and I will never forgive myself for believing they were better men than this.
Never.
Swallowing back my feelings of ire and sadness, I force a saucy smile to grace my lips as I cheer, walking down the steps of the platform with excitement as the men kiss their bride. My legs move faster as Tyler opens his arms to me, hugging me firmly against his lithe, strong body.
“No matter what, little flower, you’ve got me. It’s us against the world. Let’s find ourselves a drink, and then I plan to remove this beautiful dress, so I can have my cake. I’ve been a very good boy, haven’t I?” he murmurs into the shell of my ear.
Gulping a breath, as a shiver of desire rolls over my body and my smile becomes wicked. This is a solid man who has always shown me how good he is. Tonight is the night I’m going to lose my virginity.
Taking his arm, I ask myself how long we have to stay at the reception before we can step out for our own fun.
One
5 YEARS LATER
“Layla, you’ve been solo the last couple of years, and it’s gone really well,” Uncle Jordan begins and I nod. I’m in a board meeting with the record label executives, which oddly makes me feel as if I’m in the principal’s office.
However, my music is going really well, fans loved my last two solo tours, so I don’t think I’m in trouble.
Two years ago, Lenny told me she thought I was good enough to fly solo, make my own music. My sister didn’t want to hold me back or limit me when she was slowing down her touring schedule due to wanting to be with the kids.
“Uncle Jordan will make sure you fly and don’t burn out. Enjoy it, nothing lasts forever,” my big sister told me. She’s right, this was the next step for me.
“Am I in trouble?” I blurt out, wincing. “It’s just… I can count the number of times that I’ve been in this room with all of you, and it’s a bit daunting.”
“You’ve known most of us your whole life,” Mr. Laurence chuckles. I’ve always added “Mr.” to the executives first names because I met them all when I was three. It felt instinctual to give them that respect.
Now, I wince with a nod. “I’m such a small artist in the grand scheme of things,” I admit. “I figure something awful must have happened if I’m here.”
“Not at all,” Mr. Allen snorts. “You’re trending on top of all the charts right now. There’s nothing small about your music, and I wish you saw that. I know it feels as if you have big shoes to fill next to your sister, but you are both two very different people. Your music has its own personality, as it should.”
