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She rubbed her damp pussy against his groin, making him grunt. “No need to ask. I’ll happily take care of this situation.”
“Li.” He tugged her head back so she could read the seriousness in his eyes. “It’s about my sister.”
At once, the teasing glint fled from her gaze. She nodded. “Okay.”
“Michael heard her play today on a recording on my phone. He wants to meet with her. He thinks she might be what his band needs. She’s been playing again for months,” he added when Lila turned her head away. She was already retreating into business mode, and it didn’t make a damn bit of difference then her soaked slit was cradling his cock.
“Don’t put me in this position.”
“I have to. She’s all I have left.” When hurt telegraphed across Lila’s face, he swore and dug his fingers into her hip. “Look at me. You know I love you. That you’re everything to me. But she’s my sister. She’s the only family I have left, and today is going to hurt her for a long time. I can’t let her suffer alone when I can help her punch the ticket out.”
“You know Donovan will never allow it. He won’t ever sign her. Not with her past.”
“Yes, he will. If I vouch for her.”
“Your word isn’t enough.”
“My word, and yours.” He gripped her chin and made her look at him. “You know I would never ask you for this if I wasn’t prepared to make good on my promise. I’m telling you she can do it. If she wants to, and if Michael even wants her. I haven’t even spoken to her about it, because I knew you were the one who had to say you were okay with it.”
Her chin trembled in his hand before she set her mouth. “And if we vouch for her, and she doesn’t come through? Then what?”
“Then I fulfill her commitment to Warning Sign.”
Lila climbed off him and paced from the bed to the door and back again before shoving her hands through her already tousled hair. “What about Oblivion?”
“I’ll do what I need to do in Oblivion as well. I can do both if I have to. If I have to fucking clone myself to make it work, I’ll do it.” More than a little regretfully, he tucked himself back in his boxers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “This will be no risk to Ripper. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Your stage fright. What about that?”
It took everything he possessed not to look away from her probing stare. He’d been on the other end of it across a conference table enough times to know their relationship wouldn’t keep her from seeking out the chinks in his argument. It’d probably make her search even harder. “I’ve worked through it this long. I’ll keep doing it.”
“You hate playing with new people. So you’re telling me you’re willing to potentially work with a whole new band just to give her a chance. To sign away years of your life for a promise she might not be able to keep, no matter how much she tries.”
“Yes.” He didn’t blink. Didn’t breathe. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes. And the first thing I’m going to do is believe in her. I’m asking you to believe in her too. If you can’t do if for her yet, then do it for me. Because you know I’ll make good on the deal. I won’t renege.”
“No, you won’t renege, you goddamn idiot.” Lila turned away. For a long moment, she didn’t move. Then she reared out and shocked the hell out of him by driving her fist into the closed door. His eyebrow was still hovering near his hairline when she turned back and nodded. “Fine. I’m in too. But so help me God, Nicholas, if you make me regret this—”
“You won’t, I swear.” He stood and drew her into his arms, lowering his forehead to hers. “Thank you. I don’t have enough words to thank you enough. She’s everything to me.” He trailed his fingertip over her cheek. “Part of my everything. The rest is you.”
“You don’t even know she wants to play in a band.”
“No.” They’d never discussed it, but he’d glimpsed the longing in her eyes when she talked about Oblivion. And when she touched a guitar, her reverence was clear in every strum of her fingers.
“But she’s your sister. Your twin.”
“That doesn’t mean she’ll want to do it. I just want her to have the opportunity if she decides to take it.”
“Ifshe’s a fit for Warning Sign. A lot of ifs there.”
“Yeah, there are. But she’s never had a chance to be in the spotlight, and she deserves it.” He closed his eyes and tried to smile. “Hell, maybe she’ll even like it there, unlike me.”
“Yet you’re willing to get on another stage with another band, just to give her the option.” Lila gripped one of his hands in both of hers and brought it to her mouth. “And I’m supposed to not be in love with you? Tell me how.”
“I’d rather not, if it’s all the same to you, thanks.” He curled his arms around her and rested his chin on her hair. “Thank you for today. For coming here to find me, for calling Simon, for sitting with my sister.”
“What happened with Simon?”
“We talked. A little. He said some encouraging things, I guess. Fuck.” Blowing out a breath, he jerked his shoulder. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but he showed. And that means something.”
