And no one had a cooler head during times of crisis—self-created or not—than Coop.
I rattled off Cooper’s address and didn’t quite understand the cabbie’s wolf whistle. I mean, yeah, Coop lived on the Upper West Side near Central Park, and no, he wasn’t hurting for cash. None of us were, but he’d been with the band far longer than I had. Just…whoa. The cabbie looked seriously dazzled.
Being impressed with Coop’s digs was the last thing on my mind. I was so overwhelmed and afraid I’d lose my spot in the band—never mind the property damage I’d have to pay for and possible criminal charges—that I couldn’t do anything but press my flaming hot face against the cool windowpane.
The car was muggy. Stifling. The AC didn’t seem to even reach the back, although that could’ve been my terror keeping my temperature in overdrive and my heart racing.
Go me for changing it up from being perpetually freezing during times of stress.
And flights from justice. God.
By the time we reached Coop’s building, I was practically numb. I juggled the sticks I still clutched and shoved money at the cabbie, far more than I should have. He tried to hand some back, probably thinking I needed it more than he did.
I didn’t check out the huge spear of a building climbing toward a sky now edging toward dawn, the balance teetering between the darkest part of the night and the hope of another sunrise. My opulent surroundings only registered after I passed through an elaborate security setup with a pair of unsmiling guards into a foyer so white and gleaming I was nearly blinded.
I wasn’t in my comfortably rundown brownstone anymore.
The cool-eyed older man behind the desk eyed me like he would a discarded condom wrapper. “Good evening. Welcome to The Edgemont. Do you have business in this building?”
Suddenly, I wasn’t at all sure I did. I didn’t have a spot with anyone.
Certainly not here.
Two
I stuffed my AirPods into my ears as the elevators opened on the ground floor. Noise-cancelling technology was the best invention ever made. I tapped my watch to turn the music on and the driving beats to my running playlist roared to life.
I paused in the lobby to stretch out my hamstrings. The temperature difference from my place and the killer heat in June was always the best way to get me cramping. Then again, that might allow me to actually feel something. I swung back and forth between a void or hammering anger. No real in between lately.
Hell, my runs were up to nearly ten miles now just to get my head straight. Even if I was ready to expire by the end of them most days because of the heat.
And that would be why I was going out at freaking five in the fucking morning.
A flash of red hair had me yanking one of my headphones out of my ear.
“Look, if you could just call up there, I’m sure he’d take the phone call.”
“Ma’am, if you know him then you can call him yourself.”
“He’s not answering.” The voice was husky and full of nerves. A voice that was half the reason I was running my ass off every day.
“Shit.” I glanced at my watch. I’d put myself on do not disturb. I didn’t need another email or text or call about all the rules and regulations we had to deal with. I’d gotten out of the goddamn army because I couldn’t stand being told what to do and where to be. Among other things. And now I was being almost as regimented in the band.
“Teagan?”
She whirled away from the desk, her hands fisted around…my drumsticks? What the hell? Her huge bluebell eyes seemed even larger than normal and glassy.
I plucked out the other headphone and shoved them into my pocket. “Is everything okay?”
“Mr. Dallas, I can—”
I held up my hand. “It’s fine, Terry. You can add her to the list for any future visits.”
“Right. Yes, sir.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. No matter how hard I tried to get the security dudes to chill out about calling me sir, they wouldn’t be swayed. Too many millionaires under one roof and most of them were dicks.
But I loved the view and the security. The Edgemont was no joke when it came to fending off the fans who figured out where I lived. More than one—more than ten, actually—had tried to get past the front desk with flirting and bribery of every flavor.
Terry and his crew couldn’t be swayed. So, I put up with the sirs and the sticks up their asses.
Speaking of sticks, I gently wrapped my fingers around Teagan’s and pried one of my drumsticks out of her hand. “What happened?”
“I—” She looked down at her white-knuckle grip as if she’d just realized she was still holding them. “I’m not sure.”
I raised my hand to cup her face. When she blinked up at me, I dropped my hand. Dammit, touching her wasn’t allowed. I was pretty sure if I started, I wouldn’t stop.
I drew her out of the main part of the lobby. “Do you want to come upstairs?”
She looked back down at our hands and finally released the drumstick. “I don’t know. I need to call Lila. To explain. I didn’t mean to break the window.”
“Babe, what window?”
She tilted her head. “The window on the door. I couldn’t get out.”
I was pretty sure she was in shock. “Okay, let’s back up here. Where were you?”
Some of the glassy blankness seemed to shake loose. She frowned. “I made a mistake.”
Her voice was so small. “It’s okay. We can fix it.”
Her bluebell eyes filled. “I don’t know if we can. I just wanted to get some of the music out of my head for a little bit, you know?”
It seemed easier to agree for now. “Sure. I get it.”
I really didn’t. My music obsession was more input-based. I’d always been
