Rory shook his head. He always felt this way between albums—like somehow his band mates—and best friends—were nothing more than a prolonged dream and soon he’d wake up and find himself in an old, rundown apartment.

Because really? It was impossible to believe that all of this was real.

The fame was one thing, and the fortune too, but to hear all of them together? The way their sounds melded and flowed? The caliber of musicians he was surrounded by day in and day out?

It all felt so real, but also felt like an illusion. And today was their first day practicing in a huge studio as they worked on their new music for their debut album with Ruffian Records.

They were working with some of the very best producers in the world and yet he still couldn’t bring himself to focus. He was trying his very best, though, as he leveled his drumsticks against the percussion set before him and waited for his cue.

Night Rider—the new song they were working on—began with an acapella opening. Dev led the way with soft and muted vocals that were just a touch haunting.

Then came Quinn on the keyboard, the music beginning with an eerie, almost horror-like melody.

Connor added a punch of bass as the music began leading somewhere ominous and foreboding before Mac jumped in with a gentle strumming of the guitar.

Dev began to sing softly, almost as low as a whisper. It was a short intro before the drums were set to kick in.

Rory watched carefully, nodding his head to the beat while he waited for his cue to let all hell break loose before the first verse.

Dev tapped his foot gently and Rory caught his glare.

Shit.

Rory banged the drumsticks against the cymbals, but it was too late.

“Cut,” Addison Young yelled from behind the glass screen, sitting at the soundboard opposite the band. “Rory, you missed your cue again.”

“I’m sorry.” He cleared his throat and forced a smile. “I’m just a little out of it today.”

“Time is money, and you’re in the big leagues now so I’m going to need you to drop whatever shit is going on in that head of yours and focus.”

“Okay.” Rory nodded. “Right.”

Addison Young, while youthful, earned her place in the business. The last thing Rory wanted—or needed—was to piss her off, because she alone had the power to end them all. She was a cute, petite little woman, but only a fool would ever mistake her for being weak.

And Rory wasn’t a fool.

Or maybe, considering what had happened last night with Gina, he was.

Fucking Gina.

He couldn’t shake her from his thoughts and cursed himself under his breath for putting himself into that position in the first place. But he hadn’t lied. He wasn’t sorry. He was only sorry that he wouldn’t get another chance to do it again.

Without much notice, the band began practicing the song again. Dev first, and then Quinn at the keyboard.

What in the actual fuck had come over him? He had thought she was sexy before, but had known it was a bad idea and now it was like he was under her spell or some shit.

Connor was next and then Mac, and then…

Hell, maybe she was a witch. It was the only logical explanation he had at the moment.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” Rory grumbled.

Addison leaned forward in her chair and pressed the intercom button. “We’re going to take a thirty-minute break,” she said and then stared Rory down. “Not because we’re scheduled to.”

She released the button and climbed out of her seat before whisking out of the room and slamming the door shut behind her.

By the time she was gone, Rory barely noticed all his band mates staring at him. Dev slid a black pair of headphones off his ears and hung them around his neck as he taunted Rory with a grin.

“What?” Rory questioned, dropping his drumsticks onto the floor before rising to grab a bottle of water off a nearby table.

“Nothing.” Dev shrugged and leaned back against the glass wall. “I mean, something.”

“Yeah,” Quinn piped in as he ran his hand over the keys of the keyboard. “We all know what’s going on.”

“Yeah, and what do you know?” Rory questioned, a little more than defensively as he twisted the cap off the bottle and took a long drink. He was parched in more ways than one.

Connor and Mac shared a quick look before both turning their attention straight for Rory. Which one would be the asshole to say it?

That would be Connor. “You’re distracted with all that tail you’re getting.”

Rory shrugged and pursed his lips. “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

“Save it, buddy.” Dev stepped to Rory and gripped his hands tight on his shoulders, massaging him. “Trust me, I know it can be distracting.”

“It’s not.” Rory shrugged him off and finished his water before tossing it into the recycling bin. “There’s actually a different reason I’ve been distracted. A real reason.”

“Save the excuses,” Mac quipped, crossing his arms. “It’s okay, buddy. We all know you’re in a hard position.”

“Hilarious.” Rory rolled his eyes as he exited the studio and entered into the recording room. He reached for the intercom switch and flipped it on. “The reason I’ve been so distracted is because I’ve been working on a song and I can’t get it out of my head.”

Dev rolled his eyes and followed Rory into the dark room to take a seat beside Rory. He patted his best friend gently on the back and offered him a smirk.

Rory glared at him and groaned under his breath as he pushed a flash drive into the computer. The song in question wasn’t the reason he was distracted, but it seemed to be the easiest excuse. After all, he couldn’t imagine the hell they’d give him if he told them all the truth. Especially because it was Gina of all people.

“Just take a listen to the damn song,” he said and waited for the music to begin.

It didn’t have the best sound quality—after all, he had used a music-making program in lieu of an actual band—but he was still more than proud of the song. He tapped his fingers along the lip of the sound mixer to the beat of the music.

Rory looked over to his best friend to see him smiling, nodding his head while taking the music in. He looked to his friends standing inside, who had just moments prior been teasing him.

“This is good,” Dev said before jumping to his feet and rushing into the other room. He immediately pulled his headphones back over his ears and dragged the mic closer to his lips.

Quinn took a seat at the keyboard and began trying to match the music by ear, which he was damn good at. Everyone fell in line as they worked to recreate the music playing overhead.

Rory couldn’t help but to smile while he watched the band effortlessly play the song he had been writing in his head for the better part of a month. They all made it seem so damn easy after he had spent literally all day every day trying to work out the basic melody.

They all played a hand in writing the music for the band, but should this song play out, it would have been the first that he authored solo. He nodded along as they reached the climax to the song.

After running through the song one more time, and everyone agreed they should show Addison and the label executives, Rory and Dev recused themselves from the studio and sat in the recording room while Connor, Mac, and Quinn left to grab a quick bite to eat.

“That’s some good shit, Rory,” Dev said.

“I know, right?” He thought briefly about telling Dev what had happened with Gina. After all, if anybody were going to take the news well, it would have been him.

“If I told you something,” he began, but stopped himself and shook his head. “Never mind.”

“Tell me what?” Dev looked to him with a furrowed brow and then jabbed him with an elbow. “Does this have something to do with your hot date tonight?”

“I have a date tonight?” Rory questioned, leaning back in his chair. “How do you know?”

“Dude,” Dev chuckled. “Did you forget?”

“Forget what?”

“Oh my God.” Dev slid his palms down the length of his face and stared Rory down. “You forgot we had a show tonight.”

“I did not,” Rory said, but he had. He cocked his head slightly and grimaced. “What show?”

“Are these women causing you to lose track of your days? We have the Big Lights launch party tonight.”

“Shit,” Rory groaned and sank into his chair. “Yeah, I fucking forgot.”

“So, I’m assuming you also forgot about your hot date tonight as well?”

“No.” He rolled his eyes and climbed to his feet with a yawn, throwing his hands over his head. “But I should probably skip out on the rest of practice because if I’m going anywhere tonight, I’m going to need a damn nap.”

“Yeah, I’m sure Addison will be thrilled to come back and find out that you high-tailed it out of here.”

He dropped a hand onto Dev’s shoulder and offered him a sly wink. “If she asks where I went, just tell her I was hit with a stomach bug or something.”

“Sure thing.” He grinned from ear to ear. “I’ll make sure to go into as much detail as possible to make her believe it.”

“You’re the best friend anyone could ask for.” Rory pulled open the door.

An hour later, though, Rory felt a tinge of guilt as he lay on his back, staring up at the empty white space of the ceiling. He had never been one to get distracted by a woman, especially when it came to the good of the band. Hell, he took on the role of being a public womanizer against his wishes because it was what the band needed.

All of these women he was expected to hook up with, and he couldn’t bring himself to care about one of them. Not Carlene Richardson and certainly not Star Jackson. Somehow, he had gotten so distracted that he had forgotten the band was supposed to do a quick set at an event later that night and that he was supposed to send a limo to pick up his date within the next two hours.

Star Jackson should have been everything Rory would ever want. She was tall and sexy with straight blonde hair and a rebellious edge. She was the next Hollywood It girl. And now, he cringed at the thought of spending time with any girl who wasn’t Gina. Literally cringed as he continued to stare blankly at the ceiling above him.

Gina would be in attendance, too. She was always around. Basically, she was an honorary member of the band at this point, so he began to formulate a plan to win her over for the evening, all the while knowing full well she’d probably spend the next decade avoiding him outside of work—work which required her to set him up with anyone who wasn’t her.

He saw her dancing on the ceiling. Beautiful and curly dark hair. Those eyes. A smile that could catch him off guard and cause his cock to jump in his jeans. He saw her naked and heaving. Round, exotic curves and perky breasts.

Then he saw himself flatlining.

Because it was so fucking obvious Gina Saldano was going to be the death of him.