Chapter Eight
Brody
I leaned back on the black leather couch, crossing my arms over my chest. I was feeling impatient as fuck. We’d been practicing in this studio for the last week, every night like clockwork. But tonight, Luke Matthews had sat in, watching us through the wonders of modern technology. We were holo-imaged in the air via his computer.
Luke was our main contact at RiffRaff Records, and one of Landry’s favorite people on this planet. Most of her earliest Devil’s Share memories had to do with her Uncle Luke teaching her to play the drums. I cared what he thought, I really did. But at that moment, I cared about when I was going to see Landry again even more.
Practice ended five minutes ago, but we were being lectured by Luke Matthews’s holo-image, not ten feet in front of me. And it didn’t look like he was anywhere near winding up.
Landry had told me that under no circumstances was her family to know about us dating. I swore the guys to secrecy too. Telling Luke I had to jet so I could go chill with his niece was a non-option.
Brody: Baby cakes, your long-winded uncle is making this meeting last for-ducking-ever.
Brody: Fucking*
Brody: Stupid auto correct.
Landry: He’s not long-winded, you’re just super horny all the time. Stop thinking with your dick and pay attention.
Brody: I can’t. My dick is in control now, and he wants you. Bad. Like real real bad. Call your uncle, he’ll sign off with us to talk to you.
Landry: That would be weird. I’m taking a bath.
Brody: You’re naked, in a bathtub, covered in bubbles and touching yourself inappropriately? And I’m missing it? Call him NOW.
Landry: There are bubbles, but I’m not touching myself. Yet.
Brody: BABY CAKES.
Landry: Fine, stop screaming at me. I’ll call him in a second, caveman.
I slipped my cell back in my pocket, sighing in frustration. Sexual frustration. It’d almost been twelve hours since the last time I’d been inside Landry.
Talon elbowed me in the side. “Dude. I can hear you huffing and puffing. Chill the fuck out.”
“The countdown is on, gentlemen,” Luke continued. “You leave in exactly seven weeks. We’ve finalized the tour itinerary and emailed it to each of you. You will, of course, have a road manager, as well as a tour manager, to guarantee you make every stop.” Luke clasped his hands behind his head, chuckling. “Believe me, at RiffRaff Records we know better than anyone the trials and tribulations of life on the road.”
True that. From the stories I’d heard, tour life with the Devil’s Share had been nothing but nonstop pussy and parties. At least until they all started settling down and popping out more kids than imaginable.
“You guys sounded great tonight, but I want you to continue practicing. The best thing you can do for yourselves is put in the time while you can.” He leaned forward. “Eat healthy, exercise, and get plenty of rest. Once you head out on tour, it becomes a lot harder to take care of yourself. Understood?”
We all nodded like the good little rock protégés we were.
“Oh, and uh, pack plenty of condoms, yeah? It’s all fun and games until you start making babies in the back of a tour bus.” He winked.
“Are you giving us the safe-sex talk, old man?” Brax chuckled, shaking his head.
“Our kids are the best thing that ever happened to any of us, but some of them were less than planned.” He threw his hands up. “And I’m not even going to give you shit for the old man comment. I am old. Fuck. I’m going to be a great uncle.”
Brax cocked his head. “Wait. Aren’t you already a pretty good uncle? Like twenty times over?”
Luke snorted. “I’m going to be a great uncle. One of my nieces is pregnant.”
“Holy fuck,” T whispered beside me.
“Shut up. He has like six nieces,” I whispered back, tweaking my best friend’s nipple for good measure.
From what Landry had told me when she was home last week, it was probably Evie who had gotten knocked up.
“Oh, wow man, congrats.” Dane glanced at me, his brows near his hairline, and then looked back to the holo-image. “Which one. Which niece?” I stifled an eye roll. Of course they all thought it was Landry. So stupid. I was pretty sure the surgeon knew how to take her birth control correctly.
Luke pursed his lips. “Sorry, guys. I don’t think I’m allowed to let the cat out of the bag yet. She just found…” Luke grabbed his phone from his pocket, his smile growing. “Oh, that’s funny, she’s actually calling me now. Let me let y’all go, we’ll talk soon.”
No. Nope. No way. Couldn’t be. Just the world’s biggest coincidence. Right? Please, universe. Say “Right.”
“Hey, Buttercup, I was just talking about you.”
The holo-image blipped out, and so did my brain. Apparently that’s what happens when you pass out.
***
“Brody? Holy shit. Should we call an ambulance?”
“No, he’ll come around.”
“It’s Landry, right? She’s Buttercup, and that’s why Brody hit the floor like a chick in a corset.”
“A corset? What the fuck does that even mean?”
“Do you think Luke saw him go down?”
“No, I noticed him start to crumble so I stepped in front of him.”
“Why didn’t you catch him? I think he hit his head. Are you sure we shouldn’t call an ambulance?”
“Shut up. Everyone.” I winced. “I did hit my head. Thanks for nothing, Brax.” I took a deep breath, my eyes still closed, and slowly sat up.
Landry was pregnant. Landry, the girl I’d been banging nonstop for over a month, was pregnant. And she knew it, and she hadn’t told me. Fuck, tonight had just taken a terrible turn. I got to my feet. “I’ve gotta go. I need to talk to Landry.” I pulled my cell out of my pocket.
“I’m your best friend, so I’m not going to say I told you so.”
I glared at T. “Prick.”
“You knew?” Dane was looking between Talon and me. “How did you know before Brody?”
Talon snorted. “Because Brody lives in a land called denial. It’s full of smoke and good pussy.”
I punched Talon in the arm and headed toward the door, my thumbs flying.
Brody: Good job ending the meeting with Luke, I’m headed your way.
Landry: Hurry. He’s telling me everything that’s happened in the three days since I left the compound.
I shoved my cell in the back pocket of my jeans and brushed past Talon, who was still rooted in place and staring at me. I held my hand up. “I don’t want to hear it, man.”
“But, dude.”
“This is between me and Landry. No one else.” I kept walking. Out of the building, through the parking lot, and to my car. I climbed inside and took off immediately. I didn’t need to hear anymore from any of them.
Why had she lied to me? Why didn’t she want me to know? Did she think I wasn’t good enough? Was she scared of my reaction? Fuck. What was my reaction?
I turned up the old-school radio and heard nothing. My mind was going a mile a minute while conflicting thoughts bounced around my brain. I cared about Landry, no doubt. We were friends. Hell, she’d become one of my best friends. And, I’d always pictured myself with kids down the road. But waaaaay down the road, like over a decade from now. But so what? I was making good money. I could support a child. Easy. Well…maybe not easy. I knew life on the road wasn’t ideal for maintaining relationships. And I’d miss milestone events. But there were more than enough ways to communicate while I was on the road. And I’d see them when I got home, when I had days off. This wasn’t 1955. We didn’t need a shotgun wedding and a white picket fence. We could co-parent. We’d rock co-parenting.
Fuck.
I needed to talk to Landry.