Once I was finally inside my cabin, I slammed the door and stood there with my fists balled tight.

That little power play Jules had pulled had made me see red. But what made me even more furious was that it worked. When Eric scuttled away with his tail between his legs, I wanted to slap Jules across the face. But when he'd actually returned with coffees for the whole band, I was ready to kill Jules on the spot. "Are you happy now?" I hissed to him. "After you won your little dick measuring contest?"

He'd glanced at me over the top of his coffee cup. "Love," he drawled. "It was never a contest to begin with."

I'd never felt so out of control before. I wanted fly at him and claw at his dark, mocking eyes. I wanted to close my hands around his throat and squeeze until his dark eyes bulged. I wanted to yank out his beautiful hair in giant handfuls and then let it fall through my fingers to the floor. I wanted to scream at the sky and set the whole fucking world on fire because then I could start over again and this time not let him have the upper hand. Not ever let him under my skin.

Because now that he was there, I had no idea how I would ever get him out.

My heart was somehow in my throat and sinking to my stomach at the same time. Anger was making me dizzy and superheated, and I could feet my veins pulsing with each drumming heartbeat.

It sounded like someone was playing the bass drum in my head. Someone skilled, with dark eyes, long fingers and a silver ring on his thumb.

My phone rang in my purse. I unclenched my fists and counted backwards from ten in case it was the label checking in.

I sighed with relief when I saw it was my brother. "Hey," I said on a long exhale, as I sprinted up the stairs and out the balcony doors.

"This connection is terrible," Leo complained. "Am I calling 1997?"

I laughed, feeling more in control of myself already now that I'd heard from one of my brothers. "It's not that bad here," I told him. "Maybe more like 2007."

Leo chuckled. "So I take it you're surviving?"

I grinned. "I'm surviving. I found this one spot on my balcony where I get good reception," I told Leo as I leaned precariously over the railing. "So that's useful."

"And the band?"

Jules' mocking smile flickered through my brain. I batted it away like a buzzing mosquito, ignoring the little sideways slide of my heart. "They're getting acclimated," I said, keeping my voice as neutral as I could.

"Uh oh."

"What?"

"Your voice."

"What's wrong with my voice?"

"Come on now," Leo prompted. "I know that voice. Who are you going to kill, August?"

"No one."

"Bullshit. Who's the poor guy?"

"I'm not..." Then I paused because why the hell was I lying to my brother? He knew me better than anyone. "The drummer," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose between two fingers.

"Julian," Leo parroted back to tell me that he'd been listening.

I nodded and consciously unclenched my fist. "Jules, yeah."

"He's giving you trouble?"

"In so many words. Yes."

My brother the business major, who'd just decided to make the move to pre-law laughed as if the solution was obvious. "So fire him."

My heart stilled and I tasted a bright burst of panic in the back of my throat. I shook my head. "Leo this isn't your beloved Wolf of Wall Street," I scoffed, trying to ignore the way my whole body had broken out into goosebumps at the thought of firing Jules. "I can't fire him, he's a founding member of the band. He's the heart and soul of their sound." My words were coming faster now, in a great, panicked rush. "His drumming is what makes this band work so well. I mean, haven't you listened to the albums I sent to you? And you'd better not tell me you haven't, I sent you the mp3s, the CDs and the vinyl, just so you had it in all formats."

"I get it. I've listened," he protested. "I swear."

"So can't you hear how deep his technique runs?" I closed my eyes. "Listen to 'No Promises' okay? Hear how he barely touches the snare. It's just that light little tickle that runs through the song." I exhaled softly, hearing it run through my head and I remembered the first night I'd seen him play it live. "You almost don't know it's there," I said reverently. "But without it, that song wouldn't be half of what it is. But then you take that track and put it side by side next to 'Feeling of Falling.' That one is on the third album right? Are you writing this down? That's the one where his drumming is all muscle and heft." I felt myself nodding. "There are a lot of drummers out that that can do the muscle and heft thing, a lot fewer who can do the delicate thing. Very few at all are able to pull of both. He's basically one of a kind," I declared, feeling slightly out of breath.

Leo was silent for a moment too long. "Jesus, August," he finally muttered. "Why don't you marry the guy?"

My tongue suddenly felt too big for my mouth. "Shut up," I slurred. "I don't date musicians."

My brother's laugh dripped with sarcasm. "You kidding me, Auggie? Those are the only guys you date."

"Well I'm trying something new," I said stiffly. "Going for the appropriate guys."

"Oh good." I could almost hear his eyes rolling.

I rolled my eyes right back. "I will not stand for my little brother judging me," I teased. "Specially not the biggest screw-up of the family."

"Hey!' he protested.

"Nah," I relented. "That title will always belong to Cabot. You're okay, Leo." I remembered something. "But you won't be if you don't call home. Mom tells me you haven't called in a week. Get your ass on that."

He groaned "Whenever I call, she always keeps me on the phone for three hours."

"She gave birth to you. I was there. You were eleven pounds. You owe her. Call your mother, Leo."

"Fine I will as soon as I hang up with you."

"Good. I don't know why I always need to remind you, you know. How on earth do you expect to make it through law school if you need a babysitter all the time."

"Hey Auggie?" Leo interrupted gently. "I can't call Mom until you shut up and let me get off the phone with you."

"Fine," I huffed. "I need to call Tate anyway, you heard from him?"

"Um," Leo said guiltily.

"You're the worst."

"Love you," he sang out.

"Yeah I love you too, you idiot." I sighed as I hung up the phone. I was feeling like myself again. Competent. In charge. To hold on to that feeling, I dialed Tate's number immediately.

His phone just rang. Finally his voicemail picked up on the fifth ring. "Hey," I said after the beep. "Just checking how that meeting with your professor went. You never called me." I leaned out a little further and saw a tall figure walking across the lawn. "Um," I said, hurrying up. "I'm glad you're out and about and not glued to your phone, but call me back when you get this, okay Tater? If I don't pick up, just leave me a message."

There was a knock on the door. "Be there in a second!" I called. I hung up and tucked my phone into my purse. Then pulled out a tube of lipstick and smoothed it over my bottom lip. I smacked my lips together and checked my reflection.

I was trying something new.

"Hey," I said to Eric as I opened the door. He was such a nice guy he'd readily agreed to another date, even after Jules had been such an ass. I'd felt like I'd owed him another chance. I hoped this time... with Jules out of sight..."Ready to try this again?" I asked.