Drea

My pulse is still racing beneath my skin as I quickly throw the bikini top back on.

Holy hell.

The way Laz was looking at me, the way he couldn’t take his eyes off me, did strange things to me. It sent a thrill of excitement through me, and if I’m being honest, it turned me on. No one has ever looked at me like that before.

It’s obvious we’re attracted to one another, and Candace was right. Being stuck in in this house with him is going to make it tough for me to resist him.

I search in my bag, pull out a baggy T-shirt, and slip it over my head. At least, this time, when I see Laz, I’ll be fully clothed.

I slip out the door and into the hallway.

This house is stunning. I’ve never been in a place more elegant and regal. As Candace said, this place is truly fit for royalty, which makes Laz stand out a bit with all his tattoos and bad-boy aura. I can picture a man like Robert living here, but Laz, not so much.

I wander through the kitchen and finally find the back door. Outside, the landscaping is just as immaculately maintained as the rest of the house. A beautiful rose garden sits just beyond the door, and I spot a small white bench that looks like a perfect spot for just sitting and enjoying the peaceful surroundings. Growing up, I lived in an apartment complex in the inner city, so I never had anything remotely as nice as this place. This private garden beats our city parks by a landslide.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” a male voice asks from behind me.

I jump and turn to find a very proper-looking man in a pressed suit. His hair is cut short, but he has a little length on the top, which has been styled to perfection. His strong jawline has been cleanly shaven, and his appearance, in general, oozes money. He’s really attractive, but he’s not the type of man I’m into.

His hazel eyes expectantly stare at me, and it hits me that he’s waiting for me to respond to him instead of just standing here, continuing to check him out.

“It’s lovely,” I tell him. Tugging at the hem of my shirt, I do my best to cover a little more of my thighs.

“Not as lovely as you are.” He smiles and takes a step closer to me while extending his hand. “I’m Peter.”

I place my hand into his. “Drea.”

He raises my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“What the hell are you doing here, Peter?” Laz’s voice cuts between us, causing us both to turn in his direction.

“Laurie told me about your plan to move the new band into your place, so I thought I would swing by and check out my newest investment. And I must say, Laz, I’m very impressed with what I’ve seen so far.”

Laz’s shoulders roll back, and it’s easy to see the tension between these two men. “They aren’t ready for you yet.”

Peter holds his hands up. “Relax. I’m not here to see them perform. I’m only here to meet the ladies and get a feel for your vision for the group.”

Clearly, I shouldn’t be privy to this conversation. I need to get out of here. “It was nice to meet you. I should get over to the party.”

“Party?” Peter glances over at Laz while lifting a brow. “Thought you were out of that scene?”

“I am,” Laz confirms. “It’s just the girls hanging out with Cam and me. Nothing major.”

“Ah, well, in that case, I would love to join you two and meet the rest of the girls.”

“Fine,” he says with some reluctance in his voice. “Follow me.”

I’m not sure exactly who Peter is, but based on how Laz seems to be giving in to him, he must be an important player in the decision-making of this group.

Peter raises his eyebrows, and once Laz is out of earshot, he says, “I see he’s still as moody as ever. Has he been treating you okay?”

I nod as we take the same path Laz did. “He’s been great so far.”

Of course, I don’t want to inform him of the time Laz nearly cut me from the group and the little incident just a few moments ago in my room. Peter seems like he’s out for information, and that rubs me wrong.

“Good,” he says as his steps match mine.

Laz stands, holding a door open for Peter and me. Peter crosses through in front of me, and Laz locks eyes with me as I pass by. For some reason, I get the vibe that he doesn’t want me talking with Peter, and that has my mind reeling as to who exactly this man is.

Peter takes off toward the pool where the rest of the ladies from the group are, leaving Laz and me standing there, alone.

“What did he say to you?” Laz’s deep voice asks.

“Nothing really.”

“Is that why he was kissing your fucking hand?”

I roll my eyes. “He was being a gentleman. That’s it.”

“Gentleman, my ass,” Laz scoffs. “He’s not as nice as he lets on. Trust me, I’ve known Peter a long time, and he always has an end game.”

“Who is he anyhow?”

“He’s the CEO of Rawlings Records.”

I furrow my brows. “What does he have to do with this group? I thought this was something you were doing?”

“It is, but Peter has agreed to take the group under the wing of Rawlings, meaning my little independent label will be doing business with him.”

I’m still very green to the business side of the record industry. I don’t know how everything works, and honestly, I don’t care. I want to get to the place where I can write and create music.

“Go hang out, Drea. Get to know the other girls. That’s what we’re here for, remember?” Laz reminds me before he steps around me.

Obviously, discussing Peter is a touchy subject.

I blow out a puff of air from my cheeks and turn to survey the scene.

The pool is a decent size, but what’s really impressive is the detail within the space and how well decorated it is with its blue and white beach theme.

I spot Cam leaning back, resting his elbows against a wooden bar a few feet away. His eyes are fixated on something, so he doesn’t even notice us all coming in. When I follow his line of sight, I spot Candace sitting next to Robert. Clearly, Cam is a little jealous over the situation, but Robert is definitely more my sister’s type.

Laz walks over to Cam. “What’s the matter, buddy? You’re making the same face you did when your dog died.”

Cam rolls his eyes. “Fuck you, dude. Skippy was the best dog ever.”

Laz turns and directs his attention to the other side of the pool—and the scene happening between Robert and Candace. “Ah, she’s out of your league, bud. Forget her.”

“Hell, no. She can’t seriously be choosing Robert over me. That dude is a fucking pansy.”

“Some chicks dig that type of guy.” Laz picks up a bottle of water off the bar. “Besides, we’re not supposed to be fucking around with the singers.”

“Correction,” Cam argues, “Peter only made it a stipulation that you can’t date one of the girls in the group.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s a blanket statement. But why don’t you ask him about it since he’s here?”

“Fuck, no. Ever since he took over your old man’s job, he’s turned into a dick with ears. What’s he doing here anyhow?”

“No clue. I didn’t exactly invite him.”

Cam nods. “He’s here to see if you’re going to fuck all this up or not.”

I know this is eavesdropping, and it’s wrong, but I’m curious. I know nothing about Laz other than he’s insanely attractive and what little bit of information Candace found on the internet.

“You’re not going in?” Peter’s voice catches me off guard.

I glance down at the T-shirt I’m wearing, and the thought of peeling it off my body and parading around here in front of Laz causes me to shiver. Having his eyes on my naked flesh was such a turn-on, and it wouldn’t be a good if it kept happening. A girl’s resolve can only last so long.

I shake my head. “No. I’m pretty much here out of obligation to the group and my sister. Parties aren’t really my thing.”

“That’s very good. Parties are a constant temptation in this line of work, and too many of them can rip apart a career. Just ask Laz. So it’s reassuring to know that this isn’t your scene. People who make it in this industry know how to keep themselves on the straight and narrow.”

My eyebrows rise, as I’m a little surprised that Peter would so willingly hand over information about Laz’s life to a perfect stranger.

An awkward silence falls between us.

Peter finally breaks the quiet. “You said you’re here because of your sister. Is she in the group, too?”

I point to where Candace is sitting, fully engaged in a conversation with Robert. “Candace is my stepsister, and all this was her idea.”

“Fans will love that. They love the whole family-concept thing. Look at the Jonas Brothers. If things don’t work out with Laz, maybe I can find you two a home at Rawlings.”

Confusion rings through me. “Why would you offer that? You haven’t even heard us sing.”

Peter’s eyes meet mine. “If Laz picked you, you have talent. He’s kind of known around the business for being able to find diamonds in the rough and turning them into superstars, so I have no doubt that you’re a superb vocalist. Besides, you both are beautiful, which never hurts when it comes to selling records.”

Heat races up my neck and floods my cheeks. It’s not often that men pay me compliments like this, so I’m flattered. Peter’s a handsome, powerful man, so it means a lot, coming from him.

Peter reaches into the pocket of his suit and pulls out a little case holding business cards. He hands me one. “That has my cell number on it. Feel free to contact me anytime—whether it’s about business or if you want to grab a cup of coffee and chat.”

I take the card from him and stare at his name etched into it next to the Rawlings Records logo.

Peter Lawson, CEO.

“I mean it,” Peter reiterates. “Call me sometime.” He takes a couple of steps away from me and then turns his attention to Laz. “I’ll be in touch.”

Laz nods but doesn’t say anything as Peter heads out of the building. From the looks of things, Cam was right. Peter was here to see if Laz is being responsible.

I glance over in Laz’s direction, and I find his eyes boring into me. The expression on his face isn’t a happy one, and just like before, I expect it’s killing him to find out what Peter and I were discussing.

But one thing Laz will learn about me is that I’m no snitch. If Peter is buttering me up only so that he can get dirt on Laz, he’s got another thing coming.