A smile slowly spreads across his face. He touches his fingertips to the desk and leans on it. “For you and your brother. Boy bands were popping up everywhere and I had one in my backyard. I wanted to represent you both, but Nick was adamant that he wasn’t going to let me. I may have mentioned telling you about Dylan and then I gave him twenty-four hours to decide. But we both know how he responded to that.”

“You’re not why he killed himself. He wouldn’t have wasted a single breath on you.” I’m seething. I shoot across the office and slam his head down on the desk. I’m shaking so much it’s making me dizzy. I inhale, then exhale and let go.

He stands up straight and removes his handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his brow. He levels his gaze at me. “How about we discuss whatever it is you so urgently had to call me away from my father’s funeral for before I call Johnny in to escort you downstairs.” He cocks his head and holds back a smile.

Shaking in my anger, I fist my hands at my sides. “I’m here for a trade.”

“A trade. Really?”

I hold the paper in the air. “Ivy for this.”

His eyes darken as realization dawns on him. “I didn’t play you for the type to put love before business. I have to say I’m surprised. But it’s not going to be that easy. There is so much I want from her before I can let her go.”

Stepping forward, I stand directly in front of him. Eye to eye. I’m buried in hatred, anger, frustration—wanting so much to wrap my hands around his neck and strangle him. But I have what he wants and I’m pretty sure he wants it more than anything else. I casually walk around his desk and take a seat in one of the two chairs in front of it.

“Maybe you’re more like me than my brother. Willing to make a deal,” he says with a grin.

“We are nothing alike. Nothing!”

His eyes gleam and he sits in his desk chair, tenting his fingers. “You start. Tell me what you think you can offer me for that beautiful wife of mine.”

Vibrating with disgust as the words roll off his tongue, I take a deep breath, knowing I have to keep myself under control. I put my poker face on.

He squeezes the arms of his expensive leather chair and with a clenched jaw asks, “Why are you here?”

I c**k my head and suppress a bitter smile. “To tell you it’s in your best interest to file annulment papers as soon as your shaky fingers can call your attorney.”

His bottom lip trembles. “Why would I want to do that?”

No longer able to hold my smile back, I tell him, “Because for every minute that passes once I leave your office today that you don’t, you might not like the results.”

“Don’t play games with me, boy.”

“Oh, see, here’s where you’re wrong. I’m not a boy and I’m not playing any kind of game. I’m dead serious. I will sell one share of stock to the public for a dollar for every passing minute you don’t pick up that phone. You figure it out—you’re smart. In about a week, half of Sheep Industries will be worthless. Oh, and when you call your attorney, tell him to terminate your contract with Ivy, effective immediately.” I’m quiet for the next few seconds as he sits there with an incredulous expression on his face. Then I look him straight in the eye and add, “And when our business is settled you can do what you want with the company. I’ll stay silent. But hear this: if you ever threaten my family again I’ll make it my life’s mission to ensure you don’t have a company left to run.” Once I’ve said all I came to say, I get up and walk out the door—never looking back, never wanting to see his face again.

CHAPTER 19

Dig

One Month Later

There are no degrees or certificates hanging on the walls in the hallway of the Amazing Grace recording studio. Rather, only one wall gleams with gold and platinum records from Tyler Records and Amazing Grace, and that makes me smile. I want Ivy’s up there one day. Jack and River have combined the recording aspect of their companies and now Amazing Grace handles production and Tyler Records takes care of distribution. It’s clean and easy and gives Jack a little more free time.

I owed Jack a huge apology for the way I acted the night I found out about Dylan. Jack, in his typical fashion, blew it off as a small blip on the radar and graciously accepted my apology. I took that opportunity to talk to him about the guys, and he said that with the merger of the two companies there were a number of positions that needed to be filled. I wasn’t sure how they’d react or if they’d want to work there—but they did. Garrett and Nix both decided to join River. It’s been great to see the childhood friends who almost launched a band to stardom now helping other bands achieve their dream—pretty awesome if you think about it.

Finishing a call, I tuck my phone in my pocket. I know I have a huge grin on my face as I enter the control room. Ivy’s eyes are closed at the microphone and everyone is silent. Leif is on the keyboard accompanying her. He is staying on with her. I’m not sure he will forever, but he seems happy—for now. Pressing the intercom, I say, “Move your music forward, Ivy. Don’t overthink it.” She peeks over at me and smiles that genuine smile that I love, and I add, “So we can get out of here.” The ease with which we have fallen into sync with each other isn’t hard to believe. We get each other and we get along—we did before and we do now. It’s just that easy.

“I don’t want to jinx it.”

“Baby, no chance of that.” I wink at her.

She’s wearing a tight red blouse that buttons up the middle. It makes her tits look all the more perfect. She’s also wearing a pair of jeans that when she turns around to cue the band, make her ass look amazing. Shifting on my feet, I think, Fuck, when am I going to get this under control?

She and Leif start playing, and concentrates on laying the tracks. He hasn’t made a single sketchy comment to me since that first day in the studio and our ability to work together has been spot-on. This is the first album completely under Ivy’s control and it’s coming together faster than I ever expected. For the past month we’ve lived and breathed the studio day in and day out. Ivy already had the songs written. Dahlia’s designing the cover art and Aerie is working on promoting the album. With any luck it will be ready to launch in six weeks.

Ivy has moved into my grandparents’ place with me, but I want us to have a place that we can call our own. We’ve started looking at houses in my mother’s and River’s neighborhoods and she found one she loves. It’s a restored Mediterranean with a spectacular view of the city. It was built in 1926 for a silent film legend. Ivy thinks it’s a work of art. I was about to buy it when fate stepped in and the people who swooped in and bought it out from under us told me about the house they were selling. I bought it immediately without telling Ivy because I know she’s going to love it. It will be weird moving out of the last place my grandparents lived, but I know they’re smiling over my decision about where to move—a house not only for kids but for grandkids too.

Having Ivy near me, waking up next to her, I’ve never been happier in my life. I didn’t know someone could be this happy. I’m even thinking about my own family now, something I haven’t done in a long time. And my dreams, or my nightmares—I haven’t had a single one since going to the cemetery and visiting my father’s grave. I’ve accepted him for who he was—both his strengths and his weaknesses. I may never understand why he chose to take his own life, but I no longer hate him for it—in the end he did choose us, his family, over music.

I’m in a hurry to wrap up the day, so I call it much earlier than usual. Everyone else leaves and Ivy and I are the last ones at the studio. She packs her guitar in its case and props it against the wall, then meets me outside. Her eyes glitter. “Why are you in such a rush?” she asks.

I pull her out into the alleyway by one hand. The air is cool and there’s a light breeze that blows her hair across her face. I push it aside. “I have something to tell you. . . .”

“What?” she asks, full of excitement.

Lifting her high in the air, I turn her around in slow circles.

“What?” She squirms, pressing herself against my waist and finally I look forward to exploring the incredible attraction that’s been building between us.

“It’s final,” I whisper, my voice hoarse as I trail my tongue down her neck. She quickly wraps her legs around me and I know she can feel how excited I am.

With wide eyes she asks, “The annulment?”

I nod with a huge-ass smile on my face.

In a low, soft voice she cries, “I’m so happy right now!”

“Me too, baby. Me too.”

Damon had moved quickly to get the annulment. I was in constant contact with the attorneys. I didn’t want Ivy stressing over any of it. Damon used his connections to get it fast-tracked, and I kept my word—I didn’t sell a single share and I gave all exercising rights to him. I’ll stay part of the company, but as a silent partner. It was a quick and easy transaction and I never want to see his face again.

My red Corvette is only a few feet away, but I can’t resist stopping and pushing her up against the wall. “I’ve missed this so f**king much.” My lips find hers and after nearly a month, I can actually kiss her the way I want to. She’s finally free and she’s all mine. I gently bite down on her lower lip before sucking on it. She lets out a soft moan and I seal my mouth to hers. She presses her lips against mine with equal force. Her hands tangle in my hair and I hold her like I’ve never held her—in a way that tells her I’m never going to let her go. She bites on my tongue and then flutters hers against the tip of mine . . . driving me insane.

I pull back. “Let’s go home,” I growl.

“No,” she purrs. “It’s too far away.”

“Fuck, Ivy, don’t do that,” I tell her as she takes my hands and presses them against her br**sts. She kisses my chin, my neck, and slides her tongue over to my ear. I slip my hands up the front of her shirt, which has come untucked, and feel her soft skin. It electrifies me. It’s been a month with no actual physical contact. We’ve imagined each other’s hands on our bodies, told each other what we want to do to each other, talked each other through our deepest desires, but now we no longer have to use our own hands and bodies to make love to each other. Running my mouth down her neck, I undo each button with my teeth. When I get to the last one I pull her shirt open and quickly lift her bra. The cool air makes her ni**les harden and when I close my mouth around one, fondling the other between my fingers, she moans loudly.

I look around and pull her shirt together. “Come with me.”

“Why did you stop?” she questions softly.

“Because I want to f**k you now—and not in the alley.”

“Oh.” She giggles and follows me as I stride quickly back to the recording studio, fumbling for my keys.

We stumble up the three steps and our lips break apart only so I can unlock the heavy metal door. Once we are on the other side of it, I slam her against the door and run my hands all over her body. I’m hungry for her, starving. I walk us backward toward the studio. “Take your bra off,” I growl, knowing that unhooking it and trying to navigate backward to the studio at the same time would be nearly impossible with how turned on I am. My hands find her back, her ass, and finally her freed br**sts. My mouth doesn’t leave hers even though I want to suck on each nipple and hear her moan. I can’t tear my lips from hers. I feel every touch we made to ourselves over the last month penetrating our kisses. My body’s singing—and it’s alive. I can’t wait for the feel of her smooth skin as her fingers wrap around my cock.

The backs of my knees hit the sofa in the recording studio and I fall to it. She lands on top of me. I finally break the connection our lips were fervent to hold. Pulling back, I stare at her gorgeous na**d tits. I run my hands up and down her chest, holding each breast, squeezing it, pinching the nipple between my fingers. Bending toward her, I nuzzle one before licking and pulling it in, sucking on it. She arches her back and my hands move to the front of her jeans. My pulse is racing. She tries to pull my shirt over my head, but I want her so badly, I can’t tear my hands from her. Finally I manage, “Stand up and take your pants off,” and then I pull my own shirt over my head.

She rises and easily slides her jeans down her legs. My hands find the lace of her panties, ripping them off before she even lifts her feet to kick off her shoes. I pull her closer to me. She stands before me completely stunning and again I can’t help but think, She’s all mine. My mouth goes slack as I see her hooded eyes staring down at me. I slip one finger inside her, then another, and then just one more. Stretching her, f**king her with my fingers. Her body starts to shake and as she cries out in pleasure, I remove my fingers and replace them with my mouth. Her hands grip my shoulders tightly.

“Xander!” she screams when I find her cl*twith first my lips, then my tongue. I pull her closer to me. I don’t just want to eat her . . . I want to devour her. Her body trembles and she calls out my name louder and louder with each passing second. She tries to pull away, but I hold her tight. “Just feel it baby. Just feel it,” I manage, stopping to blow on the small nub that I plan to devour again in an instant.

Her grip tightens and she cries out, “I love you!” Those words have my c**k throbbing to be inside her. I pull away and stand up. She’s wobbly and holds on to me. I tear out of my boots and jeans and stand fully ready in front of her. Her fingers wrap around my hard c**k and the feeling is so unlike my own hand that I feel myself start to tremble.