All Stars Fall (Seaside Pictures #3.5)(20)

“I’m good, Dad, thanks though.” Zane crossed his arms. “So, HN is here, I had my phone ready to record your expression, but the girls confiscated it the minute they saw me smile.”

“Color me shocked,” Alec said dryly.

Zane flipped him off. “All right.” He patted me on the back. “Remember, she’s the nanny, that means hands off, yeah? She’s teaching the next generation, under your protection, you’re paying her to—”

“Holy shit,” I muttered as Penelope walked out the sliding glass door with wine in one hand.

My mouth went completely dry.

Her tan legs went on for miles.

Her shorts were almost indecently short, or maybe it just felt indecent because I couldn’t stop staring at all the tan skin.

Short, worn, brown cowboy boots added to the effect. Her white blouse was unbuttoned, revealing a teal swimsuit top, and a few necklaces danced between her breasts like they couldn’t help but move against her supple skin. And her hair…

Down.

Her hair was down.

Under waves and waves of lush shots of brown, orange, and whiskey-colored strands—a smile peeked through at me, and then a small wave with her free hand.

“Say it with me.” Zane wrapped an arm around me. “Off. Limits.”

“Good, Zane.” Demetri laughed. “Just wave a flag in front of a bull, why don’t you? That’s the easiest way to get—ohhhhh…” He nodded. “I see what you’re doing. Carry on.”

“Huh?” I looked back and forth between them. “What?”

“It’s been too long.” This time it was Alec that piped up. “You need to move on.”

“Thanks, Dr. Phil.” I gripped the beer bottle in my hand so tight I was surprised it didn’t break in half, and then Drew chose that moment to walk up to Penelope and wrap an arm around her. Something he said made her laugh.

“She used to have a poster of us in her room,” I blurted. “She said Drew was her favorite.”

“Glorious Day!” Zane burst out laughing. “Then I suggest you start practicing with those handy drumsticks, because he’s about one more joke away from touching a necklace and oh shit he’s good.”

My eyes widened as Drew picked up one of her necklaces and leaned in, inches from her face. She laughed again.

“I’ve never been so happy to be married,” Alec announced. “That guy’s lethal. No wonder the band broke up and Will got all pissed back in the day. He could charm the pants off a—”

“Stop,” I said, gritting my teeth and running my hands through my hair.

“Well, off you go!” Demetri slapped me on the ass just as Linc made his way over, hands up.

“I saw nothing.”

I flipped him off and passed Jaymeson as he manned the grill with Alec’s wife; they were arguing over a movie. The closer I got to them the more irritated I became.

And I was in stunned disbelief that Drew would flirt with Penelope after my warning. What the hell was he thinking?

“Hey.” My voice actually cracked. I inwardly punched myself in the dick and forced a cool smile. “Drew, Will just got here, he wanted to talk about some of the tracks.”

Drew’s grin was slow, steady. “Oh, yeah? Shouldn’t you be there too? Since you’re producing our next album? Plus I thought I saw Ty walk in and there he is.” He waved our third bandmate over.

Ty swaggered in our direction. In ways he reminded me of Zane. He hated clothes and loved women.

All women.

All the time.

“Who’s this?” He winked down at Penelope and then reached for her hand.

“DADDY!” Bella screamed.

Moment shattered, I turned in the direction of her voice and sprinted. One of the giant lizards had somehow managed to crawl over her lap and trap her.

The reptile handler was in the process of pulling the harmless creature away when I reached her side. The security guard tried helping her to her feet, which I assumed was the reason she began to scream “stranger danger nine-one-one.” Thanks, Penny.

I pulled her into my arms and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Are you okay, baby?”

“Yeah.” She sniffled as giant alligator tears ran down her puffy cheeks. “I gots scared and then Eric didn’t help me. Aren’t brothers supposed to help?”

Eric was pale next to Malcom, who looked like he was ready to puke.

The lizard had been huge; they were probably scared too.

“That’s why you have a daddy,” I answered in a hoarse voice. “So that when your brothers get scared too, I’m here. I’ll always be here, all right?”

“You keep me safe.” She sniffled again. “Right, Daddy?”

God, my heart was breaking in half.

How was I supposed to do this?

Navigate this life? Keep them safe? From everything? From things that weren’t supposed to hurt them—like their own mother?

“Of course he does,” came a familiar voice.

And then Bella was reaching for Penelope, and I was letting my little girl go into her arms as she rocked her back and forth. “That’s what family does, we protect one another, we love one another, and when scary things happen, it’s not because your daddy lets them happen or your brothers, sometimes they just…do, but that’s why it’s so important to be brave and strong, all right?”