Down to My Soul (Soul Series Book 2)(18)
“And why the anonymity of the text message from some burner phone when he’s obviously involved?”
“Did your guys find out anything from the cell number?”
“It’s in the name of some corporation that, as far as we can tell,” San says, sparing me a quick glance, “doesn’t really exist. I mean, on paper it does, but nothing that has lead us to a real person once you sort through the maze of paperwork covering up the identity. No apparent link to Drex that I’ve found.”
I swallow the fear that churns in my belly, rises past my chest, and splashes into my throat when I think of the threats.
“If he wants to blackmail you, he’s not being very stealth about it. He’s the obvious person to have that video, since he made it and would presumably have access that no one else would.” San shakes his head, dark brows squeezed together in a frown. “And then he disappears right after you receive the threat.”
“I have no idea what he’s thinking.” I glance out the window, taking in the ocean bordering the winding road. “I just know he’s making my already complicated situation with Rhyson that much harder.”
“I hear ya about Rhyson not getting past it, but I think you’re wrong.” San takes one hand off the wheel to grab mine even though his eyes don’t leave the road. “You should trust him.”
“Trust?” I blow my anxiety out in a long puff of air. “That’s the one thing we don’t have a lot of right now after what he did.”
“Well, you can’t say he hasn’t been trying to make up for it. You’ve been ignoring him for two months.”
“I couldn’t deal.” Though none of it is funny, a laugh breezes past my lips. “Between the demands of the tour and the huge learning curve, and being threatened with a sex tape, I just couldn’t deal with everything. My time on tour was the best thing for us, I think, though I know he doesn’t agree. I wasn’t ready.”
“And now?” San asks.
“I miss him. You know I do.” I close my eyes tightly. “I love him. It would be a lot to work through under normal circumstances. This tape only makes it harder.”
“And you won’t even consider telling him about it?”
The question reminds me of that loose end I have to tie up before I can be with Rhyson, free and clear and out in the open. The loose end that is on my phone, coiling in my lap like a noose. If I can keep him from ever seeing that sex tape, I will. I have to try. Because what if that tape, not our fight, is the very thing that makes me lose him for good?
“Let’s keep trying this my way for now and see what we find.”
San goes quiet, still not looking convinced that my way is the right way when we pull up to the venue, formerly a private estate that now hosts weddings and other events. The cream-colored limestone house with its circular steps and wide veranda welcome us as warmly as the wedding hostesses.
San hands the keys to his shiny new Tahoe over to the valet. Steady work at Spotted is paying off. We’ve both moved up fast in the world. He’s even in a new apartment downtown, where I’m crashing for my one week off tour. I’ll figure out living arrangements when I’m done in another month. Maybe by then, I’ll have the whole video problem solved. Maybe by then I’ll have the whole Rhyson problem solved, too.
My problem is standing in the slab-stoned foyer where guests gather as they wait to be ushered into the backyard. Rhys wears a dark suit and a sky blue tie, eyes dark and intense and set on me, waiting for me. I could never forget the pewter eyes that barrel through my defenses, or the hair, dark but dappled with deep copper streaks, or the beautifully rugged symmetry of his features. I didn’t forget, but everything about him impacts me like it’s the first time, trapping the breath in my throat. Our eyes haven’t even met yet, and I already feel the tug of that chain. I was a fool to underestimate this pull. It’s only now that he’s within touching distance that I realize how foolish I was to think I could resist him.
He steps into my path so there’s no avoiding him, his eyes licking heat over my body in the periwinkle dress molding to my torso, clinging to my arms from shoulder to elbow, and belling out from my waist to stop just above my knees. For a moment, we just stare at one another, drinking in the details until I can’t take it another second and free my eyes from his, looking instead at the simple flats on my feet.
“Kai, hey.” He flicks a dismissive look at San by my side. “San.”
“Rhyson, good to see you.” San smirks, standing there when he knows good and doggone well Rhyson wants to talk to me alone. He just pokes Rhys sometimes to watch him jerk. Rhys levels an annoyed look at San.
“Dude, take a walk.”
San slides his glance to me, brows raised, silently asking me if it’s okay to leave.
“It’s fine.” I assure him with a smile. “I’ll catch up.”
San saunters off, finding someone I don’t know to chat with a few feet away, leaving Rhyson and me alone. The air charges with every breath we draw, both of us waiting for the other to speak. Rhyson finally goes first.
“I see you still have your guard dog.” He frowns over at San before returning his attention to me.
“We’ve been taking care of each other a long time.” I still don’t, can’t quite fully meet his eyes.