Play Fair (The Devil's Share Book 3)(38)



It was like she was scared to turn Jacks down or tell him she didn’t want to play. Was she scared of hurting his feelings? Scared of getting in trouble? Jacks tapped the end of her nose. “Buttercup, if you don’t want to play, you don’t have to.”

Landry looked from us to Luke and then back to Jacks. “Do you think you could maybe teach me to play the drums instead?”

“Of course I can! I’m not as good as Luke is, but I can teach you the basics, I think.”

Landry’s little face lit up. So she was a drummer who loved giant pit bulls and the beach. She was also gorgeous… Jacks was going to have his hands full in about five years.

“I could work with her. I used to give drum lessons to help make ends meet.” Luke looked over at Jacks, a small smile on his face.

“Yeah?” Jacks turned back to Landry. “Would that be okay? Uncle Luke is the best drummer there is.”

She nodded shyly.

This would probably be good for both Landry and Luke. Playing an instrument was good for a kid. And I saw the way Luke smiled when Jacks called him her uncle.

***

I read Landry a few chapters in our book, and then she was asleep as soon as the lights went off. Playing at the beach and then spending a couple of hours on the drums had worn her out. That kid was a great sleeper even without the exhaustion. I headed across the hall expecting to find Jacks on his bed with a controller in his hand. But the only thing I found was a note.

On the patio. Bring fresh beer. Come alone.

I went downstairs, grabbed two beers, and then slipped out the back door before one of the other five adults who lived here could spot me. Jacks had two chairs pulled out into the shadowy part of the patio with Dagger lying at his feet. “She asleep?”

I nodded, handing him a beer and reaching down to give the snoring dog a pat on the head. “You guys wore her out today.” I sat down and propped my feet up on his lap. “She talked about Uncle Luke and his drums for a good ten minutes before I could actually get her into the bed.”

Jacks placed his bottle on the arm of his chair and started rubbing my calf. “It’ll be a good distraction for Luke. He’s been a mess lately.”

“He’s been staying out all night partying, so basically he’s been doing what you all used to do. Why does that make him a mess?”

Jacks shook his head. “Luke isn’t like us, or at least he didn’t used to be. He doesn’t like groupies; he was never really into drugs. What he’s doing? He isn’t doing it for fun.”

I took my leg out of his hands and then put my other one in its place. “What’s he running from?”

“Lexi.”

I took a sip of my beer. “What’s their deal?”

“I don’t know. Jealousy maybe? Luke and Lex have been friends for a long time; they share a past. But I don’t think Lexi ever felt anything but friendship toward him.” Jacks shook his head. “I can tell you one thing though, having her on this last tour? Was not good for him. He needs to snap out of his funk.” Jacks dropped my leg and leaned back in his chair, patting his leg.

I looked back toward the house. Would Dylan see me? Should I care? I got up and climbed into Jacks’s lap, laying my head on his chest. “Landry needs counseling.”

His whole body went rigid at my words. “Why? What happened? Did she tell you something about her mom? Does she know she was here?”

I sat up, putting my hand on his pounding heart. “No. No, nothing like that. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just, I mean she was abandoned. She needs to work through all that stuff, you know? Not to mention the court hearings she’ll have to go to if you have to fight for her…”

He nodded. “Okay, yeah. We can find someone for her to talk to. Maybe your sister knows someone.”

It didn’t slip past me that he didn’t mention the hearings. Landry’s hard times weren’t quite over yet, and I knew that broke his heart. “We need to figure out where she’s at in school too. It’s obvious that Landry is brilliant, but I think it would be worth it to have her meet with a tutor a couple times a week as well. Make sure she is all caught up before school starts.” I leaned my head back, looking at the stars. “We need to have all this in place, we need to make sure the social workers and the courts see how good being here is for her. We can’t have them doubt you, even for a second.”

Jacks put his hand on my cheek. “Have I told you lately how amazing I think you are? How much I appreciate everything you are doing here for Landry?”

I smiled. “You have, but I would always be up for hearing it again. And can you add how hard I make you as well?”

He grabbed my hand and placed it on top of his rigid cock. “It’s difficult to walk since you’ve been in town.”

I giggled. “Well, you know, tonight is our second date.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Second base?”

I stood and headed toward the house, “Come on. One round of zombie killing: I win and you have to give me a massage.”

“And if I win?”

“I’ll be naked while you do it.”

He trailed after me. “I’m serious, I think you’re my soul mate.”





Chapter Nineteen

L. P. Maxa's Books