Where Lightning Strikes (Bleeding Stars #3)(7)

There I was, pacing in the direction of the man my every cell repelled and attracted.

A chill slid through my senses. A premonition. A warning that magnetism was greater than any resistance.

Like an aurora of dancing, captivating lights that turned out to be nothing but a black hole.

Consuming life and light.

Those near-black eyes caught mine, almost stopping me in my tracks as they glimmered with that same dark mischief, as if at any moment he would strike.

Reach out and take me in his grips.

Devour and destroy and desolate.

Refusing to cave, I lifted my chin in challenge. I just prayed he didn’t see the way it trembled.

I somehow managed to tear my gaze from the hook of his and turned it on my friend.

“Shea, I thought you’d given up your days at Charlie’s,” I tossed out like a tease as my lips stretched into a welcoming smile. With Shea, the truth of it was not so feigned.

The smile she returned was pure and relieved, and I knew without a doubt she was wearing it because Sebastian was back in town.

Shea came in for a hug, her baby bump prominent against my stomach.

Yeah. Shea Stone had to be about the cutest pregnant girl you’d ever meet, her six-month belly looking like she’d done nothing other than stuff a basketball under her dress.

No wonder Sebastian couldn’t stay away.

I stepped back, squeezing her hands as I glanced up at her husband who edged in behind her, hands flattening possessively over her bump.

I arched a brow his direction. “Ah…the infamous Sebastian Stone. What are you doing here? I thought Savannah was safe from the likes of you and your boys for at least another week. We should be ringing the town alarm.”

A playful smirk filled up his face. “Like my boys are any more dangerous than you.”

Ha. Not even close.

Apparently appearances were deceiving.

“Besides,” he continued, his voice going a little deeper as he kissed the side of Shea’s head, “couldn’t stay away a second longer.”

Shea’s smile lit up the entire darkened room. “He was waiting at the house when I got back after we did your final dress fitting. You should have seen Kallie’s face when she saw her daddy standing on the porch waiting for us. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that little butterfly get out of the car so fast.”

As rough as it’d been for both of them, Shea had returned to Savannah with her daughter two months ago, leaving Sebastian behind while Sunder finished up in the studio recording their latest album.

Sebastian chuckled, nuzzled at her neck. “Don’t think I’ve ever seen you get out of the car so fast, either.”

“Can you blame me?” she whispered back.

A fresh wave of awareness rippled out. Targeted. My body marked by crosshairs.

That intensity wrapped and circled and ensnared.

I shuddered out a breath and tried to remain strong. But there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t resist the power behind the stare I felt searing into my flesh.

That unsteady feeling trembled beneath my feet and hummed in my ears

My eyes flitted his direction.

Powerless.

Lyrik stood there looking at me, tattooed hands stuffed in his pockets. Everything about him was casual and unaffected. Yet striking and bold.

Severe and cruel and altogether aloof.

A damn enigma the very foolish side of me wanted to explore.

Layer by layer.

Touch by touch.

I swallowed around the rock sitting at the base of my throat.

I knew better than acting like a na?ve school girl.

He would come like a plunderer, swooping in and tearing everything in his path to shreds, setting the world on fire.

With zero regret.

Zero concern for the mayhem he caused.

Zero remorse for his sins.

He reveled in them.

Like I said.

Cruel.

Ash’s brash voice broke the tension. “Did any of you really think Baz was gonna hang tight in L.A. for two months after Shea and Kallie came back here? Dude was about to lose his shit. Slave driver had our asses in the studio nonstop for the last week to wrap things up so we could get back here sooner.”

He stretched out his tattooed arms. “Of course, since we’re talking about this group of badasses, wrapping up the album sooner was no problem. We make magic, baby.”

Ash Evans had to be one of the cockiest guys I’d ever crossed paths with. Scary thing was, it just made him all the more endearing, added to the charm that oozed from him without a thought, the guy all charisma and dimples and ego for miles.

And he was gorgeous.

Poor girls didn’t stand a chance.

But all that overconfidence? It was so different than Lyrik’s. Where Ash’s was friendly, Lyrik’s felt like a direct threat.

“So I take it you’re all here to celebrate. Let me grab some drinks.” My eyes bounced over each of them, a little quicker over Lyrik.

How obvious.

Just awesome.

“Everyone want their regular?” I asked.

“Sounds good to me, darlin’,” Ash was all too quick to supply. “But considering the magnitude of what we’re celebrating, make them doubles.”

“You do realize you always ask for doubles.”

He laughed. “Then make them triples.”