“You don’t have to be a musician to have a poet’s soul.” My head tilted. “Breaker, right?”
He nodded.
“Kady just told me how desperate she is to go to LA,” I pointed out. “She has a poet’s soul but also a courageous one. She wants to live her life on her terms.”
“We’ve been approached by her music teacher. Kadence is gifted; she can look at a sheet of music and know it by heart, and she can hear a song and immediately play it by ear perfectly. I don’t doubt her talent, but I worry those LA sharks will chew my baby up and spit her out. Want her to have a childhood and go to college, and experience all the normal rites of passage she should. LA will still be there after, and if she’s as good as they think, she’ll make it.”
“Yeah.” I nudged his shoulder with mine. “And luckily, now Kady knows someone who has a house on Malibu Beach where she can stay while she’s auditioning and making connections. Someone who knows a lot of people in the business who’ll look outfor her and guide her right. Plus, she has Noah Hart, who’s like a brother to her and who’ll wring the neck of anyone who tries to take advantage. She’ll be okay.”
He dipped his chin, holding my eyes. “Thank you.”
“If Talia hears Kady play as well as you say she does, she’ll go after her,” I warned him. “It may feel soon for you, but Tally will respect your wishes and just keep her finger on the pulse with Kady for now. She’s a great manager. She’s trying to build her agency and wants to gather real talent and make sure they’re supported in the right way.”
He jerked his chin toward Tally, who was whooping it up with Tristan and Heather to the music. “You mean the ballbuster who nearly made Rockabye cry?”
I grinned. “That’s her.”
His shoulders visibly relaxed. “Kady could do worse.”
I took a big swig of my drink. “These cocktails are fuckingawesome.”
“Fucking lethal more like. Kitten’s wasted, and she can handle her booze.”
“She’s a great dancer,” I told him, glancing at her enviously as she strutted around with Anna and Tristan, shaking her ass.
“She was dancing the first time I ever saw her,” he murmured, his eyes taking in his woman and softening so beautifully that it made my heart tug. “I was a young soldier on leave before I had to deploy to Afghanistan. She was a Vegas stripper; the best one in town and the headlining act. I saw her show, and she blew my mind. Then, I met her at an all-night diner where we talked for hours, and afterwards I took her up a mountain to see the sun rise over Vegas.” Emotion filled his face, and there and then I saw the poet’s soul shining from his eyes. “I’ve loved her ever since.”
The back of my throat burned, and I croaked, “You just inspired me.”
His gaze fell over my shoulder, and he nodded in the same direction. “Boys are back in town.”
I glanced over my shoulder to see Jacob with Hendrix and the other officers sauntering through the doors from reception.
Jake spotted me immediately and made a beeline for us. He grabbed my hand and tugged me close, and bent his neck for a kiss, murmuring, “You okay?”
“I’m great,” I assured him softly. “Gopher created a cocktail for us.”
His stare fell on Kennedy and Sophie, who were doubled over laughing at something hysterically, and he grinned. “So I see.”
“I’m a little drunk.”
His eyes darkened slightly, and a wolfish grin fell over his face. “Excellent.”
“I may have told Kady that me and the boys would jam with her, Hendrix, and anyone else with a guitar.”
He threw his head back and laughed, and in that moment, I loved him with all my poet’s soul, and I knew I always would.
Jacob’s eyes fell back on me, and he dipped his chin to look deep into my eyes. “Can’t wait.”
I smoothed his hair back from his face, wondering how I had never realized how dark my life was before him. He lit me up completely.
“I love you,” I whispered.
He grinned. “How much?”
I smoothed my fingers over his dark blond brow. “If you can’t see I love you soul deep, then you’re not paying attention.”
His smile faltered, and he rasped, “Baby,” before bending his neck again and softly touching his mouth to mine. He lifted his head. “Where’s your boys?”
