Chapter one
Your words still serenade me,
And your lullaby’s, they won’t let me sleep
And I’ve never heard such a haunting melody
Oh, it’s killing me
You know I can barely breathe….
Three months ago…
Mya Dorian
I took my seat next to my brother, Cal, in the dining hall of the most extravagant building I had ever seen. The humanitarian assembly was honoring a good friend of my brother and his friends, Raleigh Fairchild, and his work in the LGBTQ community. I hadn’t known him long, but I loved him the second I met him. Our friendship grew from there.
I had grown up with my brothers’ friends as mine, Ral was an addition to that.
He was like a pseudo kid for Noah and his wife Bright, who happened to be my sister in-law’s BFF’s. I had moved home after college and my rich, Rockstar brother was kind enough to put me up in his guest house. He is the lead guitarist for the band, “Thick as Thieves,” known as TAT. Noah was the bass guitarist. The other two members were; Chad Blake, rhythm guitar and vocals, as well as Shamus James, the drummer.
They were family to me. I had known Chad and Shame since I was born. I met Noah when I was twelve and he joined their band. Being in the limelight was a new normal for me. I have met more musicians than most twenty-one-year old’s, but TAT made it big when I turned thirteen. TAT was the first band I saw live, from the side of the stage, as I watched in awe while my brother was thrust into the spot of coolest guy ever in my mind.
I would be leaving soon though. They bought a big mansion on the harbor and I was moving into my own apartment at the end of the month. Our big brother, Jace and his wife Krissy, offered to let me live there, but I needed my independence. Jace is in business with our dads’ firm. Cal and I were the artistic ones in the family. Cal lives, eats, and breathes music. I don’t have a single memory of him not pushing himself to be the best.
I dance. I started dancing around three and never stopped. I eat, breathe, and sleep dance. It has taken me all over the world. For two summers after school, I helped assist with choreography at CSU, my alma mater.
The members of TAT all stood to take the stage with a special guest, my bff and my brother’s protégé, Lexington Cherry. They were one of the twelve bands that were invited to play the benefit concert a week ago, as was Lex, and tonight they are doing a cover ofMacklemore’s, ‘Same Love’.
I watch as they clear out when Jenny, my sister in-law, excuses herself to go side stage and watch with everyone else. I had planned to go watch, as well to cheer on my two-favorite people, but my crush was at the table watching. I am nothing if not an opportunist.
Sam ‘Sully’ Sullivan….Swooooooon!
I met Sully when he moved to Gig Harbor to be close to Noah after his fiancé, Candey, died in a tragic car accident. Noah had fallen right off the cliff of self-hate, free-for-all, and Sully showed up to bring him back.
He is part owner of Paradox Ink Tattoo Parlor that he shares 50/50 with Noah. The shop was world renowned and they were booked out months in advance. Sully was seriously intimidating. He radiates cool in a way nobody could follow. He is covered in tattoos, from the top of his head to his toes, I am sure. He has these crazy huge gauges in his ears, his tongue is pierced, probably his nipples and dick too, though I will probably never know for sure.
I stare openly, unconcerned he would ever notice me. He has this weird graffiti looking tattoo that covers his jaw line. From a distance it looks like a beard, but up close you realize it is ink. That tattoo is what set him apart from the rest.
It isn’t the tattoos. Hell, both my arms are sleeved and I have a back piece. My brother, his friends, even my friends have tattoos, but nobody is as devoted to ink like Sully, other than Noah.
It is a part of him. Combined with his careless jeans and T-shirts style, I guarantee there is a different girl in his bed every night. Tonight though, he looks different. Like honestly, he is the only guy I know who can wear a three-piece Armani tux, with a black bandana on his head, and a black fedora over it.
Christ, it’s deadly how hot he is.
My brothers and friends tease me endlessly on my desire to tame a bad boy, but there is something about Sully that tells me he is a great man with a hellish burden on his shoulders.
My thoughts are interrupted when a text to my phone vibrates against the base of my champagne glass.
Tayla: You might be drooling.
I look toward the stage and roll my eyes at her. I hate being so obvious that she can see it from the side of the stage.
“Sully…” I stumble trying to find the right words to break the tension I feel when I’m alone with him. I feel it, but I doubt he does. I am probably not as memorable to him as he is to me. That is how crushes work though, they are toxic to the confidence.
I put my hand out even though he has met me a million times. There is still a chance he hasn’t acknowledged it. “I don’t know if you remember me. I am Mya Dorian.”
“I think so…” he says, rubbing that tattooed jaw as he tries to place me. Ugh, nothing worse than placing a memory of my teenage self.
