Page 43 of Hard Rock Sin

"We were just talking about how Noah is going to let up a little on his overprotectiveness."

Jen's face lit up. "I'm glad you talked some sense into him. He's been grumbling non-stop ever since you moved out."

"I never agreed to—" Noah started.

"I'm so glad that my brother has matured past his stubborn teenaged ways," I interjected. "It's so refreshing to see him act reasonable for once. Isn't it nice to know he can be rational and level-headed?" I turned to Jen. "How about we plan that spa date?"

I ignored the disgruntled look Noah threw my way. Jen and I chatted excitedly about our plans to get matching mani-pedis. It was almost unimaginable that my brother could end up with someone so sweet. She must have the patience of a saint.

"So how are your classes going?" Jen asked after we set a date and time.

"Pretty well. There's a lot of work," I admitted. "It feels like I'm up to my ears in reading and essays and assignments. In fact," I eyed my brother, "this is the first night of fun I've had since moving in."

"Why don't we try to find the gang?" Jen suggested. "You can finally meet the twins and August properly."

Jen linked arms with me and led me through the mansion, leaving Noah to follow behind us.

The party had gotten even crazier in the time I'd spent reasoning with my brother. The chatting had given way to shouting and hollering, the laughter turning into a hysterical uproar.

"I thought that only happened in movies?" I pointed to a young skinny guy with dreadlocks swinging from a chandelier.

"You're lucky if that's the craziest thing you see all night," Jen said.

The music echoing from the speakers embedded in every wall stopped abruptly. A booming voice replaced it, ringing throughout the house.

"Listen up, ladies and gents!" The rabid glee in that voice was unmistakable. Cameron. "It's scavenger hunt time!"

A chorus of cheers swelled up as drinks were raised in a toast.

"Task number one: Find me a drinking straw in the shape of a dick."

Noah grunted. "Fucking typical."

"I thought those things were only for bachelorette parties," I mused.

"You know the rules," Cameron continued. "First person to bring one to the bouncer waiting at the front door gets a point. The person with the most points at the end of the night wins."

The cheers amplified to a fever pitch as dozens of people ran off in a mad dash to either find the item in question, or give it over if they already had one in their hand.

"What do they win?" I asked.

"Whatever they want," Jen explained. "Cameron likes to grant wishes."

"Like he's a goddamn fairy godmother." Noah's voice held a tinge of long-suffering.

"What if they wish for something crazy?" I asked. "Like their own private jet or whatever?"

"Someone once asked for a helicopter. Cameron delivered."

How much money did this guy have, that he could afford to throw it all away?

"Most people ask for reasonable stuff," Jen said. "VIP backstage pass tickets for them and their friends. Or for him to pass along their demo tape to our record label. Maybe a private performance at their house."

"And the guys go along with it?"

"August says to let Cameron have his fun, as long as it doesn't inconvenience us." The sour expression on my brother's face told me what he thought about that.

"Cameron likes to make people happy." Jen rubbed a consoling path up and down my brother's arm. "His methods are just… unorthodox."