Page 147 of Second Sets Omnibus

“Five years,” I say with a shrug, focusing outside the window.

Rad gives a brief whimper, letting me know he’s still affected by her presence, too. I wasn’t the only one hopelessly in lovewith her. We all were. And she fucking decimated our hearts. Even after all these years and the betrayal of a lifetime, we’re hopeless.

The conversation ceases, and only our breathing can be heard through the large cabin as we sit in the first conversation we’ve really had in a long ass time. It’s hard to remember when it happened, but at some point, we fell apart. Right about the time Asher started retreating into himself and avoiding us at all costs was about the time Callum did the same. He barely speaks these days. Hell, he barely looks at us. And Rad…the poor, poor guy hasn’t lost himself in enough pussy to get over her yet. It’ll happen eventually, but I’m sure with her being our new boss, it won’t help one bit. One day, I’ll help him get over her and bring the rest of them back on board. Our band hasn’t felt like a family for years, but they’re the only ones I have. If I don’t have this band, then I don’t have shit.

Iron gates come into view with a large metal ‘W’ lining the entirety of the ornate metal. A guard shack, complete with a guard, who pokes his head out from the little window with an inspecting eye. His words to our driver are murmured through the separating glass, and his voice barely registers.

“A guard?” Rad raises his brows, eyeing the thin man nestled inside his office, complete with a small TV visible to us. A large badge displaying the name of ‘D&D Security’ clings to the upper arm of the dark blue uniform.

“What the hell does she need a guard for?” I snark as the gate opens wide, allowing us entry to the long, winding driveway. “Spoiled ass princess,” I mutter, sulking as I eye the guard who is already sitting back in his chair with a drink in hand, lazily scrolling through his phone—some guard he is.

As we make our way down the drive, a bright blue street sign confirms what I already guessed. We’re on Lyric Lane, heading to the house that will be our home for the next six months of hell.

Anticipation buzzes across my skin as we keep going, not seeing a home in sight. Grassy lands surround us, and to our right, a long beach with white-tipped waves greets my eyes. Jesus. West Records really went all out for this. We’re secluded. Maybe fifteen minutes fromWest Records offices.

I can still hear Gloria’s smug voice over the phone as she relayed the information on River’s little secret. Like I cared at that point. Still don’t. River can live the life she deserves far the fuck away from me. All I want is to fix the band. Not that we need it. We sold out shows last year. We packed the stadiums. Maybe we’ve had some mishaps and exposure to our mistakes, but we’ve always pushed through.

The limo comes to a stop in the short driveway of a simple two-story white mansion. There’s nothing particularly special about it. But what catches my eye when we pile out is the matching house across the street with an SUV in the driveway. The license plate reads RWest.

“Whoa, dude,” Rad says, turning in circles, admiring the luxurious view around us. “This is… Wow,” he settles on, looking around both properties in awe.

I sigh when my phone buzzes. Pulling it out of my pocket, I frown when her name flashes across the screen. Everything in me tenses, and I shake my head. Of course, she’d ask this today.

Gloria

I need some more money.

“Hello, boys,” comes a sultry voice from the garage as the door lifts, revealing River in a tight red dress with matching come-fuck-me heels. A scowl forms at the idea of her outfit change, going from completely professional to this. This… God. Even if I hate her, she’s fucking beautiful. “Welcome to your new home. If you’ll follow me, we have some rules to discuss.”

I swallow hard when her moss-green eyes connect with mine, and she tilts her head. Immediately, I look away, hiding the sadness resting in my soul every time I look in her direction, and snarl instead. If I can’t show the fucking hurt bleeding my heart dry, then I’ll turn to the rage I’ve felt since the moment I realized it was all true and punish the woman who crumbled my heart into a million pieces.

My heart can’t take another round with River West again.

“You seemto be under the impression that I know what you’re talking about. I didn’t know you had a kid, let alone Kieran’s baby. If we’d known…”

What the fuck does he mean he didn’t know?

Tears cascade down my cheeks at an unstoppable rate when I finally park in my driveway. Bone-crushing emotions surge through my body as his words repeat in my mind. Deep anguish grabs hold, sinking its claws deep into me, letting everything I’ve held in over the last five years out. Even if I wanted to stop the waterworks, I couldn’t. Not now. Placing my forehead against the steering wheel of my SUV, I allow myself a moment to grieve the fathers Lyric could have had.

Thankfully, Lyric is with her cousin tonight, because I don’t think I could hold it together with her here asking me questions like she did before. So, for now, I cry for all the things they missed out on and the family they could have had. I cry so I won’t cry when I pick Lyric up and bring her home. That’s thething about moms, we put on a brave face even when we’re drowning in misery.

The late-night feedings, diaper changes, and the quality time getting to know the men who could have raised her alongside me. Only, they didn’t. They walked out without a goodbye, leaving me to do it all by myself because it inconvenienced their chance at a better life. But what about mine? Where would I have been if Seger and Zepp hadn’t tracked me down and handed me more money than I knew what to do with?

Confusion swims in my foggy brain, making a groan escape my lips. Asher’s words reverberate in my mind, ping-ponging over and over again.

He acted like he didn’t have a clue Lyric existed, and he should have known. Shouldn’t he? Shouldn’t they all? I shake my head, second-guessing everything that happened. Gloria called them right in front of me. I heard her from the vacant living room of Callum’s old house. So, why did he act like he’d seen a ghost? Why was it such a damn shock that she was with me?

The way he gazed at Lyric with tears in his eyes and held her in his arms when she hugged him broke me in half. I will forever tattoo the scene in my thoughts. Through my efforts, Lyric holds strong feelings for each of these men after years of seeing their pictures and asking me about them.

What was I supposed to tell her? That they refused to acknowledge her? That she was a mess up, and they didn’t want her? Fuck no. I did what any good mom would do; I let her know them through photographs and music, letting her sing their songs at the top of her lungs. No matter how hard it hurt at the time. I told her stories of our times together and the adventures we had as a unit. Then came the ending of our union. It’s something I’ve kept hidden from her small ears. There’s no way I can break her heart like they broke mine. So, for her sake, I keep them on a shrine for her to worship.

“But where?” Lyric’s little lip pouts as she holds up a picture of Kieran, Asher, Callum, and Rad from some red-carpet event this past weekend on her tablet. Her big eyes zone in on their fancy suits and smiles on their faces.

“Ly,” I murmur, curling a piece of her dark hair behind her ears. “Sometimes parents aren’t ready to be parents. And your daddies weren’t ready to be that just yet.” It’s all I can manage to say to my broken-hearted daughter, who will never understand the magnitude of the betrayal that sits heavy on my heart.

“Do they not like me? I’ll be better! I won’t hit cousin Rome anymore. I promise. Just call all my daddies and tell them. I be good,” she says in a hurried tone, tinted with emotions.

Her big, mismatched eyes well up with tears and spill over onto her reddening cheeks, ripping my heart from my damn chest and splintering it into a million pieces. Sometimes I think I’m doing the wrong thing by telling her where she came from. I’m leaving her with these high expectations of four daddies who can’t be with her yet. Lord knows our relationship was unconventional. But I’m thankful everyday Lyric has Kaycee, Seger, Zeppelin, Chase, and Carter to round out her yearning for her fathers.