Page 170 of Second Sets Omnibus

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my whole damn life. And even though I’m all wined up, my bravery is dwindling.

It all startedthis morning as I pulled out of the driveway with Lyric in the back seat, chatting away as we began our adventure to school. It was at that moment, as I exited the gate and waved to the guard, that Asher emerged on the side of the road. Sweat dripped from every inch of his body as he huffed and puffed, bending at the waist to catch his breath. The moment our eyes connected; a flush worked its way up my neck.

Memories of our night on the dining room table emerge from the darkness, taking hold. The ghost of his dirty mouth wrapping around my clit has my damn pussy throbbing. Having these sorts of thoughts about any of them is just bad for my health. Back then, I went into our relationship with sex on my mind. They were a good time, and then, it all got real for me. Way too real.

Then they vanished like the dickless pricks they are. If history has taught me anything, it’s that no matter what these boys say, I should stay the fuck away and keep my pussy, heart, and ass to myself. I groan, thinking back to when I was forced tohalt our drive so my beautiful daughter could lure her daddy into the car with one simple smile.

“Mommy, stop!” Lyric screeches from the backseat, sending my heart into a damn frenzy.

Slamming on the brakes, I whip my head in her direction as she rolls down her window with a happy squeak. Fuck. I forgot about the damn window locks again. I grit my teeth when she grins in Asher’s direction, who falls for her trap. Peering into the car with a smirk, he leans his bulging forearms through the open window.

“Daddy! I’m going to school!” Lyric says with a toothy smile, peering up at Asher as he pokes his head in and places a quick kiss on her forehead. Lyric’s tiny hand immediately reaches for him, squeezing his arm with excitement. “Can you come with me? Please?” she asks with the biggest, roundest, and most pleading eyes I’ve ever seen. Puppy dog eyes, be damned. Lyric wins every damn time. It’s so hard to tell her no, but I’ve had some practice. Asher? Not so much.

“Ly, Daddy probably doesn’t have time,” I say softly. Immediately, her face falls, and her grin disappears, replaced by a pout.

“Please, Mommy? I want all my daddies to see my school,” she says in a little, pleading voice on the verge of begging.

Asher chuckles, turning his gaze to my narrowed eyes. “Well, Little One. That’s up to your momma.”

“Please, Mommy! Please! I want Daddy to see my school and meet my friends!” she insists again, folding her hands together until I’m huffing and unlocking the door.

“Sure,” I say, smiling at her while dying a little on the inside.

The door slams with a thud, and Asher’s half-naked body rests against my leather seat. His manly musk fills the air.

“Daddy, I can’t wait for you to meet my friends! There’s Maggie and Kaitlyn and Dorothy and Connor.”

“Connor?” Asher’s head whips toward her, and she freezes, pursing her lips.

“Yeah, my boyfriend, Connor. He says…” Asher cuts her off, putting a hand in the air.

“My daughter has a boyfriend?” he asks in a low voice, raising his eyebrows at me.

I huff, pushing the accelerator. “It seems to be that way,” I say with a shrug.

“He’s nice, Daddy. He got me a flower!” she says happily, blabbering on more about school and her friends.

As soon as Lyric jumps out of the car in the pickup line, Asher’s gaze turns to me in all his half-naked glory.

“Expect me tomorrow,” he says with a smirk. “I can even buy you some of your favorite coffee from your favorite barista.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” I grumble, pulling out of the line with one last wave to Lyric as she holds her teacher’s hand.

I glare in the direction of the house across the street as if it’s the cause of all my problems. Because, well—it is. They are, I should say. They’re sick, evil bastards who marched their way back into my life and give me so many damn emotions. I’m trying my hardest to be patient as they meet Lyric and bond with her. Lyric deserves to know who helped create her, even if they are jackasses.

Heaving a sigh, I grab the copies of the contract I promised them and make my way across the street, dragging my feet. Today’s the day the boys find out what exactly I have in store for them. Our time together won’t be fucking daisies. Happy Monday, boys. Your nightmare is about to walk through the door.

As I smooth out my form-fitting black lace tank top and pull my hip-hugging jeans up, I brace myself for the real test. For the last few days, we’ve danced around each other. They’ve testedthe boundaries of the contract like I knew they would. Now the real work begins. Much like a sergeant, I’m about to tear them down to bare bones and build them back into the rock stars they were before. It’ll be hard and somewhat complicated, but I believe they can do it. If they put their heads down, get to work, and obey my commands, we won’t have a problem.

Like that’s going to fucking happen.

With one last look around the scenery, I let the ocean waves take me over and calm everything inside of me. Without knocking, I use my key and enter the silent band house. Nothing stirs around me as I walk on light feet through the abandoned living room filled with the sunlight beaming in from the tall windows. My eyes narrow when I walk down the stairs into the basement. There by his lonesome, Callum sits on the couch with his bass in hand, listening closely as he tunes it.

His gray eyes widen, taking all of me in as a familiar blush pinkens his cheeks.

“I take it everyone else is still sleeping,” I question, raising a brow.

Callum clears his throat giving me a stiff nod. “Yeah-yeah.” He swallows the lump in his throat, quickly averting his gaze toward the ground. “I haven’t heard a peep from them this morning,” he says softly, reminding me of the boy I knew before.