Page 64 of Second Sets Omnibus

“What the?” Asher stops at the threshold, glaring at the four of us in bed. “So, this is what you guys did all day?”

Rad scoffs. “I won eight hundred bucks at the races all because of my good luck charm. Now, get off me,” he grunts, shoving me away from the warmth of River, who groans into his pillow. Rad glares at me the entire time he rifles through his closet, throwing on a shirt over his naked body, glaring more when he picks out a long shirt for River and throws it at her when she sits up without shame, catching it and putting it over her head.

“Band meeting,” Asher announces in a sharp voice. “We’ve got some business to discuss.” His eyes narrow on River, who wrestles to put on a long shirt she’s in, securing it over her ass when she sits on the edge of the bed with a scowl. Blinking wildly, she looks around the room, meeting Asher’s eyes.

Callum and Rad reluctantly peel themselves from the bed, knowing Asher means business when he barks orders. Without hesitation, Rad and Callum get dressed, throwing on comfortable clothes.

“Here,” Callum mutters, handing River a long pair of sweatpants from his drawer.

She murmurs thanks, pulling them up and securing the pants around her slim waist. Seeing their half-naked bodies and her wearing their clothes sends jealousy through me again.

Fuck.

That should be my shirt and my sweatpants. It should have been my hands all over her. I shake my head, tamping down the green monster threatening to burst through my skin. There’s no room for jealousy between us. I haven’t asked River to be only mine. Not that I could now. The way Rad grins at her when she tosses her hair into a messy bun and frowns at our existence has his eyes lighting up, and he’s as obsessed as I am. His whole face screams joy and happiness, and I couldn’t take that away from him. Or Callum. His entire being vibrates and simultaneouslybursts with red cheeks. He’s absolutely smitten by her. Just like I am.

River isn’t just mine, no matter how badly I wish she were. She’s ours.

Asher stands rigid in the living room, watching us as we make our way into the room. River shuffles in behind us, mumbling something about coffee and possibly stabbing us.

“I’ll get you some,” Callum offers, squeezing her hand before heading into the kitchen and heating a cup of coffee. If I asked, he’d tell me to fuck right off and shoo me from the kitchen. But with her? He fucking lights up, pouring the cup.

I smirk when she hums into the warm mug sitting in the middle of the couch. Sighing, she sips her coffee as we all crowd around her, sitting on either side—Rad on her left and me on her right. Callum sits at the other end of the couch, keeping a distance from us. But his eyes don’t stray from her for too long.

“Can we do this now?” Asher growls, pulling his phone from his pocket.

“Someone grab the salt and draw a circle around him,” River mumbles into her cup, watching Asher with a mischievous spark lighting up her eyes.

His eyes snap in her direction, but he shakes his head, thinking better of saying anything.

“So, what’s going on, boss?” Rad asks, sitting back on the couch with a sigh.

“We have an opportunity,” I say, taking the reins of the conversation.

“Go on,” Callum softly says, rolling his wrist for me to continue.

“West Records is holding the Battle of the Bands at the KC Club,” Asher announces, opening a checklist he created on his phone.

The room falls into silence. Even River stiffens between us, eyeing our every move.

“It’s an application process, and only five applications will be selected. They invited the rest of the bands to compete. So, it’s stiff competition. All we have to do is have certain things checked off, and then we can submit our application through their website,” I say, leaning my elbows on my knees.

“We need more live shows,” Asher says, staring down at his phone. “We need to record a few songs and have them available on the Dot…”

“Like Sorcha does?” River asks, tilting her head to the side.

Asher’s calm eyes find hers, and he nods. “Exactly like she does. We have to figure out how to digitally get our music on there.”

“First, we have to figure out how to record the shit,” Rad mumbles, running a hand through his hair before dropping his head back. “There aren’t many recording studios in a hundred-mile radius, let alone one that’ll let us do it for cheap.” He shakes his head and worries his lip. “Maybe…”

“Um, Central City Community College has a recording studio. It’s part of the music business associates program,” River says, looking around the room warily. “I know a guy.” My ears instantly perk up at ‘know a guy,’ and my fingers curl in my lap, more jealousy running through my veins, ready to attack this so-called guy.

“Know a guy?” Rad asks, raising his head to meet her gaze. I snort because he beat me to it. The same jealousy sparks in his eyes, and images of us pounding our fists into the guy I don’t even know has a smirk pulling at my lips. Oh yes, we’d pummel him into next week for even thinking about talking to River. Shit. We’re hopeless and semi-toxic.

She instantly rolls her eyes and takes a sip of coffee. “Yeah, as in, I know a guy. Like we went to high school with him, andhe’s the student head of that department right now. Meaning we need that guy to rent time to get to the studio. Meaning, you can’t kick his ass or whatever meat-headed ideas you have running through your caveman brains,” she says, shaking her head.

“Pretty Girl, I’m offended you would even consider me a meathead. I wasn’t…” Rad says with his hand on his chest.

“I see it in your eyes, Assface,” she grumbles, shimmying out from between our bodies. I almost don’t let her go but grin when she plunks down on Callum’s lap, and he engulfs her with his arms. “I’ll be with my new favorite over here until you two decide to play nice.”