wrong. Why?
Serena Blackwood.
She insisted on writing all the songs herself without help or input. Any suggestion that she tweak her lyrics resulted in her yelling, throwing something, or storming out. Most times all three.
If I had my way, I wouldn’t have to deal with her at all. But I didn’t have my way. Serena had hers.
She would deal with no one else but me. I had to hold her hand, talk her down, listen to her new material, and sit in on every recording session. All of this was in my job description, but it wasn’t supposed to be for one band. Serena changed that.
Once she confirmed my father was the owner of the label. She declared she wanted my full attention and support. Then Beyond Berlin’s album blew sale expectations out of the water and she had the clout to bend Bianca into giving her what she wanted—me.
I’ve missed too much this summer. I promised Val I’d be there on their first day, seeing Adam off to kindergarten. I punched the dash, frustration welling up on a tide of exhaustion, anger, and something else.
Val and I haven’t had sex for three fucking weeks. Letting her down again won’t help me change that. I just don’t get it. I set an alarm!
I bent the speed limit to the breaking point.
Seven fifty.
Val and the guys would already be at the school with Adam.
Zipping in their parking lot faster than was safe, I squealed into a parking space and tumbled out of the car.
“Sir? Sir?”
I ignored the woman in the bright orange vest and burst inside the elementary school. Bulletin boards covered in garish designs streaked past me as I searched for Adam’s class.
“—good day at school, baby.”
Val.
I rounded the corner and there they were. Val bent over, peppering Adam with kisses and he giggled the whole way through. I mentioned once or twice that he was in serious danger of becoming a mama’s boy and got whacked upside the head for my trouble.
“Adam,” I called.
The little boy beamed. Every day he grew more into his mother’s looks. His mop of soft curls sprouted wild and untamed, and his green eyes lit up like Christmas trees when he saw me—a consequence of him not seeing me often enough.
“Jaxson! You’re here.”
I knelt down, slightly out of breath, and hugged him. “Hey, little man. Didn’t think I’d miss your big day, did you?”
“No,” he said confidently.
“Okay, everyone.” A man stepped out of the classroom, addressing those giving their kids a last goodbye. “It’s time to start class.”
I pressed my forehead against Adam’s. “You have fun. And make sure those kids know your dads are cooler than their dads.”
“I will.”
“Jaxson,” Val reprimanded. “Adam, be nice and have a good day.”
Adam took his teacher’s hand. “Bye, Mommy. Bye, Daddies.”
I moved next to Val as we waved him off. “I swear I set an alarm,” I said out of the corner of my mouth. “I don’t know what happened.”
“You almost missed Adam’s first day of school is what happened.” The chill coming off of her filled my bones. Oh yeah, we wouldn’t be breaking the three-week dry spell tonight.
“I’m sorry, Val. I—”
“Let me guess. Serena.”
I glanced to the side. Maverick, Ezra, and Ryder were pretending not to listen and therefore making it obvious that they were. I gripped Val at her crossed elbows and drew her to the side. She stared at a bulletin board collage of Adam and his classmates’ names rather than look at me.
“We stayed up narrowing down the song selection for the new album,” I said. “I fell asleep. I’m sorry, baby.”
“That’s the second time this week and the sixth time this month. I thought your dad hired another assistant. Why do you have to take on everything?”
“Because Serena—” we said at the same time.
She scoffed. “I knew it.”
Red stained her porcelain cheeks. Pointed away from me, twin lily pads boiled in their milky lake. Her pink, bee-stung lips were pinched tight. Steaming mad and she was still the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen. But then, this was the picture I fell in love with. Pissed and irritated with the brash idiot who called her baby and broke into her personal space.
I laced her fingers through mine and brought them to my lips. “No Serena,” I said softly. “Not tonight. I’m taking the day off and spending it with you.”
Val blinked. The lines around her mouth softened. “Really? But... I have class.”
“I don’t care. I’ll wait outside for you. We’ll have lunch