Claiming Addison (35 page)

“Hey, she doing better?”

He nods. “I think we hashed it out.”

“So what was that all about?” I ask. I wanted to go in after her, but he said that this was his mistake and he needed to make it right.

“She feels overwhelmed, rightfully so, about you and me, us. All the clothes, and buying of stuff just made it that much harder for her to handle so she lost it. We talked, she explained where she is coming from in regards to the gifts and it boiled down to her independence and her own insecurities regarding relationships. Then I told her my story.”

“Which part?”

“The part about my mom, how she used to sneak me stuff and never said she loved me. It seemed appropriate because I know deep down that’s why I did what I did today. I have no other point of reference to telling someone that I care about them.”

I slouch back on the couch and Talon comes to sit next to me. He puts his hand on my leg and I shiver with excitement. “So, did you do this because you love her?” I ask him. I’m surprised when he doesn’t flinch or deny it.

“Honestly, I don’t know what I’m feeling, but it’s strange and euphoric in a way. Being with her and you, it’s like everything else melts away. The drama with the band, life in general, it just doesn’t seem to matter to me anymore, you know?”

I sigh, “Yeah, Talon, I do.”

“What about you?” he asks me.

I pop my head up off of the couch. “I think so,” I breathe. “I’ve never met anyone like her before. I want nothing more than to get to know her better, you know? But yet I’m scared to death of pushing her too far. Pushing you too far and then this whole thing just pops and fizzles out. I guess being afraid is a good thing, it means something, right?”

I feel Talon’s hand squeeze on my thigh and I look at it. Talon and I have been close before, sometimes too close, but this is something else entirely. Knowing what I know now about my feelings for Addison, I understand better why Talon was always so important to me before all this craziness. There has always been something about him, something that drew me in without a second thought. But it wasn’t love or lust or even a desire to be with him, but something was always there, under the surface and now, I think I know what it was.

“Do you ever feel like destiny is taking over your life?” I ask, letting my head fall back on the couch.

Talon laughs, as I expected him to. “Depends on what you mean.”

“Without sounding like a total sap? I’m not sure that’s possible.”

“Try me,” he says, completely serious.

“When I met you back in college, something drew me to you. Now before you go all ‘you’ve had the hots for me for years’ that’s not what I mean.”

“I know what you mean without all the ‘hots for you’ shit,” he says, still serious but there is a lightness in his tone.

“I thought that my meeting you was just to get you and Dex together to form a band; to take it on the road, kick ass and take some names. But now I’m starting to wonder if that was just a step in the ladder of this journey.”

“Yeah, you totally sound like a sap.” I feel the couch shift and I look at him. He looks at me. “But I agree with you.”

We’re so close and the drive to kiss him spikes, but I refrain. Despite all the touchy feely between the three of us, especially between Talon and I, I’m not quite sure how he feels about it all. Sometimes I wonder if my excitement has pushed him too far too fast, and then he does things like last night where he just starts sucking my cock out of nowhere. Then I often wonder if it’s Addison’s doing.

“She’s a very courageous woman,” I say.

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, think about it. She’s like a magnet. She pulled us into her, both of us. Then you and I decide, without even knowing what could have happened, that we couldn’t fight over her. We equally decided that not making her choose meant that we had to find a way to make it work with the three of us. Sure, sexually wouldn’t have been an issue, we’ve shared chicks before, but it’s one thing to share one chick for one night. We’ve found it within ourselves to make this work. Top that off with the fact that she puts up with us and our shit. Then she goes about encouraging us in ways neither of us ever thought or expected to find we were capable of. I mean, hell, we would not have bought some of the shit we bought today without her encouragement whether she was there or not.” I sit up and turn toward him. “I mean it. She’s the one bringing us together and I’m sorry, that takes guts.”

Talon laughs. “I think, eventually, something like this might have happened between us, with or without a woman.”

I cock my head at him. “What do you mean?”

“Oh come on, how many woman have we shared without touching each other? How many times have we done stupid shit like that and not thought about doing something to the other.” I try and follow his logic and he catches my confusion. “You mean to tell me, with all the chicks we’ve shared, you’ve never once thought about what my dick would feel like in your mouth or up your ass?” And just like that, crass ass Talon is back.

“No, I’ve thought about it more times than I care to count,” I grumble.

“Me too,” he says with such conviction that it’s almost scary. In truth, I think we’ve reached a point between Talon and I that all bets are off. Things will continue to change between him and me as we wrap Addison up in the cocoon of what we have to offer her. She wants it, she craves it just like we do, she just has the balls to step forward and make it happen.

“I don’t think I can ever give you or her up,” Talon whispers. “We’ve claimed her and I never intend to let her go.”

I settle back against the couch, taking a deep breath that for the first time makes me feel freer than I’ve ever felt in my entire life. We’ve claimed her as our own, and in the process, we’re claiming each other. “With her, the world is brighter, the colors more vibrant. She’s ours,” I breathe.

It’s about an hour and a half later and nearly time to go when Addison finally comes out of the bedroom. Talon and I took the liberty of getting dressed in our respective bedrooms, though we haven’t slept in them since our arrival Sunday night. Talon is wearing his usual get up of jeans, shit kickers, and a leather vest. Only difference, he’s wearing black instead of white for his t-shirt but like always, he looks hot.

I am wearing jeans, a royal blue button down, open at the collar, sleeves rolled up to my elbows and a black undershirt.

“Why aren’t you dressed?” I hear Talon ask Addison. I turn around to see her hair and make-up are done very nicely. Her hair is pulled back, but it’s curly in the back. Her make-up is lighter than she normally wears it, but all she is wearing is a robe.

She laughs. “You never brought in my clothes for tonight. Where’s my outfit?” She pouts at him, I laugh and point to the wall behind her. Hanging there is her new purple top and the black skinny jeans, on the floor below it are the Louboutin shoes we got to match. “Oh. Okay, give me five minutes and I’ll be ready to go.”

“About time,” I tease and she turns around sticking her tongue out at me.

“You can’t rush perfection, you know.”

Be still my beating heart. “Honey, you were perfect an hour and half ago, now you’re just fucking gorgeous,” I tell her and she blushes.

“Now move,” Talon teases her and she scoots into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Talon turns to me. “Did you know she’d take this long?”

I snort. “Don’t all women?”

He shrugs. “Probably, they’re usually all done up when I get around to ‘em.”

I nod. “This is true. You look great, by the way.”

He looks at me and gives me that sultry look that makes Addison’s panties melt. “So do you,” he says.

“I’m not the one you need to be seducing, you know?”

He laughs. “Is it working?”

“Uh yeah!” I tell him and go back to checking my emails. “It’s official,” I say and he looks at me.

“What’s that?”

“As far as the label is concerned, Addison is my new ‘assistant’-” Yes, I used the air quotes, don’t judge me “-which basically means that we don’t have to bring in another unknown. They said they’d rather deal with her as an assistant than run the risk of another incident, which they’re pissed about by the way.”

“Did you explain the circumstances?”

“I did, but you know David, it doesn’t matter. At first he was pissed at Addison for what happened, assumed that she didn’t do her job. Which of course I explained, anyway, the point is, she’s my new assistant as well as doing the job she came here to do.”

“Is that gonna be too much on her?” he asks.

I snort. “No, she’s already doing it and what little Kate did on show nights can honestly be covered either by myself or by Eddie. It’s not a big deal, though Eddie might want more money.” I laugh.

“We don’t pay Eddie now.”

“That’s my point. Thought it might be something to discuss with the guys. Eddie busts his ass around the venues. Might want to make it official.”

“Yeah, okay, I’ll think about it. Anything else?” he asks, which is what I was waiting for.

“I don’t know whether to tell you now or wait for Addison.”

He gives me that look like I’ve lost my mind and I know I have because that’s hot. “Well, you seem to be better at convincing her than I can. So I’ll tell you then you can tell her.”

“Tell me what.” Busted.

“Nothing.” I look up and fall to my knees, yes, I’m being dramatic, but fuck me.

“Fuck me!” Talon breathes harshly.

Addison blushes but does a twirl around and I blink rapidly.

“You’re damn lucky we have to go,” I growl at her.

She’s wearing the open back purple number, skin tight black skinny jeans accented by the purple Louboutins. “Come on, it’s not that…”

“Shut up,” Talon growls playfully at her. “You’re fucking gorgeous.” He turns to me. “We need to get out of here before we rip that off of her.”

“Down, boys,” she says very commandingly and something about the way she does it is very settling to me. Talon too. “So what are you not telling me?” She looks very pointedly at me.

I can’t deny her anything. “They want 69 Bottles in New York the day after the Boston show.”

“We’re already going to be there for a week.” She scrunches her eyebrows at me, puzzled.

“Yes, but we have Sunday through the first show on Thursday as down time, it is the only significant down time we have until the tenth week. Which is being cut short by Denver.”

“So why New York?” Talon asks, moving me along.

“Because they refuse to wait any longer than that to put the two of you in the studio for ‘Your Eyes’.”

“No fucking way,” Talon balks with excitement.

Addison rolls her eyes. “They’re never going to give up, are they?”

“Hey, you should be lucky they’re letting you wait that long.”

“Why?” She asks.

“Because ‘Your Eyes’ is currently sitting at number one on Billboard,” I say with a big ass fucking grin on my face. Talon on the other hand is stunned stiff. Addison collapses onto the couch in front of her desk.

“I bet they’re disappointed it’s only Talon singing,” she teases.

I smile. “Probably, which is why the label wants you in the studio as soon as possible. They’re emailing a contract to Cami, I have no doubt that she will discuss it with you tonight.” She nods her understanding and we both stare at Talon who hasn’t moved.

“Hey, big man.” Addison says getting up from the couch and going to stand in front of him. “Hey there,” she says when she falls into his line of sight. “You with me?” She waits for a reply and doesn’t get one. “Talon, baby, look at me.” I watch his eyes shift. “Hi there, big guy. How you doing?”

“I, fuck, did he really just say what I thought he said?” Talon squeezes out on one breath.

“Which part, baby? The recording or the Billboard ranking?”

“Billboard.”

“Yes, Talon. 69 Bottles has a number one hit.”

Just like that he unfreezes, scooping her up into his arms, wrapping them tightly around her midsection. She winces in pain because he’s got her right on the ribs. “Ow! Baby, you’re amazing and I’m so proud of you, but ow.”

“Shit shit shit, I’m sorry, I, fuck, are you okay?” He looks so flustered, a first for Talon.