Say You're Mine (The Gallaghers Book 1) Page 2

  We were all sitting at the kitchen table in my apartment in the Bronx, enjoying three pizzas. Mine and Ian’s were with pepperoni, Dylan’s with salami, and it looked delicious.

  “You want a slice, don’t you?” he asked with a laugh.

  I grinned, nodding, and immediately took a piece. I couldn’t believe we were all together! Well, Josie wasn’t with us, because she’d given birth to the sweetest girl a few weeks ago. Sophie was absolutely adorable, and I was trying my best not to annoy my sis with too many calls or visits. I saw them last week at the Fourth of July celebration at their house, and although I’d love to see Sophie daily, I knew they needed their space too. Ever since I moved to New York, I was more protective of my sister than ever, even though she was older than me. I had no idea if it was because she was a mom now or because we’d spent so many years apart, but I wanted to pamper her all the time. So did her husband, Hunter.

  I was also close to Hunter’s family, the Winchester gang. His cousins had become very good friends of mine too: Skye, Tess, Ryker and especially Cole. He was married to my best friend, Laney. All of them treated me like I was one of their own, and I was super grateful for that, buuut I couldn’t deny that having my own brothers in New York made my heart happy in ways nothing else did.

  I kept checking the time on my phone, and my brothers didn’t miss it.

  “You need us to go, right?” Dylan asked.

  I smiled apologetically. “I do need some time to get ready.”

  “Way to make us feel special,” Ian teased. When they smiled, my brothers could almost pass as twins. They both had dark blond hair, but Ian’s eyes were blue whereas Dylan’s were like mine, a dark brown.

  “Aww, don’t be like that. You know I love you. I just don’t want to be late.”

  We ate quickly, and then I walked them both to the door, hugging them tightly. Yeah, I was a little clingy, but I’d lived in Philly and they’d lived in Washington for the past few years, so now that we were in the same city, I planned to hug them every chance I got.

  My apartment wasn’t big, and I’d schlepped all my furniture from my shared flat in Philly, but it had a lot of heart. It was mostly white or black IKEA furniture. My couch was dark blue, and I had several vintage carpets that matched the color. I’d hung three oil paintings I bought from street artists on the wall with the TV. It was called New York trio and depicted the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center.

  Between my sister and her husband’s extended family, I never felt alone here, even before Ian and Dylan moved to New York. They all embraced me, and in my first few months here, they dropped by constantly or asked me out so I wouldn’t feel alone. I was so lucky to have them all in my life.

  After they left, I headed straight to my bedroom. What does one wear when meeting up with a rock band for bowling? I took out my favorite “dress to impress” outfits before realizing I’d make a fool of myself. We were going bowling—not exactly the scene for cocktail dresses and heels. So instead I dressed in jeans, ballerina flats, and a yellow shirt that hung loose around me and exposed one shoulder. I pulled my hair in a ponytail so it wouldn’t get in the way of bowling and wore huge hoop earrings.

  I wasn’t even sure I wanted this assignment. I had plenty of clients who I saw at my private practice, and I also moonlighted as a tour guide once a week, both of which kept me very busy. In the beginning I needed the second job because I had to build up my business, and touring had turned out to be an easy way to earn money. Nowadays I had plenty of clients, but I still did the tours because I wanted to have a secondary income source. Besides, it was a lot of fun. I loved exploring New York, and I’d met a lot of interesting people over the last year. Being out and about in the city inspired me. I was always looking for new things to do, getting myself out of my comfort zone. I loved that about New York—it was the perfect place for someone like me, who didn’t quite fit in anywhere.

  The assignment for GreenFire would definitely take me out of my comfort zone, and I loved that. I had a master’s degree in counseling, specializing on familial relationships, and a second master’s degree in behavioral science. I put the second one to use by doing all sorts of research and behavioral analysis for companies. I’d never worked with a band before, but they clearly didn’t want to cooperate, and I didn’t want to waste my time. Even though their sinfully hot lead singer didn’t seem to have a problem with me. Holy shit, that man should come with a warning sign or ten! I thought he was gorgeous in the pictures I found after I looked up the band on the internet, but face-to-face, he was on a different level entirely. Everything from those hypnotizing green eyes to the scruff on his chin spelled trouble.

  Sexy trouble, but still trouble.

  He was so intense that I’d had a hard time making eye contact. That had never happened to me before, ever. But I’d had the uncanny feeling that he could read my every thought whenever I met his gaze, and I wasn’t used to it. I was usually the one doing the analyzing, interpreting body language, and so on. He was a force to be reckoned with, of that I was sure. Interesting to me was how his bandmates listened to him; even though they obviously disagreed, they respected Brayden’s judgment.

  But still, there were four guys in the band. I needed all of them to be cooperative, not just one. So while getting ready, I also read as many articles as I could find about each member of the band, anything that would give me some insight I could use to find an in with each of the guys.

  I Ubered to the address Sasha gave me on the Upper East Side. Fortunately, they were covering the bill, because taking a car from the Bronx to Manhattan would have cost me a bundle. I texted back and forth with my brothers on the way, also asking Josie for a few pics of Sophie. God, she was adorable.

  Soon enough, the car stopped in front of a large building. The entrance was a simple black door I would have overlooked if not for the two bouncers flanking it.

  They looked at my ID and checked a list before they let me in. Sasha told me the location would only allow in people on the guest list. After researching more of the band’s background, I realized they were extremely popular in the US and abroad, which explained all the security.

  Inside was a long hallway with silver-framed mirrors every few feet. There was a hostess too, in front of a small room to the side where patrons could leave jackets, but since it was warm outside, I hadn’t brought one. At the end of the corridor was a bar, along with a dozen or so bowling alleys. The room was very dark, with lights projecting on each alley. I liked the vibe they created. An eclectic mix of photos was hanging on the walls.

  The interior of the bar seemed completely empty at first glance, but then I spotted Sasha with a large group of people at the far end. I couldn’t believe they rented out the whole space for just the band and a few guests, but it made sense or else they’d get ambushed by fans.

  I wondered if being in the band was a lonely existence. They seemed a bit cut off from the world. I loved being out and about, traipsing around the city at a whim. I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like not being able to do so. I also noticed a few bodyguards, one of whom I recognized from this morning.

  “Isabelle, you made it,” Sasha exclaimed upon seeing me. “Let me introduce you to everyone. This is the team working behind the scenes for the band.”

  She went on to rattle off everyone’s name. I shook their hands politely, all the while feeling watched. After the last introduction, I looked over my shoulder and there he was, perched on a barstool, eyes trained on me. My whole body felt ablaze under Brayden’s gaze. How could he do that to me? No one had stirred my hormones like him.

  In the meeting room, he’d seemed intense and domineering, but here against the dark backdrop, that intensity was magnified. Something in his pose and jade eyes made me think he had a wild streak and was barely keeping it under wraps.

  The other guys were perched on the chairs next to him. Rolling my shoulders, I headed their way. If the
y didn’t warm up to me by the end of the evening, I would turn down the assignment and move on to something else. It would be hard to pass up this much cash, but I couldn’t work under conditions that were less than conducive.

  Brayden stood up, flashing me a devastating smile as he met me halfway to the bar. Everything about him was delicious. Even though I tried so hard to resist the urge to check him out when we met this morning, I did notice he was wearing the same shirt as earlier.

  But I wasn’t that strong now, and my eyes wandered.

  The dim lights worked in my favor. No one could possibly tell where exactly I was looking. Did I mention the man was simply delicious? He had an athletic body, with muscled arms and broad, strong shoulders. The T-shirt fit him perfectly, tight enough to highlight that he obviously put equal effort in his abs training. I couldn’t check out his butt, but I was sure the opportunity would arise later tonight.

  “Isabelle,” he said simply, leaning in to kiss my cheek, surprising the heck out of me. I sucked in a breath, overwhelmed by his sheer presence and his lips on my skin. He moved his mouth closer to my ear, whispering, “The boys promised to play nice. Don’t push their buttons... too much.”

  He pulled back, winking at me.

  “How about yours?” I teased. “May I push yours?”

  The corners of his mouth twitched. “You’re welcome to try. My reaction might... surprise you.”

  Holy shit, he even sounded sexy and dangerous! Of course it was why his voice was famous, since he had that raspy, rugged tone, but these words—this delicious warning—were just for me.

  He led me to the guys, who all stood up, shaking my hand. I took that as a good sign.

  “Well, let’s get the game started,” Lars said in a raised voice, clapping his hands.

  “What do you want to drink?” Brayden asked me while Lars gathered the troops. “They make excellent cocktails.”

  “Want to get me drunk this early in the evening?”

  “From a cocktail?”

  “I’m a lightweight.”

  “Good to know.” There he went with the dangerously sexy voice again, as if he somehow planned to use that information against me.

  “I’ll have a beer. That way I can keep my head in the game.”

  I smiled and turned to face the bar, ordering a Budweiser.

  “So how did you get the boys to promise they’d behave?” I asked while the bartender poured me a draft.

  “I have my ways. I can be very persuasive.”

  I had no doubt about that.

  “We all want what’s best for the band,” he added. “We just don’t always agree on what exactly is best.”

  “What do you think that is?”

  “I think it’s important to keep our fans happy. We owe that to them. But I also want to stay true to ourselves. We don’t change our music according to the whims of fans. I also don’t want us to pose as something we’re not.”

  “That’s very good to hear.” I appreciated that more than he knew. I didn’t like people who pretended to be something they weren’t just for appearances.

  “At first we interpreted what Sasha said as having to fake a certain type of image. But what she meant was simply showing the public more of us.”

  “Yes, exactly!”

  “But we’re not comfortable with sharing personal information.”

  “We’ll find the sweet spot. Something you don’t mind sharing that would make fans feel more connected to you. The question is what to show?” I narrowed my eyes, tilting my head playfully as I grabbed the glass of beer. “What secrets are you hiding, Brayden?”

  A smile played on his full lips. He leaned in a bit.

  “I’ll let you discover them. Much more fun, don’t you think? And worth your while.”

  “Hmm, true...” I was being coy and flirty, and I had no idea how to stop. It was impossible to think clearly with him so close.

  “By the end of the evening, I want you to tell me what you think.”

  “Demanding much?” I scoffed.

  “Very much.” His smile widened as he pulled back.

  Wow. I held his gaze even though this tension between us was growing thicker by the second. Could he feel it, or was I the only one? His bossy and flirty demeanor was incredibly attractive. I’d never met anyone so aware of his own sex appeal.

  I was sure part of it was the job and maybe it was now ingrained in his behavior, in the band’s image, but some of that had to be natural. He was magnetic, and he was drawing me in. I needed to be careful.

  “Brayden, Isabelle, come on. We’re starting,” Sasha called from the alleys.

  I twirled on the spot, heading in her direction, feeling him walk right behind me. We stopped in front of Sasha, and I let them know there was no way I was bowling—I was very bad at it. “I’m not playing, just observing.”

  “Band, behave,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument. Then he put an arm around my shoulders, his fingers brushing my bare shoulder blade. My skin lit up where he touched me, and that heat coiled slowly throughout my body. My nipples tightened and my throat dried up. I wanted this man.

  No, no. Down, girl.

  My body couldn’t react to him like this. It wasn’t possible.

  Sasha beamed, clearly happy that he was still on my side.

  “Perfect. Brayden, I’m on your team, along with Lars and Harvey,” she said.

  That was a relief. It meant I’d have plenty of time to talk to Brayden when it wasn’t his turn. I could also observe the others and draw conclusions. I’d read about them quite a lot this afternoon.

  What I knew so far was Brayden played the piano, Lars the guitar, Thomas the drums, and Harvey the violin and a number of other instruments. They were all thirty and had met at a party at NYU. Brayden, Lars, and Thomas were among the most sought out bachelors in the country. Thomas had been too, right until he got married. It wasn’t just their fame though. They were all gorgeous. Lars was tall, with deep blue eyes and jet-black hair. Harvey had piercing dark eyes and light blond hair. Thomas was the shortest of the group, but he still towered over me. All of them were tall, and it was clear they worked out often.

  Brayden and I sat at a booth a bit farther away from the rest of the group.

  “What do you like most about this life?” I asked.

  He answered without hesitation. “The music. I’d cut out everything else if I could. I don’t like public appearances.”

  “How about concerts?”

  “I like performing, but the concert tours themselves are insanely intense. It requires a lot of focus. I have zero time for any distractions during that time.”

  “Sounds grueling.” I was committing every detail to memory. I didn’t want to write it all down—it would make this look far too formal .

  “It is, but it comes with the territory. What made you become a counselor?”

  Even though this was business and not about me, I thought it might put him at ease if I answered, keeping this more informal and comfortable so I could learn more about him and the band.

  “No idea. I just always knew that’s what I wanted to do, ever since I was a kid. I always played the family’s counselor, trying to gauge what my siblings were up to based on body language and so on.” It was true. Dylan and Ian used to get mad at me for trying to interfere between them and our parents when they were fighting—I typically only made things worse. My brothers were quite cunning at getting out of trouble, and I accidentally ruined their plans on more than one occasion. I had to smile at the memories.

  “How many do you have?”

  “Three. Two brothers and one sister. My sister came to New York when I was still in middle school, and the boys stuck together even more after that. But I was determined to get in on their games and schemes. Do you have siblings?”

  I hadn’t found much information about his family, but given his fame, it was to be expected. There weren’t any personal details to find on any of the band members.

&nbs
p; “I’m an only child, but the guys are like my brothers.”

  I laughed. “I can see that. And you’ve got the big brother role? Keeping everyone in check?”

  “You could say that.”

  “Has it always been like this? This strong camaraderie?”

  “I think so.” He didn’t expand on that, which I thought meant he was avoiding me until I realized he was glancing over my shoulder at the game. “It’s my turn. Want to cheer me on?”

  He hopped out of the booth, and we walked over toward the others.

  “Yes. Make sure you win. Can’t have the guys thinking I bring bad luck.”

  “I always win,” he said, and that boyish charm appeared once again. “The secret to it all is in the moves. The positioning is important. You know...”

  I tuned out the rest, because my mind was already wandering down Dirty Lane, imagining all sorts of positions that had nothing to do with bowling.

  “Focus on cheering, Isabelle,” he whispered in my ear, sounding amused. Had he guessed where my mind just went?

  “I’m trying.”

  “Are you?”

  “Yes. Let’s see what you can do.”

  He failed spectacularly. The ball veered all the way to the right, bypassing all pins.

  Sasha gave us a thumbs-up, smiling good-naturedly. Brayden was smiling too, but there was something sexy about it. Tendrils of heat coiled around my body. I looked away, unable to keep eye contact for too long.

  Brayden focused on the game after that, and I didn’t press him with more questions. He did ask me to cheer for him again when it was his turn. Gutter balls. He lost again.

  I headed to one of the benches, needing a time-out. The testosterone was getting to me.

  To my surprise, Lars sat next to me.

  “Inviting you here was Brayden’s best idea,” he declared, grinning.

  It made me suspicious, and I had to ask, “Why are you so happy?”