Taking a seat on the couch, I get comfortable and watch the boys. “Don’t you guys ever get tired of this game?” I toss a magazine at Ryan as he shushes me. “And I thought you had a client coming in? It’s been over forty minutes.”
“I do.” Ryan looks down at his watch and stands up. “He should be here any second, actually. This dude is always on time.”
“So, he’s finally back, huh?” Ace asks while standing up from his chair and walking over to sit on the couch, placing my legs over his lap. “It’s been what . . . like almost six years?”
“Yeah, man. Pretty fucked up shit if you ask me.” Ryan looks to me and lifts an eyebrow. “You might want to stay away from my client. He’s dangerous; very dangerous.” He smirks and wiggles his brows in a flirtatious way. “But I’ll protect you.”
“Who’s dangerous?” A deep voice interrupts the banter between us.
Not just any deep voice. Memphis . . .
My heart skips a beat.
He looks down at my legs over Ace’s lap and grinds his jaw before looking over at Ryan.
“Holy shit, dude.” Ryan grabs Memphis’ hand in some kind of man hold and pulls him in for a one-armed hug. “Damn, you’ve gotten big, man. Ready to tear some shit up in the alley?”
Memphis shakes his head as they pull away from the hug. “Nah, man. I’m done.” He looks down at Ace and I on the couch again as Ace reaches up to shake his hand.
“Everything good, man? Nice to finally see your ass again,” Ace says with a grin. “Looking good, bro.”
Memphis just nods his head, his jaw slightly steeled as his eyes meet mine. “Lyric.” He greets me. “What are you doing here?”
Ryan scrunches up his forehead and looks between the two of us. “How the hell do you two know each other?”
“He’s my neighbor,” I respond.
“She’s got my jacket,” he says with a slight grin.
“Well you didn’t ask for it back.”
“It was obvious you needed it more than I did.”
I don’t even know what to say to this weird conversation right now, and everyone is just staring at us. I did not expect him to show up here today and I have to admit that it has my heart working overtime.
It’s quiet for a second before Ryan speaks up, breaking the awkward silence.
“Alright, I’m confused as shit so I won’t even ask what kind of crap you two have going on.”
“Nothing,” Memphis says with a slight growl while looking down at Ace’s hand resting on my legs. “I’m ready.”
I wait for the boys to walk away before questioning Ace. Although I’m so anxious, I can barely breathe.
“Talk. You guys are friends with Memphis?” I move my legs from Ace’s lap and sit straight up, curious to get any information I can about my mysterious neighbor. I’m lucky to even get a few words out of him at a time. There’s no way I’m going to find out anything from him.
“Not really. That guy doesn’t get close to many people besides his brother and Trevor.”
“Why?” I scoot in closer to be sure we can’t be heard from Ryan’s room. “Where has he been this whole time? What . . . six years?”
Ace stands up and shakes his head. “It’s not my place to say and so I won’t. You need to find that out from him, but good luck on getting him to open up.”
He tries walking away, but I grab his arm to stop him. “Well tell me something at least.”
Ace lets out a frustrated breath before sucking in his lip ring. “He’s had a fucked up life and I’m guessing he’s living a pretty lonely one right now.” He looks me in the eye while walking backwards. “I need to get ready for Luke. He’s finally coming in to get his back finished. That pussy,” he says with a small laugh. “Good luck, angel.”
“Thanks for nothing,” I whisper.
I sit here, lost in thought for a moment before deciding to wander down the hall to Ryan’s door. I probably shouldn’t bother, but I can’t help it.
It’s slightly cracked, so I push it open and stand in the doorway, watching silently so I don’t distract anything and mess Ryan up.
Memphis is lying flat on his back, shirtless, staring up at the ceiling. The site of his profile gives me a small rush and a knot forms in my stomach. He looks so damn sexy when he’s concentrating.
I swallow as his eyes slowly meet mine. “Mind if I come in?”
“Would it stop you if I said no?”
“Probably not,” I admit.
“Then no, and you never answered my question.”