The Arrangement 12(5)

I need to grow some balls. I swear, it seems like everything scares me lately. Before I reach the door, my phone buzzes. I glance at the screen. It’s Mel.

“Where are you?” I snap before she has a chance to say anything else.

“Driving in circles. Where are you?” Mel’s voice doesn’t have the cool composure that she’s known for, which worries me.

I tell her where I am. “Get your ass out here now.” Mel agrees and the line goes dead. Pressing my fingers to my temples, I try to fight off the compulsion to bang my head into the wall. Fuck it. I bang my forehead against the door and let the cold metal freeze my brain.

What have I done? How did I get mixed up with all this shit? I’m enough of an emotional basket-case without dead bodies. I shut my eyes and take a deep breath, intending to steady myself to push open the door and waltz inside like I belong in this place, but that doesn’t happen.

Within a moment of resting my head on the door, it’s yanked open and I fall forward. My body slams into some guy. Strong arms catch me and for a second all I can see is a dark dress shirt with the top buttons undone, and a silver ring hanging around his neck. The guy straightens me up, holding me by my shoulders. His lips twist into a sexy smirk. “You okay?”

I finally get a look at his face and freeze. Holy shit, is that Trystan Scott? The guy is a legend. He’s the biggest rock star around, and the guy is standing in front of me. My eyes widen and I manage to blink once. It can’t be him. No way. This has to be a double, or some sort of impersonator, for the club.

A dorky smile crosses my mouth and I tuck my hair behind my ear. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sean Ferro told me to come out here—”

The guy’s smile vanishes and he looks me over again. “You know Sean?” I nod. “And you willingly came here to see him?” He glances past me like there might be a militia hidden in the parking lot, holding me here at gunpoint.

I nearly laugh. He knows Sean, that much is certain, because he doesn’t like him at all. I poke the guy in the chest and get in his face. Today’s been too long to deal with this twerp. “Listen, Trystan impersonator, I don’t have to tell you a damn thing. Now let me inside before I get mugged and Sean kills you and buries you out back.”

The smirk returns, but brighter this time. He’s trying not to laugh. “Uh, yeah, first things first—I’m not afraid of Sean Ferro, and second—I am Trystan Scott.” He glances down at my finger, which is still pressed into his chest, like I intend on kicking his ass myself, before looking back up into my face.

A stupid expression is frozen on my lips and suddenly I can’t speak. My eyes slowly widen as I recognize the dimples, the scar, and the distinct traits of the rock star. His father beat the shit out of him when he was younger and the proof is forever on his skin. I’m caught between looking like an asshole and a crazy woman. Fuck. I need to pick one and just go with it. I drop my finger and place my hands on my hips and tilt my head at him. “Why would Sean send me to you, if you hate him?”

Trystan shrugs—I can’t believe it’s really him. This is totally weird. “No idea. He does a lot of illogical shit that only makes sense in his twisted mind.” He lets his eyes rove over me once and spots the ring on my finger. His jaw drops as he points toward my hand. “No fucking way. Is that from Ferro?”

Now I feel naked. The way this guy looks at me, with such utter amazement, is unsettling. I cover my engagement ring with my hand. “Yes.”

Something shifts and the amused smile returns. “Now you have to come in.” I glance up at him and wonder what made him drop his guard, but he clearly has. Instead of being suspicious of me, he seems to like me. The change happened in a snap.

“I don’t get it.” Looking into those icy blue eyes, I can see that Trystan knows what I’m asking.

“Anyone that is capable of taming Sean Ferro is a force to behold. You’ve captured my attention, Future-Mrs. Ferro, which is difficult to do.” Trystan pushes the door open, extending his arm, and ushers me inside.





CHAPTER 5




The interior is as dreary as the outside. Trystan has an amazed look on his face and occasionally glances at me out of the corner of his eye. I spot someone—a woman with long hair—sitting at a table alone in front of the stage. Her back is curved and she’s leaning heavily on her elbows.

Trystan walks directly toward her. “Hey, Sidney, look who I found on the front porch—the future Mrs. Sean Ferro.” He grins at me and throws himself into a seat across from the woman.

It’s not until she turns around that I recognize her. Some of the anguish in my chest dissipates and I rush at her with a huge smile. “Oh my God! It’s you!”