Play Hard (The Devil's Share Book 5) (25 page)

I looked down at my watch, surprised that it was already seven o’clock. “Yeah, sorry, I lost track of time.” I clicked off the lamp on my desk and took his outstretched hand.

“No worries, I just got done with Landry’s lesson a few minutes ago.” He kissed the back of my hand and then walked with me to the waiting Razor. It was only a short drive from the new Riffraff offices to Smith and Dylan’s house. My mom and I had decided to purchase the land right next door to the band’s compound. It made for a really great commute to work.

“Louie ate another set of drumsticks.” Luke helped me into the vehicle and then walked around to the passenger side.

“That’s the third set since we’ve moved in, why do you keep leaving them lying around?”

“I don’t. I have no idea how he keeps finding them.” Luke slung his arm over the back of my seat. “Hey, did you talk to Daisy today? She said your dad came up to the office and tried to take her out to lunch.”

“What? That’s ridiculous.” My dad had gone down swinging, trying everything he could think of to get back control of the label. But my mom wasn’t having it.

He chuckled. “I know, right? She called security and had him removed.” My mom and Luke hit it off instantly, and I was pretty sure he talked to her more often than I did. Well, him and Smith. My mom and Smith were super tight. “Wanna take bets on why Smith and Dylan invited everyone over for dinner?”

“Knocked up or engaged?”

He rubbed his chin. “I’d say knocked up.”

“Me too.” I looked down at the sparkling oval-cut diamond on my finger. “Should I take this off? Wait until tomorrow to tell everyone you proposed?” Luke had asked me to marry him this morning. He’d made me breakfast in bed and then called Louie up next to us. There was a little Tiffany blue pouch attached to his collar. I started crying the instant I saw it. Real tears. Luke had gotten down on one knee, and I’d said yes. We’d only known each other for a few months, but every day was better than the last. And I couldn’t wait to be his wife.

“Why would you want to do that?”

I held my hand out, letting my diamond catch the moonlight. “I don’t want to steal their thunder or anything.”

He glanced over at me. “This isn’t a
Friends
episode, Pix. We won’t be stealing their thunder.”

I gave him a sad smile. “Seriously, kid? Do you know
any
pop culture references that don’t make you sound like a sixteen-year-old chick?”

“No.” He dipped his chin. “But I want to tell everyone tonight anyway. We’ll wait until after Smith tells us he knocked up Dill.” I leaned over and kissed his cheek. There were still days when I woke up and pinched myself. I couldn’t believe that this was my life. I was so damn lucky.

After New York, Louie, my mom, and I went back to Miami. I dove headfirst into helping her get packed and ready to make the move to NYC. But I was miserable. I missed Luke more than I ever thought possible. I’d been putting on a brave face, playing it cool when we Skyped every night, but it was hard. Then one day I came home from running errands to find my whole house loaded in a moving van and a plane ticket on my kitchen counter.

Turned out, he missed me too.

The house in Austin was perfect. It was everything I would have picked if I’d had a hand in designing it. My stuff fit in seamlessly, and I’d started collecting art again. Special pieces here and there when I found them were slowly filling the walls of our home. The only piece Luke had when I moved in was this really badass blown-up print of a shattered Jäger bottle. Once I found out it was Lexi’s work, I’d asked her to do something similar for my new office at Riffraff.

Three days later, there was a large black and white print of the band standing behind a bar, half empty liquor bottles everywhere. Dash, Smith, and Jacks were all looking at Luke, laughing and shoving him. And he was looking past the camera with this giant grin on his face. At the bottom of the print, in large script she’d handwritten
I didn’t have a choice
. I’d instantly teared up, remembering her words from all those months ago.

The difference between loving someone and being in love with them?

One was a choice.

And one wasn’t.

This isn’t the end. Not yet anyway.

Coming soon,
Play for Keeps
.

Go on one more wild ride with the Devil’s Share.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

L.P. Maxa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, daughter, three rescue dogs, one stray cat, and a fish that keeps dying and she keeps replacing so her toddler doesn’t notice. She loves reading romance novels as much as she loves writing them. She’s new to the writing game but has published four books in her first year alone. Inspiration can come from anywhere: a song lyric, a quote, a weekend with friends. The tiniest things spark amazing stories.

ALSO BY L.P. MAXA

The Devil’s Share series

Play Nice

Play Dirty

Play Fair

Play Softly

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