Broken In Pieces: Billionaire Stepbrother Romance (Wounded Hearts Book 1) by Sierra Rayne Page B

tonight but the keyboard player had an accident and broke some fingers.
    “I can help you out,” the alcohol in me speaks up.
    He looks at me totally confused, “How’s that?”
    “I play the keyboard. If you have the music with you, I can play and get you through your set,” I explain.
    “You’re fucking kidding me,” Styx says and the other two guys start smiling ear to ear. But the girl looks a little put off. “Hell yes! Come on!” he says as he leads me on stage and the rest of the band follows.
    Styx introduces me to the lead singer named Jade, the guitarist named Aces and Shaft, the bass player. They all give me a warm, friendly welcome except Jade. “Keep it simple. We don’t need anybody show boating.” Look bitch, we’re helping you out here! Shove your attitude up your ass until you choke on it, my inner witch barks. I just give her a nod and take my place behind the keyboard for our sound check. Then, over the loud speaker comes the introduction for the band ‘Shattered’ and the crowd goes wild with applause. I can’t help but think how the name of the band fits my life.
    I look back at my table. Everyone is shocked and several are pointing, but Blade has a huge smile on his face. We play cover songs, no originals. I’m okay with that because I know most of them so it makes it easier. We’re rocking the place and the crowd loves it. Styx looks my way and gives me a wink as if to say good job. I feel an instant sense of pride. When Jade announces that the next song is our last, I see Blade start making his way to the stage. I don’t acknowledge him and when the set is over, I head back stage with the band.
    “That was awesome,” Styx almost shouts. The guys chime in with more of the same but Jade just stands there giving me shitty looks. Styx gives me his number and I give him mine. He wants me to play if they have more shows before Jax, the keyboardist, recovers. I’m more than willing. I didn’t realize how much I had missed playing music with other people. I agree to meet them for practice next week. Jade’s not amused but she doesn’t say a word.
    I wander back out front and most of the club goers have cleared out. The members from my table seem to be gone as well. Then I feel a warm hand on my shoulder, “That was awesome, baby girl. You’re full of surprises.” I turn to see Blade standing behind me with a proud look beaming from his face. He had waited for me. This man is crazy and he’s beginning to make me crazy.
    I wander back out front and most of the club goers have cleared out. The members from my table seem to be gone as well. Then I feel a warm hand on my shoulder, “That was awesome, baby girl. You’re full of surprises.” I turn to see Blade standing behind me with a proud look beaming from his face. He has waited for me. This man is crazy and he’s beginning to make me crazy.
    He insists on walking me to my car to make sure I’m safe. “Blade, I really don’t think that’s necessary,” I say.
    “Listen, Sheridan. I’m not leaving you to walk to the parking lot, in the middle of the night, in New York City.”
    I throw my hands up in exasperation, “Okay, okay. Let’s go.” The walk is quiet. We barely speak. I keep my arms crossed because I’m not going to let him hold my hand or touch me in any way. Blade opens my door and says good night.
    I’m so pumped the whole drive home. The set was awesome and I lost myself in the music. I like that kind of lost. The kind of lost where you become somebody else and step outside your life for a brief time. You forget your pain, your nightmares and you don’t feel as broken as you are. The music consumes you and courses through your veins as though it’s your life’s blood. You never want to come down off that high.
    Once in the apartment, my adrenaline is still running high. I can’t sleep so I play and write. The music washes over my body and floods all my broken pieces out onto the keys of the piano.