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“Key—”
“Really, Winton, I’m fine and I don’t need you guys hovering.”
“Honey, come with us.” Brody moved closer.
She laughed. “Honestly, Brody, I’ll be just fine here with Therin.”
“Dammit, Key!” Cube quieted himself and took a deep breath to calm down. “Baby, he doesn’t want you here.”
“What?” Her voice sounded strong enough. Still, something in the way Cube spoke the words sent a queasiness through her stomach.
The others sent glares in Cube’s direction.
“Rucker told us he had too much going on to handle this,” Brody said then.
“Handle…this?”
“Your sickness, honey,” Khan clarified and then ran a hand across his close-cut blue-black hair. “He said he’d made a mistake thinking he could deal with it day in and day out.”
“Son of a bitch,” Cube growled.
“Cube, chill.” Winton clapped his friend’s shoulder. “Better for him to say it now than later after something happens….”
“Screw that.” Cube shook off Winton’s hand. “Don’t make him out to be all gracious and shit, Wint. The fool flat-out told us how much he was enjoyin’ the sex, but it wasn’t good enough to risk her dyin’ on him.”
Kianti felt her stomach curdle then. She felt the strength leaving her legs, but she refused to collapse in front of them.
“You okay?” Brody had taken note of her hand braced to the back of the sofa.
The guys silenced their ranting to observe her.
“Key?”
“Brody, please.” She waved a hand. “I’ll be ready to go in a second.”
“Ms. Lawrence!”
Kianti and the guys were making their way out to the lobby for an early checkout when they were stopped by Bose Cooper, one of EYES’s lead members.
“Bose Cooper, Ms. Lawrence. I must say that my wife and I are great fans. We especially enjoyed your performance last night.” Bose squeezed one of her hands in both of his beefy ones.
She managed a smile that didn’t manage to reach her eyes. “I appreciate that, Mr. Cooper. I’m sorry things turned out so terribly last night.” She cleared her throat on the ball of emotion that had formed over the loaded statement.
Bose nodded, his expression had taken on a somber sheen as well. “Which brings me to my point of stopping you all like this.” He made contact with the four men standing behind her. “We’re hoping to salvage something good from last night’s fiasco—a more intimate gathering.”
Kianti nodded.
“We’d be honored if you’d join us.”
The smile Kianti had worked to uphold, faltered then. “Mr. Cooper, we—”
“I understand this is all very sudden. We’d be honored if you’d at least consider giving us an extra night. We’re hoping to put together something more intimate than last night’s affair. A cocktail party slash concert exclusively for EYES members.”
Brody moved in closer then. “Mr. Cooper, Ms. Lawrence’s health tends to wear out on her—wear her down, if you understand my meaning. We’d like to get her home—”
“Brody.” Kianti patted his chest and offered him a pitiful smirk before she turned back to Bose Cooper. “Would you excuse us for a minute, Mr. Cooper?”
“Please tell us you’re not considering doing this?” Winton said once they had moved a ways down the hall for a bit more privacy.
“I can’t let my personal issues get in the way of what’s important.” Her voice shook with uncertainty, though the look in her eyes was firm.
Cube muttered a curse. “What’s important is your health.” The scowl he wore made him look even more intimidating.
She lowered her head and sighed. “This is a worthy cause and if I can do something to help support it, then I feel obligated to try, at least.”
Khan rolled his eyes and turned away. Winton and Cube followed suit.
Kianti sighed at their behavior and then turned to Brody. “I promise I’m all right to do this,” she told him, taking a moment to massage her neck when her doctor walked off to join is coworkers.
“Mr. Cooper?” She headed back toward the man waiting at the other end of the corridor. “I’d love to be a part of the event.”
“Wonderful!” The man clapped his hands together once. “We’re very grateful. There will be a lunch meeting at 3:00 p.m. with the other musicians—some who are just fresh in town from other jobs—gigs.” He smiled bashfully. “We figured it’d be fruitful to give you all some time together beforehand to discuss pieces and possible collaborations.”
