Page 2 of Facing the Music

She’s suffered so much, although she was too young to remember most of it. When I first met her—twenty years ago—Tia was terrified, confused, and overwhelmed. Her parents and one of her uncles—not Rhys—had been part of some government program, out for themselves. I don’t know much about it but wewere on the run for a little bit, in Paris no less, before those three ended up in jail.

Tia’s grown up with her grandparents and has never once mentioned any desire to meet her mother. I’ve overheard my fathers talking about her but Tia has declined every call from the jail that has come through. I don’t blame her when one of the woman’s crimes is treason.

Someone pokes my forehead and I start forward before realizing it’s just Tia. “I swear you get so lost in your head sometimes that I fear you won’t come back. What are you really doing here?”

“Studying for a final.” Not a complete lie. I really do have a final for Advanced Methods of Regression Analysis next week but that’s not why I was here today, at this moment. Tia’s been acting strange over the last several weeks aside from the happy smiles. More skittish, I think is the best way to describe it. She looks over her shoulder more and there’s a little notebook she clings to her chest every now and then.

She’s not the type to keep a diary so I know something is wrong.

Tia huffs a sigh as she steps closer, reaching a hand up to cup my cheek. “Babe, I can see you trying to figure everything out in that big head of yours and you don’t need to. I’m okay. You don’t have to keep watching out for me.” I’m about to bring up the macho man again when she shakes her head. “Nope. I can handle myself. You taught me how to throw a punch, remember?”

I do and she’s terrible at it. God, she’s so fucking smart—working through a law degree but she needs to never end up in a fight. “Mmm,” I mumble. She hasn’t satisfied my curiosity. In fact, I’m no closer to knowing what she was doing ten minutes ago than I am now. “Tia, you’d tell me if you were in trouble, right?” Gently, I wrap my hand around her throat, loving theway her head tilts back just enough to offer me her lips. She still responds to me the way she used to, even if she isn’t mine anymore.

“Of course, but your brand of help might make it worse.”

“That’s not very comforting, Tia,” I muse, rubbing my thumb across her jawline. “I just don’t want to see you hurt. You mean too much to me.” Unable to help myself, I kiss her. She even tastes like her perfume—sweet vanilla. “No more dark corners.”

“Yessir,” she pushes out and I squeeze her neck a little tighter, dragging her forward so she can feel what her words do to me. Tia places her hands on my chest, giggling at my behavior rather than being turned off by it. “I have to go. You go study. I’ll come by and see you after classes.”

I’m not ready to let her go but I have to keep reminding myself that she isn’t mine. That shecan’tbe mine. With another kiss to her lips, I release her and watch my obsession waltz back through the library. My gaze hangs on her thick ass, her hips swaying with every step, calling me to throw caution to the wind and drag her back here.

I won’t do that, though.

One day.

If she’ll let me be selfish.

Chapter two

TIA

Paval’s brand of love is strange at best but I find it endearing. My classmates let his stalkerish mannerisms slide for two reasons—he’s a Kolasandhe’s fucking hot. The worst part is that Paval has no fucking clue. He’s blind to what he looks like, seeing the world in logical patterns and black and white like his fathers. When girls try to hang off of him, he just stands there confused. Most of the parties we’ve ever been to, he hangs at the back or beside me, trying to understand the parasocial relationships we’re supposed to enjoy at this age.

He always fails spectacularly, frustrated as to why people would willingly gather and drink just to have fun. Those piercing brown eyes catch me off guard as he tilts his head, trying to understand and gather more information. I thought my uncle, Rhys, was out of touch when it came to the world around him. Paval might be even more so, choosing to stay on the outskirtsof college life. He’s even in a fraternity and I’ve never seen an individual do less and still be a member.

Then again, his last name carries a lot of weight with the students here. If his fathers knew, I’m sure they’d rip him away from his studies and bury him on another island like they did last time.

I snort at the lengths his fathers have gone to protect him. Twenty years ago, after everything happened, they disappeared to a little island that is now their vacation spot. I’ve visited a few times but the life Paval has lived is different than mine. He may have grown up absent his real parents but he was loved and adored by four men who would do anything for him.

I grew up with daily calls to the house from a mother I never wanted to see again.

From a woman that no longer deserved to be in my life.

She had ruinedeverything.

My grandparents were wonderful but I acted out. I had no idea how to deal with that dark hanging cloud in my life. So, I just haven’t. She still calls every day, hoping and praying that I’ll pick up and speak with her. I’m not sure that day will ever come. Not after she tried to have my uncle killed. Hell, she endangered my life for some stupid program.

I won’t forgive her for that.

Hurrying across the courtyard, I make a beeline for my next lecture, smoothing down my skirt as I go. Business attire is required in the law program and while I usually don a pantsuit, I haven’t washed clothes in a week. It’s been too fucking busy between classes, applying for jobs, studying for the bar, and making a little extra cash.

The last part is the part that’s giving me the most trouble.

Mostly because it’s not legal.

And yesterday, $500 of that came up missing. I’ve been meticulous with my numbers. My bookkeeping is immaculatebut I’m still short. Between this morning and now, there’s a discrepancy and I can’t figure it out. I’ve gone over every goddamn calculation and nothing makes sense.

That’s a future Tia’s problem. Focus, woman.I take a seat toward the back, intent on mulling through the textbook to determine which case study I’ll be reviewing for my final. Unfortunately, I don’t get that far. Two someones plop into seats on either side of me, their large masses swarming my small body. I should be terrified cased in like this but the twins are harmless—to me, anyway. They also aren’t supposed to be in this class. “What’s going on? Why do I keep seeing people I’m not supposed to? First Paval and now you too,” I joke.