Free Hyde and Seek by Layla Frost Page A

getting on the bike. After seeing him on it, however, I was finding myself a little weak in the knees.
    As the engine roared to life, I wrapped my arms around Jake’s waist. He pulled them tighter, moving me closer in the process.
    With my front flush to his back, I could feel each muscle ripple, each tendon tighten, as he moved. I rested my head between his shoulders as we took off.
    I was disappointed when we pulled into a driveway. I loved the feel of the ride, the sights flying by as the wind whipped around us. It was invigorating. It was beautiful.
    It was freedom.
    Experiencing it pressed tight to Jake didn’t hurt, either.
    Jake pulled up to the side of the house and cut the engine. Hopping off the back, I set the helmet with his and shook out my hair.
    “Damn,” someone said from the porch.
    I turned and barely contained my fangirl squeal when I saw Jet.
    “Hey, baby, I’m Jet. Before anyone else sees you, how about you and I—”
    “Too late,” Jake said. Curling his arm around my shoulders, we walked towards the steps.
    “‘Be a drummer,’ everyone said. ‘You’ll get all the girls,’ everyone said. Everyone was wrong. Shoulda taken a fuckin’ shop class,” Jet sighed dramatically.
    “You did, you just didn’t go. Pretty sure you spent a big chunk of your time in the nurse’s office.”
    “Hey, Nurse Maggie and I had a real connection!”
    “She was fifty !”
    “That doesn’t mean she didn’t deserve love. Fuck, I still got a thing for nurses. Can’t even go to the damn doctor without gettin’ wood.”
    I couldn’t hold back my laughter. Rock stars were supposed to be all ego and arrogance, but I’d always heard the X-ers were down to earth and humble.
    “You must be the gorgeous Piper,” Jet said to me.
    “That’s me,” I wheezed.
    I just got called gorgeous by the drummer for the X-ers.
    Be cool, Piper. No one likes a screaming groupie.
    “Breathe, groupie,” Jake whispered in my ear, his voice amused as he proved he could read my thoughts.
    I can be cool. I got this.
    Right?
    Maybe.
    Jet lead the way into his house. “Let’s go get you two some drinks, huh? The night is young, but the party is already kickin’.”
    The living room was full of people hanging out and dancing, the loud music traveling throughout the house. There was a drinking game going on in a dining room, everyone laughing and cheering.
    I’d never been to a farewell party for famous rockers going on tour before, but this wasn’t what I’d expected. The rock ‘n’ roll vibe was definitely there, but it was relaxed and chill. Instead of a pretentious Hollywood-esque party, it felt more like a kegger.
    Freakin’ awesome.
    When we got to the back of the house, my inner groupie was dangerously close to jumping out and screeching.
    The X-ers and some of the guys were casually sitting around a large table in the homey kitchen with open bottles of beer in front of them. Their loud conversation and laughter filled the room.
    Sweet baby Elvis, I’ve died and gone to groupie heaven.
    That feeling went into overdrive when Gage, the lead singer, looked up from the table at us. “Aww, you brought me a going away present. Jake, man, you know me so well.”
    Jet shook his head. “I’ve already struck out. No way you’ve got a chance.”
    “Maybe that just means she’s got good taste.” Gage threw me his signature bad boy smirk.
    I knew from seeing an X-ers show shortly after my eighteenth birthday that he was tall. With lean sinewy muscles, black hair, and dark blue eyes, he always looked dangerous. From what I’d heard, it wasn’t a persona he put on to sell tickets and albums. He’d lived a rough life and still had demons that haunted him.
    “Hey,” Kase said, coming over with a beer in each hand. He handed one to Jake. “Beer, Pipe?”
    “Water?”
    “Su—” Kase started before Jet interrupted.
    “We got a full bar, Piper, and this is our last chance to get a hottie drunk. By the time we get