Free Drowning (Tears of Sin Series) by Rachel Firasek Page A

to a fridge and takes out two bottles of beer. “Are you old enough?”
He wants me but has no freaking clue about me. “How old do you think I am?”
“I’m hoping like hell you’re eighteen.”
I laugh. “Yeah. I’ll be twenty in two months.” He tips his head. “Still want to date me?”
He pops the top on his bottle and takes a long pull of the ice-cold brew. “No. Alice, I most definitely do not want to date you. I want to own you, desire you, possess you and all your dark secrets, but not date. Date is something normal people do and the two of us are definitely not normal.”
“I’m glad we can agree on something.” Well, that we aren’t normal at least. The rest of it scared the shit out of me. I try to get us on a more friendly path of conversation and away from all this heavy. “So, you’re older than Gabe, right?”
He nods.
“Uh, so by how much?” He’s back to being cryptic and I don’t like it. I thought we were passed this.
“Twenty-four. Why?”
I shrug. Let’s see how he likes it. I have my back to the front door when it begins to open. “Whoa.”
“That’ll be Gabe.” He motioned with the two bottles. “Here, take this one before he snatches it. They’re the last two.”
As soon as I step away, the door bursts open and in walks Gabe with his bigger than life smile, and a towering stack of pizza boxes. “Let’s get our pepperoni on!” He glances at me standing next to Seth and then up at Seth. “Well, shit. Really, bro? It’s like that?”
Seth winks. “Sorry.”
“Fuck you work fast.”
I’m pretty sure they are having a conversation I want no part of right here in front of me. “Uh, listen. I’m going to bail. Thanks for letting me listen and er…sleep.” I drop my sealed beer on top of the pizza boxes and pat Gabe’s shoulder. “It was great meeting you.”
I make it to the door before Seth’s voice catches me. “Alice. Where are you going?”
“I have to go home and check on my sister. She should be home soon.” Rowena had kept Molly overnight. At least she’d texted to let me know this time. “Really, thanks.”
“You’re running.”
“You bet your ass, I am. I have a feeling you James boys are nothing but trouble, and I’m enough of that on my own.”
The guy with the fantastic eyes all lined in coal black hurries inside out of my way. I nod at him. Evan. He’s so different from the other three. The most elaborate in his rocker gear, but also the shiest.
Gabe chuckles, raises his bottle, and winks. “Well said. And you’re probably right.”
I wave at Deacon before I step through the doorway. From their jam session, I learned that Evan is the dreamy one. He’s all metro-man and likes to wear a lot of eyeliner. Deacon is more solid. Quiet. But always smiles when I meet his eyes. I like these guys. They wave, and I salute them.
There was a definite hierarchy in this group, with Seth being on top, of course. Gabe seems almost willing to release his unspoken claim on me without a fight. I’m not sure about normal men, but the ones I’ve dated in the past few years don’t usually relinquish possession without even a feigned show of belligerence. It’s not really how they are made. Yes, Seth James definitely has his own bit of secrets, and I bet Gabe is the key to finding out what they are—if I want to dig. Which I don’t.
I’m at the door and have the overwhelming urge to turn back. I do and meet Seth’s searing gaze. He closes the door to the rehearsal room, closes the distance between us, and pins me against the exit. What is it with him and walls?
“We will be doing this. You and me.”
“You just told me that we wouldn’t.”
“I was wrong.”
The heavy beat of his heart hits me right above mine. “What if I told you no? We’ve already established that we’re not good.” This goes against everything I promised myself. No more men. No more games.
“I’m not down for that. I won’t push you. Take as long as you need, get your sister,