Refrain (Soul Series Book 3) by Kennedy Ryan Read Free Book Online Page A

his and leads me toward the door framed by majestic trees wrapped in lights. As he gives his name, unnecessarily of course, to the elegantly dressed Amazon at the podium, I can’t help but notice how her eyes covet him from head to toe. Admittedly, he is beautiful, but it’s more than that. Rhyson could wear a bag over his head and still draw every eye in the room. His energy, the latent charisma that he turns on and off at will, compels you to watch because you aren’t sure when you’ll meet someone like him again. I want to tell the Amazon to get a room before she fucks someone with her eyes that way. My lips tighten and my eyes narrow at the edges. I don’t want to be that jealous girl, insecure because her famous boyfriend has more opportunity to cheat than most men would ever dream of. I glance at Rhyson to see if he even notices. His eyes are clinging to me, and he smiles knowingly. He bends down to caress my ear with his lips.
    “Only you, Pep.”
    A breath stutters past my lips. I can’t look away from him and can’t stop smiling. He knows me so well. He took the time to know me. We take the time to know one another, and I wouldn’t trade our friendship, the cornerstone of this love affair, for any gift he could ever give me.
    “This way, Mr. Gray.” The Amazon leads us with a sway of her generous hips through the crowded main dining room and down a long corridor. The dimly lit hall seems to crack open with light all of a sudden when we reach the outdoor deck. I’m so captivated by the sky tipping into sunset over the vast ocean like a painter’s palette that I don’t even notice all the people crowding the deck until they scream.
    “Surprise!”
    I’ve always wondered why people’s hands fly to their mouths. Why their fingers touch their chests when they’re blown away. Now I know. There’s so much delight, so much completely unexpected happiness that swells up inside of you, you just want to contain it. You don’t want to leak any of it, so you cover your mouth to hold it in. You press it back into your chest when it feels like it might explode from you.
    A startled little laugh whooshes out of me. Everyone is here, laughing as they realize they really did “get me,” and I had no clue. San, who was supposed to be on assignment in Turks and Caicos, stands near the front of the crowd, ear-to-ear grin plastered all over his face. Bristol, Grip, Grady, Em, Ella, Luke, Gep, and the security team cluster together. Even Amber, the receptionist from Wood, and all of the studio engineers are here. No way. Even my friend Misty from The Note. A few faces are less familiar, and I recognize them as friends and associates of Rhyson’s. So many friends. So many faces. And then I stumble upon one precious face, and the tears, which have been cooperating by just standing in my eyes, leak over my cheeks.
    “Aunt Ruthie?” I gasp and rush toward the woman who has anchored me through the roughest storms of my life. She does what she always does—she catches me. Her arms encircle and nearly squeeze the life out of me. I pull back to look at her face and touch the hair that keeps on greying and she keeps on refusing to dye.
    “As I live and breathe.” I laugh through my tears. “You’re in LA. What are you doing here?”
    “Well, it is your birthday, and I heard there was gonna be a party.” Her blue eyes warm between the fine lines fanning out over the lightly freckled skin. “B’sides, a handsome young man flies to the sticks to get you in a private plane. How can an old bird like me resist?”
    “Rhyson came to get you?” Confusion creases a frown on my face. “When? When did he come?”
    “Last night. I have to get back to Glory Bee tomorrow, but he’ll get me home.” Aunt Ruthie smiles over my shoulder. “Thanks again for the lift.”
    I glance up and behind me to see Rhyson standing right there, grinning back at Aunt Ruthie. His hands settle, warm and possessive, at my waist and draw me back