It would have been easier if it was Finn she had lured into her overused bed at the pricey Miami Beach hotel she stayed at. It would have made my life easier, or so I thought until I saw him.

I run my fingers down my skirt again, a habit born of all those years I needed to be perfect. Mother wanted to raise a lady, and I wanted to please Mother … until I saw who she really was.

“How long have you been waiting?” I jump when I hear Taelyn’s voice.

I look at my watch. “Not long.”

She waves for me to follow. “They’re all in the conference room. Let’s go.”

I tell myself it will be fine—I will be fine. I will remain poised and not let anything shake me. I say it over and over in my head as I watch my feet touch the ground, fearing the self-talk, all the hype I am building up inside, will be for naught when I meet the eyes of Finn Beckett.

“Have a seat, Sonya,” Xavier Steel says as he walks toward his wife. I see him wink at her out of the corner of my eye and then kiss her cheek. “He asleep?” he asks in a low tone, obviously meant for Taelyn alone.

“I was wearing him down,” she whispers with a smile in her voice, “until he heard Kiki squeal ‘Pop Pop.’ ”

“Shit.” He chuckles. “Then it was all over.”

“Yep. His eyes popped open, and he got a grin on his face like he knew he was about to do something he shouldn’t. Hmm … Where have I seen that before?”

In a very hushed tone, he whispers, “Peering up from between your legs?”

I look around to see if anyone else has heard him, but everyone is looking down at the files in their hands. Lucky me, I grumble to myself.

I hear a loud smack, and Xavier laughs loudly. “Irish, you shouldn’t do shit like that.”

I look up to see he is rubbing his arm.

“Wrong arm, Xavier.” She laughs, blushing.

“My bad. Now sit down, Mrs. Steel; you’re late.” He pulls out her chair, and she sits. He then leans over and kisses her head.

“Sorry, ladies.” Taelyn takes the folder her husband pushes over to her before sitting down in the chair to her left.

Shaunna, the band’s bass player; Courtney, acoustic guitarist; Kellie, the drummer; and Stevie all smile.

I am a little shocked. They all seem … different. Giddy?

“We were up late last night, hammering out all the details of the contract. Stevie Daniels stays the band’s name if the other four of you agree,” Xavier says, taking a sip of his coffee.

“As it should.” Stevie winks at him.

I swear I see Taelyn’s eyes roll while Xavier doesn’t respond to Stevie’s obvious flirtation. Instead, he reaches over and hooks his pinky with his wife’s.

He then looks at Stevie sternly. “That’s not a choice for you to make alone. It’s what the four of you decide collectively and agree on.”

Her face turns red as she looks toward the girls. “We do, don’t we?”

Shaunna is the first one to speak up. “I’d like some time to think about it.”

Stevie gasps. “Are you serious? This band’s success, as small is it may seem, came from my name.”

“It may also be what’s holding it back,” Kellie says, tapping her fingers on the table.

“I would like time to think about it, as well,” Courtney pipes up. “And by the way, it had a hell of a lot to do with talent to begin with and Sonya’s social media influence.”

“I know we’re talented … all of us. I wouldn’t have used my own money to start this band if I didn’t think so,” Stevie says, trying to remain calm.

“And the recent spike in our following has been Sonya’s work,” Courtney says.

“Yes, her little blogging gig did help.” Stevie leans forward and looks at Courtney. “That’s why I hired her.”

Taelyn looks down at the pile of papers. “You hired her a few months ago. She was following you on her blog for months, doing the work without being paid, doing it as a fan until”—she pauses and leans forward, just like Stevie did to Courtney—“you needed her for something a little less music-related.”

Stevie’s face burns bright red and her eyes narrow, but only a little. She is trying to keep herself together. “I’ll do whatever I have to in order to keep my dream alive.”

“Which is why you’re going to sign the contracts and take a week to get back to me with the name you have all agreed on,” Xavier says in an even, all business tone.

“And if we don’t?” Stevie threatens.

Courtney clears her throat and begins signing her contract. Then Shaunna and Kellie do the same.

“You ladies do know we can do this without this company, right?” None of them look up at Stevie. “With Sonya, we can do—”

“That brings us to the next reason for the meeting,” Taelyn interrupts her. “Sonya, what was Stevie paying you?”

“It was more by the—”

“Sixty thousand a year,” Stevie interjects. “That’s the salary, and I was offering her bonuses when available.”

I am a bit taken aback by this. I was never offered anything like that.

Taelyn’s eyes narrow a bit before she looks back at me and smiles. “We want you on our pay—”

“That’s not fair,” Stevie says, standing up and slamming her fist on the table. “She is—”

“If all goes well, she will still be helping you and your band grow.” Taelyn stands coolly and sets her cup down on the table. Then she turns to Stevie. “If you don’t take the contract, and she doesn’t have one in writing with you—”

“I thought this company believed in this brotherhood shit!” Stevie yells.

Xavier stands and wraps his arm around his wife’s waist, pulling her closer. “Why the fuck do you think you got an offer?”

“Excuse me?” she gasps.

“Sign it, and we make nice. Don’t, and we fuck—”

“X, I’ve got this.” Taelyn smiles at him.

“I know you do, Irish, but fuck.”

Nicholas DeAngelo stands up, a six-foot tall, light-skinned black man with black ink peeking out of his sleeves as he rolls them up. “I have it from here. Why don’t the three of you take the rest of this to your office, Xavier?”

When I don’t move, Taelyn walks over and bends down. “Ninety thousand, bonuses, and benefits.” I look up and try to hide the shock. “Retirement and vacation, too.”

I stand up and follow Xavier and Taelyn Steel out of the conference room.

“You’re fucking stupid, Sonya!” Stevie yells. “You were nothing until me.”

I look back at the woman who once unknowingly added fuel to a spark that had laid dormant for years. She got me to step out for the first time and go after something, but now I know what her plan has been all along, and it just doesn’t fit with who I am. What Taelyn Steel is offering, on the other hand, seems promising.

Once in the office, we sit down.

“What will it be?” Xavier Steel asks.

“Where do I sign?”

I leave early so I can take in some of the late-summer-morning ocean breeze, hoping it clears my head. I love the shore, not the clubs or the tourist shit. I love the dive bars, the pubs, and the Mom and Pop places during off-peak seasons like right now. I enjoy the ocean on a hot day, on a warm day, but when there is a chill in the air, and the water is rough, I love to pull my ride over, stand back, and give it the respect it deserves.

Storms fuck with me. I’m not afraid of the lightning, the thunder, the wind, rain, snow, or hail. I know I’m bigger than them. What messes with me is the need to understand what is inside of them, where they come from, and how close I can get before they suck me in and tear me apart.

The water isn’t calm today; it’s rough. Then again, it’s peak hurricane season, so it’s expected.

I pull out the half pack of smokes Kellie left and tap one out. Then I reach in my leather jacket pocket and grab the Zippo I stole a long time ago from the woman who caused the storm that will always be simmering deep inside me. It’s a simmer that, with the heat brought on by emotions, became a rapid boil.