square dining table working at her laptop computer. She glanced up and her pretty hazel eyes widened in surprise.
Sed massaged his scalp. Fuck, what a night. Topped off with telling Myrna he’d broken his promise and failed to keep Brian safe.
“What are you guys doing back so early?” Myrna asked. “I thought you’d be out until dawn.”
Sed blew out his cheeks as he tried to think of the right words. “I have to apologize to you, Myrna.”
Her brow furrowed and she glanced behind Sed to Eric. Her eyes widened. “Oh my God, Eric. What happened?”
She jumped from the bench seat and pushed Sed aside. Easing Eric onto the cream-colored leather couch, she inspected the bleeding gash over his left eye. She turned, hurriedly wet a dish towel in the small stainless steel sink, and moved to dab at the blood running down the side of Eric’s strong jaw. Eric winced, but smiled with pleasure as she fussed over him.
“Were you in an accident? Wait…” She looked at Sed. “Why are you apologizing to me, Sed? You didn’t wreck my car, did you?”
He opened his mouth to explain, but she lifted a hand to stop him.
“You know what? It doesn’t matter. It’s just a car. At least you’re all right. Where’s Brian?” She glanced at Trey, who was searching the freezer for ice. And then Jace, who was trying to realign his jaw by shifting it back and forth with his horribly swollen and bloodied hand. “Where’s Brian?” she repeated, a panicked edge to her voice.
“Brian’s safe. We weren’t in an accident, Myrna.” Sed cleared his throat. It hurt to talk. How in the hell was he going to sing tomorrow?
“Then what happened?” She headed for the bus exit, anxiety marring her lovely face. “Brian?”
Brian stepped around the corner wearing Sed’s mirrored sunglasses. “Hey, sweetheart. How was your evening? Did you get a lot of work done?”
Sed chuckled and shook his head. He’d wondered why Brian had wanted to borrow his shades. Like Myrna wouldn’t notice his two black eyes at the altar tomorrow.
Myrna flew into Brian’s arms. He winced in pain, but she had her face pressed against his neck, so didn’t see his expression. “You scared me,” she said. “I thought you were hurt.”
Brian wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “I’m okay.”
Sed glanced at Trey, who was now holding a towel full of ice to the back of his head. “You need to call your brother.” They were opening for his brother’s band the next evening. Or they were supposed to. They weren’t fit to perform now.
“I’ve had enough ass whippings for one day, thank you very much,” Trey said. “You call him.”
Myrna removed Brian’s sunglasses and looked up at him. He avoided her gaze. “You’ve been fighting?”
“Wait, wait. I can explain.”
She shoved him hard in the shoulder. “Am I marrying a seventh grader? I can’t believe this.”
She spun on her heel and stalked toward the bedroom at the back of the bus.
“Myrna.” Brian started after her.
“Do not talk to me.” She pushed Sed aside. “You were supposed to make sure he got home safely,” she spat at Sed.
“Myrna,” Sed said, but she brushed past him and entered the bedroom. The slam of the door echoed through the entire bus.
Brian rushed down the hallway and knocked. “Myrna? Sweetheart…”
“You should let her cool down,” Sed advised.
“Go away!” she yelled from inside the bedroom.
There was a thunk as something hit the other side of the door.
Brian opened it, sidestepped an airborne high-heeled shoe, and closed himself in the room with the angry tigress. There was a whole lot of high-pitched yelling for several minutes, and Brian’s lower pitched voice, calm and consoling. The rest of the band sat quietly nursing their injuries.
“What are we going to do about the concert tomorrow?” Eric asked. “Can you sing, Sed?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. My throat is bothering me. I can call Dare if