“Then I’ll expect you to tell me that without burning the place down.” I meet his stare head-on, knowing that if I blink first, I’ve lost his respect and the band. He gives a slow, measured nod.
Norrie picks up a pen, a movement so decisive it commands the room’s attention.
“Are we doing this?” His question hangs in the air like the last chord of one of their songs.
Nobody says anything. He signs while watching me the entire time. His intense blue eyes staring deep into my soul.
Next, Cody grabs up a pen, and for a moment, I think he might snap it in half. Instead, he signs and drops the pen on the desk in front of him.
Then with a shrug, he leans back and mutters, “Fine. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Otis’ signature is an aggressive flourish, a challengeissued on paper. Ruby’s hand lingers before she finally signs, the quietest act somehow carrying the most weight.
Sebastian’s name is last, and his signature’s barely dry before he asks, “What’s our first move?”
I collect the contract, the band’s future now bound in ink, and reply, “Show me you can handle a serious rehearsal. We meet tomorrow morning at the studio, six sharp.”
They leave in the same manner they arrived, each one resonating with a different note of conviction as they step out the door. Cody walks ahead of Sebastian, the tension between them a shadow I can’t ignore. Otis and Norrie are mid-conversation, already strategizing as they disappear into the hallway. Ruby’s the last to stand, offering me a quick, almost imperceptible smile before she finally turns and leaves.
Alone in the room, I glance down at the fresh signatures. Each name tells its own story, and the contract in my hands is a promise waiting to be kept. I know this group is a powder keg, but if we’re careful, if we’re lucky, then what explodes might just be brilliant.
It’s exhilarating to think that maybe, just maybe, this might actually work.
Look out for the Berrettini series coming 2026. Starting with Cody’s story.
In the meantime, check out the Saving Tate series with book one, Sing.
https://amzn.to/4drE5Mn
about anna edwards
Anna Edwards is aUSA TodayBestselling British author from the depths of the rural countryside near London. When she has some spare time, she can also be found writing poetry, baking cakes (and eating them), or behind a camera snapping like a mad paparazzo. She’s an avid reader who turned to writing to combat her depression and anxiety. She has a love of traveling and likes to bring this to her stories to give them the air of reality. She likes her heroes hot and hunky with a dirty mouth, her heroines demure but with spunk, and her books full of dramatic suspense.
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lens and lyrics
Chris Reilly
blurb
Ronan - She’s got a sharp tongue, and is cagey as hell, but damn if I’m not hooked the second we meet. Between the sarcasm and sideways glances, I come up with a plan. A mixtape. Her songs, my heart, one track at a time.
Cora – The last thing I need is a too-charming drummer with a Walkman and a grin that melts concrete. Ronan doesn’t play by the usual rock star rules. He asked for songs, not my number.
The problem is, Velvet Echo is falling apart, and working together on a photoshoot for their new image is the only way to save it.
Can two people hiding behind a Lens and Lyrics find something real between all the noise?
Copyright © 2025 by Chris C Reilly
