Jonny's Redemption (Gemini Group Book 7) by Riley Edwards (audio ebook reader TXT) 📕

“More covers? Isn’t she here to make her music?” Tony interrupted.

“He’s got to go,” Bonnie drawled.

Sean didn’t answer. He started strumming and the familiar chords of a great hit silenced Tony’s objections. A few seconds later, Penny entered with the drumbeat. Evie joined in and my gaze went to her. What could only be described as serenity infused her features.

“Good goddamn, she’s spectacular,” Chasin mumbled.

Yeah, he didn’t miss the look on Evie’s face. And I adored how much he loved watching Evie.

Sean took the first verse, Evie joined in at the hook. Sean’s voice faded and Evie belted out the second verse. When the hook was coming near, Evie turned and jerked her chin at Penny. Then it happened; Penny’s voice hit my ears and I was mesmerized. The tone and pitch were different than Evie’s but no less good. Penny was a little breathy but she was banging away on the drums and it really added something to the sound.

Evie wasn’t blowing sunshine, the girl was good, really freaking good. And with a little help, she’d be sensational.

“Jesus, she can sing,” Jonny said and I turned to find him filling the doorway.

Then an idea hit me.

“Is this being recorded?”

“No,” Bonnie answered.

All right. New idea.

“I walked around Evie’s huge mixing desk and pushed in next to Chasin. As soon as the song ended, I opened the mic to the sound booth.

“That was awesome. Give me another one. Rush, Collins, Stones, it doesn’t matter. But make it the same as before. Sean, Evie, then let Penny come in at the end.”

“Why?” Tony snapped.

“No. Stevie Wonder, Superstition,” Evie suggested.

Evie started playing and thankfully I’d already started recording. Penny picked up the beat immediately and thirty-one seconds later, Sean started singing. The three of them ran through the song and it was better than the first. That was partly because the song Evie chose was perfect for them but also because Penny hit her groove. I’d seen Evie do it countless times—the world melted to her and her PRS and her soul came alive. The same thing happened with Penny Cash, and when it happened there was no denying she was meant for this—she and her drums belting out lyrics that came alive when she sang them.

The song came to an end and Evie swung her guitar to her back and placed both hands on her belly and tossed her head back and exploded into a fit of laughter.

“Your son loves music, babe,” Evie said straight to the window even though she couldn’t see through it. “And damn if he doesn’t already have rhythm. The kid is rockin’ out.”

“Son?” I whispered.

Chasin didn’t answer me but I didn’t miss his growl, it was guttural and sweet all at once. He sounded like a proud papa bear.

“Fuckin’-a girl but you got some lungs,” Sean announced and he, too, sounded proud minus the papa bear.

No, Sean sounded impressed, which was hard to do considering he’d been around the block a few thousand times.

I hit the mic again and said, “Take a break. Lunch has been delivered.”

I was staring at the monitor in front of me when I felt a hand on the back of my neck.

“Babe?”

I craned my neck and looked at Jonny.

“God, I’m sorry. I didn’t even say hi.”

I straightened and rolled to my tiptoes but even so Jonny needed to dip his head before my lips touched his.

“It’s okay. You were in your zone.”

I liked that he understood but it still didn’t excuse me for being semi-rude. Jonny never ignored me when I walked into a room.

“It’s not okay but thanks for understanding. I didn’t want to miss the moment.”

“What are you going to do with the recording?”

“Play it back for Penny. I want her to hear what she can do.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Tony complained.

Jonny’s brows snapped together at Tony’s loud protest. Bonnie sighed and Chasin grunted.

“Enough, T. If you can’t stop interrupting, I won’t let you—”

“Let me? Are you being fucking serious?” Tony interrupted. “You’re naïve. These people don’t have what it takes to get you where you’re going. You’re better than them. They need you, not the other way around.”

I felt my body string tight and I would’ve sworn all hell was about to break loose because I was the one who was going to instigate the beatdown Tony The Dumbfuck needed. But I didn’t have time to rain my verbal assault upon the idiot before Sean roared with laughter.

This went on for a long time. No one said anything and all eyes were on Sean. Evie was smiling huge. Penny was back to looking pale. Jonny’s arm was smartly wrapped around me which meant I couldn’t move to strangle Tony. And Chasin had claimed Evie and his son. My best friend in the whole world was having a boy and she hadn’t told me. Something I would forgive her for since I knew she was pregnant before Chasin knew and he hadn’t taken kindly to that. As a matter of fact, he’d bitched about it so much the guys made fun of him for being so salty.

“Listen up, boy, and listen good before your girlfriend here kicks your ass to the curb. Pretty soon Penny Cash is gonna be a name everyone knows. And right now, she’s gonna have to make a decision about what she’s gonna want to be known for. She can have all that talent she possesses, she can be the walking definition of rocker, she can fill a stadium, but she’ll have zero chance of longevity. With you around, Penny Cash will have the reputation of being difficult when really it’s not her, it’s you. No one likes a pompous dick. No one likes working with a manager who is an entitled prick. And no one likes to be insulted. You act like that in front of record execs they’ll drop her so fast her head will spin and it will be your fault. Can’t predict the future, especially in this