Hearts Collide (Infinity Prism Series Book 1)

by Kylie Walker

  “I know,” Chloe sighed. “And jet lagged to boot.”

  “I need some kind of a pick me up,” Emelia admitted. “I am tired of being moody.”

  “How are things with you and Grant?” Chloe shifted the subject slightly as if that might be the reason behind Emelia’s recent temperament.

  Emelia’s heart skipped a beat. She knew her friend was just merely asking an innocent question. And being this close together on the tour meant that her friend was privy to more about their relationship than she probably wanted to know. After Emelia had returned to the hotel after the party with Trevor, all hell had broken loose. Grant had accused her of all sort of sordid things—things she felt guilty about but never actually engaged in. Yet her water-tryst with Trevor had been enough to flame her guilt.

  “I’m giving Grant some time,” Emelia admitted with an unpersuasive nod. “It’s taking him longer than usual to cool off.”

  “Well, that’s promising.” Chloe rolled her eyes.

  “It’s my own fault. I knew I was stirring up trouble when I went to the party with Trevor.” Emelia glanced at her cell phone for the time. “It’s eleven. Should we get brunch?”

  “That sounds awesome.” Chloe stood up and rubbed her stomach. “I’m starving. I haven’t eaten since like seven o’clock last night. A little hard to have an appetite when I could hear you love birds arguing through the wall.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Nah, no worries. You know what I think about Grant, and what I think you should do. In the meantime, there’s an egg Benedict in my future. Let’s go.”

  “As long as there is a Bloody Mary to dress it up, I’m game.”

  “I’m definitely on board.”

  Their hotel was right in the middle of the city, in the center of everything. They could hire a taxi, but most things were close, and the weather was beautiful.

  “Let’s walk,” Emelia suggested. She retrieved her black purse from the top of the little kitchenette counter in the front of the room. “It’s nice out, and we can get some exercise.”

  “If you think a million degrees is considered nice weather,” Chloe groaned, but her lips curled up.

  They stopped by Chloe’s adjourning hotel room so she could grab her purse.

  They stepped out into the sunny day. Emelia plucked her huge white sunglasses from her bag and hastily pulled them over her eyes. “Wow it’s bright out here,” she chuckled. The sun-drenched sidewalk reflected even more light.

  “The restaurant is only about a block away,” Chloe mentioned.

  “Good,” Emelia laughed. “I’m ready for that drink. Once we get done with this tour, I’m going to have to immerse myself in a major detox.”

  “I hear ya,” Chloe nodded. “I’ve been drinking way more than I normally do.”

  “It’s just the lifestyle of being on tour,” Emelia explained as if she had ventured around the world with a rock band hundreds of times. Well, she imagined most rock band tours were like this. She couldn’t say she would be in a hurry to do it again.

  They stopped in front of the restaurant. The brick was painted a cute rosy pink color, and there were strands of green ivy growing up the sides that gave it a cozy feel and a pop of vibrant, natural color.

  Emelia pulled the door open first, stepping inside. “Ahh,” she sighed as the air-conditioned room hit her sweaty skin. “That air feels amazing.”

  “Thank God for indoor central air, right?” Chloe laughed.

  The hostess sat them at a table by the window which Emelia appreciated because she enjoyed people watching. She could observe passersby as they talked on their phones, engaged in conversations or pushed a toddler in a stroller down the sidewalk.

  Once they ordered their food and drinks, Emelia leaned back in her chair and relaxed.

  Her phone buzzed. Confident that it was Grant, she opened the message. Her eyes went wide to see Trevor’s name there. They’d exchanged numbers a long time ago, but nothing had come of it. Emergencies only, considering they’d have no other reason to text each other even though in her fantasies, they exchanged cute messages all the time.

  Hey, Emelia. I’d like to connect with your brother. Can you make that happen? Thx.

  Her heart sank. That’s not what she expected. Nothing flirty. Not bothering to check up on her. Just a bid to use her connections.

  Chloe touched her wrist. “What is it?”

  Emelia reread the message, then showed her friend the phone. “I guess he’s really keeping it professional, huh?”

  “Yeah. I hate to say this, Em, but do you think he’s interested in you... or your brother?”

  Emelia startled. “He’s definitely not interested in my brother!”

  The waiter deposited their drinks onto the table. Chloe waited until he’d left to lean in across the table.

  “Not that way. I overheard the band talking about getting their music in front of a couple of movie studios. Trevor seems pretty passionate about it. It’s no secret that Campbell is your brother. I hope he’s not using you.”

  Emelia frowned and swirled her straw, mixing the contents of her drink together. Her mind wanted to deny such a thing, but reality told her she had to consider it.

  “He makes me happy,” Emelia gushed. Tears pricked her eyes, but she held them back. “You could be right, and if that’s true, it’ll really suck because Trevor honestly makes me happy.”

  Chloe’s lips puckered, and she furrowed her brow in confusion. “I know. I’ve seen the way you look at him. The thing is, I see how he looks at you, too. There’s something between you both that you and Grant just don’t have.”

  Emelia stroked the side of her arm stared out the window. “He’s funny. He tells the best jokes. He seems to genuinely care about me.”

  “I understand how easy it could be to get infatuated with him, Em. But let’s look at the facts. He doesn’t remember you from school, even though you have pics of him with your brother, and you showed up at every single venue he played. He gets frisky with you and leads you on but drops you the second the moment is over. And now, he’s digging for an opportunity to meet your brother, who has the power to advance his career. Might be time to take those rose-colored glasses off.” She took a bite from the pickle in her drink. “Besides, what about Grant?”

  “Grant?” Emelia felt dazed by the truth in her friend’s words.

  “Yeah.” Chloe raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Your boyfriend. Remember him? Now, he’s a right asshole, but I figure he has the right to know if you’re leaving him for a rock star who may or may not seriously be interested in you.”

  Emelia traced the pattern on the tablecloth with her finger. The waiter came, took their orders. She wasn’t even for sure what she’d ordered. Her mind was a cluster of doubt. Her body thrummed with desire for Trevor, but her friend could be right. He could merely be using her.

  She’d thought they were two hungry hearts, trying to have fun, get to know each other. Was that so bad? It’s not like he was getting on one knee and proposing to her or anything. Nor did she want him, too.

  There was the fleeting possibility that Chloe’s point could be valid. It was true that she was having a great time getting to know Trevor, but he was a celebrity. He had a bad boy quality about him. He probably wouldn’t be ready to settle down for a long time, years even. Besides, hadn’t Campbell said that he had hung around with the wrong people back in the day? Maybe that was how it started, him seeking out those who could do something for him.

  She needed to focus her energy back to Grant. He was a loose end she needed to take care of, and then she could concentrate on the rest. Suddenly, she wasn’t hungry anymore.

  “I think I want to head back to the hotel and rest before the show tonight,” she told Chloe. “Do you mind if I take a raincheck on the shopping?”

  “Sure.” Chloe gave a knowing shrug. “It’s kind of hot to be walking through the city right now anyway.”

  They finished their meal, the text message hang
ing over Emelia’s head like a brick. Back at the hotel, she showered and changed, paced the room wondering where Grant was. When he still didn’t show, she took a cab to the auditorium to help get ready for tonight’s show. She scoured the place, looking for her boyfriend, and when he still didn’t appear, took a seat in the stands with her laptop. The crew did their work below, and finally, she caught sight of Grant doing his thing.

  She couldn’t shake Chloe’s words. When the set started, and the place was packed with screaming fans, she hung out in the wings. The guitar strums blared through her ears. The drums vibrated through her bones. And as soon as Trevor started singing and moving around the stage, she was transfixed.

  He looked so damn sexy. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. His thick muscles were sculpted and moved perfectly as he worked the stage like a true artist.

  She edged out a little farther, so she could see better. Trevor made eye contact with her, and her breath caught. She was taken to a different place every time he sang. It was as if every song were meant entirely for her and no one else. It was an incredible feeling, but it wasn’t real.

  She was floating so high that she didn’t see Grant come up to her until his arms wrapped around her from behind, and his familiar scent flooded her nose. He pulled her closer and placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek. Then, without warning, he spun her, dipped her to the side and claimed her mouth with his. Shocked, she didn’t return the gesture, but he didn’t seem to notice. She prayed that Trevor didn’t look just then and see her kissing Grant. Somehow, that prospect made her feel even more guilty than her growing feelings for Trevor.

  Not that it would matter. She was afraid she was going to lose no matter how this ended.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Manhattan. The Big Apple. The City that Never Sleeps. Call it what you will, the energy swelled there. The vibrancy was electric. Trevor always felt alive when he was here. They’d played at Madison Square Garden tonight, and it had been the highlight of the tour so far.

  “We are going to get ambushed as soon as we go in there, you know.” Asher gave the rest of the band members an ambiguous grin, letting him know he was up for the challenge. He loved being the center of attention.

  “I can’t wait,” Trevor admitted, but there was no sincerity to his words. He rubbed his hands together, creating warm friction, hoping it would chase the chill that seemed to creep from inside out. He checked his phone, knowing full well the message he wanted wouldn’t be there. He had never heard back from Emelia after he’d asked her to hook him up with her brother.

  Which meant he never got the chance to tiptoe into the topic of Grant possibly being all over another woman at the Casino. He wasn’t going to point any fingers, but rather, casually ask if Grant had been there that night and take it from there. The thought of that man playing with Em’s heart made him rage-y.

  Glancing out the window as the Escalade came to a stop outside the hottest club in Manhattan, he was blown away by the sheer number of people outside the main entrance. Word probably leaked that they were going to hang here tonight after the concert. Most of these after-parties were planned in advance, and the club owners had a hard time keeping their mouths shut. The more business, the better, and who better to draw a massive crowd than a hot band with a following of rabid fans?

  “Look at all those suckers waiting in line, hoping they won’t have to beg the bouncer to let them in.” Roman pointed at the crowded sidewalk. It was lined with people taking group selfies, scrolling through their phones, or craning their necks to look ahead and determine whether the line would be worth the excruciating wait.

  “I think we should go in through the front and really drive them crazy,” Asher suggested.

  Trevor glanced over at his band members. For once, he didn’t think purposely exposing themselves to a crowd was a bad idea.

  “Let’s do it. Sign a few autographs on the way. Look at all those bras out there just waiting to be signed.”

  There was a murmur of appreciation from the band. He might as well join in. Why not? He and Emelia kept dancing around each other. If there was something between them, it was taking its sweet ass time in blossoming. He wanted her in the worst way. But she was still dating that loser, and until she made up her mind, Trevor was tired of being out of the game. It had been a long time since he had taken a woman back to his suite.

  They had an escort waiting to walk them through the crowd and into the club. People were calling their names, reaching to touch them, asking for autographs. Trevor was momentarily blinded by the flash of cameras as he passed. Suddenly, the velvet ropes along the walkway meant to keep out the excited crowd began to topple as fans pushed through.

  “Stay back!” The security guards rushed to contain the melee. Trevor was lightly pushed from behind by one of the guards.

  “Let’s hurry and get you boys inside.”

  In a blink they were safely inside the club, his ears ringing from the sudden lack of screaming and hollering. Roman rolled in directly after him, scanning the building with a look of mischief. Strobe lights in every color pulsed from projectors on the ceiling, glowing on the sexy women getting their beat on below.

  “This place is packed!” Roman roared.

  They both paused to watch a set of twins in short dresses grind against each other, causing a substantial amount of attention from everyone within eyeshot.

  “This way to the private bar, gentlemen.”

  Colton snagged the security guard’s sleeve. “Hey, invite those twins for us, yeah?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Trevor didn’t argue. What kind of red-blooded male could resist that kind of temptation? He wanted his band members to have a good time. They’d earned this, all of this. The attention, the easy sex, the free drinks, and exclusive club access. The money. Hell, they had everything they ever dreamed about, and it was only getting better with each show.

  So why did he feel so unsettled?

  They were almost to the back room when a trio of men with cameras rushed his way.

  “Trevor, Trevor Jameson! Time for a couple questions?”

  Trevor steeled his jaw. Paparazzi had gotten inside. One of the guards rushed over to shoo them back, but it didn’t stop the restless feeling.

  “Trevor, is it true you were involved in a gang in high school?”

  “Did you know two members of that gang were recently imprisoned for manslaughter? Did you keep in touch after high school?”

  Trevor felt the blood drain from his face. He opened his mouth to shoot a reply, but the words wouldn’t come. Suddenly, Roman was there, pushing Trevor forward.

  “No comment, assholes.”

  “What the fuck was that all about?” Colton got a little too close to Trevor’s face. He shoved him back with a sneer.

  “Nothing. Who the hell knows.”

  He shared a look with Roman, who swallowed hard, nostrils flaring. He was breathing hard as if he’d just run a marathon.

  “Brush it off, man. Brush it off.” Roman’s comforting whisper was anything but.

  Trevor turned away to close himself off from the group. He needed a moment to gather himself. If the media hounds knew about his very brief involvement with the gang in high school, what else would they dig up about him? It was no secret that he had been in foster care; that his parents had been incarcerated. But there were some things so tightly and deeply buried that he’d thought they’d never come to the surface.

  There were things that no one but him even knew about.

  Not even Roman.

  His thoughts darted to Emelia. Emelia, and her slender legs and her short skirts. How she managed to look innocent and sexy all at once. He loved her chestnut hair with highlights of amber when she was standing in the sun. He loved her laugh and the way it sounded like a windchime tinkling through a gentle summer breeze.

  He was infatuated with her, that’s all. It wasn’t real love. Merely lust. Lust that he could escape and dodge if only he found another
girl to distract himself with. That was the problem though. None of the other girls seemed to live up to the potential that he saw residing in Emelia. She had a heart of gold, and he respected her. He was enthralled with her, and he couldn’t get his noisy mind to stop screaming its want of her.

  How much would it crush her if she knew the truth about him?

  The rest of the band had wandered to their own corners, drinks in hand. The room felt stifling, the music actually hurting his ears. He had to get out of here.

  “I need some air,” he yelled to Roman and pointed towards the exit.

  “Dude, wait. Not alone.” Roman moved to come with, but Trevor held up a hand.

  “Alone.”

  Trevor stormed off, veering on the edge of the crowd on the main dancefloor as he looked for the back exit. His breathing slowed, some of the tension easing out of him. He hated feeling that way. Had felt that way too many times in his past. He wasn’t a total wreck anymore, but he would always wear the scars of his past on his shoulders.

  He did his best to block out the damage his parents had done to him. He never wanted his mind to venture into the darkest memories. He didn’t want to remember the screaming between him and his father or the way his father would beat his mother when he thought no one was looking.

  If Trevor ever got married, he would vow to both himself and his future wife that he would never be the scumbag his own father had been. His adult life was shaping up to be a wild ride of success. All he had to was look around to reflect on his current blessings and realize that he had the skills and the motivation to be a good man.

  A man Emelia deserved if she would ever look past what he had done.

  He took a corner, following an exit sign when he stopped dead in his tracks. Instantly, the surge of adrenaline and all it brought with it were back. Plus, rage.

  He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

  Grant was leaning against the wall, arms wrapped around a tall, slender woman with long blonde hair. Her lipstick had worn off and rubbed against the side of Grant’s neck. Her legs were wrapped around his waist as he spun her and hiked her up against the wall. They were passionately kissing. Trevor scanned the area already knowing Emelia was nowhere to be found.