by L A Cotton
He had to be pushing forty, sporting a round face and thick neck. My body vibrated with anger as I inched forward, but a heavy hand landed on my shoulder. “Relax, he’s got this,” Damon said.
Got this?
What the fuck was that supposed to mean?
The fucker was touching my girl and I’d been sidelined by... by Hudson of all fucking people.
Phoebe cast me a sidewards glance but quickly looked away.
“Landon, what the hell is going on?” Dowager pushed through the circle with Alistair trailing behind.
“It’s a misunderstanding, Tim.” The asshole paled. “A simple misunderstanding.”
“Hudson?”
“Ask Phoebe...”
“Phoebe?”
“Mr. Milligan...” She took a deep breath, standing taller. “Asked me if I wanted a drink. When I said no, he grabbed my ass and told me to lighten up and enjoy myself.”
I saw red.
In my mind’s eye, I lunged forward and wrapped my hands around his fat neck and squeezed, but in reality, Damon and Rafe steered me away from the group and pushed me across the room. Nobody seemed to notice, too busy eyeing the drama.
“He fucking touched her,” I snarled. “He fucking put his hands on my—”
“Ssh, before you turn this into something else entirely.”
They crowded me toward the bar, flagging down the bartender. A couple of seconds later, Rafe handed me a glass of Jack and Coke.
“You think getting me lit is a good idea right now?”
“It’s better than you going back over there. We still have to finish the set. Dowager is—”
“Dowager needs to fire that handsy son of a bitch. I mean it, Rafe. I want his ass nailed to the fucking wall for touching her.”
“She’s fine.” He stepped aside. “See, Phoebe is fine.”
Yeah, in the arms of another guy.
My fucking bandmate.
“Someone remind me why Hudson is over there right now, and I’m not?” I growled, my jaw clenched so tight it hurt.
I was her guy. Me. It was supposed to be me protecting her, me keeping guys like Milligan away.
Jealousy swarmed my chest, threatening to pull me under.
“He’s protecting you... and her,” Damon said, and my eyes snapped to his.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
He ran a hand over his face, glancing to Rafe, the two of them sharing a strange look. Then he said eight words that had me reeling.
“So funny story, uh... Alistair thinks Phoebe and Hudson are hooking up.”
Phoebe
Everyone was staring at me. Alistair and Hudson. Tim Dowager. The slimeball that had slid his hand under my dress and grabbed my ass. We’d officially stopped the party, everyone eager to see what was happening.
Hudson stood firmly at my side, his arm still hooked around my shoulder. He made it seem so easy. I still couldn’t quite believe what was happening.
I’d been groped by a colleague, and Hudson Ryker, constant pain in my ass and perpetual playboy, had jumped in to save me.
Dowager and Slimeball were arguing, while Alistair and Hudson tried to express their less than impressed opinions of the situation. A hand slid into mine and I found Letty’s concerned gaze.
“He’s with Rafe and Damon,” she whispered. “They took him to the bar.” Her head tipped toward the long sleek chrome bar running one length of the room. Sure enough, Levi stood there, staring right at me. I inhaled a shaky breath, trapped in his murderous gaze.
I could imagine the million and one scenarios running through his head and knew none of them would be good. Someone had touched me, put their hands on me without permission, and now Hudson was acting like I was his girl.
Jesus, I was surprised Levi had remained so calm.
“He knows he can’t lose it, not here,” Letty added.
“This is bad,” I whisper-hissed, “really fucking bad.”
“I know. Let me go talk to him. They need to finish the set. This is too important.”
“I know, please tell him this,”—I glanced at Hudson’s arm wrapped possessively around my shoulder—“means nothing.”
“He’s just protecting you both.”
“Yeah, I know.” I knew Hudson’s dramatics were part of his strange attempt at protecting Levi from a) himself and b) outing our relationship. If Hudson took the fall, people would write it off as nothing more than a fling. But if people knew Levi Hunter was tangled up with a girl… it would become a media frenzy.
I felt Levi’s hard gaze drilling holes into the side of my face, but I couldn’t meet it, not when a group of men were standing around arguing over me like I was invisible.
“Stop,” I said a little too forcefully. They all turned to look at me. “Mr. Mulligan has repeatedly said it was a misunderstanding so I would like that to be the end of it. The band has a set to finish and we’re drawing a crowd.”
“Very well,” Dowager nodded but he didn’t look too comfortable about the situation. “But we’ll be talking about this first thing tomorrow, Landon. Alistair, if your men would like to escort him off the premises.”
“Come on now, Tim, let’s not—”
“Mr. Mulligan,” Stalter said. “If you’d like to come with us please.”
He scoffed as if the entire thing was ridiculous, shooting me an indignant look as he passed me.
“I’m real sorry about that, Miss—”
“Halstead.”
He frowned. “Peter Halstead’s daughter?”
Oh God. He knew my father?
Dread snaked through me. This could not be happening.
“Penelope?”
“Phoebe.” I grimaced.
“Ah, yes, that’s the one. I didn’t realize you were working at the label.”
“I’m just interning.”
“No way, she’s a crucial part of the team.” Hudson grinned proudly, completely unaware that he was only making things worse, his arm still slung around my shoulder.
“And this.” Dowager wagged his finger between the two of us. “Could it be the infamous playboy Hudson Ryker is finally off the market?”
“Okay, Tim,” Alistair clapped him on the back, steering him away. “Why don’t we go and get a drink before the band come back on.”
“Drinks are on me,” Hudson called to their retreating form
“Oh my god,” I breathed. “He knows my father.”
“And that’s bad why?”
“Why?” I shrieked. “Because he has no idea I’m on tour with the band. And if Dowager tells him, he’ll probably mention that you and I... oh fuck.” I buried my face in my hands.
“Relax.” Hudson finally released me, stepping back as if he’d finally realized we weren’t together. People were still watching, eyeing us with mild curiosity.
God, what a disaster.
Dowager knew my father and now had the ammunition to crack open the truth about my job at the label. If Alistair didn’t believe there was something going on with Hudson and I before, he would now. And Levi... my poor broken Levi was staring at me with such hurt and betrayal in his eyes. I wanted to rush over to him and explain everything.
But the music cut, and the emcee’s voice came over the mic. “Please welcome back on stage, Black Hearts Still Beat.”
“I guess that’s our queue,” Hudson said over the raucous applause. “Listen, about what just happened... he’ll understand. I was just protecting him.”
“I know,” I whispered, hugging myself tight.
As the guys climbed back on stage, Letty and Eva came and stood beside me. Eva laced her hand in mine, offering me a reassuring smile. But nothing could undo what had just happened.
I’d arrived at the club a no one, but I had a horrible feeling that everything had just changed. That by publicly defending me, Hudson had created a ripple that couldn’t ever be undone.
By the time the band finished their set, my nerves were shot. Levi had deli
vered another note perfect performance, the duet with Eva a firm crowd favorite. But I saw the dark cloud circling him. He was pissed. Confused at being sidelined earlier. I knew Letty, Damon, and Rafe had all tried to talk to him, but I also knew his mind would be playing all kinds of tricks on him.
As they came off the stage, I hovered in the wings waiting for a chance to talk to Levi.
“Maybe this isn’t a good time,” Letty whispered, but I shrugged her off. I just needed a minute to reassure him, to let him know that everything was okay.
But Levi didn’t stop for me. He brushed right past me as if I was nothing to him. As if I was completely invisible.
It hurt.
It hurt so fucking much, I felt like I’d had the wind knocked from my lungs.
Eva gave me a sympathetic smile. “He’ll come around,” she said, taking off after Rafe. I knew Dowager wanted to meet with the band and celebrate their new partnership. There would be photos and drinks. And then Letty had arranged for the band to make a sharp exit due to their tour commitments.
I didn’t want to wait until we left. I needed to make him understand now.
Steeling my spine, I approached Levi at the bar. He looked right through me, sending a shudder through me. “Can we talk a second?”
“I don’t think now is a good time,” he deadpanned. No emotion. No anger.
Nothing.
“Levi, please.” I stepped closer, careful not to get too close. The party was in full swing now, the dance floor a sea of bodies all drinking and dancing.
“If you don’t want me to fuck everything up,” he finally met my eyes, contempt burning in his depths, “I suggest you get the fuck out of my way.”
“Levi, please—”
“Yo, man.” Hudson appeared, instantly grinding to a halt when he saw us locked in some kind of stare off. “Is everything okay here?”
“You tell me?” Levi gritted out.
“Relax, bro. I got your back.” Hudson nudged his shoulder. “No one is any the wiser about... well, you know. Come on, Dowager wants us over in the VIP section. Pheebs.” He gave me a wolfish grin before tapping Levi’s chest and dragging him away.
I spun around and ordered a drink. Letty found me mid-way through downing the sugary sweet cocktail.
“That bad, huh?”
“He wouldn’t even look at me.”
“Levi is... complicated.”
“I know that,” I sighed, the weight of the night’s events pressing down on my chest, “but surely he doesn’t really think that me and Hudson...”
“Deep down he knows it. But the mind is a dangerous thing.”
“So, what do I do?”
“Wait it out, I guess. This is new territory for us. Levi has never... aaand I’m giving away all his secrets.”
“Are you saying there’s never been another girl?” I mean, I knew there had never been a leading lady in his life as far as the press was concerned. But still. It was hard to believe he was a twenty-one-year-old guy and there had never been anyone else.
“Except Eva, and that wasn’t like what the two of you share at all.”
Weirdly, I didn’t get jealous hearing Eva’s name come up. I was glad that Levi had her. She was different to most people. Kind and compassionate and understanding. Levi needed people like that in his life.
Letty and I stood by the bar sipping our cocktails. Aside from Dowager meeting with the band, the party morphed from a networking event to a crowd of people all looking to let loose and enjoy the free bar. I watched groups of scantily clad women dance, men stalking them from the sidelines, weighing up when to make their move. Past the dance floor, I could just make out the VIP section. Dowager was seated right in the middle of the band, his expression animated, and hands exaggerated as he told them his story. He beckoned for something and a group of girls were called past the rope dividing their section with the rest of us.
“Oh, shit,” Letty breathed as I watched the girls all pick a guy and sidle up beside them. Except Rafe because Eva was plastered to his side like armor.
“Uh, Letty, what is happening right now?”
Dowager had just dismissed one of his employees for groping me, but he was proffering the guys with half-naked women. Talk about double standards.
“It’s a man’s world, girl,” she scoffed.
My eyes almost bugged out of my head when Levi hooked his arm around a slim blonde’s waist and pulled her down on his lap. I saw the flash of triumph in her eyes, the blatant hunger as she slid an arm around his neck and sat there like a queen atop of her throne.
“It’s acceptable to drink more, right?” The knot in my stomach twisted violently.
“I swear sometimes,” Letty groaned, “he’s like a child.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not looking to play games.”
“I’m not sure he knows how to not play them. It just what he does. Oh shit.” She spun around and faced the bar. “See that guy coming over here.”
“Eyebrow piercing with all the tats?”
“That’s the one. I need you to get rid of him.”
“Me, but why—”
“Hey, Letty,” he said, reaching us. She ignored him. His gaze flicked to mine, and I smiled.
“I’m sorry, Letty is unavailable right now.”
He snorted, running a hand over his faux hawk. “She’s standing right there.”
“I know, but she’s still unavailable.”
“I see.” His teeth ground together. “I’m Miller.”
“Phoebe.”
“You’re with the band?”
“I’m with the label, yes.”
“Cool. I’m an exec with Dream Sounds. The band killed it tonight. Especially, Drown. That has number one hit written all over it.”
“We’re hoping it’ll go all the way to the top.”
Well, this was bizarre. Standing here talking to Letty’s friend while she pretended he didn’t exist.
His eyes flicked to Letty again and he released a frustrated breath. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Phoebe. Tell Letty I said when she’s ready to grow some balls and hear me out, I’ll be waiting.” He gave me a stiff nod before jamming his hands in his pockets and walking away.
“Ugh, I can’t believe he’s here.” She peeked up at me.
“Want to talk about it?”
“No.” She grimaced. “I really don’t. Ready to call it a night?”
“But don’t we have to—” My eyes found Levi again across the room. He still had the blonde in his lap, his hand curved around her waist.
Damn you, Levi Hunter.
I swallowed the ball of emotion clogging my throat.
“I’ll go see if they’re almost done.” I didn’t like the pity in Letty’s eyes, as if she already knew the outcome. “And then we can get out of here, okay?”
“Yeah.” After the events of the night, I was more than ready to leave.
Letty downed the rest of her drink and marched over to the VIP area. Security let her past and she stood over the group. Part of me wanted them all to get up and follow her out, but I knew they wouldn’t.
When she returned, she schooled her disappointment, flashing me a warm smile. But it did nothing for chill running through me.
“Come on, girl,” she grabbed my hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
Levi
Letty loomed down over us, giving me a disapproving look. The blonde was oblivious, running her hand up and down my bare chest. Her touch was all wrong though. Like sandpaper on glass. But I was too wasted to care. I hadn’t intended on getting drunk, not until I’d seen Hudson jump in and protect my girl.
My girl?
Was she even my fucking girl after tonight? Alistair thought she was hooking up with Hudson... Hudson of all fucking people. Rafe and Damon had tried to reason with me, tried to tell me it was for my own good. But the little voice in my head wouldn’t stop taunting me.
She wants him.
She wants him.
She wants hi
m.
By the time I stepped down off the stage, my mind was swimming with a lethal mix of anger and liquor. It hummed through me, a bittersweet symphony luring me toward the darkness.
Phoebe had tried to talk to me, but I couldn’t even look at her without seeing Hudson holding her, defending her. So I’d done the only thing I knew to stop myself from doing something I’d later regret—I’d headed straight for the bar and downed two more doubles.
By the time Dowager requested our presence, my eyes were blurry, and my head rolled slightly on my shoulders as I tried to listen to what the fuck he was saying.
He sure knew how to keep his guests entertained though. An open bar. Girls on tap. What more could a guy want?
Her. You want her.
“God, you’re so hot,” Blondie leaned in, letting her hand trail awfully near my dick. Only, it wasn’t interested, shriveling inside itself.
“We’re leaving,” Letty said a little louder than necessary. “The cars are on standby. Should I have them—”
“Actually, Letty,” Alistair jumped in. “I think we’re going to stay a little longer, celebrate.” He slid his hand up the cute brunette’s thigh. She leaned into him, whispering something.
I didn’t blame him. Riley hadn’t only screwed me and the band over, she’d screwed him over too. We all knew they were banging, and rumor around the crew was that Alistair wanted more. It had to have hurt finding out she was a traitorous bitch only out to line her pockets and progress her career.
After everything that had happened, I was surprised he could even be in the same room as me, but that was Alistair, as professional and courteous as ever.
“Excellent choice, Ali.” Dowager lifted his glass. “To new partnerships.”
“You sure you want to stay?” I heard my brother ask Eva.
“I don’t know... should we? I don’t want Dowager to think we’re being rude.”
“Stay,” I slurred. “Eat, drink, and be fucking merry.”
“You need to relax.” He glared at me.
No, what I needed was her.
Phoebe.
My honeybee.
But everything was spinning and when I looked over at Letty to tell her that maybe I was ready to go after all, she was gone.