Love Defined

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Love Defined Page 6

by Kelli McCracken


  He wasn’t bad looking either, and one thing I knew for certain. He sure as hell had a nice ass. I stared at it until I heard the elevator chime, and the doors opened.

  When I looked up again, my entire body tingled. Wesley was looking at me. The smile he wore was proof that he’d caught me checking out his ass.

  Just as we stepped off the elevator, Darius came into view. While I wasn’t sure why he was back inside the hotel after getting on the bus, I didn’t miss the way he narrowed his gaze at Wesley. The roadie didn’t say anything. He glanced back at me, smiled again, and walked toward the lobby.

  If looks could kill, Darius would have murdered Wesley right then and there. I didn’t understand the hostility between them, or why, when Darius glanced my way, he lowered his gaze and shook his head. He stormed off before I could ask what his problem was.

  Great. I was in for the longest bus ride ever.

  6

  ~Darius~

  I nearly mowed down an elderly couple checking in to the hotel as I made a mad dash through the lobby. After a quick apology, I continued toward the main doors, determined to leave before I hit something—or someone.

  It took everything in me to let Wesley walk away with a smug smile on his face. I didn’t miss the way he’d looked at Mia or the fact that he’d carried her luggage down to the lobby. Little fucking asshole. He must have heard my conversation with Boone, the one my friend and I had before I went back into the hotel. Boone was the one who’d suggested I extend the infamous olive branch to Mia and do something nice for her.

  So much for doing the right thing.

  Shocked didn’t describe the way I felt when the elevator door opened and I saw Mia’s suitcase in Wesley’s hands. He was giving her his flirty smile, the same one he used on the women he met, and she didn’t appear to mind in the least.

  Was it possible that after the argument Mia and I had last night, she’d hooked up with Wesley for a revenge fuck?

  No. She was too uppity for someone like him, and the word revenge would imply that she felt a need to get even. The idea of her fucking Wesley didn’t bother me in the least…or so I kept telling myself.

  Why was I even bothered by this?

  The thought sent my anger spiraling out of control. I wanted to grab the wire-rack full of local attraction brochures and knock out one of the windows, but I kept my shit together. I would not allow Wesley to get the best of me.

  God, I despised that man. He was always in everyone’s business, he’d slept with a couple of our groupies, and he was the first person to rat us out to our old manager, Rick. Wesley was part of the reason Rick had quit.

  Our agent, Mitch, was his next target, but Mitch wasn’t as stupid as Wesley had hoped. Mitch didn’t buy into his shit.

  Still, it was Mitch who’d talked me out of firing Wesley after telling me how the majority of the roadie’s paycheck went to his ill mother. Mitch hit a soft spot with me that day, but if Wesley kept baiting me, I wouldn’t think twice about firing him.

  Boone was waiting by the tour bus, toking a joint when I walked up. As soon as he saw me, he blew out a puff of smoke and passed it to me. “Bro, you look like you need this more than I do.”

  I didn’t argue. I took four hits and held the smoke in my lungs, repeating the process several times until I felt the effects taking control.

  “Better?” Boone asked.

  I nodded, took a couple more tokes, then handed him the rest of the joint. “Thanks, bro.”

  “What’s wrong, D? Did Mia not accept your olive branch?”

  “I never had a chance to find out.” I raked my hand through my hair as I thought back to the moment I had seen Mia. My heart felt like it had sunk to my knees.

  “Don’t leave me hanging,” Boone said. “What happened?”

  “When the elevator opened, Wesley was standing in front of Mia, holding her luggage. When the fuck did they meet?”

  Boone shrugged. “I’m surprised it took him this long to approach her. When Mary and Roman broke things off, Wesley swooped in and made his move on her. And let’s not forget what happened with Janie. Wesley doesn't waste time.” He eased his head back and studied me. “Why do you care anyway? I thought you hated Mia?”

  Maybe hate was too strong of a word because the way my body reacted when I looked at her was the opposite of hate.

  Avoiding a response, I stared at Mia as she walked out of the hotel. I trailed my eyes over her body, admiring the definition of her thighs, even under the knee-length skirt she wore. Part of her hair was pinned near the back of her head, but a few stray curls blew in the breeze. Her phone was pressed between her ear and shoulder as she shoved some papers into her purse and spoke. A second later, she smiled.

  No words could describe what happened to me at the moment. It was like I was seeing Mia for the first time, but not as the shrewd manager hell-bent on making her mark on this industry. I saw her for the intelligent, witty, and beautiful woman she was.

  “You’re so full of shit,” Boone grumbled. When I looked at him, he glanced at Mia then back to me.

  “What are you talking about?”

  He shook his head. “You put on this big act like you hate that girl, but you can’t stop staring at her or talking about her, and I’m willing to bet you think about her nonstop. Dude. Wake up. You’re falling for Mia.”

  His words terrified me. “No, I’m not.”

  Hearty laughter left Boone’s mouth. “You sound like a kid right now. Am not.” He accentuated the last two words, mocking me.

  “Listen, I have my issues with Mia, but I never said I wanted to see her get hurt. Wesley’s a fucking creep, Boone, and you know it. What if that was your kid out on the road, and she had someone like that asshole flirting with her? Wouldn’t you want someone watching out for your daughter?”

  “Yeah, I would, but I know you too, D. You like this chick a hell of a lot more than any woman you’ve been with. I don’t know if it’s because she’s unattainable, or if you have legit feelings for her.”

  I waved off his comment. “Whatever man. Think what you will. In the meantime, I’m going to load up. Mia will be over here in a minute. Thanks for the buzz.”

  As I turned to the door, Boone grabbed my shoulder. “Hang on, D. Just hear me out a second.”

  I had one foot on the step, ready to enter the bus, but hesitated. “What is it?”

  “If you’re worried about what the guys and I will think about you and Mia hooking up, don’t. We’d be happy with whatever got both of you out of a bad mood. Y’all make shit tense around here.”

  “Great—so you, Roman, and Wyatt and are talking shit behind my back?”

  Boone’s nostrils flared. “You know better than that. All I’m saying is, we’ve noticed the tension. If it’s because you’re fighting what you feel, maybe Mia is too.” He held up his finger when I tried to interrupt. “Try a different approach, bro. Be nice to her. Listen to what she says. She’s a damn good manager. I showed you the proof this morning.”

  “Yeah, I know,” I grumbled.

  “If you’re not interested in her, fine, but don’t stir the pot for the rest of us. If you do care…” He glanced over his shoulder, toward Mia, then looked back at me. “Take a chance and get to know her. You may be surprised at what you learn.”

  I was finished with this conversation. If I argued any more, Boone would keep flapping his jaws. The last thing I wanted Mia to hear was the two of us talking about her. That would go over really well.

  “Fine, Boone. I’ll take all of this into consideration.”

  He smacked my arm playfully and smiled. “Let’s get loaded.”

  I made my way onto the bus and walked back to my favorite seat. Once I settled in, I grabbed the notepad I used as my songbook from the side pocket under the window. It was time to work out my frustrations, and writing songs always helped. Besides, it would distract me.

  The distinct sound of heels echoed through the bus a second later. Mia had come abo
ard. I forced myself to keep my eyes on the blue-lined paper. If Boone and the guys had noticed the way I stared at Mia, had she noticed the same thing?

  “Hey, guys.” The sound of her voice was twice as chipper as I expected. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting, but I just got off the phone with a manager from the venue where you guys are playing tomorrow. Charming Thunder had to cancel their performance, so the lineup was shifted. Rebel Stone will be the second show before the headliner.”

  “Sounds good, right guys?” Roman asked. I glanced his way, half-expecting him to be smirking, but the grin on his face seemed genuine. So did the tone of his voice.

  “I’m cool with that,” Wyatt added. It felt as if he were staring at me. When I looked his way, I wasn’t surprised to know I’d been right. Unlike Roman, Wyatt’s smile appeared more devious. “What about you, Big D? You cool with the new lineup?”

  All I did was stick my hand in the air and give a thumbs-up. I refocused on the notebook and tuned out the rest of their conversation. Wyatt’s attempt to bait me failed and I refused to give him another opportunity.

  Once the engine revved and the air brakes engaged, I began jotting down lyrics. This would be a song about all the assholes in the world who wanted to prey on innocent and naive women. Wesley had provided me with plenty of inspiration, and now the words flowed from my mind.

  It was time to start creating new songs, anyway. Once this tour ended, we were heading back to the studio to make a new album. Might as well get a head start.

  “So, let me guess what you’re doing.” Startled by the sound of Mia’s voice, I acknowledged her presence without looking into her eyes. A hint of cynicism hung in her words, but I didn’t let it affect me.

  “Go for it,” I answered.

  “It looks like you’re trying to keep in touch with all the women you meet on tour.”

  “Nice guess, but you’re wrong.” I stilled my pen and met her gaze. “I’m writing a new song.”

  “Oh... I see.” Mia’s short response pleased me. She didn’t know me as well as she thought she did.

  Before I could rub it in her face, she turned to walk away. It should have made me happy, but I grew anxious at the thought. “Where are you going?”

  She pointed toward the front of the bus. “I’m going to my seat. You’re busy, and I don’t want to bother you while you’re working.”

  “I can work on his later.” I tucked the pen into the notebook and placed it back inside the pocket by the window. She didn’t seem convinced by my words. “Seriously, it’s okay. I can’t focus anyway.”

  Okay, so that wasn’t the complete truth. I was in the zone, but in some weird way, I was glad that she’d interrupted. It meant she wasn’t mad at me about last night. Then again, she might be ready to blast me for my actions.

  I hadn’t forgotten about the kiss I’d tried to steal from her or the way she sidestepped me, allowing me to fall face-first into the mattress. The last thing I expected from her was to talk to me.

  Once she lowered herself into the seat, I sensed the tension between us. Boone had mentioned that he, Roman, and Wyatt had sensed it all the time, but this was different. It wasn’t driven by our hostility toward each other. It was the awkward tension that came about when a person wasn’t sure what to say.

  I’d never been speechless in the company of a woman until this moment. All the smooth talk and bullshit I used on other women wouldn’t help me now. Mia wouldn’t buy any of my crap. She hadn’t from day one. Now I had to figure out how to hold a conversation with her.

  My mind was blank. How could I go from being in the zone and jotting lyrics to not having a single word to say?

  I rubbed my sweaty palms against my jeans and released a deep breath.

  Mia tilted her head to the side and studied me. “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” I chuckled. “Why?”

  “You seem preoccupied. If you want to get back to writing, I can go to my seat.”

  As soon as she gripped the armrest to push herself up, I grabbed her shoulder. “Don’t leave.” The words rushed out of my mouth a little more eagerly than I’d hoped. I was fucking this up. “I don’t want to write songs right now. I, uh…I want to apologize for my behavior.”

  She frowned. “Darius Stone wants to apologize?”

  I debated on whether to be offended by the remark until her face softened and a smile formed on her lips. Was she making a joke at my expense? Hell yeah, she was, and I was too relieved by her humor to care. Besides, I spoke her language. Sarcasm.

  I stifled my laugh while grinning at her. “Believe it or not, I’m capable of admitting when I’m wrong.”

  “It’s good to hear you say that, but I’m just as capable of doing the same.”

  “Then apologize when you do something wrong,” I interjected. “Everything I’ve seen so far has been right, including what you said to me last night.”

  She bit her lower lip and feigned a worried expression. “I said a lot of things last night. You’ll have to be more specific.”

  At least she was honest. She had said a lot of things during our argument, most of which I ignored, except for one thing. “You told me that I’m dragging down my band.”

  Her mouth parted as she tried to speak. “I…I’m sorry, Darius. You have no clue how incredibly–”

  “No, Mia, don’t apologize. You were right. I have been dragging down these guys for a long time. No one’s had the balls to stand up to me. Except you.”

  “I came to your dressing room that night with a chip on my shoulder. Your reputation preceded you, and I did all that I could to prepare. Then you seemed to have an issue with a woman managing you. It spiraled out of control after that.”

  “You’re right.” I nodded. “I don’t think either of us gave the other a fair shot, but I can assure you that I will do better.”

  Peering over the headrests, I caught all three of my bandmates staring at us. They tried to turn around before I saw them, but they were too late.

  “Hell, Mia, I’ll take it a step further,” I said in a louder voice. “I guarantee you that the four of us will be on better behavior. Right guys?”

  Someone groaned. Someone else grunted. And someone answered with a meh. All three went back to their conversation and ignored Mia and me. Good. They needed to mind their own business. Even if they were right and for some crazy-ass reason Mia was attracted to me like I was to her, my friends needed to butt out. I was a grown man who could handle his own affairs.

  Or maybe not. Yeah, I was thirty-six years old, but the stark reality of the situation was that I didn’t know the first thing about dating. The one time I tried, I’d failed. One-night stands were one thing. Genuine compassion and consideration for another person was foreign to me.

  I glanced at Mia and shook my head. “Trust me, they’ll behave.”

  “Darius, you do understand that I’m not here to prevent you guys from having fun or enjoying the lifestyle this industry can give you. I’m here to help you achieve your dreams.”

  She opened up her phone and showed me a few screenshots of newspaper articles about Rebel Stone, and none were positive. They talked about the way we destroyed hotels, had nonstop orgies, and how I’d basically become the poster child for misogynists everywhere.

  “Rebel Stone–and you particularly, Darius–have a reputation that I’m working to change. If you keep fighting me, I can’t help you. No one at Music Haven can, and believe me, I’m twice as tolerant as my father or grandfather.”

  “I believe you, Mia.” It wasn’t a lie either. Anyone who could put up with my bullshit the way she had and keep herself composed and collected, had to be tolerant of others.

  “Good, then let’s do this as a team,” she said. “Give me a chance to give you everything you ever wanted.”

  I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. “As good as that sounds, you’ll never be able to give me everything.”

  “Oh really?” She crossed her arms over her chest and narr
owed her gaze. “Try me.”

  I sucked in a deep breath and avoided answering her. We were finally getting along, and I didn’t want to ruin the moment. Besides, I didn’t want her pity.

  “Come on,” she added. “Name one thing you’ve always wanted and haven’t received.”

  Our eyes met as I released the breath I’d been holding. “You can’t give me back my mother.”

  Her brow dipped as confusion filled her face. “What do you mean? Do you need help locating her? I know a private investigator that can–”

  “She’s not missing, Mia. My mom died years ago when I was a senior in high school.”

  Saying those words were as painful as someone driving a jagged knife into my gut. I wanted to look away but couldn’t. I stared at Mia, noting the way her eyes began to water.

  “I’m sorry.” My voice grew thicker as I tried clearing it. “I shouldn’t have brought that up.”

  “No, don’t apologize.” Mia’s hand covered mine.

  I glanced at her hand and then back to her. Was she actually attempting to comfort me? I wouldn’t complain if that was the case.

  “Darius, I am so sorry for your loss. I had no idea your mother was deceased.”

  “It’s a subject I avoid if I can. I didn’t tell you to get sympathy. I just answered your question as honestly as I could.”

  Mia kicked off her heels, turned in her seat, and crossed her legs. “You want to know something? I never thought in a million years that you and I would have anything in common, but it appears I was wrong.”

  “How so?”

  Her throat wobbled when she swallowed. A second later, she lowered her eyes to her hand, the same one covering mine. “I lost my mother too. It happened when I was eight, so I get where you’re coming from. I’d give up so many things if I could bring her back.”

  There was a catch in my chest on the same side as my heart. Her words hit me hard. All this time I thought she was just a spoiled little rich girl trying to make a name for herself, but she wasn’t much different from me, at least not on the inside. We’d both experienced the same life-shattering tragedy.

 

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