Skipped a Beat

by Salsbury, JB

  I scoff and laugh because really, Delilah calling me beautiful? Now I see where Ryder gets his great bone structure. I look between Cameron and Delilah. Yep, brawn meets beauty, fierce and lovely, the ultimate combination to create the superbly attractive and talented man beside me.

  Another attractive blonde woman strolls toward us and hands Cameron a beer. She can’t be much older than me, thirties tops. Her big eyes and round face make her look younger than her sexy clothes and big boobs suggest. She flips a panel of long blonde hair away and smiles warmly.

  “Jade, this is my stepmom, Eve,” Ryder says. “I know, you’re thinking she’s our age. You’re right. She is.”

  “Hey! I’m four whole years older than you, kid.” Eve flicks Ryder in the chest. “Jade, your name rocks. And you are seriously hot.”

  “Um… thank you?”

  She tucks in close to Cameron, and he drops a big arm on her shoulders. “Where are the kids?”

  He nods at a gorgeous woman with a thick, blonde ponytail hair holding a young girl with a short blonde bob. “Layla’s got Hannah.” He searches the room, then motions toward a guy built more like Ryder with black hair and tattoos painting his arms and even his neck. With the lip ring, he looks like he belongs in the band. A little blond boy seems content hanging at his side, holding his hand. “Dexter is following Rex around like a puppy.”

  Ryder’s voice is a warm rumble in my ear. “My little brother and sister,” he explains. “My dad and Eve’s kids.”

  “Got it.”

  Delilah leans into Eve. “Please tell me you didn’t ask Jesse to sign your boob.”

  Eve smirks. “I totally did.” She slides her tank top strap down a little to reveal black Sharpie marker scribble.

  Cameron’s body stiffens, and he peruses the crowd. “Where is that little fuck?”

  “Dad, you can’t kill Jesse before the show,” Ryder says matter-of-factly. “We kind of need him.”

  The way Cameron fixes his glare on Ryder has my pulse racing, and I take a step back, but Ryder just laughs and slaps his dad on the chest. “Easy, Turbo. Take a fucking breath.”

  “Ya know,” Eve says to Ryder’s mom, “if you want, I’m sure Jesse would sign your boob too.”

  Delilah makes an excited squeak and grins. “Lead the way!”

  Eve drags her off and Cameron watches, scowling at their trail.

  “They get along really well,” Ryder says.

  “Looks like it.”

  “What’s up, stranger?” A guy the same size as Ryder but with more swollen muscles and glasses wraps Ryder in a back-thumping hug. “I miss you, bro. This is fucking amazing.” He pulls back and his gaze slides to me, his smile warm in a way that reminds me of Clark Kent. “Hi.”

  “Jade, this is my best friend, Killian. He also fights for my dad.”

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “You too.” He studies Ryder, grinning big. “Oh, and here…” He snags the woman behind him, dragging her to his front. “This is my wife, Axelle.”

  I greet the pretty brunette, and Ryder points out a big man with cropped hair. “Axelle is Blake and Layla’s daughter. Layla’s the one holding my sister Hannah.”

  My head spins.

  “Don’t worry if you can’t keep up with it all,” Axelle says as her husband’s arms come around her from behind. “We’re a lot to take in.”

  I smile, appreciating her kindness. “You really are one big family.”

  “Jade, you need to come to Vegas sometime once the tour is over. Let us show you around the city of sin,” Killian says.

  I feel Ryder’s eyes on me, so rather than tell the truth—that I have no plans to see Ryder again after the tour ends—I lie. “That would be awesome.”

  Ryder’s eyes light with excitement at my answer, so I turn away to avoid him seeing the truth in mine.

  I meet Raven, The Assassin’s wife, and their teenage daughter, Sadie. Then there was Braeden, Blake’s brother. He had scars on one side of his face, and I wondered if he too was a fighter. His wife AJ was super cool and told me how she used to perform in one of the Vegas shows.

  Ryder’s family is like a tornado of muscle and love.

  I’m laughing as Ethan and Blake compete over who has the best pickup lines when the energy in the room shifts from comfortable to constipated. The murmur of voices dies a bit as if everyone is suddenly on alert, and when I turn around, I see why.

  Standing in the doorway is a woman who I recognize from the photo on Ryder’s phone.

  Rachel.

  Her long blonde hair falls nearly to her narrow waist, made to look even narrower by big boobs pushed up to her neck. Her body is sheathed in a bright yellow tube dress made completely of fur. Or are those feathers? Her long, tanned legs are tipped in strappy black heels, making her look like an anime character come to life. Her full, sultry lips tip up, and her enormous eyes, lined in fake lashes, bat as they search the room.

  Ryder doesn’t spare me a glance as he breaks away from the crowd to cross toward her. It’s then I notice she’s not alone. She brought a girl crew, and clearly they’re all models.

  I don’t know what I expect when Ryder and Rachel come into contact. I guess some part of me hoped he’d give her a friendly hug and then pull her outside to break her heart.

  So much for hoping.

  As soon as he gets close, she reaches for his shirt and tugs his lips to hers.

  His hands brace on her hips and she grips his hair, tilting his head and deepening the kiss.

  “Classy,” Ethan mumbles at my side. “And what the fuck is she wearing?”

  I can’t watch anymore. I hand my glass to Ethan and shrug. “Makes sense now.”

  He frowns. “What does?”

  “Big Bird fucker.”

  Ryder

  The things Rachel will do for an audience.

  I knew the second I spotted her in the doorway that she’d take advantage of a full room and make a scene. My plan was to get to her faster than she could act, guide her away before she made asses out of both of us.

  She anticipated, and before I could get too close, she pounced.

  Her tacky lip gloss smears against my lips and on my teeth. With my firm hold on her hips I manage to pry her mouth from mine with a sticky pop.

  “Dammit, Rachel,” I mumble for only her to hear.

  She pushes into my personal space, grinning up at me and loops her arms around my neck. “I missed you.” Her gaze darts to either side of my shoulders, clocking the room, taking stock of how many eyes are on her.

  I reach behind my head and remove her hands from my neck, setting them down at her side with a firm grip to communicate they need to stay there. “Why didn’t you answer when I called?” I give a quick, cursory glance to Heather and Caitlyn who seem antsy to get into the room and mingle.

  Rachel slips her hand into mine. “Why are you so angry?” Her sultry pout used to work on me, but now I see it for what it really is—manipulation by a wannabe actress.

  I shake her hand from mine and cup her shoulder to turn her around and guide her out the door. “You girls go on in and grab a drink,” I say to Rachel’s friends. “I’ll have her back shortly.”

  The girls giggle and Rachel smirks before saying, “Don’t wait up! This could take a while.” The implication I’m stealing Rachel away for sex is not only annoying but also wrong.

  I continue to guide Rachel down the corridor and duck into a service hallway. She wraps an arm around my waist, but I take her hand off me immediately. She finally gets the message, and uncertainty melts her once-overeager expression.

  When it seems we’ve managed to get far enough away from other people, I stop and lean against the wall. “Rach.”

  Her already-pale skin grows ashen. “We’re not going to your bus?”

  “No.”

  Her slender throat bobs with a thick swallow. “Are you breaking up with me?”

  I shove my hands in my pockets and nod. “Yeah.”

>   She blows out a breath and stares blindly at the floor looking much younger than her twenty-four years despite all the makeup. “Why?”

  I blink, a little surprised at her response. “Ever since I moved to LA, things between us haven’t been good.” Surely she’s felt the distance growing between us over the last six months. She’s got to hate all the arguing as much as I do. “We both knew this was coming.”

  She glares up at me. “If you’d just let me move in with you—”

  “That’s not the answer.”

  “So that’s it? There’s no chance of talking you out of this.” She raises one perfectly sculpted brow, communicating the importance of how I answer this single question.

  “No. I’m sorry.”

  She clears her throat and throws her hair back over her shoulders. “Well. Then I guess I don’t regret cheating on you.”

  I shake my head and chuckle. I’m not sure if she’s just trying to hurt me or if she really did cheat. The best part of all this is it doesn’t matter anymore. “Classy, Rach.”

  She seems a little rocked by my response. Maybe she expected me to yell, punch a wall, care… I don’t. She props her hands on her yellow, furry hips. “Always trying to act so righteous. You can’t tell me you’ve been faithful this whole time. I know the things that happen when bands go on tour. I’m not stupid. I’d even be willing to forgive you if you’d show the same courtesy.”

  “Wow. How could a guy say no to that?” I’ve never heard anything less romantic in my life.

  “So that’s it? After ten months, that’s just it. It’s over.”

  “We grew apart. Too much distance, too much fighting. You have to see it never would’ve worked out between us. And no, I never cheated on you.” I push up from the wall and make sure her eyes are on me when I say, “It’s over, Rachel. Feel free to enjoy the show.”

  For the first time, I see some emotion as her eyes fill with tears. “I’m sorry, okay? It was just a few times.”

  “A few times?” She can’t seriously think I’d be able to forgive her fucking someone else a few times. “Rach…”

  She runs her hands up my chest to my shoulders and leans into me. “Don’t do this. Remember how good we are together?”

  I grab her wrists and peel her off me. “Goodbye, Rachel.” I head out into the corridor, shaking my head, amazed I gave this woman ten months of my life and wishing I could take them back.

  “You’re gonna regret this!” she yells from behind me.

  “Nope. I’m not.” She can’t hear me, but I don’t care. As soon as I’m away, my mind shifts gears.

  Jade.

  I can kiss her now. Blood hums through me as I imagine the pillows of her soft lips on mine, the slick of her tongue as she pushes into my mouth, her taste. Fuck, I want to taste her.

  My feet move a little faster, and when I storm into the room with my band and my family, I search frantically for her.

  “Ryder,” Jesse says, his million-dollar smile spread across his face as he’s talking to my best friends, Axelle and Killian. “Your boy here just told me about the time you hit on your Spanish teacher in high school by telling her you wanted to eat her asshole.”

  I glare at Kill who looks like he might explode from holding in his laughter. “Thanks for that, fuckface.”

  Axelle giggles and squeezes my shoulder. “Aw, it’s okay, Ryder.” She glares at her husband. “At least you didn’t go to the gym commando and split your pants deadlifting, only to have your ball sack fall out in front of everyone.”

  Killian sobers instantly. “You told me no one cared!”

  Ax laughs. “Oh, they cared. We made memes and passed them around in private messages.”

  “Who’s they?” Kill’s voice jumps an octave.

  She mouths the word everyone.

  Jesse laughs and shakes his head. “That’s fucking savage. Hilarious. But fucked up.”

  As much fun as this is, I lift my chin to get Jesse’s attention. “You see Jade around?”

  He makes a quick pass over the crowd with his eyes. “Nah, man. Haven’t seen her in a while.”

  “Ohh, Jade?” Axelle says in her conspirator voice. “She is lovely, Ry. Please tell me you plan to shake off Rachel. I like Jade. She’s so sweet.”

  “I’m working on it.” I grin at an excited Axelle and excuse myself to hunt Jade down.

  “Ryder!”

  I turn in time to catch my little sister Hannah in my arms. Her six-year-old hands mess up my hair.

  “Hey!” I tickle her. “Stop jackin’ with my do.”

  She giggles and hugs me closer, her head falling to my shoulder. “I miss you.”

  I hug her close. “I miss you too. But isn’t all this cool?” I motion around the room, still searching for Jade.

  She shrugs her narrow shoulders. “I guess.”

  I run into my dad and Eve and deposit Hannah on my dad’s shoulders.

  “Ethan, have you seen Jade?” He pops the beer bottle from his lips and nods. “Yeah, dude. You gave her a front row seat to you tongue-fucking Rachel’s mouth, and she took off.”

  “Dammit,” I mumble and spin around once more, searching her out.

  “She’s probably on the bus.”

  The bus.

  I slip out of the room and dart past the guys from Dearest Jenny as they make their way to the stage. I swerve to avoid crashing through a huddle of groupies, and they squeal. “Sorry!”

  “Where are you going?” Brent calls out as I pass him on my beeline for the door.

  “The bus! I’ll be right back.”

  Roger, who is working security for the back door, pops it open when he sees me coming.

  “Thanks, man.” I jump down the stairs, jog around two semi trucks, and spot our bus. I slow to a walk, feeling my pulse fade slightly.

  I’m just going to kiss her.

  No prelude. I have no patience left when it comes to her.

  I throw open the door and climb the stairs. “Jade!”

  The living room is empty. I check the bathroom. Her bunk.

  Shit.

  Breathe, Ryder. She’ll show up eventually. And when she does…

  My mouth tilts up on one side.

  When she does, it’s on.

  15

  Ryder

  “You good, son?” My dad’s big-ass hand squeezes my shoulder.

  “I’m fine.” I’m not. It’s been two hours, and there’s been no sign of Jade. I feel sick to my stomach.

  “Leave him alone,” Eve says, curling up to my dad and looking up at him with so much love in her eyes it makes me roll mine. “He probably gets nervous before he goes on stage.”

  Not really, but my dad seems to buy it.

  “We’ll go take our seats.” Another squeeze. “Break a leg.”

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  Everyone else left for their seats during the second opening band. I saw Heather and Caitlyn ducking into Tempest Blade’s dressing room. I assume Rachel got there before they did. She’s the least of my fucking worries.

  Ethan rolls out of the bathroom, and Jesse’s got his mouth fused to Bethany’s neck while Chris FaceTimes his kids to say goodnight.

  “I’m gonna head on out.” Hopefully Jade is at the water table. It’s a bullshit job, but she strikes me as the kind of woman with ridiculous work ethic.

  “All right, we’ll meet you out there,” Jesse says before diving back into his woman’s skin.

  The vibration of live music and the roar of the crowd pulsates around me. The feeling usually gets me hyped to play, but not now. If I don’t lay eyes on Jade to make sure she’s okay, I’ll be a fucking mess on stage.

  I round the corner to side stage, and my heart sinks when I spot the table stocked with cold water, but no Jade. I lean against the wall, rake my hands through my hair, and wonder if the kiss between Rachel and me was a deal breaker for her. Would she leave, just like that, without giving me a chance to explain or even say goodbye?

  I tilt my
head back against the wall and listen to the music—the hard-driving double bass combined with the squealing guitar. My eye catches on something in the scaffolding.

  Two legs and a kick-ass pair of biker boots dangle overhead.

  “Jade?” How the hell did she get up there?

  I walk over and find where she must’ve crawled up. I make the climb, half elated that I finally found her, half furious she’d risk her safety by crawling up this thing. She must feel the vibration of my climb because as soon as I breach the top, I’m met with her cold, hard stare.

  “What are you doing up here?” she yells to be heard over the music.

  “You know what I’m doing. I’ve been looking for you for hours. Have you been up here this entire time?”

  She lifts a brow and casually turns back toward the stage.

  “So that’s it, huh?” I yell. “You’re not even going to give me a chance to explain.”

  No response.

  “Fuck, you are one stubborn woman!” I chance a peek down, and my head swims. “Will you please come down so we can talk?”

  Still, nothing.

  Okay, I guess this is going to happen here, groveling at thirty-five feet. “It’s over. I ended it.”

  She side-eyes me but only briefly before going back to watch the stage.

  “I know you saw her kiss me, but what you didn’t see was me pushing her away. It was a two-second kiss that meant nothing, Jade. I broke up with her, and it’s over.”

  I didn’t realize under all that hair that she was carrying tension in her shoulders until I saw them visibly relax.

  “I don’t want her. I haven’t wanted her for a long time, but you know I had to end things before I could be with you. Are you even listening to me?”

  She turns toward me then, her eyes glazed over. Is she crying?

  “Dammit, Jade. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She pulls her legs up and crawls along the scaffolding toward me. As much as I want to grip her by the back of her neck and kiss her, I fear we’ll both topple and spatter the ground, so I carefully back down the structure. Jade is above me, and to keep my eyes off the ground, I fix them on her sexy ass as it sways with each step.