“I don’t want to leave Alicia,” Kassa reminded me not for the first time, and I gritted my teeth.
Alicia had been told repeatedly by her doctor in the last few weeks to take time out from work to get better. She’d been having more and more migraines but the more often she was sick the harder she worked, leaving Kassa alone to the point that she was basically the only one living in the house we’d grown up in. Kassa had school and other activities to hold her attention, but there was no one there to talk to once she got home. No one to tell about her day until she called me and Gray.
“Kassa…” I didn’t know what to say to make her feel better. I couldn’t fly home for Christmas because Tainted Knights was expected to play every week, and if she didn’t want to leave Alicia I knew there was no way I could talk her into getting on a plane to come to California. We both knew that Alicia wasn’t going to take the time off work, not even for the approaching holidays.
“I didn’t call you to cry on your shoulder, Jace,” Kassa grumbled. “I just wanted to check in on you. I haven’t talked to you in a day or so.”
“I lost my phone two days ago,” I explained. It had taken me hours to find it at First Bass. It had fallen out of my pocket and gotten stuck between two cushions. The battery had died so I had been unable to call it so I could listen for the damn thing before the club had opened the night before. I’d been about to start slicing leather cushions when I’d finally found the fucking thing.
“I figured,” she said with a small laugh. “Gray said you were fine when I talked to him, but I know how you two are. To him, fine only means that you are still breathing. Anything else is trivial to you guys.”
I ran a hand through my hair, grinning. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“So, how are things with you and Kin? Getting anywhere with her?”
“I’m working on it,” I assured her.
“Good. I like Kin. She busts your balls. Not many chicks can do that.” There was a pause on her end and I realized she was getting an incoming call. “Crap, that’s Gray. I’d better answer it before he has another hissy.”
“Another one?” I couldn’t keep from asking.
“It’s a long story,” Kassa told me with a groan. “I’ll tell you about it later. I have to take this before he loses his shit and I have to spend three hours talking him out of getting on a damn plane.”
My eyes widened at that but I told my sister I loved her before hanging up. Gray wasn’t normally an emotional kind of guy, but then again, where my sister was concerned he was anything but his normal self. Shaking my head, I finally opened the apartment door and left, hoping that Kin would come to open mike so I could see her again.
Chapter 11
Kin
“Are you planning on going out tonight?”
I lifted my head from my history textbook and lifted a brow at my step-monster. What the hell was she doing in my room? I hadn’t even heard her open the door, but there she was, standing over my bed like she had every right to invade my privacy. “I’m going to First Bass with Lucy.”
Jillian nodded. “Good. Georgia is going with you.”
I sat up on my bed quickly. “No, she isn’t.” No way was I going out with Georgia. Not to First Bass, not anywhere. First Bass, like Lucy’s house, was becoming my safe haven and I wasn’t about to let Georgia spoil that for me. And I sure as hell didn’t want her there to listen to one of my new songs I’d written in the last few weeks.
Jillian crossed her arms over her very fake chest and lifted both her brows at me. “Yes, she is. Georgia needs more exposure. I want her in the tabloids just as much as you are these days. That means she needs to show up at First Bass with you and that Thornton girl. I want to see her on TMZ tomorrow night, McKinley. Being seen with you and the rocker’s kid will accomplish that.”
Before I could even respond to that, Jillian turned and slammed the door behind her as she left my room. Ah, hell. Really?
Well, she’d lost her freaking mind if she thought I would just fall in line with that shit. Pushing my textbook and notes away, I quickly grabbed my guitar case and silently headed for the stairs. I felt like a damn ninja as I made my way down the hall toward the stairs. Jillian would throw a fit if she caught me sneaking out alone. As I passed Georgia’s room I glanced inside and nearly dropped my guitar when I saw what she was wearing.
She had on six-inch heels, tattered fishnet stockings, shorts that ended right under her ass cheeks, a T-shirt that barely covered her chest and enough makeup that qualified her for clown school. Her hair was teased and put in some kind of complicated twist that fucked with my head just trying to figure out how she had accomplished that hair style. She looked like a cross between a really expensive hooker, a mime, and a total skank.
It took everything inside of me not to burst out laughing but somehow I contained myself and quickly made my way downstairs and out into the driveway. Lucy was supposed to pick me up and I prayed she hurried because I didn’t want to have to take Georgia with me. Fuck that shit.
The Range Rover pulled to a stop at the end of the driveway and I ran to get in after tossing my guitar into the back. “Go!” I commanded Marcus who was behind the wheel as usual. My heart was racing as I dared to glance out the window and saw Jillian stepping out onto the front porch.
Her eyes were narrowed and her face was set in hard lines that told me I was going to get an earful when I got home later that night. Ah, hell.
“What did you do, Kin?” Lucy asked with a laugh as she followed my gaze while Marcus did as I had asked and pulled out of the driveway so fast the tires actually squealed.
“Damn bitch wanted me to take Georgia with me,” I explained as I covered my face with both my hands so it would muffle my scream as I tried to release some of my frustration into them. Groaning, I lowered my hands and faced my best friend. “Jillian wanted me to take her because she said Georgia needed more exposure with the paparazzi, and being seen with us at First Bass would get her on TMZ.”
Lucy’s mouth fell open for a second before she snickered. “Wow. She’s a real trip, huh?”
I shook my head, trying to get the picture of my step-bitch out of my head. “Georgia was still getting ready when I came outside, but what she was wearing…” I shuddered. “Promise me if I ever leave the house looking like a cross between a high-end prostitute and skankzilla, you will do the right thing and slap some sense into me.”
Lucy started giggling uncontrollably but I was serious, damn it. “It’s not funny, Lu. You should have seen her. I guess she thought that since Harris owns First Bass and is the son of a rocker, she should try and look like a groupie or something. But she over-jumped the boundaries completely. I think it’s against the law to wear the clothes she had on in public. If she was going for shock value, she hit it hard. Her hair was as high as a Texas beauty queen’s and her makeup…” I couldn’t help shuddering again. “It was horrible. That eye makeup alone will haunt my dreams tonight.”
“Stop,” Lucy pleaded, laughing so hard she was holding her sides. “You’re killing me.”
Despite what I knew would be waiting on me when I got home that night, I couldn’t help but grin. “I’m being serious here.”
“I know,” Lucy said with another giggle. “That’s what makes it so freaking hilarious.” She wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands and turned in her seat to face me better. “I’m surprised you were able to ditch her.”
“It wasn’t easy. Going home tonight isn’t going to be an option, either.” I grimaced. “Can I stay with you?”
Some of the amusement left Lucy and she reached for my hand. “Of course you can,” she assured me and I let out a relieved breath.
I’d spent a few nights at Lucy’s house in the past and I both loved and hated it. I loved how easily Layla Thornton had taken me under her wing and made me feel like one of her children. I hated it because it only made me ache for my own mother that much more. Layla had even offered to let me stay with the
m permanently.
It had taken every single ounce of willpower I had to turn her down. I’d promised my mother and I was going to keep that damn promise. But as soon as I turned eighteen, I was gone. Nothing could keep me in Scott Montez’s house a second longer than was necessary.
The rest of the drive to First Bass was uneventful for the most part. Marcus pulled to a stop in front of the club and handed the keys to the Range Rover over to the valet before helping Lucy out. I grabbed my guitar case and followed her. We didn’t even look at the huge guy standing in front of the velvet ropes, keeping people out. I gritted my teeth as more than one pap called out my name and then Lucy’s, but neither of us bothered to give them so much as a glance as we entered the club.
Normally on Wednesday nights we didn’t go up to the VIP floor, so when Tiny stepped forward as we started to pass the VIP entrance, we were both surprised. “Miss Thornton,” the big, delicious man with the scary-as-fuck voice greeted her. Even though she knew the guy, his sudden appearance startled her and she stepped back, instinctively moving toward Marcus. “Mr. Cutter asks that you join him in his office at your earliest convenience.”
She stiffened and I watched her eyes widen. I pressed my lips together. Harris had ignored Lucy for over a week now and suddenly he was requesting she come to him? Yeah, that shit wasn’t going to fly with Lucy. Even I knew that. I tightened my hold on her hand, offering her silent support.
Lucy straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Thank you, Tiny, but please inform Mr. Cutter that I won’t be joining him in his office. If he couldn’t find two seconds to send me a text letting me know he was alive, I sure as hell don’t have time to visit with him now.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing when I saw the big man’s mouth actually drop open in surprise. Apparently telling Tiny ‘no’ didn’t happen often. I couldn’t help smirking up at the big guy in amusement, but before I could say a single word Marcus was pushing both me and Lucy forward.
He found us a table and I sat down while he took up his usual post several feet away. That was one of the many things I liked about Marcus. He was respectful enough to give Lucy some space and I knew Lucy was never afraid to be herself around him. His loyalty was to her, and he would never tell her parents anything unless it was something that posed a potential threat to her life.
While I got my notebook out that was filled with all the new songs I’d been working on, a waitress stopped by our table and I ordered ginger ales for both of us. Lucy looked like she was lost in a world of her own and I couldn’t keep from calling Harris Cutter a stupid sonofabitch to myself. Lucy had confided in me that Harris had kissed her the night we’d had a girls’ night out with her mother, sister and Aunt Emmie.
That had been more than a week ago and the douchebag hadn’t so much as called her or texted her. If I hadn’t known how close Lucy and Harris were, I would have said that he was just the typical dickhead who had gotten his taste of my friend and was giving her the brush off, but Harris was different. I’d seen the way he looked at Lucy Thornton. Seen the hunger in his aquamarine eyes and the love that seemed to radiate off him whenever they were near each other.
I’d had to twist her around my finger to get her to even agree to come with me and I could see she wasn’t exactly comfortable. I felt bad for conning her into coming, but knew that I wouldn’t have gotten past the front door without Lucy’s help. That didn’t mean I liked seeing her like that. She hadn’t been this uncomfortable about being in First Bass since the first time I’d come in to do an open mike night.
The waitress returned quickly with our drinks and set the first glass in front of Lucy. “Mr. Cutter would like for you to join him in his office,” she told Lucy.
Dark brown eyes lowered to her soda, but I wasn’t about to just sit there while Harris had his staff pass on messages and orders. “Tell Mr. Cutter to go fuck himself,” I snapped at the girl. “If he wants to see her so damn bad, he knows where he can find her.”
While the waitress’s mouth twitched and her eyes widened, I turned my attention back to my songs. Fuck Harris Cutter. If he’d hurt my friend he would have me to deal with. I’d cut his balls off and hand them on a platter for Lucy to do whatever she pleased with them…
I felt his presence long before his shadow crossed our table. My heart stopped for a second when I realized Jace was at the club, only to start racing when I felt his gaze on me. My fingers tightened around the pen I was making notes with to keep them from trembling.
Damn it.
I hadn’t let myself think about Jace that day—something that was nearly impossible ninety percent of the time. Other than one or two times, I hadn’t seen him since the night he’d sucked face with a random groupie. I’d done my best to ignore him since then, but that hadn’t stopped him from texting or leaving me voice messages daily. Until the last two days, that is. I hadn’t heard a word from him in the last two days…
I wasn’t upset about it.
Really.
So what if he had given up. That was what I wanted.
Really.
Jace paused at our table and I could feel his blue eyes drilling into the top of my head as I forced myself to concentrate on the song I wanted to sing later. It wasn’t perfect yet and I wanted to make sure it was before I got on stage.
I heard him blow out a harsh breath through his nose, but when he spoke it was to Lucy, not me. “Harris wants to know why you won’t come back to see him.”
“It probably has something to do with him being a dickhead,” Lucy assured him. “Better be careful, I hear it’s contagious.” She let out a surprised gasp and I lifted my eyes enough to watch her through my lashes. “Oh, wait, too late. You’ve already caught it.”
I couldn’t hold back the snicker that bubbled up. Fuck, I loved Lucy Thornton. She was the best friend any chick could have. That girl was just as protective of me as I was of her.
“Been taking lessons from Kin?” Jace asked and I could hear the grin in his voice.
I lowered my eyes back to the notebook, refusing to feel pleasure at the odd compliment I heard in his tone.
“Probably the other way around,” Lucy told him with a sass that had been absent over the last week. “If you want to sit with me while Kin preforms, that’s cool. When you aren’t trying to stomp on her heart and pride, I actually like you.”
My hand tightened on my pen, but I was quick to assure her I was fine. “Just my pride, Lu. My heart is no longer involved.”
It was the biggest lie I had ever spoken, but Jace didn’t need to know that even if I was sure that Lucy suspected.
I heard Jace inhale deeply again and gritted my teeth at how aware of him I was. “I’ll come sit with you, Lucy. If you come back and talk to Harris.”
“See you later, Jace. It was good talking to you. Maybe we’ll see you next Wednesday.” Lucy was quick to dismiss him. I watched out of the corner of my eye while she pulled out her phone, ignoring Jace now.
“You aren’t coming tomorrow night to watch Tainted Knights?” He sounded disappointed.
“I’ve seen you and your band play before,” Lucy told him, her gaze still on her phone. “I’m sure I’m not going to miss anything important. The only reason I’m even here now is because of Kin. As soon as she’s done, we’re leaving.”
“Damn it, Lucy. Harris wants to see you.” His tone was full of frustration, but there was no way I was just going to sit there and let him talk to her like that.
I stiffened and lifted my head to find Lucy calmly meeting Jace’s gaze, not even fazed by his tone. “I’m right here.”
“He’s busy, Lucy. Give the guy a break. He’s had a rough week.”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” Lucy assured him with a shrug that should have looked careless, but to me looked like she was hurting. “He hasn’t called or texted me in over a week.”
The chair between me and Lucy was pulled back, and Jace sat down. I tried hard to turn m
y attention back to my song, but with him now sitting less than a foot away I was helpless to not feel his presence to my damn marrow. I caught the scent of his cologne, that spicy male scent that he fucking knew I loved, and gritted my teeth against the sudden rush of desire as it pooled between my legs.
Jerk.
Jace
I understood why Kin and Lucy Thornton were such good friends. The two little hell cats were just alike. Their freaking personalities were so similar they could have been doppelgängers. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, because God knew how hot Kin could get me with her sassy, ball-busting personality, but it sure as fuck drove me up the wall when she was being so stubborn that she wouldn’t even give me two seconds of her time.
Lucy, I’d learned over the last few months that I’d known her, was the exact same way, if not more so. But where Kin was unable to forgive, Lucy had always seemed to be able to put shit behind her and move on once she had cooled off. She wasn’t completely unreasonable about things.
Normally.
Right then, however, I could see she wasn’t going to be the rational one about the situation between her and Harris. I couldn’t really blame her. My friend had acted like an idiot, kissing her and then avoiding her for over a week. Sure, I understood that he was scared of what not only his father would do to him but what the Demon that was Jesse Thornton would do, but truthfully, if it had been me and Kin in the same situation, I wouldn’t have given two fucks about anything but having her in my life.
Fuck anything but the girl I loved.
Gritting my teeth as that thought filled my head, I scooted my chair closer to Kin’s. Fuck this shit. I needed to follow my own advice and fight for the girl I was desperate to have back in my life instead of just waiting for her to forgive me. She needed a reason to trust me again, to know that I wasn’t going to leave her behind ever again. That started right that second.
Her auburn head lifted from the notebook that I knew she always wrote everything from her songs to her beautiful poetry in. Blue eyes frosted over when she saw how close I was, but I just grinned at her and leaned over the table to take a look at what she was writing. “What’s this one about?” I asked as I skimmed over the few lines I could see.