“Hey!” Axton waved his hand until the blonde raised her head. “Hey, you! What’s your name?”
I snorted, my stomach hurting from holding in my laughter. “Smooth,” I muttered.
The girl frowned. “Me?” she called back.
“Yes, of course you!” Axton shouted. “What’s your name, hotness?”
“None of your fucking business! If you can’t come talk to me like a decent human being would, then you don’t need to know.” She shot him the finger and turned her attention back to her phone.
I was still laughing when the next hopeful stepped inside. Poor kid was nervous as hell and didn’t last more than two minutes before Cole was thanking him for his time. I went back to my sketch…
A door shutting just behind the fans caught my attention and I glanced up, expecting to see one of them going in search of a bathroom. The sight that greeted me made me feel as if I had been punched in the gut, the oxygen leaving my lungs so fast.
She was here! Oh fuck, she was beautiful!
Lana stood at the back of the group. Her hair, longer than I remembered it, was flowing freely down her slender back. She was wearing jean shorts and a Demon’s Wings shirt that I had given her when we had first met. As I watched, she dropped down into the chair next to the blonde. The other girl whispered something to her, shooting Axton evil glances.
“Hotness’ friend looks familiar,” Axton commented.
“Keep your fucking eyes to yourself,” I bit out, keeping my eyes locked on Lana. “If you look at her the wrong way I will hit you so hard you will puke out your balls.”
Axton snorted, not intimidated by my threat in the least. “Chill out, man…Oh, shit. That’s Lana!”
He said it loud enough that her head snapped around. Whiskey colored eyes locked with mine, and I was defenseless to look away. After a long moment, her lips tilted ever so slightly and she gave me a small smile. Not one of my hard to perfect on paper Angel smiles, but I would take what I could get. She raised a hand, giving a tiny wave.
“If you two are done eye-fucking the ho-club,” Cole commented from the end of the table, “I think the next loser is about to come in.”
Lana
I must have had a moment of insanity.
When Shane had texted me that morning saying the studio was allowing fans to watch the auditions for the show, I should have just turned over and gone back to sleep. But what had I done? I had jumped into the shower and was ready in less than half an hour!
Somehow, I had conned Dallas into going with me. My first choice would have been Harper, but she had to work this morning. Freelance photographers never knew when they were going to get a call, and right now Harper was pretty popular with some of the more respectable magazines. Still, I was happy that Dallas had taken the time from pissing her mother off to come with me.
We waited in a long line with other fans to get in. They were taking everyone back in groups of twenty-five to thirty at a time for two hour time intervals. Dallas and I had been pretty far back in the line, but I had texted Shane and he had sent someone to take us with the next group.
I was nervous. My hands were sweaty and my heart was racing. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to see Drake again after so many months. Seeing a bathroom as we followed the others toward the auditioning room, I ducked inside. “Lana!” Dallas whined.
“You go on,” I told her. “I just…I need a minute.”
“Fine.” She sighed and kept on walking.
It took me a while to get my nerves under control. I stood in front of the sink, staring at myself in the mirror. Play it cool. Act as if you haven’t been dying inside without him. He’s still the same Drake. You can do this.
The mental pep talk I gave myself calmed me for the most part. When Dallas sent me an annoyed text, I knew I couldn’t hide any longer. I entered the audition room, keeping my eyes down so I didn’t look at Drake before I was ready. He had always had this way of making me lose my mind with just a look, and I needed some more prep time before that happened.
When I dropped down beside Dallas in the last row she was pissed. “Do all rock stars think that they can snap their fingers and anyone with a vagina will drop their panties for them?” she asked.
I blinked, surprised at her question and the fire in her blue eyes. “Um…Yeah. You’ve met Shane. That’s the way it works in their world.” I knew that better than most. Vegas still haunted me.
“Pricks,” she muttered.
“What did I miss?” I asked, half afraid of her answer.
If Drake had tried anything with Dallas I didn’t know if I could sit there without having an emotional meltdown. She was my friend, but I was sure I would end up doing some physical damage to her pretty face!
“Axton Cage is a douche bag,” she informed me, like I didn’t already know that.
I had hung out with the “rock god” more than once. He wasn’t the nicest guy, but he wasn’t the worst one I had ever meet either. He was cool as long as he wasn’t drinking or drooling over Gabriella Moreitti. But those two had broken up about six months ago, for good this time or so all the tabloids had reported. Gabriella wasn’t a topic that we happily talked about in my family. Emmie and Gabriella had a war going on between them, and that meant Layla was anti-Gabriella as well. Which in turn, because I was loyal to my sister, meant that I was definitely anti-Gabriella!
“Oh shit! That’s Lana!” Axton exclaimed. The sound of my name made my head snap around, and I was caught in the blue-gray gaze of Drake Stevenson.
My heart literally skipped a beat. He was my soul mate. I had always known that, and my soul had been without its mate for far too long. My skin felt as if it were going to split open from the emotions shooting through me. Drake looked good. Oh, fuck. He looked amazing. He had lost a little weight and there were a few new lines around his eyes and mouth. His hair was a few inches longer, and I thought I saw a little gray at the corners, but to me he had never looked better.
My stomach tightened and lower, liquid heat pooled. My nipples hardened and I mentally chastised myself for not being able to control my physical reaction to the sight of the sexy rocker. No one had ever affected me like this but Drake.
As I took all of him in, I realized that I wanted him back in my life. On what terms I wasn’t clear of yet. I didn’t know if I could be his friend without falling deeper for him, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted more from him. I just knew that I couldn’t keep going on without him in my life.
A small smile tilted my lips as I came to that conclusion, and I raised my hand to wave. I thought I saw relief cross his face, and he started to smile back, but then he turned his head, frowning at something the man at the end of the judge’s table had said…
That was when I saw him. Cole Steel. That was probably the biggest shock of my life. No way! I glanced at Dallas, but she didn’t seem at all fazed about the old rocker’s presence. Maybe it was because she wasn’t easily impressed with superstars. Maybe it was because she was still pissed at Axton. Or maybe it was because she didn’t know that dirt bag’s secrets like I did!
Somehow, I contained my shock. Okay, I was beyond shocked, but no one needed to know it. They didn’t have to know anything. If I kept my cool, then everything would be fine. Cole wouldn’t know who I was, wouldn’t even guess the truth. There was only one feature that we shared, and that wasn’t all that big of a detail to notice.
“You’re going to break your phone if you don’t relax your hold on it,” Dallas told me after a few minutes. “Is it that bad seeing him after so long?”
“Yes,” I whispered, and then shook my head to clear the hatred haze. “No,” I corrected myself, knowing that she had meant Drake and not Cole. “No. It’s actually good to see him. I’ve missed him.”
The sudden crash startled me, and I jumped up, not knowing what to expect. Drake had Cole pressed against the wall holding him up by his throat, and it scared the hell out of me. He was saying something to the older rocker, but it was too
low for me to make out. His face was purple he was so mad, and there was a vein popping out in his neck.
Around me, the other fans were becoming rowdy. Axton was still sitting at the judge’s table, seeming reluctant to stop his friend. A producer and two security guards appeared, attempting to pull Drake off of Cole, who was clawing at Drake’s hands while he gasped for air he wasn’t going to get.
I pushed passed Dallas, knocking another woman to the ground as I rushed toward the fight. If you could even call it that! It looked more like Drake dominating some little old man the way Cole Steel looked right now, still pressed against the wall.
“Drake!” I screamed his name as I ran toward him. He seemed to jerk at the sound of my voice but still didn’t release his hold.
I glanced around, frantic. “Shane!” I screamed. “Shane!” Where was he? Before I could reach Drake strong arms wrapped around my waist. “No. Let me go!” I kicked behind me, connecting with someone’s shins.
“Dammit, Lana!” Axton huffed. “Be still!”
“Let go, Ax. He’s going to kill him.” I had never seen so much rage coming from Drake before. “Let. GO!”
“Drake!” Shane’s voice boomed around the room, and I glanced around, relieved to find the younger Stevenson brother. He reached his brother and wrapped his arms around his neck in a sleeper hold. “Let him go, bro.”
Drake struggled as his brother pulled him back. “Fucker!” he bellowed. “You ever talk about her like that again and I will end you!”
Cole put his hands to his bruised throat, coughing as he sucked in life giving oxygen. Shane was still pulling Drake back, getting him as far away from the old man as possible while his brother struggled to get back. “A little help here, Ax!” Shane muttered, out of breath.
I was still trying to get free from Axton’s hold on me. He seemed more eager for Drake to finish what he had started than keeping him back. “Sure. As soon as this little spitfire stops clawing at me, I’ll be right there!”
I reached down and caught Axton off guard when I bit into his forearm. He released me with a string of curses, and I stumbled a few steps before righting myself. Then I was doing what I had meant to do in the first place. I threw myself against Drake.
He went completely still in his brother’s arms. There was only a small hesitation and then he was wrapping me in his arms. I felt his nose skim against my neck as he inhaled deep. Drake’s big body shuddered, and I thrust my fingers through his hair, holding him in place as the rage faded.
Shane released his brother. “Why didn’t you just let her go in the first place?” Shane demanded, glaring at Axton. “She could have had this whole fucking thing taken care of in five seconds flat.”
Axton shrugged. “Maybe I didn’t want her to stop it. Fucker had it coming to him.” Calmly, as if nothing had just happened, he dropped down in his chair once more and pulled out his phone.
Behind me the producers and staff were going crazy. Someone kept asking Cole if he was okay. The group of fans was shown out and someone was demanding to know what was going on. I was only half-aware of it all happening, too lost in the exhilaration of being in Drake’s arms for the first time in forever.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t have you tossed in jail?” Someone demanded, stopping behind Drake.
I raised my head to find a fifty-something man with a receding hairline and a big belly glaring at Drake’s back. “Do you think that just because you’re some rock star you can act the way you want and get by with it?”
“Do you think fuck-face can talk about his family like that and he would let it pass?” Axton commented from his chair. “Nah, man. Steel was asking for it and he knew it. If he wants to be a pussy about it, then he doesn’t need to be on the same stage as me and Stevenson.”
I raised a brow at the big bellied man. “You had to know what you were getting into when you decided to do a reality show with rockers. They aren’t exactly sunshine and daisies. Things are going to get hardcore around here. But that’s what you wanted, right? Hardcore brings in the ratings.”
“Just who the hell are you?” the man demanded. “You seemed to have caused all of this!”
Drake finally raised his head, turning a glare so cold on the man that he actually stepped back. “She’s none of your fucking business,” Drake said. “Do you understand?”
Instead of answering, the old man turned to check on Cole. “Are you able to continue?”
He was still coughing a little, but there was a grin on his face. “Reminds me of the good ol’ days.” Cole laughed. “Yeah, man. I’m good.” His gaze went to Drake, and he held up his hands. “Peace. Lesson learned and all that shit.”
“Then let’s get back to work!” Big Belly clapped his hands. “Get this place cleaned up and show another group of fans in.” He glanced back at me. “Will you be staying?”
I shrugged. “For a while.” I wasn’t about to take off yet. “And my friend will be too.” I glanced over at the door where Dallas was still standing, having evaded the guards that had escorted the others out. She looked bored and was still texting away on her cell like nothing had happened.
“Get them some passes,” Big Belly told an assistant who rushed to do his bidding.
“Well, that was fun.” Shane sighed as he straightened the turned over chair his brother had left behind when he lunged at Cole. “Hey, Dray. Did you see the way Ax was holding Lana? Want to break his finger?”
“Whoa, bro!” Axton held up his hands. “Do you not see my arm? I think I need a rabies shot!”
I felt Drake tense at first, and then he buried his face in my hair again, his shoulders shaking as he tried to contain his laughter. “You bit him?”
A grin teased my lips. “Yeah. Pretty hard too.”
Strong arms tightened around my waist. “Good job,” he muttered, warm lips skimming across the sensitive skin below my ear, and I couldn’t contain my shiver. It surprised me that he kissed me, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it…
Sure, my heart was beating like crazy, and my body was aching for him, but I didn’t know if I was ready—if I would ever be ready—for Drake. With reluctance, I stepped back. “Are you okay now?”
“I haven’t been okay for seven months,” he said, his blue-gray eyes intent on my face. “But yeah, I’m good now.”
I swallowed hard and took another step back, needing the added space between us. A glance behind me showed me that Dallas was getting bored with her phone. She was watching me, and I waved her over. “Dallas, come meet Drake,” I told her, and she gave him one of her killer smiles.
He shook her hand when she reached us. “Hello, Dallas.”
“Dallas is one of my roommates and the current foul mouth in my life.” I grinned when Dallas flipped me off. “See?”
“Hey, Lana!” Axton called from his seat. “Introduce us.”
I shot him a sour look. “I heard that you already introduced yourself, Ax. Do yourself a favor and put in some effort, dumbass.”
His brows rose at that. “Effort? What is this ‘effort’ you speak of?”
Chapter 14
Drake
The instant the words were out of his mouth I saw red.
Rage didn’t even begin to explain what I was feeling when the old rocker insinuated that Lana was part of the Hos-R-Us club that were typical groupies. My vision became tunneled; all I saw was that fucker, and I went in for the kill. Jumping up so fast that my chair fell over, I didn’t notice that Axton ducked out of the way so I had better access.
I grasped his throat and pushed until the wall stopped me. Cole’s head made a loud THUNK sound as it cracked against the stone wall.
“Don’t you fucking talk about her like that!” I growled. “She’s mine!” He wheezed as I tightened my hold around his neck. “Don’t say another word about her. Don’t even fucking look at her!”
Someone tried to pull me back, but I shrugged them off. “Lana deserves respect and she will have it.”
“Drake!” I stilled when I heard my name from the only source that mattered, but it didn’t completely clear the red from my eyes.
“Shane!” she screamed. “Shane!” I dimly heard from behind me.
Strong arms wrapped around my left arm and neck. I struggled as my brother pulled me away from Cole Steel.
“What the fuck are you doing, Drake?” he muttered in my ear as he kept pulling me backward. “Let him go, bro.
I struggled harder. “Fucker! You ever talk about her like that again and I will end you!”
“A little help here, Axton.”
I heard the other man say something and then shout as if he was in pain. The next thing I knew, all was right in the world—at least in my world—when gentle arms wrapped around me. It surprised me so much I didn’t believe it was happening at first. Then I realized I didn’t care if it was really happening or not, just that I could feel her. I pulled her closer and buried my face in her hair.
Sweet Jesus! She smelled so good. Just like I remembered, the subtle scents of her shampoo and lotion. Her skin was warm and soft under my nose as I skimmed it back and forth. I shuddered, not sure if I could survive if it turned out that this was all in my head. I had dreamed of holding her in my arms, had fantasized about what I would do if I were ever graced with the chance. I heard voices, background noise, but nothing registered. I blocked it all out and focused on the only thing that mattered. Lana fit so perfectly against me. The way her full breasts pressed against my chest, delicate woman against hard male.
Her chest vibrated ever so slightly as she said something, and I turned my head to find the network’s bigwig standing behind me with a scowl on his face. “Just who the hell are you?” The man demanded. “You seemed to have caused all of this!”
“She’s none of your fucking business,” I growled at him. “Do you understand?”
Things around us were calming down, and I pulled her back into my arms, not caring about anything else. Cole laughed off the incident, apologizing. I could see the way his eyes were still narrowed. I ignored him and everything else, burying my face in Lana’s hair again. I wished I could bottle up her sweet smell and carry it around with me everywhere.