Fearless For Love (Lovelly #3) (31 page)

I can tell there’s a battle brewing inside his head and want to ask him what’s up. But I don’t want any more drama, not tonight. So I turn to leave, but before I can get far, he grabs my wrist, stopping me. I look back at him, waiting.

“I’ve always liked you, Jessica. I thought your talent would take us places.” His voice is low, almost like a whisper. His jaw clenches.

“I’m sorry that you can’t be part of The Torque, but I appreciate it all the same, you being here. And I don’t know what’s gotten into Jarod.”

“What do you mean?”

He sighs. “After what happened and the way he was earlier, this . . . this new happy Jarod isn’t what I expected.”

No kidding.

He shoves his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and rocks on his heels. “Just . . . be careful, okay? Don—he’s stationed outside your room—will walk you to the stage when you’re ready. Don’t be late. You have ten minutes before the show starts.”

I nod and watch him walk out of room. He talks to the guy—Don, I assume—standing guard outside my room and then disappears down the hall. I nod to Don as I open the door to my dressing room and step inside. I stand in front of the mirror and dark green eyes stare back at me.

I don’t know how much time has passed when a knock on the door brings my attention back to reality. “Miss Owens. It’s time.”

I give one last long look in the mirror.
Break a leg
,
Jess
.
Make dad proud
.
I send up a quick prayer, asking for courage and strength for tonight, and then pull open the door.

“Ready?” Don asks.

I nod and let him lead the way.

“Here we are,” Tom says as we join him next to the stage. I stop peek around the curtains and see the club’s filled with loads of people. My nerves kick in, pushing away all other thoughts. I twirl the drumsticks in my hands, playing air-drums as my eyes scan the crowd.

“They’re over there,” Tom’s yells over the screams, startling me. He gestures toward the front row, off to the right, and I see Cat, Vincent, and Fisher huddled together. Cat’s jumping, screaming through her cupped hands. Behind her, I see Harrington with one finger in his ear as he yells into his phone.

Worry gnaws at me, but I don’t get the chance to dwell on it, as just then, the announcer’s voice echoes over the crowd, introducing us and calling us to the stage.

Jarod’s the first to walk out, just as we practiced, followed by Joel, and then Jackson. I was told to wait until Jarod announced me.

I hear Jarod goading the audience. “Are you guys ready?” he asks.

The crowd goes wild.

“I can’t hear you!”

And then, next thing I know, I hear him call my name. Whistles and screams break out.

I take a deep breath and walk out into the spotlight. I’m blinded for a moment and have to resist the urge to shield my eyes as I make my way over to my drums.

The crowd goes wild and Jarod winks at me. I smile back, hoping I don’t look like I need to throw up. Because that’s exactly how I feel right now. I’ve never performed in front this many people before.

Don
’
t think about it. Don
’
t think about it
.
Focus
,
Jess
.
Focus on the music and the drums
.
Forget everything else
.

I settle down on my seat, and thank god I can’t see anyone in the crowd. Licking my lips, I scan the stage, getting an encouraging nod from each of my band mates. I glance back to the side of the stage and meet a pair all too familiar eyes next to nervous, fingernail-biting Tom.

Harrington’s stands beside him, and it sends a sort of thrill through my bones. He smiles encouragingly and mouths, “
You got this
.”

With newfound energy, I face the crowd again and take a deep breath, just as Jarod covers his mic and mouths, “Summertime.”

I nod and count down with my sticks.

This is it
.

Joel strums his guitar, kickstarting what will be my last performance with the band. But for the next two hours, the only thing I focus on is the music and the way it vibrates into the very pores of my soul as we play.

“HELL YEAH!” THE guys holler, bouncing and jostling their way down the hall as Don escorts us back to our dressing rooms. They high-five me and pull me into a hug before disappearing into their room.

Tom pauses in the doorway and actually smiles. “Thank you. For everything. You were amazing out there.”

I nod, feeling a little out of place. Is this how everyone feels when they get fired? I mean, hell, do people get fired on good conduct? He pats my shoulder and then follows the guys into their room. Something catches my attention in the corner of my eye and I turn back to see Harrington striding down the hall. I swiftly walk toward him.

“Hey!” I say, pulling on my brightest smile.

He picks me up and spins me around, kissing me. “You were so fucking amazing! I was so turned on the entire time.”

I snort-laugh. “Yeah? You like the way I handled those sticks, huh?”

“Fuck yeah.” He puts me down and I wrap my arms around his neck. He shrugs, unapologetic and grinning salaciously. I guess that’s one thing I do like about Harrington. He’s always straightforward with anything he does. There’s no filter when it comes to him.

I grin back, because I can’t help it and pull him into me for a long, passionate kiss. His arms snake around me, pulling me close, but we break apart when a massive squeal-shriek echoes down the hall. I look over to see Cat running—in her heels, no less—full-out down the hall toward me, Fisher and Vincent following along behind.

“Stop hogging my best friend,” Cat cries as she pulls me from Harrington’s arms and into a massive hug. “You were ah-
mazing
out there!”

“So . . .” Vincent shifts his weight from one to the other as he and Fisher come to a stop in front of us. “I take it this is Harrington?”

Harrington’s chest puffs out and he slings his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his side as Cat steps away to lean on Fisher. “I better be. There’s no one else who’s going to kiss my girl like that.”

Vincent looks from Harrington to me, holding back his smile. “You’re right, Jess. His ego
is
over the top.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad to know that I’m popular among the masses, but you are?”

I walk forward, standing between the two most important men in my life. “This is Vincent.”

Harrington raises his eyebrow. “
The
Vincent?”

“The one and only.” Vincent extends his hand toward Harrington, and Harrington takes it.

“Harrington Lovelly,” he says as they shake. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“You too,” Vincent says. “I’ve heard a lot of things about you. Both good and bad.”

Harrington glances to me and winks. “More good than bad, though, I assume.” He grins, and I realize there’s a sort of tension in his face. I cup his cheek and study him, noticing now that he seems preoccupied, worried almost. It’s subtle, but I know him well enough now to see it in the way he’s standing, the angle of his jaw.

“Uh, give us a sec, guys,” I say to the others and then take Harrington by the hand, pulling him further down the hallway and out of earshot.

“Something isn’t right,” I say softly. “What’s going on?”

He looks around nervously. “Stamos wants to see me tonight.”

“What? W-why?”

“Hell if I know, but something doesn’t feel right. Especially since he wants me to meet him in his office.”

Something heavy uncoils in the pit of my stomach, making me feel ill with dread. If Harrington’s intuition is telling him something’s off . . .

“Don’t go,” I blurt out before I’m done processing my thoughts.

“It’s okay, Jess. I’ll be fine.”

But I don’t like the way he says “
fine
.” It’s like he’s trying to convince himself at the same time.

“I promise, everything will be fine. You’ll be safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He smiles and cups my cheek, caressing it lightly with his thumb.

“I’m not worried about
me
, Harry,” I whisper. “You’re the one walking into the snakepit.”

“None the less, if I know you’re safe, nothing can touch me.”

“Then stay,” I beg. “Please. If you’re around, I’ll be safe.” But he isn’t listening. There’s something else he isn’t telling me. “You promised we’d celebrate tonight.”

He smiles again and, gently shoves a few strands of hair behind my hair. He leans down and kisses my lips. “I’ll make it up to you. In more ways than one. Promise, sweetheart.”

“But—”

“I love you, Jessica Owens. I love you so much, there isn’t a damn thing in the world I wouldn’t do for you. You know that, right?”

Panic rises inside me, and I search for ways to get him to stay, to keep him from leaving. But before I can say anything, he pulls me into a deep, deep kiss, the kind that wrecks the very fabric of my being. I’m left breathless when he pulls back.

“I love you,” he whispers again, and then he’s turning back to the group, and all I can do is follow. “Well, you all have fun tonight,” he says as he rejoins the trio who were waiting with barely concealed curiosity.

“You’re not joining?” Cat asks, disapproving.

“I can’t. Boss man calls,” he replies. He gives a curt nod to Vincent and taps Fisher’s shoulder.

And, like they’ve practiced it a thousand times before, Fisher waves to me, walking backward as he follows Harrington toward the exit. “Awesome job out there, Jessica.” He winks to Cat and gestures with his fingers like he’s shooting at her. “And I’ll see you tonight, Kitty Cat.”

Vincent gives me a look and mouths, “
Kitty Cat
?”
I press my lips together to stop from laughing out loud.

Cat scoffs and waves at Fisher dismissively. But I can see there’s a faint blush over her neck. I nudge her in the ribs. She blatantly ignores me, throwing her arms around me instead, hugging me hard. “You girl, were the hottest piece of ass on that stage.”

I laugh and drag her toward my changing room. Vincent follows behind.

“Seriously, though, nice job out there, Jessy-girl,” Vincent says, shutting the door behind him. “How did it feel?”

Letting go of Cat, I give Vincent a hug. “It was ah-
mazing
. Too bad I won’t get to experience again.”

He frowns and pushes me out to arm’s length, eyeing me.

“What do you mean?” Cat asks, looking up from her phone, her eyebrows knitting together.

“This is my last performance with the band.”

They both look at me in shock. So I go on to explain all the things that happened over the past couple of days, from Jarod’s inappropriate kiss to my conversations with Tom. Cat whistles as I conclude. Vincent scowls.

“What a bunch of fucking assholes.” She wraps her arm around me and tilts her head toward mine. “It’s their fucking loss, though.”

“Exactly,” Vincent says. “And if I didn’t have to leave right now, I would go give them a piece of my mind and maybe my fist. This is bull, Jess. You deserve better. But as much as I really hate doing this to you, I gotta go if I’m going to make it back in time to meet with that lawyer.” He comes over and places his hands on my shoulders, looking into my eyes with a serious expression. “Are you gonna be okay here without me?”

“Yeah. Sure. No problem. Go, I’ve got this.” I smile up at him, though deep inside, I can feel my heart breaking all over again. “I’ll see you in a few weeks, ‘kay? I’ll plan a trip back home. It’s been too long since I’ve seen the boys too.”

He gives me one last hug goodbye, squeezing tightly, and then disappears out the door. I turn away, fighting the tears that threaten to fall. I miss him already.

“Well, looks like it’s just you and me,” Cat says, settling herself on the one and only couch in the room as I shrug out of the leather jacket.

I look at her through the mirror. “Yeah.”

“Hey, so, you’ve heard about the big fight next weekend, right? Fisher isn’t telling me much, except that it’s going to change everything.” She adjusts her position, tucking her leg under her butt and throwing her arm over the couch. “Has Harrington—which, by the way, it’s still super weird to call him that—said anything to you about it?”

I shrug.

She jumps to her feet. “He did, didn’t he? What did he say?” She walks toward me.

“Nothing much,” I lie, hanging the coat up in the armoire.

“Oh, come on,” she says, looking into the mirror and wiping a smudge from under her eye. “I bet it’s something far more juicy than what Fisher’s told me. So come on, chica, spill the beans.”

I sigh and turn around. “He just told me that he doesn’t want me to come to the fight.” I brush it off like it’s not a big deal.

“Yeah, I was forbidden to go too. But that ain’t gonna stop me.” Cat waves her hand, and then narrows her eyes at me. She must have seen something on my face, because she goes from happy to suspicious in the span of a heartbeat. “You’re not telling me something.”

I open my mouth to lie, when the door connected to the guys’ room abruptly swings open.

“What the hell?” Cat turns swiftly.

Jarod walks into the room, an evil grin on his face. “I hope you enjoyed that last performance,
Jess
.” He steps aside, as if waiting for someone else to join him. “Because that’s the last fucking time you’ll ever perform on stage.”

As soon as he says that, another person steps into the room.

Tony.

Two black-suited men walk in behind him, as if to stand guard.

“What’s going on?” Cat growls, anger lacing her words.

“Hello again, Jessica.” Tony criss-crosses his fingers, cracking them. “Looks like it’s time we take that ride.”

“Who the hell—” Cat starts, but is quieted a moment later when Tony swings his hand across her cheek.

“Not your turn, chihuahua” Tony growls, pointing a finger at her. Then he looks at me. He walks toward me, lazily, his feet kicking against the carpet with each step.

Cat’s pain-filled groan is all I can concentrate on. She’s lying on the couch, her hand covering her cheek. I can’t tell if she’s crying, but rage boils inside me.

“Now, where were we? Ah yes, that’s right.” He snaps his fingers, bringing my attention back to him. “You were going to come with me, and your little boyfriend was going to get what’s coming to him. It’s a shame, really. You’re only in this mess because of him. But knowing how much he’s going to hate what I plan to do to you, well, I just can’t let an opportunity like that go to waste, now can I?”

At his signal, his two bodyguards step around him, coming at me. I curl my fingers into fists, ready to punch them the way Harrington taught me. I catch the first guy in the gut, but not hard enough. He looks down at where I punched him and then back at me, amused, like I just tickled him.

“Good try,” he says, before making a grab for me at the same time his partner does. Guy 2 wraps his arms around my waist, pinning my hands to my sides.

“Let go of me,” I yell, kicking my feet in the air and struggling against the vise around my torso. “Let go of me, you assholes.”

Cat screams and jumps to her feet, but Jarod grabs her and pulls her back onto the couch, holding her in place. Tony laughs, as does Jarod.

“Let me go, or I swear to God—”

“Oh, there’s no need to make false promises.” Tony winks. “The night’s just the beginning. And I sure don’t want you to miss what we have planned for you and
Harrington
.”

Time stands still as the last word rings inside my head. My body heat drops a few degrees, and I can’t breathe. He said “
Harrington
,” not “
Killshot
.”
Fuck
.
Fuck
.
Fuck
.
They know.

“What did you do to Ha—Killshot?” I correct myself at the last second. They might know, or they might just be baiting me, and I’m sure as hell not going to be the one to rat Harrington out.

He laughs. “Why should I tell you, when you’ll get to see for yourself?”