“He’s a ticking time bomb. He attacked me because he thought you left. The man is obsessed and yes…” He holds up a hand, his handsome face fierce. “Yes, I admit I have a past with you, and you know how I feel about you, us… But Gia, this?” He looks around. “This is the kind of future you want? Always looking over your shoulder, or pretending not to see when he comes out of the bathroom with another woman? Because he will, Gia. He’s a fucking rock star.”
I shake my head and try to move past him. He grabs my arm. “Just wait.” He takes a breath. “I’m having a hard time believing that the confident, vibrant woman who is my best friend would lose herself to him. You heard about Nuke, right?”
I look up at him. “Well, I can tell he’s on something.” The crowd goes wild as we stare at each other. Sebastian, my best friend besides Julianna, hates Rhys, and I can’t deal.
“Another woman has come forward saying he’s the father. But that she fucked the entire band.” I back away. He’s lying. Not again.
“Is there a chance it’s his?” I scream, causing a couple of roadies to look over at me despite the noise of the crowd.
“She says no. That she went from one to another and then stayed with Nuke exclusively for months. But Gia, who cares? If it’s not this one, it will be another and another. He’s a star. Fuck.” He runs his hand through his hair. “I can’t even blame him. If I had this much pussy in my face twenty-four seven, I’d fuck behind your back too.” He holds up a hand at Hunter who walks over, looking concerned.
“Everything okay over here? I’d like to get the band and crowd, Sebastian.”
I can’t speak because I’m numb.
“Gia, are you okay? What’s happening? You didn’t tell her, did you?” Hunter looks at Sebastian who stares at me.
“Of course, I did. She’s what matters, Hunter,” he grits out.
“Perfect.” He shakes his head. “I disagree. She was hired to do a job and so were you. Do it.” He turns toward Rafe who stands still, arms crossed. His knowing eyes watch my nightmare come to life.
“Why are you doing this, Sebastian?” My voice cracks and my heart starts to shatter. It burns so much I want to double over, because this is a pain I thought I could avoid.
I thought I had kept myself distanced enough so this couldn’t happen.
I lied.
“Because I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least ask you what the fuck you’re thinking. Because you would do the same for me.”
“I love him.”
He looks like I just stabbed him. “I know. And if he is truly what you want, then I will walk away and give you nothing but my love. But he will fail you.” He grabs his camera and walks out on the stage to do his job.
I swallow—I might throw up if I don’t. The people who seemed so far away tilt and swerve in front of me as I wipe my eyes.
“Goddamn you, Rhys.” I walk up to Hunter and hand him my camera.
“I quit.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me! What the fuck, Gia? So the guy fucks around. Who cares—it’s not personal,” Hunter yells at my back. This isn’t even about the other women. That hasn’t even sunk in because I’ve been locked in his room for days with his cock distracting me. This is about the fact that deep down, I was waiting for this to happen.
Sebastian is right. All of what he said is right. But God, it hurts.
I take one last look, knowing I need to go.
Now.
If I stay, he’ll seduce me with words that will eventually ring hollow, and then where will I be?
“You running, Gia? I’d think about this.” Rafe stops me as I start to walk away.
“Why are you talking to me, Rafe? You should be happy I’m done.” I wipe under my eyes, refusing to cry in front of him, in front of any of them.
“I thought maybe you might want to take a moment and talk to Granger.” His eyes seem genuinely compassionate.
I switch my bag to the other shoulder, smile, and look up at the top of the arena, then shake my head as I scream, “He’s the Rock God, Rafe. The crazy, fucked-up thing is all I ever wanted to be was his.” I don’t wait for him to respond. I’ve said too much already. Pulling out my phone, I bang out the doors and lift my face to the dark sky. What the fuck am I doing?
“Can I help you, Gia?” I turn to face Ace, his kind eyes sad. “Rafe said you might need a ride. Please, let me help.” And for some reason, that kindness does me in. My legs give out and I fall to my knees as I acknowledge the pain: I really am leaving him.
Ace’s strong, dark hand reaches for me, and I take it. He opens the door of the black SUV for me and I slide in.
“Where to?”
I reach into my bag for my cigarettes and remember Rhys took them. “Do you have a cigarette?” I sniff, not caring that I’ve completely humiliated myself in front of this man. He opens the glove compartment and hands me a pack of Marlboro Reds. My hands shake as I open it.
“Here, let me, Gia.” He rips open the plastic wrapper and hands it back to me, and my eyes get blurry again.
“Thank you.” I shake my head, trying to stop crying, as I fish around for my lighter. “Can you take me to the airport, please?”
“You sure?” I can’t look at him. I’ll start to doubt myself, or feel worse, because somehow, I’ve started to grow fond of him. Christ, even Rafe looked sad.
“Yes.” Grabbing the lighter, I finally lean my head back and watch the rain on the windows, wondering if that’s an omen. It seems like Rhys and I are always in the rain.
I can’t go back to Los Angeles. It’s a week until Axel’s wedding. He might try to kill Rhys.
I sit up and text.
ME: I’M COMING TO YOU
Three dots appear.
JULIANNA: THANK GOD
I toss my phone back into my bag, light my cigarette, and let the lights of the passing cars lull me into knowing that this is right.
RHYS
Present – Thirty-five years old
London, England
“We love you, London!” I look out into the adoring crowd. Thousands of fans singing your music is something I will never get used to but am always grateful for. I’m sweaty and fucking amped up as I make my way off the stage. I’m taking Gia, and we’re locking ourselves in until we fly to Berlin tomorrow.
Everyone closes in on me. BT takes my earpiece and Dallas hands me a towel as I pull off my T-shirt, looking for her.
“Rock God, I love you. Can you sign my tits?” A woman who is clearly British, along with her leggy friend, have somehow gotten backstage and she tears off her T-shirt.
They both squeal as she hands me a marker. I barely register as I write Rock and God on each tit. It’s been a thing I’ve done for years. I feel Sebastian and Hunter following as they zoom in with the camera.
“Have a good one, darling.” I turn and take the bottle of Jack that Fred, one of our roadies, hands me.
“Where’s Gia?” I look around, then straight at the camera, because out of anyone, Sebastian would know where she is. “Gia. Where is she?” I yell at him.
Hunter walks over to Rafe. He’s deep in conversation with Ace who has a bunch of extra security on hand tonight.
I look over my shoulder at Ammo. He’s giving the leggy one his number on her tits.
The crowd still roars their appreciation as Rafe walks over. “Let’s move,” he says.
“What the fuck, man? Where is Gia?” Cold dread, like someone dumped a bucket of ice water on me, makes me almost grab my chest. He looks me in the eyes. That’s Rafe—he never looks away. I wonder if I look as crazy as I feel, because the look on his face makes me turn.
Ace grabs me, but I have rage on my side as I lunge for Sebastian. “What did you do, you fuck? Where is she?”
He drops the camera just in time to save his eye as I take him to the ground.
“What did you tell her?” I slam my fist in his face, and the satisfying crack of his nose breaking makes me only want to hu
rt him more.
“Fuck, Granger. Dude.” Hands are pulling me off him. He sits up and smiles. Fucking dick has a broken nose, fat lip, and blood everywhere and still, he fucking smiles at me.
“I’d start talking and stop smiling,” I spit at him.
He doesn’t engage, only puts his head back and pinches his nose.
Hunter, who’s holding the camera and filming, looks around the lens at me, then at Sebastian. “Jesus Christ, Granger, you fucked up his nose.”
Ace and his team are moving me toward the back exit. “Fuck you, Sebastian.”
“I’m suing your ass, Granger. You don’t deserve her.” And I snap. See red. Growling like a caged animal, I try to break free.
“Granger, we need to get you out of here, man.” Ace pushes me back as I hear people scream, or maybe it’s me as I try to fight my way loose.
Sebastian takes a towel wrapped in ice for his nose. “You think I’d let her end up with a prima donna like you? Think again, Rock God.”
“Motherfuck—” I lunge again as Rafe steps in to push me back.
“Get him to the hospital and fix his fucking nose,” he says to one of the medics who’s trying to help Sebastian sit. I have no choice but to move backward.
Ace pats my chest. “Brother, you need to cool your shit. She’s okay. I took her to the airport.”
My eyes dart to his. “The fuck you say?”
“She was borderline hysterical,” he says as we bang open the heavy door and go outside into the rain. I’m like a man possessed. Whatever she heard must have been bad. Bad enough that she fucking ran.
She ran from me again. Just like I knew she would, just like my mother did, just like anyone I love.
“Where’d she go?” My voice is almost hoarse. I need to find her, tell her none of this shit matters, that it’s only her and me.
Goddamn her for not trusting me and running after everything we’ve been through. Ammo and Nuke are waiting for me outside by the limo.
“I don’t know where she was going. They wouldn’t let me past the gates, even with my badge, man.” He opens the door of the limo. Ignoring the paparazzi, we all pile in. I lean back and try to breathe. I need to form a plan. I sit up and get my phone out of my pocket. Of course, it goes straight to voicemail.
“Gia, I don’t know what happened…” I look over at Rafe and Ace, both not even trying to pretend they’re not listening.
“Just come back.” I hang up and fight the urge to throw my phone.
“I asked Desi. She said she saw Gia crying with Sebastian,” Ammo says as he looks out the window.
“I want that piece of shit fired. You know what? Fuck this, I’m done with the whole thing. They have enough footage.” Clenching and unclenching my fist, I examine my swollen knuckles.
“You’re all under contract,” Rafe exclaims. “I’m going to have to work something out with Sebastian since he’s threatening to sue. As for Gia…” He leans forward. “Granger, I told her to wait and talk to you. She said no.”
The limo glides down the road as I turn to him. “You let her go?”
“I did.”
“I told you to watch her. This is a fucking betrayal.” I’m ready to attack Rafe, and that’s never happened.
“Pull your shit together, Granger,” he says dryly while typing on his phone. Reaching into his suit jacket, he pulls out another phone.
“Find her. Trace her fucking phone if you have to.” I reach for my cigarettes, only to hear Nuke snort. I look over at him.
“You got something you want to say?” I sneer.
“You’re unbelievable, man. The great Rock God has finally fallen. She’s too good for you. You ain’t gonna be faithful to her and you know it.”
“What the fuck, Nuke?” I snarl.
He looks at me, his eyes almost slits as he lays his head back. “And you wonder why she left?” His voice sounds bitter. “The sexiest man alive and look at you.” He laughs. “You don’t give two shits about Gia.”
I lean forward. “You need to get off the smack. You don’t have a clue about Gia.”
He snorts again. “Like you’re a saint. What’re you gonna do? Beat me up?” Wiping his nose, he sits up to stare at me.
“Nuke, shut the fuck up.” Ammo lights a cigarette and hands me his bottle of Jägermeister. “Listen, Bianca is pregnant. It hasn’t been a fun couple of days. She went and sold her story to People. It’s coming out tomorrow.”
“Bianca?” My mind goes back. “That was months ago. Did that fuck tell Gia that?” And it’s all making sense. Of course, she wouldn’t handle it well.
I take a large swig of the Jägermeister. Christ, I don’t know how Ammo can stand drinking this shit all the time. “If she is pregnant, it’s not mine. I didn’t even fuck her. She blew me a couple of times—”
“The kid’s mine,” Nuke snaps, the most animated I’ve seen him in a long time, other than when he’s onstage. I almost say I’m sorry, but screw him. Nuke is one of my oldest friends, but he’s letting drugs take him down. He also sounds like a jealous dick. Like I would ever want to be the sexiest man alive.
Rafe glances up as the limo pulls into the hotel. I almost demand a new room. The thought of being in that suite without Gia makes me hold on to the bottle of shitty Jäger.
I turn to Ammo. “Let’s go to the bar.”
“Absolutely.” He takes a drag of his cigarette. I don’t wait for someone to open the limo door. My shock is wearing off.
I’m fucking livid, and strangely numb. She just fucking ran. Didn’t try to talk. Didn’t give me a chance. Fuck that. She didn’t give us a chance! She’s been holding back since I saw her a month ago. To be honest, she never trusted me.
I take a swig as Ammo walks next to me. “You might want to take it easy, brother.” He eyes me.
“Nah, not tonight. Tonight, anything goes.”
He tosses his cigarette and opens the door. “After you.”
GIA
Present – Twenty-five years old
Manhattan, New York
A bare foot jabs me in the ribs. “Gia.”
“Oh my God, what?” I sit up and blink at Julianna, who stands over me looking perfect. Rolling my eyes, I fall back onto the incredibly comfortable mattress.
When she sits, the bed dips and I open one eye. “Go away with all your beauty. It’s bugging me.”
She starts to laugh, taking her blond hair down as she lets it cascade over her shoulders. She’s like a porcelain Barbie doll.
“Stop it. I only wish I was you.” She crosses her long legs in some incredible, form-fitting black slacks.
I sit up and the room spins slightly from last night’s tequila. Also, I’m kind of off balance, lying here in my darkened canopy bed.
“God, my life.” I rub my head and try to swing the heavy canopy open to give me a little more light. “Did I miss something? Are we going out?” Pushing the rat’s nest known as my hair out of my face, I blink a few times.
She sighs dramatically as I crawl over to reach for my cigarettes. “No. I had to meet with my lawyer. Then Matthew showed up. I just can’t.”
I barely get the cigarette lit when she takes it from me.
“Oh God. Shit, the lawyer,” I groan, now remembering that appointment. “I’m sorry. Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“I tried.” She shoots me a glare and I burst out laughing as I lean back on an ornate pillow, taking the cigarette back.
“So, what happened? Are you keeping the apartment?” I look around in distaste. I’m trying to be positive because Julianna is kind of fragile right now, but God, I don’t care that this place is worth millions; you couldn’t pay me to live here.
Her eyes look up at the red and gold canopy with gold tassels hanging down, and she shakes her head. “I gave it to him. I mean, come on, when he wanted to decorate all the bedrooms like Versailles, that should have been one big fat red flag,” she mutters, reaching for the cigarette again. A pang of guilt runs through
me. I haven’t been the best influence on her lately.
I showed up a fucking mess, crying and doped up on Sebastian’s Valium, which I found in my bag, and the gin I shot on the plane. We haven’t exactly been sober since, and I think that was a week ago.
Julianna had really quit smoking and look at her now. Sheesh.
“I just.” She looks up at the ceiling, then swings her hair over her shoulder and looks at me. “My dad is all over me to make him pay, and all I want to do is sign the divorce papers and forget this nightmare ever happened.”
I nod, trying to be supportive as I attempt to detangle myself from the ornate bedspread.
“Agreed, sign the papers.” Jesus Christ, I need a lady-in-waiting to help me out of this bed. Her eyes follow me as I try to get out.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. Why?” She rolls her eyes. “Margaritas?”
“Um.” I’m finally free of the bedding. “Is it noon yet? What day is it?” I say over my shoulder, trying my hardest not to look at myself in the large gold mirror in the bathroom. I’m holding on by a thin thread; hence the massive quantities of alcohol so I can pass out and not think about him.
“It’s Thursday the twenty-first!” she calls out as I use the toilet. “And it’s noon somewhere.”
I grin because it’s better than crying. I have completely lost it, holed myself up with Julianna for… “Wait. What is today?” I jump up and frantically finish doing my business, then stumble to wash my hands.
“The twenty-first,” she yells again. “How about we do Irish coffees? That way it’s like breakfast.”
“Julianna, stop it.” I march out and stare at her.
I must look bad because she says, “Are you going to take a shower, or should I just call and have all the stuff deliv—”
“Oh my God.” I grab her arm, looking at her. “Holy fuck, I’m dead.”
“What? What now? I can’t take anymore, Gia. What have you done?” Letting go of her, I cover my mouth before I start screaming. I need to think.
Rise: A Second Chance Rockstar Romance (Rock God Book 1) Page 24
