by Cari Quinn
“Last thing I really remember was you and Teagan on the dance floor, eye-fucking the whole time.”
I felt the flush climbing my neck. “You need to get a life, man.”
Zane grinned. “It was the talk of the table.”
“Moving on. What next?”
“We were talking about you guys. Jamie was collecting bets as to when there would be banging.”
I resisted the urge to ask what the odds were.
Teagan and I still had to decide if we were telling anyone. I didn’t want to scare her off, but I also didn’t want to let her get away. Thinking was always her problem.
Worrying about who thought what about her.
Hell, it was part of the reason we’d ended up in so much shit. If she’d just told us about her past, we would have been aware of potential issues so much sooner.
I shoved all that into the back of my head. It didn’t pertain to our current problem. “And while you were sitting there, you didn’t drink anything?”
He bowed his head and rubbed the base of his neck. “I didn’t order anything. James bet me to drink that crazy shark concoction sitting in the middle of the table. It was way too sweet, but anything to take twenty bucks from our favorite loudmouth.”
That was a true statement. Jamie often ordered crap drinks and pawned them off on people just to see their reaction. She was a shit-stirrer. However, a shark drink…
No.
“Jesus, I got that drink for Teagan. Her old high school buddy was bartending.”
“Why would she put something in her drink? That seems farfetched.”
“Yeah, except there isn’t any other variable. Unless you invited someone to the table?”
He shook his head. “Nah, man. We were vibing pretty good. Didn’t want to bring anyone in, you know? Even James didn’t pick up some sucker until way later in the night. You were the only two who broke off.”
I looked down at my clenched hands. “Yeah.”
My blood was running hot. It just felt like too much of a coincidence that some strange chick showed up, and then Zane went totally off the rails.
My head jerked up at the commotion at the front doors. Two guys were being muscled in by a pair of uniforms. There was a lot of swearing as the punk kid mouthed off at the cop.
At the same time, the paperwork was finally done.
Zane and I moved out of harm’s way, and I grabbed the paperwork before anything else kept us there any longer.
I looked through the charges. Sure enough, resisting arrest was listed as well as preliminary details for his court case. With that level of charges, there was probably video somewhere.
No way it was staying quiet.
Especially with the paparazzi skimming police blotters for stories to juice up their headlines. I hoped like hell it was a busy news day, and Zane wasn’t at the top of their list. Between this and a possible shitstorm thanks to him being drugged, this was not going to go over well with Lila and Noah.
We were fucked.
I handed the papers to Zane. “We gotta go to Lila. And I don’t want you telling Teagan anything.”
“Don’t tell Teagan what?”
Twelve
Rage boiled inside of me as I turned on my heel and walked away from my bandmates. Cooper was much more than that to me, but at the moment, I was too irritated to care.
I was so tired of people thinking I couldn’t handle myself. I was a woman living alone in Brooklyn most of the time. But not only did I apparently need a babysitter in my work life, now I had to deal with even more secrets, supposedly for my own good.
More people trying to control my life.
A bunch of people congregated at the front door of the Brooklyn police department. And being the shortest person in the room more than half the time meant I could go unseen.
Sometimes it worked in my favor.
Like today with my borrowed concert T-shirt and denim shorts, I looked more like a teenager than part of a famous rock band.
Sometimes I wished I was Jamie. Tall, strong, loud and didn’t take shit.
Inspired, I pushed my way through the chattering people who sounded like they were coming in for their shift. I’d just channel her right now.
Cooper rushed forward. Shock and frustration bloomed across his face before he dragged me deeper into the vestibule-slash-waiting area away from all the people. “What are you doing here? I told you to stay at my place.”
“First of all, I’m not a dog. I don’t sit and stay.” His jaw flexed. “The more important question is what don’t you want me to know?” I smacked his hand away from me. I really didn’t want him touching me right now. Ever since he took Zane’s call, I’d had a twisted ache in my belly.
Was this what having a gut feeling meant? Because it really sucked.
He tipped his head back. “I just meant I wanted to talk to Lila before I told you something.”
“Well, too late. Guess you need to tell me now.”
I could practically see smoke coming out of his ears.
“Hey, Teagan.”
My gaze swung to Zane, and I forgot my anger for a moment. He was shirtless, which in itself wasn’t exactly an oddity. Zane wasn’t really into clothes for the most part. Said they were binding. But we weren’t on stage or hanging out in a hotel. I lifted my hand to his face. It looked like someone had swiped the largest mascara wand in the history of makeup across his cheek. “What happened to your face?”
He shot Cooper an annoyed glance and turned to look at his reflection in the large glass box holding flyers and community programs. “You let me walk out here like this?”
Cooper shrugged. “Pretty sure it’s going to take a shower to fix your situation. Why should I make you feel worse about it?”
Zane closed his eyes. “I want to be mad at you, but I kinda want to hug you too.”
Cooper held up his hand. “Had enough of your hugs, man. You are ripe.”
“What is that on your back?” I asked.
Zane reached around. “I figured it was a scrape. It burns.”
I pressed my lips together. It wasn’t a laughing matter—at all—but that would literally be following him around forever. “Not a burn.”
Cooper peered over my shoulder. His fist went to his mouth immediately.
I gave him a hard look, but I had to swallow my own laughter. Even drunk off his ass, Zane went for ocean-life for an inebriated impromptu tattoo session.
“What? What is it?”
“Did the cops laugh at you during the strip search?”
Zane’s cheeks went ruddy. “There was no strip search.”
“Well, at least you kept that slice of dignity. Too bad it will be your last.” Cooper slapped Zane’s back where the tattoo was.
Zane yelped and slammed his fist into Cooper’s chest. “What the hell?”
“Nice tramp stamp.”
“What? No. No way.” He tried to peer around his shoulder, but there was no way to see it. “How bad? Man, what the hell?”
I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture then showed him.
He slapped his hands over his face. “I’m gonna kill whoever did this to me.”
I rushed into Zane’s arms and gave him a solid hug. I didn’t want to think about the slick grime on his skin, and Cooper wasn’t wrong on the stench, but Zane was the kind of guy who needed connections. He’d always been the one to include me when I first joined the band.
Zane held onto me for a minute, and then kissed the top of my head. “Thanks, T.”
I stepped out of his arms. “What happened?”
Zane’s gaze slid toward Cooper then back to me.
“You better tell me right now. Just how drunk were you?” I put my hands on my hips as my thoughts careened from disgust and worry to something darker. “Okay, better question. What does this have to do with me?”
“It’s not about you.” Zane huffed out a breath. “Pretty sure.”
“And what is that supposed to mea
n?” I ripped out a few hairs from the center of his chest.
“Ow.” He rubbed his chest. “I’m really sure.”
“I don’t believe you. Spit it out, Z.”
He shook his head. “Nope. I’m in enough trouble.”
I whirled on Cooper. “You better be glad we’re in a police station. That is the only thing saving you.”
Cooper’s lips twitched.
“Ugh. Both of you are making me nuts.” I stalked to the door and out into the bright sunlight, right into the waiting chaos of a half-dozen paparazzi.
“Was it true your bandmate wrapped a Lamborghini around a tree?”
“Was there someone in the car with him?”
“Will there be criminal charges?”
I fisted my hands and backed away from the bold asshole with a camera directly in my face. I tried to dodge him, but he moved with me until we were in a macabre dance of wills.
Suddenly, there was an arm around my waist. I immediately flailed.
“It’s just me,” Cooper said against my ear as he literally parted the crowd and carted me through like a pocket pal. “My Jeep is around the back in the alleyway. If you’d waited for us, I could have told you that.”
“Put me down.”
“No.”
“Cooper, there are paparazzi everywhere.”
“Quicker and easier. Besides, I like my hands on you.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t right now.”
He was unbelievable. And not in a good way.
“C’mon, babe.”
I dug my nails into his forearm. “Don’t ‘babe’ me. You’re not being cute.”
He grunted, but he didn’t loosen his grip. “Save the claws for later.”
“Oh you’ll get the claws later, but not the fun kind, Cooper Dallas.”
“Say it a little louder, don’t think all the paps heard you. Or are you okay with everyone knowing what I did to you last night?” His lips grazed my ear. “I don’t mind telling them.”
“You wouldn’t.”
His long stride lost most of the photo seekers in the foot traffic. Since this little adventure had taken all day, it was time for people to get out of work. He put me down when we got to the corner and snagged my hand.
“Where’s Zane?” I swung my head around to see if anyone was still behind us.
“We saw you get stopped. Cops let him go out the back. I figured I’d save you.”
I tried to wiggle my hand out of his, but his grip was ridiculous. Last night, I’d enjoyed it. Okay, this morning, I’d liked it even more, but that was not the point. I didn’t need a white knight, dammit. “I don’t need saving.”
“Yeah, but I like saving you.” He dragged me down the alleyway and trapped me against a brick wall in the shadows. He crowded into me, his chest pressing into mine, and all the while, he cupped the back of my head so I wouldn’t get scratched by the rough wall.
The beat of my heart thundered in my ears. Or maybe it was his. It was as if we were one when we were this close.
I wanted to melt into him. It would be so easy to let him take over.
“I think we lost them.” His gaze dropped to my mouth before he grinned, a rare dimple denting his cheek. “You’re really not good at following directions. Maybe you need a little punishment.”
My nipples immediately zinged in reaction.
Cooper’s eyes went hot, and he slid up his hand to cup me, his thumb rolling over the tight tip. “Like that idea?”
“That is simply my body reacting to stimulus. I’m still mad at you.”
His dimple deepened.
I resisted the urge to kick him—barely.
He lowered his mouth to brush mine. “Make-up sex is fine.”
I put my hand on his chest. “We haven’t made up yet.”
He nipped my lower lip. “We will.” He caught my nipple between his knuckles and tugged. “I want this in my mouth. When you do that back arch thing and grip my hair, holding me closer? Yeah, I want that again.”
I shivered and the night before flashed in my head. All the things he’d done to me—that we’d done to one another. After the first time, gentleness hadn’t been on the menu, and I was more than okay with that.
But he was still keeping something from me, and my hormones were not going to be used against me, thank you very much.
“I can be turned on and pissed off.” I shoved him back. “Did I give you any reason not to trust me?”
His eyebrows snapped down over his dark eyes. “I trust you.”
“Oh, yeah, then why weren’t you going to tell me what’s up with Zane?”
He glanced down the alley then back at me. “Can we talk about this where there isn’t a shit-ton of paparazzi waiting for a soundbite or a picture?” He slid his fingers along the hem of my shirt and across my belly. “We’re in enough trouble, I think. And I really don’t want to have to deck some guy this close to the police station.”
“You can’t deck every dude who comes around me.”
“Oh, I can.”
“And more not trusting me to handle myself.” I shoved him again. This time, I made enough space to duck under his arm and walk away.
He sighed and followed me. “The car’s down that way.”
I crossed my arms and inched away when he tried to put his hand on my lower back.
“Come on, Teagan. It’s not that I don’t trust you.”
“If you say ‘I don’t trust the other guy’, I’m going to give you a bloody nose.”
“I like this new feisty side of you. Is this what I have to look forward to?”
“Me murdering you in your sleep because you drive me crazy?”
“Handily, the Army taught me how to get by with little sleep.”
I growled and walked faster when I spotted his Charger.
“Dammit, T.”
I ignored him. It was either that or I was going to sweep his feet out from under him and leave him on the piss-scented blacktop. And since I had to be in the car with him, that wouldn’t work for me.
Zane was sitting on the trunk in a yoga cross-legged pose, his eyes closed.
Damn man could meditate anywhere. I wished I had an ounce of his chill. Especially now with my nerves jangling and my annoyance level at an all-time high. The day had started out amazing and had quickly hit the crapper at epic levels.
Cooper caught up with me, his long fingers encircling my upper arm. “Would you just talk to me?”
“Talk? You were too busy,” I dropped my voice, “going for inappropriate kisses.”
“Well, I’ll agree that our kisses aren’t appropriate, but only because they immediately lead me to want to get you naked. Every time.”
I widened my eyes. “Dammit, he’s right there.”
“And he has good hearing.”
I spun around to find Zane with one eye open. “As if we didn’t know you left Purgatory to get naked? Please.”
“Would you get off my car, man?” Cooper demanded. He pulled his hand away from me to stuff them in his pockets.
Zane slid off the car. “Took you long enough. I thought the photogs were going to find the car.”
“Again, you’re welcome.”
Zane rolled his eyes. “Look, as much as I would normally enjoy this little lover’s tiff and you guys trying to hide your newly formed relationship, I’d really like to get home.”
“You need to call Lila.” Cooper’s voice was barely above a growl.
“I don’t want to. She’s going to literally kill me with those frosty eyes of hers.” Zane used two fingers to mime laser beams out of his eyes. “Dead.”
“More dead if she has to find you,” I quipped.
I was no stranger to the death rays of our manager, but she was also a fair…boss? Did we have bosses? Well, we had contracts, so I guess kind of. And I’d barely been out of probation when my less-than-stellar past had come out to bite me.
“I’ll do it from my house.”
I shook my head.
“No way. You guys are going to tell me what the heck is going on. I’m not some sheltered kid.”
Zane’s shoulders sagged. “Can we do this in the car at least?”
“Yes.” Cooper hit the remote in his pocket and the locks disengaged. He opened my door.
I resisted the urge to tell him I could get in the car myself. That was just me being catty.
“You. Hang on a second.” He pointed at Zane and went to the trunk. He came back with a thick, scratchy-looking blanket and spread it out on the backseat before he held his arm out for Zane. “Roll down the window.”
“You’re a hateful human,” Zane muttered.
“I love my car. And you smell like a three-week bender with Oz at his cabin.”
Zane gave himself a sniff and wrinkled his nose. “Fair.” Then he climbed in.
We all rolled down our windows, and Cooper flicked on the fan.
Zane leaned forward and tapped my shoulder. “Can I use your phone?”
Great, I’d be the one who looked like I had to call Lila. With a half sigh, I unlocked the screen and handed him my phone.
“Should we talk about what you’re going to tell her first?” Cooper asked as he backed down the alleyway to another side street.
He knew Brooklyn as well as a native. In fact, he’d showed me hideyholes I didn’t know of, and I lived there.
“I don’t have any freaking details to tell her. I can’t remember jack.” Zane toyed with my phone.
I turned around. “Nothing?”
He slid his gaze to me then away. “Yeah.”
I turned my attention to Cooper, who was staring stonily through the windshield.
“Want to give me a clue?”
“It’s supposition,” he snapped.
“You’re a lawyer now?” My voice rose. I was trying not to flip out, but I hated when people lied to me.
“Look, it’s just a guess. And we have no proof. Well, except that Z has absolutely no recollection about last night, and he only had two drinks.”
I twisted to face Zane. “Are you sure?”
He nodded. “Just a beer and a mixed drink.”
I frowned. “You aren’t much for those.”
“No.” He swallowed. “It was the one on the table that Cooper got.”
There was white noise in my head for a full minute. “Wait, my drink? Those drinks are mostly sugary something with a bit of rum. That shouldn’t do anything to you.”
