Heartbreaker

by Romy Lockhart

  “I’ve emailed you the set list. The band will need to rehearse with you since it’s been a while. They’re free to do that this afternoon at the venue. You’ll get a call from the guitarist soon.”

  “Okay, fine,” I murmur, taking it in and grimacing as Amy hangs up.

  The bass player from hell was going to call me? Donnie had been after me from the moment the band was put together. He was a few years older and we’d had a heated but messed up fling way back when the band just formed. When I’d just escaped Rapture and was cut up over how things had been between me and Asher when I’d left. Falling into the arms of the first attractive guy who came onto me was inevitable. Of course, it crashed and burned once I realised what a sorry excuse for a human being Donnie actually was. I’d met Hunter several months after that little mess up and sometimes it seemed the only reason Donnie didn’t push harder to get back with me was because Hunter would kill him if he dared lay a finger on his property.

  I hadn’t even thought about him being on the tour. Where has my head been all this time? Seriously. I hadn’t thought this through properly at all.

  “What’s wrong?” Asher asks.

  I slip my phone into my pocket and shake my head. “I have to rehearse with my band this afternoon.”

  “I’ll come with you,” he tells me, quickly.

  “I’ll be with her,” Logan says, glancing my way. “I won’t let her out of my sight.”

  “You can both be there,” I assure them, silently hoping they don’t wind up killing each other while they’re trying so hard to keep me safe.

  The door opens and Eli walks in with boxes of food that smell incredible. I rush over and he smiles as I take them from him to get the first rummage around. Putting them down on the coffee table, I pick out a tray that contains pancakes and bacon coated with maple syrup.

  “This is mine,” I claim, grabbing plastic cutlery and taking it next to Logan on the couch.

  “What’s happened?” Eli asks as he looks around.

  “Eden’s tour is starting a little early,” Asher tells him.

  “How early?” He raises an eyebrow.

  “Tomorrow night,” I tell him, shrugging. “It’s one early performance. That’s all.”

  “Where?”

  “The Snake Pit,” I say, around a mouthful of warm, syrupy pancake.

  “It’s exclusive, but security can be a little lax,” Logan informs him, a frown still darkening his features.

  “Then it’s a good thing we’re all still here tomorrow night,” Eli tells me.

  I eat in quiet, glancing at Logan’s screen as he shuts the windows. He doesn’t remove them quickly enough. I see the headlines splashed all over web-pages. I get the gist of them in that one little peek. People are talking about me. It’s not all good.

  And tomorrow night I’m making my first on stage appearance since the break-up, and at least three of my four lovers are going to be there.

  I wait for the sudden influx of anxiety, and it doesn’t come.

  I finish my breakfast and head for the shower. I can handle this. All of it.

  Chapter Eight

  Asher

  Eden’s old band are ready and waiting not so patiently for her when we walk onto the stage. I don’t know what I expected, but for some reason I didn’t think it would be the same guys she’s worked with her whole career.

  My gaze drifts over Oliver, the drummer with the short silver Mohawk, Mike, the keyboard player who’s obsessed with the colour black enough to wear contact lenses that make him look decidedly demonic, and Donnie, the alcoholic bass player who was the first guy Eden really dated in L.A. Having to call him to arrange this meeting made Eden nervous. I caught glimpses of her state of mind on the drive over. It hasn’t been long since they last played together, but this time it’s different. He had some kind of grudging respect for Hunter, and that had let Eden work with him for years without too much tension. Now? He flicks his gaze my way for a fraction of a second, but it’s enough to let me know he sees me as less than dirt. Yeah, the guy’s still an asshole. Eden had a very real reason to be anxious about this.

  “Took your time,” Donnie mutters as Eden sets down her microphone stand.

  “Hey, guys,” she says, her tone a little strained as she sets her gaze on her ex.

  He appears to be tuning his guitar now, though he isn’t really doing anything, while Oliver gets up and greets Eden with an enthusiastic hug. Eden laughs a little. His reaction has relaxed her.

  “It’s been so long,” he tells her, stepping back after a few prolonged seconds.

  “It’s only really been a few months, Ollie.”

  “Felt like forever. How are you doing?” He sounds genuine, and I’m glad to realise she has an actual friend in her band. Researching for Eden’s book had been confined to certain elements. Her management were mostly concerned with romantic relationships. Only her friendship with Sky was given any real time.

  I observe quietly as she gets reacquainted. I notice Mike is behaving like Donnie, almost as if he’s the guy’s shadow. Both of them are largely ignoring Eden, though her ex slides little appraising glances her way several times while Logan sets up her microphone and amps. The longer I watch, the more I’d like to smack him around for looking at her that way. I manage to restrain myself. We haven’t even been introduced yet. I should probably at least let that happen before I think about starting a fight. I realise Logan is doing all of the work with Eden’s sound system and I suddenly feel like a spare part, just standing here holding her guitar case.

  “Oh, you know. I’m doing good,” Eden finally tells Ollie, sounding a little awkward.

  Donnie smirks and his gaze lands squarely on me. He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, we heard you were doing real good, Eden. Aren’t you going to introduce us to your new friend?”

  Eden frowns at him before smiling at me tightly and turning back to Ollie. “This is Asher. He’s...”

  Ollie’s light blue eyes seem to light up. “Oh! This is the guy you were best friends with when you were kids, right?”

  She talked about me? That makes me smile, though I direct the reaction at Donnie and turn it into a smirk the second Eden confirms Ollie’s claims.

  She nods. “Well, we’re more than friends now.”

  He raises his dark eyebrows. “He’s your boyfriend?”

  “One of them,” Donnie says, licking his lips before grinning. “Eden’s been a naughty girl since she’s been off the scene.”

  She glowers at him, and I can see she’s getting flustered when her skin starts to redden. The instinct to smash this prick into the wall comes and goes. Much as I’d like to clear that look from his pathetic face, I know it’s not what Eden would want. She doesn’t need someone fighting her battles for her. It stings, but I hold back, waiting to take my cue from Eden, or for my resolve to snap. If this guy makes one more snide remark I won’t be able to hold back.

  My Goddess clears her throat, and right then Logan finishes with her set up and fixes Donnie with a hard stare before he says, “Eden’s here to work, not to listen to your shit. One more word, and I’ll wipe that stupid smirk off your face for good.”

  Donnie rolls his eyes, but I see him swallow at the threat, and he doesn’t say another word. He’s actually afraid of Logan? I wonder why. Logan steps back, seemingly satisfied that his threat has been delivered. Eden makes me jump a little when her fingers brush mine. I realise I’m still holding her Gibson and release my grip to let her take the guitar case from me.

  “Thanks,” she murmurs as Logan moves back to stand at the side of the stage.

  “Well, I guess we know who else is one of Eden’s boyfriends,” Mike says, startling all of us.

  He shrugs, and Eden shakes her head.

  “Okay, I have four boyfriends. It’s not a big deal, and I don’t want to talk about it. Like Logan said, we’re all here to work so let’s just get through this rehearsal so we can all go home at a decent time.”

  She set
s the guitar case down and removes her Gibson from it, putting the strap over her head and getting into place with the microphone.

  Ollie darts behind the drum kit and Donnie quits pretending to tune his bass. I step back to where Logan is as they start testing things, warming up. Eden’s wearing a ripped T-shirt and jeans and heels. She looks almost exactly as she did that first day she walked into the library. I’m mesmerised as she steps into her rock star shoes. There’s something intangible about her stage presence that goes beyond talent and beauty. I’m mesmerised before she’s even sung one note.

  Her voice has a raw quality under a sweet tone and it sounds incredible when the music begins and she starts to sing. If I didn’t already worship the ground this woman walks on, I’d be ready to fall to my knees the moment I heard her like this.

  I’m transfixed as they run through the first few songs, stopping and stumbling every now and then when something grinds, and running back through it until everything pulls together. Then I notice Logan isn’t still standing beside me, and I have no idea where he went. I take a few steps back into the dimly lit back stage area, but I still don’t see him.

  Strange. Though he did seem pretty concerned by the back stage set up when we first got inside. He didn’t like the way the door worked, thought it’d be too easy for someone to get inside if they really wanted to. I was sure he’d be back, but I couldn’t help feeling a little weird about his sudden disappearance.

  Why wouldn’t he just tell me what he was doing?

  I go back to where I was and keep glancing back to watch for his return. The lure of Eden’s voice is hard to ignore, but I manage not to let it distract me completely this time, so I hear it when Logan’s on his way back, and I freeze in place when I realise he’s not alone.

  “I don’t care what they told you, he can’t be here when Eden is,” Logan snaps.

  “He has every right to be here,” the other guy gripes back. “He’s the headliner.”

  The two appear and I vaguely recognise the other guy from his long dark hair. He’s in a band, obviously. Where have I seen him before? I glance at Logan, and the last time I saw his face this stormy, it was the night I took Eden out in Rapture much to his obvious displeasure.

  “Hunter’s on his way,” Logan tells me, jaw clenching the instant those words are out of his mouth.

  “Hunter?” Eden’s ex. The hot and heavy relationship that had set the rock world ablaze as their respective fans divided into shippers and haters. In the end it had made them both bigger stars, though Hunter had benefited from the popularity boost far more than she had. She’d been with him almost six years before the break-up, and she hadn’t seen him since. This was going to be bad. I could understand why Logan was pissed.

  Eden glances over as the long-haired musician comes onto the stage, her skin paling on sight of him. She turns her gaze on us and I move forward as she stops singing. Ollie stops the beat next, then Donnie and Mike quit then too. I’m not interested in them. I just move over to Eden.

  “Apparently Hunter’s the headliner,” I tell her, as she takes off her guitar.

  She moves closer. “What? But Amy said...” She trails off and utters a string of curses over her manipulative manager. “I’m the warm up act for that asshole?” She shakes her head. “Screw this shit.”

  “Hey,” Mike says, piping up with an indignant expression on his demonic face. “What are you saying?”

  She just looks at me, keeping her voice low. “I need to get out of here.”

  “Then perhaps we should find another way out?” I make the suggestion because it seems like Hunter would come in the back way. I wouldn’t want them to bump into each other while she’s trying to make an escape.

  She stares at me for a long moment. “If I walk on this, the tour doesn’t happen.”

  “What did she just say?” Mike’s irritable question makes me want to punch him.

  I frown. “Eden, if you’re not happy...”

  “I don’t want to see Hunter, but I think I have to do this.” She doesn’t look happy about it.

  “Eden, you don’t have to...”

  “I do. Asher, I have to stop running from the past. I don’t want to see him, but it was bound to happen sometime.”

  “Well, are you done with the rehearsal?”

  Donnie’s packing his guitar away already. She nods.

  “We got through the set. I’ll see everyone tomorrow.” She turns back to them.

  Mike frowns at her. “You’re not walking on it then?”

  “No. It’s happening.”

  He starts packing his equipment away, seemingly satisfied now that he knows he’s getting a pay-check. Ollie’s the only one who doesn’t touch his kit.

  He comes around and gives Eden another hug. “Hunter’s an asshole. So are these two pricks behind us. Don’t let it get to you.”

  Logan is already packing up Eden’s kit. She helps him once Ollie’s out of the way. He goes to talk to the new guy. No hugs but plenty of laughter. Is there anyone this guy doesn’t get along with? I take Eden’s guitar case once we’re set to leave. We walk off stage and get partway before Logan stops.

  “I’ll go ahead. You wait here.” Logan walks off with her amplifiers.

  Eden smiles nervously. She rests her head on my shoulder as we wait for Logan’s return.

  He opens the door a second later and nods. We move quickly to leave.

  The equipment is packed up and we’re moving back toward the hotel a few minutes later, just as a procession of blacked out windowed jeeps crawl into the back parking lot of the venue. Close call, I realise, glancing at Logan whose expression is stony.

  We managed to get Eden out of there before Hunter got inside tonight. Tomorrow night, that’s not going to be possible. He’ll be there when she is, and there won’t be any way to avoid it.

  Chapter Nine

  Eden

  Hunter’s the headliner! It’s still driving me crazy as we take the car back to the hotel. Amy had to know. There was no way she didn’t. I mean I knew she was a bitch but this is just diabolical. If I refuse to do the gig now I sink the tour and my reputation takes a nosedive along with it. Even if I didn’t care about that, it’s The Hellcats and my band and all the countless people who are all going to have jobs because of this tour that I’m screwing over if I sink it now.

  I’m too angry to talk. Asher has been holding my hand since we got into the car and Logan looks almost exactly how I feel. I don’t think anything could make the world better right now. I just want to get the damned gig over with and put it behind me. I’m going to be riled up until it’s done.

  We get into the hotel and I kick off my shoes, giving a frustrated grunt as one of them gets tangled in the carpet before I twist the heel loose. I realise the door has closed behind me, and Asher and Logan haven’t come inside. Did I slam it in their faces? Probably. This is the worst mood I’ve been in ever since I can remember. I reach out for the handle, and turn it to find out the door is locked.

  Then the bedroom door opens and Eli steps out in his cop uniform, and my stomach starts to flutter. Holy hell. He’s even wearing the hat. What was I all riled up about just now? Wait. Don’t answer that. I don’t care.

  “I got a call that you might be in need of some assistance,” he drawls as he moves toward me. “Are you in trouble, Princess?”

  “I am now,” I tell him, knowing by the intensity of his stare that he’s in control mode right now and the thought makes heat pulse through me.

  “Then I’m going to have to ask you to come with me.”

  “What if I don’t comply?”

  The handcuffs are in his hand a second later, and my libido rises at the clinking sound they make as he brings them toward me.

  “Am I under arrest, Sheriff?”

  He smiles. “Hands behind your back, Princess.”

  Fuck, yes. I smile and do as told, feeling the cold metal of the cuffs against my skin and shivering a little as Eli’s warm hands gr
asp my skin.

  I watch his hat drop to the ground at my side and then one hand brushes my hair back over my shoulder, before he tangles the length around his fist and pulls in a way that’s gentle but firm to lift my gaze up from the floor. His stubble scratches my shoulder lightly as he leans in close.

  “Do what I say, and maybe I’ll uncuff you,” he whispers in my ear.

  “What happens if I don’t?” He’s doing a good job of making me feel like a bad girl, so I really don’t feel like I should be playing by the rules.

  I feel his lips curve into a smile against my cheek. “Then a more severe punishment can be arranged.”

  He lets go of my hair and reaches around to unbutton my jeans. He pushes the material down my hips and they fall to the floor. My lace panties are all that stand in the way of his fingers now but he barely brushes over the material before tugging them down and then placing his hands on my hips as they drift down my legs and follow my jeans to bundle up around my ankles. The slow release of my aching pussy from the clothing only makes me more desperate for his rough touch. Right now he’s being slow and gentle and it’s driving me crazy.

  “Step out of your jeans.” His voice betrays how close he is to losing control. It’s shaking, just a little, but I can hear it. He’s just as hungry for me as I am for him.

  I do as he says and bite down on my lower lip to keep from asking what’s next. He’s giving the orders. I have to let him do that. It’s what he needs.

  His hands stroke over my hips slowly. He holds me close enough to let my fingers brush against the hard line of flesh hidden under his pants. I gasp in a breath as he rocks against me a little. His low moan so close to my ear makes goose-bumps break out all over my body.

  He takes me by the cuffs and leads me into position on one of the couches. A spark of memory floods through me as I realise this is where I rode Asher while Eli came in my mouth. He puts me on my knees on the couch and uncuffs one hand. I’m a little disappointed until he just brings my arms around to my front to cuff them again.