“Let me go,” I begged, dropping my eyes to the floor.
“Never,” he vowed, tucking his finger under my chin and pulling my face up so he could capture my lips.
I knew I was doomed the moment I dropped my bag on the floor and let him carry me back to the bed.
Chapter Nine
Aiden
“Call her uncle and get me an address,” I barked the moment Steven picked up the phone. Pacing seemed to be the only thing I could do as my worry increased.
Kit had finally opened up and told me about her life. Well, the most important parts, at least. God, how did she live every single day worrying about where her baby sister would find her next meal? How the hell did she survive living with a drug addict for a mother?
“What’s wrong with Kit?” he asked, worried. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine.” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Did you know that she has a baby sister?”
“No.” Steven paused. “She never told me anything about her family.”
Thankfully, Kit was in the shower, taking her time. I needed a few minutes alone to figure out what I needed to do to make sure her sister was taken care of so Kit didn’t need to worry about anything at home while we were on the road.
I laid out my plan for sending some money back home for Kit’s family. Her sister wouldn’t want for anything as long as I had something to say about it. Steven took the information I gave him and promised to get in touch with her uncle. I told him we’d be back at the bus within the hour.
“I’m ready,” she said, walking out of the bathroom in a pair of shorts and a black and white bikini top that should’ve been illegal. My dick hardened instantly, and I had to tell it to calm the fuck down because we had to get back to the bus and head out for our next stop in a few hours.
“Come on,” I said, taking her bag and slinging it over my shoulder. She took my hand when I offered it and walked quietly to the elevators.
The ride back to the venue took about twenty minutes, and the cab dropped us off by the backstage gate. We showed our badges and walked toward the bus. When she made a move to release my hand, I held on tighter, pulling her to my side.
“I think we both need a drink and something to eat,” I offered as we approached the bus. She looked nervous. I didn’t need to be told that she was still having second thoughts about us being seen as a couple. I’d already resigned myself to tell the band and our crew that she was mine. “Let’s set your bag down and hit the tent.”
“Okay,” she said, nodding. I boarded the bus behind her and waited until she returned from her bunk. Our driver was just waking up from his nap, sipping on coffee at the small dinette. He gave me a short nod with a reminder that we had to leave in less than three hours.
The tent was bustling with activity. Almost every band that had played that day, and others that were due to perform the next day, were raising hell as they mingled. Someone was buying a round of shots when we approached the bar. Kit ordered a mixed drink, and I did the same. She didn’t sip her drink politely. No, she turned it up and swallowed down the dark liquid, dropping the empty plastic cup in the trash bin at the end of the bar before ordering another one.
I wanted to be close to her, but I had a feeling she wanted some space. I’d come at her like a raging bull, not giving her a chance to think through what had happened at the casino. I’d paid for a room for the night, but only ended up using it for an hour and a half, leaving the key cards laying on the rumpled sheets as we left after getting lost in each other.
I took a seat on a tall stool as she waited for her second drink, turning around to lean her back against the bar top. She sipped her drink slower this time, her eyes roaming the area. She didn’t say anything, but I had a feeling she was calculating her words carefully before she said something to piss me off.
“Aiden,” she began, but my hard glare cut her off.
“Not now, Kit,” I warned.
“Then when?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.
Before I had a chance to tell her to stop overthinking, her phone rang. I cursed under my breath when I heard her say her uncle’s name. I knew that he was calling about the little surprise I’d dropped in his lap, and I felt the anger rolling off of her when she turned her hard glare on me.
“What the fuck, Aiden?” she roared. I didn’t mistake the tears that had gathered in the corner of her eyes as she tossed the remainder of her drink in my face before she ran away.
Chapter Ten
Kit
“He did what?” I gasped. My uncle had called, telling me that Aiden had transferred a shit ton of money into an account for Kylie. Like a LOT of money.
“Kit, calm down,” Uncle Roger urged. “That man wants you to concentrate on the tour and not be worried about us.”
“I don’t like this,” I admitted, staring out the bus window. Aiden was outside, talking to Steven and Jude. They’d stopped him when I’d boarded the bus, wiping tears away from my eyes.
“You deserve this, Kit,” he said. “I want you to follow your dreams. You are too young to take on a six year old by yourself.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head as I turned away from the window. “I need to work for this. The last thing I need is to be his whore.”
There wasn’t anything I couldn’t tell my uncle. If I had a father, he would be it. My mother’s brother was the only one in my dysfunctional family that had a brain in his head. The man worked hard for what little he had.
“You are not a whore,” Aiden barked, causing me to yelp from being startled.
“Fuck you, Aiden,” I replied, narrowing my eyes. Aiden sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He refused to leave, taking a hard stance in front of me. He crossed his tattooed arms across his chest and waited.
“Get off the phone and talk to Aiden,” my uncle ordered. “Don’t do anything stupid, Kit.”
“We’ll see about that,” I mumbled, hanging up before Roger could talk me out of taking Aiden down a notch.
“Kit,” he pled, but paused when my eyes narrowed.
“Would you like to explain to me why you sent ten grand to my uncle and put it in an account for my sister?” I demanded, placing my hands on my hips.
Jude and Kade walked onto the bus about the time those words left my mouth. Both men froze and looked at Aiden like he’d grown two heads. Aiden snarled and fisted his hands at his sides. “I did it for you. I take care of what’s mine, Kit.”
“What’s going on?” Kade asked, walking around Aiden to step up to my side. The protective stance he took wasn’t mistaken by either of us.
“I sent them money so you wouldn’t have to worry about your sister,” Aiden explained, ignoring our bandmates. “Now, why did you tell your uncle that you were my whore?”
“What?” Jude growled, placing a hand on Aiden’s shoulder. “What the fuck did you do?”
“Nothing,” Aiden answered, shrugging off our guitarist’s touch. “I did nothing.”
“Nothing?” I exploded, throwing my hands in the air. “Nothing? Aiden, just because you fucked me doesn’t mean you own me.”
“Oh,” Jude gasped. Kade gave him a nod, understanding that they’d just walked in on something more serious than anyone could imagine. “We will give you two some time to talk.”
I was fucking pissed.
Aiden waited until everyone was off the bus before walking toward me. I held out my hand to stop him and noticed that they were trembling. He didn’t take the hint, taking my hands into his larger ones. He bent my arms so he could secure my hands at my back. I was helpless when he bumped his chest against mine. I wanted to kick my own ass for the sigh that left my lips. This man had my mind running in circles.
“You. Are. Not. A. Whore.” His voice was calm, even if his eyes told me something different.
“What am I then? A conquest?” I barked. What surprised me was the moment Aiden released one of my hands and grasped my arm tightly, but not enough to hurt.
<
br /> “You are mine, Kit Ellis. No matter how hard you try to fight it, this thing between us is more than a simple fuck.” He growled and pulled me against his chest. Being that close to him physically hurt. I was falling for him, but I needed to have my space. I needed to be somewhere that I could think without him in my face.
“Aiden,” I warned, trying to pull away, but his hold was just too strong.
“You need to understand that I take care of my own.” He paused, releasing his hold.
“I was doing fine by myself,” I replied, raising my chin. “I don’t need help.”
“What about the afterschool care for Kylie, huh?” he questioned, but kept speaking so I couldn’t interrupt him. “What about the extra mouth your uncle has to feed? What about her clothes? What about the rundown apartment you share with your mom? Explain to me how in the hell you are going to afford that?”
“I’m sending them everything I make,” I replied, my voice cracking from the emotions he was pulling out of me. “He says it’s enough.”
“Well, it’s not, Kit,” Aiden said.
“What the fuck do you mean?” I yelled, taking two steps away from him. The last thing I wanted was to be this close to him, because his touch scrambled my mind. I wanted to keep my wits about me for this argument that I knew was going to end badly.
“Roger told me that he’d taken an extra job to supplement the cost of having custody of Kylie.” Aiden moved to the couch and sat down. We were still close in the confines of the bus, but at least now he was giving me some space. “Your mother was no help, because she spent all of the money she had on drugs. Your uncle wants you to succeed, so he has been working at the hardware store by his house.”
“What?” I whispered, my voice suddenly gone.
“Kit,” Aiden sighed, reaching out and taking my hand. “I sent the money not only for your sister, but so your uncle could quit his second job.”
“I feel like you are paying me for sex,” I admitted.
Aiden shot up from his seat and moved toward me again. I stepped back. My ass met the dinette table, and he leaned forward to put his hands beside my hips, blocking me from moving. His scent was driving me crazy. Whatever cologne he used mingled with his natural scent, and that alone was something I’d come to enjoy. In fact, it caused a low ache in my sex.
“If I ever hear you say that again, Kit, I will blister your ass,” he warned, pressing his forehead to mine as he lowered his voice. “Don’t question me on this. I wanted to help.”
“Help?” I snorted.
“Yes, help,” he replied, stepping back. I was thankful for the reprieve, but it didn’t last long. Aiden ushered me to the back of the bus where there was a little more privacy. The back room was used mainly for a quiet space for us to relax. There was a long, black leather couch against the back wall that the guys used when they wanted to watch television or play video games.
“I don’t need your help,” I complained.
“Well, you got it,” he said, and his words were final. “And stop being so stubborn about this.”
“I’ve never had someone to fall back on, Aiden,” I explained, hanging my head in my hands. “This is so hard.”
A commotion paused our argument when the rest of the band and crew boarded the bus. I decided to give up…for now. Aiden wasn’t going to budge, and in all reality, he was right. My uncle needed help. I had no idea he’d taken a second job to take care of Kylie.
I pushed past him and didn’t speak to anyone as I left the bus. Thankfully, no one followed me as I found my way back out to the drink tent, flashing my badge and ordering a drink to calm my nerves. As soon as I was finished, I made my way to the side of the stage and watched Wicked End perform a few songs. I grabbed another drink and walked around the backstage area, talking to a few of the band members who were also milling about, but my mind was on what I’d done with Aiden and how I was going to handle it in the weeks to come.
By the time Aiden found me standing at the bar, I was more than slightly buzzed. The bartender handed over another drink, and I took a huge gulp, knowing he was standing behind me. I needed just a little more liquid courage to get through the rest of the night. I planned on calling my uncle the next morning, but tonight, I just wanted to not think about everything at home and how I should just pack my bags so I could go back there.
Aiden walked up behind me, his calloused finger traced the top of my shoulder. I squeezed my eyes closed, not because the feeling was foreign or unwanted; right then, it was the opposite. I wanted him. It took every ounce of power I had in my body not to turn around and fall into his arms.
The problem I had was that I could easily see myself falling in love with him. Aiden was everything I ever wanted in a companion. He got me. He understood my life on the road. There wasn’t anything that would cause a concern between us when I traveled, because he would be there with me.
“Kit,” he whispered. I shook my head and didn’t turn around. I needed time to sort out these feelings I had for him.
Aiden eventually gave up and left when Jude pushed him toward the exit. I noticed them speaking in hushed tones for a moment before Aiden disappeared from my sight. Jude took a seat to my right and ordered a drink. He didn’t speak to me; just sat there in silence.
I looked at my phone and cursed when I noticed we had twenty minutes left before it was time to roll out of Las Vegas. I flagged down the bartender, asking for a double shot. I stayed at the drink tent until the last possible minute, letting the alcohol warm my blood and relax my muscles. When I stood from my stool with shaky legs, Jude was there with a steady arm. “I’ve got you.”
“Thank you,” I slurred. We walked in silence until we were out of the tent and moving toward the bus.
“He worries about you,” Jude offered once we were out of earshot from anyone.
“I know,” I sighed. Even through my drunken fog, I realized that Aiden was a good guy. Even with his badass appearance and tough as nails stage presence, the vocalist for Something Wicked truly wanted to help me and my family. I was stupid to even consider leaving. “God, I’ve been such an ass to him.”
“One of these days,” Jude chuckled, “you two are going to realize that you’re perfect for each other.”
I wanted to let go and be his…but could I balance work and love?
Chapter Eleven
Aiden
Kit was drunk as she made her way onto the bus with only minutes to spare before we were scheduled to leave. Jude helped her into her bunk and climbed into his own, mumbling something about checking on her at first light.
My bunk was across from hers, and I found myself laying there with my curtain pulled back so I could keep an eye on her. The lights were dimmed, but the small track lighting in the floor illuminated the area just enough that I could see her glassy stare as she laid on her side.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Don’t be sorry,” I replied, keeping my voice low.
“I almost left,” she said, causing my heart to stop beating for a second.
“I know, baby,” I replied.
She shuffled around, tucking her hand under her cheek. I watched as her eyes fluttered closed on a soft sigh. I thought she was asleep, but after a moment, her eyes opened. This time, there were tears pooling in the corners. She blinked once…twice, and they spilled over, making a crystal trail over her nose and cheek.
“Scoot,” I ordered, dropping out of my bunk and lifting myself so I could slide in with her. She backed all the way to the wall, allowing me to slide beneath her soft blanket. Kit was small enough that I could pull her to my chest and still fit comfortably in the bunk.
“I don’t know what to do,” she admitted.
“Let go, Kit,” I urged, stroking her jawline with the back of my finger.
“I’m scared.”
“I’m not,” I replied, kissing her softly on the lips. She didn’t resist, but she didn’t respond, either. Her body relaxed into mine, and I
knew right then her hard exterior was crumbling. “Go to sleep, Kit.”
I must’ve taken my own advice, because the next thing I remembered was waking up with Kit still nestled against my chest. I stroked her hair and sighed quietly. She felt right against me…like she was designed to fit perfectly.
I was falling for her, and falling fast.
At that moment, I realized she was everything I wanted and needed. No other woman appealed to me like Kit Ellis did.
“Go back to sleep,” I mumbled when she started to stir. “We don’t have to be up yet.”
“I need to get up,” she groaned, covering her eyes from the small amount of light that filtered in through the slightly parted curtain.
She crawled over me and dropped to the ground before her soft footfalls drifted away. I rolled on my side and brought her pillow closer, inhaling her sweet scent. This could be mine…forever if I claimed her for good.
Kade and Jude exited their bunks, mumbling greetings to Kit as she returned to the bunk, climbing back inside the comfort of my arms. “Jude’s making coffee.”
We laid there for several minutes. I traced the owl’s wings where they peeked out of the flimsy tank top she wore. Her hand slid across my stomach and stopped at my hip. She rubbed her thumb on the exposed skin above the waistband of my shorts. The softness caused my cock to respond the same way it did anytime she touched me. Jude hollered that the coffee was ready, but we didn’t move for a few minutes. I sighed and reluctantly removed my hands from her skin.
“Okay,” I said, pushing my hair back from my face, “I’ll be back.”
I found my way to the bathroom, brushing my teeth and hair before I opened the small closet holding my clothes. I shook out an old band shirt and pulled it over my head. The bus hummed as it continued down the road. I found my phone and groaned when I saw it wasn’t even noon. So much for sleeping most of the way to Seattle.
A solid idea formed in my head. I pulled up a reservation site on the internet and found what I was needing. After tucking my phone away, I made my way toward the front of the bus. Kit was sitting at the small dinette, sipping coffee and thumbing through her phone. I whispered something to Joe, giving him the information for my plan. He smiled widely and gave me an approving nod.
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