Play Dirty (The Devil's Share #2)

by L. P. Maxa

  Smith came inside just as Lexi shoved two cookies into her mouth at the same time. “Really, Lex?” He turned to me, his face looked hard. Irritated. “Are you really going to let her eat like that?”

  Was he freaking kidding me? I raised an eyebrow in question. “I’m not on this bus to boss Lexi around and tell her she can’t have a cookie every once in a while.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “She already has you four assholes for that.” I wasn’t sure what had caused his new dark mood but I so wasn’t going to let him take his shit out on me. I wouldn’t be his punching bag. I would never sign on for that. Been there, done that.

  Lexi let out a laugh around a mouth full of Oreo. “Preach it, sista! I love having you here with me.”

  Dash looked up from his phone where his attention had been focused for the last few minutes. He looked from Lexi to Smith to the bag. “How many of those did you just eat, Kitten?”

  Lexi shrugged, swiping crumbs off her barely protruding stomach. “Just a few.” She picked up the bag and handed it to Smith, fire in her eyes. “No need to be a dick; I’m done.”

  Smith grabbed the bag and tossed it on the nearby granite counter top. Then he came and collapsed in the chair next to mine. He didn’t look like the Smith I’d come to crush on. He looked like the dark, scowling, tortured Smith that made me sad and wary. Who the hell had he been talking to out there for the last twenty minutes? Because he’d come back inside a different man. I used my foot to rock my chair back and forth. I didn’t know what to say. I thought we were supposed to hang out and start The Walking Dead…but I didn’t want to be around this Smith.

  Dash’s eyes were trained on his bandmate, his jaw clenching and unclenching. He’d realized something was off too. But it was Lexi who finally asked the million-dollar question: “Who were you on the phone with?”

  We all waited with bated breath.

  Smith narrowed his beautiful eyes at her. “Not really any of your concern, Lex.”

  Lexi cocked her head to the side; I could see the attitude she usually reserved for Luke about to rear its badass head. “You don’t think so? Well, when you walk out the door happy and come back in an asshole you make it all of our concern.” She stood up and took a menacing step towards him. Dash reached out his hand and circled her wrist. “What did I say to you not three months ago? What did I say, Smith?”

  He met her glare, but remained silent.

  She took another step in his direction and pointed a finger in his face. “I said, ‘you come to us.’ When you feel like you’re losing control or it’s all becoming too much, you COME TO US. We are your family. We are the ones that love you. And I’ll be damned if I let you come back into our home acting like a dick head and not tell us what’s going on.” Lexi let Dash pull her back to the couch. I was torn. I knew Lexi needed to stay calm and not get her blood pressure going. But I wanted to know what happened. I wanted Smith to open up. And apparently Lexi was the only one with enough balls to call him out.

  Smith glanced over in my direction. Was it me? Did he not want to say anything in front of me? Of course he didn’t; he barely knew me. I wasn’t family. I was just some girl he wanted to screw. I stood. “I’m beat. And I have some emails I need to return for Dr. Solomon. So I’m just going to head to—”

  Smith reached up and took my hand in his, stopping my words instantly. “Stay here. Please.” He’d whispered those words last night in the dark. They had the same effect on my heart now as they did then.

  I went to sit back down in my chair, but was pulled sideways into his lap. He wrapped his arms around me, and buried his face in my hair. When I looked over to Lexi for guidance, she was looking down chewing on her lip. I tried Dash. He just shrugged and gave me a sad smile.

  Smith put his chin on my shoulder, finally facing his friends and breaking the silence. “That was my dad that called.”

  Dash’s eyes registered surprise. “What the hell did he want?”

  “Jared’s cleared for trial. Apparently it starts in a few weeks.” He took a deep breath. “He asked me to testify that it was all an accident. Or better yet, that it was all because Dagger lunged at him.”

  Lexi, ever the fighter, exploded. “Are you fucking kidding me?! He wants you to lie on the stand to lessen the sentence of the junkie who almost killed us?!” Dash put his arm around her, trying to get her to stay calm.

  My heart suddenly ached for the man sitting under me. His attitude made sense now. Lexi hadn’t been lying when she said his life had been rough. His family was disgusting. Was this going to push him over the edge? Was the edge Lexi had been referring to drugs? I knew he’d used since he’d been on tour and I’d seen the despair in his eyes. Was his family going to ruin him? I grabbed his hands and wrapped them around me tighter. I was going to lose him before I ever got a chance to decide what I wanted from him.

  Dash scrubbed his hands down his face. “Did he honestly think you would say yes to that?”

  “He called to demand it, and then threatened me.” Smith shrugged. “He’s fucking mental. Meth has destroyed his brain. I won’t lie to save Jared. He deserves what’s coming to him.”

  Dash looked murderous. “Fuck yes, he does. I wish Dagger had ripped his throat clear out.”

  Smith gave a small smile. “He damn near did.”

  “Fuck your dad.” Lexi leaned forward and put her hand on Smith’s leg. “He doesn’t matter Smith. None of them do. We’re your family.” She smiled. “He calls again, I’ll answer and tell him myself. He is NOTHING.”

  I was in awe of the tiny little pregnant girl sitting before me. She had spunk. She loved these guys so fiercely. And they loved her.

  Dash grinned this adorable crooked grin and nodded. “Lexi’s right, bro. It’s us against the world. Always has been, always will be.”

  Some of the tension left Smith’s body on an exhale. “Thanks, man.”

  Dash stood and pulled Lexi up beside him. “Come on, Kitten. I think these two have a Netflix marathon to start.”

  Lexi’s smile was sad as she blew us a kiss on her way down the hall, with Dagger trailing after her. You could still see the worry etched on her face. I felt like they were leaving it up to me now. It was my turn to make things better for this man, make him happy again. Hell of a far cry from you are none of my concern. I turned in Smith’s lap, facing him for the first time since I sat down. “You want to talk about it?”

  He shook his head, “No, Cher.”

  I nodded slowly, smiling. “You want to put on some pj’s and snuggle on the couch to watch what I am sure will be an extremely gory Walking Dead marathon?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Pj’s?”

  I laughed. “Yes, pj’s. What do you sleep in?” His expression turned flirty, and his smile only somewhat forced. But I put my hand over his mouth before he could answer me. I was positive I knew where this conversation was headed and I didn’t want to hear about Smith sleeping naked. That would just make me lust after him even harder. And after the discussion that just transpired in front of me? I didn’t think either one of us was ready for more complications tonight. “Let me rephrase all that. You want to put on some comfy clothes and watch the Walking Dead?”

  He nibbled at the hand covering his mouth. The feel of his teeth scraping against my palm sent shivers through my body. “I would love nothing more, Cher.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Smith

  I’d meant it. In this moment absolutely nothing would make me happier than lying on the couch, holding Dylan in my arms, and watching The Walking Dead. And if that didn’t just scare the shit out of me.

  I took a deep breath and leaned against the couch cushions, waiting on Dylan to come out of the bathroom. I couldn’t tell yet if I was happy Dylan had witnessed that discussion. A small part of me knew it was best to let her see who I really was, see the baggage I came with. But a bigger part was terrified she would run the other direction. Who could blame her? My family was…well for lack of a better term, the
worst. They were lowlifes, nobodies, drug addicts. A who’s who of human crap.

  I kicked my shoes off and put my hands behind my head. When the bathroom door finally opened I had to close my eyes to keep them from rolling back in my head. How did she do it? How did this chick turn cropped sweatpants and a tank top into the sexiest outfit I’d ever seen? I loved seeing her all dolled up, tight clothes and makeup. But even more, I loved seeing her like this—hair piled in a big mess on top of her head, her face scrubbed clean. It felt like a privilege, like a gift that I could to see her so relaxed and at ease.

  She came and sat down next to me, nuzzled against my side and pulled a blanket up around her little body. “You ready, rock star?”

  I smiled at the term because I couldn’t really tell if it was a compliment or an insult. “Yes, ma’am.” I grabbed the remote and pressed play on the first episode of season one that I had queued up. I dropped my arm down around her back and rested my hand on her hip. She smelled mother fucking amazing, just like she had last night. Clean and faintly like honeysuckle. I wanted to nibble her skin, to see if she tasted as good as she smelled. My mouth started to water.

  The longer the episode went on, the closer she got to just down right crawling in my lap. I wasn’t complaining. But I didn’t want to give the girl nightmares. “Are you okay? Is it too much? We can turn it off if you want.”

  She turned her beautiful face up to me, and the grin she was wearing was adorable. “Are you kidding?! I love it. It’s just a little intense. I feel like I’m constantly waiting for something terrible to happen.”

  I chuckled and squeezed her hip. Damn she felt good under my hand. “Every season, every show. You’ll spend all your time holding your breath waiting for someone to get eaten, or shot, or…punched. It’s always like this.”

  We stayed that way, pressed together and holding each other for a few hours, getting through about three episodes. I pressed pause when the bus door opened and Jacks came tumbling inside. Dylan and I watched as he crawled back to the door and locked it. Then he turned and crawled on all fours into the living area where we were and sprawled out on the floor. “Uh, Jacks? You okay, man?” I kicked a foot out and nudged him.

  “I’m fine. I’m just…fucked up. There were so many chicks. It was just hands and mouths and booze.” He grabbed his head and rolled over on his side. “I feel like I’ve been in a car wreck. The best most orgasmic car wreck ever.”

  From the look of that group of chicks I’d left him with, there were some other substances that he failed to mention in his little list of sins. This is what he’d saved me from. He’d sent me home to this amazingly wonderful girl in my arms, while he’d screwed and snorted his way into oblivion. He’d helped me make the right choice, of this I was sure.

  Dylan climbed down off the couch and kneeled down beside Jacks. She grabbed his wrist and took his pulse, then felt his head with the back of her hand. “You need fluids. And probably an STD screening.” I handed her the bottle of water I’d sat on the floor before we started our marathon, watched as she opened it and then made him drink most of it.

  “You want us to help you get into bed? Or better yet, the shower?” She wrinkled her nose. “You smell like booze and whores.”

  I threw my head back and laughed, “Jacks always smells like booze and whores.” I stood and pulled Dylan to her feet. “There’s no point in trying to move him. He’s already passed out cold.” I pointed down to my bandmate. I’d known him for years. When he stumbled in and hit the floor like he had tonight, he was a goner for at least ten hours. We’d be stepping around him all morning and he still wouldn’t wake up.

  Dylan looked back down at Jacks. “The PA in me really doesn’t like the thought of leaving a wasted man lying on the floor like this.”

  I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and brought her against my body, kissing her on the forehead like the new pussy I was. “He’ll be fine. He’s survived much, much…much worse. Trust me.” But remembering what Jacks had done for me a few hours ago, I reached down and scooped him in my arms, placing him on the couch and covering him up. He was bound to get the shakes soon. I put the bottle of water on the ground next to his head and turned off the light. Then I turned and put my hands on Dylan’s hips and started directing her down the hall towards the bunks.

  “Come on, Cher. I’ll tuck you in.”

  When we got to her bed, I pulled the curtain back and moved out of the way so she could climb inside.

  Dylan lay down, and when I went to cover her up she put her hand on mine. “Stay here?” The smile she was giving me was so damn sweet. And I knew why she chose those words. I knew she was trying to make a gesture.

  “Cher, I really…I want to, I do. It’s just…” How did I explain that I had the will power of two-year-old? That climbing into bed with her was just asking for trouble. Dylan deserved more than just some quick fuck on a tour bus. Way more. And I still wasn’t convinced that I was capable of giving it to her. Can and want were two very different things.

  She threaded her fingers through mine. “Please. Just until I fall asleep? You did just make me watch hours of zombies.” She looked hot as hell. Her dark hair stood out against her white pillow. Her tank top had ridden up exposing a strip of perfect olive skin. Oh who the hell was I kidding? Like I would ever deny this girl anything. I climbed in bed next to her and we turned to face each other. Dylan rested her pretty head on her hands and smiled at me in the dark. “Thank you.”

  I brushed a strand of hair off her forehead. “Anytime, Cher.” I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to kiss her more than I’d ever wanted to kiss anyone. In my whole life. Her face was just inches from mine; it’d be so easy. I closed my eyes to try and keep the temptation at bay. Ha! So now I was abstaining in all aspects of my life. Wonderful.

  I stilled when I felt Dylan’s hand on my cheek. I smiled when her fingers threaded through my hair. I moaned when her lips ever so lightly touched mine. “Smith?”

  I opened my eyes when I heard the question in her voice. “Yeah?”

  She brought her mouth back to mine. This time harder, more urgent. I ran my hand down her back and pressed her body tighter against mine. Was this really happening? Is this what she really wanted? It had to be. I’d been good. I’d closed my eyes fully prepared to fall asleep next to this fucking bombshell. She started this.

  I ran my hand over her ass, down her thigh, and then to the back of her knee, jacking it up over my hip. She let out this sexy little moan. Yeah, she’d started this, but I was damn well going to finish it. I used the hold I had on her leg to help her grind her core against my hard on. I wanted her to feel how much I wanted her. How much she turned me on. Hell, I’d been hard since the day she’d set foot on this bus.

  She bit my lower lip and then swiped her tongue across it to take the sting away. I pulled back and trailed rough kisses down her neck and then sunk my teeth into her shoulder.

  “You are so fucking perfect,” I said. “You taste so damn good.”

  She slipped her hands inside my shirt, pulling it over my head and then running her nails down my abs. I rolled us over and settled between her legs. I was so hard and the friction felt fucking amazing. I leaned down and captured her mouth again, kissing her roughly. She moaned against my mouth and I almost shot my load in my pants. That’s how on edge she had me. I wanted her to make that sound again. I craved her little cries of pleasure. I reached between us and slipped a hand in her pants. She wasn’t wearing panties, and she was fucking soaking wet. “All for me, Cher?”

  She didn’t answer me, just bucked against my hand. I put my mouth against her ear. “Say it, baby. I want to hear you say this is all for me. That I’m the one who made you this wet.” I stilled my fingers, right at her entrance.

  “Yes. Fuck. Yes, Smith, it’s all for you.” She arched against my hand again, seeking release.

  “Good girl.” I slipped one finger inside her core; she was so hot. So slick. I added another and she moaned so loud I had
to put my hand over her mouth. “Baby. You’re going to have to be quiet.” I didn’t want her quiet though; I wanted her loud. I wanted her screaming my name. I changed the angle of my hand, if I could just get—”

  “Oh god, don’t stop.”

  There we go. That’s the spot. Now that’d I’d found it I would be able to make her come instantly anytime I wanted. I crooked my fingers again and she threw her head back. She was so damn close. I could feel her pussy tighten around my fingers. She felt so fucking good in my hands; I couldn’t get enough. When she grabbed hold of my forearm and bucked against me a second time, I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from coming.

  And then all hell broke loose.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Dylan

  One minute I was riding Smith’s hand like there was no tomorrow, about thirty seconds away from a mind blowing, hotter than hell orgasm. And the next? I was listening to puke splatter on a tile floor. There was no mistaking that sound.

  Smith stilled his hand and dropped his forehead to my chest. “You have got to be freaking kidding me.” He was panting. I was panting. I was so damn close to coming apart under him. Smith’s hands…his fingers…I’d never been more envious of a guitar in my entire life.

  I gently pushed Smith back and sat up. “I should go check on him.”

  I wasn’t sure if I should feel relieved or disappointed. I was so torn when it came to Smith, when it came to my feelings for him. When I’d asked him to stay with me, I thought okay you’re just lonely and the spooning is nice. When I’d started to kiss him, I thought no worries, we can make out. You’re just horny. Then when I let him put his hand in my pants? All thoughts left my brain. And I wasn’t even sure how he did it, it was all me. I asked him to get in bed with me. I’d kissed him first…

  Smith rubbed his head against my chest. “Do you have to?”