she’d done. She owned it. And she owned me too, obviously, since I could admire, love, and be furious with her right now, all at the same time.
I grabbed her and pulled her to me. I had to. Holding her settled me. “This has been going on a while, this dance with you and Bryan. I know he’s into you. What I wanna know is, has this happened before?”
“No,” she said, no hint of a lie.
“Okay.” That was something, though I ground my teeth so hard, I practically pulverized my molars. “So, no more unsupervised time with him anymore.”
“You’re not breaking up with me?” she asked, her expression puzzled.
“Do you want me to?” I asked.
“No, but—”
“Tell me this,” I said quickly. There was no way in hell I was giving her an out. “What happened before that kiss? Did he profess his undying love for you?”
“What? No.” She shook her head, looking at me as if that were completely impossible. “He told me we had to stop hanging out together, but I didn’t want that. I pushed it, and we kissed. That’s all.” Looking hurt and dejected more than anything, she closed her eyes and dropped her chin to her chest.
Had Bryan actually turned her down? I could hardly believe it.
“He’s a player, Lace.” I zeroed in on that, knowing it would hurt her.
I was a bastard, but I was her bastard. I was keeping her. I’d crush my best friend, crush whoever, do whatever I needed to do to keep her.
“He played you like he plays all of them. Bored with his usual. Curious about you, probably. If you think things are different, march up there and ask him for clarification.”
Or better yet, an idea took root and grew like an ugly weed in the unholy soil inside my mind. I’d told her numerous times that Bryan wasn’t the innocent boy she once knew. Tonight, I’d show her.
“I don’t need to ask,” she mumbled, her head still down.
“Okay then.” I wedged my ringed thumb under her chin and lifted her head. “We mark this down as experimentation. One never to be repeated with him or any other guy. You feel me?”
I felt like a pussy for allowing her a pass. But way back at the beginning of us, she’d given me one. Soon, I’d make sure her story jibed with his before I beat the ever-loving shit out of him.
“Yes, I feel you.”
I removed my thumb, took her hand, and led her up to the street level. Walking together, yet working our way around other pedestrians on the sidewalk, we reached the club without incident or any further talking. I assumed she was reeling inside like I was. The glances I’d shot her way seemed to confirm my assumption.
Inside the club, there was no sign of Bryan or the others, but her brother was at the bar, an untouched tumbler of whiskey beside his clenched hand. Somehow the bartenders on duty always slid him his preferred drink when he arrived, even though he was underage.
“Hey,” Dizzy said too casually, taking us in. “Looks like you two sorted it out.” His mouth formed a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
I got it. Dizzy was worried for his sister, and for the band. He had everything riding on the future of Tempest, just like the rest of us.
“Bry in the dressing room?” I asked.
“Yeah, said to tell you he’s waiting for you. King and Sager took off to grab a bite. I told ’em sound check was off. Am I right?”
“Fuck yeah.” Releasing Lace’s hand, I moved in front of her. “Stay with your brother. I’m gonna have a word with Bry, then I’ll come back and have a few more with you.”
“War,” she called, before I’d taken more than a few steps away from her.
“Yeah?” I turned back to look at her.
“Don’t, um, hurt him, okay?” She twisted her hands.
“Babe, he’s my best friend. You’re my woman. You fucked up, and he fucked up. Don’t make it any worse.”
Nodding, she dropped her gaze.
My anger returning full force, I stomped past empty leather booths and skirted around cocktail tables by the stage with the chairs turned upside down on top of them. I hit the back hallway, feeling a little upside down myself as I pushed open the dressing room door, and my best friend turned to face me.
“She okay?” he asked. Not backing down from my wrath, Bryan met me in the middle of the small room.