enough.
Bash had always held himself responsible for Jamie’s death, for not getting our friend enough help, but we’d all watched Jamie spiral time and time again. None of us had found a way to keep his head above water, and after he’d died, I’d made it my mission to make sure we all survived this fame insanity. It took hold of you and was sometimes hard to shake. Reality tended to slip away before you realized what was happening.
That’s why I was drawn to Evie. She was real. She was awkward and adorable and fucking genuine. There were no games with her. That’s what I wanted.
Games and secrets destroyed everything in their path. And I hadn’t let myself get close to anyone since my ex had shown me that in horrifying detail. I didn’t want to think about Monica tonight. Hell, I tried to never think about her, but she was a cautionary tale of what happened when you kept blinders on and fell too fast. It’d taken awhile before I’d realized that she was only interested in me because I was in a band that was starting to hit it big. A band that could launch her photography career. Add to that the fact that she’d cheated on me with one of our sound engineers and tried to get into Jax’s pants, and I’d been wary ever since.
“Oh, Moody Blues,” Jax sang out. “Shit. That’s what I should’ve been calling you for years.” He smacked his head with his palm. “I swear, sometimes I wonder if there’s a brain in here at all.”
“We all wonder that,” I fired back, annoyed with my bandmate, but grateful to focus on something other than my past.
“Oh, MB. Yeah, this is way better than Sinny. Oh, MB. Take a chill and tell Jaxxy what’s got you so glum. The chick you were planning to meet not showing?”
I punched him in the arm. “Do you get off on being such a dick?”
“The ladies sure get off on my dick.”
I rolled my eyes. The man-boy would never change.
“Cut the shit, Ellie.”
“Hey. Don’t call me that. It’s one thing to get it from Charlie, I want her to feel like she’s a part of the band, but don’t be calling me that,” Jax bit out, jabbing his finger at me.
“I knew you cared about her,” I teased. “Just keep your dick away from her.”
“She’s become like an annoying, yet talented as fuck, little sister. I have no plans to bang her.”
“Good. Keep it that way.” But I wasn’t concerned about Jax hooking up with Charlie. Thank fuck for that.
“Now, stop evading. Where’s this chick? She’s bringing friends, right?”
I swiped on my phone, ignoring his taunts.
Tristan: Come over to the VIP area when you get here. I gave them your name.
Evie: You’re already there? VIP? They have that? You’re so fancy.
I laughed and shook my head.
“MB is in love,” Jax sang in my ear, and I pulled away. The asshole was reading over my shoulder.
“Space, Ellie. Space.”
“Call me that again and I’ll sit in your fucking lap,” he growled.
“And you call me moody.” I turned back to my phone.
Tristan: Just a few tables in the corner.
Evie: We’re walking in now.
I swear to god, my heart sped up like I’d reverted back to high school with my first crush.
“What’s she saying?”
“Back off, man.”
“Ouch, you crowding her over text. Already turning her off.”
“What? No. How about you back off?”
“Testy. Testy,” he tutted.
I grabbed his drink and polished it off, ignoring his squawks. The waitress was quick to bring him another one.
“I get it. Needed a little liquid courage, didn’t you?”
“Why did I invite you?”
“So I can distract her friend,” Jax said.
I laughed. Yeah, I wasn’t even going to lie about my ulterior motives. I wanted Evie, badly.
Evie: Be right there.
Fucking hell. I was nervous.
“Maybe you need another drink?” Jax asked.
“Maybe you need to shut the hell up,” I retorted.
“Um, hi,” Evie said.
I gave Jax one last little shove and stood up.
Did I hug her? We hadn’t done that before. Shake her hand? For fuck’s sake, you would think I had no game.
Fuck it.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a hug. She stiffened in my arms for a split second.
“Oh, so we’re hugging,” she whispered against my throat, and I had to shift my hips away so she wouldn’t feel how much I wanted her.
It was way too early in the night to be pressing my cock against her.
Her lips brushed against my skin and I bit