eyes light up like a Christmas tree—if that tree were on fire. “Nonetheless.”
Sighing, she turned to walk off. “Get fucked, Houston. I’m busy.”
I studied the curve of her ass as she stormed for the door.
She was heading back to the buses, and I swallowed the urge to follow her. I wondered if she could read my thoughts or simply felt me watching her, and that was why she peeked over her shoulder at the last minute.
The cold look she gave me before disappearing through the door had the opposite effect she intended.
I had two choices at this point.
Get a grip or get a groupie.
I followed Braxton to the open door, leaning my shoulder on the jamb as she spoke to one of the roadies. He pointed her in the direction of the buses, and she took off, unaware of the chaos around her as the crew tore down and prepared to load our equipment in the cargo trucks.
Meanwhile, there was another crew with a replica setting up in Dallas for Monday night’s show. The label had greedily packed our schedule to squeeze every penny they could, knowing it would be the last they would make out of us. Negotiations were already in the works to buy back every one of our masters, even if it bankrupted us.
The moment I was sure Braxton was gone, I found Rich, who was talking shop with one of our stage techs. The roadie, seeing the look on my face, scrammed mid-sentence. Rich looked confused until he noticed me.
“You really need to work on your people skills,” he preached for the thousandth time.
As usual, I ignored him.
People rarely saw a good person when you were too nice. All they saw was a mark.
“Did something happen between you and Braxton?” I got right to the point.
Rich’s silence said it all, but I still wanted to hear him say it. “Do you really want to do this right now? Right here?”
“Yes or no, Rich?” He shrugged before looking off and keeping his mouth closed. The last time Rich was this stubborn he’d lit a match to his life and was still trying to clean up the mess. Braxton’s defiance was spreading through my camp like an incurable disease. She needed to be stopped. “Have it your way.”
I started for the tunnel that Braxton had just disappeared through.
“Wait. Where are you going?” Rich called out. When I didn’t stop or turn back, he rushed after me until he reached my side.
“If you won’t tell me, I’ll make Braxton.”
“Are you serious right now?”
“As a fucking heart attack.”
“Fine! All right!” he yelled, making me stop in my tracks halfway through the tunnel. “We fooled around, but we didn’t have sex, so just leave her alone. You’ve done enough.”
Had I?
I thought I’d made myself clear, but every move I made, the three of them found a way to outmaneuver me.
I moved Braxton to another bus, and they followed her.
I fucked her, knowing Loren was too proud and Rich too cautious, and Braxton somehow convinced them to act outside of their nature. I know because she’d done the same to me.
Fucking her hadn’t been planned.
Wanting more was the most shocking surprise of all.
When I reached the end of the tunnel and burst through the security door, I found an even bigger problem on my hands. Braxton’s bus was being towed away as she stood on the side with everything she owned at her feet.
Again.
“What the hell happened?” Rich wondered out loud. I didn’t respond, knowing it was rhetorical since I’d been with him. He repeated his question to Braxton the moment we reached her side.
“Bus broke down. Something about the radiator. They’re towing it to the nearest shop to see if they can get it running again by morning.”
Xavier spotted us and quickly made his way over. I already knew what he’d say before he even spoke. “So here’s the deal, Braxton’s bunking with you again until we get the rig fixed,” he announced in a way that brooked no argument. “And before you ask, I’ve already checked. There are no extra bunks anywhere else. The crew is doubled up as it is.”
Xavier, Braxton, and Rich all paused, waiting for my reaction. I silently weighed the pros and cons before deciding the damage had already been done. I needed time to rethink my strategy.
“Let me know when the bus is back in commission.”
Taking Braxton’s elbow, I pulled her toward our bus. The silver lining was that now I might get a good