A Little Bit Dirty - Jenika Snow Page 0,55

ones you have to watch out for, because they will go to any length to make things go their way.”

“Maybe, but she doesn’t scare me, and I think she is just misplaced. I don’t think she is really a threat. She’s one of those girls that is all talk and no bite.” The words fell from Tanner, but even though she said them she didn’t know if she believed them.

15

The alcohol was flowing, the groupies were aplenty, and the band was high on the adrenaline that always consumed them after a show. Jacks tipped back another shot—one that had to be his sixth, or maybe seventh.

Shit, he couldn’t even remember. He was feeling pretty drunk, but fantastic.

He moved over to the couch of the hotel they were in, and sat his ass down. The room was huge, filled with people he didn’t even know, and only a handful that he did recognize. But, that wasn’t unusual for these gatherings.

“Kick ass show, man.” A guy that had a VIP pass hanging from around his neck stopped in front of Jacks and grinned down at him. “I mean, when you did that solo on ‘Hell in the Sky’…” The guy tipped his head back and whistled low. “Fuck. It was sweet.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you liked the show.” The room started to sway back and forth, and he could see the guy’s lips moving, but couldn’t hear exactly what he was saying. The whiskey was flowing fast and fierce through his veins, and coupled with the beer he had consumed, Jacks was royally fucked up.

The fan left to go speak with Beats and Matty. Five had taken Tanner with him as “moral support” to a piercing shop, but Jacks knew their bassist didn’t need support. He wanted to throw a little shock value at Tanner like the freak he was deep down inside.

Jacks would have gone with them, but he had been swarmed with autographs, and before he could break loose Five was waving at him and hauling Tanner out of the back of the building. He should kick his ass for running off with his girl, but that was just the possessive side of him talking.

He trusted Five with his life, and with making sure Tanner was safe. Hell, he trusted Matty and Beats, too. They had all been through a lot of shit, worked hard to get where they were, and they were all like his brothers.

The truth was he wanted Tanner all to himself, wanted to be the one to take her away from the chaos of the life they led at a whim, and was greedy for her time.

“Hey, Jacks.”

He knew who stood right in front of him before he even lifted his head and looked at Laura. There was this pinched expression on her face, and she held a beer in one hand, and a bottle of water in the other.

He might be drunk, but if she started any shit with him tonight and tried to jump on his nuts he wasn’t going to mince his words when he told her to back the fuck off and leave the tour.

“Laura, please don’t start tonight.” He let his head fall against the back of the couch, and shifted so he was in a slouched position.

He felt good, damn good, but he’d feel a hell of a lot better if Tanner was by his side. He had always cared for that girl, and over the years those feelings had never left, even if he had buried that shit deep down to get through it.

Things had been essentially glossed over between them, and maybe when the tour was over they could sit down and talk in deep detail about what all had gone down during those five years, but right now he didn’t want to worry about any of that.

Jacks just wanted to enjoy her company and this time that he had. Things could change at the drop of a hat, and he never took for granted the things in his life, especially not when it concerned Tanner.

“I’m not here to start anything, Jacks.” She held out a bottle of water. “You look like you need this more than this.” She held up the beer she held in her other hand.

He eyed it for a few seconds, but finally exhaled and grabbed the bottle. “Thanks.” He popped the cap and took several big swallows. He shouldn’t have thrown back all those shots consecutively like that, but when the air was