Play Mine (Brooklyn Dawn #3) - Cari Quinn Page 0,53

Because it really sucked.

He tipped his head back. “I just meant I wanted to talk to Lila before I told you something.”

“Well, too late. Guess you need to tell me now.”

I could practically see smoke coming out of his ears.

“Hey, Teagan.”

My gaze swung to Zane, and I forgot my anger for a moment. He was shirtless, which in itself wasn’t exactly an oddity. Zane wasn’t really into clothes for the most part. Said they were binding. But we weren’t on stage or hanging out in a hotel. I lifted my hand to his face. It looked like someone had swiped the largest mascara wand in the history of makeup across his cheek. “What happened to your face?”

He shot Cooper an annoyed glance and turned to look at his reflection in the large glass box holding flyers and community programs. “You let me walk out here like this?”

Cooper shrugged. “Pretty sure it’s going to take a shower to fix your situation. Why should I make you feel worse about it?”

Zane closed his eyes. “I want to be mad at you, but I kinda want to hug you too.”

Cooper held up his hand. “Had enough of your hugs, man. You are ripe.”

“What is that on your back?” I asked.

Zane reached around. “I figured it was a scrape. It burns.”

I pressed my lips together. It wasn’t a laughing matter—at all—but that would literally be following him around forever. “Not a burn.”

Cooper peered over my shoulder. His fist went to his mouth immediately.

I gave him a hard look, but I had to swallow my own laughter. Even drunk off his ass, Zane went for ocean-life for an inebriated impromptu tattoo session.

“What? What is it?”

“Did the cops laugh at you during the strip search?”

Zane’s cheeks went ruddy. “There was no strip search.”

“Well, at least you kept that slice of dignity. Too bad it will be your last.” Cooper slapped Zane’s back where the tattoo was.

Zane yelped and slammed his fist into Cooper’s chest. “What the hell?”

“Nice tramp stamp.”

“What? No. No way.” He tried to peer around his shoulder, but there was no way to see it. “How bad? Man, what the hell?”

I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture then showed him.

He slapped his hands over his face. “I’m gonna kill whoever did this to me.”

I rushed into Zane’s arms and gave him a solid hug. I didn’t want to think about the slick grime on his skin, and Cooper wasn’t wrong on the stench, but Zane was the kind of guy who needed connections. He’d always been the one to include me when I first joined the band.

Zane held onto me for a minute, and then kissed the top of my head. “Thanks, T.”

I stepped out of his arms. “What happened?”

Zane’s gaze slid toward Cooper then back to me.

“You better tell me right now. Just how drunk were you?” I put my hands on my hips as my thoughts careened from disgust and worry to something darker. “Okay, better question. What does this have to do with me?”

“It’s not about you.” Zane huffed out a breath. “Pretty sure.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” I ripped out a few hairs from the center of his chest.

“Ow.” He rubbed his chest. “I’m really sure.”

“I don’t believe you. Spit it out, Z.”

He shook his head. “Nope. I’m in enough trouble.”

I whirled on Cooper. “You better be glad we’re in a police station. That is the only thing saving you.”

Cooper’s lips twitched.

“Ugh. Both of you are making me nuts.” I stalked to the door and out into the bright sunlight, right into the waiting chaos of a half-dozen paparazzi.

“Was it true your bandmate wrapped a Lamborghini around a tree?”

“Was there someone in the car with him?”

“Will there be criminal charges?”

I fisted my hands and backed away from the bold asshole with a camera directly in my face. I tried to dodge him, but he moved with me until we were in a macabre dance of wills.

Suddenly, there was an arm around my waist. I immediately flailed.

“It’s just me,” Cooper said against my ear as he literally parted the crowd and carted me through like a pocket pal. “My Jeep is around the back in the alleyway. If you’d waited for us, I could have told you that.”

“Put me down.”

“No.”

“Cooper, there are paparazzi everywhere.”

“Quicker and easier. Besides, I like my hands on you.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t right now.”

He was unbelievable. And not in a good way.

“C’mon, babe.”

I dug my nails into his forearm. “Don’t ‘babe’ me. You’re