to be over. Some pop tune floats over the speakers. Sounds like someone dropped a bunch of soup cans over a piano with a sack full of cats screaming in the background. But what do I know?
My gaze zeroes in on Anya’s uncomfortable smile as she inches her way toward freedom.
That’s what I’m here for.
Not giving one absolute fuck, I open the door to the studio.
“You sure I can’t take you out tonight, sweetheart?” Jerk says to her.
“Sorry, I have plans.” Anya’s nervous gaze darts to me.
“We need to get some promotional photos,” the sensible guy says.
Fuck.
I drop back into my chair and wait for someone at the station to pop in with a camera and snap some shots of the three of them standing in front of a wall with a full-color painting of the station’s tacky logo.
Jerk keeps asking her questions, trying to convince her to go out with him.
“We done?” I interrupt the conversation. She’s too nice to cut them off and I have no problem playing the bad guy here.
I curl my hand at Anya. “Come on. Time to go.”
Anya wiggles her fingers. “Bye. Thanks so much for having me.” She skirts away from the two men while I stare the jerk down.
“Thanks, Mr. Bodyguard.” He smirks at me.
I don’t bother responding, just shut the door behind us.
In the elevator downstairs, Anya shivers and rolls her eyes. “Yuck, that guy was so gross.”
“Yeah, he sounded like a dick.”
“Did I do okay? I didn’t sound like an airhead, did I?”
Shit, I barely even listened. “The parts I caught sounded good to me.”
Once we’re in the truck, I pull out my phone.
Shelby: Yup. Two shock jock D-bags.
My mouth curls up. Fuck, I miss Shelby’s sassy mouth.
“What’s wrong?” Anya asks.
“Nothing.” I toss my phone in the middle console.
Guess I’ll be paying the radio station another visit tomorrow.
And you bet your ass I’ll be listening to every word of that interview.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Rooster
Sure, now the clubhouse is full with awake and functioning brothers.
Ice greets Anya and me in the common area. “How’d it go, princess?”
“Good,” she coos and curls her hair around finger, rocking her hips from side to side. All she needs is a schoolgirl outfit and some bubble gum and the two of them could go film a video right now. Jesus, this is Sway and Stella all over again. Starting to wonder if that president’s patch makes your brain leak out through your dick or something.
Jigsaw wanders in, bleary-eyed and hanging onto a small, dark-haired girl. Even in her five-inch fuck-me pumps, she barely clears his shoulder.
He lifts his chin at me. “Why didn’t you wake me up? I would’ve come with you.”
“It’s fine.”
Anya squeezes my arm. “Rooster was so badass. That fucker Scotty kept hassling me to go out with him tonight, and Rooster scared the piss out of him.”
“Thanks, brother.” Ice jerks his chin toward the hallway. “Got a minute?”
“Sure.” I point to Jigsaw. “Don’t go far. I need to talk to you.”
“Yeah, okay.”
I follow Ice into his office and he closes the door behind us. “How’d it go?” he rumbles in a flat tone, disinterested tone that probably inspired his road name.
“Fine.” Fuck, I agreed to go as protection, not to return with a fucking full report of events. “She handled it well. Gave out the info for the site. Station said they’ll keep it up on their website too.”
“Good. They treat her with respect?”
“Eh.” I shrug. “One was a bit of an asshole, like she said. But I think that’s their schtick.”
Maybe if you want people to be respectful, don’t send her to the prick and dick show.
He reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out a wad of cash.
“Ice, come on. You don’t have to pay me.”
He levels a frosty glare my way. “Don’t start that shit with me, Rooster.”
I did the respectful-decline-the-money-first routine, so now I feel comfortable reaching for the cash. “Appreciate it.”
“How long you in town?”
“My girl gets in late tonight. Probably leaving with her early next week.”
“You bringing her by tonight? Probably gonna be rowdy. Celebrating the launch of the site and all.”
“I might get a room downtown, but I’ll definitely bring her by the next night.”
“It’ll be a party all weekend but anyone you want to bring is fine with me.”
“Thanks.”
After I leave Ice’s office, I pull out my phone and text Shelby.
Me: Make it to Philadelphia?
Shelby: Just finished rehearsal.
Me: How’d it go?
She responds with a few thumbs down emojis.
Instead of answering, I jog upstairs and slip into