card and padded down the hall to get a soda. As I rounded the corner, I saw Ava, wearing a fluffy white robe, filling a silver bucket at the ice machine.
“It’s been a…pretty rough night.”
“Brutal.” I nodded.
“You doing all right?”
“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?” I lied.
“Mia told me about the past…about you two.”
“It was a long time ago. Times change…people change.”
“You hadn’t. At least not until Mia showed up.”
“What do you mean?”
Though Ava wasn’t but a few years older than me, she sent me a motherly smile. “The whole time I’ve known you, you’ve always been the quiet, calm, level-headed one of the bunch. But one look at Mia and you turned into someone I didn’t know anymore.”
“Seeing her was harder than I’d expected. I’ll work it out in here,” I said, tapping my head.
“What about in your heart?”
“I scrubbed her out of it a long time ago.”
Ava’s shrewd smirk told me she didn’t buy the lie. “So, you’re going to be quiet, calm, level-headed again while on tour with her?”
Obviously, the woman was far more perceptive than I gave her credit for.
“I’ll do my best, but it’ll be a fucking miracle if I don’t end up a carbon copy of Ross by the time we give our final performance.”
She cringed. “Please don’t. Quinn’s already scheming ways to remedy Ross’s issues. I know my husband. If he thinks you need help, too, he’ll simply add your name to his fix-it list.”
“Like he did with Burk?”
A wide grin spread across her lips. “Quinn is unstoppable once he sets his mind to something.”
“You mean manipulative, don’t you?”
“Whatever it takes.” She laughed.
“You can tell Quinn I don’t need his matchmaker services, especially if he’s trying to get Mia and me back together. It’ll never happen. That ship sailed long ago.”
Ava hefted the ice bucket onto her hip as a knowing smile tugged her mouth. “If you say so. Sweet dreams, Oz.”
That night my dreams weren’t sweet. They were filthy, nasty, raw, and carnal. And Mia held the starring role in each and every one. When I woke to the sound of my phone alarm, my dick was hard enough to crush marble. Tossing off the covers so I could get ready to meet the guys for our annual post-Grammy breakfast, I discovered half a dozen come stains on the sheets. A contemptible snarl rolled off my lips as I stormed to the bathroom.
By the time I reached the patio restaurant, the guys were already sipping coffee and staring at their cell phones. Sliding my sunglasses from the top of my head to the bridge of my nose, I strolled out into the sunshine and to the table where the four Grammys were arranged like centerpieces.
“What’s up?” I asked, taking the vacant seat beside Darren.
“You and Mia swapping tongues and the fight at Dirty Debbie are blowing social media to the moon.” Syd grinned.
“This one is epic. It’s when I sent that prick-face son of a bitch flying into the air,” Ross boasted, thrusting his phone at me. “It sure felt good to drive my fist into that cocksucker’s jaw. I hope I broke it.”
“I do, too.” I nodded, scrolling through the images on the Celebrity Access website.
I tried to ignore the elation and hunger churning within as I gazed at the photos of Mia and me kissing but failed. The memory of the texture of her lips pressed to mine and our tongues swirling and dancing set me on fire. But when I saw the photos and videos others had taken at the bar…saw Devon’s glassy eyes devoid of life, my skin crawled. I swiped once more to the image of him slapping Mia, and rage roared to life all over again.
“Holy shit! Listen to this,” Burk exclaimed. “Moments ago, Slash Devils front man, Devon Halley, was released from the LA County Jail to begin treatment at an unnamed rehab center in Phoenix, Arizona.”
“Great. Now the prick’s going to be living in my backyard,” I groused.
“Who pressed charges and had him arrested?” Syd asked.
“Hang on, I’m still reading.” Burk scanned the article and paused. “Here it is. Ramón Debbie, owner of Dirty Debbie nightclub, where the brawl took place, filed destruction of private property and aggravated assault charges on behalf of up-and-coming rock star Phoenix. The newly decorated Grammy-award-winning soloist was injured but left the scene before authorities arrived. No word yet on what injuries Miss Phoenix sustained.”
“Speaking of… Did any of you see Mia this morning?” I asked.
“Quinn’s holed up in his