form as she scurried off to run an errand for Iggy.
Something drew my attention, and I looked up to find Blake staring coldly at me. My grin quickly fell as I held his gaze steadily. Rose was with me. He could try this intimidation tactic all he wanted. I wasn’t backing off. Not now. Not ever. The fucker would just have to deal with it.
“All right, everyone, in the words of the infinitely wise and fabulous Noel Coward, just say your lines and don’t trip over the furniture. We have three days to get this show polished for a live audience, and I want you all putting your best feet forward,” said Jacob from where he sat in the front row. He now possessed a loudspeaker. A bit obnoxious, but I supposed it made it easier for us all to hear his direction from the stage.
Today we were running the entire show from start to finish. I wore a white shirt, black slacks, and suspenders. I’d let my stubble grow in a little more than usual over the long weekend, and Jacob was quick to inform me I needed to shave.
My attention fell on Blake again, and I thought he seemed agitated. He was wearing a tailcoat, trousers and a waistcoat which was his costume for playing the Duke. Despite the debonair attire, there was something off about him. He kept scratching at his jaw, his eyes darting all about. I put it down to him being angry over Rose, but there was something about his twitchiness that rose my hackles.
He approached me right before we were about to start rehearsing the opening number.
“Damon. A word,” he said stiffly, nodding to a quiet corner backstage. I schooled my expression, deciding I’d let him say his piece. Really, though, he needed to get it into his head that he and Rose weren’t going to happen.
I didn’t speak, simply folded my arms and waited for him to say something.
“Seems like you and Rosie are pretty close these days. I heard you both went away together this weekend.”
“That’s right,” I answered, expressionless, giving him nothing.
He stared at me then, and something changed. He no longer looked pissed; now he appeared sympathetic. Towards me. What the fuck?
“Look, I’m being serious when I say I’d like us to be friends. I don’t want all this animosity going back and forth. It’s not good for the show.”
“We’re not friends, Blake, get it into your head. But I agree with you about the show. You and Rose are in the past. I won’t bring it up again if you don’t,” I said firmly.
His blue eyes turned down at the edges, and he stared at me like I was the most naïve bastard he’d ever met. “But that’s just the thing — it’s not in the past,” he said, and I blinked.
“Say again?”
He looked away, as though agonising over what to do. I frowned, not liking wherever this was going. He brought his attention back to me.
“We’re not in the past. In fact, we were together just last week.”
All at once my fists tightened, my jaw clenched, and I gritted my teeth. Every ounce of animosity I’d felt for Blake over the past few weeks came rolling back. I was two seconds away from losing it. “Elaborate.”
“We’ve got history. Perhaps it was a moment of weakness, but she was lonely and she came to me. We fucked.”
That was it. The final push to make me snap. Red clouded my vision. I punched him. His head swung sharply to the side, his body jerking as my fist met his face. It was like having an out-of-body experience — my anger overtook all rational thought. Before I knew it, I was fisting his shirt, practically hauling him into the air.
“You’re lying,” I growled, barely even recognising my own voice. “You’re a fucking liar.”
“I’m not lying. It’s the truth. I’m trying to help you out here, m-mate,” he sputtered.
I punched him again and enunciated each word slowly, “I’m. Not. Your. Bloody. Mate.”
He groaned in pain and clutched his cheek. Red dripped down from where I’d hit him. I was vaguely aware that my knuckles were raw, but I was too overwrought to feel it. All of a sudden, Jacob was in my face and several cast members were dragging me away from Blake.
“Damon! What on earth do you think you’re doing?” the director wailed.
“He assaulted me. I’m calling the police,” Blake barked from somewhere in the background. I stared at Jacob