I told them I was Beck Mason, executive director of Lucky Dog, I’d caught a shared look between them all. So I’d stumbled through the elevator pitch Elián had been helping me with, fucking it up halfway through, and I wasn’t surprised when they made their excuses to leave.
You’re a Mason. Which means you’re goddamn motorcycle trash.
I swallowed a growl of frustration. Knew Elián and Wes and Jem and all the dogs were counting on me. And the last thing I needed was Georgie Mason’s bullshit making me feel bad for no reason.
As if sensing I needed her, Luna caught my eye from the stage. Like she’d done for me when I’d made the video, I placed my palm over my heart. She caught the gesture. Beamed at me like she’d done the first day we’d met.
“Good evening, Beck,” Jasmine said. She wore her usual sour expression.
“Hey,” I said, taking a sip of beer. Luna was talking on-stage with a tall woman, both gesturing excitedly.
“I’d still like to set up that meeting with you. To discuss your image.”
I looked at her. “Luna said it wasn’t a problem weeks ago. It still isn’t.”
Just a reminder who Luna da Rosa’s boyfriend is.
“Will you continue seeing her?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said firmly, before nerves could get the best of me. “Of course.”
“Then this is always going to be a problem.” Jasmine held out her phone to show me a random tabloid article. I should have ignored it.
But I looked anyway.
One of my mug shots—I looked young and hungry and snarly—had been paired next to a still of Luna the night of her TED Talk. I looked like a feral animal. Luna looked like a glowing corporate princess.
The comparison wasn’t lost on me. I was a goddamn human, after all.
I shrugged, training my eyes back on Luna. My anchor.
“Luna sees otherwise,” I said shortly.
Jasmine huffed a little, as if my very existence was a frustration.
“Listen, Beck,” she started. I turned at the sincerity in her tone. “If you… if you’re serious about Luna, you need to take a hard look at how you affect her. Her reputation as a spokeswoman, as the personal brand for Wild Heart, is what makes them so successful. She won’t stay down forever.”
“I agree,” I said. “Look at her up there.” On stage, with the sun setting behind us and the light in shades of pink, Luna glowed. Chin lifted, shoulders back—she was a woman comfortable in her own skin, a warrior leading her company through the next stage of battles. A true leader. I looked at the crowd’s faces, their awe. Luna’s charm was cranked all the way up. It sparked off her like a storm of lightning.
“If you agree, then you’ll do what’s best for her,” Jasmine said, indicating the people around us. “You won’t hold her back.”
“I would never—” I started to say—harshly—but Jasmine was already gone, moving back through the crowd.
You won’t hold her back.
Her words lodged themselves in the darkest, weakest corners of my thoughts.
I usually knew a match when I saw one, but it was hard when our worlds were so fucking different.
There was a loud roar from the street behind me. Twenty motorcycles drove past, slow enough for me to see the screaming skull on the back of their jackets. There was no way they’d be able to get into this beach—too much security—but they were sending me one final message.
Goddamn motorcycle trash.
That would only hold back that beautiful woman on the stage.
55
Luna
The words of my speech swam before my eyes. My fingers wouldn’t stop trembling. Which was unusual for me—I didn’t fear public speaking. But I did fear the anxiety that was storming its way in. Facing a crowd of people who’d had nasty things to say about me just the other week.
I thought about Beck that day with Jimmy. Courage. Value. The bravery of speaking your truth and not caring about what others might say.
I put my phone down. Flipped it over so I couldn’t see the speech I’d written. It was a good speech, but I was going to have to flay myself open without any prompts tonight.
I was going full-on Beck Mason.
“Good evening, everyone,” I said. “I’m incredibly honored to be here this evening with all of you, the women I respect most in this community.” I swallowed hard, caught Beck in the crowd. I couldn’t read the strange look on his face. “Ten years ago, I had two goals in mind. To create a successful cosmetics company