Effortless Page 18

Chapter 18

 

  Let it Go

  I stared at my hands as we all sat around a large, oak table. Lana, the attractive rep from the record label, was handing the band papers with a lot of fine print. The boys were silently reading through it while Lana broke it down into layman's terms. I tuned her out, focusing instead on the music drifting up through the floor. They weren't even halfway through the show yet, so Kellan and the guys had more than enough time to open this door to opportunity.

  When Lana finished speaking, Kellan glanced up at her then looked over to Matt and Evan. "What do you guys think?" he asked quietly.

  Having just heard about this deal for the first time, they both looked over at him with serious expressions. As one, Matt's blond, spiky head and Evan's buzzed-cut brown head, twisted to look at each other. Then they both smiled and turned back to Kellan. Matt nodded. "Yeah, we're in. "

  Kellan beamed at his band-brothers as Lana showed the boys where to sign. From what I could make out from the contracts, they seemed pretty fair; the boys weren't getting ripped off or anything. They'd still have control over what songs they produced and released, so Kellan would still be able to write his own stuff. Their profits would be mild from the first album, but they were contracted for a total of three, with options for more if those were successful. And I was sure they would be. I'd yet to meet someone who didn't like their music.

  While Kellan nodded and smiled at his friends, I heard a disgruntled sound from the other side of him. Feeling a little melancholy after Kellan's weird phone moment in the hall, I looked over at Griffin, scowling at a piece of paper.

  "Dude, Kell, did you read this? I don't believe this shit!"

  Matt chuckled and murmured, "I don't believe that you can actually read. . . "

  Griffin glared at him, but held up what looked like a memo from the stack of papers and thrust it out to Kellan. Kellan cast me a quick, nervous glance. "Yeah. . . I read it. "

  My curiosity beating out my common sense, I asked Griffin, "Read what?"

  Griffin held the paper up to me, as if I was supposed to read the tiny font from the several spaces away from him that I was seated. "This says that we shouldn't have sex with all the girls hanging around, because chicks will try and screw us just to get knocked up! So we have to pay them to raise the kid! For eighteen years!"

  He stared at me with a look of complete shock on his face, like that thought had never, ever occurred to him before. I would have found it humorous, but already in a sour mood, I narrowed my eyes at Kellan. "They gave you a pamphlet on sleeping with fans?"

  He shrugged and studied his papers. "It's just a warning. . . "

  Lana spoke up, to clarify. "It's a standard precaution that we give to all of our rising celebrities. They will be the target of many different sorts of people, and we give them guidelines on how to best protect themselves from. . . being manipulated. "

  She smiled sweetly at me. "It's the company's way of protecting the asset. It's a very common practice nowadays. " Laughing a little, she shrugged. "Athletes have to sit through a seminar about it. " Leaning down to rifle through her suitcase, she murmured, "They never listen though. . . "

  Griffin snorted and threw his pen down. "Well, what's the point of being a rock star if I can't bang the groupies?"

  Rolling my eyes, I found myself muttering, "I thought it was supposed to be about the music?"

  Griffin, unfortunately, heard my sullen comment and chose to respond to it. "No, no I'm pretty sure it's the pussy. "

  Flushing, I leaned back and crossed my arms over my chest. Jackass. Kellan reached over and patted my thigh. I wanted to smack his hand away for some reason. Griffin's comment just cut a little too close to home. I heard my sister smack Griffin across the head and looked back to see him scowling at her and rubbing the sore spot.

  "What?" he muttered. She rolled her eyes and shook her head as Matt laughed at his nimrod relative.

  "Dude, it doesn't say you shouldn't have sex. It says you should always use protection. " Matt rolled his eyes. "You can still sleep with them if you want, just wrap it up. " Smirking, he shook his head. "And please do. The last thing the world needs is another you. "

  Griffin turned his glare to Matt. "Fuck you, man. " Looking a little defeated, Griffin looked over at Kellan again. "Is that true? Do girls really do that?"

  Squeezing my leg, Kellan shrugged. "Some. "

  Picking his pen back up, Griffin started signing the papers. "Well that's fucked up. "

  Kellan, finished with his stack, handed his papers to Lana. She smiled at him as she tucked them in her briefcase. It was a friendly smile, like she clearly liked him on a personal level as well as a professional one. I wasn't exactly thrilled that he was friends with her, but I wasn't really surprised either. Kellan made friends everywhere he went, even if he wasn't always aware of it. Sometimes I think he thought he was completely alone in the world, but he wasn't. Even without me, he had a wide circle of people who cared about him.

  Kissing my cheek, he ran his lips up to my ear. Closing my eyes, I heard him whisper, "I still have forty-five minutes of free time. . . want to go somewhere more private?"

  I could only nod as a flush of desire swept through me. I may still have doubts and insecurities, I may still question whether or not he'd been a little too friendly with Lana, or some fan, and I may still want to rip his phone out of his pocket and read his secretive messages. . . but ultimately, I loved him and I'd missed him, and I wanted to be alone with him.

  Kellan stood, telling the guys he'd see them before they went on. Matt and Evan glanced at me, smiled, then nodded. Griffin stared at his contract, looking horribly confused. Anna leaned over his shoulder, her breasts pressing into his arm. He shifted his gaze to stare right down her cleavage. Then he didn't seem so confused. Then he didn't seem to care much about the contract at all.

  Still gallantly holding my bag, Kellan led us out of the building through a secret, hidden exit. It let out right by their busses parked behind the building. Pushing open a bus door, Kellan smiled back at me and nodded to it. "Come on, let me show you where I live now. "

  I giggled a little as I clutched his hand. I'd never been on a tour bus before. Mirrored sets of plush chairs were under the huge windows, small tables tucked between them. It sort of reminded me of the inside of a train and I smiled, remembering that my first train ride was with Kellan. . . ages ago.

  Kellan tossed my bag on one of the empty tables, then led us through a curtained off area. There were no outside windows in this portion of the bus and as the heavy curtain fell back into place, the only light reaching us was from the tiny bulbs embedded in the floor.

  Kellan twisted to face me, wrapping his arms around my waist. It was quiet in here, our breathing the only sound not absorbed by the heavy fabric doors. Leaning his head against mine, Kellan softly said, "Welcome to my bedroom. "

  My breath picked up as his lips inched closer to mine. "Your bedroom?" I whispered, my voice coming out a little huskily. The anticipation of being with him made my body feel like Jell-O.

  His lips angled away from my mouth, to rub against my jaw. My eyes fluttered as his breath washed over my skin. "Mine and the other guys. . . " One of his hands slid down my backside as he trailed soft kisses down my neck. Breathing heavier, I tilted my head so he could explore all the way down.

  Murmuring as he went, his voice just as husky as mine, he continued describing his traveling home. "We're all packed into these cubbies, like sardines. " He got to the base of my throat and moved over to lightly run his tongue up the center. I gasped, dropping my head back as my hands ran over his backside.

  Making a deep, satisfied noise as he reached the top, his free hand not cupping my bottom grabbed my cheek. "It's not as spacious as your bed back home, but there's just enough room for two. . . "

  He rested his face against mine, his lips so close, we were nearly touching. It was hard to focus on anythin
g other than those lips, but I made myself look over at what he was talking about. Lining the walls of this enclosed area, were bunk beds. There were four beds per stack, with two stacks per wall. Each bed had a curtain closing it off. . . for privacy, I guess. They looked exceedingly small and claustrophobic.

  Kellan's hand on my cheek released me, as he pointed to the bottom one in the stack we were leaning against. "That's mine," he whispered. "My home away from home, where I try and get some sleep with a bunch of snoring, smelly dudes around me. " He chuckled a little, then sighed and brought his hand back to my face. Pulling back to look at me, his face gorgeous, highlighted by the soft lighting along the floor, his dark eyes searched mine. "Where I dream about you. . . where I miss you. . . "

  His eyes watered a little as I watched him take me in, which made mine water a little. "I miss you too, Kellan. "

  Then I couldn't hold off anymore, and my hand came up to tangle into his hair, pulling his lips into mine. He groaned at my force, then kissed me back just as hard as I was kissing him. The quiet space was quickly filled with fast breaths and noisy moans as we reconnected. Pushing me against the bunk bed frame, Kellan reached down to hitch my leg around his hip. I scratched my nails down his back as his body lined up with mine. Damn, maybe I'd just let him take me right here, pressed up against the beds.

  Filling with need every second his mouth was on mine, I reached down and pushed up his shirt. He helped me halfway through, tossing his shirt somewhere over his shoulder. I drug my fingers over the swirls of my name inked across his chest and he hissed in an erotic breath, whispering something that sounded like I love you, or I miss you, or maybe even I want you. . . I was too dazed to know for sure.

  As he pushed his hips into mine, grinding the hardness of his ache with the softness of mine, I wrapped my arms around his head, pulling him into me. God I'd missed him. His lips attached to my neck as his fingers worked their way up my shirt. When he had the material far enough, he pulled aside my bra and enclosed his hot mouth over a sensitive nipple. An overly sensitive nipple. A nipple that had apparently missed his caress, as just his mouth being on it brought me right to the edge of climaxing.

  Knowing we were alone, I let out a long cry as his tongue threatened to push me over the edge. He moaned against my skin as he felt my body tensing for that glorious moment. Pulling back his hips, he used just one hand to quickly unbutton my jeans. I cried out, "Yes," as his fingers headed down for the spot that would definitely send me spiraling into bliss. As nice as his erotic notes and steamy phone calls had been, there was just nothing that compared to him physically touching me.

  I was gripping his shoulders and panting with everything I had, waiting for his finger to slide against me. . . just once. . . when a flash of light entering the room nearly blinded me.

  Kellan instantly removed his hand from my jeans and released my breast, helping me smooth the fabric back into place. Ice washed over me, killing my near-release. I struggled to breathe like a normal person. Kellan's breath was fast too, as he stepped in front of me, shielding me from view even though he was much farther along in the undressing portion than I'd been.

  As we both stared at the person entering the sleeping area from the other side, where I had to assume the bathrooms were, I quickly refastened my jeans. Holding onto Kellan's bare shoulders, I peeked over at a disheveled looking rocker. He had crazy, going-everywhere hair-a poor imitation of Kellan's sexy mess, if you asked me. And with heavy eye liner, corded bracelets all the way up his wrists, and skull rings on every darkly painted finger, he clearly didn't want to be mistaken for anything but a stereotypical musician. He really only needed, I'm a rebel and you'll never understand me, stamped to his forehead to spell it out any clearer.

  Hoping this guy hadn't heard me nearly orgasm, and knowing there was no way he hadn't heard all of that, I turned beet red. The guy feigned surprise as he held the curtain open, still blinding us. "Hey, sorry, Kellan. . . didn't mean to. . . interrupt. " He smirked and smiled at me as he stepped into the room. "Hey, cutie, what's up?"

  I buried my head in Kellan's shoulder, just wishing to disappear. Now I was mortified to be around two of Kellan's tour mates. Wonderful.

  Kellan shoved the guy's shoulder, trying to get him to leave the private area we were trying to have a moment in. "Yeah, well, it happens, don't worry about it. "

  The man surrendered under Kellan's force and chuckled as he walked to the other side of the curtained off area. "Yeah, yeah, I'm leaving. " Opening the other side, he grinned back at Kellan. "Damn man, I don't know how you manage to always score with the hottest chick. " He eyed me up and down. "And two in one night, bro. . . I wish I had that kind of stamina. "

  I felt all the blood draining from my face as I stared up at Kellan. He seemed paler, too. I vaguely heard the rocker say, "Hey, sweetie, I'm available, if you want to bang me next? I don't mind getting his seconds. . . again. "

  I was too dazed to respond. I was too dazed to do much of anything. In a couple of sentences, that man had just confirmed all of my biggest fears. Kellan was cheating on me. . . repeatedly. As I heard chuckling from the rocker leaving, I dropped my hands from Kellan's body. I didn't feel like touching him anymore. I watched as Kellan closed his eyes, swallowed, then reopened them. In slow motion, he twisted to face me.

  I did it without thinking. I did it without realizing I'd done it. My hand reached out, all on its own, and smacked him across the cheek. The promise ring around my finger dug into his skin, cutting his jaw, and a tiny drop of blood fell on his skin.

  "You son of a bitch!" I snarled, backing away from him as far as I could in the cramped space.

  He winced and rubbed his jaw. "Jesus, Kiera. Can I explain before you start wailing on me?"

  His eyes flashed to mine, angry, but it was nothing compared to the anger and betrayal I felt. "You can explain 'scoring the hottest chick'? You can explain 'two in one night'? You can explain him 'getting your seconds. . . again'?"

  Sighing, Kellan ran his hand over his face. When he looked at me again, he seemed less angry. I wasn't. "Yes, Kiera. I can explain. "

  Poking my finger in his chiseled chest, I shoved him back a step. "Are you cheating on me?"

  Grabbing my hand, he tried to lace ours together. "No, I'm not. " He ducked down to meet my eye, but I was so furious, I couldn't look at him. "Hey, I'm not, Kiera. I've already told you that before. . . several times probably. "

  Inhaling a steadying breath, I tried to calmly ask a question. My voice warbled as I tried to control it. "Then what. . . was he talking about?"

  Kellan grabbed my other hand, trying to loosen the fist I'd bunched it into. Maybe he realized that if I was going to hit him again, it wasn't going to be with an open palm. Funny, I'd never considered myself a violent person before Kellan. He just brought that out in me, I guess.

  When calming my hands didn't seem to do anything, Kellan grabbed my cheeks. Forcing me to look at him made my eyes start to water. I sniffed back the tears. I did not want to cry.

  His brow bunched, he searched my face. "He's lying, Kiera. He said that to get a rise out of you. He knows who you are, they all do. I flip through that photo book all the time. . . " He smiled softly and shook his head. "They all think you're beautiful. . . "

  I batted his hands away. "Why would he lie?" I stressed "he," just so Kellan would know that I was much more inclined to believe that Kellan was lying to me. . . right now.

  Sighing, Kellan shook his head, keeping his hands off of me for a moment. "Because we were the last band to join the tour and we got bumped to the second in the lineup. Because Lana was interested in our band and not his. " He shrugged. "Because he's a childish, immature asshole with a grudge against me, Kiera, and if making you doubt me got us fighting tonight instead of. . . " He sighed again and tossed his hands up. "Because this, right here, is what he wanted. . . his stupid form of payback for our band being better than his. "

  Watchin
g the exasperated expression on his face, I softened a little. It sounded plausible, but most of Kellan's lies sounded plausible. I know. Back when we'd been fooling around behind Denny's back, I'd usually been well aware when Kellan was lying, and Kellan was good at it.

  "Why should I believe you?" I whispered.

  He tossed his hands up into the air again. "I haven't done anything wrong! Why shouldn't you believe me?"

  Just then, as if fate was trying to screw with us even further, Kellan's phone chirped in his pocket; he'd just gotten a text message. He closed his eyes, seemingly cursing the same fate I was. When he reopened them, he stared at me blankly.

  I narrowed my eyes. "Do you need to get that?"

  He shook his head. "No. "

  Clenching my jaw, reclosing my hands into fists, I seethed, "How do you know? It could be important?"

  He let out a slow exhale before shaking his head. "You're important. . . that can wait. "

  My eyes watered again. "What can wait?" I whispered, not sure if his last statement was comforting or not.

  He stepped towards me and tentatively cupped my cheek. "I'm not doing anything, baby. I love you. I'm being faithful to you. " He held up his ring, his thumb stroking the metal. "I promised. . . I promise. "

  He dropped his forehead to mine. "We don't have much time together. Please, just let this go. . . "

  "Let what go?" I whispered.

  He sighed, then his lips lowered to mine. "I love you, Kiera. . . please believe in me. "

  I wanted to object, I wanted to scream at him to let me know what he was hiding, to tell me something that would make me believe in him, but the words slipped out of my mind as his mouth softly moved over my skin.

  Maybe I was being weak. . . maybe I just wasn't ready to know. For whatever reason, though. . . I let it go.

  After a few calming moments, Kellan reached down and put his shirt back on and we laid down side by side on his bunk. There was a cubby built into the wall and I stared at the few belongings he kept near him-the journals I'd gotten for him, his Discman, the photo book my mom and sister had made for him, and the little toy car. Swallowing, wanting to believe him, I fingered the tiny, metal muscle car.

  Kellan sighed and kissed my shoulder. "I love you. . . " he whispered.

  Clutching the car, remembering the connection that we had, the way he'd opened up to me, let me into his life like no one else before me, not even his band mates, I looked over at him. "I love you too. . . "

  He smiled, his fingers tucking a strand of hair behind my ear before following the chain around my neck. Pulling the necklace out of my shirt, his thumb stroked the edge of the silver guitar; the diamond in the center of it gleamed, even in the faint light surrounding us.

  Bunching his brows, the soft smile on his lips faded as he watched his fingers. "Kiera. . . I should tell you something. . . "

  Hating the ice that instantly formed in my stomach, hating that I knew he was hiding things from me, I instantly remembered that I was hiding things from him too. Guilt easing the knot burning through my insides, I whispered, "I should tell you something too. . . "

  His eyes flashed up to mine, narrowing. "Tell me what?"

  Swallowing, searching his perfect face, I stammered for a way to break his heart. I just knew that he'd react badly to the news that his rival was back in town. Not that Denny was really a rival anymore, but Kellan had never felt like he'd compared to him. Kellan seemed to think I'd be better off with Denny. If he knew Denny was back in my life, especially while he was away. . . it might end us.

  Dreaded tears filling my vision, I considered Kellan's odd, secretive texts that he clearly didn't want to talk about, the searing doubt that one asshole rocker had so easily placed into my head, the videos of his friendly attitude towards Lana that made me green with jealousy, the looming dread in my belly over whatever he needed to tell me now. . . .

  Maybe we were already over, and I just didn't realize it yet?

  "Um, well. . . "

  As I started stumbling over something to say, the bus door was banged on and a familiar voice drifted to us from outside. "Kell? You and Kiera in there?"

  Hearing Evan's jovial voice brought me back to a simpler time, when Kellan and I were only having a secret affair behind my boyfriend's back. Wow, I never thought I'd see the day when that horrid moment in my life would become the "good ole days. "

  Kellan sighed, then leaned over and shouted, "Yeah, we're in here. "

  Evan walked over to our section of the bus and I heard him clear his throat. "You, uh. . . dressed?"

  Kellan chuckled a little while I blushed. "Yeah. . . what's up?"

  "We're on in ten, so, you know, we should get ready. "

  Kellan blinked and sat up on his elbows. "Already? Damn. . . " He stood up, then looked back at me. "I'm sorry. . . it's our turn. "

  I nodded, swallowing. "I know. " He extended his hand to me, not looking too sure on whether or not I'd take it. Exhaling slowly, I stood up and grabbed his hand. Regardless of our issues, I still loved him. . . heart and soul.

  Letting out a relieved sigh, he kissed the back of my hand, right over my promise ring. Cringing, I glanced at his face; he still had a scratch along his jaw where my ring had nicked him. Feeling guilty over hurting him, I leaned up and kissed his jaw. His eyes were glossy when they met mine again, and he nodded, like he understood my silent apology.

  "Come on. . . want to watch our show?"

  Finally smiling fully, I nodded eagerly and clasped his hand in both of mine. "Yeah, definitely. " If there was one thing that could turn my mood around in a heartbeat, it was watching Kellan perform. And I'd missed that too.

  We met up with Evan outside, and Evan slung his arm around me. I smiled, leaning into him and secretly wanting to ask him if he knew anything about Kellan that I didn't. I didn't ask him, though. For one, he probably wouldn't tell me, since Kellan was his friend and sort of his boss; Evan wouldn't want to rock that boat if he could help it. Plus. . . Kellan had kept us a secret from Evan. He'd been pretty surprised when he found out about us. I was pretty sure that whatever was going on with Kellan, all of the guys were as clueless as me. I would just have to trust that Kellan would tell me when he was ready, and hopefully, it wouldn't hurt. . . too much.

  Walking us back through their super-secret rock star entrance, we hurriedly made our way to the back of the stage. Justin waved at me as we passed by; his band was ending the night, after the D-Bags played. I flushed as I timidly waved back. I don't think I'd ever feel comfortable around him now.

  Luckily we didn't see the rocker who'd tattled on Kellan. I think I'd end up punching him if we did.

  As we got to the waiting area right beside the stage, I glanced up at the band waving and bowing to the crowd. Nerves flooded through me as Kellan released my hand and grabbed his guitar. I was getting anxious for him; the small section of the crowd that I could see looked massive to me, and the noise as the MC introduced Kellan's band was ear splitting-a hundred times louder than Pete's. But Kellan looked calm as could be as he waited with a foot on a step, smiling at me.

  Just as the crowd died down, he nodded at me, then twisted and darted onstage. I shook my head at him. Situations reversed, I'd be frozen on that stair, unable to move. The rest of the guys followed him up there, and I watched, spellbound. Evan and Matt waved while Kellan and Griffin reached down to a few lucky fans in the front.

  The roar of the crowd was even louder and I swear, a couple of girls that Kellan had just touched were crying. It was so. . . surreal. Even without a hit being played endlessly on every radio across the country, these girls knew who Kellan was, who his band was. The guys had everything in place for hitting it big-time. . . even a contract with the same record label that had released Justin's album.

  As I was ruminating about what that meant for us, heaped on top of everything else, my sister looped her arms around my waist. "Isn't this exciting, Kie
ra!"

  I glanced over at the vivacious beauty, momentarily jealous over how simple her relationship was with Griffin. They both knew exactly what they were and weren't to each other. There was no deception, no lies, no jealousy, no. . . nothing. They gave each other what they needed, when they needed it, then moved on when they were done. In a way, it was a win-win situation. Although. . . it sounded a little empty, too.

  Leaning back in her arms, I nodded. My stomach was surging with adrenaline as I watched Evan start the set. Then Matt kicked in, Kellan close behind him, and all of a sudden, I felt like we were back at Evan's loft, watching the boys rehearse. There was just a much larger audience watching this time.

  I smiled wide as Kellan's voice filled the theater. He was so good at this. It seemed as effortless to him as breathing. I'd seen him do it drunk, I'd seen him do it depressed, I'd seen him do it with a cold, heck, I'd even once watched him do it when he'd been battling a stomach flu. He'd looked a little green that night, but his voice. . . that always sounded amazing.

  As was his stage presence. Kellan lighted it up. It was one of those things that the rocker from the bus would never understand. You can't dress the part and hope that it makes you look the part-you either have that certain spark or you don't. And Kellan oozed that spark. I think, even if he were only so-so on the attractive scale, he'd still draw every eye to him. He was just. . . special.

  Their set was shorter than when they'd played at Pete's, since they shared the night with so many other bands, but the crowd seemed satisfied when it was over. It made me a little happy that Kellan hadn't played the melancholy song that he'd written for me while we'd been apart. I don't know, even though he played it at Pete's, I didn't want people all over the nation singing along to my song.

  Instead, the group played all of their biggest hits, all the ones that I loved and that the fans back home loved. Even though the night hadn't gone as planned, I was still glad that I'd impulsively flown out with my sister to see this. I knew I'd remember it forever.

  Giving a final bow, Kellan shook his head, then leaned over and kissed the crying girl on the cheek. I blinked, a little surprised that he'd do that, but when the girl slumped back into her friends like she was fainting, I had to smile. I shook my head at the oddness of it all while Anna adorably snorted.

  Hopping down the stage two steps at a time, Kellan scooped me into his arms. Obviously running on pure adrenaline, he spun me in a circle, laughing as I squealed. His arms were firmly around my thighs as he held me up, and, leaning back, he looked at me. "What did you think?"

  Sighing, I threaded my fingers back through his hair and rested my head against his. "I think it was perfect, Kellan. "

  Setting me down, he smiled warmly at me. The last band to perform swept past us and Kellan twisted to watch them bound to their microphones. Looking back at me, he smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to stay and watch your favorite band?"

  Flushing, I glanced at Justin onstage for a microsecond before looking back at Kellan. "Second favorite," I said, shaking my head. Kellan laughed and I laced my arms around his neck and laid my head on his shoulder. "I just want to be with you. . . wherever that is. . . ," I whispered in his ear.

  Nestling into my hair, he nodded and held me tight. "Okay," he murmured, before the sound was drowned out by the band onstage.

  As the rest of the D-Bags dispersed, Evan and Matt excitedly talking about the deal they'd just inked, Griffin with his hands all over Anna's body, Kellan and I stayed just where we were, holding each other, slightly swaying to the music around us. It was peaceful and I felt that familiar contentment again. If I could, I would have held him like this all night long. I would have held him like that forever.

  But forever wasn't in the cards for us tonight and before I knew it, the show was over and the roadies were moving in to tear down the set. Kellan pulled me out of the way, back to the backstage area where a group of fans were hanging around, waiting to hang out with the guys.

  Being the professional that he was, Kellan stayed and signed autographs while I waited on a chair in a corner. None of them paid any attention to me, and I was fine with letting Kellan have the spotlight.

  After a while, someone from the club finally stepped in and cleared out the room. The man stepped up to me, an imposing look on his face. "You too, missy. . . everybody out. "

  He grabbed my elbow and I instinctively pulled back. He didn't like that. "You can't stay, groupies gotta go. "

  I narrowed my eyes. "I'm not a groupie. "

  He rolled his eyes, like he heard that every night. Just as I was wondering how to convince yet another bouncer that I wasn't some trollop following the guys around, Kellan intervened. "Sorry, she's with me. "

  The bouncer shrugged and let me go. Kellan laced our hands together and led us back out to the secret exit. As we walked, he got a devilish smile on his face. "That little incident reminds me. . . what exactly did you do to get backstage?"

  I sighed, running my hand over my face. "You don't want to know. "

  He giggled, twisting to walk backwards down the hall. "Now I definitely want to know. " He raised an eyebrow at me expectantly.

  Not able to resist the sultry look on his face, I murmured, "I flashed the guy at the door. "

  Kellan stopped in his tracks and I ran into him. "You what?" he said flatly.

  Bunching my brows, I shook my head and took a step back. "He wouldn't let us through until Anna and I showed him our chests. I kept my bra on, though. . . Anna didn't. "

  Kellan clenched his jaw, his expression hardening. His face reminded me of the night he'd stopped that perve from fondling me, the night he'd gotten the scar along his ribs. "What did he look like?" His eyes scanned the hall behind me, like he was searching for the guy.

  I brought my hand up, focusing his gaze on me. "Hey, it's okay. " I grimaced and added, "It was mortifying and humiliating, but he didn't hurt me or anything. He didn't even touch me. " I didn't mention that he'd rubbed Anna a little. I also didn't mention that he'd also offered to "do" me. The first of two unwanted invitations I'd had that night. . . wasn't I popular all of a sudden?

  Kellan exhaled, shaking his head. "Why would you do that? You could have called me. . . I would've let you in?"

  I sighed, stroking his cheek. "I wanted to surprise you. "

  He narrowed his eyes. "You thought I was sleeping with Lana. Did you want to surprise me. . . or catch me?"

  I bit my lip and shook my head. "I don't know," I whispered.

  Shaking his head, Kellan turned around and forcefully pushed open the door to the exit. Sighing again, I slowly followed him.