Page 44 of Grip Me Tight
“Yes and yes. The police got the guy and it really is Jax’s brother.” Laird pins us with a hard stare. “We knew Jax’s background might be a little shady. Turns out his brother is Chicago mafia. So now I need to keep that shit under wraps too.”
Laird’s got dark circles under his eyes and he’s tapping on the table. Whenever Laird starts tapping, it makes me nervous.
“Well, whatever his brother is, Jax is our brother now and we take care of our own.” Noah says. “All in, right guys?”
There are nods all around and Laird shoots me a dark look. My shoulders tighten and a bad taste fills my mouth like a toxic cocktail of guilt, dread, and anger. I move to the bar, wishing I could find some peace in a bottle like Blaine does and grab a Perrier. It reminds me of last night with Sterling, eating pizza and watching a movie with her. I twist the cap and take a long drink, wishing I’d just gotten up this morning and hopped a plane to Toronto. I’d be at the cabin now if I’d done that, instead of here trying to avoid my best friend. Jesus Christ. What am I going to do about those fucking photos?
Laird’s phone rings and he stands to take it, holding up a finger to us while he heads to a corner of the room. The door to the dining room swings open and three servers walk in, pushing carts.
I walk back to the table, taking a seat across from Noah.
“So, it’s just us tonight?” Blaine asks, smiling up at the pretty server, who blushes as she lays a plate in front of him. He leans back, letting his gaze slowly move over her.
Laird turns from his phone call. “Just us, and guys, stick around the hotel tonight, okay?”
“Hear that, baby? You’re stuck with us tonight. Why don’t you give me your number in case I need some room service later?” Blaine winks at the red head, his catnip, and she flushes a deeper red.
“Hey numb-nuts, leave the poor girl alone.” Noah tosses a roll at Blaine who catches it in mid-air and takes a bite.
The redhead circles the table, checking to see if we need anything else and passes Blaine a napkin, smiling before she heads out of the room.
“Is that so you can wipe the drool off your face?” Noah asks. “Didn’t you get enough action last night? I’m sure I saw three girls leave your room just before noon.”
“Don’t be jealous, pretty boy. We aren’t all looking for Ms. Perfect.” Blaine holds up the napkin and a small scrap of paper drifts down to the table. He balls up the napkin, sending it in Noah’s direction with a flick of his wrist. He lifts the paper in the air like a winning lottery ticket, a phone number scrawled in blue pen. “Use it to dry your tears, loser. We might be stuck in the hotel tonight but at least I’ll have some gorgeous company.”
Laird slides back into his chair, putting his face in his hands.
“What’s up man. You look like someone died.” Blaine tucks the number in his jeans and reaches for the bottle of champagne in the middle of the bucket.
“Someone might,” he mutters, casting a dark look in my direction. “Guess who sent in the drone footage?”
“What drone footage?” Slade takes a giant bite of his hamburger, looking around the table.
A pit settles in my stomach, and I push away my plate. “Who?” Jesus, can this weekend get any worse?
“Natasha.” Laird leans back. “Apparently she wanted to get your attention.”
“By spying on me?” Anger radiates through me. I don’t know why this woman is fixated on me, set on ruining my life for something I didn’t do, but now she’s caught Sterling in her little game.
Laird shrugs. “She’s fucking crazy, dude. I don’t know what to tell you, but her story is that she’s been trying to get ahold of you because she needs some kind of medical test for her baby and you’re ignoring her. She claims you’re avoiding her because your latest girlfriend is also pregnant.”
“What girlfriend?” Blaine asks at the same time Slade frowns and says, “is there something in the water here? First Ajax and then you.”
Noah laughs. “Let’s figure this out. Natasha is pregnant, or at least claims she is, even though you guys never fucked, and how you’re ignoring her for your latest girlfriend. You haven’t had a girlfriend, ever.” He shakes his head. “Who is Allflix hiring over there? They do realize the shows aren’t real, right?”
“I don’t have a girlfriend, and this is bullshit.” I push myself away from the table.
“The label doesn’t think it’s bullshit. They want you to make a statement.”
My hands open and close and fuck, I feel my head squeezing, panic filling my chest. “How am I supposed to give a statement? Do I tell the world Natasha is some sort of nut job and then take the heat for attacking a woman who probably has mental health issues? Or do I just deny it and take the heat for being another rock star who can’t remember all the women he’s slept with and no one will believe me anyway?”
“They want a statement on the girlfriend.”
I keep my eyes trained on Laird. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”
Noah’s phone buzzes. “Hang on guys, it’s my mom. It’s probably about me heading to Stella’s place tomorrow.”
Laird waits until Noah leaves the table and then looks back at me. “That was Vera on the phone. She thinks you need to do something.”
