Page 146 of Malice and Surrender
A: I mean, if she has no pull, clout, or workable drama, then what good is she?
I squeezed my phone tight as I glared at the screen even though Allen couldn’t see me. This was what I hated. I loved the music, I loved writing and recording and even singing for the fans, but this bullshit was what I was sick of. My fingers hovered over the keypad as I thought of what to say. How did I explain Raine to him and not mention Avro or Kai?
J: She’s the girl that I love.
Did I love her? I didn’t know yet, but it felt like that was where we were heading and what I needed to say to shut Allen up. There was no immediate response. The little dots appeared and disappeared multiple times. I couldn’t believe that I had just typed that to Allen. I couldn’t believe I typed it at all. Raine sighed, and I could feel her breathing even out as she slept in my arms.
A: I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how this happened, and I don’t know if this is a good thing or not. I mean, I thought the show you did there was the first time you met.
J: Of course, it’s a fucking good thing. Raine is coming with me to the awards show, and I don’t need to explain myself.
A: Not to be a downer here, but you better have some answers prepared because there will be a ton of questions, and they won’t just be coming for you. They’ll go after her if they sense she’s the weak link in the story.
Allen wasn’t wrong about that. It meant I needed to prep Raine before she spoke to any reporter or interviewers without me by her side.
J: I’ll make sure she is prepared. I want the penthouse booked at the same hotel I stayed at last time. Put the room under Mr. Beck.
Allen knew that I liked to fuck Avro, but he didn’t know just how close we were or what his last name was. This way, Avro could book in and get all the keys, and we’d never even have to put my name on a room.
A: Who the hell is that? Do you suddenly have an alter ego?
J: Just do it.
A: Fine.
J: Oh, and Allen. If you dig up shit on Raine and try to exploit it, I will fire you. Not even a moment of hesitation, I mean it.
I really wanted to say that I’d destroy him, and they’d never find his body, but you just didn’t put shit like that in a text. At least not if you were smart.
A: Why are you always making my life difficult, Jace?
J: It’s just my nature.
I quickly left the chat with Allen and found the group chat with the band that had completely blown up. Sighing, I started answering questions. Glancing down at Raine in my arms, I knew I’d do it all over again.
Kaivan
Holding my side, I stomped around the far corner of the clubhouse.
“What the fuck do you mean it’s just you guys? Where the hell is Chase?” I looked around at the added fifty-two people and ground my teeth together. We were up to a whopping eighty-two since Sparky was now gator bait with the rest of the trash.
Tanner bit off another piece of the banana he was eating, and I was fucking tempted to jam the thing down his throat when he winked at one of the sweetbutts and shoved the entire thing in his mouth. Of course, now the guy chewed like a fucking cow with a mouthful of cud and gave me a view of the yellow mush moving around his open gob. He was giving me flashbacks to prison and making me want to vomit. If I did, I was aiming it at him.
“Just what I said, he didn’t come back with us. Shit is pretty much wrapped up, but he still had some crap to sort out with Keenan.” Tanner lifted his shoulders and let them drop.
“Hey sweetheart,” Tanner yelled and pointed at the couch with every one of the sweetbutts occupying a lap. Both Mannix and I rolled our eyes when they all pointed at themselves. “Yeah, sure, any of you. Someone get me more food, and I want a bottle of whiskey. Oh! And one of you better be ready to fuck me soon.”
My hand clenched as I fantasized about knocking this guy the fuck out. Had I been this annoying at twenty-two? Naw, I was already four years into my sentence and a hardened, miserable prick by twenty-two.
“Can we focus,” I asked, glaring at Tanner’s smiling face. He’d already chugged a few drinks and was more annoying and immature than ever.
“I am. On my stomach. Next will be my cock, 'cause it’s hungry too,” Tanner said. He took a swig of the latest beer before letting out a loud belch that sounded like his name before pointing at one of the girls.
Luckily Mannix stepped in before I decided that a couple of cracked ribs were no big deal and beat the shit out of Tanner.
Mannix grabbed Tanner by the arm.
“Hey, what are you doing man?” Tanner whined as Mannix marched him off to the meeting room and away from the other guys. Roach and I followed.
