“Yeah,” Killian says slowly, ice in his voice. “We’re done.”
Jax snorts. “I fucking knew it. Thinking with your dick.”
I twitch, and Killian’s grip on my hand firms as he pulls me closer to his side.
The room stirs, and I realize Brenna and Scottie are directing people out. Bouncers do a great job of helping them clear the room in what seems like seconds.
“Jax, man,” Killian says. “Don’t go there.”
“Why not? We’re all thinking it.”
Whip draws near. “We’re not all thinking that.”
“Definitely not what I’m thinking,” Rye adds. “About time, is more like it.” He gives me a happy smile. “No more swallowing goats.”
“No,” I say, giving him a small smile back.
The rest of the guys are clearly confused by that one.
But Jax snorts. “And yet you all know exactly what I’m thinking.”
“Why don’t you lay it out for me?” Killian asks. There is a silky, dark note in his voice that I’ve never heard before. A definite warning.
Jax either doesn’t hear it or doesn’t care. “If you wanted your side piece to come on tour, you should have just said so. You didn’t have to drag her on stage and mess with the band.”
Killian sucks in a sharp breath and lets it out slowly. “I’m not gonna hit you,” he finally says. “You deserve it. But I’m not. Get this now. That is the last time you disrespect Libby. You got me?”
Jax glances at me, and for a second I see a wince of regret, then it’s gone. “You disrespected yourself,” he says, “hiding and pretending this was about performing.”
“You’re right,” I say before Killian can respond. “Which is why I’m no longer hiding.”
“But you’re still going to pretend like you belong here?”
Okay, that hurt.
Killian snarls, taking a step toward Jax. “What the fuck is your problem?”
“My problem? You fucking lied. To all of us.”
“Dude,” Rye says, shaking his head at Jax. “It was obvious they were together.”
“Seriously. Take your head out of your ass, man,” Whip adds, giving Killian a cheeky smile. “I knew he was gone on her the moment he started waxing lyrical about her voice. And it’s not like they’re very good at hiding those moony looks they keep throwing each other.”
Killian’s eyes narrow. “You knew and you were going to ask her out?”
“Naw, I was just fucking with you, Big K. You should have seen your face. I thought you were going to bust something.” Whip laughs.
“I was about to bust your face,” Killian mutters, but he doesn’t look truly pissed. Not at Whip, anyway. He sets his attention back on Jax. “You used to be better than this.”
“And you used to be straight with me.”
Killian’s brows lift. “You get the hypocrisy you’re throwing my way, right?”
The corners of Jax’s mouth go white. “Nice.”
“Jax,” Whip begins, but Jax gives him a quelling look.
“We didn’t need this bullshit right now,” Jax says. He walks off without another word.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Killian
“Libs?” My voice is barely above a whisper in the dark hotel bedroom.
Hers comes back just as soft. “Yeah?”
“When I told you I’d never had a girlfriend, it wasn’t to score points. It was a warning.”
Sheets rustle as she lifts up on her elbow. The soft fall of her hair slides over her shoulder, the silky tips tickling my arm. “Warning?”
I roll on my side and pick up a lock of her hair. “That I have no idea what I’m doing. That I’ll probably do stupid shit.”
“Killian, what the hell are you talking about?” She doesn’t sound annoyed, more amused.
My eyes have adjusted to the dark enough that I can make out her features. Naked and mussed after hours of sex, she’s also so beautiful, I’m having a hard time concentrating. But her brows lift a little as if to prompt me to speak.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her.
“Sorry? Why?” She shakes her head. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I hurt you. And it hurts me too.”
I’m pretty sure if I kiss her now, I’m not going to stop. So I give the ends of her hair a gentle tug in acknowledgment. “Same goes, baby doll.” A sigh escapes me before I can rein it in. “You were right. I push too hard to get what I believe is best, and I don’t think things through. Tonight was a shit show. Just as you predicted.”
Already, the press is going crazy. I haven’t told her about the social media frenzy and the way the world is now demanding our story—and to know everything about her. I don’t want that nonsense invading this space.