Twisted(108)
“They have no reason to hurt him. He gave them the money he owed—” Nick broke off, his gaze dropping to her hand and back up to her face. “Get dressed, Jazz,” he said, his statement nearly inaudible.
For a moment she didn’t know why she couldn’t hear him clearly. Then she realized she was crying again, even more loudly than before.
“Listen to me. I have someone I can call. She…knows people who might know the ones that Gray knows.” He gripped her chin, holding on as she tried to shove him away. “Give me time to do some checking around.”
“It’s been hours.” She crossed her arms over her chest, holding the tangled sheet in place. “What if he took too much? He could’ve overdosed.”
“No. I don’t think that’s it.” Nick crouched beside her, his fingers still tensed on her face. “But until he shows up or I talk to Ricki, we can’t let anyone else know what’s going on. We have a show tonight.”
She stared at him, her mouth dropping open. “You think I give a flying fuck about the show?”
“You better, because if he doesn’t appear, you’re going to be playing rhythm guitar for him.”
She didn’t speak. Her tears trickled to a halt. “You’ve lost your frigging mind.”
He chuckled, the sound forced and unnatural. “Yeah. I think you’re right.”
“Do you understand what this means? He’s been gone eight hours when he said he’d be right back. I can’t think of—”
“Let me break this down for you. If we don’t do the show, Lila and Deak will get wise to what’s going on. And that will spell plenty of trouble for your guy.”
She dropped her head into her hands. “I haven’t played guitar in years.”
“Stop bullshitting me. You were playing it the other night just fine.”
“I was tinkering with it for a new song! Not playing for real. It’s not my fucking instrument anymore. I can’t get up in front of all those people and pretend I’m him. I can’t fill his shoes.” She rubbed her streaming eyes and pressed a hand to her still-queasy stomach. “I can’t do it. Especially when I don’t know if—”
“You listen to me, Jasmine, and you listen good. I’m not your Romeo, sweetheart, and I don’t give a shit if you cry your pretty little eyes out before and after that concert. But you will get up there and you will play your ass off, like I know you can.” Nick’s eyes glittered as he loomed over her. “If I have to carry you onstage and put the guitar in your goddamned hand myself, I will.”
Her chin wobbled as she swiped away her tears. “You wouldn’t.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
Shocked into silence, she stared at the floor.
“Get up.”
Her lack of response made him grunt. “Want me to dress you as if you’re a little girl? Because I will. I’ve seen everything you have under that sheet and I guarantee I won’t mind seeing it again.”
Affronted, she hauled her sheet in tighter around her. She was trembling and nauseous and bleary-eyed and didn’t give a crap what Nick expected her to do. Not until she knew Gray was okay.
God, he had to be okay. There was simply no other choice.
When she didn’t move, he held out his hand. “C’mon. You’re better than this. What would he think if he saw you this way?”
“He’d want to protect me.” That only made her chin quiver harder.
“Yeah. But he’s the one who needs protecting now. You and I are what’s keeping him in this band. And when he comes back, he’ll want his spot back. Won’t he?” he asked quietly.
“Yes.” She glanced up at Nick and fought to catch her breath. Another sob was building in her chest, and God, she was so tired of crying. “He’s going to come back, isn’t he?”
“He has to.” He crouched before her again. “He has everything in the world going for him.”
She shut her eyes at the renewed fists of pain pummeling her stomach. Only sheer will kept her from bolting into the bathroom to throw up.
“He told me he was going to propose to you.” When she only shuddered, he gripped her hands, holding them tight. “The guy fucking adores you. I saw it all over him yesterday.”
Sniffling, she nodded.
“Help me get through the show tonight, all right? I’ll get someone to cover the drums and you and I will make it so no one notices he’s gone.”
“I don’t know if I can do it.”
“Look at me.”
She shook her head. “I can’t. You’re disappointed in me for falling apart, and I don’t blame you. But you don’t understand what he is to me. If he’s not there—” She couldn’t finish.