Got this?
What the fuck was that supposed to mean?
The fucker was touching my girl and I’d been sidelined by... by Hudson of all fucking people.
Phoebe cast me a sidewards glance but quickly looked away.
“Landon, what the hell is going on?” Dowager pushed through the circle with Alistair trailing behind.
“It’s a misunderstanding, Tim.” The asshole paled. “A simple misunderstanding.”
“Hudson?”
“Ask Phoebe...”
“Phoebe?”
“Mr. Milligan...” She took a deep breath, standing taller. “Asked me if I wanted a drink. When I said no, he grabbed my ass and told me to lighten up and enjoy myself.”
I saw red.
In my mind’s eye, I lunged forward and wrapped my hands around his fat neck and squeezed, but in reality, Damon and Rafe steered me away from the group and pushed me across the room. Nobody seemed to notice, too busy eyeing the drama.
“He fucking touched her,” I snarled. “He fucking put his hands on my—”
“Ssh, before you turn this into something else entirely.”
They crowded me toward the bar, flagging down the bartender. A couple of seconds later, Rafe handed me a glass of Jack and Coke.
“You think getting me lit is a good idea right now?”
“It’s better than you going back over there. We still have to finish the set. Dowager is—”
“Dowager needs to fire that handsy son of a bitch. I mean it, Rafe. I want his ass nailed to the fucking wall for touching her.”
“She’s fine.” He stepped aside. “See, Phoebe is fine.”
Yeah, in the arms of another guy.
My fucking bandmate.
“Someone remind me why Hudson is over there right now, and I’m not?” I growled, my jaw clenched so tight it hurt.
I was her guy. Me. It was supposed to be me protecting her, me keeping guys like Milligan away.
Jealousy swarmed my chest, threatening to pull me under.
“He’s protecting you... and her,” Damon said, and my eyes snapped to his.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
He ran a hand over his face, glancing to Rafe, the two of them sharing a strange look. Then he said eight words that had me reeling.
“So funny story, uh... Alistair thinks Phoebe and Hudson are hooking up.”
Phoebe
Everyone was staring at me. Alistair and Hudson. Tim Dowager. The slimeball that had slid his hand under my dress and grabbed my ass. We’d officially stopped the party, everyone eager to see what was happening.
Hudson stood firmly at my side, his arm still hooked around my shoulder. He made it seem so easy. I still couldn’t quite believe what was happening.
I’d been groped by a colleague, and Hudson Ryker, constant pain in my ass and perpetual playboy, had jumped in to save me.
Dowager and Slimeball were arguing, while Alistair and Hudson tried to express their less than impressed opinions of the situation. A hand slid into mine and I found Letty’s concerned gaze.
“He’s with Rafe and Damon,” she whispered. “They took him to the bar.” Her head tipped toward the long sleek chrome bar running one length of the room. Sure enough, Levi stood there, staring right at me. I inhaled a shaky breath, trapped in his murderous gaze.
I could imagine the million and one scenarios running through his head and knew none of them would be good. Someone had touched me, put their hands on me without permission, and now Hudson was acting like I was his girl.
Jesus, I was surprised Levi had remained so calm.
“He knows he can’t lose it, not here,” Letty added.
“This is bad,” I whisper-hissed, “really fucking bad.”
“I know. Let me go talk to him. They need to finish the set. This is too important.”
“I know, please tell him this,”—I glanced at Hudson’s arm wrapped possessively around my shoulder—“means nothing.”
“He’s just protecting you both.”
“Yeah, I know.” I knew Hudson’s dramatics were part of his strange attempt at protecting Levi from a) himself and b) outing our relationship. If Hudson took the fall, people would write it off as nothing more than a fling. But if people knew Levi Hunter was tangled up with a girl… it would become a media frenzy.
I felt Levi’s hard gaze drilling holes into the side of my face, but I couldn’t meet it, not when a group of men were standing around arguing over me like I was invisible.
“Stop,” I said a little too forcefully. They all turned to look at me. “Mr. Mulligan has repeatedly said it was a misunderstanding so I would like that to be the end of it. The band has a set to finish and we’re drawing a crowd.”
“Very well,” Dowager nodded but he didn’t look too comfortable about the situation. “But we’ll be talking about this first thing tomorrow, Landon. Alistair, if your men would like to escort him off the premises.”
“Come on now, Tim, let’s not—”
“Mr. Mulligan,” Stalter said. “If you’d like to come with us please.”
He scoffed as if the entire thing was ridiculous, shooting me an indignant look as he passed me.
“I’m real sorry about that, Miss—”
“Halstead.”
He frowned. “Peter Halstead’s daughter?”
Oh God. He knew my father?
Dread snaked through me. This could not be happening.
“Penelope?”
“Phoebe.” I grimaced.
“Ah, yes, that’s the one. I didn’t realize you were working at the label.”
“I’m just interning.”
“No way, she’s a crucial part of the team.” Hudson grinned proudly, completely unaware that he was only making things worse, his arm still slung around my shoulder.
“And this.” Dowager wagged his finger between the two of us. “Could it be the infamous playboy Hudson Ryker is finally off the market?”
“Okay, Tim,” Alistair clapped him on the back, steering him away. “Why don’t we go and get a drink before the band come back on.”
“Drinks are on me,” Hudson called to their retreating form
“Oh my god,” I breathed. “He knows my father.”
“And that’s bad why?”
“Why?” I shrieked. “Because he has no idea I’m on tour with the band. And if Dowager tells him, he’ll probably mention that you and I... oh fuck.” I buried my face in my hands.
“Relax.” Hudson finally released me, stepping back as if he’d finally realized we weren’t together. People were still watching, eyeing us with mild curiosity.
God, what a disaster.
Dowager knew my father and now had the ammunition to crack open the truth about my job at the label. If Alistair didn’t believe there was something going on with Hudson and I before, he would now. And Levi... my poor broken Levi was staring at me with such hurt and betrayal in his eyes. I wanted to rush over to him and explain everything.
But the music cut, and the emcee’s voice came over the mic. “Please welcome back on stage, Black Hearts Still Beat.”
“I guess that’s our queue,” Hudson said over the raucous applause. “Listen, about what just happened... he’ll understand. I was just protecting him.”