Why am I letting that man in my head and why do I think that there is more validity to Daniel’s words than Beaumont is admitting. He’s telling me his truths, he’s being honest, but I wonder just how honest. What exactly is he holding back?
Why does he have an on-and-off relationship with Andi? Why did I tell him about Chelle?
“Got questions?” a voice asks. Turning my head, I gasp at the sight of Austin standing just inside the door, a bottle of vodka in his hand. “Might have some answers for you, babe.”
“Might?”
He shrugs. “Believe it or not, I do want what’s best for Beaumont, even if it doesn’t always appear that way.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
BEAUMONT
The bottle of whiskey looks really fucking tempting staring at me from behind the bar. I think about Hutton back in the bus, angry and hurt by some shit from my past that I can’t change. I feel a hand slap against the middle of my back as I stare at the whiskey bottle, wondering if this sobriety kick is worth it.
“Sweet girl,” Daniel’s voice murmurs.
“Was, until you got in her head, what the fuck is wrong with you?” I spit, turning my gaze toward him.
He shrugs, not looking sorry in the least. “This world ain’t easy, Beaumont. You of all people should know that. Could tell with one look at her that she wasn’t meant for the limelight.”
I grunt, shaking my head. “Don’t want her there.”
He throws back his head in laughter. “Doesn’t matter what you want, that’s where she is. You don’t get a choice. Being on your arm means she’s thrust into the spotlight. It’s just the way it is, it’s the burden of being famous.”
Lifting my hand, I run my fingers through my hair with a sigh. He’s right, to a degree. Being associated with me does put a person in the spotlight, whether they want that or not. I mean, hell, there’s a picture of me fucking her going viral at this very moment.
“I’m not getting back with Andi, you can just kiss that publicity wet dream goodbye,” I state. “Hutton is a nice girl and I’m ready to settle down.”
“So you want kids?” he asks.
I shrug one shoulder. “Always have. Just think that I may finally be ready to go there.”
He nods, his eyes finding mine and I see a hint of compassion behind the ruthless shark that he always holds upfront. Daniel isn’t a bad person, he does have both mine and his best interest at heart. But no matter how much of mine he has at heart, his best interest is always quite a bit larger.
“Can’t you just settle down with Andi? It would just make your life so much easier. Do you know how many of these marriages don’t last?”
Snorting, I look over at him. “My guess is the marriage to the good girl that knew you and liked you before you were a household name lasts a hell of a lot longer than the one to the equally selfish and busy starlet.”
“Maybe. Maybe not when that hometown girl is as insecure as the one that’s… where? Run away?” he asks.
He doesn’t say another word, instead he turns and walks away just as a group of women make their way up to me. A couple of them are timid, but one is bold as the day is long. She asks me for a picture and presses her tits against my side as she poses for her friend’s phone.
I grin, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. The rest of the women take their turn, then Brian takes a picture of the five of us. Three of the women scatter, except for the bold one. She sticks her bottom lip out as she eyes me.
“I love your music,” she says with a faux timid smile.
“Thanks.” I grin.
Inside, all I want to do is run to Hutton and reassure her that everything is going to be fine. That she just has to have faith in us. She can’t hold all the shit from my past between us, letting it hinder our future. I’m not the same man today as I was a decade ago, and neither is she the same girl.
“I think it’s really admirable what you did. Going to rehab. I’ve been myself,” she offers. Lifting my eyes to her, I see that she at least looks sincere in her words.
“Do you mind me asking you what for?”
She shakes her head. “Not at all. I used to drink and have an unhealthy addiction to sex.” I cough, my eyes widening from her frankness. She smiles, shaking her head, her dark hair flying around. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“No, it’s just, I wasn’t expecting that.”
“I saw your picture online,” she whispers, taking a step closer toward me. I gulp when her hand touches the center of my chest. “You could make a girl consider falling off the wagon,” she breathes, her tongue sneaking out to taste her red painted bottom lip.
Wrapping my hand around her wrist, I squeeze her gently. “I’m taken by the woman in the picture,” I rasp.
She grins. “I don’t see her anywhere.”
“She’s around.” I nod.
Releasing her wrist, she drops her hand and takes a step back, tilting her head to the side. “You can’t blame me for trying, Beaumont. I’ve never fucked a rock star before.”
“That is something I’m not, not really. I’m nothin’ but a fraud, darlin’.”
“Do you not play your own songs? Write your own music and lyrics?” she asks.
Obviously, she knows more about me than I’d anticipated. I grin, nodding my head. “You know that I do.”
She grins. “Then you’re not a fraud, maybe a little lost, but not a fraud.”
Chuckling, I tell her goodbye and turn around. I can’t be in here, no matter what my obligations are. I need to be with Hutton. I need to make sure she’s okay and remind her that she’s mine, that I ain’t going anywhere at all and neither is she.
HUTTON
I can’t do this.
Pacing the bus with Austin sitting at the table, his worried gaze focused on me. This isn’t the cocky asshole from just yesterday. Right now, he looks more like a concerned friend, and that alone makes me a bit uneasy, not including what he’s actually said to me.
“How many women?” I ask.
Austin chuckles, shaking his head. “Guy code. I can’t tell you that, Hutton.”
“How many women have been paid and signed those papers?”
He grunts, leaning back in his chair. “Four.”
I make a whining noise in the back of my throat and sink back down onto the sofa. The door opens and I glance to the side to see Jesse and Laurie stumble inside. She looks over to Austin, then me, and I watch as she frowns.
“What the hell is going on?” she demands. I almost laugh at her overprotectiveness.
Shaking my head, I decide not to tell her. “Nothing. I’m just going to head back to the hotel. I’m tired and we have an early flight in the morning.”
Nobody stops me from walking out of the bus and I’m glad. I just want to be alone, to think, to try and decide what in the hell I’m going to do. I should have ended this with the one night of closure and called it even. I shouldn’t have let him talk me into more.
“You runnin’?” a deep voice asks as soon as I step off onto the gravel parking lot.