Chapter One
Chaser
“I need you to go home to L.A.”
As far as morning greetings go, that’s probably my rudest one yet.
Mallory’s still groggy, so she doesn’t hold it against me. She yawns, then rolls out of bed and shuffles into the bathroom.
It’s hard to be sympathetic when someone you’ve considered a brother lands on your bad side. Yesterday, Jacob slammed into my bad side at 180 miles-per-hour. Attempting to set Mallory up with Davey Revolver by luring her to that creep’s hotel room is the lowest stunt Jacob’s ever pulled and possibly my breaking point. I don’t care how hard he thinks we’ve worked or how desperately he wants our band to finally achieve success. At the moment, I’m fresh out of compassion.
All night long I considered my options.
Kill Jacob.
Kill Davey.
Quit the band and go home.
Murder Jacob and Davey then quit the band.
One and two are currently my favorite options.
Now that I’ve appeased the punishment-thirsty demon inside me by considering the bloodiest options, I go over some more practical solutions.
Sending Mallory home is the best way to keep her safe. After what happened yesterday, if I have her continue on the tour, I’m only putting her in danger. Davey will be a hell of a lot sneakier next time.
As much as I’d love to march into our next band meeting and announce that I’m quitting, I can’t do it. Call it pride or stubbornness, but I refuse to let Jacob’s stupid stunt ruin everything I’ve spent the last few years working toward.
Mallory’s safety is my top priority. As much as I’ll miss having her by my side for the rest of the tour, I can’t be selfish and have her stay. I hope she sees the situation the same way and isn’t hurt or doesn’t feel like I’m punishing her for what happened.
She’s so damn cute as she toddles back to bed, yawning and blinking. I flip the covers aside, and she crawls into bed, curling up next to me.
How am I supposed to send her home and finish the tour without her by my side?
Easy, there’s no other choice.
“What was that you said, now?” she mumbles.
“After yesterday, I’m worried about you finishing out the tour. I need you to fly home. Today if possible.”
She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Thank you.”
“You’re not mad?”
“Are you kidding? If anything, I’m relieved.” She shifts her gaze away from me. “I feel guilty though. I don’t want to abandon you if you need me.”
Christ, I love this woman so much. I reach out and cup her face with my hand, rubbing my thumb over her cheek. “You’re not abandoning me at all. I want you somewhere safe, away from that asshole, while I deal with the fallout.” I’m expecting some sort of payback from Revolver, and I don’t want Mallory here when retribution arrives.
She bites her lip and nods. “I’ll start packing up my stuff.”
While she packs, I roll over, grab the hotel phone and dial downstairs, asking the operator to connect me to the airport.
After an hour of arguing and charging a ridiculous amount on my lone credit card, I have her booked on a flight home.
I can’t manage her bags on the bike that I rented, so when we get downstairs, I ask the bellman to hail a cab for us.
“You okay?” I ask. Mallory has my hand in a death grip the whole way to the airport. “Are you afraid of flying so far by yourself?”
She turns and blinks tears out of her eyes. “It’s not that. I hate leaving you. I hate leaving like this. I’m so sorry I messed things up for you.”
I can’t stand her thinking she’s done something wrong when she hasn’t been anything other than a loyal, supportive woman.
It hits me hard—I’d choose her over music in a heartbeat every day of the week. “You’re not responsible for this. If they didn’t have me by the balls with that contract, I’d go home with you.” Davey would no doubt tie me up in lawsuits for the next few years, and I won’t allow that asshole to have that kind of influence over my life.
“I would never ask you to leave. Then they win. And you’ve worked too hard and for too many years to allow that dirty old man to take your career away from you.”
This woman floors me. Every damn time. I expected her to be bitter, maybe pissed that I wasn’t coming home with her. Something. She’s everything sweet and loyal I don’t deserve.
I swallow hard past the lump in my throat. “I still don’t know what I’m going to do about Jacob.”
“He wants to succeed at any cost. I’m sure in his mind he was doing me a favor. A win-win for everyone. He’s probably shocked I didn’t jump at the chance to screw Davey, and you didn’t fall at his feet with gratitude.” She shrugs. “I don’t respect it, but I understand to a certain extent.”
I’m glad she understands, because I sure as fuck don’t. More than ever, I miss home. Miss my MC family. I made a mistake thinking my bandmates had the same loyalty as my MC brothers.
Back home, if a brother even joked about passing another brother’s old lady around, the punishment would be severe. In this world, I’m the one who stands to be punished. By the record label, my manager, my band, as well as Bloody Revolver if they decide to kick us off the tour.
Even if I end up losing everything, I wouldn’t change a thing about the way I handled it.
Still doesn’t change the fact that sending her home will rip my heart in two.
Chapter Two
Mallory
Saying goodbye to Chaser is almost impossible. I can’t release his hand, and every time I look at his beautiful face, my heart constricts with pain.
We’re at the gate, and I need to board the plane, but I can’t let go.
Our eyes meet, and he draws me into a tight embrace. “It’s okay, little dove. I’ll be home next week. You won’t have time to miss me.”
“I already miss you.” My throat’s so tight I barely get the words out. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t you dare cry. I’ll cry by myself on the plane where Chaser can’t see me and feel any worse about this than I already know he does.
He leans down and presses his lips against mine. My hand tunnels into his hair, holding him to me for a much deeper, longer kiss.
“Call me as soon as you’re settled. I don’t care how much it costs”
“I will. I’ll call my agent tomorrow too, so she knows I’m back early and can set some stuff up for me.”
He hesitates. “Wait until I get back, please. Or at least don’t go to any auditions alone.”
“I went on auditions alone before while you were away.”
“Please.” His simple plea can’t be ignored. “I hate being so far away if something happens.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
“I love you so much, little dove. You’re my whole world.”
Agony tightens its fingers around my throat. “I love you, too,” I whisper.
I can’t stall any longer. I have to go. With trembling fingers, I take my bag out of his hands. I turn once, before stepping into the long hallway leading to the plane. Chaser stands there, thumbs hooked in his pockets, legs wide, stoic expression in place. He nods and mouths, “Go on. I love you.”