I could have told him my heart was like a runaway train and my palms were clammy, but instead, I held my head high, looked him straight in the eye and channeled my best inner Molly.
“I was born ready.”
Rafe
* * *
“We’re almost there,” Travis said from upfront. “You might want to wake her.”
Eva was passed out, her head nestled in my lap. My hand was stroking her hair, her back. Anywhere I could reach. The ride to Denver had been long. So. Fucking. Long. But it had been uneventful enough. Travis and Fenton kept their conversations to a minimum, and I was content sitting next to Eva, soaking up her presence. She calmed me. Had ever since the first time we'd met, at the talent showdown regional in Ploughton. Of course, I hadn’t realized then how important she would become to me. But by the end of our weekend together in Camdena, I knew she was special.
I knew Evangeline Star Walker had the power to make me want more.
To be more.
“Eva.” I brushed her cheek and she murmured. “Starshine, we’re almost here.” Her eyes flickered open and I was pinned to the spot with two ocean blues that saw right inside me.
“I fell asleep?”
“Somewhere around St. Louis.”
She sat up, taming unruly curls off her face. “I’m sorry.”
“Never be sorry.”
“Did you sleep at all?” The words were a muffled yawn.
“I got a few hours.” I had a kink in my neck to prove it.
“Are the guys here?”
“Damon texted an hour ago. They’re holed up in the hotel. Alistair wants us to head straight there. Well, after we grab some breakfast. I’m starving.”
“Okay,” she sounded cool, but I saw a flash of uncertainty in her eyes.
“I wish I could tell you that everything will be okay, but—”
“You don’t want to lie to me?” Eva gave me a weak smile.
“As long as we have each other, we’ll get through it, okay? You and me, Eva. I mean it. Alistair, the band, even Letty, no matter what they say or do, it’s you and me.” I needed her to know that.
“You think it’ll be that bad?”
“I don’t know what to expect, but we really fucked the tour and the label over.”
She dropped her gaze, but I slid my finger under her jaw, tilting her face back to me. “Together, remember? What’s done is done. We can only move forward now.”
“You’re right.” Eva let out a weary sigh. “I can do this.”
“We can do this. I’m right here.”
“We’re here.” Travis called, his announcement dousing us with an icy blast of reality. “There’s a small group of Die Hearts out front, so we’re heading around back to the underground lot.”
“Die Hearts,” Eva grumbled. “I sure didn’t miss them.”
“Hey.” I curled my hand around the back of her neck. “I know they can be a lot, but you can’t let them get to you, okay?”
“Easy for you to say. You didn’t just tear their beloved Black Hearts apart.”
“Eva, you didn’t...” I stopped myself. I didn’t want to lie to her, and I didn’t know what damage was done yet where the band was concerned.
“We’ll figure it out.”
It was fast becoming our motto, but it was the best I could offer her right now. Our relationship had started off based on secrets and lies. I didn’t want it to continue that way. Even if the truth hurt.
We took longer than we should eating breakfast. I don’t think either of us were in any rush to face the music, but eventually, Travis had suggested we make a move.
The SUV came to an abrupt halt and Travis and Fenton jumped into action, climbing out and coming around to open our doors. I was used to the routine by now, but I knew Eva still found it overwhelming.
A pinch of guilt stabbed at my chest. Maybe I should have talked her out of coming back, fought harder for her to stay in Lyme. Eva was small-town, too pure and good for this life. But she deserved to shine. After everything she’d been through, she deserved to fulfil her dreams.
“What?” she asked as she slid her hand into mine and climbed out of the SUV.
“Nothing,” I said. “Come on. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get some sleep.”
“We?” Hope lit up her face, a warm smile playing on her lips.
“Maybe… if you’re lucky.”
“If you can tear me away from Letty, you mean.”
“Something like that,” I mumbled, guiding her into the elevator. Travis entered last, giving us his back. The guy was a mean looking sonofabitch, but he was on our side, and I was fucking relieved Eva had him in her corner. I wasn’t always going to be around to shield her from the inevitable storms that would blow our way.
We rode up to the penthouse in thick silence. Eva was nervous. It was in the way she tapped her finger against her thigh and chewed her lip. I snagged her hand and threaded our fingers together. Her eyes lifted to mine and pulled me under. She didn’t release me until the doors pinged open and Fenton ushered us out.
Travis brought his wrist to his mouth, whispering something, and then said, “They’re waiting for you.” He flicked his head to where Johnson stood outside the door.
“Thank you, Travis, for everythin’.”
“Just don’t run out on me again, okay?” He winked at Eva before nodding sharply at me.
“Ready?”
Eva smiled. “As I’ll ever be.” She took a deep breath and grabbed the door handle. It opened with ease, the low rumble of voices falling silent.
“Eva?” Letty was first to reach us. “Thank God.” She pulled my girl into her arms and hugged the ever-loving shit out of her.
“It’s good to see you too, Let.”
“Shit, sorry.” Letty stepped back. “I’m supposed to be mad at you. And you...” She levelled me with a hard look. “I could beat you into next week. What the fuck were you thinking?”
“It’s good to see you too,” I grumbled, pushing past them both and moving into the living room.
“How nice of you to show up.” Hudson kicked his legs up on the glass coffee table, folding his hands behind his head. “Oh wait, you’re two days too late for that.”
“Hud,” Damon warned. “We said we wouldn’t—”
“Fuck that, Damon. He screwed up; they both did. And look where it got us.”
“I didn’t mean to ruin things.” Eva stepped forward. “I’m sorry.”
“You think sorry is going to fix this? We had to cancel another show. Levi is... well, off doing whatever the fuck Levi wants. The label wants answers. And you...” His cool gaze landed on me. “You fucking bailed on us.”
“It wasn’t like that and you know it.”
He leaped up, anger simmering in his hard gaze. “No. What I know is that nothing has been the same since she came onto the scene. I like you, Eva, I do, but you are the worst fucking thing to ever happen to us.” He stomped off into one of the bedrooms, slamming the door behind him. The sound echoed around us, reverberating deep in my chest. Eva sucked in a harsh breath. She was pale beside me, tears streaming down her face.