Page 19 of Madd Love

Silas and Huxley laugh. I swig my beer; pretty sure I’m wearing my annoyance all over my face.

“Looky here.” Huxley stands up from his seat at the table, and I turn to see several of our techs and roadies, along with a bevy of women coming in. And that’s my queue to fucking leave. Not that I can’t be trusted in a room full of groupies, but I know what’s about to go down in here, and it’s too much for me these days.

“All right, I’m going to head out.” I push myself up from the chair, take a drink of my beer, and when I turn, Tricia is there.

“Stay and have a drink with us.” She pouts, sticking out her bottom lip, holds up a bottle of my favorite scotch in one hand, and runs her fingers down the front of my chest with the other.

“Please, Madd, just one little drink.”

Tricia winks at me, and I have to admit this is sort of awkward that my best friend’s ex is hitting on me, but some people chase fame like a dog chases a rabbit, and Tricia is definitely a fame chaser.

“As tempting as that is, I’m going to have to pass. I’m heading out.” I grab Tricia’s hand and drop it once I pull it away from my shirt.

“Come on, old timer, have one drink with us, and then you can return to the pussy whipped suite,” Jacob, one of our newer roadies on this tour, says as he claps my shoulder.

Shit.I try to spend time with our team when I can. I like to get to know them. Once we hit the road, they become our responsibility. I like to ensure they’re happy with the gig and fitting in.

“One drink, and then I’m headed back to my room,” I say, even though it’s the last thing I want to do.

Everyone cheers, especially Tricia.

“Jacob, take care of my man and pour his drink quickly before he changes his mind.” Tyson laughs as he passes by me and grabs the bottle from Tricia to hand it to Jacob. I’m already regretting this decision, but one quick drink and I can get out of here.

Tyson makes his way to a brunette, grabbing her around the waist, then kisses her on the lips before he whispers something in her ear, and then they escape out the suite’s front door.

Fuck.

“Oh, yay! I’m so glad you’re staying! How are you, Madd?”

I turn my attention to Tricia, who is standing a little too close, and she keeps touching my arm while she talks like we’re old buddies.

We absofuckinglutely are not.

“I’m fine. Thanks.” I don’t ask how she is because I don’t really care, as harsh as that may seem. I liked her as a person at one point, but she cheated on my best friend several times during their relationship, and well, that makes her a shitty person in my book. I rub my tattooed hand over my beard. My patience is wearing thin.

“I love the tattoos on the sides of your head. Didn’t that hurt?”

“A bit.” I don’t want to be outright rude and tell Tricia to shut up and fuck off because my momma taught me better than that, but fucking shit, I want to do that very thing. Maybe if I just stand here and give her minimal answers, she’ll shut up and go away.

“I think they’re sexy. I love that you keep your hair short on the sides so they’re visible. I think it’s cool that you can grow your hair out, and no one can see them.”

“Yeah.” Jesus, help me.

Someone, come get her. I look around the room, but everyone else seems otherwise engaged. Huxley is making out with a leggy blonde in a short dress, and they barely make it to his room before her top is off. Silas is headed to his room with a woman under each arm and a drink in each hand.

“I think you’re hot. In fact,” she moves to stand closer to me, then lifts up on her tiptoes to whisper into my ear. Her tits graze my arm, and I cringe.

“I’ve always thought you are the sexiest one in the band. There’s just something about you. A mystique, a swagger. Men are jealous of you.”

Shit, where is that drink?

“Would you want to go to my room next door, where we can be alone?”

“Here you go, buddy.” Jacob extends a drink out to me, and I take it.

Thank you for answered prayers!

“You want to sit down and shoot the shit for a bit?” he asks, and I can’t say no to that.

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