Page 113 of Never Sleep with the Enemy

Jordan’s phone buzzes in her hand. She silences it quickly, setting it face down instead of answering.

“A lot of calls this morning?” I ask.

She lifts her golden travel mug—the one she only brings out on long tour days—and takes a sip. “More than usual, yeah.”

My stomach clenches. “I’m sorry, Jordan,” I say, shifting my stance. “But I can explain?—”

“You don’t have to explain anything, Kat,” Knox says, walking past, the microphone wire coiled tight in his grip. “How about we just do what we came here to do?” He smirks. “Unless, of course, you have something pressing to share? Maybe some conflict of interest we should know about before show night?”

No one disagrees.

“Okay, fine,” I say, gut twisting. “I hung out with The Electrics last night.”

“Hung out?” Knox asks.

“They invited me to the Halloween carnival. So, I went.”

“They just... asked you out of the blue?” Addison asks, lowering her headphones to her neck.

I hesitate. “No. We’ve hung out a few times now.”

“Cool. Glad that’s settled,” Knox says bluntly, nodding at Bronson. “Hand me that case, will you, Bron?”

Bronson nods and grabs the black microphone case by his feet, passing it over.

“Knox,” I say, pushing forward. “I know you’re kinda angry with me right now?—”

“I’m good, actually.”

“You’regood?” I echo, wary.

He kneels, shrugging as he pops open the case, pulling out his mic from the black foam interior. “You made some new friends, Kat. Good for you. We have a show to prepare for.”

I sigh, glancing at the others. Of the three of them, only Jordan looks the least bit sympathetic—but that might just be exhaustion.

Bronson and Addison? They’re as cold as Knox.

And Jonah?

I don’t even want to think about how he’d look at me right now.

“They’re actually really nice,” I say. “Tesla and Goldie?—”

“Why are we still talking about this?” Knox stands suddenly. I flinch. “Set up your gear, Kat,” he says, bobbing his head toward my keyboard. “Come on, people. Let’s work.”

“Knox,” I try again. “I never meant to upset you.”

“Upset? Who’s upset? I’m not upset.”

Yeah. He’s upset.

I sigh. “I just want to say that?—”

“Fine.You wanna get into it? Let’s get into it.” Knox crosses his arms. “Let’s talk about how you’re a liar.”

“A liar?”

“You told me to my face that nothing was going on between you and Logan,” he says. “Now you’re sneaking around behind our backs? Getting chased around The Strip by paparazzi, hand-in-hand? Is thatnothing,Kat?”

---