Page 120 of Never Sleep with the Enemy

“Because he’s the enemy, Jo!” Knox snaps. “It’s obvious to everyone here that he’s playing her.”

“All the more reason for us to stick together,” Jonah says, voice steady. “To talk things out. Not tear each other down. We should do what wealwaysdo—put it into our music. That’s what this is about, right?” He locks eyes with Knox. “That’s why we’re here, isn’t it?”

Knox doesn’t answer.

“We’re Criminal Records,” Jonah says, sweeping his gaze across all of them. “We’re big, but we’re not too big to fail. We’re just as fragile as we ever were. And every one of us has a responsibility to protect what we’ve built. To protect each other. I think we’ve lost sight of that.”

I smile, even more of my words coming out of his mouth.

“Today, I propose a new rule,” Jonah says. “I say we ditch the rules.”

“Ditch the rules?” Jordan repeats, frowning.

“We follow our hearts instead. Because right now, who we are, what we’ve become, it’s the best we’ve ever been. After this summer, after all of you found your people, your muses… is that really so surprising?”

He lets the words hang there; the silence giving them weight. I can see it in their eyes—it’s sinking in.

“The rules kept us together, sure,” Jonah continues. “They also held us back. I don’t know about you guys, but I want to see where our hearts lead us next. Don’t you?”

“Yes,” I say, before anyone else can.

He glances over, gives me a soft smile, then looks at the others.

“I do, too,” Addison says.

I meet her eyes and she gives me a nod; the first olive branch between us.

“Yeah,” Bronson adds, gaze forever locked on Jordan. “Me, too.”

Jordan doesn’t speak, but she reaches out and takes his hand.

Knox’s jaw tightens. “Sorry,” he says. “But was that speech supposed to sway me or something?”

“Knox,” Jonah says with a sigh.

“Am I the only one with half a brain here? She’s not screwing some fan. Or the opening act. It’s Logan fucking Shock. And that ain’t okay. It’snevergoing to be okay.”

I shrink back.

“And you think it’s better for her to leave than for you to look past it?” Jonah asks.

Knox glares at me, then nods. “Yes, I do.”

My heart burns.

“So, this is it for you?” Jonah asks, staying in front of me like a shield. “You’re willing to give all of this up over a grudge match?”

“I guess I am,” my brother says.

“Knox, come on,” Addison jumps in, her voice edged with disbelief.

“No,” Jonah says, cutting her off. “It’s okay. He’s got his principles. Can’t fault him for that.”

“Damn right,” Knox mutters, arms crossed.

His eyes cut to me again. I look away.

“Then we change,” Jonah says, unfazed. “We adapt. We start something new. You’ve got an idea for that, Knox. Let’s hear it.”

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