Page 25 of The Rocker

“Whatever it is, you look damn fine,” Cross said, pulling her away from Kenton and toward the door.

I pushed them both off her and turned on them. If it was possible, I would have shot laser beams out of my eyes at them and turned them to dust. “Give the woman some space.”

“Oh, they’re fine. I think it’s sweet they missed me.” She sashayed down the hall like she was on a runway. While I always thought Pen was sexy, there was definitely something different about her. Did she meet someone while she was away?

I hurried to her side and fought the need to touch her. I wanted to take her hand in mine, wrap my arm around her waist and pull her into me. Instead, I had to make do with being near her as I walked. “And you don’t think it’s sweet I missed you?”

She kept walking and didn’t even bother to look in my direction as she spoke. “I think you mean you missed me more than they did, but maybe I’m wrong. Maybe you mean it the exact same way as they do, and if that’s the case, then yes, I do believe you missed me because you had to deal with an insufferable Cristiano.”

Even though I heard the guys hot on our heels, I moved in front of Pen, forcing her to stop and look at me. I waited until they passed to speak. “You know, I meant it as more, and I did fucking miss you. Why are you saying that? I wouldn’t lie to you.”

“I don’t want you to have to lie to me either.” She looked down and shook her head. “Just forget everything I said. It doesn’t matter anyway.”

“Of course, it fucking matters. I thought I was going crazy when you ended things, but when you were gone, I thought what you told us was some made-up story, and you were looking for someone else to manage us.”

Her head shot up, and she glared at me. “I wouldn’t do that, and for you to think that proves that I was right to end things.” Pen moved around me and was out the door before I could stop her again.

Looking up to the ceiling like it could give me answers, I shouted. “How?” Only there was no one there to give me any answers. Hanging my head, I trudged my way out the door and onto the bus. I didn’t bother to look at anyone as I pushed past them and slid into my bunk. Grabbing my headphones from beside the wall, I turned on my music and blasted it, so I wouldn’t have to hear them laughing and talking about her trip. I would go ballistic if I heard any one of them say something about how hot she looked in her bikini.

For the sake of the band, I kept to myself for most of the night. I didn’t come out when they went into the restaurant to eat. It wasn’t until late at night, and I could feel we’d traveled at least a couple of hundred miles, that I used the bathroom and went in search of some food in our tiny kitchen. There wasn’t much. Some popcorn that Kenton loved and a box of Pop-Tarts Cross ate. I hadn’t stocked anything for me since I didn’t think I’d be a needy bitch when Pen got back.

A slight noise from behind me had me turning around to find Pen sitting on one of the couches that took up the right side of the bus. She was curled up with a blanket over her legs, and there was something in her hands.

I cleared my throat, and when she didn’t look up from what she was doing since she was most likely ignoring me, I asked. “What are you doing out here?”

Without looking up from what she was doing, she spoke quietly. Something I should have been doing if I cared about waking up the other people traveling on the bus with us, but I didn’t. The only thing I cared about right then was Pen and why she’d been acting the way she had toward me.

“If you must know what I’m doing, I’m reading.” She set down what looked like some type of device. “I’m reading my friend Stella’s book.”

“I know who Stella is.” I stepped toward her. “Why are you acting like you don’t know me?”

She stood, throwing the blanket that fell to the floor back onto the couch. “I’m not acting like anything. I do know you. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to sleep.” Pen stormed off, slipping into her bunk.

Why did her words sound like an accusation?

Pen had only been back a few hours, and already I couldn’t take the hostility toward me that was radiating off her. I had to know what was going on. Before she left, Pen did everything she could to not be alone with me, but this was a whole other level.

Pulling back the curtain to her bunk that was way too close to the ground for my height, I pushed Pen over as I laid down beside her.

“What are you doing?” She hissed.

“Since you seem so hell-bent on leaving any time I’m around, I decided to take matters into my own hands.” I turned on my side, blocking her in.

“I could get out if I wanted,” she whisper-yelled.

Bring my mouth to her ear, I whispered back. “You could, but you’d wake everyone up, and I know you don’t want to do that.”

“You’re an asshole.” She placed her hands on my chest and pushed. I was sure she meant to move me, but it did nothing but infuriate me further.

“I never said I wasn’t. Now tell me why you’re mad at me.” My lips brushed the shell of her ear as I tried to be quiet and not wake up the rest of the bus.

“Just let me go to sleep,” she huffed, trying to turn away from me, but I had her pinned up against the wall of the bus. Damn, maybe these tiny ass bunks were good for something.

“I’ll leave you alone if you tell me why you’re mad.” But would I really? Doubtful. I was never going to leave her alone until she relented herself to me, body, mind, and soul.

The only sound for several long moments was our breathing. I could wait all night if I had to. Just being this close to her soothed the savage beast inside of me that broke out once she ended us.

“Fine, but once I tell you, I want you out of my bunk.” Pulling away enough for our gazes to lock, she raised one lone eyebrow. “Deal?”

---