Page 30 of Behind the Lyrics
Me:Even though I’m still pissed (ha, I’m clever, aren’t I?) at that little bastard, I’m rather envious he gets so much of your affection.
Angela:Lol. Well, I’m basically just his human slave, so I’m not sure there’s much of a trade-off for me.
An insane urge drove within me to rush out the front door, drive to her place, and pound on the door until she let me in so I could wrap her in my arms.How the hell could I be missing her this much?We’d only known each other for a handful of days, yet it didn’t feel that way.
Me:I miss you.
She didn’t respond, and I cursed myself. “You stupid fuck, Viktor. She asked for space, and what do you do the first time she replies? You become a fucking wanker.” Turmoil split my mind in two, and for the first time in a year, an intense urge to find a high shook through my body.
No. Never.
Sweat popped on my brow, cooling my blood a bit, and I sat up and finished off a bottle of water. Finally, my phone dinged with an incoming message.
Angela:Let’s just take this one day at a time, okay? I hope you understand.
Yeah, I fucking understood, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. OAS, remember?
I paced the room and stared out the window, the phone clenched in the palm of my hand. Why was I so invested in this woman? What kind of power did she wield that I couldn’t resist? Frustrated, I ran a hand through my hair and yanked a tangle.
Maybe a change of scenery and going home would be a good thing for both of us. Distance might be exactly what I needed to bleed my veins dry of Angela Morales.
Me:I understand all too well. Take care, Angel.
Switching the phone to Do Not Disturb, I padded to the bathroom for a shower before turning in. A full night of sleep would help with the poisonous cravings—andAngela—though I wondered if I should lump her into the same category.
Chapter 27
Angela Morales
“And now, K-rockers, here’s your next block of commercial-free music, so kick back, prop your feet, and have a cold one because it’s a scorching one hundred twelve outside.” The music started. I tugged the headphones from my ears and laid them on the table.
I checked my phone. It had been four days since I’d spoken with Viktor, and I got the feeling he might’ve been angry with me over that last text. But surely, he understood where I was coming from. After the four years of hell I’d spent with Jeff, the last thing I needed was to rush headlong into a relationship with another person who carried some of the same demons.
Those fluttering wings of panic stirred deep in my belly, and I thought about calling the doctor and asking for a refill. Yet, I hesitated because it felt like admitting defeat. Things were going well for me. Yeah, my bank account was a sad, decrepit thing, but I wasfree. If anxiety kept calling, that told me I needed to re-examine its source and what had changed in my life.
Viktor Farrow.
I sighed and checked the phone screen once more, a tiny spark of hope fading when it remained blank.
Damn it all, I miss him, too.But I couldn’t bring myself to admit this to him, and I couldn’t understand why. Yes, he made me nervous, but not in the same way as Jeff. In Viktor’s presence, I didn’t feel like I’d been blind in a dark room for hours. He was the sun, with his golden hair and dimpled smile, his touch a pure ray of light igniting my insides.
“Hello, woman.” Terri snapped her fingers in my face, causing me to jump in my chair. “Earth to Angela.”
“Hey. Sorry. I was just thinking.”
“Uh-huh. I bet I know about who, too.” Her teeth appeared in a big smile, and she winked. “Have you heard anything from him yet?”
“No. I might’ve blown it.” I stuffed the phone into my purse.
“Oh, I highly doubt that. Isn’t his tour supposed to be starting soon?” She plopped into the other chair, leaned back, and lifted her feet to rest on the table. Today, she wore the ugliest pair of sandals I’d ever seen. Brown and silver, with speckles of neon green, their straps climbed across her feet and wound around her ankles. Her shorts were tangerine, completed with a plum-colored tee. If she ever got lost in the desert, a search and rescue would find her within minutes based on the clash of colors.
“Yeah, I think he’s supposed to leave in a day or two.” I leaned my chin into my palm. “Are you mad because I didn’t go on tour with him? I’m sure it would’ve been great advertisement.”
“Shoot, girl. We got plenty of dough right now thanks to that boyfriend of yours. I have commercials booked through the next three months.”
“He’s not my boyfr—”
She waved a hand in the air and laughed. “Whatever you say. Hey, did you see Macabre Maniacs are coming to town next month?”
