“Go. Sorry. In the future I’ll ask any questions I have without taking your head off first.”
Jase laughs good-naturedly. “It’s fine. You’re a woman in a mostly male-dominated business. I can imagine the shit you have to put up with. My hat’s off to you.” With that, he tips his hat. “And for the record, my groupies are pretty shameless. God bless ’em.” He turns and gets onto his tour bus, leaving me shaking my head and contemplating the many ways in which I could murder Dallas Lark.
19 | Dallas
THE KNOCK ON THE THIN DOOR TO MY ROOM ON THE BUS IS SHARP and angry sounding. So naturally I assume it’s Mandy here to make some lewd suggestion about how I owe her my dick or something.
I sigh and open it, pleasantly surprised to find Robyn on the other side instead. My guitarist, Tyler, is standing behind her looking concerned for my well-being. I give him an I’ve-got-this nod and move aside for Robyn to come in. She blows past me without a word.
“You okay?”
“No. I’m not.” She shakes her head and looks off into the distance, paying more attention to the modest furnishings in the room than to me. “I confronted him. Because of what you said. And guess what?”
Now her eyes do meet mine and I’m nervous about what I see in them. Matching glinting emeralds of hatred is what they most resemble at the moment.
“I can’t even begin to guess.”
“No?” Her voice rises an octave or two. “You can’t? That’s funny considering a few hours ago you were an expert on the subject.”
“Clearly you’re upset with me.” I state the obvious because I know her well enough to know that when she’s in this mood everything I say will be fuel to her fire.
“You think?” She purses her sexy little mouth and shakes her head at me. “I was ranting on and on about being a professional and the whole time I was acting like some stupid teenager freaking out over gossip. Because guess what, Dallas? Whoever your source is got it wrong. Jase Wade didn’t request me on this tour because he wanted to get into my panties. He requested me because of the social media pitch I gave in my presentation.”
“Okay. Well, then I’m glad I was wrong.”
“You’re glad you were wrong? Since when? Since when are you ever wrong, Dallas? You just decide how things are and that’s how it is, right?” She runs her hands through her tangled hair, then gapes at me. “Dead God. I said he thought he was King Pimp of the universe.”
I fold my lips inward to keep from laughing. Laughing would be so bad right now.
“Do not dare laugh at me, Dallas. I cannot believe you said that stuff to me. But you know what’s worse? I believed it. And do you know why?”
Do not speak.
In lieu of a verbal answer I shake my head.
“I believed it because that’s how you make me feel. Like all I’m good for is getting you off when you need it. Right? Bang out a few orgasms and hey, maybe a song, too, for good measure. Good old Robyn. She’ll just take what she can get. That’s all you want me for, so of course, that must be all any other guy can see as well.” She takes these gaspy little breaths that make me hate myself.
The urge to laugh has passed.
“Baby, I—”
She slaps my hand away when I reach for her. “No. No, we’re done with that. Do not touch me. You could’ve cost me my job tonight, riling me up with your jealous macho crap. And I am so done.”
“Robyn,” I call out, pulling at her waist before she twists out of my arms. “Listen to me. That’s not how it was.”
“How was it then? Tell me. Because I feel cheap, and used, and played. And I do not deserve that.”
“You’re right.” I nod like a fucking bobblehead. “You don’t. I swear to God, making you feel that way was not my intention.” I sit on my bed and look up at her. Her pain is mine now, and it’s weighing heavy on my chest. I hurt her, deeply, and I’d kick my own ass if I knew how.
“Then why, Dallas? Why say those awful things to me? Because it sure seemed like you meant them.”