“Don’t feel you have to defend your boyfriend,” he said, looking amused. “As long as he keeps performing the way he has been he and I won’t have a problem.”
“First of all, he’s not my boyfriend—”
“But you banged him.”
It wasn’t humour I saw in his eyes, I realized. It was disgust. What the hell was that about?
“You’ve banged a lot of girls too. They weren’t all your girlfriends.” In fact, very few had earned that title over the years. Knox was more of a one and done kind of guy.
“But he wants you to meet his friends,” he said, hooking his thumb over his shoulder. “That’s gotta count for something, right?”
Normally I would have been happy to hear Knox say he thought it meant Auden was ready to take things to the next level, but the edge in his voice made me wonder if he would see it that way. “I don’t know. You think so?” I was testing him. Waiting for his reaction.
If he was happy for me, we were good. If not, I had to figure what the hell was going on with my friend… and boss. We couldn’t afford to have tension on the road. It usually carried over on to the stage and affected his performance.
“You want it to mean something?” he asked, looking into my eyes like he was trying to read my mind. “You’re really into this guy?”
I raised my chin before drawing my gaze from his by sheer willpower. He has the lightest, more piercing blue eyes. Looking into them, it was like a magnetic force drawing you in, holding you there until he was ready to let you go. Ugh! This was Knox. I wasn’t supposed to be getting all hung up on how hot he was.
“Yeah, I am.” Maybe not as into him as I’d been twenty-four hours ago, and I didn’t know why that was. I’d been excited about Auden before we slept together. I hadn’t been lying when I said he was a force between the sheets… so why was I having second thoughts?
“You sure about that?” His full lips twitched. He could always tell when I was second-guessing myself and liked to tease me about my brain working overtime.
“Ugh! I hate you!” I pushed against his chest, but he curled his hands around my wrists, holding me firm.
His eyes were serious, compelling when he rubbed his nose against mine, smiling. Our foreheads were touching when he drew a deep breath. “I love you, girl. So damn much. I’m not gonna stand by and watch another dirtbag do a number on you the way that shithead did. So just know, I’ve got my eye on your buddy, Auden. He steps out of line and he’s gone.”
I loved Knox for looking out for me, but I could take care of myself. If Leo had taught me one thing, it was to be more cautious. I wasn’t going to take everything a guy said at face value anymore, a lesson I should have learned a long time ago.
“Don’t worry about me.” I braced my hands on his wide shoulder. “I love you for caring, but I got this, boss. This thing between me and Auden is nothing for you to concern yourself with. Trust me.”
“I trust you.” He grimaced. “Him? I’m not convinced.”
Knox knew a thing or two about players, so if he saw red flags with Auden I was damn sure gonna heed his warning. “What do you mean by that? Have you seen or heard anything?” There were always rumours circulating about musicians, but most of them were BS. If Knox had facts to back up shit he’d heard about Auden I was all ears.
“I’ve seen the way he looks at other girls.”
I frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“You deserve a guy who looks at you like you’re the only girl in the world.” His whisper was fierce when he said, “No one, and I mean no one, should be able to turn your man’s head.”
I got a fluttery feeling in my stomach when he talked like that. Like I was someone special who deserved the best. “Thank you, but—”
“No buts.” He placed his finger over my lips. “I’m serious, Cece. Don’t you dare settle for less. Not this time. Hold out for the guy who looks at you like that.”
“And you don’t think that’s Auden?” I asked, knowing that I’d be watching him a hell of a lot closer from now on. He and I weren’t serious. Not even close. But I did want someone who wouldn’t be tempted by another pretty face. Next time I chose a partner I wanted someone who was all in.
He seemed like he was tempted to say something before he finally shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. But tread lightly with this one, girl. Keep your eyes and ears open. If it doesn’t feel right, it isn’t.”
I guess it really was as simple, and as complicated as that. I had to figure out if being with Auden felt right.
Chapter 3
Knox
We’d put on a hell of a show and I knew I should be happy about that. But I wasn’t happy. Why? Because Cece was out with my opening act.
The way I was feeling made no sense. Yesterday, I looked at Cece and saw one of my best friends. Today I looked at her and saw… someone else. A woman I’d never seen before. I noticed every little thing that made her so unique. I was slammed by every intimate moment we’d ever shared. I imagined her with someone else and it got inside my head, tormenting me.
