Apparently, Klaus was on my side because he didn’t try to stop me.
Riley pushed back, and I let my fist fly, clocking him in the jaw so hard he stumbled back.
And that was it.
We tore into one another. Ryder and Trent came in and tried to break us apart. Klaus finally helped.
That wasn’t the problem, though.
The problem was that while Ryder and Trent were focused on me, a few people were peeking into the room to see what was going on.
And that meant cameras.
“Enough! Fucking enough!” Ryder shouted, finally breaking us apart as Trent held Riley and Klaus held me. “You fucking idiots!”
Riley wiped at his busted lip. “You’re a dick. If you’d just fucking listen to me.”
“Then speak,” I snapped at him. “Why did you do it?”
“Because I thought it would take the heat off this stalker shit and focus more on something positive with her. I thought maybe it would draw out whoever this was and they’d get sloppy if they came after me!” Riley pounded his chest. “I was trying to help!”
I swallowed and said nothing. Rosalie and I had agreed before the show to debut a song we’d done together that we’d toyed with putting on her new album as a bonus track. We thought it might get some hype to add it at the last minute.
“What’s going on?” Rosalie demanded, rushing into the room.
I backed up. I’d never seen her look so pissed before. She was like a red storm.
Evan came in behind her, Dante at his side. That meant Trix was still with Ellis.
“Trent. Watch Trix and Ellis,” I commanded.
He hesitated for a moment before dipping out and leaving us.
“I asked a question,” Rosalie snarled. “Whatthe fuckis going on?”
“He kissed you,” I mumbled.
“That’s why you’re yelling and fighting? That’s why people have their fucking phones out?” Rosalie’s face flushed red with fury. “Ellis is out there crying because she heard you yelling!”
Shame washed over me. I wasn’t really a jealous guy, or at least, I never thought I was. I had my moments, and I guess this was one of them.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I just…fuck. I’m sorry. Riley, man…”
“Don’t worry about it,” he muttered. “I get it. I’d be pissed too. I should have run it by you guys. It was a heat-of-the-moment thing. I won’t do it again. Rosalie, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that to you. I thought I was helping.”
She sighed and shook her head before leaving the room without another word.
Evan cast me a quick look. Dante made to follow her, but I grabbed his arm.
“Let me,” I said, moving past him. The only thing on my mind was fixing this. It was rare for Rosalie and me to fight. In fact, I couldn’t really remember a time when we had. We always just talked things through, but right now it seemed like it might be my first encounter with her actual fury.
People moved aside as I tried to catch up to her. She rounded a corner, and I grabbed her arm and tugged her into a dark area.
“What?” she snapped at me.
“I’m sorry for reacting that way,” I said, cradling her face. “I lost myself. Seeing another man… Fuck, LeeLee. I messed up, but why did you kiss him back?”
She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them to look at me.
