I peel myself off her, standing as Lily coughs, sputters, and clutches her neck.
“Jett told me he loves me more than he loves himself, which is saying a hell of a lot considering how hard he worked for that love after all the years of bullying and self-loathing. So clearly, you’re full of shit.” Itug my sleeve up to reveal theminebracelet from Jett that Inever take off. “Go ahead, showme your tattoo and your bracelet that Jett bought to show his claim on you. I’ll wait.”
Still holding her throat with one hand, Lily stands up, but Isee her pathetic right hook coming and stop it inches from my face. Igrip her wrist so hard she lets out a hiss, and Itwist. Her face doesn’t look so pretty now that she’s in pain, now that she’s been put in her place. Ican tell I’m able to snap her wrist and might, any second now.
Her hoarse voice is even more pathetic than her face.
“Don’t you dare! You’ll ruin your precious Jett’s Halloween show if he doesn’t have a drummer.”
I huff out a laugh. “You’re already as good as fired,babydoll. Kennedy played drums in a Nirvana cover band for years. I’m sure he’ll practice Jett’s songs for a few hours and play tonight, and perform a million times better than you ever could.” Ihear something crack and finally release her toothpick wrist. Ipick up my bag, and she starts to lunge at me, so Ihurl it at her solar plexus. She goes flying ass first back on the bed as Iturn on my heel and storm out of the room, slamming the door behind me.
It isn’t until I’m down the lift, out of the lobby, into my hired car, and about ten minutes into traffic on my way to set when Ifinally stop shaking long enough to feel around for my phone.Fuck!Imust have dropped our phones in that little bitch’s room. Iscream at myself internally, leaning forward on the leather to check the time on the dash. Idon’t have time to go back, dammit! Jett will just have to retrieve them while he’s in there, firing her ass. God, Iwish Icould be there to witnessthat.
Chapter 38
Maddy
I am in my on-set trailer, recovering from hours of super intense filming. Literally assaulting someone before 6 a.m. and then playing a person getting assaulted before noon is a bit much, and Ifeel like a complete wreck. Isit on the brown leather loveseat and try taking calming breaths, rereading my lines to prepare for my next scene in an hour.
When Ifinally dial down my nervous system enough to focus on the words I’ve been staring at, Ihear a trailer door slam and someone say my name.
Irun to open my door, andJesus fucking Christ,it’s a sight to behold. Aco-star standing on the front step of their trailer, pointing to mine, directing the mostout-of-placeindividual you could possibly imagine, strutting down the row of trailers like a bat out of hell. Jett drags his fingers through his slicked hair, black Wayfarers on, wearing low slung black suit pants and barely buttoned black shirt, Chelsea boots, and one seriouslypissed offexpression.
He catches me gawking at him, his jaw ticks, and Ihave no choice but to move out of his way as he wordlessly barges into my trailer and slams the door. He rips off his glasses and tosses them on a leather chair.
“Jett,” I gasp.
“No. Not even close.”
“Sir, what the fuck are you doing here? Who even let you on set and why?” My sassy little eyebrow raise disappears from my face as he stalks towards me, crowding my space, until my ass is pressed against the back of the small couch. His hands lock onto the top of it, keeping me gated in place.
“Not only did they let me in, but the director offered me a fucking part. Now, it’s my turn to ask questions,Baby.How the fuck do you think it feels to wake up after one of the most incredible nights of my life, alone? No girl. No phone. No f’ing clue. Iwander to every room of every fucking person we know like a pathetic wank. Until the last fucking person Iwant to talk to, saved her for last, happens to be the one who’s got my phone, andyours,and a fucking welt on her neck. Did you really throat punch my former drummer?”
Former?Oh, thank fuck!
“She pulled my hair, so the throat punch was in self-defense. Idon’t see the cops here. She’s not trying to press charges?”
He shakes his head. “She knows she started this.”
“I didn’t want to disturb you, Iknew you’d need energy for tonight! But it was fucking terrifying waking up to those texts, and Istarted seeing red. She wanted you to cum in her, Jett! Imean,sir. That’s my cum and I’m not sharing.”
He fights a smirk, but the scowl quickly returns. The thick eleven that forms between his brows shouldn’t be such a turn on. “And you know Iwould never have agreed to that, even if Iwas in my room alone, don’t you?”
“I do. Ijust, Icouldn’t believe she would disrespect me like that, and Iwas fucking furious, okay! Iwas out of control. I’m not always in control like you are. She said you only wanted to get married and have babies with me so you have a permanent spot as a famous rock god, and that’s all you care about. That you’re just using me, and Ijust, I—”
“And you know that’s the cuntiest fucking lie, don’t you?”
A tear slips from my eye. “Yes.”
“Is there a part of you that believes her, Baby?”
“No! Itjust hurt, she said, everyone knows that but me and that it’s so obvious!”
“She said that to me when Iconfronted her, too.” His hands clench into fists, squeezing the leather so tight it may rip. “Made firing her feel extra good. Absolute manipulativebullshit.” He snakes his hand behind me so it’s firmly planted on my tattoo. “You really think Iwould’ve marked you,claimed youlike this, if Iwas just using you, Baby?”
“No.” I sniff.
“So, if you know you’re mine, you should know Idon’t want to wake up alone. Left. Abandoned.” Inotice the firm set of his jaw, attempting to ward off his old insecurities and even older trauma. Ican see how alone he used to feel, how it’s creeped back in. His eyes are shining with wet emotion, and Ican tell how it triggered him.
