Page 94 of Conquest

Jesse clipped Achilles’s leash to his collar. “And you really need to get some more rest, so don’t go into the studio tonight.”

“I won’t. I’ll get some more rest.”

“Good. Well, I’ll see you around.”

Evan lifted his eyes to him. “Hey, Jess. I really appreciate what you’ve done.”

Jesse stopped in the doorway with his back to him. “If that’s true, then pull yourself together. When Conquest beats you on the charts, I want to know you were at your best. Not this lame shadow of a singer that once was.” He looked at Evan. “Act like the man I gave that ring to,” he said softly, and walked away.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

“Jesse, you can’t back out now.” Greg stood with his arms folded across his chest in an attempt to look stern.

Jesse looked up at him while stretching his muscles in preparation for hitting the stage. “Watch me.”

“You agreed to be his opening act,” Greg insisted. “The arrangements have already been made.”

“Then unmake them. Every show we’re booked for has sold out within minutes. Why the hell would I want to be someone’s opening act when we’re headlining our own sold-out tour?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Greg said, his sarcasm thick. “Maybe because you’ll be joining him after your sold-out tour wraps up. Maybe because the venues he plays are double, triple, quadruple, the size of the ones Conquest is hitting. Maybe because his tour is a world tour.”

Jesse stretched one arm above his head and bent to the side. “Then book us in venues that are quintuple the size we play now and we’ll outsell him.”

Greg snorted. “I have no doubt that someday you’ll be able to compete against Evan on a more equal level, but not now.”

“I can do it now!” Jesse marched across the dressing room and stood inches from Greg. “‘Shattered’ is going to hit as a single two weeks after his first single comes out, and I guarantee, it will be the Number One song above him.”

Greg shifted backward as though forced away by Jesse’s intensity. “We’ll see.” He cleared his throat. “But if that does happen, then you have to see the benefit in the two of you teaming up for his tour.”

“Yeah, benefit to him in being able to sell tickets because it’ll be the only way people will get to see Conquest live.”

Greg turned in frustration to face the rest of the band. “What about you guys? Don’t you get a say?”

Kenny shrugged. “It’s better if we just do what our fearless leader wants. Things go a lot smoother that way.”

Jesse grinned at Kenny and dropped down to a full split.

Trish tipped her head in an admiring gaze. “That’s impressive.”

“And I’m even more flexible,” Brandon chimed in.

Julian gave him a flirtatious smile. “Really?”

Brandon leaned closer to him. “Really.”

“Stop it!” Jesse demanded, pointing at them. “It’s like watching my biological brother and my adopted brother hit on each other.”

“So you’re really not going to do it?” Greg interjected.

“Are you still on that?” Jesse said, snapping himself back into a standing position.

Greg rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. “Why do I put myself through this?”

“You’re a glutton for self-punishment?” Jesse suggested.

Greg glared at him from between his fingers, then dropped his hands from his face. “I took on all the responsibilities of Conquest to see that the job was done right, especially since the illustrious manager of Conquest, you, has been too busy to handle things.” He exhaled a loud sigh. “Fine. I’m not going to hound you about it anymore tonight since you’ve got to focus for the stage, but I should let you know, I booked you and Evan to sing a duet on New Year’s Eve in Times Square.”

“You did what!”