Page 51 of Before the Encore

Madison posed in Bonnie’s pink dressing gown, the length too short and riding up her thigh. “I think it brings out my eyes.” Bonnie couldn’t help but laugh, and Madison grinned. “Though it’s a little…breezy in places.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

Quiet settled. Madison crossed her arms, surveying the room, before looking back at Bonnie. “It’s a cool space.”

“Thank you.” Bonnie’s grip tightened on the neck of the guitar. She didn’t know what to say. Tension filled the room, walls pressing closer even though Madison hadn’t moved. “How long were you watching?” she asked, her attention pinned on her collection of vinyl.

“I only caught the last chorus. You should do an acoustic set. Your voice is awesome without all the frills.”

“Frills?”

She waved a hand. “You know what I mean. Without all the other stuff they add to pop music.”

Heat pricked her spine. “Excuse me?”

“Relax, princess. I’m paying you a compliment here.”

Memories tugged at her. “That’s it, princess. Show me how good it feels.”

Warmth unfurled low in her belly. “You shouldn’t have been listening to me.” Bonnie rose and crossed the room, returning her guitar to its place, her legs a little weak. She gritted her teeth, pushing the feeling away. Her hand tightened on the neck of the guitar before she released it. She needed to stop this. Now.

She couldn’t have a repeat of Olivia.

“Madison,” she started. “What happened last night…it can’t happen again.” When silence followed, Bonnie turned around.

Madison regarded her cooly, that steely gaze fixed on her. “What’s up? Afraid you can’t get enough?”

Bonnie swallowed, unnerved by Madison’s ability to read her so easily. She forced a scoff. “Get over yourself. It wasn’t even that good.”

Madison barked a laugh devoid of any humour and stepped forward. “So, you were grinding against my thigh, coming with my name in your mouth for what, to improve show morale?”

Bonnie couldn’t argue. She didn’t have a leg to stand on, and they both knew it. But what was she supposed to say? Everything with you is too confusing and complicated, Madison, and I have no idea whether I should trust you or run for the hills. They had three shows to perform, including one tonight. They needed to be clear where they stood. She needed to nip this in the bud. It would only end in tears—Bonnie’s tears.

“I just…I don’t do this. And I don’t do it with people like you.”

“People like me,” she repeated, her voice flat. Suddenly, the dressing gown became less funny and more sad as Madison seemed to shrink inside the pink fluff.

“You know what I mean.” Bonnie’s mind scrambled. “I’m not someone you can fuck and chuck, Madison. I don’t know who or how many women you have relations with, but I don’t do that. We have a working arrangement, and that’s it. Surely, you understand.”

Hurt flashed across Madison’s features before she squashed it. “Right.”

Silence dragged. Madison’s mouth hardened into a line. Bonnie needed to say something else. To fix this. Her pulse pounded, her mouth opened, but nothing came out.

Then Madison turned and left, each echoing footstep landing like a punch to her gut.

* * *

Bonnie’s nerves had been wound into knots all day as she replayed every word she’d said to Madison. Reliving every torturous and erotic moment until she sat squirming in her dressing room. Bonnie had been a bitch. She knew that to be true, but still, she didn’t know what to say to make it better. She didn’t know, and yet, she had to say something. That was why she’d sent Kelsie to bring Madison to her dressing room.

They had three shows left of the warm-up tour, including a trip to London, and then the album would release. After that, she could leave this confusing relationship with Madison behind and prep for her album tour. This was what she wanted—the success, proof she still had talent. She couldn’t jeopardise it all over this crush.

The very word made her want to puke. Admitting Bonnie had formed a crush on the Lipstick Fever frontwoman lumped her in with the masses swooning over Madison on social media. Worse, Bonnie knew just how unreliable and unpredictable the woman was, and yet she still succumbed to her charms.

She met her reflection, eyeshadow shimmering under the light. “Not her. Anyone but her.”

The last thing she wanted was to be involved in a scandal after the tour finished. She refused to be caught in Madison’s crossfire. But she still needed to smooth things over, or she’d never get through this show.

The minutes stretched; the sickness worsened.