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Sparks whips open the dressing room door, finding me immediately. “Time to go.”
“Keep it short. And no fucking touching,” I warn. Meet-and-greets weren’t part of the original deal. They’re something I agreed to later.
“I’ve already warned them. Just trust me.”
“Where’s Tinsley?”
She sighs and ushers me into the hallway. It’s empty but noisier than the dressing room. “Already there. She said she wasn’t going to let you do the meet-and-greet alone.”
I don’t reply. My relief is too strong for me to form words.
“All you have to do is say hello and sign whatever they give you. Just no blank sheets of paper. It will only be ticket VIPs, and they’ve been briefed on the time they’re allowed to take with you.”
With a tug on my arm, Sparks stops us just before we reach the door to another room. My ears still ring from the show, and the noise inside is loud.
“If you need anyone to intervene, just signal one of us over. Are you ready?” she asks.
I would rather walk over a bed of nails. “Yeah.”
“Great. Knock ’em dead, Rockstar.”
Following her to the room, I wipe all expression off my face and look around. Security guards watch the line of people from the back and front, appearing alert enough. Sparks leads me to the front of the line beside a guard with his arms crossed and a concentrated stare scouring the room.
I keep searching for Tinsley, and once I find her, I take my first full breath since I was crouching onstage. She’s standing behind me a few feet, too far away.
“Why is she back there?” I ask Sparks, accusation heavy in the question.
Sparks heaves a sigh and leans toward me to say, “Garrison wanted it that way. She can be here, but not too close.”
I turn on her then, standing at my full height. Anger swells in my veins until they threaten to pop. “Do you work for me or Garrison?”
Anger fills her eyes, but she keeps a tight leash on it. “You.”
“That’s right. So, it should be me you take orders from, right?”
She huffs. “What if I told you that against my better judgment, when it comes to this, I agree with him? One photo of you and Tinsley together tonight, and it will be on the news by morning. You aren’t capable of keeping your distance from her, and everyone knows it. Believe it or not, we’re all trying to help you right now. You have a bigger following now than you did this time last year.”
My laugh is shallow, humourless. “Keep her from me again and I will end you. Don’t push me, Sparks.”
With gritted teeth, she says, “Fine. It’s your funeral.”
“Wouldn’t you rather it be mine than yours?” I flash my teeth and spin back to Tinsley.
She doesn’t wait for me to ask before coming over. I barely restrain myself from grabbing her and holding her to me.She doesn’t want that, Noah.
“You belong beside me,” I growl at her.
She smiles softly. Her fingers flex at her side, but she relaxes them a beat later. “Don’t be hard on Sparks. She just wants the best for you. Sometimes, you have to give people a chance to prove that to you.”
“She should start with not listening to Garrison,” I grumble.
“Stubborn,” she chides with a look behind me. “The faster you go speak to all your fans, the faster we can leave.”
“Fine.”
The rush of adrenaline has slowed enough that my mind should be clearer, but my arousal has only grown with Tinsley’s close proximity. I should have known better than to get close to her right now, but the thought of her staying away . . .
A few brief conversations and photos, and it’s done. Then I can take Tinsley away from here. I’ll settle then.
