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When he was satisfied that the room was secure, he kicked off his boots, removed his holstered gun, and set it on the nightstand.
“You okay, sweetness?” he asked, his voice rough. He looked her over as he undid his belt and stripped down to his boxer briefs.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“Okay. You’re safe. Don’t open the curtains or let anyone in. I’ve gotta take a quick nap. Wake me up if you need anything. I love you.” He smooched an air kiss to her, and flopped onto the bed without even pulling down the covers.
She smooched a kiss back. “I love you, too. Yours forever, Ry.”
A smile touched his lip as his breathing deepened, and he fell asleep almost immediately.
She approached him quietly and brushed her hand over his hair, smoothing it off his face. She appreciated everything he’d done for her and wished she had a way to make it up to him.
She kissed his temple softly, then went to take a hot shower.
She turned on the water and closed the glass door to let the shower heat up.
She tossed her hat on the counter and untwisted her hair, letting the strands fall loose around her shoulders.
She leaned against the counter and stared at herself in the mirror.
What was so special about her to draw all this unwanted attention?
Sure, she was in a successful band. But when it came down to the nitty-gritty, she was a normal woman who caught a lucky break at the right time. There was nothing about her worth obsessing over, photographing, or reporting to the masses. If she wasn’t in the band, no one would think twice about her.
The price of fame, Ryker had called it.
She loved playing music and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. But sometimes she felt like she’d sold herself in exchange for the privilege. Days like today really drove that home.
She stripped out of her clothes, grabbed some complimentary shampoo and body wash off the counter, and climbed into the shower.
She stood under the water for a few minutes, letting it wash away her self doubts. She tried to concentrate on emptying her mind, meditating, remaining calm... Tawny was big on the power of meditation and mind over matter. She always pushed the band to try it.
Jade ran her fingers through her hair, worked the shampoo into a thick, rosemary-mint scented lather, and sighed as the hot water flowed over her scalp.
The quiet in Jade’s mind didn’t last long. Once she stopped actively forcing her thoughts to be still, her anger simmered.
Either Tyler or Jake was Rosé. One of the people she’d laughed with, traveled with, and put her trust in over the past three years was the guy causing all this chaos. She felt a little betrayed — and a lot pissed off.
The band’s original security team — Max, Jake, and Tyler — controlled crowds while the band traveled, guarded the buses, checked the safety of the hotel suites, and were generally available if the band needed anything. They weren’t specialized bodyguards like VSS, but intense security had never been necessary before.
She’d trusted all those guys. She’d actually gone to Max when the first flowers showed up in her hotel room. He advised her to file a police report. She wondered if he had any idea that the stalker was one of his co-workers.
Then for Rosé — who was, in reality, one of the people supposed to protect her — to unleash the media and her own fans on her... the ultimate betrayal and such a dirty move.
As she scrubbed the body wash over her skin, she wondered what kind of PR release the band’s team was working on to fix this and how long it would take for life to go back to normal. They had people who were supposed to manage this kind of thing.
She wanted to have a relationship with Ryker without looking over their shoulders constantly. To have the chance to be normal with him.
But then, could they ever be normal? Ryker was a specialized security agent who owned his own business, and would have to move on for other jobs for VSS when Rosé was finally out of the picture. And Jade traveled most of her life — she didn’t even have a house or apartment of her own since she spent so little time in one place. She usually just stayed with Lyra or one of her brothers. Could their relationship withstand the time apart between her rockstar and his security lifestyles? Or would they become another sad statistic, like Ryker and his ex?
No, fuck that.
She and Ryker would find their own normal. They would blaze their own way if necessary. They would be happy. And she wouldn’t let anything or anyone stop them.
Jade rinsed off the soap, turned off the shower, and dried herself with a towel. She put on a fluffy hotel robe, then went out to wrap her body around the man she loved and hold him while he slept.
Chapter 20
