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Jagger caught her hand. “Come see me later.”
Mack rubbed his hands over his face. “I think we need to settle down before we have this talk.”
Jones shook his head and stared down at me. “You’re not going to back down, are you?”
My stomach tightened. “I’m not. I love y’all so much,toomuch to let you suffer because of me. I would never forgive myself. I don’t want to lose y’all. You know that’s not what I’m saying. You just have to take care of your career for a while. When this is fixed, we can make it official again.”
Xavier looked away. “When this is fixed… So, maybe we can be together in six months? A year? Two years? How long does it take public opinion to sway towards the truth? A decade?”
Tears peppered my eyes. “I don’t know.”
“No.” Mack growled. “We walk away from you like this and there’s nothing to guarantee we can fix it. It’s a risk I’m not going to take.”
“You don’t have a choice!” I shouted and jabbed my finger at the door. “You have to go.”
“The hell we do.” Mack swatted my finger away. “I love you, Layla. That’s not something I’m willing to walk away from.”
Jones dropped his head and let out an angry laugh. “You’re killing us. You still don’t get how much we love you. If you did, you’d know that we don’t give a shit about the band compared to the way we feel about you. You would never ask us to walk away if you understood the way we care about you. You’re so fucking stubborn, though, Layla. You think you know the right way, but you’re wrong. Standing here, arguing while Jagger needs to rest and heal isn’t going to convince you that you’re wrong, though.”
I kept my head held high as I fought the urge to sob.
“I’m going to go and fix this. When I do it, you’re going to owe me big, Layla. You’re going to have so much to make up to me for pulling this the day after you told us you love us. You have no idea.” Jones grabbed my arm and tugged me into his chest. Planting a kiss on top of my head, he sighed. “I love you, Firecracker. When this is done, we’re going on a vacation and your ass is mine.”
A tear escaped but I wiped it away in a hurry as he let me go and shook Jagger’s hand before leaving the room. My heart broke, despite it being my idea.
Mack gripped my arms and gave me a gentle shake. “Never again. I love you. If you so much as suggest something like this again, I’ll chain you to the bed.”
I closed my eyes after he walked out and I was left with Xavier. I stared up at him, unable to stop the tears from slowly falling down my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Xavier.”
He growled at me and took a step back. “If I touch you, I’ll never leave. Since that’s what you want so bad, I’ll go. This isn’t willing, though, Layla.”
Alex hurried to follow Xavier out and Grandma rushed after Alex. I was alone with Jagger, something that would’ve brought me so much pleasure before everything else, before I’d forced the guys I loved to leave me.
Jagger looked up at me calmly and raised his eyebrows. “Well. You played the martyr. Congratulations.”
I closed my eyes and sank into the chair next to his bed. “It was the right thing to do.”
“You’re an idiot, Layla.” He sighed. “There were other ways to handle this. I don’t doubt that they’ll be back, but you owe them. Leaving just broke each of them and when they’re alone tonight, they’re not going to blame you. They’re going to blame themselves. You forced them to leave you here. I love you, sis, but you fucked up.”
I swallowed and told myself he was wrong. “It’ll be okay. It’s better for them this way.”
“And if they don’t come back?”
I felt like my chest was ripped open. I couldn’t form words as that possibility settled over me. Life without them long term?
51
Mack
Itappedmyfootnervously and looked at the clock for the hundredth time. There were still two minutes until we were live. I looked over at Xavier and Jones and frowned when I saw that Xavier looked completely at ease. “How are you so calm?”
He looked at me and shrugged. “I’m determined.”
Jones blew out a harsh sigh. “I’m going to leave my handprint all over her ass when we get back. I’m not kidding. She needs a good spanking. Maybe then she’ll learn to listen. “
Xavier and I raised our brows at him.
He swore. “Yeah, I know. She’s never going to listen. She’s as stubborn as a mule and I’m going to figure out the secret to getting around her stubbornness someday.”
