Page 46 of Finding Emotion

Damon shrugged. “Skylar’s not exactly an open book.”

Malcolm nodded his agreement. “But you are.”

Damon flushed under his gaze. “Don’t say it.” He’d probably looked like a whipped puppy the whole time.

Malcolm’s attention flicked to the door. “I’m just a bit surprised. I wouldn’t have said she was your type.”

Damon raised an eyebrow. “I have a type?”

“Hell, Dame, you’re a big old softy inside.”

“That’s rich, coming from the biggest softy of our group.”

“I’ve got my rough spots.” Malcolm reached for his empty glass.

“You’ve always taken care of all of us.” Damon rubbed his damp hand against his jeans. It was ridiculous, his nerves. “Is it so bad that I kind of want to take care of someone?”

“Not bad,” Malcolm murmured. “I felt that way about Celia. It’s amazing, the person she’s becoming. I don’t regret making her my priority for as long as I did.” His eyes shifted, and his face got that new look. “With Jami, it’s different. Yeah, I want to take care of her, but she takes care of me too.”

Damon stared at his friend.

Malcolm shifted, his hand reaching for his ponytail again. “Damn, that sounded weak, didn’t it?”

“No. You’re in love.” The word made his breath catch in his throat.

“Yeah,” Malcolm agreed, glancing at Jami again before he started collecting glasses.

Damon sighed, shoving away from the bar. “I should get back.”

“Good luck,” Malcolm said. When Damon paused, Malcolm smiled at him. “You’re going to need it.”

Damon couldn’t disagree.

Chapter 18

Mandy hadn’t stayed for long. She hadn’t needed to, not when Skylar laughed off the interview and told her she was amused more than angry. It hadn’t been Jack, not exactly.

Skylar stared down at her muted phone, watching Sorcha smirk back at her as she took the worst day of Skylar’s life and twisted it into gossip. Sorcha had been the one to convince Skylar to run away as a teenager, that her voice was too unique not to give the band a shot. That she’d be her big sister instead of Jami.

What a fucking joke. Skylar tossed her phone toward the bed.

Sorcha had told the media that Skylar had always been more into consensual orgies than a single guy. Like that’s what that night fucking was.

Skylar sat against the wall with the lights turned off. She wasn’t going to have a panic attack over a bitch like that. No, her breathing was nice and slow.

It was her mind that was running in circles, trying to show her memories she didn’t want to see. There was no way it’d quiet down enough for her to sleep tonight. She should have taken Mandy up on the offer to use the college space. Only she hadn’t wanted her manager to stick around. Skylar didn’t want anyone to see her.

Her head pressed against the wall as the ding of the elevator finally came. Damon was back. She took a deeper breath, her eyes burning as she stared into the dark. Her light was off. He had no reason to think she was awake.

He might not have seen the interview yet. Except his manager was a fan of hers. Hell, his media people had to be following Skylar’s feeds as closely as his with the whole dating thing. Sorcha had even brought him up.

Skylar told her brain to shut up. Winter Dust Storm wasn’t even popular anymore, which was why Sorcha had done it. If she couldn’t feed off Skylar’s name, Damon Lynch was so much better.

The text she’d gotten had only pissed Skylar off more. What did she give a shit if Jack knew or not? Like she believed anything he said, anyway. He liked to shove blame aside.

Sorcha’s braying laugh filled Skylar’s ears, caught in the edges of her memory just as her presence had been during that time. “Damn, she’s coming again. How are you ever going to satisfy her after this, Jack?”

“Shut up,” Jack had snarled as he continued to press down on Skylar’s shoulders. He’d stared into Skylar’s eyes, slightly blurry even from that close, but his anger had still been obvious.

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