Page 65 of Reckless

Wait… She’s what?

Chapter 17

The hotel is quiet, given the late hour. When I knock on the door to the penthouse suite, I’m not surprised to see Riggs, Solene’s bodyguard, open the door. He looks up and down the hallway, like I’m going to have someone with me who is going to hurt her.

Rolling my eyes, I walk into the suite.

“Well, if it isn’t the elusive Mr. Smallwood.”

Solene is lounging on one of the plush couches in the sitting room. She’s wearing a flowing white dress, is barefoot, and her platinum blonde hair is swept into an elaborate braid over her shoulder. A quick look around tells me there is a wet bar and I head straight for it.

There is no sign of Ethan, although he’s in town. He’s either out partying, or in another room. I’m still pissed at them for coming here. If they want to give away where I am, then it would have been easier posting it on the band’s Instagram page.

Solene assured me no one knows. They took the label’s jet and haven’t shown their faces. Riggs did all the checking in for them.

It is never foolproof. As of yet, I haven’t decided if I’m going to lose my shit or not.

Riggs disappears into another room, used to protecting the band but giving us privacy when we need it. I pour out a glass of tequila, then walk back across the room and sit on the edge of the couch facing her.

She has said nothing else since I walked in. Her brow arches. I down the tequila and put the glass on the coffee table. “Why are you here?”

“He speaks.” She sits up and spins, placing her bare feet on the carpet. “And look at you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” I lean back, putting both arms on either side of the back of the couch. I’m not going to let her off the hook by answering the question.

“All healthy and sparkling eyes.”

I sigh. “What are you doing here, Sol?”

Solene looks off to the side before facing me. “I wanted to make sure you were alright. And you weren’t answering your phone.”

“I didn’t have it with me.”

“How was I supposed to know that? For all I know, your travelling companion might have chopped off your head and buried your other body parts across the mid-west.”

The thought of that is laughable. One minute in Krista’s presence and Sol would know. I can’t fault her for being worried. It isn’t like me to ignore her calls.

Krista understood me coming here to meet with Solene. She’d offered to drive me, but I didn’t want to put her out, so got an Uber, and came straight up to the room without having to interact with anyone. I didn’t want her waiting up for me, so told her I’d crash here with Solene.

She hid it well, but I could see the question in her eyes about Sol and me. I’ve already explained our relationship to her, but it’s nice to know she is jealous, even if only a little. I’d rather still be at the RV than here.

“Did you even read the background report Luther did on her?” Solene gets up, stretches, and walks to the bar. “Thanks for getting me a drink, by the way.”

I frown. I got the background check in an email from Luther days ago, but I never opened it. Anything I need to know about Krista, I can learn on my own.

“You didn’t read it,” Solene deduces from my silence. After grabbing a bottle of sparkling water, she spins around and leans her back against the bar, sipping her drink and holding it near her mouth so she can look over it at me. “So, you don’t know she’s married?”

“What?” My body jolts at hearing that and my heart crashes in my chest. She’s married?

Solene chuckles and I see right through her. She’s lying. “That isn’t funny.”

“I knew it,” she says with a triumphant look. “You’re into her. In a big way.”

“Why the fuck would you do that?” I don’t need to ask. Solene finds this hilarious. I get up, my fists clenching. My life and my relationships aren’t a fucking joke.

“Because you will never be honest with me about her.” She walks back to the couch and sits down. “Which means there is more going on. You can’t hide anything from me, Jude. I know you too well.”

When all she gets in response is a glare, she rolls her eyes.

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