Page 122 of Don't Bang a Bandmate

“And you?” She looks at Jonah and shakes her head. “I expect more from you, Jo. So does Marla.”

Jonah takes that hit, his eyes closing at the mention of his fiancée, who surely isn’t thrilled right about now. She forgavehim after that fight against Logan in Seattle. Who knows how she’ll react to this one?

“Luckily, Ira’s already called Vincent to smooth things over with the bar. He’s not happy, but at least we aren’t banned for life anymore.”

Knox gasps. “We were banned?”

“Yes.”

He pouts. “No more cherry-cherry cupcakes?”

Jordan glares at him.

He eases back a step. “Sorry.”

“No.” Jordan shakes her head. “No, you’re not sorry, Knox. You’re never sorry.” She scoffs. “You know, just when I think that maybe, just maybe, you’ve finally grown up, you do something like this. Again and again and I’m always the one who has to come in and clean up your mess. I’m sick of it!”

“Jordan,” Jonah says, now channeling a little of that genetic executive vibe. “Maybe we should wait and talk about this elsewhere.”

“Yeah,” Knox says. “Get us out of here.”

“I’m not here to get you out.” Jordan looks at Christian. “I’m here for him.”

Him?

Christian smiles as the guard steps forward and unlocks the doors.

“Whoa, whoa,” Knox says, standing back as the guard silently orders him to. “He’s working with Monroe, Jordan! He’s sabotaging us!”

Jordan doesn’t blink. “I know,” she says.

Knox and Jonah go quiet.

I stand up. “Jordan, what are you doing?” I ask her.

“What I should have done weeks ago,” she answers as Christian steps out of the cell and stands beside her. “I’m taking Monroe’s offer and moving to New York City.”

Knox steps toward the cage. “What? Jordan, what are you talking about?”

“Yeah,” Jonah says, joining him. “Why?”

“Because he was right,” Jordan says, her eyes full of disappointment as she looks at each of us, one-by-one. “I doeverythingfor you, but what do you ever do for me? Besides make my life harder. You’re nothing but a pain in my ass most days, and I don’t want to spend the rest of my professional life cleaning up after you.”

“Wait, Jordan,” Jonah says, still channeling his father. “Let’s talk about this. Please.”

“Yeah, what are we supposed to do?” Knox asks.

“That’s not my problem anymore,” she says, her face so worn. So tired. “August will fill in as your manager until you can find a replacement. Or don’t. I honestly don’t care.”

As she steps back, Knox and Jonah push forward again, ready to fight for her. But I stay back, somehow still standing, my heart tearing in half as if her words were a sharp, serrated knife.

Jordan. My Jordan.

Fuck, I’m sorry.

It never should have come to this.

“Stella should be here soon,” she says, adjusting her handbag over her shoulder. “She’ll decide what to do with you.”

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