Page 126 of Don't Bang a Bandmate

“I’ll talk to her, Mr. Monroe,” Christian says behind us. “I’m sure it’s all just a big mis?—”

“Go get her, you idiot!”

Priscilla and I take quick strides toward the elevator. Adrenaline rushes through my veins, making it difficult to walk in a straight line, but we make it to the elevator. While we wait for it to ascend the tower, my heart pounds in my chest, each beat another tense moment between us and freedom.

“Jordan!” Christian catches up as the elevator doors slide open. “Wait a minute. Where are you going?”

“I’m sorry, Christian,” I say as I step on with Priscilla. “I don’t think it’s going to work out between us.”

“Why not?”

“Because you lied to me. And I could never manage talent I can’t trust. Also, your new sound?” I shrug.“It’s been done.”

His face hardens.“Bitch,”he spits. “Whatever. Come on, Prissy. Monroe wants to talk to you.”

She screws up her nose. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”

As Christian glares with confusion, I look at her and smile.

“Shirley Temple?” I say to her.

“Yup.” In the blink of an eye, the sharp edges of her expression soften and my friend Chrissy emerges. “It’s me.”

“Good to have you back.”

“You’re telling me.” She turns to Christian, whose face has sunken completely as he looks at his former manager. “I was rooting for you, Chris,” she says disappointedly. “I truly was.”

Christian looks down as the elevator closes.

Chrissy’s arm loops around my shoulders. “Now,thatwas fun,” she says with a grin.

“Not out of the woods yet,” I say, my eyes on the slowly descending floor numbers.

“Oh, come on.” She squeezes me. “Admit it. Aren’t you even just a little bit horny right now?”

To that, I have to smile, but my stomach continues turning all the way down.

The moment the elevator opens, we bolt across the lobby, keeping our eyes and ears open for security as we escape to the entrance.

Outside, we walk eagerly down the busy street. Two blocks down, we take a right turn into the nearest park, navigating toward our meeting place.

We spot the black car waiting for us by the curb at the end of the next street. Slowing our stride, we approach the tinted windows.

One of them slides open, revealing Logan Shock sitting inside. He tilts his face downward, peeking over the stark black sunglasses balanced on the bridge of his nose.

“So, how’d it go?” he asks.

Chrissy steps forward, happy to pass off the cursed handbag — the same handbag Priscilla used to spy on Harmony back in Seattle.

He takes it from her and hands it off to someone else in the car. “I guess that means it went well,” he quips.

I nod. “Should be more than enough to prove Monroe is dirty,” I say.

“We shall see.” He bows his head. “You ladies have a good day in the city now.”

“Shock.”I lean closer to the window. “You knew Christian was working with Monroe. Why didn’t you tell us?”

His smile never dips. “Never interrupt your enemy while they’re making a mistake,” he says. “Besides, I knew you’d figure it out. You seem to have your head on a little straighter thanothersin your camp.”

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