Page 141 of Five Summers

“You have a contract. Don’t think I won’t make a call,” he yells.

I snatch the bottle up and unscrew the lid. “Fuck off, Reg. Yeah, so what? I didn’t sign a contract that says you organize groupies to do whatever the fuck they want.”

“I won’t say it again, Xander. Get back in there.”

“And I’ll tell you again, Reg, go fuck yourself. Because I ain’t doing shit.”

“Where the fuck is she?” he yells, making his way towards the back of the bus.

Acting on instinct, I stride across and firmly grasp his arm, yanking him back. A look of shock spreads across his face.

“You go anywhere near her, and my fist will fuck up your face,” I shout, my words forcefully spewing out.

Reg’s eyes widen at the intensity of my threat. “She was hired to keep you under control, not to be your fuck buddy. And by the way, she has already violated her contract.”

I forcefully push him into a panel on the side of the wall, my hand twisting his shirt. “You leave her out of this, you hear me? This is strictly between you and me, asshole. It always has been. And we both know that none of this would’ve happened if you didn’t pull the shit you do.” My face is inches from his.

“You dare lay a finger on me, and it will be the end of you.”

“No, it will be the fucking end for you if you try that shit again, like you just did in there.”

‘Xander, stop,’ Poppy says from somewhere in the bus.

As soon as I hear Poppy’s voice, my senses snap back into focus. I turn my head to find her standing there, clearly having witnessed everything unfold. However, that is not my immediate concern. What worries me is her pale complexion and disheveled hair, which is sticking to the side of her sweaty face.

Without hesitation, I release my grip on Reg, pushing him back into the wall.

‘Asshole,’ he grumbles.

Normally, I wouldn’t let that slide, but my immediate concern is for Poppy.

“Are you sick?” I ask.

“No, I’m fine,” she replies.

“Don’t lie to me, Princess,” I add sternly. “I can clearly see you’re not.”

I grab her arm and gently lead her to the big couch. Reg stands nearby, silent, knowing that if he dares to speak up, he’ll quickly feel the force of my fist.

“It’s okay, Xander, there’s no need to make a big deal out of it,” she says, her tone indicating that she simply wants me to let it go.

“You heard the girl. She’s fine,” Reg adds.

I don’t bother looking at him, but I can feel his scrutinizing gaze on my skin. If I were to look at him now, I would completely lose it, but right now, all I care about is Poppy.

Ace, Theo, and Nate make their way onto the bus.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Reg spits out, moving towards the three of them.

“After that stunt you just pulled, we decided to call it a night,” Ace responds.

Ace’s unexpected response and tone towards Reg catches me off guard. As I glance up, I notice that Theo and Nate are equally taken aback. It has always been Ace who has supported Reg andthe label for the past few years. Therefore, seeing him react in this manner is new to all of us.

“Don’t you fucking start. You know what’s a stake,” Reg snaps back with a glare.

“Yeah, well, maybe there’s a few things you’ve been doing that the label needs to know about,” I add, gently lowering Poppy onto the couch. Her skin feels feverish and clammy as if she's running a high temperature. “How long have you been feeling like this?” I ask Poppy, my tone firmer.

“I’m fine, Xander. Just stop fussing.”

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