Page 44 of Perfect Storm

I didn't tell the rest of the guys, but I called her when I heard rumors about her doing the tell all. She met me at a bar and I begged her not to do it. Riley may come across as the blonde, innocent, sweet girl next door, but she can be devious when she wants to be.

Problem is, now she is seeing what she’s lost. And not just Nash, which pisses me off more. The band is taking off, with a world tour being discussed. She is starting out at the bottom of the pile at a new record label. And from what she said, things aren't running as smoothly as she thought. So yeah, she is bitter about more than losing Nash.

He would have given her the fucking world. She could have been celebrating our successes. All she cares about is screwing over Red Alert because of her bad choices.

We argued, and I’m pretty sure I made the situation worse, because she left even more determined to destroy us. Hence, why I haven’t told the guys.

And why I got fucked up blind drunk. Then went home with a model I’d bumped into in the VIP area of the bar I was at.

The only saving grace that night, I was too drunk to have sex with Jasmine, even though I told the guys I did. No one wants to admit they got whisky dick.

Then there is the fact that I actually really like Jasmine’s sister. I’ve met both of them many times.

Mae is Jasmine’s manager, she created her sister’s persona and pushed her career, and now Jasmine is one of the top models around. Not supermodel status, but I can see her getting there.

I’d never admit it out loud, but Mae is way hotter than her model sister.

Mae isn’t interested in a guy like me. She got my measure pretty early on. We’ve talked a bit, and I got her to smile a few times, and I thought, for a millisecond, there might be some interest reciprocated. I was breaking down her incredibly high walls and getting to know more about her.

Then I went and took her sister home and Mae saw. She will never believe nothing happened. So that ship has well and truly sailed.

I don’t know what I feel. I feelsomething. Guilt, maybe. Regret? Jasmine isn’t even my type. At the time, I felt bad about not performing but afterwards I felt relief.

Luckily, Jasmine was almost as drunk and still passed out when I left her apartment to get to the airport.

My brain flashes back to Mae as she watched me leaving the club with her sister. I wasn’t discrete about it, my hands on her ass, one up her skirt.

Mae's eyes landed there, narrowed in disapproval and for a moment I hesitated. Then she turned her head as if she didn’t care one way or the other I was about to fuck her sister.

It put an end to any chance of being with Mae. She won’t come within a hundred feet of someone who’s been with her sister. Even if nothing happened.

“Move, asshole,” Ciro’s voice breaks into my thoughts.

Everyone has boarded the bus except us. Ciro looks like a stick has fucked him in the ass, and I want to laugh. It will just make him surlier.

He is an acquired taste for sure, but I like him well enough. Being the only two single guys left in the band, we stick together.

Shit, that isn’t even true. I ask him to come out and enjoy himself, he gives me those dead eyes of his. No need for words to tell me that will not happen.

One on one, though, we get on. He doesn’t like many humans. Brooke, though, I see him hankering after her. It is a lost cause, that woman is so far into Archer Harris, there is no way he’ll get between them.

I only see it more clearly than everyone else because I kinda, sorta have that unrequited thing going on, too.

Fuck, I have to stop thinking about Mae.

“Let’s do this.” I clap my hands and rub them together, making Ciro roll his eyes.

I board the bus, looking around at the varying different facial expressions on the occupants.

My eye catches Elsa’s and a cute little pink blush stains her cheeks, but she smiles. I wink, then look at Nick, who is watching me.

He collared me this morning and asked I keep what happened last night under wraps. It offended me he even had to ask. But I slapped his shoulder and made a zipping motion over my lips.

Nothing will ever come of that. It’s clear it was a onetime thing, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it woke something in them. They seem like that kind of couple. Not a lot of guys would allow another man to watch him fuck his girl.

Alessa is sitting at the front, her ear pods in, listening to music. Jordan is sprawled beside her. He can’t just sit. He’s always slouched. It’s natural, nothing is forced about Jordan. He’s looking out of the window but holds her hand.

I head to the back where there are empty seats and Ciro sits a couple of seats over from me.

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