Page 69 of Crave

by Keane

I’d been ready to grab an Uber and drive out to the country to talk to Landon in person when her texts finally came through. I read through them like a maniac, trying to calm my rapidly beating heart.

I saw the pic with your new groupie. Planned? Or…

Crap. That was something I’d wanted to warn her about but not over text. Guess it went out into the cloud verse and she saw it. I rubbed my head, cursing. But that wasn’t the real problem anymore. I had to tell her about Max.

I dialed her into Facetime and hoped she picked up. When her face came on my screen, my entire body seized up and calmed at the same time. God, I missed her.

“Adam?”

“Landon.” I repeated her name in the deep voice she responded to when I needed her to focus. I could seeimmediately she looked frantic and almost fragile, which made me want to lose my fucking mind. “Breathe, sweetheart.”

Blue eyes wide, she immediately responded and sucked in air. Let it out slow. Then stared at the screen.

“Good girl.”

Heat flared even though we were miles away and a needy whimper escaped her mouth. I got hard in an instant and fought to keep my focus. There was too much going on and I needed to be clear. “I couldn’t get a hold of you. The connection here is crap and there was an accident that knocked out power.”

“It’s okay. I’m here now.”

She nodded and I sensed her calming. “I miss you. It’s a shit show here. When do you leave?”

“Late tonight. Tell me everything that’s happening with the show. With you. With that asshole you were kissing.”

She visibly shuddered. Licked her full lips. I waited it out though my gut clenched. “I didn’t know they were filming,” Landon admitted. “Clayton said he was nervous and didn’t want to kiss me on camera for the first time. He was sweet and seemed overwhelmed. Asked if I could just give him a peck to make him more comfortable so I did. It was nothing, Adam, I swear. Then I looked around and cameras were filming.”

I believed her. The kiss had been edited to look like something more, but I still hated the idea of any man’s mouth on hers. I gave a tight nod. “Okay. Not gonna lie. I still want to rip his face off.”

She gave me a smile. “Same way I felt when I saw that girl with her naked tits pressed against you. What was that about?”

“Bullshit. JJ had all these influencers come to our last gig and take pics. I guess she posted? I didn’t even get her name. It was nothing.”

A pause. “I believe you.”

Yeah, believing each other didn’t seem to be our problem. The bigger issue was continuing on this blind trust when we were separated for three months and hit with viral bullshit. Groupies and castmates. Producers and managers. Performing for others at the expense of this relationship.

“I’m glad,” I said. “But we’ve only been apart a few days and already it’s a shit show. Why do you look upset, Landon? What’s going on with the cast?”

She filled me in on the voting mess. The fighting. The way Brody and Clayton were beginning to heat up regarding who’d be with her. How she walked away and told them off.

It was the stuff she wasn’t saying that I noticed. How the crew pushed her in their direction so they could film drama and angst that sold a show. How they were using Landon as a prop and a trope for the audience. This would come out badly for her. Instead of making her a household name, it could ruin what she really wanted.

I seethed with frustration. “It’s so obvious what they want. This isn’t a reality show. It’s scripted like a soap opera and you’ll end up the villain.”

“I know. But Brody said I committed and it could blow up the show and everyone if I don’t work with the producers. I think he’s right. I can’t be here always worried about looking bad or getting you upset.”

I stiffened. “You’re saying you want to go full in on this drama with them?”

“No! I’m saying I need to fake it and hear from your lips that it won’t matter!”

I squeezed my eyes shut and felt Landon slip away a little more. I’d gotten sidetracked. I needed to deal with the Max issue. “It won’t. Don’t ask me to like it. I’m away while you’re playing kissing games with two men, but I will accept it. And no, I’d never use it against you. I swore I’d support your choicesand I will, Landon. Just make sure it’s what you want more than anything else.”

She blinked, leaning in toward the phone. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

“Will it be the same? With you in LA, getting pushed to do PR stuff?”

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