Page 69 of The Stalker

Tatiana’s cheeks flamed with heat, and she pulled her eyes away from Hayden to look at him.

“Do you want to say something more than you said before, Jesse?”

“I think you know what I’m thinking. I have a question for you, though. Are you sure you’re able to keep him safe?”

Tatiana’s jaw tightened and she narrowed her eyes at him. Yes, she’d been flirting with Hayden, but she laid down the law with him in the music room earlier.

Except you were literally flirting with him before this soundcheck.

No, she wasn’t flirting with him. He was flirting with her, and she had attempted to stop him from doing it.

“There are a lot of things I don’t know, but I do know that I’m the best person to keep Hayden safe.”

“If you’re sure. Just be sure.”

Tatiana turned her gaze back to Hayden onstage, where he was talking to Gabriel about the transition after his solo. She was sure. She had to be sure. He couldn’t be hurt.

She made herself focus on the entire arena for the rest of the soundcheck. She walked down to the area that Hayden and his friends called ‘the Pit’ with Jesse to see what his position would be.

Then, she returned backstage and was watching the performance when she heard someone loudly say, “Fuck!”

She looked over and saw a roadie with a shaved head and a blonde goatee picking up a collection of items he’d dropped. Tatiana strode over to help him, and his eyes widened when he saw her as she handed an in-ear monitor to him.

“Oh, thank you so much,” he smiled at her.

“Not a problem,” she smiled back.

“I swear, I’m not normally such a klutz. Someone needs to tape down that cable.” He nodded his head to a cable nearby.

“Definitely seems like a safety hazard,” she nodded.

“Clearly. Anyway, I’m Daniel. I’d shake your hand, but—” he lifted the full load in his arms.

“I can see that,” she laughed.

“Are you with the band?” he asked.

He looked her over again, clearly appreciating her body, but she could tell he was trying to figure out if she was single or not because he also looked at her left hand.

“Yeah, I am.”

She didn’t give any more information than that, and he smiled at her. “Cool. Well, I’m one of the roadies. If you ever need anything, let me know. I’d better get this stuff where it needs to go.”

He nodded at her and continued on his way, giving her one last look over his shoulder as he did. Tatiana returned to her position to better watch the rest of the soundcheck. When it was over, Hayden came offstage, sweaty and smiling brightly.

“Was it good?” he asked.

“Very. You guys are always great,” she nodded.

“Okay, I have to go get changed. All of our families and friends are coming for a party for Heather’s birthday before the concert.” He glanced quickly at Tatiana, then added, “And Blake will be coming, too.”

Blake. She wondered when Hayden would break up with him. Before or after the concert? She didn’t respond, just walked with him back to his dressing room. When they got there, Tatiana followed Hayden inside, avoiding Jesse’s eyes as she did. She closed the door behind her, shutting Jesse and his judgment out of the room.

“I’m going to shower.” Hayden headed to the bathroom but stopped in the doorway and turned to grin at her. “I’d offer for you to join me, but I won’t do that until I’m single.”

Fucking hell.

“And I will say no because we’re just friends, and friends don’t shower together,” she told him in as calm a voice as she could manage.

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