Page 123 of Time Out

“What happened?”

I didn’t answer until we were around the corner, Maggie’s beautiful and strong lyrical voice in the middle of “Before He Cheats” that had every woman in the club screaming along with her.

Talented. So damn talented. Thank God I’d taken her to sing that night.

This was going to change her life. Ours. Hopefully all for the better.

“One of my teammates got in a fight,” I told Ruth as soon as we were granted access through the door leading to backstage. “I have no idea what’s going to happen, so I wanted us back here.”

“A fight? Why?”

Because sometimes blood family could be the most toxic of all. I couldn’t tell Ruth that.

“Not exactly sure.” No doubt Crystal had started it though.

That guy hadn’t been lying. When men were rejected by women, they typically turned it around on them, said she wanted it, or asked for it, or whatever other bullshit they came up with. That guy hadn’t touched her, and I believed him.

Crystal left a disastrous mess in her wake every time she came to stay with Dawson, left with a half-million dollars once he got tired of her shit, and then returned when she blew through the cash.

She was a waste of space, and I didn’t doubt for a second half of those funds went to their mom, who Dawson refused to have anything to do with.

We stayed backstage until Maggie was done. My phone was blowing up with updates of Dawson, who was getting a courtesy backseat trip to Nashville’s closest police department. I turned off my ringer once Cole told me that and didn’t look at it again.

I would not allow this to ruin my excitement for Maggie.

She jogged off the stage and threw her arms around me. I grabbed her ass and picked her up, swinging her around in a circle. “I did it! I really did it!”

“You killed it,” Brianna said. “Absolutely wonderful. Everything okay out front?” she asked me.

“Drama. It’s all good.” It wasn’t. Not even close.

“What drama?”

“Someone got in a fight!” Ruth said, and was she happy about that? “I think with like fists and everything?”

“What?” Maggie gasped. “Who? Why?”

“Dawson,” I admitted and set her on her feet. “But we’ll talk about that later. You were incredible up there, Maggie. So damn beautiful and sexy. Everyone out there absolutely loved you and the bar was packed. They came in off the streets like you’d hypnotized them.”

“Stop.” She blushed and smacked my chest.

“I’m not lying. You didn’t see the crowd?”

“I was too afraid to glance past the first few rows of people.”

At least that kept her from seeing Dawson basically shove a guy’s face into the bar. Nasty shit. That’d take a hot minute to scrub from my brain.

“Oh my gosh!” Belle rushed her and threw her arms around her. “Amazing! My dad is going to be so pissed, again, at me for not bringing you to him sooner! Love you girl, Lance and I are getting a drink. Need anything from me?”

Maggie shook her head, laughing at her friend. “I’m good.”

“Damn straight you are. You rocked this entire place tonight.” Belle gave her cheek kisses another squeeze and before I could get my hands back on her, Stella was there.

“Hey. Awesome work, babe!” Stella hugged Maggie, squeezed her so hard Maggie choked. “Proud of you. Told you you could do this. Just say I’m right.”

“You’re right, Stella,” Joshua drawled as he stepped past.

“Awesome set,” he said. “Happy to play with you anytime you need it.”

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