Page 5 of Undeniable Temptation

The room fell quiet under the threatening tone. Ryan looked to Sean for guidance, who glanced to Blake, the domino effect hitting each band member until they were all staring at Leah, silently asking for permission to put this asshole in his place.

“I would’ve thought our ticket sales gave us the luxury of more paid publicity.” Her words were tight, clipped, yet her enticing lips were still curved in that friendly charade. “The tour’s almost sold out.”

Damn, he admired her. She always knew how to act—what to say or what to do—to make people pay attention and take her seriously.

For the duration of his marriage, it had bothered him to contemplate her qualities. He’d already been committed to Julie when they met, and thinking of another woman didn’t feel right, no matter how platonic. Now things were different. So devastatingly different his chest reacted whenever they were in the same room. His wife was gone, or soon would be, and he no longer harbored guilt for admiring Leah the way he’d wanted to for years. She deserved his appreciation. Only problem was, she’d made it clear she didn’t want it.

“Yes, you’re right,” Scott agreed. “Tickets are almost sold out. But Grander has decided those sales aren’t as high as they could be.”

“Greedy much?” Blake drawled. “The sales are through the roof.”

“And the label wants more.”

“How much more?” Ryan asked.

They hadn’t pulled the tours dates out of their ass. A lot of Leah’s blood, sweat, and cursing had gone into determining a schedule that would fit in with each band member, along with the venues. The most important requirement had been working around Blake and Gabi. The bass guitarist demanded the tour be wrapped up before the birth of his first child, with the rest of the band happy to oblige because they all wanted to be there, too. The two of them had already been through enough with the loss of their first pregnancy. More tour dates wouldn’t keep them apart; it would only break Blake from the band.

“We want more publicity. More hype. More sales. We want you to reach your potential.”

“Let’s cut the crap.” Leah strode forward. “Seeing as though you were unsuccessful in convincing the guys to re-sign, you’re trying to bleed them dry before their contractual obligations are over.”

“We made Reckless into what it is today. We deserve a substantial return on our investment.”

Mason’s eyes widened in fury. The lead singer had a low threshold for label bullshit after what his fiancé, Sidney, had been through. She’d been dumped and discarded from her contract after a public scandal involving a highly viewed sex tape. Ryan had no doubt the situation was a main contributor for Reckless choosing to go indie for the next album.

“A substantial return—” Mason spat.

Leah held up a hand, cutting him off. “What are you suggesting?”

“We’ve already thrown around a few ideas.” Scott rested into the sofa, smug. “We want you to create a talking point. Even a scandal. We need you to milk the free publicity train as much as possible.”

Ryan chanced a cautionary glance at his best friends. Free publicity was rarely a good thing. Not emotionally, anyway. Free publicity meant a reporter could pick and choose what information they gave to the public. It meant spinning and twisting facts. It meant opening your soul to the devil and hoping they didn’t expose something you’d prefer to keep quiet, like a drug scandal or a cheating claim. Free publicity was fucked, and they all knew it.

“I was thinking a feel-good interview with Gabi and Blake about the pregnancy,” Scott continued. “We all want to know what’s going on with the little bub.”

Blake glared. “Are you fucking kidding me? Gabi has been—”

Leah raised her hand again, the simple command enough to cut Blake off with a grunt. “Gabi is off limits.”

All of them would be united in her declaration. There was no disputing Blake’s wife had already been through enough turmoil lately, along with moving her life from Australia to the US. The further Gabi remained from the spotlight, the better.

“That’s non-negotiable,” Leah continued. “So what’s your next suggestion?”

Scott turned his focus to the lead singer. “How about leaking a date for Mason’s wedding?”

“No way.” Mason slumped into the sofa across the back wall. “I put a ring on it. That’s all Beyoncé said I had to do.”

Scott released a bark of laughter. Nobody else encouraged the humor. “Then maybe a staged proposal from our most recently attached band member.”

“Pass.” Sean’s scowl spoke louder than words. He hadn’t been with his choreographer girlfriend, Melody, for long. They were still in the smitten, can’t-breathe-without-speaking-to-you stage. There was no way the drummer would let her take a bullet. “Hardpass.”

“What about you, Mitch? Do you have any news that could stir some free publicity?” Scott didn’t pause. “We need something.”

“I’ve got nothing for ya,” Mitch grated through clenched teeth. His wife, Alana, was the official band photographer and the longest standing woman on the tour apart from Leah. Even though more shows would affect their relationship the least, Alana would probably be the worst equipped to handle public scrutiny due to her secluded upbringing.

“I guess that leaves it up to you, Ryan. Which is perfect, really, seeing as though you’re now the only single member of the group. Our publicity team already had an idea in place, but with the pending divorce I thought your friends would be more willing to take the limelight.”

The weight of the room fell on Ryan’s shoulders. Everyone stared at him with vastly differing looks—one with cunning, others in horror or rage. Leah merely took him in with the unaffected stare she’d perfected.Almostperfected. He was sure he glimpsed the slightest hint of panic in her blue eyes. “I’ve never taken the fall before. It’s only natural I do it now.”

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