Page 59 of Undeniable Temptation

There was a chuckle and then the intro beat toDevil Woman. Ryan stood motionless, his fingers unmoving as the band played through the first chorus without him. He was numb. Lost to Leah’s humiliation. Lost to his own. He didn’t want the world invested in her relationship with another man. He didn’t want their focus on something that ended months ago.

He wanted the acknowledgement Blake had with Gabi. Or Mitch with Alana. Mason with Sidney. Sean with Melody. He was sick of being left out. First, he’d been the only married guy surrounded by singles. Then the tables turned. Now he was finally on an even level, yet his feelings for Leah were ignored.

Mason shot him a look as he sang, the silent question answered with a hard glare. Ryan didn’t hold back his frustration. It was clear for his so-called friend to see. The lead singer dipped his head, the small acknowledgement of the upcoming shit-storm taken without a pause in his voice.

Asshole. Fucking asshole.

Ryan should’ve walked from the stage. Should’ve, but didn’t. Instead, he glided his fingers over his guitar strings and joined in with the chorus, trying to focus on getting lost in the music. Minutes later, the song ended without a dint in his frustration. The encore didn’t calm him either. When the final note was strummed and the last lyric echoed through innumerable speakers, he strode for Jack, his guitar tech, dumping his instrument in the guy’s hands.

“You’ll have to share those stories about Leah,” Jack joked as Ryan untangled the wires leading to the battery pack hooked on to his pants. “I’m not surprised about the piercing. She seems like the kinky type.”

“Stupid, fucking Mason,” he muttered under his breath, the words inaudible above the crowd’s waning cheers.

The man in question walked by, entering the darkness of side-stage as Ryan handed over the ear-monitor equipment. This wouldn’t end well. He knew it even before he started striding after him. Even before he caught up and opened his mouth to yell, “What the fuck was that about?”

Ryan still wasn’t sure why he did it, but his foot came out without warning, shoving between Mason’s legs as he continued forward. His friend stumbled, taking three steps to right himself as he ran into the backstage door.

“What the fuck was that about?” Ryan repeated.

Mason turned and grinned, appearing more impressed than annoyed. “I could ask the same fucking question. Did you just try to trip me? Like a five-year-old?” He reached for the door handle and pulled it open, slinking into the bright light of the hall leading to the dressing rooms.

“Fuck you.” Ryan didn’t do violence. He didn’t want to bethat guy. But clearly, what he wanted didn’t play a part in the current situation. “Do I really need to threaten to break your pretty face before you’ll take me seriously?”

“You couldn’t mess with my prettiness even if you tried.” Mason stopped inside the empty hall, the door easing shut behind them. “But it’s nice to finally see some enthusiasm. I wasn’t sure if you knew how to fight for a woman after all those pitiful years with Julie.”

Fucker.

Mason was right. He was so right Ryan slammed his forearm against the asshole’s throat and backed him into the wall from the humiliation of it. Hehadn’tbeen enthusiastic for years. There’d been no emotion, no excitement. And now it was all pressing down on him, tenfold. He couldn’t breathe through the need to defend Leah. He couldn’t think past the necessity to make Mason pay.

“Why did you do that to her?” he demanded.

The door opened behind him, Blake, Mitch, and Sean coming to stand at his sides.

Mason rolled his eyes. “She asked for it.”

“She asked for it?” He pressed his arm harder. All it did was increase Mason’s smirk.

“Back off, Ryan,” Blake drawled, his voice lacking emotion.

“That’s it?” Mason tipped his head to the side, glancing behind Ryan’s shoulder. “That’s all the help I get?”

“Pretty much,” Mitch offered. “I’m kinda hoping he clocks you before Leah gets the chance. The lesser of two evils and all that.”

“How did she ask for it?” Ryan pressed his free hand against Mason’s shoulder. “What the hell could she have done to deserve that?”

“You don’t get it.” Mason snickered. “She asked for it.Literally.” He shoved at Ryan’s chest, reclaiming freedom. “If you’ve got issues, you need to bring it up with her.”

“What’s going on?” The familiar feminine voice carried down the hall, her authoritative tone shooting up his spine like a firecracker.

For once, he didn’t immediately turn to face her. He didn’t want to see her. More specifically, he didn’t want to be seenby her. Not when he couldn’t control all the shit clogging his veins. It’d been so long since he’d had anything to protect. Anything to cling to. Fight for. He was becoming lost in the delirium of panic.

“Can you guys give us a minute?” Her question came from beside him, followed by mutters of agreement. “And don’t think I’m not going to tear you a new one later, Mason.”

The four of them started down the hall, Blake, Mitch, and Sean all bumping or throwing soft punches at the lead singer before they disappeared into the dressing room and closed the door behind them.

“Are you going to tell me what that was about?”

“You need to ask?” He didn’t mean to snap.Fuck. He couldn’t help it. “You had an entire stadium laughing at you. Judging you. And now Mason tells me you asked him to do it?”

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