Page 22 of Ticket to the Stars: Part Two

“Where?” The only place Angel had gone was the hair salon. What were the odds he’d seen her right then? I didn’t even know where that hair salon was, so the odds had to be infinitely small.

“She was walking out of some hair place. She’s pretty, I’ll give her that.” The bitterness in his voice only grew when he said, “I can’t imagine her as my replacement, though. Or is Priest supposed to be my replacement?”

He knew we had fake names when we were in public, but when I threw a quick glance around, it was clear the few other patrons in the bar weren’t paying us any attention. I let it go.

When I didn’t say anything, Pope went on, “Did you guys have any say in it, or was this all Ramona and hermysterious team?” He took another sip, though his eyes never left mine.

“Does it matter?”

“I guess not. I just can’t believe it. I saw that video, by the way, your first live show at the Aegis after kicking my ass out. Was the kiss scripted, too?” He scoffed at that, as if he found the whole thing disgusting. “I can’t fucking believe the internet loves it.”

“You know how Priest is,” I spoke, my voice low. “He does what he wants.” It just so happened that night he’d only done it because, apparently, he’d seen Bishop kiss her before the show, but my brother didn’t need to know that.

“So, is it something for the stage, or is that asshole really putting the moves on her?” When I said nothing, he added, “Wow. Replace me with a chick he can bang whenever he wants. Good for him.” He sipped from his beer again, seething.

“It’s not like that.”

“It’s not? It feels like it. It looks like it. You’re sitting there, telling me I’m wrong?”

I told my brother what the others should’ve told me all that time ago, when Angel first had stepped into our lives: “You can’t hate her for taking your place. She never asked for it. This whole life is new to her.”

“Then she should get used to people hating her for no reason.”

I sighed. “What do you want? Why am I here?”

“What? I’m not allowed to want to see my brother?” When I only glared at him, Pope shrugged, his apathy evident. “I hope that girl of yours is ready for how crazy things’ll get. I assume you’re recording a new album now, but once it’s time to tour and heavily promote it, the real crazies will come out of the woodwork. She’s a pretty girl. I’m sure she’ll have lots of fans clamoring to get her alone.”

That last part sounded almost like a threat, although I supposed that could’ve been due to the way my brother was staring at me, like he wanted to intimidate me.

“She can handle herself just fine,” I said, an uneasy feeling growing inside me.

“Can she? Hmm. I wouldn’t be so sure of that. There are some real crazies out there, and I’m sure some of them won’t care about doing illegal things as long as they get what they want from her.”

“What are you saying?”

Pope’s green-eyed stare held my own, his mouth drawing into a thin line. “I’m saying you best watch out for your new girl, brother, because all eyes are going to be on her. We both know how crazy some people can be when they get a little… obsessed.”

Okay, that definitely sounded threatening. I sat straighter. “It’s a good thing she’s got me, Priest, and Bishop, then. We won’t let anything happen to her.” I spoke that with conviction. I meant it. Angel would never see any harm—from a crazed fan or otherwise—we’d make sure of it.

“You can’t be with her all the time. Mark my words. Sooner or later, your new girl’s going to find herself in trouble. That, or Priest will get tired of her and want to give her the boot. You think it was messy when I was forced out? Just wait until that thing explodes.”

“It’s not going to explode.” That was all I said, but the way I said it, coupled with the look on my face, must’ve told my brother something my words did not, because he leaned back and stared, his mouth falling open slightly.

“You’re not… tell me you don’t like her, too?” When I didn’t say anything to that, Pope laughed, though it was a strained chuckle if I ever heard one. “Dear God. That’s rich. Does Bishop have a thing for her, too?” He laughed again. “I take what I said back. When this thing explodes, it’ll blow up inallof your faces. It’ll be biblical.” He smirked, grabbed his beer, and downed the rest of it in two gulps.

This whole conversation wasn’t sitting right with me, and I was more than ready to leave. So, before I went, I rested my forearms on the table and leaned forward. My voice came out low and deadly when I whispered, “Leave her alone. Leave all of us alone. Whatever happens, it’s none of your business.” I got up and turned to leave.

But I only made it a few steps before Pope called out, “That’s where you’re wrong. Everything about B.S. is my business.”

I didn’t say anything back, resuming my walk to the door. I’d already spent too long here. I had to go get some takeout from somewhere and bring it back to the Redborne.Hopefully they’d believe me when I told them there was a line at the restaurant.

I didn’t want to lie to them, but I knew what the guys would say if they knew I’d met Pope. We weren’t supposed to meet with him or talk to him. He sure as shit wasn’t supposed to be stalking Angel, either, but how else could I explain the fact that Pope had seen her at the salon? The odds were too small to be a coincidence.

I walked out of the bar and headed straight for my car, and once I got in, I glanced back at the bar. I couldn’t see Pope inside, but I’d bet anything he’d gone for another beer. Maybe something stronger. Now that he was content with what he’d told me, basically threatening Angel, he could get wasted.

My brother was stupid if he thought I’d ever let someone get close enough to hurt her, whether it was a fan or him. She never really went anywhere by herself, except the salon. Everywhere else, at least one of us was with her, if not all of us. Bishop had gone with her this last time, but from what it sounded like, he couldn’t park anywhere close, so he’d had to drive away… and that had apparently given Pope enough time to do a little stalking.

Was he watching us all the time, waiting to make a move? Waiting to talk to us? To try to take things out on Angel because he stupidly blamed her for his own past actions?

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