Page 24 of Rock Star

“I feel so stupid,” Phoenix muttered.

“We’ve all been there,” I soothed her. “Suffered the wrath of grapes.”

She gave a wry laugh. “That’s funny.”

“Something my dad used to say.”

I half-led, half-carried her down the flight of stairs to a door that opened onto an alleyway behind the club. I helped her into the back seat, and Mike sat next to the driver.

Within seconds, she’d fallen asleep, nestled into my side.

Never had a girl do that before.

My heart hammered in my chest. Something was happening. Something totally unexpected. Music had been like a woman to me. My first and only love. Maybe, just maybe, there was room alongside it for someone else?

Nah, impossible.

Phoenix wouldn’t want to stay with me. She’d made it clear how important her career was to her, how she’d fixed her sights on stardom. I knew what that meant. She’d have to forgo any distractions and work like a dog. If there was going to be anything between us, it would have to be only temporary.

I wouldn’t stand in the way of her ambitions.

I held her close until we rolled to a stop at the villa. The sudden lack of motion woke her and she shuffled her ass away from me. “Ow, my head hurts,” she moaned.

“You need to get some fluids and carbs into your system,” I suggested. “Let’s go see if there’s anything in the kitchen.”

I held her hand after we’d gotten out of the car. The kitchen was at the back of the villa—I’d gone in there this morning to ask for a sandwich after my workout—but it was two a.m. and no one was there. I opened the fridge and extracted a bottle of milk, remembering that she liked it, and also found a couple of croissants which I heated up in the microwave.

We sat at the oak table, and she gazed at me, her eyes enormous. “I don’t know what’s going on between us, Axel.” She played with a piece of pastry on her plate. “I’m so confused…”

I raked my fingers through my hair and decided to go all in. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone...”

“You have feelings for me?” She blinked, once. “I find that hard to believe.”

Sudden coldness hit at my center. I thought she’d admit to having feelings for me too. “Why don’t you believe it?” I shot back at her.

“One, you’re a rock god and I’m just a nobody.” She paused. “Two, your reputation with women. I think you’re confusing having feelings with the challenge of getting into my panties.” Another pause. “Three, how would the guys react if they found out we were seeing each other? And last but not least, it would be unprofessional.”

I sucked a slow breath into my lungs. “Let me answer your points.” I started ticking them off on my fingers. “One, acting the rock god is only a role. A persona. It’s not the real me. You aren’t a nobody, for fuck’s sake, Firebird.” I lowered the pitch of my voice. “You are unique, and amazing, and beautiful.”

“I am?” She gave me a disbelieving look.

“You’re incredibly talented. And strong.” I was about to say I loved her for it, but bit down on my lip instead. It was too soon to reveal how deep my feelings for her were growing, and I didn’t want to scare her off.

Silence ensued while she ate a croissant and drank her milk. “I don’t wanna be merely another of your flings,” she said eventually. “I’ve been hurt before. I won’t let that happen again.”

“I won’t hurt you.” I set my jaw.

She shook her head. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because I’d rather stick a knife into my own belly than hurt you,” I blurted out.

Color rose in her cheeks. “You abandoned me after the concert. That hurt.” She lifted her chin. “Then you flirted with another woman at the club…”

“Whoa.” I held up my hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to talk to you before we met with the fans and had that interview. I wanted to prepare you. It was a publicity stunt, that’s all…”

She tapped a finger against her bottom lip. “Hmm. What about the guys? What would we tell them?”

My heart gave a leap.

She was considering it.

“Well there is something.” An idea had come to me, and I spoke slowly. “I’m supposed to be coming up with new material for our next album. But what happened to Ella has made everything dark. When you were practicing with me before the tour, you inspired me to write a couple of riffs. We could tell everyone you’re my muse. No one would bat an eyelid about that.”

She opened and closed her mouth, not commenting, her gaze darting around the kitchen. “I need to call my parents, tell them about the concert. They’d be stoked if you said hi.”

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