Page 23 of Rock Star

“God, this place is terrible, innit?” Liam quipped.

I was about to contradict him, when I realized he was messing with me.

Two glasses later and I was giggling at everything he said. He had a typically British sense of humor, joking but deadpanning at the same time, and his quirkiness together with the alcohol relaxed me.

A flash of cameras and my heart gave a lurch. The guys had arrived and every eye in the place was on them. They stalked into the room like they owned it, beautiful women hanging onto their arms. Without even coming over to say hi, they sat at a table near the bar, waitresses fluttering around like butterflies.

I suddenly felt sick.

Sick with jealousy.

Which was stupid because I was supposed to be on a man hiatus. And I’d even made a bet with Axel that I wouldn’t let him fuck me to keep my integrity intact.

Now said integrity had taken a hike, and I’d give anything for him to be looking at me like he used to.

His entire attention was focused on the glamourous woman sitting next to him.

He hadn’t even glanced my way.

I pretended nonchalance and knocked back my wine. A jazz band had started playing and couples had moved onto the dance floor. I caught Liam’s eye and he held out his hand. “Just so you don’t get the wrong idea,” he bent and whispered. “I’m gay, but I love to dance.”

“Perfect,” I smiled, getting to my feet. “Lead the way.”

In the periphery of my vision, I perceived that Axel had finally glanced in my direction.

I huffed and stepped onto the dance floor with Liam. We swayed together; he was a good dancer. He took my hand, lifted it, and twirled me around. But when I turned to face him again, he’d disappeared and Axel had taken his place.

My stomach flipped over. “What the hell?”

“Just looking out for you.” He took my hand and started moving with me in time to the music, the other hand on the small of my back.

“I thought you were with her…” I flattened my lips and looked for the woman he’d worn on his arm like a spare coat, but she’d draped herself over Foxy and he’d pulled her onto his lap.

Axel stared down at me, his eyes burning into mine. “Were you jealous?”

“Me? Jealous?” My cheeks flamed. “As if…”

“You definitely were jealous.” He smirked. “Like I was when I saw you with Liam.”

“You were jealous?” I couldn’t keep the incredulity from my voice. “Why?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” He stroked a finger down my cheek.

I shook my head, confused.

He carried on staring down at me, and then he said, “I’m gonna tell the guys you’ve had too much to drink. That you aren’t feeling well. I’ll offer to take you back to the villa. You and I need to talk…”

I squished my eyebrows together, not knowing what to think.

“What if I wanna stay here?” I countered, unexpectedly nervous.

His gaze smoldered. “Remember I said I wouldn’t do anything you didn’t want me to do?”

Breathless, I nodded. Where was this going?

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

Without another word, he put his arm around me and walked me over to the table where the guys were sitting. “Pretend to be drunk,” he said.

Except, I didn’t need to pretend.

It felt like my legs were suddenly slipping from under me.

Nausea rose in my throat, and I groaned. “I think I’m gonna throw up.”11I stared at Firebird and my scalp prickled.

Her face had turned almost as green as her eyes.

She must have drunk too much.

Fuck!

I needed to get her to a toilet.

Fast.

She clamped a hand to her mouth, a gurgling sound in her throat.

“We’re coming through,” I snarled to anyone in our way.

I pushed open the door to the ladies’ room, startling a couple of chicks.

“Leave, now,” I barked.

We’d made it just in time.

Phoenix’s hair was in an updo, but I smoothed loose strands back from her face with one hand and rubbed her shoulders with the other while she puked her guts up. When she’d stopped. I reached over and pressed flush. Then, with her leaning into me, I led her to a basin, turned on the tap, cupped my hand under the water and splashed her cheeks.

“Urgh, I’m such a dumbass,” she groaned. “Not used to drinking…”

Thea, the girl from Vanilla Sky, made an appearance. “I’ve brought you your handbag, love.”

“I’m taking her back to the villa,” I told the redhead. “Can you do something for me?”

“Sure,” she said.

“Can you go get my bodyguard, Mike?”

“Will do.”

I put my arm back around Firebird and led her into the corridor.

Shit.

People had gathered to take pictures of us with their phones, but Mike arrived not a moment too soon and put a stop to it.

“I’ve called our driver,” he said. “We can leave via the staff entrance at the back.”

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