Page 18 of When We Fell Again
Robbie made a heart shape with his hands. “Jordan and Alexis sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” he sing-songed.
I flipped him off. “Your obsession with Lex is unhealthy.”
As I went to leave, Levi grabbed my good arm. “You sure that’s all it is? A medical requirement?”
Staring him directly in the eye, I nodded. “Absolutely. Too much water has gone under the bridge for it to be anything else.” If I could convince him with that lie, maybe I could convince myself too.
When I got back into the foyer, Lex had already started to pack away the merchandise, despite a few people hanging around umming and aaahing as to whether they were going to buy anything. I kept my distance for a few minutes, not wanting to disturb her, but then my attention snapped to the appearance of the guy who’d been bothering her earlier. Definitely more drunk than he had been earlier, he whined on about not being able to get a discount on what was obviously old stock. Lex handled him pretty well, keeping things on a professional level. But then he stepped behind the table and got right up in her face, his hands gripping her arms.
In about three strides, I closed the distance between us, dragging him away from Lex and twisting him around to face me.
“Touch her and I’ll break your fucking neck,” I hissed.
“Jordan, don’t.” Lex glared at me. “I can handle it.”
The guy turned to me, eyes glazed from drinking, a grin on his stupid face. “And who the fuck are you? Oh, wait. You were the posturing peacock on stage earlier.” He jerked his head in Lex’s direction. “This your bird?”
Lex opened her mouth to answer, but I shook my head. “What she is to me is fuck all to do with you.”
He smirked. “Tells me everything I need to know.” Raising his hands and releasing Lex, he stepped away from her, giving her a lazy top to toe look. “For an older chick, you’re not all that shabby.”
The throwaway remark had me clenching my fists by my sides, a bolt of pain shooting up my left arm.
“Here.” Lex grabbed one of the t-shirts. “Why don’t you take this?”
“Oh, so now you’re all about the free gifts. Could have saved yourself a whole heap of trouble, sweetheart.” He snorted, then without warning, upended the two tables, causing the neatly stacked piles of stock to go everywhere. “Oops, sorry.” The laugh that accompanied his so-called apology wasn’t genuine.
“I suggest you disappear now, buddy.”
Instantly, he shoved his body against mine. “I’m not your buddy.”
“You might show a bit more respect if you were.” My temper hung on by a thread. I wouldn’t have hesitated to beat the crap out of him if it weren’t for the fact that Kelvin would kick my arse for bringing about more bad publicity for me and Idol Rev. And Lex might hate me for it.
“Jordan, leave it. It won’t take me long to sort out,” begged Lex. “Let’s just pack up and get out of here.”
“Best do what your girlfriend says.” He pushed me in the chest. “Bet she’s really hot in the sack.”
The red mist I’d tried so hard to keep at bay descended and I went to retaliate. But before I could land the first punch, Lex wrestled her way between the two of us, her lips close to my ear.
“Jordan, there are people around with phones. One single punch gets thrown and you’re caught on camera, the tour’s over, and the band’s future is in doubt. Do you really want that?”
Breathing heavily as her words sank in, I knew everything she said was the truth. I didn’t need to put the band through that shit. As much as I hated walking away, the right course of action was the winner.
Stepping away from the situation, the scent of Lex’s perfume swirling around my nostrils, I faced the guy. “Like I said earlier, it’s time to disappear now.”
“What? And I don’t even get a free t-shirt?”
“Here.” Lex thrust one at him. “Have a good night.”
His lip curled up in a sneer. “You weren’t all that good anyway,” he directed at me before finally walking away.
“Are you okay?” I asked Lex as we watched him exit the building.
Lex nodded. “He’s not the first dick I’ve dealt with on this tour and he won’t be the last.” Her gaze ran over me, and I wondered if her comment was directed at me.
Frustration got the better of me, and without thinking, I turned and punched the nearest wall with my left fist. Better that than a person being on the receiving end. It hadn’t been the first time I’d done something that stupid, but doing it so soon after dislocating my shoulder turned out to be the mistake.
Pain I hadn’t felt since flying off the swing vibrated down my arm, and a stream of profanities tumbled from my lips.
