Page 6 of Lust Hate Love (Fallen Angel 4)

But when Killian had put his hand on my thigh, his intention clear, all other thoughts had fled my mind. Then he’d made his move—he kissed me. I couldn’t tell you about any of the hundreds of kisses I’d had in my lifetime, but I could still remember every second of the handful of minutes I’d spent with him in the cabana. A war raged inside me then and now, half of me wanting so desperately the man I’d lusted after the moment I first laid eyes on him, and the other half clinging to the professionalism I’d instilled in myself from an early age.

I couldn’t kiss Killian and not expect repercussions. I’d been in this business for over a decade, and I knew exactly what happened behind the scenes in the music world. Nothing lasted forever, not with all the temptation and greed that surrounded bands riding the high of fame. I wasn’t one to think with my dick, and so even though I’d initially kissed Killian back, I’d been able to pull away. To put a stop to something that couldn’t start, especially not after a night of tequila shots.

My refusal didn’t come without punishment, though, namely the sharp edge of Killian’s tongue. It was strange…if he wasn’t lashing out at me, he was trying to tempt me into submission. Seemingly gone was the laid-back personality of the unofficial band leader, and in its place was something more…defensive.

I didn’t like it, but I also knew there was nothing I could do about it unless I removed myself from the situation completely, and that wasn’t happening. We’d both just have to get over it. Mind over matter.

“You’re a fucking cheater,” Slade shouted, throwing his cards down on the table that separated him and Jagger.

“Because I won? Go cry about it.” Jagger scooped up the cards and shuffled them. Once he began to deal, Slade shook his head.

“No way. I’m out.”

“Jealous? Should I teach you my ways?”

Slade raised his tattooed hands and lifted his middle fingers. “Tell your ways they can suck it.”

As Jagger chuckled, Slade leaned out of his chair into the aisle. “Yo, Halo. Where’s Imogen?”

“Why? Need someone to fix that skunk on your head?” Halo smirked, and I had to bite back a laugh. It wasn’t enough for Slade to be completely covered in tattoos; he had to color the two-inch-thick strip of hair he hawked out every week. Right now it was streaked black and white, and yeah, it looked like a skunk.

“Not cool, man,” Slade said, rubbing his hair.

“She usually flies with us, and she knows how to play a decent hand of Texas hold’em, unlike this fuckhead.” Jagger smirked at Slade and then winced in pain when Slade kicked him in the shin.

“Im’s helping out while my dad recovers from his knee surgery. She’ll fly over in a few days,” Halo said.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Slade and Jagger give each other a look, and something about it made me grateful Halo was sitting in the back so he couldn’t see it.

I groaned and turned back toward the window. Every one of these guys liked to play with fire, and it was only a matter of time before someone got burned.

Wouldn’t be me. I had rules. I stuck to rules. I didn’t break them under any circumstances—and especially not for Killian Michaels.

Three

Killian

“IF YOU’RE JUST joining us, we’ve got Fallen Angel here live with us in the studio talking about their Australian tour, which kicks off this weekend here in Melbourne. Thanks for being here, guys.”

“No worries,” I said, grinning at the radio host across from us. “That’s what you say here, right?”

“That’s right, but this isn’t the first time you guys have been here, is it? Well, except for your new frontman over there, Halo. How are you liking Australia so far? The natives treating you well?”

As we all looked in the angel’s direction, he flashed that now-famous smile toward our host.

“I love it here, are you kidding me? There’s sun, surf, and sand. Your food is off the chain, and what are those cookies I can’t stop eating?” Halo looked to Viper, who grinned.

“Tim Tams?”

Halo snapped his fingers and nodded. “Yeah, those.”

The host chuckled. “Ah, what’s a first visit to Australia without stuffing yourself with Tim Tams? We pride ourselves on those. If us locals can’t win you over, the Tim Tam will. What about Vegemite? They dare you to eat that yet?”

“Dare me?” Halo grimaced. “Uh, you mean it doesn’t taste like Nutella?” He spun in his seat to pin Viper with an accusatory look.

“What?” Viper put his hands up. “That’s what I was told.”

“Mhmm.” Halo shook his head. “I think you’re full of it.”

As much as I liked watching Viper get his balls handed to him by the angel, I said, “He really was told that. He took a whiff of it the first time we visited and refused to touch the stuff. Slade was our taste tester.”

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