Page 23 of Exactly What I Needed
Kieron nodded to his left and right. “Yeah, they’re here. But I think we can handle a few drunk girls on our own.” My eyes met subtle nods from some rather intense-looking men blending in with the crowds around us.
Ugh, plan A went out the window.
Sydney clicked her tongue and then reached forward, grabbing the closest arm to her, which was Kieron’s. “Sheonlylikes classical music. You have no idea how much convincing it took to get her to come to the concert.”
“Classical music?” Kieron asked, raising a brow. He tipped his head, his gaze turning strangely suspicious.
“Let’s go, Sydney,” I hissed, and she glared at me, returning her attention to the band.
“She even plays piano incredibly well,” she continued, as the three men raised their gazes over her head.
A voice spoke, interrupting the conversation and making my stomach churn. “You play the piano?”
Asher.
Clenching my jaw, Sydney gasped in delight as I slowly turned around and saw the very man I’d left at my house.
“Yo! He lives!” Drake said as Asher stalked our way. Dressed all in black, but not his protective riding gear, he now donned just a simple T-shirt and jeans.
I quickly looked away, meeting Kieron’s blue eyes. He furrowed his bushy brows, curious. Part of me wondered if he suspected something. I needed to get out of here, and now. Like right now.
“Sydney, say your goodbyes, and let’s go,” I begged my best friend again, and she jerked backward, away from me.
“Why would I go now?” She threw a thumb over her shoulder toward the man who was staring at me. Spinning around, she smiled giddily toward Asher.
“If you only like classical music, why’d you decide to come to the concert? And buy a meet-and-greet ticket no less?” Asher asked, stopping beside Kieron, who offered him a beer, but he quietly refused it.
“She didn’t buy the ticket, I did,” Sydney said, and Asher briefly glanced toward her before narrowing his gaze at me. I shook my head, silently telling him to not ask more questions.
“What’s your name?” he asked Sydney, and I glared at him.
“Sydney. We’ve met before,” she replied with starry eyes. Lifting a hand toward him, he grabbed it, keeping his gaze locked on me, and kissed the back of her hand. She giggled, pulling it away with a blush as Kieron shifted his eyes back and forth between Asher and me. How would he know? Did he know? Or was he simply picking up on the subtle exchange right now? Or was I reading into things?
“You know, I’ve been trying to get a hold of your manager, but it always goes to voicemail when I call,” Sydney suddenly slurred, swaying back and forth.
“Oh? Why’s that?” Asher asked, a smirk slipping across his features. I glanced in confusion toward Sydney.
“Cosi’s birthday is next weekend, and her parents are coming. Plus Danny.” She gagged. “Anyway, she agreed—”
“To nothing. Let’s go.” I cut her off, suddenly realizing where she was going with this. Of all the things she could’ve spent her money on, this was not what I’d remotely even imagined or wanted would be her way to stick it to my parents and my ex. She knew they hated any metal music or tattoos, or men who were involved in all of that. Jealousy was not the reaction that would ensue.
Okay, maybe I should’ve known. Those were all also good reasons…
“Bitch, I’m talking,” Sydney drunkenly bashed me. She was not filtering her thoughts anymore. “Cosi never lets me spend money on her or asks for my money. I’m rich, and she’s not, but she agreed for her birthday party this one time that I could do whatever I wanted to to stick it to her ex. I’vebeen trying to hire you guys to come perform. Her parents will be livid, Danny will be jealous, and it will be poetic justice.”
“She’s drunk, she doesn’t know what she’s saying,” I quickly said, but Asher was having none of it as he raised his brow.
“Next weekend, you say?”
“Yes, it’ll be at my parents’ house!” Sydney squealed in hopeful glee.
“No,” I demanded.
“We’ll have our manager call you in the morning.” Asher grinned wickedly as my mouth fell open. His bandmates chuckled, shaking their heads as Sydney turned toward the rest of the bandmates with an excited grin on her face. Taking advantage of her temporary shift in focus, I stepped forward and snapped my fingers around Asher’s arm.
“Can I talk to you? Privately?” I asked politely, but let the malice snake behind my words.
“Why?” He feigned innocence, and I glared at him, dragging him away. Sydney fell forward, directly into Drake, as I pulled Asher away from the group. All my girlfriends were drunk, and I was praying that they would forget this entire encounter. Katie and Tera giggled as Sydney blushed, but she didn’t push away from Drake, who helped tip her back upright.
