Page 83 of Play Fast (Brooklyn Dawn 2)

Ever since the three of us had gone through our experience with Kyle and the rooftop, Jamie had been even more abrasive. Watching her go off that ledge had sliced me to the bone. That Alex had made the ultimate sacrifice to save me and mine lived in my nightmares to this day.

Nash cleared his throat and slid an arm around me. “Always a pleasure, Jamie.”

She patted his chest none too lightly. “Liar.” She lifted her arms and did a slow turn. “Like?”

Her bronze skin was on full display with the barely there sparkly handkerchief she called a shirt. It literally covered her breasts—and that was about it. It was backless save for a string that kept her small breasts from swinging free. Jamie was all sinewy muscle and interesting tattoos. They were scattered over her back and arms, made up of symbols and lyrics with a few music notes. From the waist down, she was completely covered in skintight black leather and motorcycle boots.

“Aren’t you chilly?”

“Nah. You know me, always hot.” She snapped her teeth at her security guy. The fourth new one this month. They kept begging to be reassigned. This one just stared straight ahead without flinching. I wondered how long he would last.

She hooked her arm through mine and dragged me down the alley toward the venue. “Let’s surprise the people in line. I love watching them lose their shit.”

“Lila is looking for us.”

“Don’t be lame. It’ll just take a minute.”

I sighed and waved at Nash, who simply shook his head.

As we came around the corner, a hoard of fans were lined up. Velvet ropes were still a staple along the brick building, and everyone was in an orderly line.

Well, they had been.

“Hey guys!”

Jamie, who usually went out of her way to avoid fans, was wading in like she was trying out for a reality show. Jesus. She dragged me with her, and we were lost in a sea of people. Arms, books, playbills for the show tonight, scraps of paper, CDs—all of them were shoved in our face.

The security ran after us and tried to wade in after us.

Jamie just dug in deeper, dragging me into the middle of the line.

Laughter, screams, crying—the noise was deafening. The excitement, a reminder of the first days when we’d exploded on the scene, emboldened me as well. To actually enjoy the fans again, to steep myself in their fever activated the Lindsey I’d been a few years ago.

When the fans weren’t scary.

When I actually could connect with people.

I didn’t know how much I needed it until just now.

Jamie was leaning back into a cluster of girls, taking selfies. Her flask was out and being passed around to people.

I might’ve been cool with with a bit of jostling and people loving on me, but I wasn’t swapping spit with anyone except Alex.

“All right, back it up.” Noah’s deep, no nonsense voice cut through the din. “You’ve had your fun.”

A chorus of whines and shouts for one more minute rose from the crowd.

“Back off, Mr. Boring. We’re having fun.” Jamie held out her long arm to take a few more selfies. Passing phones all around to those who kept shoving them at her.

Noah shoulder-blocked a few women and gently shuffled a half dozen more aside to get to us.

I looked around, suddenly aware of just how many people were surrounding us. The fizz of excitement abated. The small group was now a few hundred deep. Alex’s voice was gruff and impatient along the fringes.

“Duchess.”

I braced myself against the jostling. More people pressed in to get to us, and I got an elbow to the ribs for my trouble.

Two of the security guys pushed through and flanked us, and then an arm slid securely around my waist. I stilled, my muscles seizing tight.

---