Page 100 of Don't Let Me Fall (Don't Let Me 1)

“Fen, you gotta get on stage,” he interrupts. “And you,” he adds, talking to Mia. “I thought it was your night off.”

“It is, but since this ol’ lug”––she elbows Fender in the ribs––“decided to play a show, I thought I’d come support him.”

“Ah, got it. All right, I’ll tell Sonny you’ll be right there,” Ashton says to Fender and heads into a back room around the corner.

Once he’s gone, Fender points at me. “Treat her right.” Then he points at Mia. “Tell your aunt you have a boyfriend, and bring him to dinner before the show tomorrow night so she can meet him.”

He doesn’t bother to ask if Mia will listen as he gives us his back and heads into a room with the rest of the band without another word.

“Man, I still can’t believe you’re related to a rockstar, Mia,” Theo gushes.

But Mia doesn’t answer him. She’s too busy looking like she might puke, and Theo’s too distracted by the buzzing crowd to notice.

What the hell?

It feels like the pressure from everything is finally coming to a head, and it’s only a matter of time until it pops.

And based on Mia’s pale cheeks and shallow breathing, it might be sooner rather than later.

My attention darts to Ash. She’s hiding in the shadows of the hall, isolated a few feet away from us. Though I can’t read her expression from the lack of light, her arms are crossed, and she almost looks…numb.

It kills me.

“Hey, will you guys find a place to stand while Ash and I grab the drinks?” I ask Theo and Mia.

With a quick glance at Ash, Mia hooks her arm around Theo’s the same way she did to me a few minutes ago. “Sure thing.” She leads Theo through the crowd, giving Ash and me some privacy.

“Ash––”

“We’ll talk about it later.” She squeezes past me and heads to the crowded bar, lifting her finger to grab the bartender’s attention while ignoring me completely.

She’s pissed. And she has no right to be. Which she already knows. But the truth doesn’t make me feel any better. And I don’t think it’s making Ash feel any better, either.

But seeing Ash hurt like this?

I can’t take it.

Not anymore.

The place is so packed, no one notices as I slip my hand around her waist, pin her back to my front, and lean in close enough to whisper in her ear. “I’m ending it with Mia tonight.”

She peeks over her shoulder at me, causing my lips to brush against her cheek as panic settles into her bones. “You can’t––”

“I know it hurt to watch, Ash. Wanna know how I know?” I squeeze my fingers against her. “Because I had to see you with Logan for weeks. And sure, my relationship with Mia is very fake, but when everyone else thinks it’s real, it’s easy to fall down the same rabbit hole. I refuse to let you think I want anyone else but you. Do you understand?”

“We’re only hooking up,” she argues.

I rub my cock against the curve of her ass, loving the way her breath hitches as the band rushes on stage behind us and the audience begins cheering.

But I don’t turn around.

And neither does Ash.

We’re lost in our own little world.

And thankfully, the crowd is too distracted to notice us.

“Don’t get me wrong, Sunshine. I love fooling around with you, but I think we both know there’s more to this than sex.” I slide my hand lower, cupping the apex of her thighs with my hand as Broken Vows starts their first song.

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