Page 66 of Filthy Sweet

Fox grunts, then just starts talking, the flaking mask falling off with the movement of his jaw. “Trey’s old job. I was reading what I could find online, and the woman who took it over, his old assistant.” He shakes his head, losing more clay. “It’s Aya’s wife.”

“What? What does that mean?”

Fox grabs a white towel from the bowl of warm water that was left for us, then starts wiping his face. “I have no fucking idea,” he says. “But I don’t like it.”

The mask itches, so I grab my towel, too. “Shit,” I say, cleaning myself. “What are you going to do?”

Fox wipes his face off one more time, almost clearing it. “No clue. Except that I need to figure out what’s going on before I walk into a trap.”

I almost retreat into my insecurity, but then I remember the connection we had last night. Fox needs encouragement right now, and it’s my job to give it to him. “Maybe it’s all good news,” I say. “Maybe you’re just feeling on edge because you’re back in LA, and Aya is only trying to work with you. And even if there’s something sketchy going on, you can just pull one of your moves and outsmart her.”

“I don’t know if it’s that easy.”

I grin. “I’m pretty sure you’ve gotten yourself out of much worse, right?”

Fox considers me, and I see his confidence rising. “You think I can outmaneuver her?”

“I really do.”

“Cool.” Fox stands. “She just walked by.”

He walks off in his robe, and it takes me a second to process before I grab my glasses and hurry after him, my slippers flopping on the tile floors. Fox catches Aya in the hallway, the little towel still in his hand.

Aya smiles at me. “Enjoying yourselves?”

“Very much so,” Fox answers.

“Sure am,” I add lightly, not sure what my impulsive guy is doing now.

Aya nods. “I’ll be in and out today. Lunch before you go tomorrow? We can talk business.”

Fox frowns. “Then I should tell you now. Unfortunately, Phoenix Sunset won’t be available. But thank you so much for the offer.”

Aya’s easy smile turns into a frown. “We’ll negotiate,” she says firmly.

Fox shrugs, unfazed. “Sorry. Just not in the cards.”

Aya turns her eyes straight to me. “Will you excuse us for a moment?”

I look to Fox, who flashes his cocky smile back at me, although I know him well enough to know that there’s an edge of anxiety to his voice. “Whatever you want, cutie.”

I slip my arm around his waist. “I’m good here,” I say. It obviously annoys Aya, which I can tell pleases Fox.

Wow. Acting cocky is actually kind of fun.

“Fine,” Aya says, then walks us over a few steps to the corner, away from the spa entrance. “Fox, I believe it would be in the best interest of yourreputationif you were to consider working with me.”

Fox’s lip twitches. That sounds like a threat, blackmail, and I tighten my grip around his side.

“Is that your opinion?” he asks, “or your wife’s?”

This time, Aya flinches, her composure breaking. “She worked on Phoenix Sunset forever,” she hisses. “And she only lost the band because Trey was an entitled, philandering ass. They belong with her.”

“And now you’re going to offer them a fancy music video to lure them back to your wife’s label? Is that your plan?” Fox scoffs. “They’re happy where they are, and they’re doing better work than ever.”

“Please don’t tell me you’re one of those failed guitarists who cares too much about the music,” she deadpans. “The point is, Fox, when Trey crashed and burned, it didn’t take long to find you in the wreckage.” She smiles again. “You suck at covering your tracks. I hadn’t realized so many men in this industry enjoyed the company of dirty little street rats.”

All my muscles go tight, and I hiss, the sound coming out instinctively.

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