Page 8 of Breaking the Rules of Love

“Please, call me Violet.” She looks very concerned. Not quite what I expected from a pop diva. “And seriously, Jake, you should go to the ER. You’rereallybleeding.”

I shake my head. “Our job is to get you to your hotel,” I tell her. “Once we do that, maybe I’ll get it looked at. But don’t worry; head wounds bleed a lot. It’s probably not too serious.”

Ryan lets up off the gas and slows the truck to a normal driving speed. We’re out of harm’s way now.

“Well, aren’t you just a tough guy?” Violet smiles, finally leaning back. Is that a flirtatious, teasing tone to her voice?

“That’s why your people hired us.” I nod with a grin. “Wouldn’t make much sense otherwise.”

“Well, I’m glad to be in the hands of the toughest guys in town,” Violet says with a smile. Yeah, she definitely seems to be hitting on me.

Ryan glances back over his shoulder and gives me a stealthy glance. Yeah, he caught it too. I guess I wasn’t imagining things.

Time to change the subject.

“Are your shows always this–”

“Unhinged?” Violet suggests, her smile broadening. She sighs and leans forward in a flirtatious way that does a lot for her cleavage. I maintain full professionalism and eye-contact. “Oh, yes. Ever since my single,You Gotta Be Kidding, came out. Since then, I simply can’t seem to find real friends…or areal man.”

It takes a lot to throw me off, but right now, I’m feeling pretty unsettled. “Come on, really? Men must be lining up to date you.”

“Oh, they are,” she laughs. “But I saidrealmen. Not crazy weirdos who just want to date me because they can add me to their roster of conquests or get their picture on my Instagram or in the tabloids.” Violet leans close, so close I can smell her perfume, and looks me right in the eyes. “Let me ask you something, Jake. Did you even know my music before tonight? Any of my songs?”

I clear my throat. “Um, no. I did not. Sorry.”

Violet actually smiles, pleased with my answer.

“See? Nowthat’ssomething I don’t hear a lot,” she laughs. “Most guys who want to date me try to impress me by quoting my song lyrics to me, telling me which of my albums they liked the most or which of my music videos they thought I looked the hottest in. You think that impresses me?”

The crowd back at the venue was crazy, but what’s going on right here is even crazier. I feel like I’ve just been hired as Violet’s personal therapist without even applying for the job.

“No?”

“No!” she agrees with a snap of her fingers. “Precisely.”

The truck slows, and I glance over Violet’s shoulder to see we’ve arrived at her hotel, which means that tonight’s mission has been a success. I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Well, Miss Keith, it looks like we’ve arrived–”

Violet leans in even closer and whispers, “Why don’t you come up to my suite, Jake? I’ve got a nurse outfit from one of my old shows that I could put on while I look at your cut.”

This is crazy. I never could have predicted this when I came out for the job tonight. I know I have to turn her down—singers and actresses just aren’t my thing anyway—but after meeting Sadie this afternoon, there’s just no way I can go up to that hotel room.

But I have to turn her down in a way that hopefully doesn’t cause her to go crazy on me. She’s a star, and stars aren’t known for being the stablest people in the world. The last thing I need is for my night to end in my VIP throwing a scene getting out of my truck.

“I should probably go to the Emergency Room now, Miss Keith,” I reply gently. “I may need stitches–”

“Bullshit!” she cries out so loudly that it even startles Ryan in the front seat. “You said it wasn’t that big of a deal!”

“No, I saidyouwere the priority andthenI would get myself looked at.”

But it’s no use. Violet is already grabbing the door handle to let herself out of the truck.

“Men. You’re all full of shit. Bunch of asshole sons of bitches…”

I motion to Ryan. “Would you?”

But he’s already on his way out to escort her to the door. Probably best that he, not I, walk her the remaining twenty feet to ensure the job is complete.

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