Page 11 of Heartbeat Girl

He knew about Ruth. Anger burst through me, wrapping around my insides until I dug my nails into my palms. Then I stiffened. Why? And how much more did they know that I didn’t?

The more Liam pierced me with his gaze, the harder it was to stay annoyed. And hold my ground. It wasn’t fair how easily he dismantled me like I was a machine. How did he do it? Always looking so devilish? So oddly terrifying sometimes when so beautiful? The man was lanky and covered in tattoos. Well, that was a lie. Liam had been skinnier, but he’d filled out over the months. He was always playful, yet he made me nervous—so freaking nervous. Was it the piercing in his nose or the one in his eyebrow? I always liked tattoos on guys, even though I never dated a guy with them. I couldn’t fathom why I was so uncertain about him when all the things I mentioned about him were stuff that attracted me to him. Maybe that irritated me most of all. My discomfort came from the allure of him, perhaps? Or that fact that despite my wariness, I wondered what those skillful hands could do to a needy clit?

I shivered and straightened.Oh, no, you don’t, Jayne.No more bad guys, especially one that could be downright creepy. And no one else seemed to see how odd Liam and the band were but me.

“Where are you working these days?” he asked.

“I’m kind of in between jobs right now.” Which was code for my ass struggled. I worked as a waitress on weekdays and as a barista on the weekends. If the credit company hadn’t adjusted my payments after I lost my job, I would have really been in trouble. Not anymore, thanks to Ruth, although I wasn’t ready to accept her money yet. I appreciated the sentiment, but how could I take the money when I didn’t know if she was okay? Some days, I wondered if someone forced her to tell me she was fine. Wasn’t that what happened in the movies? My stomach knotted thinking about it.

“We need you,” Liam whispered with a strange huskiness to his voice, pulling me from my thoughts.

All I heard wasneed you. Damn it all to hell. My cheeks heated like a freaking schoolgirl. “You do?” I squeaked.

“Yes. Fact is, we fired our assistant for stealing, and we’re in desperate need of someone to help us out when we go on tour next week.”

I held up my hands. Me stuck on a tour bus with them?Oh, no, no, no, no.“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Liam frowned. “Why not?”

“Um…”

“Because you won’t be able to run the other way anymore?”

He grinned, and it was pure art. If you considered making someone sexually charged to be art. My nipples tightened and my stomach heated, and that hotness dipped between my thighs. I wasn’t around Liam enough—ever. It made little sense for him to own so many of my body’s responses, like it was his job to make me feel everything. And the sad truth was, he didn’t know all he did to me. Besides, making me squeamish. At least, I hoped not.

He was exactly right, but instead of admitting that, I shrugged and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Why me?”

“We’ve seen you in action. Believe me, you’re what we want.”

“No.” My voice was stern.

“No?” Liam echoed.

“Yes,” Steve slithered out. “I heard yes.”

“Me too,” Pete added.

“Stop it. No. That’s my answer.” I stood, and Liam snatched my wrist. Tingles burst across my skin from his touch.

“You won’t use the money Ruth gave you. We all know it. Instead of struggling, come with us, and we’ll pay you double what Ruth did.”

I sighed. “Don’t make this weird.”

“It’s not weird for us,” Steve replied.

“You’re the only one that thinks it is,” Pete piped in.

“Why would I need to be on the bus with you?” I tried to reason with them. “I wasn’t with Ruth all the time while she toured.”

“Not always, but most of the time. Your hotel room, food, and expenses are all included. You won’t pay for a drop.” Liam rubbed the edge of my thumb with his, strangely relaxing me.

“Ugh,” I said dramatically.

“I think that means we got her.” Steve smiled unnecessarily.

I narrowed my eyes. “That attitude right there makes me want to refuse.”

Liam glared at Steve briefly before looking at me. “We’ll be good to you, Jayne. We’ve worried about you since Ruth’s disappearance.”

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