Page 114 of Show biz

“She even got her comfy pajamas and socks,” Draven chuckles. “I didn’t think this could be sexy, but because it’s Layla, it works for her.”

“She has a unicorn onesie for sleepovers with her sister,” Tyler confesses. “Even that hideous thing looks incredible on her.”

“I think that’s what sappy love looks like,” I tease him. We’re all so gone for this girl.

Tyler clears his throat as he sits on the edge of the bed. “Speaking of, you two looked pretty intense on the dance floor earlier,” he says, raising his brow. I nod, taking a breath, knowing this was coming. Mav already went to bed, or I’m sure he’d be having this conversation with us now.

“Yeah, I may have pulled a Mav,” I tell him sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck. “I had her in my arms, and it just all clicked for me that I’m an idiot. It was never actually abouther age. Mav and I were cowards. We’ve always been in love with her.”

“So what’s different now?” Draven asks, propped up by pillows. He looks like he belongs in her bed.

“I’m going to do my best to show her I meant what I said. She doesn’t need a protector, Layla can clearly protect herself, but I do want to fix what I fucked up,” I explain. “She’s so damn talented, it’s not fair that she has a running soundtrack in her head that tells her she isn’t.”

“Then prove to her that you’re someone she can trust,” Tyler says. “If you think I’m not moving fast enough, go do it your damn self without making a fuss. Ask her what she needs. Mav has noticed she forgets to eat until she’s shaky, so he leaves food where she’ll see it. If she doesn’t have to make a big deal about it, Layla will just eat and keep moving. I don’t like the pace of this tour, but we’re getting a break soon so we’ll suck it up.”

“Understood,” I murmur. I feel as if I just got my ass handed to me, but he’s right. Tyler grabs his computer to start checking emails and do whatever the fuck he does for the record label, and I take that as a dismissal.

I’m halfway across the living room when Tyler starts cursing up a red streak. Turning, I raise my hand as if to ask what the fuck is happening, only to find Draven waving at me to come back.

“Seán decided to email me like the respectable prick he pretends to be,” Tyler grumbles. “He wants to book Layla andThe Midnight Lightsto play at The Library tomorrow night as part of her debt.”

“It’s three in the morning,” I sigh. “Where is this place?”

“New York City,” Tyler grunts. “We’ll have to drive through the night. I should just ask Lennon to kill him.”

“I’m surprised you know about that.” I wince.

“I’ve watched her train Layla,” he says and shrugs. “It’s obvious in how she moves that she doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. I don’t know everything about her past, but I don’t need to. You know what, fuck it.”

Tyler picks up the phone, wincing at the time. “Sorry, Lenny,” he mutters before dialing her number.

“Hello?” a sleepy voice asks.

“I’m sorry to wake you,” Tyler says. “We have a problem. Seán is calling in his blood debt, but I doubt he’ll ever be satisfied. I’m a bit tired of being jerked around by him. Want to come help?”

“Do I get to kill people?”Lennon asks.

Tyler must really be family if she has no problems asking.

“Who are we killing at three in the morning, Little Love?” Orion asks.

“An Irish asshole who’s fucking with Lay,”Lennon explains. “I think she can handle him, it’s just getting her out afterwards that’s the problem…”

“It’s a place in New York City calledThe Library,”I tell them before wanting to kick myself. I should have just stayed quiet.

“Atlas?”Lennon asks softly.

“Hey, Lenny,” I say softly.

“What’s going on?” Mav asks sleepily. He walked across the hotel room, drawn by the noise from our conversation. Mav tends to wake easily.

“We have to get moving, Babe. We’re headed to New York City at Seán’s behest,” I tell him, rolling my eyes.

“He’s such an asshole,” Mav mutters. “He’s just going to keep pulling Layla’s strings. It’s not fair.”

“Sounds like you boys have had a change of heart over my baby sister? Why would you even care?”Lenny asks.

“We care, Tiny Valkyrie, we were just idiots,” Mav says. “We’re working on it, I promise. I’ll even tell you all about itwhenever you want to talk. I’m going to pack our room up, Atlas.”

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