Reckless (Thoughtless #3)

Reckless (Thoughtless #3) Page 19

After the meet-and-greet was over, Kellan pulled aside Underwear Fan and her friend. They both looked ready to pee their pants. Tory looked upset by the interruption to the flow in her scheduling, but then again, the statuesque blonde always seemed a little upset. Flashing her an I-don't-care-if-you're-mad smile, Kellan ignored Tory's displeasure and treated the pair of fans to a private backstage tour.

Since I was Mr. Kyle's "personal assistant" and had arranged this little tour, it would seem odd if I didn't tag along, so I followed behind the fans. They were amusing to watch. As Kellan walked in front of them, highlighting different areas, instruments, and people, the pair of fans clutched at each other like life preservers. And every limb on them was shaking. I nearly expected one or both to drop to the ground in an overload of endorphins. Whenever Kellan looked at them directly, tiny squeaks escaped their lips, followed by a burst of uncontrollable giggles. Was I ever that nervous around Kellan? I didn't think so.

Kellan ended the tour by hopping up onto the stage from the front of it. He extended his hand down to help the fans up and they both turned a sickly shade of white. I tensed, preparing to catch one if she fainted. Good Lord, he was just a man-an incredibly attractive and talented man, but a man nonetheless.

Laughing at their reaction, Kellan pulled them onto the stage and then reached down for me. Lower than they could hear, he asked, "Need a hand, Mrs. Kyle?" His eyes sparkled with mischief.

Shaking my head, I hopped up on the stage by myself. "I got it, Mr. Kyle." Standing beside him, I added, "Besides, I think you need to keep both hands free in case one of those girls passes out and falls off the stage. I wouldn't want you to get sued."

I pointed behind him at where the girls were giggling, hands over their mouths, as they openly ogled Kellan's backside. He looked back at them, and two harmonious high-pitched squeals filled the stage as they started hopping around like jumping beans.

Kellan looked back at me, cocky amusement infused into his lopsided grin. "I'm glad you don't squeal when I look at you." He leaned in, his arm brushing mine. "I like having to earn it," he whispered.

He turned his attention back to the fans as my lips parted and my cheeks flamed. I had to fan myself to cool my heated skin. Written or spoken, Kellan sure had a way with words.

Just when the private tour was wrapping up, Sienna popped onto the stage. I noticed her bodyguards nearby, watching her from a respectful distance. The two fans went into a swirl of excitement as the megastar approached them. Sienna was already dressed for the show, wearing the skintight jumpsuit that exposed most of her tan back. Her hair was slicked back into a sleek ponytail, highlighting her slim neck and perfect cheekbones. She seemed like a Greek goddess as she stepped near my Adonis-a pair of beautiful, mythical creatures brought to life.

The fans whipped out cameras from their pockets as the golden couple came close enough to each other that they were in the same frame. Sienna flashed them an Oscar-worthy smile as she motioned over to a couple of the arena's security team that were waiting nearby. "It's time, love." Her accent, warm and husky, hinted at all sorts of things that it could be time for.

As Kellan opened his mouth to respond to her, the fans finally found some courage. Babbling, they gushed, "We adore you so much, Sienna. You're amazing. And we think it's so awesome that you and Kellan fell in love while recording a song together. They should make a movie about you two."

Sienna beamed and immediately replied, "I would love that! I could even play myself!" Flashing Kellan a mischievous grin, she giggled with the girls like they were all at a sleepover together.

As Kellan was politely informing the fans that he was not in a relationship with Sienna, the security team arrived and ushered the girls off of the stage. They pouted like preteens as they were escorted away from the superstars. I thought I even saw tears in the eyes of one of them. And it was clear by the fans' faces that they hadn't believed Kellan's oft-repeated denial. Two more victims of the Kell-Sex publicity machine.

Rolling my eyes, I followed Kellan down the back of the stage as he left it. Members of the crew were milling about with final preparations for the show in a couple of hours, but no one paid us any attention. The thrill of being amongst rock stars was lost on these professionals. I found their presence grounding.

Kellan rounded on Sienna. "We need to talk," he snarled, his face stony.

Looking unaffected, Sienna responded with, "Sure thing, love." She motioned with her finger for us to follow her. Then she started heading toward her dressing room without even bothering to see if we were. Definitely a woman used to people obeying her.

Still not looking at us, she disappeared into her assigned room. I put a hand on Kellan's chest when we got to her door. His jaw was tight when he looked down at me as I told him, "If you don't mind, I'd like to speak with her alone, woman to woman."

Kellan frowned, but nodded. Tilting his head over his shoulder, he murmured, "I'm gonna go blow off some steam. Find me when you're done." A tight smile graced his lips. "And don't feel like you need to go easy on her either."

I put my hand on his cheek, and Kellan swiftly kissed my wrist. My skin was tingling as he walked away. How he could still physically affect me after all this time, I'd never fully understand. But I was very grateful.

Steeling my nerve, I walked into Sienna's dressing room and shut the door behind me. Standing with her back to me, she started to twist around with a dramatic sigh. "What is bothering you now, Kellan, dear?" When she finished her circle and her dark eyes noted the lack of my husband, she murmured, "Just you, then?"

"I asked Kellan if I could speak with you alone."

Sienna seemed amused by my statement. Placing her hands on her slim hips, she asked me, "Are you going to threaten me with bodily harm if I don't stay away from your man?" Her charming accent shifted to a deep Texan drawl.

Honestly, I hadn't fully considered what I wanted to say to her. But variations of those exact words may have filtered into my brain in the last few seconds, only to be immediately discarded. Violence wasn't the answer here.

Knowing that any response to her question would put her on the defensive, I decided to ignore it. "Have you ever been in love?" I asked, my voice soft and disarming.

Sienna blinked, her long, fake eyelashes nearly brushing her cheeks. "I don't have time for love . . ." The way her voice trailed off, I highly doubted her answer.

Feeling like I had something to work with, I took a tentative step toward her. "Well, Kellan and I are in love, deeply in love. We've been through a lot together, and he's been through a lot alone. And this 'relationship' that's been produced between the two of you is very unsettling. He loves what he does. He adores the fans and the music. But this hoopla is making him miserable. Don't you care that he's unhappy?"

Sienna stared at me impassively. I couldn't gauge whether she cared about Kellan's well-being or not. I liked to believe that she did. After all, they were friends sort of. Finally, she raised a cool eyebrow. "I'm not hurting him in any way, nor have I crossed his line about kissing him on the lips."

I sighed. She was going to make this difficult.

When I opened my mouth to speak, Sienna beat me to it. "I respect you for coming in here. I do genuinely like you and Kellan, but make no mistake about it: My career comes first, and I will do whatever it takes to stay on top, even harmlessly flirt with a married man." She rolled her eyes. I wasn't sure if that was because of the harmless part, or the married part. Both concepts seemed ridiculous to her.

I grit my jaw and prepared myself to storm out of the room. I knew that talking to her wasn't a viable option. She didn't care if Kellan felt manipulated and used. She cared that her album hit number one. It had been released just a few weeks before Kellan's, and had yet to reach that elusive goal.

"I'm sorry I've wasted your time. I just wanted to have a civil conversation with you about Kellan. Maybe come up with a solution so that everyone can be happy, since you did say you wanted this arrangement to work. But I see that you only care about what he can do for you, so I'll leave you alone so you can bask in your own glory."

I spun on my heel and Sienna grabbed my elbow. Her dark eyes bored into me. "You're both overreacting," she snapped. "It's the reality of being in the public eye. At least I'm trying to help Kellan's career as well as my own. If I were truly as selfish as you believe me to be, than Kellan would be in my bed right now, not yours. But I haven't made a play for him because I respect your relationship."

I scowled at her, hating that she thought she could win him so easily. She couldn't. Kellan's heart was fixed on me.

Releasing my arm, she relaxed and her tone softened. I found myself relaxing as well. "This media circus that he hates so much is going to happen regardless of my interference." She smiled, and a trace of warmth finally appeared on her face. "In case you haven't noticed, Kellan is very attractive. And on top of his looks, he's also very talented. That combination has the uncanny ability of reducing the most sophisticated woman into a trembling teenager. I think even a happily married woman would consider shucking it all for one night with him."

A soft laugh escaped me. Yeah, I had to agree with that one. Kellan was just . . . desirable.

Sienna put her hand on my arm, almost in comfort. "Get used to it now, while he's safely in my hands, because he's going to be linked with every female that he comes in contact with from here on out. It's just how the business works."

My heart sank, but I knew she was right. "But it's different with your fans. More intense. They've turned you into a power couple . . . Kell-Sex."

Sienna rolled her eyes. "God, that nickname. It's awful, isn't it?"

I smiled, feeling relieved for the first time. Since I felt we were being honest, I told her, "I'm afraid to touch him when we're around other people. I'm afraid we'll be discovered, and the fans will turn on me." Sighing, I asked her, "What do you think they would do if they knew about me?"

She shrugged, not too worried. "Bitch, moan, and crucify you online. I seriously doubt they would come after you with pitchforks or anything." Her expression turned thoughtful and a knot formed in my stomach. With a wave of her hand, she told me, "I doubt it would affect your relationship as negatively as you think." Rubbing my arm, she gave me a best-friend smile. "The fans would get over it. They love Kellan too much to dwell for long."

She winked at me and then twisted to walk over to a vanity that had been set up for her. Picking up a tube of lipstick from the table, she leaned over and stared at her reflection. "I'll ease up on the cuddling, if it really bothers you that much." She looked at me in the mirror, her gaze questioning.

"We would appreciate it . . . thank you." She was consenting to our wishes, but it didn't feel like a victory. I hesitated, then decided to ask her what I really wanted to ask her. "Will you please say something to your fans? Tell them that Kellan is in a relationship? Don't mention my name or anything," I quickly added, "just help us try and stop the rumor mill?"

Sienna took an inordinately long time applying a layer of deep red around her plump lips. When she was finished, she rubbed her lips together. "Sure thing, love."

Thinking our meeting was over, I turned to leave as she gave herself one last look over. Her voice stopped me, though. "I've seen you writing backstage. How is your book coming?"

Not realizing she'd seen that, I told her, "I'm just about done with it."

Twisting to me, she sat on her vanity and stretched her arms out behind her. The mirror gave me a full shot of her outfit; the counter was pulling down the already low back of her jumpsuit, so I could see the top of her ass. "I know people in the industry. Perhaps they could look at it when you're finished?"

I sort of felt like accepting any help from Sienna would come with huge strings attached-cable-sized strings-and all of them would be tied to Kellan. So I only smiled and said, "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

Sienna dismissed me with a friendly wave, and I left her room not quite sure if that conversation had gone well or not.

Shoving her to the back of my mind, I set off to find my favorite rock star. When I did find him, what he was doing surprised me a little. The crew hadn't finished setting the instruments up on the stage yet. In the prep area behind the stage, there were various lonely instruments in and out of their cases-a guitar here, a microphone there. A full drum set was resting peacefully in the organized chaos. Kellan was behind them, attempting to play a D-Bags song while Evan laughed at him mercilessly.

I'd never seen Kellan behind the drums before. The sight was both odd and natural-a beautiful blue jay gliding across a lake instead of soaring through the clouds. It was clearly something that was not his specialty, and he was biting his lip as he concentrated on the complicated rhythms. Watching him focus so intently on something was intoxicating, and I wasn't the only one who felt that way. A small circle of people were gathered around us, listening to him play-rather, try to play.

Evan spotted me and came over to wrap his arm around me. He was still laughing, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he watched Kellan fumble over a beat and nearly drop one of his sticks. "It's nice to know I'm better at something than Kellan," he told me.

I laughed as I watched Kellan curse and shake his head. He was losing the rhythm fast; I could barely recognize the song I knew he was trying to play. "His talent lies elsewhere," I murmured. Evan chuckled at me, squeezing me tight, and I realized my statement could be taken as dirty talk. "You know, singing and such."

He laughed a little harder. "Yeah, I figured that's what you meant."

When his attention shifted to Kellan again, I asked him, "What's with the Jujubes box?" I hadn't been going to pry, but darn if I hadn't been curious for months.

Evan looked down, a touch of embarrassment darkening his cheeks. "Oh, that. Ah, Jenny and me, the first time we . . . you know, we'd been snacking on those and the box . . . got squished . . . in the process." He peeked up at me. "I didn't know she kept the box." He smiled, a wide, lovesick, satisfied smile. "Sentimental girl."

My heart warmed for my friends. "Most of us are."

"Fuck! I give up!" Kellan called out.

The crowd around us started laughing as the awkward drumming ended. I twisted my head back to Kellan. He'd tossed the drumsticks out onto the floor and was resting his head on the snare drum in defeat. Evan clapped my back. "I think I broke him. You may need to console him before the show."

I was laughing as I walked up to my dejected husband. When he felt me beside him, he glanced up. "I suck," he muttered, his lips curving into a full-blown puppy dog pout.

Resisting the urge to suck on that lip, I extended my palm and helped him stand up. "You can't be a pro at everything, Kellan," I told him, fingering his wedding ring before letting go of his right hand.

Kellan's eyes turned heated as he stared at me. Voice as husky as his eyes, he responded with, "You're right. I'll just stick to what I'm really, really good at." His vision traveled down my body, the fire in his eyes tingling my skin like a Fourth of July sparkler.

I wanted to remind him to behave, but he instantly switched moods. Expression now curious, he asked, "What did Sienna say?"

Walking with him around the people busy working, I recounted my confusing conversation. "She said we were overreacting." I watched him as I continued. His gaze was speculative and disbelieving; he didn't agree. "She also said she'd ease up on the cuddling."

Kellan smirked. "She's said that before. But then a camera gets pointed in her direction and she . . . forgets." He rolled his eyes. "Gotta give the fans what they want. She's a performer to the core."

"It's how she was raised. It's how she survived the transition from child star to superstar." I blinked at my words. Did I really just defend her?

Kellan seemed surprised as well as he held open the door to his empty dressing room. "I get that. I think the only thing I really do get about her is that her childhood sucked just as much as mine did."

The door closed behind us, and I looped my arms around his neck. My face serious, I told him, "No, her childhood was nothing like yours, Kellan. Not even close."

Ancient sadness filled his eyes as he nodded, and I squeezed him tight in an attempt to prove to him that my love was stronger than their hate.

Later, when the D-Bags were on stage, Anna came up to me as I watched Kellan singing his heart out from my behind-the-scenes vantage point. I usually used this time every evening to work on my newly conceived book. Writing two books at the same time probably wasn't the best way to finish one, but whenever I watched Kellan play, my creative juices started flowing and I had no choice but to pour it out onto my laptop screen. He was my own personal muse.

I paused mid-sentence and glanced up at my sister. She looked a little uncomfortable as she rubbed a spot on the lower left side of her belly. Her green eyes shimmered a little in the stage lights. I didn't know if that was because she was feeling emotional or just really tired. Supporting a life had to be exhausting, not to mention dealing with Griffin. Remembering Anna's monumental admittance during the meet-and-greet today, I wondered if she was okay.

Closing my laptop and setting it on the floor, I stood and pointed at my straight-backed chair. "Do you want to sit down?" It wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, but at least she could rest her feet.

Her eyes glued on the stage, Anna muttered, "Thanks," and worked her way onto the hard metal. As she tilted her head to keep the boys in her sight, or maybe just one boy in her sight, I noticed the dark circles under her eyes. She covered them well with concealer, but I could see just a smidge of purplish-black. She would never admit it, but she was worn. She really should go home and rest up while she had the chance.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, I asked, "You okay, sis?"

She immediately lifted her chin, her liquid eyes drying. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

There were so many things I could point out, but instead I focused on the one aspect that seemed the easiest for her to talk about-the physical discomfort of being pregnant. "You keep rubbing your side."

She grimaced and looked at the spot that she was now firmly holding. "Maximus keeps kicking me in the exact same spot." She sighed when she returned her eyes to mine. "I think he's bruised a rib or two."

The remark left my mouth before I could stop it. "Well, he wouldn't be part Griffin if he wasn't a pain in your side."

Anna smirked at me. "He's not as bad as you think he is."

Remembering the few surprising conversations I'd had with Griffin lately, I nodded. "I know."

Anna opened her eyes wide, like I'd just admitted to something so preposterous she could hardly believe it. I flicked my fingers across her shoulder, and she giggled. Seeing more humor in her demeanor, I asked the question I really wanted an answer to. "Are you okay with what happened earlier . . . with Griffin?"

The humor immediately vanished. "What do you mean?"

I contained a frustrated sigh. Those two were both so damn pigheaded, worse than Kellan and I ever were. "You told him you loved him, and he froze up like you just dipped him in carbonite."

Anna scowled and returned her eyes to the stage. "No, that doesn't bother me, Kiera. We don't have the hearts and flowers relationship that you and Kellan have." She shot me a quick glance out of the corner of her eye. "Which is fine. I don't need that romantic crap." She shrugged. "I was just joking around anyway. I didn't mean it."

She clamped her mouth shut and swallowed three times in a row. A new layer of moisture amplified the depth of her eyes, and I knew my sister was lying. She did mean it. She did love him. It did bother her. She did want more from him. But she wouldn't let herself admit it or feel it. When all else fails, deny, deny, deny.

Not knowing what else to do for her, I leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I love you, Anna." Griffin may not be able to say it, but she should hear it from someone. Anna looked up at me, just as a tear dropped to her cheek. She immediately brushed it away and retuned her eyes to the D-Bags' stage. "He told me that he loved you," I added.

I thought my words would make her feel better, but all she looked was tired as she watched Griffin onstage. That could just be the pregnancy, though."I'm gonna go back to the bus and lie down. Let Griffin know? If he asks . . ."

Heart heavy, I told her that I would.

Griffin didn't ask about her when the set was over, but I told him where she was anyway. He nodded at me, so I knew he heard me. But instead of heading out to the bus to be with his baby-mama, he sat in quiet contemplation until it was time for the D-Bags and Sienna to close the show with their number-one smash hit. For the first time ever, I found myself watching Griffin onstage more than Kellan and Sienna. Even smack dab in the middle of the limelight, Griffin seemed uncharacteristically pensive. I really didn't know what to make of it.

When the show was over and the crowd was roaring its approval, the guys rejoined me backstage. Sienna was a step behind them. I thought Griffin would surely want to go see Anna now. We were playing at this venue again tomorrow night, so we had some free time to kill and a peaceful night of sleep at a plush hotel to look forward to. I, for one, was eager to go crash, mainly because Kellan had lived up to his promise and secured us our very own room. But instead of collecting Anna, Griffin turned to Matt. "Let's go drink."

Matt nodded, then asked the rest of us, "You guys want to go out?"

Kellan was already answering "No" when I set down my laptop and told Matt, "Sure." Kellan's eyes were disbelieving when he looked back at me. Kellan and I hadn't joined the group much for drinks once the Kell-Sex explosion had happened. We'd both been keeping a low profile, much to the band's dismay-well, to Griffin's dismay. I wanted us to go this time, though. I didn't like the look on Griffin's face. Griffin rubbed his hands together eagerly, and I liked his look even less.

Sienna had joined us by this time and seemed just as elated as Griffin. "Drinks sound bloody fabulous! I know just the place." She made a move like she was going to wrap herself around Kellan, but she surprisingly refrained. I was almost proud of her. Almost.

Kellan looked my way with a clear question in his eyes: Wouldn't you rather be alone in a hotel room with me than out drinking with Griffin? I forced myself to smile when I really wanted to frown. Yes, I would much rather be alone with him right now. But Anna was my blood, and I needed to look out for her.

Sienna was on the phone making arrangements while we walked toward the dressing rooms. I had no idea who she knew in North Carolina or what place she was taking us to. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to hang out with her, but it was too late now. Kellan and the guys took five minutes to refresh from their show; they pretty much just changed their slightly damp T-shirts and spritzed on some cologne. Griffin's was way too strong, burning the back of my nostrils.

Sienna took considerably longer, and when she reemerged, I wondered if I should change. She was in a bright coral dress that looked made for dancing. Loose and flirty, the bottom of it had wide panels that resembled a flower's petals. The petal layers were slit almost up to her waist, so every time she moved she flashed her tight, toned thighs.

I was wearing jeans and Keds sneakers. Hot.

Knowing I didn't have an outfit like that on me anyway, I ignored the plain feeling washing through my body and stepped up to Kellan's side. He glanced at Sienna, rolled his eyes, then looked down at me. "Even on her best day, you're still more attractive," he whispered.

Flushing, I suddenly felt like I'd just won the Miss America Pageant. His compliment made Sienna seem horribly overdone, like she was trying so hard to be noticed that she may as well have sprayed I'm Sexy on her chest. It brought her beauty down a peg in my eyes, and I felt more on equal footing with her as we stepped out into the chilly night.

Sienna looked freezing as she rubbed her hands over her bare arms. She didn't have to wait long, though. As if on cue, a limo pulled up to the back door, and we all hurried inside. I sighed as I looked around the twinkling interior. So much for blending in with the locals. This luxury also seemed to scream our "importance." It made me miss going to clubs with Kellan in Seattle. It made me miss hanging out at Pete's. It made me miss Justin's tour. Simpler times.

Kellan kept his arm around me the entire time we were in the limo. Sienna watched us, a strange expression on her face. It was a peaceful, supportive look, but there was wistfulness there too. And maybe a trace of sadness. No matter her bravado, I think she had loved someone before, and it hadn't ended well. For a moment her persona seemed cracked, and I almost thought I was seeing the real Sienna, not the celebrity. Then she noticed me analyzing her, and her mask of seductive confidence slipped back into place. She winked at me from across the limo.

When the driver pulled up to the front of a place called Poison, there was a swarm of photographers hovering around the entrance. Like they already knew who was in the car, they started snapping pictures of the limo the second it stopped. You'd think we were pulling up to a movie premier, by all of the photographers outside. Paparazzi in North Carolina? I was pretty positive that their being here wasn't a coincidence. Who the hell did Sienna call when she arranged this little outing? No wonder she had taken the time to make herself look like a million bucks.

With the car idling, the driver ran around to open our door. While I watched the flashes in horror, a small smile lit Sienna's lips. This would be a big moment in the sun for her-a night out on the town with her rumored paramour. Even if they entered separately, there was no way they wouldn't be news tomorrow. And what would the fans think of me in this scenario? Was I a tagalong, perhaps one of the other band member's girlfriends? If Kellan and I walked in together, the speculation about me could be just as spectacular as the gossip surrounding him and Sienna. I did not want that.

As the driver opened the door, Sienna smoothed her dress in preparation for her grand entrance. The driver reached out his hand and helped her out of the car. The flashes went crazy. Sienna stopped and waited for Kellan while my body surged with adrenaline. Evan and Griffin started to stand, but Kellan held his hand up. Leaning forward, he told the driver, "We're not walking through that, take us somewhere else."

Nodding, the driver looked back at Sienna and asked her if she wanted to stay or go. Sienna hesitated, glancing at the crowd still snapping photos, then got back into the car. Pouting as she watched the light bulbs fading into the distance, she muttered, "Really? That was the best club in town."

Kellan leaned back in his seat and gave her a charming smile. "You were welcome to stay, if you wanted to."

Sienna rolled her eyes, then gave the driver the name of another club that she thought would be a "little less crowded."

Much to my relief, no one was hanging around the second club when we pulled up. Once we were inside, deep bass music made my ribs vibrate. An eager man in a suit led us to a private VIP area. By the look on his face, he was elated to have us here tonight and would probably get us anything we wanted. Maybe he was the owner. He had two girls in tight corset tops and black boy shorts beside him. They were either waitresses or strippers. I really couldn't tell.

Sienna ordered a couple of bottles of Cristal, and one of the scantily clad women took off to get them. Waitress, then. Her revealing outfit made me appreciate Pete's simple T-shirts all the more. Smiling at the owner, Sienna sat sideways on a chaise lounge. The deep red cushion clashed with her outfit. It made me smile. No one but the band, the owner, and the one remaining waitress were in the room. All of the regular customers were on the other side of a thick glass wall. It ran along one entire side of the room, separating us from the main dance floor of the club. We had a perfect view of hundreds of gyrating, grinding bodies. I had no idea if the dancing couples had any idea that we could see them or not. It was clear that they couldn't see us, though. It was very voyeuristic. It made me blush as I watched some guy run his hand up some girl's skirt.

Griffin looked around the room, then at the wall of shifting bodies on the other side of the glass. "We need chicks," he muttered.

The owner instantly gave him all of his attention. Snapping his fingers at the remaining waitress, he asked Griffin, "Do you prefer blondes, brunettes, or redheads?"

Griffin smiled; it made me nauseous. "All of the above."

The owner returned Griffin's sickening smile. He lifted an eyebrow and glanced at Kellan. "I'm assuming nothing less than a perfect ten?"

Griffin nodded, his eager grin growing. The owner gave the "perfect ten" waitress beside him a quick glance and she turned to leave. Griffin called out after her, "I need at least a dozen!" She nodded and disappeared.

I narrowed my eyes at both Griffin and the sleazy club owner. I didn't realize you could order women as easily as you could order drinks. Kellan and I settled into a velveteen couch as I struggled to control my stomach. Kellan whispered into my hair, "We can leave any time." I nodded, but I knew that wasn't really true. I wasn't going to leave my sister's boyfriend here in Easy Hookup Land.