Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 47381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
“Thank you.”
“After I’m finished playing, I want to talk to you, all right?”
She looked pensive, but she nodded before striding out onto the stage at the very end of the song. Brand saw the relieved look the guys she played with sent her. They’d take care of her.
“What are you doing?” Mikey asked, coming up beside him.
“That’s none of your business.”
“You can’t get involved with her. You know what happened with Rocco—”
Brand swung around to glare at him. “Of course I know what happened with Rocco. He’s been my friend and a member of my band for years. Yeah, he fell in love with the wrong person. But that has nothing to do with Jolie. And frankly, it’s none of your business.”
Rocco had gotten involved with a member of another of the bands who’d been on tour with them. Their break-up had been so spectacular that the label had to replace them with The Raging Misfits.
Mikey swallowed but held his ground. “I shouldn’t have brought them onboard. Clearly, she’s unprofessional.”
“She’s been nothing but professional and you know it. She stays. The band stays. And you stay out of it.”
He turned away from Mikey. He’d always gotten along okay with the guy, but he wasn’t going to put up with him disrespecting Brand’s girl.
And that’s what she was going to be.
Jolie Ryan would be his girl. Tonight, she was coming back to the hotel with him. And tomorrow, after he made sure she had plenty of sleep and ate well, he’d tell her the way it was going to be.
But four hours later, when the concert was over, she wasn’t there waiting for him.
He went to the tour bus The Raging Misfits were using, knocking on the door. One of the guys, Owen, opened the door and looked out at him.
“Brand? What the fuck? I’m trying to sleep here, man.”
“Sorry. I need to see her.”
Owen gave him a wary look. “Who? Jolie?”
“Yes, Jolie,” he said impatiently. “Is she sleeping?”
“Uh, man, she’s not here.”
“What do you mean, she’s not there?” he snarled. “Where the fuck is she?”
Owen brushed his fingers through his hair. “I mean, I don’t know, man.”
“What the fuck? Where would she go? You let her leave?”
“Let her?” Owen gaped down at him. “Dude, I don’t let Jolie do anything. She can do whatever she likes.”
“It’s the middle of the night!” he yelled. “You can’t let her roam around in the dark. Anything could happen. You guys are supposed to take care of her.”
“Chill, man. You’re gonna give yourself an aneurysm. I’m sure she’s fine.”
Brand narrowed his gaze. He had a feeling that Owen knew more than he was letting on. He’d seen these guys with Jolie. While they weren’t as protective as he’d be of her, they still watched over her.
However, he got the feeling he wasn’t getting anything out of Owen today. He was loyal to her.
“Fine. But if anything happens to her, if one hair on her head is disturbed, I’ll be coming for you.”
Turning, he stomped off.
He’d find her tomorrow. And the first thing he’d be doing was putting her over his knee.
CHAPTER 2
“It was like I couldn’t breathe. I think it was a panic attack. You know I’ve always had a bit of anxiety, but nothing like this,” Jolie explained to Addison as they sat in her doctor’s office.
Addison was her best friend. She was also a doctor.
They’d roomed in college and there was no one else she’d be comfortable going to about this. She’d learned that the more famous you became, the fewer people you could trust.
And it wasn’t like she was even that famous. Brand and his group were the ones everyone wanted to talk to. Wanted to mingle with.
A stab of guilt and longing filled her.
When she’d first met Brand, she’d thought that he was a real jerk. It had been obvious that he didn’t like her… and hadn’t been happy about The Raging Misfits coming on tour.
Yeah, she’d had no experience with touring, but in no way had she taken the opportunity for granted.
She’d worked harder than anyone else these past five months. She’d barely even slept. At first, it was because she was so wired. Relaxing on tour was almost impossible.
And now… she didn’t know what was going on, but sleeping had become impossible.
Last night, though, Brand had been different. Sure, he’d seemed irritated in the beginning, and she couldn’t blame him for that. She was a total fuck up.
Running away and hiding? Who freaking did that?
And then he’d had to spend his time hunting her down… yeah, she didn’t blame him for being angry.
She’d expected that.
What she hadn’t expected was for him to also be… kind.
Well, as kind as she thought Brand got.
It had been unsettling the way he’d stood up for her, getting between her and Mikey.
Mikey was a decent guy, but he was also a businessman. Last night, she’d really messed things up. And not just for her.