Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
“Can’t argue that point.” Dash put his coffee next to Xander’s. “But I was worse if that makes you feel any better.”
Xander shook his head. “I told you to stay the hell away from Cassidy. What’d you do?”
Dash raised an eyebrow. “I’m taking the Fifth. I don’t want you to have to haul off and hit me.”
Xander ran a hand over his face and groaned. Reading between the lines, he figured his brother had slept with her and bailed the morning after. He’d lecture him but his own behavior wasn’t much better. “Fine. I’d rather not know, anyway.”
Dash looked away, obviously lost in thought, and whatever was going on between him and Sasha’s best friend, Xander figured he was better off staying out of it.
“I need a favor,” he said.
Dash glanced at him. “Name it.”
“Take Bella?” He pointed to the dog, who was chowing down on her breakfast that had been left in the bowl. She was a grazer, eating when she felt like it and not at set times. “I need to go to the city and I don’t want to leave her alone.”
Dash had a stash of her food and bowls at his house, too, so Xander didn’t have to worry if he was gone overnight.
“Going to make it up to your girl?” Dash asked.
Xander rolled his stiff shoulders. “Something tells me she’s not my girl anymore,” he said, not bothering to hide his anger at himself.
“You can be charming when you want to be. And if all else fails, grovel.” Dash chuckled and called for Bella, who’d stopped eating, had taken a drink from her bowl, and was lying on the floor watching them.
Xander grabbed a leash that hung from a hook by the door and handed it to his brother. Dash clipped the hook to Bella’s collar and Xander knelt, taking her doggy face between his hands. “Be good for Dash. Don’t crap in the house and sleep in your bed there.” He kissed her nose and stood. “Don’t let any of your bandmates feed her human food or alcohol,” he said.
Dash crossed his chest over his heart with his index finger. “I’ve got her. Don’t worry.”
They walked to the front door and Xander pulled it open. “You think Axel will work out with the band?”
Dash nodded. “I really do. We did some riffing and we gelled. I think we can work something out with him. PR will have to come up with a plan to announce that he’s joining the Original Kings. I’m amped up about it.”
“That’s great. At least you didn’t have to have a huge talent search, except…” Xander trailed off, wondering if he should say what he was thinking.
“I fucked his sister?” Dash said it for him, causing Xander to wince.
“Really? You have to talk like that and treat her like any other groupie?” Xander was pissed on Cassidy’s behalf and Sasha would lose her mind.
Dash shook his head, looking embarrassed. “I’m trying to convince myself that’s all it was to me,” he admitted. “A typical night.”
“But it wasn’t?” Xander braced a hand on the doorframe.
“She’s special. But I’m … me. And she knows that.” He stepped outside and Bella trotted along with him.
Xander groaned. He and Dash might be different, but in fucking up potential relationships, they had too much in common.
He shut the door behind them and leaned against it, debating his options. First up was a shower. No run this morning unless he wanted to end up with a migraine courtesy of the hangover that was already killing his head. Then he had the long ride to the city to figure out what he’d say to Sasha.
He understood that even if he groveled, as Dash suggested, told her he loved her and wanted forever, she might tell him she was taking the role in Singapore. But at least he’d apologize, attempt to win her back, and most importantly, give her a say about her future.
By breaking things off, he’d taken her choices away. And given how pushy both her mother and agent were, he should have known better than to tell her what was best for her. Sasha ought to make those decisions for herself. Even if he was the one hurt in the end. Amazing what a bottle of tequila and a night of drunk talking to himself would accomplish.
Throughout last night, he’d weighed his options. Not always easy when drunk, but he did his best. And when it came down to losing Sasha for good or dealing with her career, in whatever form she wanted it to take, he’d decided to deal. Fuck it all. He would cope with the paparazzi, the travel, the fans, all of it if he could have Sasha in his life.
If he had to visit his old therapist and work out leftover stress and PTSD issues from his time abroad, he would do it. Anything to make them work. Now he just had to apologize and convince her that this time would be different.