Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 103008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
“Essentially, we’re helpless. Got it.”
How did this become my life?
Gideon joins us. “Harley, we—”
“Need to talk. I know.”
I storm into the house without even a goodbye to Iris and Trav.
“Brix is already in the living room,” Gideon says.
I find him sitting on the long couch, so I go to sit next to him. I know what’s coming, so there’s no point in denying it.
Brix knows it too and wraps his arm around me.
“How long has this been going on?” Gideon asks.
“Long enough to know that I don’t want to lose him or my job,” Brix says.
I pull back. “Really? I thought …”
I thought if it came down to it, he’d choose his career. If they gave him that option. It might be past that.
Brix doesn’t just love his job, he needs it.
This whole time I thought my career was in trouble, that it could easily go away, but the thing is, I still have royalties coming in from the countless hits Eleven had. Not to mention my most recent album which is still selling. The future of my career might be rocky, but I’m stable right now. I have money and savings and an accountant who could keep me afloat for years even if I never released another song.
Brix, he only has this job.
“You can’t fire him,” I tell Gideon. “If you do, I’m going to hire him again personally instead of through Trav.”
“Wouldn’t that border on prostitution?”
I don’t know if Gideon’s being serious or not right now. He doesn’t joke.
“I’d hire him as my bodyguard, dumbass.”
Gideon purses his lips. “I don’t like it.”
“We didn’t mean for it to happen,” I argue. “The first time, it was—”
Brix pulls me close. “It wasn’t a mistake. I know you were going to say that, and we said that’s what it was, but it wasn’t. It was eye-opening and amazing and … and it made me realize there was more to you than you let anyone see. You give me so much by being next to me.”
“I …” Shit, I have no idea how to respond to that. I run my hand along his thigh. “I can’t let you lose your job for me.”
“It’s just money. I’ll get more. It’ll take longer to pay off my debts. The debt will always be there. You won’t be if I let you go.”
“Brix …” My whiny voice comes out.
Brix’s shirt is soft in my hands as I grasp it in my fist. I inch closer, begging for him to kiss me, but just before our lips touch, we’re interrupted.
“I’m in love with Evah,” Gideon blurts.
Both Brix and I freeze and slowly turn toward my manager.
“Uh, what?” I ask.
“I know what it’s like to cross lines. I know how this”—he waves a finger between us—“can happen. Emotions and real feelings make everything messy. All I need to know is if it’s going to affect you guys in a professional manner.”
“It hasn’t yet,” I say.
At the same time, Brix says, “It won’t. And you know if shit goes down, Trav and Iris will have my back.”
Gideon thinks about that and nods. “All right then. Are … umm … we cool?”
Is this really happening right now?
Brix gets to keep his job?
“You’re in love with Evah, or you’re with her?”
“Both,” Gideon says.
I was not expecting that.
He’s a good fifteen years older than her, but that’s not really a concern in this industry.
And maybe I should care on a personal level, but Evah and I were never together. The only risk is if it got out, but clearly they know how to keep a secret, or we would’ve figured it out.
Hell, Brix and I should take lessons from them, but today when he came through that gate, all I wanted was to be wrapped in his arms where I knew I’d be safe.
“Uh …” Gideon runs a hand over his dark hair. “Shit, am I fired now?”
I laugh. “Call it even? You fuck my ex-fiancée, I fuck my bodyguard, and we all pretend like it isn’t weird.”
“Deal. Now, let’s get you two to a hotel before any other unwanted packages turn up. Or worse, paparazzi. I’m surprised TMZ hasn’t caught the story yet. They’re slacking.”
And that’s when I’m reminded of the severity of this thing, and my stomach drops.
Brix paces our basic hotel room which only serves to make me more anxious. We decided against a suite, checked in under another name, and they snuck me in so it would be harder for the tabloids to find me.
I sit on the large king bed with my back against the headboard just watching Brix do his thing.
He barks orders into the phone as if he’s Trav’s boss, not the other way around.
I shouldn’t find that hot, but I do. All long legs and bulky arms moving back and forth in front of me. His strong, commanding voice unwavering.