“Lily, what the hell is going on?” Harris’s voice is sharp. “The label is furious. Rumors are flying online—people are saying Jax is using again. We’re scrambling to cover it up, and this is after I’ve already had to reschedule two weeks of the tour. This is a disaster. An. Absolute. Disaster.” He emphasizes his last few words unnecessarily.
My stomach sinks, and my grip tightens on the phone. “Harris, I’m sorry. We’re doing everything we can. The nurse is with Jax right now.”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it,” he snaps. “The nurse should have had it under control already and if she didn’t, you should have figured it out before putting him on stage. Your job is on the line, Lily. The band’s contract is on the line. If this doesn’t turn around, you’re out and they’re out right after you. Do you understand me?”
I wince at the harshness of his tone and words. My pulse races as I scramble for the right response. “I understand,” I manage, my voice steady despite the chaos inside me. “Just... give us time. We’ll use the break to regroup and fix this.”
A long pause follows before Harris sighs heavily. “Fine. But this is your last chance. Any more fuck-ups, and you’re done.”
The line goes dead, and I lower the phone, the weight of his words settling over me like a lead blanket. My job, the band’s future—everything teeters on the edge of collapse. I walk into the building, but stop at the end of the hallway, leaning against the wall as I gather my thoughts.
Enzo watches me, his expression unreadable. “We need to talk as a group,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
Instead of heading toward the elevators, he steps closer, his presence radiating heat and the pent-up aggression that seems to hover just below his surface all the time these days. “You okay?” he asks, his voice softer than I expect.
“I’ll be fine,” I reply, forcing conviction into my words. “We just have to keep it together. A few more days and Jax will be… better. Then the rest will fall into place from there.”
Enzo summons the elevator while my words linger between us. The elevator doors slide open, and we step inside. As soon as they close, the air thickens, charged with the crackling heat between us. Enzo turns, cornering me against the wall, his body looming over mine.
Before I can process what’s happening, his lips crash against mine, rough and desperate. The cold metal at my back contrasts sharply with the heat of his body, sending a jolt through me. His hands grip my hips, pulling me closer, and the intensity of the kiss leaves me breathless.
“Enzo, I don’t think this is the right time,” I manage to gasp between kisses, my voice shaky.
He pulls back slightly, his dark eyes locking onto mine, raw and unfiltered. “I can’t think of a better time,” he murmurs. “Everything’s falling apart, Lily. You’re the only thing that makes sense.”
His vulnerability cuts through my resolve, his words laced with desperation. He kisses me again, slower this time, his lips soft but insistent. The emotions swirling between us threaten to drown me—anger, frustration, fear,and something deeper, something I’m not ready to acknowledge.
His hands move over my body, firm and demanding, as if he’s trying to anchor himself in the present. The hum of the elevator fades into the background, replaced by the sound of our ragged breathing.
“Enzo, please,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “We can’t...”
He silences me with another kiss, his hands cupping my face like he’s afraid I’ll vanish. “I need you, Lily,” he murmurs against my lips. “Right now, I need you.”
The elevator dings, signaling our arrival, but neither of us moves. The doors slide open to reveal an empty hallway, but we remain locked in our embrace, the world outside forgotten.
Until the elevator dings again and reality slowly seeps back in. We pull apart, both of us breathing heavily. The hallway stretches out before us, a long path leading towards the rest of the band and our uncertain future.
“We’ll talk later,” I say, my voice shaky.
“No, we’ll finish this later,” he replies, his voice a rough promise.
We step out of the elevator, the chemistry between us lingering in the air like an unspoken agreement. Together, we stride towards the suite. The plush carpet muffles our footsteps, but the weight of what lies ahead still presses down on me with every step.
CHAPTER 12
EYE OF THE STORM
DYLAN
The suite isa mess of frayed nerves and exhaustion. Marcus and I just barely manage to get Jax settled with the nurse when the door swings open. Lily steps in, Enzo close on her heels. She looks like she’s been kissed within an inch of her life—lips swollen, cheeks flushed, hair slightly tousled.
Enzo watches her every move with an intensity that sends a jolt of arousal through me. I catch Enzo’s eye, and we share a look. He nods slightly, a silent acknowledgment. It’s exactly what it looks like, and also something he is dying to finish. This is the first time in a while that I feel we have been on the same page about anything.
I shift my attention back to Lily as she tries to compose herself, running a hand through her hair to tame it the best she can. “We’ve got some time to recover,” she announces, her voice a little husky. “Three weeks. We need to use it wisely.”
“There isn’t much we can do, besides rest,” Marcus replies, gesturing towards the bedroom we just left Jax in.
Lily’s eyes glint with determination. “I think we can use this time to help Jax and each other.”
