Sometimes space is the best move.
Sometimes not trying is the only way to try.
At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.
Tank chuckles beside me. “Wow. I’ve never seen Effa ice someone out before. You’ve been here less than four days, and you’ve already pissed her off? What the hell did you do?”
“I was an asshole,” I admit. “She was nice… I was a dick. Luke got in my face, and I lashed out.”
Tank grunts. “Luke’s the protective big-brother type. He only steps in when he sees potential. If he jumped in over you and Effa, he saw something. Don’t let him scare you off. If you’ve got a thing for her, and from the googly eyes I just saw, I’d say you do, then grow a pair, man.” Then he pats my shoulder and wanders off to wrangle the crew.
I exhale, straighten my spine, and tell myself to stop being a coward. My feet move before I’ve even figured out what I’m going to say. All I know is I need to talk to Effa. Explainmyself. Let her know the kiss, falling asleep with her… it meant something to me.
As I get closer, I spot Effa talking to Andi.
My steps falter as I catch her words.
“So then Jett said he’d wait for me after the show tonight—”
I freeze.
Alana sees me, and her eyes widen like she can’t believe I actually came over. Kristy giggles with the others.
“You and Jett are getting along so well,” she says.
Alana grabs Effa’s arm and shakes her lightly. “Mercs.”
“He said his piece the other morn—” Effa starts.
“No, behind you,” Alana says, cutting her off.
Effa spins and meets my gaze. “Mercs,” she says, her voice soft and smoky.
I clear my throat. “Look, I’m not one for drama. If you want to talk, I’ll find you at the after-party. Right now, I’ve got work to do.”
And with that, I walk away.
But all I really want to do is pin her against the wall and kiss the hell out of her.
What good would that do?
Chapter Nine
EFFA
My mind is still on Mercs, on watching him walk away from me. I should have gone after him, but he said to wait for the after-party, so I let him go. We’re just two ships in the night, brushing past each other with every crashing wave. I don’t even know what part of my conversation he overheard to make him say something about drama. I was only telling the girls that Jett wants to meet after the show to talk more about extendingSwift Division’s set time.
All through the concert, I kept wondering if Mercs was up in the rafters, watching me from above, tracking every movement, every note. But thinking like that only distracted me, so I shut it out and poured everything into Phoenix. We gave the crowd another killer performance.
But now, the lights are low, the crowd’s gone, and the energy has shifted. The after-party is in full swing, and I finally have time to think, to breathe, and to wonder what Mercs is going to say when we talk.
“Effa… the music’s thumping, the drinks are flowing, the cocks are loud and proud and readily available. So, what’s with the mopey face?” Casey slides into the booth across from me in the VIP lounge, a wicked smirk on her lips. Andi follows, grinning as she flops in beside her.
“Did you see that chick with the barely-there skirt?” Andi asks, eyes wide. “Fuck! I’d kill for those legs. She’s hot as. Fuck me.”
Casey reaches over and slaps her cousin on the boob. “Stop wishing you had a more feminine body and pay attention. We’re having an existential crisis over here.”
Andi immediately shifts gears. “Right, got it. Girl code. What’s the issue?” She looks between Casey and me, totally serious now.
