Page 10 of Carte

“They already know,” I muttered and looked outside of my window. I was behaving like a spoiled teenager, but in that moment I couldn’t care less. I couldn’t lose my freedom. I couldn’t let him win.

“The Castle it is,” he said as he turned around, and nodded for the driver to go.

I fought the urge to stick my tongue out at his back. Thankfully, I won that fight.

The fact that he already knew all my hiding spots was grating on my nerves. I chose to ignore the fact that it was his job, and he had to know everything to do it properly.

He was driving me up the wall, and in a moment of complete honesty, I wasn’t sure if that was because the label blew everything out of proportion and made an overzealous fan into a non-existing threat. Or was it because no matter how much I tried to deny it, I wanted his eyes on other parts of my body.

Once we came to a halt outside the club, the crowd parted like the Red Sea. Bouncers kept the fans at bay, and I beelined from the car to the door, feeling Carter close behind me. People screamed my name, hands reached for me, and Carter’s pissed off vibe all hit my back. I ignored everything, my sole focus reaching the inner sanctum where music and bodies intertwined in a beautiful flow that fueled my soul.

“She’s here,” Finn, my drummer, screamed over the beating music.

“And she brought her babysitter,” Cassie sneered but her eyes betrayed her as they traveled the length of Carter.

A sudden wave of heat washed inside me, my hands started to shake, and a sting pierced my stomach. What the fuck? I had never in my life experienced a fierce moment of jealousy strong like this before. What was even more insane was the fact that I didn’t have a right to be jealous.

“Settle down, Cassie” Zoe pulled her hand and forced Cassie to sit in the booth next to her.

My two back-up singers are as different as night and day, but complementary in every regard.

“I had no choice.” I sighed and sat opposite Cat feeling Carter's warmth behind me. I reached for a glass, sniffed the contents, and when I encountered straight vodka, pushed it back. “It was that or try and sneak out again. And you all know how that ends.”

“Yeah, the bad Daddy comes and takes you to time out.” Cat pouted and sent glances Carter’s way.

He grunted on hearing her words, but he stayed standing behind me, his eyes going over the crowd of people on the dance floor below us.

“Well, those can be fun.” Finn wagged his eyebrows.

“These ones are not, I assure you.” Now I sounded like I was pouting. I shook my head to get out of this funk and do what I came here to do. To have a good time, to find inspiration, to feel. “Where’s everyone else?” I looked around but couldn’t see the rest of the gang.

Usually, the whole band went out together. Sometimes, the crew members joined us. But tonight, it was only Cat, Zoe, and Finn.

“Day and Bodhi left with friends.” Cat smiled. “Probably won't see them until the show tomorrow.”

Noted. Those two loved going from city to city and dipping their toes, hands, and other parts of their bodies into any willing woman. And there were a lot of them.

“Jenn has a headache.” Zoe picked up after Cat got too busy trying to get Carter’s attention once again. “And Cassie said she has a meeting with the PR manager to go over your schedule for the next week.”

Damn, was I supposed to be at that meeting? I checked my phone, but there was nothing from Cassie. This whole situation was turning everything upside down. Usually, I was on top of everything, and I never missed a meeting or an appointment, and here I was not sure if I dropped the ball or not.

“Don’t worry, babe.” Zoe reached over and put her palm over the phone in my hand. “If you were needed, Cassie knows how to get hold of you.”

I smiled a weak smile and nodded. She was right.

Then why did this all feel wrong? Why couldn’t I settle down, and do what I came here to do?

I looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of my angst, but nothing caught my attention.

I glanced behind me, and Carter was still there, scanning our surroundings..

I shifted on the low couch, searching, trying to pinpoint the thing that was making me shift this way and that, but nothing stood out.

Cat tried to get my attention, but again, I couldn’t focus on her.

Something was not right.

Then a heat hit my back, and momentarily all my anxiety vanished. “You okay?” Carter’s voice vibrated on my skin.