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“Sonatina is pregnant. You screwed her? Again!”

His jaw hardens. “I didn’t.”

“Don’t fucking lie to me.” I shove him.

“I didn’t fucking sleep with her.” He comes back at me. “I wouldn’t.”

“But you did two years ago. And Lennon saw you four weeks ago.” The cavernous hole in my chest fills with rage. I shove him again.

He captures my hands and walks me into a wall. I kick and struggle, but he pins my hands above my head in one of his. Presses his body into me. “Either Lennon’s fucking lying, or she doesn’t know what the hell she saw. Because it never fucking happened. If Sonatina is pregnant, it’s not mine. You need to fucking trust me.”

“How can I?” I sob. I want to, but I don’t.

“Please, Kelsey.” He presses his forehead against mine. Keeps my gaze trapped in his. “Please... just trust me.”

Him asking for my trust isn’t enough to undo all the reasons I don’t. “I can’t.”

This time when I fight against him, he begrudgingly lets me go. He scrubs his hands over his face. “Are you ever going to be able to trust me again?”

“Give me one reason why I should.”

He stares at me like I’m breaking his heart. He opens his mouth and for a second I think he’s actually going to do it... he’s going to give me a reason why I should trust him. A reason to make me stay.

He presses his lips together.

“Nothing? You’re going to say nothing?”

“You just don’t want to stay. You’ve been looking for a reason to leave since you showed up. Nothing I can say is going to change that, is it?”

I back away from him. I don’t run away. I’m not scared of my feelings. I only wanted some reason to believe in us. But apparently that’s too much for him.

“Bye, Riot.” I choke on my goodbye as I walk out on him.

31

Kodiak

I’m waiting for her when she storms out of his dressing room. Their fight was loud enough that I can’t imagine we all didn’t hear her accuse him of fucking Sonatina and knocking her up.

His response was quieter. But if the look on her face and the anger radiating off her is anything to go by, Riot has fucked up big time.

Kelsey is going to leave. She’s going to walk away from him. From Bronx and Golden. From me.

I told him I wouldn’t let her go without a fight. I told him if she asked me to leave with her I would. I meant it. I trail behind her. Giving her room to deal with her emotions. Ready to hold her if that’s what she needs. Ready to fight for her. To leave with her like I said I would. Being a bassist was never wholly what my life revolved around.

Jasper sticks with us as we make our way to the elevator. But when we get there, his job is done. I shut the doors in his face.

She says nothing, and I follow suit.

The doors open. I follow her when she exits. I’m her shadow now. Everywhere she goes, that’s where I’ll be. Protecting her from Marco and anyone who tries to hurt her. Even from herself.

Whether Sonatina is having Riot’s baby or not... this has to be devastating for her. I won’t give her the opportunity to try hurt herself again.

She balks at the exit.

I open the door and hold it for her.

She looks at me. Blinks. Doesn’t say one word.