Dare to Hold (Dare to Love 4)

“Dunno.”

Grey scowled at his manager’s I don’t give a shit tone. More and more lately, Simon’s lack of consideration about what the band wanted grated on Grey’s nerves. Lola might be considering using him for her solo career but anything Grey did going forward wouldn’t be with the man.

At least he’d left the tickets. He’d be out of a job if he screwed with Grey on this. “Fucking find out.”

“What’s so special about this piece of ass?” Simon barely got the words out because Grey grabbed him by his collared shirt and pinned him up against the wall.

“Talk about her like that again and you’re done.”

“Whoah.” Lola put her petite body between them, pushing Grey away from their manager. “Everyone breathe,” she muttered. “You. Go take a walk and calm down before your company shows up,” she ordered Grey.

He stormed off, missing whatever lecture she gave to Simon next.

Though the man had done his job well, helping maneuver Tangled Royal to the top, he cared about the bottom line and not much else. Especially not the fact that Tangled Royal was more than a band, people with real feelings, issues and lives. No wonder Simon didn’t believe how serious both Grey and Lola were about changing their futures.

Danny Bills, their drummer, already had a wife and two daughters who lived in L.A. He was ready for home time and everyone knew it. Milo was another story. If he didn’t stop the drugs he wouldn’t have a future.

As for Grey, he hoped for more than the travel and fame that had been so important to him way back when.

His eyes flickered to the door. No sign of Avery. He tipped his head back, wondering if she’d come back stage or ignore the invitation … and him. His stomach gripped painfully at the thought of not seeing her again. She was the one person who not only understood the loner musician he’d been as a teen, but who grounded him when he threatened to spiral. Along with her soft voice, that thick mane of dark hair, and those lavender like eyes, she’d burrowed someplace deep inside him.

But she hadn’t been enough to hold him, not when fame, fortune and the need to be something more, lived within him. But it was Avery whose face he saw in the nameless women he’d fucked over the years. Avery whose belief in him kept him going when times were hard. Funny how that worked. He wondered if she thought of him over the years and if she was as hyped up about possibly seeing him again now.

A loud scream brought him out of his thoughts. He glanced up as a group of women poured into the room. Half dressed, teased hair, too much makeup and enough perfume to make him gag. Fucking Simon never listened. He’d specifically told Simon not to let any of their crazed female fans backstage.

Grey pushed himself off the wall and stormed over to his manager. “I told you no more groupies after concerts.” Especially not tonight when he was expecting Avery.

He shot a disgusted look at the women fawning over a dazed Milo. They wouldn’t give a shit if he was dead, they’d want a piece of him anyway. The thought disgusted him.

“Wasn’t me, security obviously didn’t get the message,” Simon said.

“Grey!”

He glanced up just as a woman he recognized threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her big, fake breasts pressed uncomfortably against his chest, and she raked her clawed nails through his scalp.

“Baby you were so good! So hot. I just knew you were singing directly to me.”

He choked over her sickly sweet scent. More because he’d been dumb enough to screw her once, years ago, after a concert and way too much to drink. She’d been trailing after him ever since. He attempted to detangle himself from her, but she wasn’t letting go. This was why it was time to call it quits.

“Marco!” Grey called out for the bodyguard who usually prevented him from being mauled, but the guy was nowhere to be found. Beside him, Simon merely grinned, pleased with the fact that the band was liked, wanted and making him money.

“Back off,” Grey said to the woman, pulling at her arms but she had them locked tight around him.

“Baby, you don’t mean that.”

“Oh I really fucking do.” He glanced over hoping to catch Lola or Danny’s attention and get help when his gaze fell on the woman who had just entered the room.

She was so beautiful she took his breath away. Wholesome yet sexy, creamy skin, gorgeous silky hair and a nervous expression on her face as she looked around, a stark contrast to the harsher looking groupies who followed the band.

And she hadn’t seen him yet.

Left with no choice, he was going to have to physically extricate himself from the clinging octopus of a woman even if he hurt her. He grasped her around the waist, intending to shove hard, just as Avery’s gaze landed on him, her eyes flickering from him to the woman he looked like he was holding in his arms.

A flash of emotion flickered across her expressive face. Everything from awareness, shock, disgust and hurt all showed before she swung around and headed for the door.

“Avery!” He called her name loud enough to be heard across the room, while shoving the groupie, sending her tripping backward.

She wailed and began crying, and her friends surrounded her but Grey ignored her in favor of Avery.