Better than Sexy (The Sexy 3)

So what was he going to do about it?

* * *

Vivi bounced around the dressing room behind the stage, Ellie by her side, trying to keep her calm in the face of Owen reminding her of everything riding on this one performance.

“Remember, it’s the start of something big, Vivienne. You never know who is going to be in the audience watching you. Be the star I know you are.”

Ellie narrowed her gaze. “You’re making her nervous,” she finally snapped. “Do you see how antsy she is? Go away and let me calm her down.”

With a frown, Owen walked out, leaving Vivi alone with her best friend.

“Are you okay?” Ellie asked, her brown eyes focused on Vivi with concern.

Vivi shook her hands out in front of her. “These past few days have been a challenge. Singing in front of Landon, knowing how much I hurt him… He’s really been cold. Shutting me out.”

They’d connected from the first time their eyes met, and it pained her to know she’d been the one to break things between them. “It’s hard to perform when you feel the chill in the room.”

“Come here. Let me give you a hug.” Ellie put her arms around her and squeezed tight. “Now remember, and I’ll deny it if you repeat it, but Owen’s right. You’re a star. Now go out there and show Landon what he’s missing.”

Vivi stepped back and sighed. “That’s not it, Ellie. Even if he were able to forgive me, I’m not sure I could get over it myself. Knowing what my own brother did to him? To his family? Oh my God. There’s no way we can get past this. I just need to do what Owen said. Impress someone big and wind up with a good gig that takes me far away from Landon Bennett.”

Ellie frowned. “Let’s not worry about anything except tonight, okay?”

“Okay. Now would you give me a few minutes alone? Let the guys in the band know I’m almost ready, and let’s make some music.”

* * *

Electric energy vibrated in the packed-to-capacity club, and despite everything that had gone down with Vic, Landon and his partners were excited for Vivi’s opening night. Faith accompanied Jason, Scarlett was with Tanner, and Landon sat beside them, but for all purposes, he was alone waiting for the entertainment to begin.

His foot tapped nervously against the floor, his anticipation for the evening high. He wanted nothing more than for Vivi to succeed, not just for the club but for her own benefit as well.

“Landon, how are you?” Scarlett asked, leaving Tanner’s side to talk to him. “I heard you had a shock about Vivi. Tanner was upset, too. Is there anything I can do?”

“I’m fine,” he assured her.

She clasped his hand. “You know that my brother died and the guys who killed him got off on a technicality.”

He nodded. It’d been part of what kept her and Tanner apart for a while. Scarlett’s need for justice and the fact that Tanner’s arrest record for assault when he was younger had been expunged. “But Vivi didn’t do anything wrong.”

A pleased smile lit Scarlett’s face. “Exactly what I reminded Tanner of when he went on a tirade about her the other night.”

Landon shook his head. These women liked to meddle in the lives of people they cared about, and by virtue of his relationships with the men, Landon had become one of those people. He understood Scarlett was trying to tell him she approved of any relationship he might choose to have with Vivi. Tanner’s opinion was still open to debate, along with Jason’s.

Landon and his partners hadn’t had a discussion about Vic or Vivi since the day in Landon’s apartment after they’d discovered the truth. They’d had opposite shifts at the club, and truth be told, Landon had avoided his friends, not wanting them to know his feelings about Vivi and the fact she was related to Vic were changing. His hatred of Victor Clark would never go away. He didn’t need to forgive the man to find peace. That notion was for other people, not him. Vic had no remorse, and for that reason, Landon would never forgive him. But Vivi? She was right. She wasn’t her brother.

Jason and Tanner wouldn’t understand that. They had no emotional connection to Vivi. Landon did. With a groan, he let his thoughts go. He’d deal with his friends when the time was right, but for now they needed to focus on making this night a success.

At that moment, Vivi’s accompanying band started to play, and the loud talking around him turned into soft murmuring as all eyes turned to the stage. The large wall screen lit up in multicolored flashing lights that caused the crowd to go wild as the drummer built up in volume.

Suddenly the screen went black.