Idol (VIP 1)

He meets me halfway, stopping before me, his height blocking out everything around us. He gazes down at me, searching my face. “Elly May?”

My head tilts back to meet his gaze. “Lawn bum.” I reach up, cup his cheek, sandy with stubble, and tug him close. Our lips meet, his questioning, mine demanding. And then he lets out a low sound, like a sigh, but rougher, needy. His arms wrap around me, hauling my body against his as he angles his head and sinks into a kiss that takes the strength from my knees. But Killian has me secure.

There, on the dance floor, we kiss, and it’s messy, dirty, and filled with silent confessions: I’m sorry. I know. I need you. I need you more.

When we finally pull back, his lips curve in a half smile, and his fingers lace with mine. “All right, then.”

I touch his cheek again. “I adore you, Killian James. Whatever may come of it, I’m no longer willing to hide you away like you’re something to be ashamed of. Everyone should know that.”

His smile grows, and he rests his forehead on mine. “Pretty sure everyone does now.”

I snuggle into his embrace. “Good. Then I won’t have to take out an ad.”

A half-laugh rumbles out of him. His hand slides up to my neck and gives me a squeeze. I close my eyes.

“Time to go,” he whispers. “Before I take you right here.”

I can’t stop grinning. “Move your things to my room. Or I’ll move to yours.”

“Baby doll.” He kisses me again, softly this time, then presses his cheek to mine. “I do, too, you know. So much it hurts.”

“Are you two done?”

Jax’s irritated tone erases our glow in an instant. Killian straightens to his full height and turns. Jax’s look of utter disgust actually hurts to see. I’m not sure I even like the guy, but he’s Killian’s closest friend and important to him.

“Yeah,” Killian says slowly, ice in his voice. “We’re done.”

Jax snorts. “I fucking knew it. Thinking with your dick.”

I twitch, and Killian’s grip on my hand firms as he pulls me closer to his side.

The room stirs, and I realize Brenna and Scottie are directing people out. Bouncers do a great job of helping them clear the room in what seems like seconds.

“Jax, man,” Killian says. “Don’t go there.”

“Why not? We’re all thinking it.”

Whip draws near. “We’re not all thinking that.”

“Definitely not what I’m thinking,” Rye adds. “About time, is more like it.” He gives me a happy smile. “No more swallowing goats.”

“No,” I say, giving him a small smile back.

The rest of the guys are clearly confused by that one.

But Jax snorts. “And yet you all know exactly what I’m thinking.”

“Why don’t you lay it out for me?” Killian asks. There is a silky, dark note in his voice that I’ve never heard before. A definite warning.

Jax either doesn’t hear it or doesn’t care. “If you wanted your side piece to come on tour, you should have just said so. You didn’t have to drag her on stage and mess with the band.”

Killian sucks in a sharp breath and lets it out slowly. “I’m not gonna hit you,” he finally says. “You deserve it. But I’m not. Get this now. That is the last time you disrespect Libby. You got me?”

Jax glances at me, and for a second I see a wince of regret, then it’s gone. “You disrespected yourself,” he says, “hiding and pretending this was about performing.”

“You’re right,” I say before Killian can respond. “Which is why I’m no longer hiding.”

“But you’re still going to pretend like you belong here?”

Okay, that hurt.

Killian snarls, taking a step toward Jax. “What the fuck is your problem?”

“My problem? You fucking lied. To all of us.”

“Dude,” Rye says, shaking his head at Jax. “It was obvious they were together.”

“Seriously. Take your head out of your ass, man,” Whip adds, giving Killian a cheeky smile. “I knew he was gone on her the moment he started waxing lyrical about her voice. And it’s not like they’re very good at hiding those moony looks they keep throwing each other.”

Killian’s eyes narrow. “You knew and you were going to ask her out?”

“Naw, I was just fucking with you, Big K. You should have seen your face. I thought you were going to bust something.” Whip laughs.

“I was about to bust your face,” Killian mutters, but he doesn’t look truly pissed. Not at Whip, anyway. He sets his attention back on Jax. “You used to be better than this.”

“And you used to be straight with me.”

Killian’s brows lift. “You get the hypocrisy you’re throwing my way, right?”

The corners of Jax’s mouth go white. “Nice.”

“Jax,” Whip begins, but Jax gives him a quelling look.

“We didn’t need this bullshit right now,” Jax says. He walks off without another word.

Chapter Twenty-Three