Truth

Reid stared down at me with a disapproving scowl on his face. I felt like a baby bird in his strong arms; I was as light as a feather to him. He continued to carry me through the long hallway, my side aching just slightly.

“I’ve got the doc coming right now,” Rod yelled from behind. Reid didn’t even look back or acknowledge him. He just kept carrying me down the hall.

“What happened to the show?” I asked, my voice still a little breathy from the fall.

“It ended.”

I wanted to roll my eyes and say something like, “No shit, Sherlock,” but then I heard footsteps from behind. Reid swung me around gently to his door, and that was when I spotted Jackson, followed by Finn. They looked just as sweaty and red-faced as Reid.

“Holy shit, man! I’ve never seen you move that fast. Like… ever,” Jackson shouted, almost wheezing. I wanted to laugh, because his flushed cheeks literally matched the color of his hair.

“Is she okay?” he asked, looking down at me when he reached us.

At the exact same time, I said yes, and Reid said no.

Finn snorted from behind.

“I’m fine,” I repeated, still in complete shock that I was in Reid’s arms.

“Brooklyn, you should have seen him. He looked like Superman!”

Reid pushed through the door of his dressing room, took me directly over to the couch, and sat down with me still on his lap. I went to crawl off, but his grip tightened on me. “Stop moving,” he demanded.

“Reid! I’m fine!” I reiterated for what felt like the tenth time. I quickly unwrapped my arms from around his neck and looked away, unable to meet his eye.

Just then, the door to the room flew open, and Rod, who was completely out of breath, walked in with a woman right behind him. “Let’s take a quick look at you,” she assured as soon as her eyes found me.

I went to move off Reid’s lap again, but just like before, his strong arms grew tense, and I stayed put. I growled, but at the same time, a little piece of my heart softened.

“You’re not going anywhere until she checks you,” he said, voice rough.

The room grew silent as I peered up at him. Could it be? Did Reid King really have a heart?

I smirked. “Careful now, Reid. People might actually start to think we’re friends or something.”

I heard a chuckle from one of the bandmates, but Rod swooped in and took Reid’s attention off me. “Let the doctor check her out, and you come with me.”

“I’m not leaving until I know she’s fine,” Reid snapped before looking at the raven-haired doctor.

“Reid,” Rod said, sighing. “Carissa’s on the phone. She’s been calling every hour. It’s…important.”

I felt Reid’s body twitch underneath mine. His entire body turned to stone—his arms, his legs. In fact, I think even his chest stopped expanding. What’s important? My mind instantly went back to that first day I heard him in his dressing room, throwing things and talking about lawyers to someone on the phone.

“Reid, I swear I’m okay,” I said, grabbing his still sweaty jaw and angling it toward my face. The second my hand touched his skin, it felt like I’d been electrocuted. I hastily pulled it back and looked down at my lap. Reid let out a loud, annoyed breath, the warmth of it hitting my own skin, and then he finally released his arms.

I swung my legs, hiding a wince from the pain in my side, and moved over so he could get out from underneath me. I watched his lean body as he stormed out of the room, Rod hot on his heels.

Jackson and Finn exited the room shortly after, leaving the doctor and me alone.

The doctor reached over and grabbed her stethoscope, her pinned, black hair glossing under the dressing room lights. “Does it hurt anywhere? You took quite a fall.” She reached over, ready to listen to my chest.

“I think the wind got knocked out of me, but I’m p

retty sure I’m okay.”

The doctor paused, listening intently, and then nodded. “Are you sure? I’d like to check over everything, because if not, Mr. King will probably get angry.”

I laughed. “Mr. King? That sounds so… professional to me.”