“Huh? Who?”
She rolls her eyes. “Davey. Honey, I can’t believe you turned him down. Like, I totally get it, Chaser’s way hotter, but Davey is loaded. This whole apartment building could fit inside one wing of his mansion.”
“So what?” I grew up surrounded by wealth. No matter what items my father gave me, it never made up for the loss of my mother or the lack of his affection and attention. A man like Davey would be no different. When I outlived my usefulness, he’d replace me with a younger model.
No amount of money or “stuff” would ever fill the empty, aching little girl in me who has always longed to love and be loved.
I finally have that with Chaser. I love him whether or not he ever makes it ‘big.’
“Holly’s right,” Vickie says. “Davey is a fantastic catch. It wouldn’t hurt to see what he has to say if he reaches out to you again.”
Anger simmers in my blood. “Sure. Hey, look, I’m tired. Think we can hang out tomorrow instead?” I fake a yawn to go along with the brush-off.
They’re full of false, syrupy sympathy as they give me air-kisses and make me promise to call if I need anything.
I shut the door behind them and lean against it, closing my eyes. What’s Chaser doing right now? Who is he with?
My gaze lands on the tabloid the girls conveniently left behind.
I love Chaser way too much to lose him.
And I know he loves me, too.
Sighing, I lock the door and toss the tabloid in the trash.
But not before giving it a second read-through.
Please don’t let my blind faith in Chaser be wrong.
Chapter Seven
Chaser
“That fucking piece of shit!” I bellow when Val cautiously explains some tabloid claims I cheated on Mallory. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“I warned you something like this would happen if you confronted him.”
So help me, I’ve never hit a woman in my life, but Val’s begging to be the first. “What was I supposed to do? Let him nail my girlfriend?”
“Maybe there’s a chance Mallory hasn’t seen it. Won’t see it.”
I shake my head and let out a bitter laugh. “Nah, someone will make sure they show it to her soon as possible. Guarantee it.” The three little nosey bitches currently watching the guys’ apartment won’t be able to help themselves. As soon as they see it, they’ll run right up to shove it in Mallory’s face under the guise of ‘concern.’
“Look at it this way, it’s exposure for you and the band. Your name is in the headline. You look like a young, virile, rocking stud in the picture. All press is good press.”
I shoot a glare at her for the stupid stud comment. “Yeah, I hope Mallory sees it that way.”
“We’ll be home in a few days, and you can explain it to her.”
Fuck waiting around for that, I need to talk to her now. But we’re on the fucking road for the next two nights.
I’m a moody, irritable dick all day, every day except for the forty-five minutes we’re on stage and the thirty minutes after the show that I take to meet with fans and sign everything they shove in my hands.
Once we’re done, though, I’m out.
Bloody Revolver doesn’t offer us their private jet on the way home—go figure.
I book the first flight I can, not wanting to wait another minute. I also didn’t want to be on the same flight with Jacob. We may have worked things out to finish the tour, but I’m still pretty fucking pissed at him and don’t know if I’ll be able to resist the urge to toss him off the plane without a parachute once we’re thirty-thousand feet in the air.
The flight’s long, and it’s late when I finally slide the key into the lock. Our apartment is dark. No sound, except traffic noises from outside.
Christ, I hope she didn’t move out.
I drop my stuff inside the door and kick off my boots, before padding through the apartment.
I find my girl curled up on her side of the bed, so achingly beautiful I stop to watch her for a few minutes before heading into the bathroom for a quick shower.
Mallory’s still asleep when I slide into bed next to her.
Needing to bask in her warmth, I gently shift closer. Not gentle enough, because she startles awake. “Chaser?”
“It’s me, little dove,” I whisper. “I’m home. Go back to sleep.”
She rolls over and snaps on the bedside lamp. “Oh, Chaser.” She tackles me, kissing and laughing at the same time. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home, so I could meet you at the airport? Oh my God, I’ve missed you.”
The frost that enveloped my heart the second I sent her home finally melts. “Missed you too. So much.” I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight.