“Damn straight,” Linc says, waggling his brows at Carly. “I call top bunk, babe.”
She snorts.
“There you have it,” Felicity tells Aiden, waving three fingers at him. “Majority rules. Carly stays on as our temporary tour manager.”
“But—”
“Aiden, I’m tired. It’s been a long day, and I’m going to bed.” Felicity hooks her arm with Carly’s, then glances at Francesca. “Where did you say our bus is parked?”
“Come on, I’ll show you.”
The women disappear in a tight formation of high heels and attitude.
Pissed as I am at Felicity, all I feel in this moment is pride. She’s come so damn far from the meek girl who used to live above a bar back in Nashville, too scared even to sing in front of anyone. Burying her name, her talent, her personality deep down where no one could appreciate it, out of an unyielding sense of self-preservation.
But now, it’s on full display for anyone to see. Now, she’s strong enough to command the attention that was always rightfully hers.
It’s sexy as hell.
Linc chuckles lowly as he watches the women vanish out of sight. “A blonde, a redhead, and a brunette walk onto a tour bus…”
Aiden looks at the ceiling, unamused.
Laughing at his own joke, Linc disappears down the hall. Two of our security guards detach from their four-man unit and trail after him. When they’re gone, Aiden looks at me with desperation in his eyes, as if I can somehow save us from this fate.
I can’t save you, man.
I can’t even save myself.
“You want to talk about it?” I ask instead.
His brows lift. “About what?”
“Whatever it is about that girl that gets under your skin so effectively.”
His hands fist at his sides. “How many times have I asked you to talk about Felicity?”
I blink. “None.”
“Exactly.”
“Fine. I don’t need to know.” I shrug. “But whatever it is, figure it out. Never seen you this on-edge before, man. I don’t like it.”
“If that were true, you never would’ve let her stay.”
He storms out of the room without another word, his eyes dark and his muscles tense. If I didn’t know better…
I’d say he was in love with that girl.
I wait awhile before I follow, taking a moment to regroup. The weight of this night presses heavily against my chest. I can’t help thinking Lincoln was right, earlier. With all these secrets… this tour bus is going to be pretty fucking crowded.
Chapter Fifteen
felicity
It’s nearly midnight,but there’s still a crowd staked out in front of the venue when we step into the warm August air — enthusiastic fans hoping for one final glimpse of us getting into our bus, as well as paparazzi waiting for a money shot they can sell to gossip rags and entertainment websites. They line the metal guard rails that cordon off the path from the building to the buses, snapping photos and waving excitedly when I emerge through the doors.
I hear Lincoln and Carly chatting as they follow me out, but I’m too tired to focus on their conversation. Now that the adrenaline of the show has worn off, exhaustion is hitting me full-force. My very bones feel weary as I lift my feet to walk, following Francesca through the gauntlet of screams and cheers.