Chapter 1
Jade Brennan screeched with horror as she stared at her disheveled reflection. She groaned as she stood in front of the public restroom’s mirror at Brimland Point Arena.
“Oh God, this is worse than I thought.” She yanked paper towels from the metal dispenser on the wall. “No wonder the security guard only invited you backstage and screwed his nose up at me,” she called out to her cousin Liz, who was in one of the cubicles.
“It’s not that bad,” Liz yelled back.
“Pfft, it’s worse. I showed up at the concert looking cute. The clock ticked midnight and now I resemble roadkill.”
Something dark and sticky was smeared on her black and red polka-dot shirt. She didn’t want to know what it could be. And her white jeans had what she hoped was only beer stains splattered down her right leg. Being pressed up against sweaty bodies while they headbanged to heavy rock music was hazardous.
Jade dampened the paper towel and scrubbed away the smudged mascara from under her eyes. “Waterproof my arse. And let’s not get me started on what’s happened to my hair.”
Her difficult-to-manage red curls had escaped from the ponytail and now lay tangled and knotted around her face. The humidity in the arena was doing a great job of making her look like she’d just stepped out of a pressure cooker.
The toilet flushed, and Liz walked to the sink and washed her hands. Her lips twitched as she took in Jade’s appearance. It was so great to see her cousin smile again. After Liz’s fiancé dumped her at the altar on their wedding day, she’d been a blubbering mess. It had taken Jade three months to get her out of the house.
But Liz should have seen the break-up coming. With their family history she should have known it wouldn’t work. When would the Brennan women learn to never fall in love? The men in their lives always left.
A tug pulled at Jade’s heart. Never having someone to love was depressing, but over the years she’d learned to live with it. It was better not to find love at all. It only left you with a broken heart. She’d seen it too many times.
“Oh my God, freaking Harvey’s Territory wants us backstage.” Liz broke into a huge smile, and her eyes sparkled.
“No, the giant security guard said they wanted you, not me. I look like a hot mess, and you just look hot. I’m only the tag-along who insisted I join you. Why did you have to flash the lead singer your boobs?”
Liz laughed. “I’ve had too much to drink, and you know how I act when I get tipsy. Anyway, it got us backstage!”
Yeah, when Liz was drinking, she liked to perform stripteases, no matter where she was, and that was why Jade insisted on going backstage too. Who knew the trouble Liz might find? Jade didn’t want a random guy taking advantage of her cousin.
“And did you see him smile when I did? God, he’s so sexy.” Liz fanned her face. “I hope I get to talk to him or…” She smirked.
Jade had noticed he was kind of cute if you liked that long-haired, tattooed, grungy look. And when he smiled his lips tilted in a crooked way that was sexy. Liz would definitely be easy prey.
“Maybe we should go home,” Jade suggested.
“No way! We’ll never have this opportunity again. It will be fun. I think I deserve it after the hell I’ve been through.” The sparkle dimmed from her eyes, and Jade didn’t want to see her miserable again.
“Okay, but if they want us to join in some twisted, kinky orgy, we’re leaving.”
“You won’t regret it, I promise.” Liz pulled her into a hug. “Hurry and fix yourself, I can’t wait to meet them.” She bounced around like an excited toddler waiting to meet Santa.
With a pinched expression, Jade examined her makeup. “Go ahead, and I’ll catch up. It’ll take a few minutes to clean this mess.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’ll see you soon.”
Liz squealed and raced out of the room.
Once Jade did all she could to improve her appearance, she left the bathroom. The huge, beefy security guard with no neck had given them directions to the party when he’d been called to attend a problem and couldn’t escort them himself. She found the corporate area above the arena, but it was a labyrinth of corridors and rooms.
Did Mountain Man say left or right at the end of this corridor? She should have paid more attention. She took a guess and turned right, walked down another corridor, and found the double timber doors he’d mentioned. “Which one did he say to take?”
She pressed an ear against each of them. Shouldn’t there be music pounding through them to indicate the right one? But she heard nothing.
To decide which one to take, she pointed her finger and sang, “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Door on the right it is.” And she pushed through.
It was another hallway with offices lining each side. She glanced back over her shoulder. If she continued, would she remember the way out? Deciding she wouldn’t go too far, just in case, she peered through the windows, finding them empty.