Consumed(54)

But when she speaks, her voice has dropped an octave and it’s seductive, teasing. “Then let me love you, Lucas.”





After our show that night, Sinjin’s new record of being on time is shot all to hell when he fails to show up at the backstage party that Tyler and the publicity director for the venue are co-hosting for his birthday. Just about everyone is here—both bands and most of the crew—and Tyler’s went all out with one of those big ass cakes that make me think a stripper is going to pop out at any second.

Knowing Sin, a stripper probably will.

“Should you call him?” Sienna asks nervously after she comes back from the restroom. I know she’s been out looking for him, and I’ve got to admit it’s a relief she gets along with him. He’s been treating her with the same protective ferocity that he shows to my sister since after the first week, and I don’t think it has anything to do with me threatening him anymore. “Should I call him?”

“It’s Sin,” I tell her, pulling her onto my lap. Her face reddens, and she glances around to see if anyone is looking at us on the couch. I touch her chin to turn her gaze back to mine. “Relax. They all know you’re with me, and I don’t give a f*ck what any of these people think. About what anyone thinks. Let them talk.”

“We were talking about Sinjin,” she points out.

“He’ll show,” I promise.

When Sin does come in a half an hour later—after Tyler sends him numerous text messages—he’s got a short, cute blonde on his arm whose brown eyes are darting around anxiously. She looks familiar, though I can’t place her, and when Sienna asks me if it’s one of the women he was talking about taking to his hotel last night, I shrug.

“I think things went to shit with them, but this wouldn’t be the first time he changed his mind.”

He makes the rounds of the room to talk to everyone. When he gets to Cilla and Brody, who are a few feet away from us talking to Maggie in wardrobe, Cilla stops her conversation. Holding up her hand, she blurts, “So which one is this?”

Realizing his mistake, Sin attempts to lead the blonde away from the situation. She shrugs out of his grip and faces Cilla. “I’m sorry, what?”

Cilla cocks her head to the side, sizing the other woman up. “I met you and your roommate in the lobby last night, right?” She snorts. “Did not think you’d be around tonight.”

“I don’t think we’ve met,” the blonde states in a cool voice. Her chest is rising and falling quickly, and beside of her, Sin’s face is unreadable. He’s about to lose it. “I’m Zoe Whitlow—one of Sinjin’s friends from back home.”

Sienna sucks in a sharp intake of air just as I get up from my seat.

“Give me a sec,” I tell Sienna. She’s nodding as I take off toward Sinjin, and when I reach them, instead of speaking to him or Zoe, I place my hand on the middle of Cilla’s back.

“What are you doing?” she demands as I lead her from the room and into the hallway.

“Keeping you from making a bigger ass of yourself.”

She struggles to lean against me, and I’m surprised when I don’t smell any alcohol on her breath. And I’m disappointed too. She knew exactly what she was doing back in there with Sin. “Ask Pepper to leave yet?” she asks as I grip her shoulders to hold her at bay.

“Afraid not.”

“Then what the hell do you want?” she shouts.

I lean back angrily. Cilla wasn’t always like this, but the last several years she’s gotten worse. Bitter. When I speak, I grind the words out, “Stay the f*ck away from Sinjin tonight.”

She’s mastered the art of bullshitting so well that she’s able to quickly slap a blank look on her face—from her vacant bluish-green eyes to her parted lips. “What?” She blinks a few times.

I don’t have the patience to do this shit with her today.

“I’m done with you,” I say.

I drop my hands away from her shoulders and turn to leave, but she digs her fingers into my shirt. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Removing her hand, I sneer at her. “I don’t know how to make it any more clear. Personally. Professionally. I can’t do this shit with you.”

She swallows hard and rakes her hands over her face. “All because I made a little joke and screwed around with Sinjin’s little girlfriend?”