Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(124)

Their set was shorter than when they’d played at Pete’s, since they shared the night with so many other bands, but the crowd seemed satisfied when it was over. It made me a little happy that Kellan hadn’t played the melancholy song that he’d written for me while we’d been apart. I don’t know, even though he played it at Pete’s, I didn’t want people all over the nation singing along to my song.

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Instead, the group played all of their biggest hits, all the ones that I loved and that the fans back home loved. Even though the night hadn’t gone as planned, I was still glad that I’d impulsively flown out with my sister to see this. I knew I’d remember it forever.

Giving a final bow, Kellan shook his head, then leaned over and kissed the crying girl on the cheek. I blinked, a little surprised that he’d do that, but when the girl slumped back into her friends like she was fainting, I had to smile. I shook my head at the oddness of it all while Anna adorably snorted.

Hopping down the stage two steps at a time, Kellan scooped me into his arms. Obviously running on pure adrenaline, he spun me in a circle, laughing as I squealed. His arms were firmly around my thighs as he held me up, and, leaning back, he looked at me. “What did you think?” Sighing, I threaded my fingers back through his hair and rested my head against his. “I think it was perfect, Kellan.” Setting me down, he smiled warmly at me. The last band to perform swept past us and Kellan twisted to watch them bound to their microphones. Looking back at me, he smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Do you want to stay and watch your favorite band?” Flushing, I glanced at Justin onstage for a microsecond before looking back at Kellan. “Second favorite,” I said, shaking my head. Kellan laughed and I laced my arms around his neck and laid my head on his shoulder. “I just want to be with you…wherever that is…,” I whispered in his ear.

Nestling into my hair, he nodded and held me tight. “Okay,” he murmured, before the sound was drowned out by the band onstage.

As the rest of the D-Bags dispersed, Evan and Matt excitedly talking about the deal they’d just inked, Griffin with his hands all over Anna’s body, Kellan and I stayed just where we were, holding each other, slightly swaying to the music around us. It was peaceful and I felt that familiar contentment again. If I could, I would have held him like this all night long. I would have held him like that forever.

347



But forever wasn’t in the cards for us tonight and before I knew it, the show was over and the roadies were moving in to tear down the set. Kellan pulled me out of the way, back to the backstage area where a group of fans were hanging around, waiting to hang out with the guys.

Being the professional that he was, Kellan stayed and signed autographs while I waited on a chair in a corner. None of them paid any attention to me, and I was fine with letting Kellan have the spotlight.

After a while, someone from the club finally stepped in and cleared out the room. The man stepped up to me, an imposing look on his face.

“You too, missy…everybody out.”

He grabbed my elbow and I instinctively pulled back. He didn’t like that. “You can’t stay, groupies gotta go.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not a groupie.”

He rolled his eyes, like he heard that every night. Just as I was wondering how to convince yet another bouncer that I wasn’t some trollop following the guys around, Kellan intervened. “Sorry, she’s with me.” The bouncer shrugged and let me go. Kellan laced our hands together and led us back out to the secret exit. As we walked, he got a devilish smile on his face. “That little incident reminds me…what exactly did you do to get backstage?”

I sighed, running my hand over my face. “You don’t want to know.” He giggled, twisting to walk backwards down the hall. “Now I definitely want to know.” He raised an eyebrow at me expectantly.

Not able to resist the sultry look on his face, I murmured, “I flashed the guy at the door.”

Kellan stopped in his tracks and I ran into him. “You what?” he said flatly.

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Bunching my brows, I shook my head and took a step back. “He wouldn’t let us through until Anna and I showed him our chests. I kept my bra on, though…Anna didn’t.”

Kellan clenched his jaw, his expression hardening. His face reminded me of the night he’d stopped that perve from fondling me, the night he’d gotten the scar along his ribs. “What did he look like?” His eyes scanned the hall behind me, like he was searching for the guy.

I brought my hand up, focusing his gaze on me. “Hey, it’s okay.” I grimaced and added, “It was mortifying and humiliating, but he didn’t hurt me or anything. He didn’t even touch me.” I didn’t mention that he’d rubbed Anna a little. I also didn’t mention that he’d also offered to

“do” me. The first of two unwanted invitations I’d had that night…wasn’t I popular all of a sudden?

Kellan exhaled, shaking his head. “Why would you do that? You could have called me…I would’ve let you in?” I sighed, stroking his cheek. “I wanted to surprise you.” He narrowed his eyes. “You thought I was sleeping with Lana. Did you want to surprise me…or catch me?”

I bit my lip and shook my head. “I don’t know,” I whispered.