Ceaseless (Existence Trilogy #3)(22)

“I’ve been waiting for you,” I assured her as she took in the girl whose shirt was missing and her very large fake boobs were spilling out of the bra she was wearing. It did look incriminating. “She’ll be gone in a second. Security is coming to get her, she came in uninvited.”

Pagan frowned and turned her gaze to me, “Where is her shirt?” she asked slowly as if waiting on me to admit I had something to do with her lack of proper clothing.

“Probably in the other room where the band is. She came in here like that. My refusal to hang out with the band and groupies often sends the braver ones in here to see if they can change my mind. They can’t. I don’t do drugs or STDs.”

A small smile tugged on Pagan’s lips as the door opened and one of the guys on the clubs security team walked in and hauled the girl up from her spot on the couch. “I want her gone from the club while I’m here.” I reminded him.

He nodded, “Yes sir.”

“Why do they get to stay? They came in uninvited too,” she whined and slapped at the guys back. “Leave me alone. I have bigger tits than they do and I’ll suck,” the door slammed behind them cutting off whatever else she was about to say. Thank Deity.

Once the door closed, I took a deep breath.

“Wow, that was interesting.” Pagan teased.

I grinned at her, then shifted my attention to Gee. “Why don’t you take Miranda to meet the rest of the band.” It wasn’t a suggestion; I knew Gee and everyone else in the room knew that too.

“YAY!” Miranda clapped her hands. “I brought my sharpie---will they autograph my shirt?”

She was wearing a white shirt that the band had sold at a beach concert last year. She had taken Pagan to that concert although Pagan hadn’t known who or what I was at the time. “They’ll sign anything you ask them too, but remember they are a raunchy crowd. You’ll wind up with a lot of names on your chest.”

Miranda beamed at my warning. She was definitely in a better mood. Pagan had told me about what happened with the other girl. I wished I could tell her that it would be okay. That the soul she’d loved in Wyatt was the same soul that was living inside Nathan. But I couldn’t. She’d have to figure this out on her on.

“I got this. She’ll be fine,” Gee replied and led Miranda back out of the door leaving me alone with Pagan.

“Why do I feel like you just sent them away on purpose?” Pagan asked as she looked up at me through her eyelashes.

“Because you’re a smart girl. I have a thing for females with brains,” I replied.

“Ooooh, that explains why you weren’t attracted to the topless model perfect body who was more than willing to do whatever you wanted with her.” I cringed mentally thinking of the girl who had been in here. I didn’t even want to take Pagan over to the couch and have her sit where the girl had been. It felt tainted now.

“All I wanted to do with her was get her the hell away from me. Nothing about that train wreck was attractive.”

Pagan liked my answer. I could see it in her eyes. I was proving to her that I wasn’t the depraved sex-crazed man-whore she assumed I was just because I was a singer in a band. She took a step toward me and I didn’t reach out and touch her. I wanted to see exactly what she was planning to do. If she started to move I may grab her and hold on but right now I wanted her to feel like she was in control.

“That is very sexy, Dank Walker. Just so you know. Most guys wouldn’t have cared about anything other than her looks.” The awe in her voice made my chest expand.

“I’m glad you realize I’m a little deeper than you first assumed,” I replied.

Pagan placed a hand on my chest and ran it up until she was touching the necklace that she’d bought me before my last concert, before her memory was taken from her. She’d said lead singers needed some jewelry. She’d chosen a Celtic knot on a black string. She said the knot was endless and so were we. I hadn’t taken it off since. I kept it tucked inside my shirt unless I was going onstage. I didn’t like people to touch it. Pagan had given it to me. It was sacred. She held the knot in her hand and I felt an odd sense of power at having her hands on it again.

“It’s a Celtic knot. Why did you choose this?” She asked looking up at me with intrigue in her eyes.

“Someone gave it to me,” I explained waiting to see if any of this clicked with her. She ran her thumb over the cool metal.

“The knot is never ending,” she said quietly as if she was repeating a memory to herself.

I didn’t respond. I didn’t want to interrupt any small memory that may be trying to break through. She dropped her hand from my chest and turned and walked away from me. That hadn’t been what I was expecting.

“What’s wrong?” I asked almost afraid to speak.

She shrugged and I heard a small sniffle. Dammit she was crying. Why was she crying? I took two long strides until I was standing behind her and I pulled her back against my chest. “Why are crying?” I asked gently.

She took a deep breath and shook her head, “I don’t know.” She reached up and wiped away the tears on her cheeks. “I just suddenly wanted to cry. It was weird. I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Hope. I had hope. The Celtic knot was triggering something inside her.