Toxic (Addiction #1) (39 page)

“You okay?” Kaid asked, as he sat next to her and pulled her into his embrace.
 

“I’ll be okay.”

Willow placed her legs across Maisy and Kaid’s laps as she leaned her body into Maisy and kissed her shoulder.
 

“He’s an ass.”

Maisy nodded in agreement. He was an ass. She tried not to think about how Rook had not come to check on her, even though it had been hours since the interview at the radio station, or the look he gave her when she pulled away from Rick, or the smiles he gave all his more than adoring fans.
 

He told her he would screw up, he told her he was going to hurt her, but she chose not to believe him. She didn’t really think he would, not after everything they’d shared together, not after the way he talked to her and touched her.
 

“Baby girl, I know you’re hurting, but I want you to know that you are starting to get a lot of attention, all of us are, and I want to make sure you’re being careful. People are going to start to offer you both the world, promises of making you bigger than you can imagine and you have to be careful with who you trust,” Kaid said, always being the big brother. “I want you two to be safe. This industry can eat us alive and we need to stick together, no matter what.”

“What are you saying?” Maisy asked.
 

She had no clue where Kaid was heading with his comment. She knew he was concerned about their band and them not splitting up, but what did that have to do with the situation that took place with Rook today?
 

“Don’t get defensive,” Willow said. “We just want to make sure you’re making the right decision. We are all in this together and, if we stray from one another, then we will lose everything. We need to make sure we are making the best decisions not only for ourselves but for our band.”

“I don’t understand.”

Kaid pulled Maisy in closer and placed a kiss on the top of her head.
 

“Do you think being with Rook is the best thing for you?”

Maisy knew that’s what Willow and Kaid were getting at, but she didn’t want to go there; she didn’t want to hear it. She didn’t want to think about the fact that her heart was attached to Rook’s, but her mind knew it wasn’t the best idea to give herself over to him because in the end he would most likely destroy her.
 

She was about to answer when she was interrupted.
 

“I don’t think that’s any of your God damn business, Kaid. And if you don’t get your arms off my girl, I might have to crack your jaw,” Rook said from the opened bus door.
 

***

Grey and Landon played Mario Kart in their bus while Cruz fiddled around with a random PA in the back as Rook tried to beg his way back into Maisy’s life.
 

Landon shook his head at the feat that was in front of his friend, Rook. The boy was a screw-up, that was for sure, but when he wasn’t screwing up, he treated Maisy like a queen. Landon was actually surprised to see his rough, drugged out friend become domesticated and actually care for another living human. Landon knew Rook cared about the band and his boys, but he never saw the nurturing, almost loving personality Rook had when he was around Maisy. She was good for Rook, it was such a shame Rook was a dick stick when it came to relationships.
 

“Oh Cruz!”
 

Grey laughed as he took a sip of beer. “He couldn’t have taken her anywhere else? I’m going to have to change those sheets…again!”

“At least he’s getting some,” Landon said as he shifted in his seat.
 

“You could bring any girl you wanted back here, dude. What the hell are you waiting for?”

Landon shrugged his shoulders, knowing well and good why he hadn’t been with a girl in a while. He couldn’t get his damn mind off his brother’s girlfriend. Apparently, Quinn had admitted to not eating and promised to make a change; said she wanted to be happier which was a good thing, Landon was happy about that. He just wished that she would stop stringing Grey along and break up with him. Landon knew it was wrong to think such a thing, but good God, he didn’t think he could stand to see Grey and Quinn together one more time, it was eating away at him.
 

“I haven’t seen many attractive ones lately. They either have massively fake tits or are so damn sloppy it’s practically a turn off.”

“You’re being too picky, man. It’s a pussy…just fuck it.”

Landon was laughing at his brother’s brief showing of vulgarity when someone walked through the bus door. Expecting it to be Rook striking out, Landon didn’t look over until a brown haired little pixie dressed in sexy black shorts, a white blouse and black high heels stood in front of him. It took him a second to focus on the bombshell that was standing in front of him.
 

It wasn’t until Grey said, “Quinn?” in a questioning tone that Landon made eye contact with her deep brown eyes.
 

Quinn stood in front of them with a new haircut and a bright smile on her face. She looked indescribable. She cut her hair really short and styled it to the side. Her makeup was much darker, making her eyes look bigger than usual and her shirt danced dangerously low on her chest, giving Landon a good view of her small cleavage.
 

Landon sat up in his seat as he took her in completely. He knew he looked like an idiot with his mouth wide open just staring at her, but he didn’t know what else to do.
 

“Do you like, boys?” Quinn asked, with her hand on her hip.
 

“Sweetheart, I don’t know what to say, I mean you look fantastic, but why the change?”

Quinn’s smile faltered for a second which made Landon want to pummel his brother in the face. If Quinn was his girlfriend he would have picked her up, thrown her over his shoulder and made love to her until she screamed.
 

“I told you, I’m changing things up and, frankly, I don’t care if you don’t like it because I feel amazing. I feel so free and I feel sexy.”

Landon wanted to scream, Amen and give Quinn a high five, or maybe a kiss, whichever she preferred. He shook his head at his giant douche-baggery self.
 

“I didn’t say I didn’t like it, it’s just…different.”

Landon couldn’t take it anymore. “I think you look sexy as hell,” Landon said while looking Quinn up and down. Her face lit up at his comment and she leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
 

“Thank you. I’m glad one of the Cross boys can appreciate me. I have some outfits to pull together before the show tonight. You boys have fun with your little game.” She blew a kiss to both of them as she walked out of the bus.
 

Landon sat back on the couch and took a giant swig of his beer. Damn, Quinn looked amazing. Life was tough enough around her and now he had to deal with the little sex kitten she had turned into.
 

Grey’s hand connected with the back of Landon’s head making Landon dribble beer down the front of his shirt.
 

“Dude, what the hell?” he asked, as he tried to wipe up the runaway beer.
 

“What the hell? I should be asking you the same question. Why are you hitting on my girl?”

“Please, I just told her she looked good, something you should have done the minute she walked in here. You know she has self-esteem issues. She tried something new and you should have been more supportive.”

Grey exhaled deeply as he leaned back on the sofa as well. “I was taken by surprise, that’s all. I mean, her hair is brown now and short. You know I prefer blondes. I don’t understand why she had to change.”

“You don’t need to understand it man, you just need to accept it.”

Grey pouted next to Landon as they finished their game of Mario Kart and listened to Cruz work his magic in the back. Landon silently thought that maybe, just maybe, Quinn’s new look would finally be the straw that broke the camel’s back in the Quinn-Grey relationship. One could only hope.
 

Chapter 19

Fury blazed through Rook’s body as he walked in on Kaid holding Maisy and warning her about her relationship with Rook. He had an errand to run before he came by to collect Maisy, but he didn’t think he would walk in on everyone turning on him. Yeah, he screwed up, but it was nothing that called for such talk from her friends.
 

“You think it’s a good idea being here right now?” Willow asked, as she stood up in front of Kaid and Maisy.
 

Rook would never physically hurt a woman, ever, but if Willow stood between him and Maisy, he might have to change his outlook on his morals. He needed to talk to Maisy and he would do anything to get the chance.
 

“Cut the crap, Willow. I’m not here to talk to you or Kaid. I want to talk to Maisy so I’m going to ask nicely, leave us the hell alone.”

“That’s nicely?” Willow laughed.
 

“You can’t always get what you want, dickhead,” Kaid added.
 

Rook took a step forward and that’s when Maisy stood up. “Everyone stop. Kaid, Willow, please give me a second with Rook.”

Willow and Kaid huddled next to Maisy and whispered in her ear as she nodded and gave them both a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Willow eyed Rook up and down before proceeding out of the bus but not before she had the chance to slam her shoulder into his, throwing his balance off for a second.
 

Kaid walked by and spoke just loud enough so Rook could hear him. “You don’t deserve her, fuck stick.”

Then he left, leaving Maisy and Rook together, alone at last.
 

Standing in a defensive stance, wearing a pair of leggings and a tight tank top was the girl of his dreams, the girl he had never known he wanted in his life, but he did. He hated the fact that she was standing in front of him with no make-up on and a look of disgust on her face, a look that he knew was meant specifically for him and his earlier actions. He hated being wrong and he hated having to beg for forgiveness, but he couldn’t stand not being with Maisy. He was already getting shaky from being without her warmth for so long. He needed his Maisy fix.

“Are you going to actually say something or are you just going to stand there and stare at me?”

Rook’s hands instantly started to sweat and his stomach churned. Why the hell was he nervous? He never acted like this around a woman, then again, he had never cared about a woman before and the thought of losing Maisy…again, was sending his body into nervous overdrive.
 

“Just leave, Rook,” Maisy said, obviously frustrated with his lack of words. She turned to go to the back room, but he stopped her.
 

She looked down at his hand on her arm and slowly lifted her gaze. “Take your hand off of me.” Her voice was dripping with malice and it terrified him. She had never shown such anger toward him before. He had seen her angry before, but not like this. It was as if she was disgusted with him. When he thought about it, he didn’t blame her; he was disgusted with himself too.
 

“Maisy, please listen.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, leaned against the counter and motioned for him to continue.
 

“I was an idiot. I thought you were hanging all over Ridiculous Rick and I got jealous.”

“You thought I was hanging all over that creepy pedophile of a man? Are you insane? He was practically attacking me and, instead of you coming over and saving me from the situation, you went on to feel up your fans while they returned the favor. You’re despicable, you know that? I needed you there. I needed you to help fight off the black cloud of my father that was threatening to take over.”

Rook’s voice was caught in his throat as she threw her hands up and stormed to the back of the bus, slamming the door shut, closing him off from her. He was tempted to just leave and cut his losses, but he didn’t want to. He needed her badly, he was hurting inside and he needed her to calm his nerves. He needed to know that he would still be able to hold her, be inside of her and feel the beat of her heart against his face.
 

He walked to the back of the bus and opened the door. His heart jumped from his chest as he saw Maisy’s tiny body curled up on the bed with her head buried in her pillow, crying. It felt like someone pulled a Tanya Harding on him and slammed him in the back of the knees with a crowbar because he couldn’t manage to stand. He hated seeing her cry because of something he did, because of pain he inflicted on her.
 

He walked to the edge of the bed, pulled off his shirt and crawled into bed with her, spooning her back. She stiffened when she felt him wrap his arms around her, but he didn’t let go. He wanted to feel her warmth, he needed to feel it so he would be reassured that everything was going to be alright…hopefully.
 

“Baby, please don’t cry. I’m so sorry. I’m such an ass. I wish I wasn’t a jealous ass who reacts rather than talks.”

“Just leave, Rook.”

“I can’t. I need you.”