Текст книги "Rock Hard"

Автор книги: Olivia Cunning

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 7 (всего у книги 24 страниц)

“It’s when a person bleeds under the membrane that covers their brain. The blood has nowhere to go, so it just keeps building up and pressing on the brain. That’s what causes injury, so they’ve got to drain the blood before…” She averted her gaze. “His brain is probably fine.”

“Probably?” Brian asked, his voice cracking.

Myrna kissed Brian’s jaw. “We’ll know more when we get to the hospital, but he’s been walking around with this injury for over a day. The blood took a long while to accumulate, so he can’t be hemorrhaging much.”

“Goddamned Eric starting fights,” Brian said. “And you,” he said, his intense brown eyes swiveling to focus on Sed. “If you’d think with your head instead of your cock on occasion, this would have never happened.” His gaze moved to Jessica. “And why are you here anyway?”

“She helped me find you,” Sed said. “Why didn’t you tell anyone where you were going and then shut off your fucking cell phone?”

Brian leaned heavily against the back of the elevator car and pressed on his temples with both hands. “I don’t know. I’m stupid. I was only thinking about myself.”

“Brian—” Jessica started.

“Don’t speak to me. You have no idea what kind of damage you left behind when you walked out on Sed.”

Jessica’s eyes widened and she glanced at Sed in disbelief.

Great. Just what he needed: Jessica to know she was his greatest weakness.

“Brian, I know you’re upset, sweetheart, but—” Myrna began.

“Don’t you dare side with them.”

“I’m not siding with anyone. I know you’re upset and I don’t want you to say something you’ll regret.”

“Why would I regret telling the truth? You fucked him up big time when you left him, Jessica. He hurts everyone around him without regard for anything but his fucking libido.”

Sed couldn’t argue. He’d hurt Brian more than anyone, because, as a romantic, Brian was the easiest to hurt. Sed had seduced every one of Brian’s girlfriends with the exception of Myrna. He’d have slept with Myrna too, if she’d allowed it.

“I suppose you’re fucking her now.” Brian pointed at Jessica, who flinched.

Sed and Jessica avoided each other’s gazes.

“God! You’re such an idiot!” Brian reached over and slapped Sed alongside the head. “She’s just going to destroy you again, man. You have the shortest memory of anyone I know.”

Sed knew Jessica would destroy him. He knew it, but he loved her anyway. He’d always loved her. He’d never stopped loving her, and he’d still love her after she knifed him in the heart again. Even now she was setting him up to knock him down and he honestly didn’t care. Whatever she had in mind couldn’t be worse than living without her.

Unless she planned on leaving him again.

His gaze swiveled to the object of his obsession, who was pointedly staring at the floor in front of her. She wouldn’t do that again, would she? God, he wouldn’t survive if he had to watch her walk away from him again.

The cab sat waiting for them outside the hotel. Sed slid into the front seat with the driver, leaving Brian, Myrna and Jessica to climb into the back. All the way to the hospital, the interior of the cab remained silent. Sed stared out the windshield, wondering how he could possibly fix this mess. He’d do anything to make it better. But really, what could he do? He wasn’t a doctor. He didn’t have any influence over the functioning of a hospital. He had to try to do something, though. Sitting back and letting things happen was never on his agenda.

The cab driver dropped them off in front of the emergency room. The front desk directed them to Trey’s room upstairs in the ICU. There, they found Eric pacing the hall.

Eric seized Brian in a bear hug. “Oh good, oh good, you made it.”

Brian pulled away and glanced into the nearest door. “Is he in there?”

“Yeah. Dare’s with him. All my pacing was making Trey nervous, so he told me to get lost.”

Brian grabbed Myrna’s hand and pulled her into the room. Jessica stayed behind in the hallway with Eric, while Sed followed the newlyweds. They found Dare sitting on the edge of Trey’s bed, talking to him in hushed tones.

Trey glanced up when Brian came into his line of sight. He smiled brightly and then his gaze shifted to Myrna. He bit his lip and scowled. “I’m sorry I interrupted your honeymoon. I’m such a pussy.” Trey spoke with a slurred voice. He concentrated on swallowing and then blinked slowly.

“This is more important,” Brian said.

Myrna nodded in agreement.

“Didn’t I see you with Jessica earlier this evening?” Dare asked Myrna. “Is this your wife?” he asked Brian.

“Yeah. Myrna, this is Trey’s older brother, Darren,” Brian said.

“Dare,” Dare corrected and extended his hand to Myrna, who shook it.

“Can I borrow you for a moment?” Myrna said, tugging Dare from the edge of the bed by his hand.

“Uh, sure. Okay.”

Sed watched Myrna lead Dare out into the hall, thinking her request strange. Brian took the spot on the edge of the bed recently vacated by Trey’s older brother.

Trey glanced up at Sed. “They bothered you, too. Sheesh, I’m a regular pain in the ass, aren’t I?”

Sed shook his head. “What did they tell you?” Please say you’re going to be all right, Trey. Please.

“Tore a vein or something in my head.” He pointed to a spot several inches behind his left ear. “They have to drill a hole and suck the blood out. It’s not as bad as it sounds. The MRI didn’t show much blood in there. Just a little hole in a vein. Shouldn’t be too hard to f-fix…” His eyes drifted out of focus.

Brian reached for the call button, but Trey grabbed his arm and shook his head slightly.

“I’m all right,” he insisted. “I just can’t think so good.”

“Well, nothing unusual about that,” Brian said.

Trey smiled his typical, infectious grin.

“Isn’t it dangerous to drill a hole in someone’s head?” Sed asked.

“If they don’t, I’ll die.” Trey covered his eyes with one hand. His throat convulsed as he swallowed hard.

“You’re not going to die, Trey,” Brian said. “If you do, I’ll kill you.”

Trey chuckled. Sed realized he was probably making Trey feel worse, but he didn’t want to leave. He needed to see Trey moving, breathing, joking around. That way he could convince himself that Trey would be okay and that helpless feeling in Sed’s gut would ease.

“Did you tell the doctor the last thing you need is another hole in your head?” Brian touched the holes in Trey’s left ear, which usually had rings and studs in them, but apparently all of his jewelry had been removed. “Tongue pierced, eyebrow twice, nose, two in your lip, five in your ears.”

Trey moved his hand from his eyes. He looked more alert than he had a moment ago. “Might as well make it an even dozen.” He laughed and then winced, his right eyebrow twitching slightly. He glanced at Sed. “You look like you’re at my funeral.”

“What can I do for you, Trey?” Sed asked. “Anything. I’ll do anything.”

“Smile.”

Sed tried, but it made his chest constrict in agony.

Brian’s gaze focused on Sed’s bare torso. “Did you lose your shirt at the casino, or what?”

Sed glanced down at his chest. “Uh, I gave it to a fan.”

“You lose more shirts that way,” Brian said.

Trey laughed.

Sed smiled. Trey was going to be okay. He had to be.

Myrna came back into the room. She approached the bed and leaned over Trey. Her fingers gently brushed the long strands of black hair from his forehead and she kissed his brow.

“There will be a fresh cherry pie waiting for you when you come home,” Myrna said.

“Awesome!”

“When do you get to come home?” Sed asked.

“Tomorrow, I hope. I fuckin’ hate hospitals.”

“Do you really think they’re going to let you out of here that quickly? After brain surgery? Get a clue, man.”

“Brain surgery? It’s nothing that serious. I don’t have a tumor. They’re just sucking out some blood. No big deal. A hotel maid could do it.” He made a sucking sound and pantomimed vacuuming the side of his head.

Sed shook his head at him. “No big deal, huh?” Five minutes ago the guy was freaking out. What was different? He noticed Trey was clinging to the front pocket of Brian’s jeans with two fingers. Ah, Brian. Trey’s rock. Sed was doubly glad he’d retrieved him.

“If it was a big deal,” Brian said, “don’t you think they’d have already started operating?”

“They’re waiting for a brain surgeon,” Myrna said. “A good one. Dare said their father called her personally.”

Why hadn’t Sed thought of that? Trey’s father, Dr. George Mills, was a renowned plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. Of course, Dr. Mills would have connections and get Trey the best possible care.

“He’ll need a good one. Doc Mills knows his son doesn’t have any spare brain cells to sacrifice,” Brian said, punching Trey in the shoulder.

Trey scowled at Brian. “Why did I want you here again?”

“To ruin my good time, apparently. You can’t imagine the incredible things Myrna was doing to me when Sed interrupted.”

“Fine, then. Leave.”

“Before seeing your new haircut? Wouldn’t miss that for anything, buddy.”

“Haircut?” Trey glanced around nervously. “What haircut?”

Brian grinned down at him. “You know they’re going to have to shave off all your hair before they start drilling holes through your thick skull.”

Trey’s eyes widened. He glanced at Myrna for verification. She nodded slightly. “It will grow back, sweetie.”

“Fuck that.” Trey tried to get out of the hospital bed.

Sed grabbed him by both shoulders and shoved him back, pinning him to the mattress with sheer force. “You aren’t going anywhere, Mills. Don’t make me sit on you.”

Dare entered the room. “They said the doctor should be here soon. She’s on her way upstairs now.”

Sed caught sight of Jessica peeking in the doorway, gnawing on the end of her index finger. He considered calling her in to join them, but knew Brian would probably just upset her again. Sed winked at her. Her eyes widened as if she’d been caught doing something wrong and she disappeared back in the corridor.

“Dare,” Trey whined in his protect-me-big-brother voice, “Brian says they’re going to shave my head.”

“Well, duh, Trey. I think that’s pretty standard.” Dare lifted an eyebrow at Sed. “Why are you abusing my brother?”

It took Sed a second to realize he was still pressing Trey down against the hospital bed with both hands. He released Trey’s shoulders and stood straight. “Because he was trying to get out of bed.”

Dare’s green eyes shifted to his little brother. “Why were you trying to get out of bed, dipshit?”

“They’re going to shave my head!”

Dare chuckled and tousled Trey’s hair affectionately. “Is that really your biggest concern?”

“Do you think I want to look like a total douche?” He lifted a hand in Sed’s direction. “Like him?”

“Hey,” Sed protested. Yes, he kept his hair very short. But he didn’t look like a total douche. Did he?

“No offense, Sed,” Trey added.

Sed ran a hand over the soft fuzz on his scalp and eyed the long bangs covering one of Trey’s eyes. He’d never pull off an emo hairstyle like Trey’s anyway. Too much maintenance.

“You’ll wish you had that much hair when they’re finished with you,” Brian said. “Cue balls will be jealous of your shiny dome.”

Trey covered his head with both hands. “Shut up.”

A nurse nudged her way through the congregated friends. “You all have to leave. I need to prep him for surgery now.”

Trey eyed the razor in the nurse’s collection of frightening implements and started to climb out of bed again. Sed widened his stance, prepared to force him back down if necessary.

“If you move from that bed, Terrance, I’ll tell Mom why the last pool boy quit,” Dare threatened. “She and Dad are on their way, you know.”

Trey’s eyes widened and his entire body sank into the bed. “Don’t call me Terrance,” he muttered.

Brian chuckled. “Deflowering virgins again, Trey?”

“He liked it.” Trey’s ornery grin made an appearance. “And I really liked it, but I don’t want my mother to know that.” He glared at his brother. “I have a bunch of shit on you too, you know.”

Dare chuckled and an ornerier version of Trey’s grin spread across his face. “She’ll never believe you. Mom thinks I’m her angelic son.”

Brian burst out laughing. Sed didn’t know Dare well enough to understand what had Brian in hysterics. He could only imagine what acts of debauchery the lead guitarist of Exodus End might pursue.

The nurse squeezed around Sed to stand next to the bed. “I need to get this done.”

Trey turned on the charm. “Yeah, you guys get out of here. We have some shaving to do.” He lifted an eyebrow at her suggestively. The nurse dropped her gaze and blushed.

Sed wondered if Trey would actually be able to talk her out of shaving his head. Surely not. The woman was a professional.

Sed grabbed Trey’s hand in a firm handshake and patted him vigorously on the shoulder. “We’ll see you on the other side.”

Trey paled, his nose freckles appearing in stark contrast to his light skin.

Sed supposed he shouldn’t have reminded Trey what was about to happen. He should just keep his mouth shut and defer to Brian, who was an expert at placating Trey.

Myrna kissed Trey affectionately right on the mouth. “Cherry pie and cherry cobbler when you get home.”

“Now you’re talkin’,” Trey said.

Sed grinned. Midwestern women and their way of trying to feed their love to people. Perfectly fine by him. The woman could cook her ass off. A skill Jessica had not quite mastered.

Jessica.

Shit. He’d just left her out in the hallway all by herself. She was going to be pissed. And he wasn’t sure why that thought excited him.

Sed found Jessica leaning against the wall outside Trey’s door. Eric stood beside her. She had her head resting against his muscular upper arm and he was stroking her long, wavy hair with one hand. Sed buried a spike of inappropriate jealousy. He knew Eric wouldn’t make a move on his woman. Eric valued his life too much.

“Sorry I left you out here by yourself for so long,” Sed said to Jessica.

Eric cleared his throat loudly.

“It’s okay. Eric was keeping me company.”

“You could’ve come inside.”

She shook her head slightly. “I didn’t want to upset anyone.”

Sed drew his brows together. “Like who?”

“Brian.”

Sed shrugged. “Eh, he’ll get over it.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Eric said.

“Why does he hate me so much, anyway?”

Sed loathed the look of hurt in her eyes, but was glad he wasn’t its direct source.

“No idea.” Like he was going to tell her he’d seduced Brian’s girlfriends to make himself feel better about his own lonely, miserable existence. Uh, yeah. That was sure to win her back.

Eric sent Sed a disapproving stare, shook his head, and then pushed off the wall. “I’m going to go see Trey.”

Jessica turned into Sed’s bare chest and wrapped her arms around his waist beneath his leather duster. “Trey’s going to be okay, isn’t he?” Her voice sounded small, igniting his need to protect.

He pressed his lips to the top of her head. “He’ll be fine. I guarantee it,” he murmured against her silky hair.

The elevator at the end of the hallway dinged, and repetitive squeaking advanced toward them. Jace slid around a corner and raced in their direction. Sed hadn’t known the dude could move so fast. Winded, Jace skidded to a stop in front of Sed.

“Just got. Eric’s. Message.” He gulped several breaths of air. “Trey?”

“They’re prepping him for surgery right now.” Sed nodded toward the open door to his left.

“Surgery?”

Eric came out of the room, followed by the rest of Trey’s visitors.

“Took you long enough.” Eric reached over and peeled something off the side of Jace’s neck. “What is this? Wax? What have you been up to, little man?”

Jace flushed. “Can I see Trey?”

“We got kicked out,” Brian said. “We’re supposed to wait in the waiting area until he’s out of surgery.” He nodded toward the lounge area near the elevators.

“Surgery?” Jace repeated. Typically a master of hiding his emotions, Jace looked like someone had punched him in the stomach, knocked him flat on his ass, and then pissed on his forehead. “I can’t let him go into surgery without seeing him.”

He didn’t wait for permission. He just barreled right into Trey’s room. “What the… You can’t be in that bad of shape if you can do that.”

Sed turned his head toward the open door. Do what?

Dare suddenly jetted across the hall and grabbed a tiny woman, who was dressed in green scrubs, in an enthusiastic embrace. He lifted her off the floor and bounced her up and down in his arms. “Dr. Angelo. Thanks for rushing here so quickly.”

She smiled. “My pleasure, Darren.”

Sed had the urge to demand the woman’s credentials before she went mucking around with Trey’s brain. As hard as it was for Sed, he knew he had to stand back and not interfere.

“You okay?” Jessica asked.

Sed nodded. She kissed the center of his bare chest tenderly, her fingers splayed over his rib cage. His heart thrummed against her lips.

Eyes on Jessica, Brian made a sound of frustration and stalked off toward the waiting area with Myrna on his heels. What the fuck was he so pissed about?

Dr. Angelo entered her patient’s room.

“Dr. Angelo!” Trey’s voice carried into the hall.

“Why haven’t you shaved his head yet?” Dr. Angelo said sternly. “And who are you? You have to leave.”

“S– Sorry.” Jace came out into the hallway, his face red.

The doctor’s sudden, no-nonsense attitude made Sed feel a hell of a lot better. He smiled and took Jessica’s hand. “Trey is going to be fine,” he said as they walked toward the waiting area.

“Of course he is.”

“Let’s go, little man.” Eric grabbed Jace in a headlock and hauled ass down the corridor.

When they entered the waiting room, Brian turned his back on the group and wiped his damp face on the hem of his T-shirt. Sed had never seen Brian cry and they had been through some seriously horrible shit together. Brian’s earlier nonchalance, his teasing, had all been an act for Trey’s benefit. Sed’s heart sank. If the levelheaded one of the group had come undone, things were pretty bad.

Myrna took her husband’s head between her hands, her fingertips curled behind his ears, and pressed her forehead against his. She murmured to him, “He’ll be fine, sweetheart. You have to believe that.”

“But what if he’s not?” His voice cracked.

“Don’t let yourself think that way.”

Good advice. Sed just wished it was easier to follow.

Brian took a deep breath and crushed Myrna’s body against his chest.

Jessica placed a timid hand on Sed’s belly and he looked down at her.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked.

Why did she keep asking him that? Since when did she give a shit how he felt? And, no, he wasn’t okay. He didn’t know what to do. There was nothing he could do. He wanted to climb the sterile, white walls just to occupy himself.

“I’m here for you,” she whispered, her jade-green eyes watery with tears.

If ever a woman had said the right thing at exactly the right moment, that was it.

Whatever it took to make her love him, he’d do it. To hell with what Brian or anyone else thought. He refused to give up on her this time. She would be his again. And not just in body. That would never be enough for him and he knew it.

Sed drew Jessica against his chest, hugging her close. She hesitated and then her arms stole around his body beneath his leather duster. Her small hands splayed over his bare back and she snuggled close to his chest. His heart throbbed beneath her ear—so full he thought it might burst inside his chest.

Dare entered the waiting room. “Okay, which one of you started that fight so I know who to destroy if Trey doesn’t make it through this in perfect health?”

All eyes turned to Eric, who blanched. “Me? What about Sed? He’s the one who pulled Jessica off the stage and got the bouncers all riled up.”

Sed nodded. “He’s right. I started it.”

Dare sank into a chair with a heavy sigh and rested his forehead in both hands. “It had to be the big guy,” he murmured. “One more reason to pray the little pain in my ass makes it through this.”

Chapter 14

Jessica started awake and lifted her head from Sed’s shoulder. When had she dozed off? Sed’s hand squeezed her wrist until she grabbed his fingers to alleviate the pressure. “Ow.” She glared up at him and decided he didn’t realize he was hurting her. She followed his troubled gaze to the doorway. Dr. Angelo stood at the threshold.

Jessica sat up straight in the uncomfortable chair and gaped at the splatter of blood on the right sleeve of the doctor’s surgical gown. Trey’s? She forced her attention to the woman’s face.

Looking weary but not defeated, Dr. Angelo pulled her surgical mask down around her neck. “Trey made it through the surgery.”

“Thank God,” Dare said.

He grabbed the nearest person, who happened to be Jace, in a bone-crushing hug. Jace winced in pain and offered Dare an awkward pat on the back.

“But there were a few complications.”

Jessica held her breath. Sed’s hand tightened on her wrist again.

“I removed the clot, drained the excess blood, and cauterized the damaged vessels, but Trey was in worse shape than his MRI indicated. Apparently, his seizure caused a secondary hemorrhage and increased the pressure on his brain far more rapidly than we predicted.”

Dare hauled himself out of his chair. “But he’s okay. Right? He’s okay?”

“He will live. I have no doubt about that. They’ve taken him to recovery. He’s still unconscious. In serious but stable condition.” Dr. Angelo lowered her gaze before straightening her shoulders and meeting Dare’s eyes again. “I’d like to say he’s going to be back to normal in no time, kiddo, and I’m hopeful that he will be—he’s young and strong—but we can’t know for sure until he wakes up. The swelling on his brain might have caused permanent damage. Brain injuries are… tricky.”

Jessica took Sed’s free hand and offered a comforting squeeze. She knew he felt responsible for causing the bar fight. He always tried to take responsibility for everything—as if it was his life’s mission to carry everyone’s burden on those broad shoulders. That’s what Myrna had been trying to tell her back on the tour bus. Maybe he didn’t try to take care of her because he thought she was incompetent and weak. Maybe he tried to take care of her because…

No. She’d made her decision about him and she was going to stick to it. Sed Lionheart was poison. An addictive poison, but not someone she needed in her life permanently. Just someone she needed between her thighs on a regular basis.

“When can we see him?” Sed asked.

The doctor glanced at him and shook her head. “He needs uninterrupted rest for several hours. He’s heavily sedated, so he won’t wake for a while anyway. Why don’t you all go get some sleep and come back in the morning? We’ll know more by then.”

“Someone needs to stay here in case he wakes up,” Dare said. “I’m not going to leave him here by himself.”

“I’m staying too,” Jace said.

“So am I,” said Brian.

Dr. Angelo smiled. “I’m glad he has so many people who care about him. He’s going to need you all during recovery, but you aren’t going to do him any good if you’re sleep deprived.”

“Why don’t we take turns staying with him?” Myrna said. “Split the time into four hour blocks. When he wakes up, a phone call will get all of us here quickly.”

Jessica had to admire Myrna. She had this group of egos eating out of the palm of her hand.

“I’m staying first,” Dare said.

“I’ll stay with him,” Jace said. “I’m wide awake.”

“Me too,” Eric said.

“Okay, Brian and I will come back around…” Myrna checked her watch. “Eight a.m.”

“Then Sed and I will come at noon,” Jessica said. It earned her a glare from Brian, who obviously despised her on a visceral level, but Sed squeezed her hand.

“Sounds good,” Myrna said, elbowing her husband in the ribs.

Dr. Angelo smiled. “They’ll bring him back to the ICU after his anesthesia wears off. I do have high hopes for his full recovery. There was some slight bruising to his brain tissue, but I didn’t see any necrosis. That’s a good sign.” The doctor gave Dare a gentle hug. “Take heart, kiddo,” she whispered.

Dare nodded. Dr. Angelo cupped his cheek, her mouth set in a grim line, and then left.

Jessica stood and pulled Sed to his feet. “Let’s go to the hotel and get some sleep. You look zombified.”

Sed nodded slightly.

Brian refused to look at either of them. He clasped hands with Dare, Jace, and Eric, but turned his back on Sed and grabbed Myrna’s elbow. He directed his wife from the room. Over her shoulder, Myrna mouthed to Sed, “I’ll talk to him,” just before she disappeared from sight.

“Brian is pissed as hell,” Eric said unnecessarily.

All four men glanced at Jessica.

Jessica’s heart dropped. “Yeah, I know. It’s all my fault. I should just stay away.” She released Sed’s hand and crossed her arms over her chest.

Why did they all hate her so much? What had she ever done to them? She could understand if Sed hated her for leaving, but why the rest of the guys? It made no sense.

Sed headed for the exit and Jessica followed him against her better judgment. Waiting near the elevator, Myrna had her arms around Brian, talking into his ear in a hushed tone. Jessica wished they’d already left. Brian seemed to be the source of everyone’s animosity toward her, but now wasn’t the time to confront him.

“I know,” Brian said to Myrna. “I just can’t deal with it on top of everything else.”

Myrna leaned away and cradled Brian’s face in her hands. “We’ll sort it out when Trey’s better.”

He nodded and she kissed him tenderly.

Sed shifted Jessica behind his back as they approached. Annoyed, Jessica scratched her head behind her ear. Did he think they’d forget she was there if they couldn’t see her?

“Hey,” Sed said quietly.

“Hey,” Brian answered.

“I know you blame me for this—”

“Wrong.”

Sed hesitated. “Then what’s with the cold shoulder?”

“You really have to ask?”

Jessica couldn’t stay quiet any longer. She moved to stand beside Sed. “Our relationship is none of your business, Brian. So why don’t you just butt out?”

“Normally, I’d agree,” he said, “but he doesn’t think straight when you’re around, so someone has to try to bring him to his senses.” He grabbed Sed by his coat lapel. “Tell me, Sed, what was the happiest moment of your life?”

Sed glanced at Jessica nervously. “Don’t do this now, man.”

“Just answer the question.”

“You already know the answer. You were there.”

“Myrna was wondering.”

Myrna grimaced. She obviously didn’t want to be caught up in the middle of this.

“Post-Gazette Pavilion, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,” Sed whispered.

Jessica’s heart froze in her chest. It was the happiest moment of her life too.

“I asked Jessica to marry me, on my knees in front of thousands of fans.” Sed smiled, both dimples showing. “She said yes.”

“But she didn’t mean it,” Brian said.

“I did too mean it!” Jessica sputtered.

“Uh-huh,” Brian said. “Did you still mean it when you threw your engagement ring at him and left without a backward glance? What was it? Three weeks later?” He looked at Sed again. “And when was the hardest moment of your life, Sed?”

Sed swallowed. A muscle in his jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth. “That would be now, you fucking prick.”

Brian gaped at him, and then his eyes narrowed. “Bullshit.” He shoved him against the elevator doors. “You’re still trying to protect her? After everything she put you through?”

“Don’t start this, Brian. I’m not in the mood to take it.” Sed straightened and shoved Brian back.

The elevator door opened and Sed stepped inside.

Myrna pushed her husband into the elevator and grabbed Jessica’s arm. “We’ll meet you at the bottom. You two have a little talk. Or slug it out. Whatever.”

“How could you take her back?” Brian yelled at Sed. “Do you realize how much shit you put me through while you were trying to get over her?”

“Is it my fault your chicks like to fuck me better than they do you?”

Brian threw a punch. It connected with Sed’s jaw with a loud crack. Sed stumbled against the back of the elevator car.

Jessica tried to wriggle free of Myrna’s hold, but Myrna refused to release her.

Sed’s hands balled into fists and he advanced on Brian, who took another swing at him. The elevator doors slid shut.

Jessica turned to glare at Myrna. “Are you an idiot? They’ll kill each other.”

“They’re guys. This will get it out of their systems.”

Jessica jerked away from her and pressed the elevator’s down button repeatedly.

“And now that I’ve got you alone, I have to ask,” Myrna said, “what in the hell are you thinking?”

Jessica glanced at the normally calm woman, who now crackled with electric fury.

Myrna continued, “Brian is taking this out on Sed, who doesn’t deserve it, because he doesn’t feel like he can confront you. I don’t have his reservations.”

“What? Are you going to hit me?”

Myrna’s tense expression relaxed and she chuckled. “Of course not. I just want you to think about Sed instead of yourself. You can’t use him like this, Jessica. His heart can’t take it.”

Jessica didn’t like the accusatory tone of her voice. And how did Myrna know Jessica was just using him? Was she that transparent? “For your information, we have a mutual agreement.”

“You mutually agreed that you could screw him over? I don’t believe that.”

“We mutually agreed that I could screw him. Period. He uses women for sex all the time. I don’t see how this is any different.”

“Then you’re stupid.”

Stupid?

The other elevator car opened and, fuming, Jessica stepped inside. Myrna followed her.

“He’s a grown man, Myrna. He can take care of himself. You and your overly intense husband need to mind your own business.”

“Maybe the two of you deserve each other,” Myrna said under her breath. “Just try not to hurt him too much. I know he pretends to be tough and all Don Juan Casanova, but he has the most delicate heart I’ve ever seen in a man.”

Jessica laughed. “Then apparently you don’t know him very well.”

Myrna shook her head at her. “And apparently you don’t know him at all.”

Jessica scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. What was this woman talking about? How could she not know him? Hello. She’d almost married the man.

When the elevator door opened, they found Brian and Sed laughing with a pair of security guards. Disheveled, bloody, and bruised, the two band mates seemed better off for their elevator brawl.

Myrna hugged Brian from behind and he held her hands against his abdomen.