Page 12 of Broken Harmony (Heartbreak Melody #2)

I’ve thought about asking the guys, because I trust them with my life. But that’s a line we can’t cross. I don’t think I’d ever be able to look at them the same if we did.

No, I won’t risk what we have, the trust and relationship we’ve built, by using them for sex. I’ll use toys. I’ll be okay.

It’s two years away. It’s not something to worry about right now.

“So, you just magically know someone who can be my own personal bodyguard?” I ask once we’re in the green room. I throw myself onto the couch, groaning as I lift my feet up and onto the coffee table. These damn heels are killing me, but damn do they make me look hot as fuck.

“I do.” Skyler smirks. “He’s never been a personal bodyguard, but he’s been working for a security company for a bit now. He’s good at his job, and I know he will do whatever he can to make sure you're safe.”

“Yeah?” I ask, raising a brow. “How do you know that?”

“Because he’s my big brother.” Skyler grins.

That catches my attention.

“Your brother? Really?”

He nods. “Liam. He’s twenty-four and just graduated from Calling Wood University. He’s looking to start over and make something of his life.” Skyler rubs the back of his head. “But there’s kind of an issue.”

“Okay...” I narrow my eyes.

“So, his old pack. They’re bad people who did bad things.” My eyes widen. “But!” he keeps going, holding his hands up. “Liam had nothing to do with it. He didn’t approve of anything they did and made sure they got what they deserved.”

“Oh my god, Skyler, what the hell did he do?” I growl.

“He didn’t do anything. I just said that.”

“Okay, what did his pack do?” I give him a look.

“They may have... kinda... kidnapped an Omega and tried to force him to bond with them.”

“What!?” I shout, jumping to my feet.

“But he didn’t!” Skyler insists. “He made sure to help the Omega. He told the Omega’s pack where to find them, helped the police, and everything. Like I said, he didn’t agree with what they did. He wanted nothing to do with it. I promise.”

“Lovely,” I groan, rubbing at my face, not giving a shit about the makeup I have on. “And you think that's the kind of drama we should be bringing into our lives?”

“It’s all in the past. It happened like a year ago. His old pack is behind bars, and Liam’s name has been out of the papers for the most part. I promise it won’t be an issue.”

“I don’t know, Skyler,” I sigh, getting up and pacing back and forth. “What if it gets out? It’s going to be a PR nightmare.”

“Shit.” Skyler’s face falls. “I didn’t think about that.”

My heart sinks at the broken look on his face. I see a guy who just wants what's best for his big brother. I know how much his family means to him.

I knew he had a brother, but Skyler hasn’t given me many details on his personal life. I only know bits and pieces of each of them.

Like Skyler’s dad is a piece-of-shit drunk who left him and his siblings when he was little, forcing his mom and older brother to raise them.

I know that Tyson’s father is a bad man, getting him mixed up in bad things at a young age. Something he worked hard to get away from.

And I know Ryker is actually a bit of a nepo baby.

His father was the lead singer of one of the biggest rock bands in the world.

He’s the youngest of his siblings and from his father’s third wife.

So, in his words, he’s thankfully a nobody and hasn’t had to live in his father’s shadow as much as the rest.

It breaks my heart because anytime he talks about his dad, I can see how much he wishes he had a relationship with him.

My boys are all broken in their own way, finding solace in one another when they met at Calling Wood University.

They dropped out when they made it into the top ten of the competition, which got us where we are today.

I’ve asked them if they ever thought about going back, and all of them said no, that this is where they wanted to be.

Yes, I cried like a little bitch at that answer, because having them by my side through all of this has been my only saving grace. I truly think I'd have lost my mind to depression if I had to do this on my own.

Sometimes I feel like I’ve ruined their future by roping them into joining me.

But they keep insisting that despite Julia, they love their lives.

They love the fame and the money, but mostly that we get free rein to write what we want, and that's all they’ve ever wanted. So, I try not to focus too much on it.

Chewing on my lower lip, I debate on what to do. This is a guy who’s going to be with me all the time. We’re about to kick off a six-month tour. He would be staying on the tour bus with me. My safety would be in his hands.

But Skyler trusts him. And if Skyler trusts him, shouldn’t I?

The guys have done so much for me, it’s the least I could do.

“You promise I can trust him?” I ask, breaking Skyler out of his inner spiral.

His eyes snap to mine, and he nods his head eagerly. “He would never hurt you or put you in an uncomfortable position. He’s like, crazy overprotective of me and our little sister. He’d literally kill for us.” But would he do the same for me? I’m just a nobody to him.

“How about this? I’ll give him a chance. One month, while we do local tours. If I think he’s right for the job after that, I’ll keep him on.”

“Really?” his eyes light up.

“If you trust him, I trust him.”

“Thank you so much!” Skyler wraps me up in his arms tightly, and I laugh, burying my face into his chest. I didn’t know how much I needed an Alpha's touch.

Fuck, maybe I should be looking for my own pack.

But anytime I do that, all I can think about is starting my life without Lulu when she’s supposed to be right here, by my side with me.

That's just a dream you’ve created in your head, Ally. The last thing you should be doing is dragging her into your life. She’s happy. Safe. And doing good. Don’t fuck with that. Leave the girl alone. She doesn’t even want you like that.

I’m really going to have to think about what I’m going to do with my life pack-wise at some point. But for right now, my career comes first. Pack later.

Plus, I have all I need with my best friends here.

Until they find their own Omega, and you lose them, too.

Swallowing down a whimper, I take a few deep, calming breaths.

“Alright.” I take a step back, forcing a smile. “You make that call, then we’ll go do sound check, okay?”

“Sounds good.” Skyler grins before ducking out of the room.

I turn to the other two. “Do you two know Liam?”

Ryker looks at Tyson, and they both nod, eyes finding mine. “He’s a good guy. Just... a little broken.” Ryker’s lip twists into a sad smile.

“Aren’t we all?” I mutter and sigh. “I’m gonna go fix up my makeup. See you soon.”

***

I’ve never done drugs before, but if I did, I don’t think they would come close to giving me the same high I get every time I’m on stage.

It’s like I become a whole new person. A titan feeding off the energy of every person screaming in the crowd. My whole body is vibrating, trembling with adrenaline. I feel like I could sing a million more songs, but my throat would argue otherwise.

The best way to not run myself ragged is to know when to stop. And three encore songs is just about pushing it.

“That was fucking amazing!” Tyson shouts, laughing as we head off stage.

“God, I don’t want this night to end.” The smile on my face is so big as I close my eyes and spin around, making the guys laugh.

“Careful there.” Skyler catches me before I bump into someone. “How about we head to the green room, wind down, and then go to the bus and order wings.

“Wings. Fuck yes!” I moan. “Sounds like heaven.”

Tonight kicks off the first concert of our tour, and it’s also the first night we’re sleeping in our new tour bus. Even though so much has already happened this year, it hasn’t really felt real until now.

The acting and modeling don’t matter to me. It’s not what I wanted to do with my life.

This , this is. This is everything I could have ever dreamed of. And now it’s my reality.

“Oh!” Skyler grins. “I got a hold of Liam,” Skyler starts as we walk down the hall heading towards the green room. “He was actually in town and was able to meet tonight.”

My stomach drops. “Like, right now?”

He nods. “Is that okay? Seeing how we’re leaving tomorrow, I think it would be good to do the interview here, rather than him traveling to us. Just in case you don’t feel like he’s a good fit.”

He has a point.

“Ah, yeah, okay.” I nod. “Sure.”

Skyler stops. “We don’t have to, Ally. Really, don’t think you have to do this for me. I don’t want you to do something you're not comfortable with.”

I smile up at him. “I need a bodyguard. Even if it's hard to admit.” I laugh. “The fact is, my safety is becoming more of a risk every time we go out in public. I’d rather have someone you know and trust looking after me than a complete stranger.”

“You sure? Because I’d never put your safety at risk. You know that, right?”

I cup his face. “Breathe,” I soothe, and he melts into my touch.

Yeah, I can see how some people might think we’re a pack.

“I know you’d never allow anything or anyone to hurt me.

You and the guys. I trust you all with my life.

” And that's a hard thing for me to do. Trust isn’t something I just blindly give out.

Not since everything started happening with Julia. “Is he here?” Skyler nods.

“He’s waiting for us in the green room.”

“Let’s go meet my new bodyguard.” I wink.

To say I’m nervous as hell as we walk towards the green room would be an understatement. I have no idea what to expect. What this man even looks like. I know nothing about him, really, and what little I do know isn’t exactly painting him in the best light. But I’m choosing to trust Skyler.

Skyler goes first, followed by the guys. I hear Skyler greet Liam; there’s laughing and some low murmurs as the guys greet him as well.