Page 4 of Edge of Heaven (Crimson Edge #2)

Mick

The brunette has been with me for several nights now, and it’s time for her to go. I hate being a jerk, but I was up front about the fact that I’d be moving on once we leave the Midwest. And that’s happening today. So I’m cutting her loose and there’s no doubt she’s disappointed.

Three days is a long time for me to be with the same woman, but this one is pretty and sweet and an absolute tiger in bed.

Too bad that’s not enough to keep my interest.

“The car service will be here in a minute,” I tell her, hoping my voice doesn’t give away how badly I want her to go.

She hasn’t done anything wrong; I’m just not that into her.

I should have just let her go after the second night in Minneapolis, but I’m not that bright sometimes.

“I’m ready.” She grabs her backpack and gives me a sad smile. “You sure this is what you want, Mick? We’ve had fun together.”

I stuff my hands in the pockets of my sweats. “Yeah, we have but I have things to do.”

“All right.”

At least she’s resigned to the inevitable. Not like some girls who cry and beg and make nuisances of themselves.

If I wanted to be honest—and I usually don’t—it’s time to slow down the groupie game and focus on finding a woman to be with long-term. Someone who understands my lifestyle and isn’t interested in my money.

Because I don’t really have any right now.

Yes, the album is certified gold and we’re close to platinum, but the record label takes their cut from all the money they fronted us for both the recording studio and the tour before anyone else gets paid.

It could be another six months before we see anything substantial, and anyone I’m with has to be at least somewhat self-sufficient.

“I’ll walk down with you,” I offer, since it feels like the polite thing to do.

That’s the thing with rock and roll—there’s a lot of bad behavior.

But there’s also a fuck ton of exaggeration and stereotypes that are basically bullshit.

Have I had more one-night stands than any man probably should?

Absolutely. But have I thrown a TV off of a hotel room balcony?

No. Do I know musicians who do drugs? For sure.

Do I do drugs beyond alcohol and occasionally some weed? Never.

I love just about everything about the rockstar lifestyle, but I don’t go crazy. I wish people didn’t automatically assume we’re all womanizing drug addicts who are going to die when we hit twenty-seven.

That’s in a year for me, and I have no intention of ending up dead. Not on my life’s bingo card. Not yet anyway.

“It was a nice few days,” Lori says quietly as we step out of the elevator.

“It was,” I agree. I lean over and kiss her forehead. “Take care of yourself.”

“Thanks.” She turns and gets into the waiting taxi, and I watch as it disappears down the street.

“Another one bites the dust, eh?” A familiar voice speaks beside me, and I turn to Taryn in surprise.

“Something like that.” It’s relatively early, so I didn’t plan on running into anyone in the lobby. Especially not Taryn. “Where are you off to?” I ask, noting the rolling suitcase she’s carrying.

“Going home to L.A. for a week. I have a couple of auditions.”

I cock my head slightly. “You going to see Toby?”

Her eyes widen for a fraction of a second and then she nods. “I keep forgetting you know all the secrets.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure I don’t even know half of them,” I respond. “But I do remember the things we talked about.”

“You, uh, you haven’t told anyone, right?” Her bright blue eyes meet mine worriedly.

I frown. “Of course not. You told me about him in confidence. It’s not my story to tell.”

“I…appreciate that.”

“Does Callum know?” I ask pointedly.

She nods stiffly. “Yeah.”

“Well, good luck with the auditions,” I say after a moment of awkward silence.

“Thank you.”

Our eyes meet once again, and I really wish I could read minds. There’s something in hers that’s hard to decipher. Worry. Fear. Anxiety. Whatever it is, it’s not good.

“You okay, Taryn?” I ask finally.

She huffs out a little laugh. “I’m going to say no, even though I’ll deny it to anyone else.”

“How come?”

“How come what?”

“Why would you deny that you’re going through something?”

“I can’t afford to do anything that might…upset Callum.”

I stare at her for a moment, the alpha protector in me threatening to rear its ugly head.

There’s something going on with her, and she’s afraid.

I don’t know what exactly she’s afraid of, but I have a deep, burning need to find out.

Especially if it’s Callum she’s afraid of.

It’s one thing to be unhappy—it’s something else entirely to be afraid.

“Shuttle’s here—I have to go,” she says, breaking the spell and hurrying outside.

I hesitate for a fraction of a second and then follow her.

“What are you doing?” she asks in confusion.

“I’m going to ride to the airport with you.” I shrug. “It’s a free shuttle and it’ll just bring me right back.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“But I want to. We never get a chance to talk, so this’ll give us the time to catch up.” Before she can protest, I take the steps into the van two at a time and sink into the closest seat.

Taryn gives the driver her bag and then follows, hesitating for a beat before sinking down beside me.

We’re the only two people on the shuttle, and I can almost see the tension drain out of her as we pull away.

“You’re definitely not okay,” I say quietly.

She lets her head fall back against the seat and sighs. “I am. Not as okay as I could be, but okay enough to get through, one day at a time.”

“If you’re just getting through each day, that’s no way to live,” I say quietly.

She’s staring off into the distance at something, her thoughts obviously a million miles away.

“Six months,” she whispers. “I just have to survive six more months.”

“What happens in six months?”

She doesn’t respond, continuing to stare straight ahead.

“Can I help?” I ask finally, when I realize she’s not going to tell me whatever it is she’s dealing with.

The edges of her mouth turn up, just a little, and she glances at me. “No one can help, but thank you for offering. And for being a friend even though I’m not much of one.”

“Why are you with him if you’re so unhappy?” I blurt. I should know better than to push, but I can’t seem to help myself when it comes to Taryn.

“It’s a long story,” she says. “And the ride to the airport isn’t nearly long enough to tell it all.”

“Okay.” What else can I say?

“Do you remember the day we met?” she asks suddenly.

That brings a grin to my face. “Do I remember? Like it was yesterday. You walked outside onto the street where we were about to shoot, and I almost fell off the motorcycle I was on.”

This time her smile is genuine. “And I almost tripped over my own two feet when I saw you.”

“It was a nice few days,” I say. “When we were young and innocent.”

She chuckles. “Young, yes. Innocent, not so much.”

“I knew you were going to be successful,” I tell her. “But you were way out of my league.”

She frowns, cocking her head slightly. “You thought I was out of your league?’

“Still do. Although, to be fair, you’re way out of Callum’s league.”

Her face changes slightly, a mask falling into place, and I want to kick myself for ruining the moment we were having.

“Sometimes you have to do what’s right instead of what’s easy,” is all she says.

“Is it hard being with Callum?”

“You have no idea.”

She’s already said she doesn’t want to talk about it today, so I’m not going to make a big deal out of it. No matter how much I want to.

“Well, I’m always around if you need someone to talk to.”

“Callum wouldn’t like that,” she murmurs.

“We have about ninety minutes every time they have a show. Come find me and we can talk or have a drink or whatever.”

“Why are you being so nice?”

“Because I’ve thought about the time we spent together a lot over the years,” I admit. “And I regret not trying harder to stay in touch.”

Surprise registers on her face as she stares at me.

“If that makes you uncomfortable, I apologize,” I add quickly. “I just thought you might have… thought about me too.”

“I think about it a lot too,” she whispers as the shuttle starts to slow down.

“Terminal three,” the driver announces.

“Yes, thank you.” Taryn quickly picks up a large shoulder bag and gets to her feet.

“Have a safe flight,” I say quietly.

“Thank you.” She stares down at me for a moment. “And thanks for riding with me. It was nice to have a few minutes…to just talk.”

“Any time. And I was serious about the offer to hang out while he’s on stage. I know what it’s like to be lonely.” It feels weird to have to sneak around to just talk, but if that’s my only chance to spend time with her, I’m going to take it.

“Are you…lonely?” she asks curiously.

“Sometimes.”

Our eyes lock again, and we just sit there for a few seconds as the shuttle driver gets out and goes around back to get her suitcase.

“I’ll see you when I get back,” she says.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Play well while I’m gone.”

“I’ll do my best.”

I watch as she gets off the shuttle, gets her suitcase from the driver, and then heads into the airport.

“You’re not getting out?” the driver asks me as he climbs back into the van.

“No.” I shake my head. “I’m going back to the hotel with you.”

He grins. “That’s kinda romantic, buddy, riding with your girl to the airport.”

My girl.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

Too bad she’s already taken.

“We’re just friends.”

He arches his brows. “You for real, buddy? The way you looked at each other—no way that had a ‘just friends’ vibe.”

“Unfortunately, she friend zoned me. She already has a boyfriend.”

He makes a face. “You plan to fight for her?”

That never even occurred to me.

You can’t fight for someone who doesn’t want to be fought over.

Can you?

“I don’t know,” I respond. “I guess only time will tell.”

“Don’t wait too long,” he says, pulling back into traffic. “Beautiful girl like that—someone’s going to wife her up before you know it.”

I don’t know why but the thought of her marrying Callum makes me cringe.

She deserves so much better.

Except it’s not my business or my problem.

It just feels like it is.

And I’m going to have to figure out why.