Page 13 of Hard Rock Sin

I gave Noah a pointed look. "Just what I was thinking. So I'll go stay at a hotel for the summer like I planned."

"I don't want you on your own."

"I can look out for myself," I said stubbornly, even as a small spike of anxiety hit my system. I didn't want my brother to know I was still a little nervous about being on my own.

"What if she stays here?" Jen said suddenly.

"Here where?" Noah asked.

"Cam's."

My heart stuttered in my chest. Cameron's expression froze.

"Are you shitting me?" Noah said flatly.

"Why not?" Jen shrugged. "He's got eighteen bedrooms." She turned to Cameron. "You could practically give Lily an entire floor to herself. You could go days without seeing each other."

"He's a party animal," Noah said as if Cameron wasn't standing there gaping right beside him. "He has a new woman over every night of the week. He lives off pizza and beer. He's the least responsible person I've ever met."

"Cam's got a fancy security system," Jen continued earnestly. "No one can get in or out. Even his parties have bodyguards guarding the front door with a guest list."

"I don't know." Noah looked hesitant.

"Lily couldn't be safer anywhere else," Jen continued. "And it's only going to be for a few months, until she's in the dorms."

Wait. Was this really happening?

Cameron's eyes were wide as he glanced between me and Noah.

My brother frowned at the bassist. "What's wrong with you?"

"N-nothing's wrong," Cameron stumbled over his words.

"Lily's got to stay somewhere," Jen told him. "Noah needs someone to keep an eye on her."

"I suppose it makes sense," Noah said grudgingly. "But Cameron has to agree to keep his dick in his pants." My brother glared at him. "You touch my sister, you die."

An odd expression flickered across Cameron's face in an instant, a combination of hunger and panic.

"I'm serious," Noah growled. "You mess with her, I will end you."

"You've got tons of room," Jen continued, completely glossing over Noah's threat. "Your place is totally secure. There's no reason not to, right?"

"Ah. Sure. No reason not to," Cameron repeated, looking numb.

And that was how I came to live with my rock star crush.

Chapter Five

It wasn'tas if I'd been railroaded into staying with Cameron. I could have said no. I could have insisted on staying somewhere else. Somewhere I wouldn't have to live with a big brother-by-proxy.

But every time I started to protest, something stopped me.

I wanted my freedom, it was true. Living at Cameron Thorne's mansion wouldn't really afford me that. I'd still have someone watching over me.

But I couldn't deny the real reason I hadn't fought too hard against the idea.

Cameron was one of the few people who treated me like an adult.