Page 26 of Mic Drop (Passionate Beats #3)

“Oh, baby, you already do that to me.” If only we had enough time to do this. “Next time, all right? Next time, you get control.” I smile against her neck. “Until I take it back.”

She shoves against me. “Jerk!”

We laugh and wrestle and kiss until a knock sounds at the front door. We walk through the foyer, and I grab our overnight bags while she opens the door for our limo driver.

Fun and games are over. We’re returning to our real lives. Where I’m on tour with UC halfway across the country and she’s here, tending to her mother and her physical therapy clinics. We get into the limo.

“Hey, you haven’t mentioned how the two new clinics are coming along.”

Gray eyes study my face. “They’re doing good. Court’s taken the lead and they’re in the middle of renovations for the third, while she’s scouted a few different locations for the fourth one with Angie.”

“Court’s a great friend.”

“Yes, she is.” Her hand drops to my thigh. “And you’re a great husband. I’m lucky you picked me. Thank you, Rock Star.”

What on earth is she thanking me for? “You got it backward, Sweetheart. You saved me from a shallow life and gave me so much more than I ever thought was possible.” The limo pulls to a stop beside UC’s jet.

Blood pumping, I pull Jenna into my arms and kiss her like I haven’t been doing it all night long. All too soon, Luke opens the vehicle’s door. “Sorry, you have to get off the honeymoon train. But you can pick it up in two short weeks, I promise.”

My manager’s voice is both annoying and soothing. I say, “Can’t come soon enough.”

“I’ll see you when you come back.” Jenna kisses me one last time and sits back against the leather seat, offering a wave to Luke—who reciprocates. At least he has the decency to appear embarrassed to end our honeymoon night.

I tamp down threatening tears, which Luke would never let me live down. Fourteen days and we’ll be back in each other’s arms. I lean over and kiss my wife again, then scoot out of the limo before my ass refuses to move.

Luke shuts the door. I sling my overnight bag over my shoulder and follow our manager onto the jet. All the while my thoughts remain on the solitary woman in the backseat of the limo. Who takes the front seat in my life.

When I get onto the jet, all of UC is there, congratulating me on the wedding. “The man of the hour,” Río exclaims as I flop into a seat.

“Hey, guys,” I reply. “Thanks for yesterday. It was a day I’ll never forget.”

“We had a blast,” Coop interjects. “Your house is the bomb. Arcade in the basement? Way too cool.”

“Kicked your ass at pinball,” 007 ribs our guitarist.

Tris rubs his hands together. “I did pretty well on pinball myself.”

Luke laughs. “Can’t say you guys aren’t competitive.”

I don’t know what I missed, and frankly don’t care.

I was with my wife, which beats every arcade game ever invented, in my book.

A different flight attendant is on duty this time, and he offers us all drinks.

The jet lifts off and soon we’re hurling high above New York State, on our way to the final leg of our U.S.

tour, which can’t come soon enough. I’ll be back in Jenna’s arms in no time.

Somewhere above Illinois, Luke’s voice rouses me. “All right guys, we need to discuss how we’re dealing with this whole Lissa situation.”

I prop myself up in the chair, using my palm to cover my massive yawn. “Did you tell them what Curtiss told me?”

“Sure did,” our manager replies. “Spoke with our PR team as well. Now that your wedding is over, it’s time to focus on making Lissa disappear.”

I like the sound of that. “Good.”

Río adds, “For what she’s done, she deserves more than to disappear.” I offer him my fist.

“B, are you sure this Curtiss guy will go on the record with what he told you?”

“Absolutely. He owes me, if nothing else.” Besides, it was his kid.

“Great. This is what I’m thinking,” Luke dives into great detail about how we’re going to bury my ex. I only half listen, my mind firmly on my wife back in Aroostook. I text her:

Missing you

Soon. Need to do some clean up over here.

Clean up? What’s she talking about?

What happened?

Michelle found out we got married. Posted it on all the gossip sites in the Hamptons

“Fuck!” Five sets of eyes bore into me. “Seems like the media found out about my wedding. Jenna’s handling the fallout on her own.” I give Luke a dirty look.

For his part, our manager scrambles to his phone. “Shit. I’m calling the PR team.” He shakes his head and stalks to the back bedroom.

Coop is the first to speak. “You knew this was going to come out in the media. Better get it over with sooner rather than later.”

“I know,” I grit my teeth. “I was only hoping it would come to the surface when I was back there with her for two weeks. I hate she’s having to deal with all of this on her own, not to mention helping her mother.”

“She looked pretty good yesterday,” Tris offers. “I knew she was sick because you told us, but she seemed in good spirits, man.”

I force a sad smile. “Thanks. None of us know how long she has. But yesterday was a good day.”

Luke reappears. “Change of plans. We can deal with Lissa later. Right now, we’re focusing on your big day, B. Are you sure Jenna can’t join us out here?”

“Positive. Remember her mother.”

“Gotcha. Well, this is what we’re going to do.”