CRAVE

Copyright © 2024 by Triple J Publishing Inc.

An application to register this book for cataloging has been submitted to the Library of Congress.
ebook - 9798987531181
paperback - 9798987531198
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First Edition: July 2024
Printed in the United States of America
Book design by Hang Le
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,
business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
 Contents

Titles by Jennifer Probst

Dear Reader

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43

About the Author

Untitled
Titles by Jennifer Probst

Our Italian Summer

The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti
A Wedding in Lake Como
The Twist of Fate Series
Meant to Be
So It Goes
Save the Best for Last
The Sunshine Sisters Series
Love on Beach Avenue
Temptation on Ocean Drive
Forever in Cape May
Stay Series
The Start of Something Good
A Brand New Ending
All Roads Lead to You
Something Just Like This
Begin Again

Billionaire Builders Series

Everywhere and Every Way
 Any Time, Any Place
Somehow, Some Way
All or Nothing at All

Searching For . . . Series

Searching for Someday
Searching for Perfect
Searching for Beautiful
Searching for Always
Searching for You
Searching for Mine
Searching for Disaster

Marriage to a Billionaire Series

The Marriage Bargain
The Marriage Trap
The Marriage Mistake
The Book of Spells
The Marriage Merger
The Marriage Arrangement
Nonfiction
Write Naked
Write True
Writers Inspiring Writers: What I Wish I’d Known
Dear Reader,
Crave was originally published in Kindle Vella, as a serial novel. I’m
thrilled to be able to share this story in book format. I’ve decided to release
both novels –Yearn and Crave--together so you are not tortured by
cliffhangers! You do need to have read Yearn in order to enjoy Crave.
Please be aware of some triggers in this book including: cheating, drug
use, BDSM elements, and attempted assault.
Music has always been important to me, especially when I write. For
each chapter, I’ve included a song that will enhance your reading
experience. The overall theme song I played on repeat was Cruel Summer
by Taylor Swift.
This series is a bit different for me. As a rapid fan of reality shows,
especially Vanderpump Rules, I dreamed of creating my own series based
on the drama, angst, and passion of a tight-knit group navigating the world
after college graduation. These stories hold more edge, darker elements, and
some sex scenes that are…blistering hot.
My readers mean the world to me. I am blessed each time you pick up
one of my books, and never take it for granted.
Happy reading!

Jen
 Chapter One
Landon

Listen to You’re my Best Friend

by Queen

I walked out from the meeting with the cast and producers and tried to
ignore the sinking pit in my stomach.
I’d had a crap week after my encounter with Adam, so I decided to
limit contact with everyone. I was slammed at Red, and Max seemed to lurk
around every corner with smiles and a listening ear. It was as if he’d turned
into Dr. Jekyll instead of Mr. Hyde. I’d gotten some heavy hitters at Red
who edged the line of appropriateness, but they were rich, handsome, and
harmless, so I buttered them up and took their crazy ass tip with a smile.
Usually, Max fumed, but he only made a joke and kept pouring drinks.
His famous Maxtini Spritz cocktail was officially featured on the Red
menu, but he didn’t even brag. He watched me flirt with Randy and joined
me on breaks where he asked endless questions about the reality show and
entertained me with stories from some of the customers at the bar.
I found I liked this new Max. I wasn’t stupid enough to imagine he
wasn’t still trying to plead his case and hope for something sexual between
us, but I didn’t care. He was a nice balm to the raw feelings I experienced
with Adam so I decided to keep Max around. Besides, the group was happy
about our resolution. Before I’d entered the janitor’s closet, I’d been happy,
too.
 My cheeks burned at the memory of what I’d done. First, I begged
Adam to fuck me. Then I rode his leg like a whore and came all over his
jeans. I’d shown no pride, doing what he commanded in the shadows of a
closet next to the mops and brooms.
I’d loved every sick moment.
The scene kept playing over and over in my head. I shivered from the
memory. At least, I’d managed to walk out with some dignity. I’d seen the
mad lust in his eyes and carved into his face, so Adam didn’t fool me. He
was just as caught up as I was. But I needed some space because his
opinions on my career pissed me off.
I headed to the diner to meet Elle for lunch, relieved I could spill my
worries about the show. I kept hearing Adam’s comments, about their goal
to humiliate me to the masses for ratings. I thought of my parents watching
and my stepsister. How bad would the show be? And if it was bad, would
the hit be worth it to further my career as a model and influencer?
I entered the diner and found Elle at our favorite booth, sipping a
seltzer. We hugged and I took the seat opposite her. “I’m so glad you were
free. I just came from the meeting and my head is spinning.”
“Tell me everything and I’ll help you unravel it. Oh, do you want the ahi
tuna salad? I can’t eat the whole thing so I figured we’d split?”
“Perfect. And a side of—”
“Onion rings. I got you, girl. I needed fried food, too.”
I laughed, relaxing. Elle looked adorable in a cute sundress that showed
off her long legs and golden tan. Her hair fell in straight, shiny strands and
had grown longer, just touching the small of her back. There was nothing
better than being with a bestie who knew your shit. I wished I could tell
Elle about Adam, but I wasn’t ready. We were too screwed up right now to
explain and I needed to figure that out first.
I sighed and focused on Elle. “Okay, I met the cast and I thought they
were cool, but I didn’t get much time with them. One of the guys is super-
hot and knows it. Another girl looks like she wants to be the leader. I’m
definitely filling out the void for Barbie doll but with no empowerment.
Guess they didn’t see the movie.”
Elle grinned and shook her head. “Ken is nothing, remember?”
“Not in our world. I was told they want to play up my helpless factor
and lean into my influencer career.”
“What does that exactly mean?”
 “I’m supposed to bring a million suitcases and dress in heels and short
dresses, even when we work. They want me to flirt with all the guys. Stir up
jealousy with the girls. Cause drama. This is all in my nondisclosure
agreement, so you can’t breathe a word?”
“Of course not.”
“They’re not demanding I do any of that, but they highly suggest it.”
“They want ratings. Hate to break it to you, girl, but even The Bachelor
is set up.”
“Not the final rose! Don’t lie!”
Elle cracked up. “No, but they highly suggest doing things during the
season to get a certain outcome. Television is always like that, part of the
tradeoff. What else do they suggest?”
I dreaded saying it aloud. “They want me to have a showmance with
one of the guys. Clayton. Ugh, he’s not even my type. He’s cute but very
nerdy. They think it’ll be a great hook. Beauty and the geek, you know? I’m
supposed to teach him to kiss while we’re shoveling horse shit.”
Elle groaned. The waitress dropped off our plates and I immediately
soothed myself with an onion ring. God, they were good. Crunchy and hot
and full of grease. “That’s awful! But I’m not surprised. There are definitely
possibilities of you two blowing up with a hashtag.”
I nibbled on my lip. “Elle, what do you think? Can it end up being a
disaster? What if I say something fucked up and I’m cancelled? What if the
public hates me and I become a villain? And I don’t want to be kissing this
guy on tv when we’re not hooked up in real life. I’m starting to freak out.”
“Maybe you’ll end up liking him for real and it’ll be a love match?” she
asked hopefully, dividing the salad between two plates.
“Doubt it. He’s sweet but not my type. Seems to get off on math
equations rather than breasts.”
“He hasn’t seen your breasts yet.”
I laughed again. “Stop! I really need a solid opinion before it’s too late
to back out.”
“Are you seriously considering saying no? I’m shocked. This is
everything you always wanted.”
“I know. I want to make sure it’s the right move and won’t come back to
bite me in the ass. Would you do it, Elle?”
She forked up a piece of tuna, chewed, and regarded me seriously. “I
hear what you’re saying about the slant they want to take. It could definitely
go sideways. I think it comes down to asking yourself what your goal is. A
role like this brings attention—good and bad. It invites social media
comments, more followers, diehard fans and diehard critics. It’s not safe,
but the show will put your face out to millions.”
I sifted through her points. “Would you do it?” I asked again.
She sighed. “Yeah, I would. Maybe I’d regret it. Maybe I’d try to fight
back on their plans to exploit me. But I’ve dreamed of being on tv forever.
I’d take it and hope I’d eventually get something bigger. I’d look at it as an
opportunity.”
My chest loosened. Elle was right. This wasn’t brain science. I’d just
allow the network to do what they needed, and I’m sure it would work out.
Maybe I’d say no to the romance part with Clayton and do the rest.
“Thanks. I really needed your opinion.”
“Welcome. Hey, how’s it going with Max? He seems to be on his best
behavior.”
“Yep, so far, it’s been great. I’m still pissed at him but it was easier than
I thought to try and move forward. I feel so adult.”
“Think he’s just trying to play you?”
I laughed. “Definitely. But Max should know by now he can’t
manipulate me if I’m not interested.”
“Anyone else catching your eye lately?”
I shook my head and ate another onion ring to avoid her gaze. God, I
hated lying. “Nope. Going to take some time by myself. See what happens.”
“You’re so healthy,” she teased.
“How about you? Is it going well with Coop?” Her face changed and I
stared at her in concern. “Wait—are you okay?”
“Yes. I am. Better than okay. It’s just—” she stopped, her arched brows
drawing downward. Elle struggled to find the words. “Coop and I are
pushing some boundaries. I’m beginning to worry.”
I immediately relaxed. “You mean with sex?” She nodded. “Babe, as
long as you both enjoy what you’re doing, and no crime is committed,
anything goes. This is your exploratory stage anyway. You’re supposed to
do kinky stuff. Do you see the things that go on in Red after hours? It gets
wild.”
“You’re right. Last week I worked till close and a threesome was going
on in the bathroom. No one cared and some people were watching. And I
don’t even work in the private play areas! I can’t imagine what they do
there.”
“You like the voyeurism? Or do you like getting caught more?”
She buried her face in her hands while I grinned. Elle was the good girl
on the surface and the bad girl underneath. I knew exactly what she was
going through because of Adam. No one had ever given me my fantasies
and it was addicting. This was my time to support her and make sure she
allowed herself freedom. “Caught. And watched. I’m starting to crave
more, and Coop is excited to give me scenarios where we can do it.”
“Perfect. Just go with the flow and enjoy yourself, Elle. Don’t feel
guilty. Normal is overrated and a lie. We’re all fucked up.”
She laughed with me and I was glad we both felt better after our talk.
Even though Adam made a good point, I’d continue with the reality show,
as long as they respected my boundaries. I refused to be told who to kiss.
Especially if Clayton got ideas and I ended up looking like the heartbreaker.
No, thank you.
We finished up, paid, and headed out. We talked about shopping before
our shift but then my phone beeped. I glanced at the text and my heart
stopped.
It was Adam.
Let’s talk. My place tonight?
My stomach dipped and excitement flooded my veins. I casually typed
back, Ok. I get off at 1am.
See you then.
I wasn’t sure if we were going to end it, talk, or fuck. But tonight, I’d
finally find out.
 Chapter Two
Landon

Listen to No Ordinary Love

by Sade

I retraced the steps I’d walked that night I showed up at Adam’s door.
The night I begged him to let me in. The night we slept together. The
night everything changed.
This time, I felt different. No longer filled with pain and longing; of
confusion and rage. Now, I needed clarity to see what came next. After the
episode in the closet, I needed to have a conversation with Adam without
being drugged by sexual lust. I’d hurt him by hiding the news I’d been cast
in Dumped, but I think telling Max first was worse. We couldn’t keep
tearing each other apart in this vicious cycle. Eventually, one of us would
break.
I needed to know what he wanted from me.
He was waiting at the door. Without speaking, he let me inside. I
glanced around, my gaze settling on his bed where he’d given me so much
pleasure. I tried not to blush. I tried not to want him too badly. I tried to
hide all my thoughts that could be glimpsed on my face.
God, he looked good. Black sweats clung low on his hips. A simple
white t-shirt covered his chest and stretched over his biceps and broad
shoulders. The tats covering his arms always called to me. They were like a
detailed story of his life. The black guitar surrounded by thorned roses
called to me. I liked to trace the outlines of each picture when I lay in his
arms, sated.
His hair was damp from the shower, and hung loose around his face. I
stared at the delicious scruff covering his jaw and remembered how it
scratched against my thighs, my breasts, my cheeks. His bare feet peeked
out and made him look slightly vulnerable. “I thought we should talk. I’m
sorry shit went down like that last weekend.”
I dropped my purse and paced the small room. “What shit are you sorry
for?” I asked carefully, wondering how he’d react. I had no idea what type
of emotions to expect from him.
“Do you want a drink before we dive deep into our very fucked up
relationship?”
I spun on my heel and stared at his face, surprised to see the twinkle of
amusement in his eyes. I couldn’t help but give him a half smile. “Sure.
What do you have?”
“Beer. Wine. Tequila.”
“I’ll take a shot. With lime, if you have it.”
“I do.” I watched while he made my drink. “How was work?”
“Busy. Not sure if it’s a full moon but things are getting freaky after
hours.”
“Maybe everyone’s looking for comfort.”
“Maybe.” He brought me my shot and poured one for himself.
“Thanks.”
Adam held my stare as he raised the glass to his lips and drank without
blinking. My stomach dipped in that familiar way, but I refused to show
him any type of vulnerability. So, I swallowed and didn’t speak.
“I’m sorry I tried to push my opinion on you,” he said. “I had no right to
believe I knew best. It’s your career. I’d be pissed if you told me what to do
or not to do with the band.”
Shock vibrated through me at the simple admission. I took a step toward
him. “So, you agree I should take the part?”
“No. I still think it’s a huge mistake.”
I blinked. “That’s a half-assed apology, Adam.”
“It’s truthful. I believe you’re worth more than a show called Dumped.
But I’m not the one who has to make the hard choices. I know how badly
you want exposure. I’m sorry for making you feel like shit.”
 I nodded. Adam always made things clear. I loved his refusal to play
games like the ones I’ve mastered. An apology from him meant more than
any other, because he was authentic to the bottom of his soul. He never
confused me with demands or judgments I’d never be able to hit.
He was the same in the bedroom. I was never unclear about everything
he wanted to do to me and with me. And he sought permission.
I may not own his agreement, but he damn well respected my choices
and that was what I’d really craved.
“I accept your apology,” I said. “Anything else?”
“Nope.”
I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “Really? What about the little
power play you pulled in the closet?”
Slowly, a grin curved his full lips. Those dark eyes roamed over my
body, taking in every inch with a wicked focus that immediately had me
clenching my thighs together. “Hell, no. Regret watching you fuck my leg
to orgasm? Watching you turn from a haughty princess into a hungry whore
under my gaze? That was a gift, Landon. And it was all for me.”
I was suddenly breathless and my cheeks heated under his lusty
appraisal. Still, I rallied. “You were rude.”
“You were the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” he murmured. “Don’t make
me regret anything we do together.”
My breath caught at his serious tone. God, this man drove me mad. One
minute I wanted to strangle him, and the next I wanted to jump him. “What
about Max? You seemed to think I still wanted him.”
Now, he was the one who turned away and began pacing. “You have a
history I can’t be part of. I know Max still wants you, and I have no rights. I
can’t take you out in public or show anyone how I feel about you. I lost my
shit when I heard he was the first person you confided in.”
“I told the girls first. Max showed up later to spout apologies and it
slipped out. I’m confused, too, Adam. Maybe we need to buy ourselves
time until we decide what we’re doing. I don’t want to hurt anyone. The
stakes are high.”
“Maybe too high. I’m leaving for LA. You’re leaving for the show. Is
there anything to decide or are we just filling in time, trying to scratch an
itch?”
His words infuriated me and I walked forward until we were toe to toe.
“You’re not an itch, Adam. And you’re not a fucking coward.”
 He stiffened but I raged on.
“You want the right to take me out in public? To show people how you
feel about me? Why don’t you start by telling me. What am I to you?”
He shook his head and glared. “You want pretty words and false
promises? That’s Max, princess. Not me.”
“Not looking for those. I’m looking for what I always came to you for.
The truth.”
His entire body seemed to shudder and lock down in front of me.
Knowing it was time for one of us to take the risk and cross the line, I
leaned in. Reaching up, I entangled my arms around his shoulders, my
fingers burying into his hair so he couldn’t turn away. “What do you want
from me, Landon?” he ground out.
“You. I want you. I’ve wanted you forever but I refused to admit it. I
don’t even know if it’s right to want you, or sane, or safe. I only know when
we’re around each other, I finally feel whole. Like I’ve been walking
around with a piece missing that suddenly locked into place.”
He pressed his forehead to mine and spit out a vicious curse. “I’m
nothing like Max.”
“I had Max. I don’t want him.”
“I won’t be nice. I’ll dirty you up, make you my whore, and take more
than you want to give.”
My nerve endings fired up and I was immediately soaked. An empty
ache throbbed and as if he could scent me, a primitive groan ripped from his
lips. “I don’t want to be treated like a princess.”
Slowly, his hands cupped my cheeks, thumbs pressing against my
trembling mouth. “Then I’ll tell you what I want from you. I want to be the
man you crave; the man you fuck; the man who holds you when you cry.
And if I make you cry, it’ll only be for your pleasure.” He traced the outline
of my lips, down my neck, and hovered over my rapidly beating pulse at the
delicate hollow in my neck. “I want to know your secrets and your
fantasies. I want you to feel safe with me but I also want you to shake with
fear. Our relationship will make no sense, Landon. Yet it will answer every
question you ever had.”
His words washed over me in a hypnotic spell, making me dizzy. I
clung to him, allowing me to bend me backward so I was off balance, and
he was my only support.
 “Do you understand how greedy I am when it comes to you? If you say
yes, this won’t be a dip in and dip out relationship. I will own you.”
“Will I own you?” I whispered.
“Yes. And I won’t hide forever. I will not be your dirty little secret.”
His scent of musk and smoke and tequila wrapped around me. Hunger
began low in my gut and exploded through my veins, until nothing mattered
except extracting every delicious, dirty promise he spoke.
“We’ll decide together when to tell the others?”
“Yes.”
I began to shake so hard, his grip tightened. But still, he waited,
looming over me, nostrils slightly flared, dark eyes glittering with lust and a
raw wanting that ripped down every defense I’d tried to build.
“Tell me, Landon. Tell me what you really want.”
I gave up and surrendered my body, my soul, and my heart.
“I want you. I want everything you promised. I want it all.”
His mouth slammed over mine, his lips bruising, tongue thrusting
between my eager lips and taking over. I could only hold on and surrender
completely, helpless under the dominating, drowning kiss. Gasping for
breath, he finally set me fully on my feet and stepped back.
I swayed, staring at him as if I’d just surfaced from an ocean storm and
fell onto the sand. With careful, deliberate steps, he retreated until he stood
across the room beside the bed.
“Come to me.”
I took a shaky step forward, but he put up one hand, halting me in my
tracks. “No. Not like that, princess.”
A slow, seductive smile tipped his lips. His eyes glittered with heat and
demand and a hunger that stole my breath.
“Crawl.”
 Chapter Three
Adam

Listen to Pretty Please

by Dua Lipa

I watched her face carefully for any type of horror, resentment, or fear.
But I only saw the flicker of shock replaced by a raw need that had her
sweet body tightening.
With arousal.
Relief loosened my muscles. I leaned casually against the wall while I
enjoyed her struggle with societal restrictions before allowing herself to
give in. To me.
Only to me.
Because after tonight, I was fucking done with pretending or backing
off. Landon belonged to me. She was made for me; my twin soul of beauty
and darkness, and I refused to let her run. It was all over now. This time, if
she spooked, I’d track her down, destroy anyone or anything that separated
us, and claim her. I swore I’d be her greatest protection and biggest fear.
Life was brutal and I’d learned early there was a dual reality one needed to
make peace with in order to flourish. Pain and pleasure. Ugliness and
beauty. Hatred and love. Fulfill all and the world balanced, cracking open to
reveal the best and worst of us.
It was time I taught Landon my world.
I swept my gaze over her gorgeous curves, memorizing each expression
flickering across her face. Her teeth reached for her lower lip. Her head
tilted slightly, staring back as if wondering if I’d really given her such a
command, and wondering if she’d really obey.
It was a yes to both. My scarred soul sang.
“I won’t ask again. Get on all fours and crawl. To me.”
She swallowed. Eyed me cautiously. And then in a glorious surrender
that made me want to get on my own knees to worship her, she dropped to
the dirty floor. Placing both palms flat, she spread her knees wide, tossed
her head back, and glared. Refusing to bow, she took my order and twisted
it to her own satisfaction. She crawled to me, inch by inch, holding my
stare, that glorious hair spilling around her, heavy breasts swaying, cleavage
on full display from her low-cut shirt.
My cock hardened painfully. My fingers itched to rip her clothes off,
touch her everywhere and fuck her so hard, she’d barely be able to walk. I
needed to ruin her so she’d never doubt I was the one who gave her
everything she needed.
It took all my strength to keep my position and just watch. But I knew
she needed something, so I reached down and stroked my erection, showing
her how bad I wanted her.
She practically purred like a lioness when she reached my bare feet.
Sitting back on her knees, she regarded me under thick lashes, swiping her
tongue over her bitten lower lip. “Do I call you Sir? Lord and Master? Are
we playing Fifty Shades or Nine and a Half Weeks?”
I loved her mouthiness and attitude. I could never be with someone too
subservient, because half the fun of a woman surrendering was the trust and
care needed to soothe her; the work and effort needed to command properly,
until she offered all of herself, naked and vulnerable, like a beautiful
sacrifice. All the women before her had been for one single purpose.
To lead me to Landon.
“What a good girl you are,” I crooned, lowering my hand to grasp her
hair. I stroked and pet, then gathered the silky strands loosely in my fist.
“This is no book or movie. This is me and you, making our own rules. But
if you let me, I promise to satisfy every fantasy you ever had—all the ones
you refused to tell. All the ones you refused to admit existed.”
“That’s a tall order, music man. Sure you can handle me?”
I yanked her head back, fiercely relishing the dilation of her pupils and
the way her breath sped up. Yes, she liked a bite of pain. Liked to be
dominated. “Let’s see, shall we?”
 I pulled her up from her knees. She tried to back up, challenging, but
with one swift move, I pinned her against the wall. Kicking her legs apart, I
stood between her spread thighs, never breaking my grip. She let out a
growl, bucking and twisting to get free. I laughed, knowing it was a game
we both loved. We both knew I’d never let her escape. “Maybe my fantasy
is to bring you to your knees,” she retorted. “To strip you naked and force
you to service all my needs. Be my sub. Be my slave. Be my boy toy. What
would you say?”
Holding her still, I slammed my mouth over hers. The kiss was
punishing, bruising, and so hot I almost came in my pants as I drowned in
the sweet, spicy taste of her, my tongue plunging deep and taking over until
she was moaning and digging her nails into shoulders. I bit that pouty lower
lip, sucking it hard, not allowing her do anything but accept everything I
gave her.
And God she did, and even gave me more, and I knew Landon had
ruined me for anyone else.
When I ripped my lips from hers, she stared at me, half-drunk with
arousal. Very gently, I released her hair. Stroked her cheek. Pressed a tender,
light kiss on her mouth.
“I’ve been on my knees since the moment I met you, princess. Don’t
you know I’m already your servant? Your worshipper? Your King to your
Queen? I will do anything for you.” My voice shook with ferocity. “I will
do everything for you.”
A sob broke from her throat. Her eyes misted and then she was reaching
for me, melting, surrendering from within. “Adam.” My name was a
symphony and a prayer I never wanted to stop listening to.
“I’m going to fuck you now. All night long.”
I dipped down and swept her into my arms. Lying her on the bed, I
stripped her until she lay naked, spread for my pleasure, hair spilling over
the white pillow. I took off my clothes and joined her on the bed.
And then I feasted.
There was not an inch of her skin I didn’t lick, suck, or bite. Starting
from her ankles, up her legs, across her stomach, I let my hands explore and
caress. I found all her sensitive parts—the underside of her knee, the
indentation of her hip, her sweet, tight nipples, the fleshy part where neck
met shoulder. I listened to her moans and sighs, waiting to hear every hitch
of her breath and what made her shudder. I used my teeth to scrape the
inside of her thighs, holding her open for me to play with her pussy.
Ignoring her screams to make her come, and the punishing pain against my
shoulders from her ripping nails, I never increased my pace as I tongued her
clit, flicking light, refusing to increase the pressure. I found when I brushed
my lips against the throbbing bud with a barely there touch, her heels
ground into the mattress and she let out a wail that made me feel like a God.
Then I let her come.
As she came down from the first high, I curled my fingers and plunged
into her tight, dripping channel. Burying my face in her pussy, I sucked
hard on her sensitive clit and found the sweet spot, forcing her into another
orgasm.
Addicted to her taste, frantic to wring her body with endless pleasure, I
dragged her to the end of the bed, donned a condom, and finally thrust in
hard.
“Adam! Oh, God!”
“That’s right, sweetheart. We’re not done yet.”
She moaned long and low. Straightening her legs and pulling them over
my bruised shoulders, I fucked her hard, losing myself in every sensation.
My balls tightened and her pussy squeezed my cock, pushing me to the
edge, but I knew she had a few more left. And damned if she wasn’t going
to get them.
As I fucked her, my fingers went back to her clit, and I began to rub her
with my thumb, in soft, firm circles. She arched against me, begging, but I
refused, ruthlessly keeping her from falling over. Her body tried to twist but
I held her firmly, watching her face as she sobbed my name, fighting to take
over.
Then I pinched her clit hard, holding, holding. Ignored her low hiss of
pain and weak struggles to move away.
And let go.
She came again, and I let myself go, pounding into her sweet body over
and over until the release exploded through me in violent waves. I threw my
head back and held on, shuddering under the brutal pleasure.
Barely able to move, I pulled out and disposed of the condom, then
pulled her against me. Strands of hair clung damply to her cheeks. Sweat
cooled on her skin. She was still shuddering as mini convulsions gripped
her. “You okay?” I whispered.
 “That was so much better than Fifty, Nine and Half, or any porn I ever
watched.”
I started to laugh, pressing a kiss to her head as she snuggled into my
arms like she belonged there. “I’m glad I could serve, princess.”
She tried to hit me but her arm fell flat. “I think I hurt you.”
“My shoulders? Yeah. But I like a bit of pain, too.”
She peered at me from under her lashes, then cupped my cheek. “Not
the wrong pain. Never again.”
I stilled at the fierceness in her tone. Watching her, I waited to see what
she would do next.
Even more important?
I wondered what I’d do. Because Landon had finally seen all my scars.
 Chapter Four
Adam

Listen to Demons
by Imagine Dragons

T he brutality of my father’s beatings was something I’d learned to live

with. I’d tucked the memories into my past, but never pretended I
wasn’t affected or that the nightmare was over. It was a part of me I
had to accept or I’d go insane trying to figure out how any adult could hurt
a child without thought or apology. I had accepted young that evil existed,
just like good.
Kids didn’t have choices like free will. But when I finally got big
enough to hit back; to stand up for myself and be my own protector; I
realized if I didn’t shift my thinking, I’d get stuck in rage and blame. I
didn’t want my father to own one cell of my body or mind—including my
emotion, so it was important I did some work on myself to heal. It was the
only way to truly free myself. I hated the bastard, but hate was a chain and I
refused to tie myself to him anymore.
But the scars? They were the physical evidence I dealt with every day I
looked in the mirror. I’d covered most of them with full sleeve tats on both
arms so violence became art; and horror became beauty. But my chest and
back I left alone—my only reminder of what I’d gone through and not only
survived, but thrived. Instead of making myself feel like a victim, it made
me feel like a warrior. Those scars were for me and not anyone else.
 I made sure I wore a shirt at all times, even swimming. Once, I got
drunk enough to take it off, and my friends had seen me, but we were all
pretty fucked up so no one really remembered. I fucked with a shirt or tank
on most of the time, or stripped completely when it was dark.
Rarely did I allow women to glimpse all of my scars. But lying here
with Landon, with the light on, fully naked, I didn’t move. Just waited to
see her reaction or what she’d do.
She reached over and traced the ridged, puckered skin where my father
had burned cigarettes onto me after tying me down. Her fingers were
gentle, but it was her gaze that stilled me. I’d learned the expressions well
—a mix of pity, curiosity, and sometimes horror. Whether it was from the
actual scars or imagination of what had happened, my defenses were always
primed so no one else would be able to hurt me. But Landon’s eyes didn’t
reflect any of those things. I sank into a sea of blue as calm and deep as the
ocean.
“What were these from?”
Her voice was steady. The question held no morbid probing. I found
myself answering easily. “Cigarettes.”
She nodded. She continued to each of the scars, as if honoring them
individually. A strange tightening curled in my gut.
Her palm coasted down toward my right side. The jagged slice had
never healed properly since I’d needed stitches but never got them. “This?”
“Kitchen knife.”
Another nod. As if I was fragile glass, she delicately smoothed her hand
to my back, urging me to turn. I automatically obeyed, exposing the worst. I
pictured what she looked upon. Whitish criss cross scars in multiple ragged
lines. This time, I didn’t wait for her to ask.
“Belt.”
Her journey ended with my lower back, stretched across the top of my
left buttock. I stiffened, then felt her fingers slide across the bumpy hard
ridge of skin. Her voice was a whisper of silk pulled across my ears,
soothing and soft and smooth.
“Glass?”
I had to clear my throat. “Broken beer bottle. He wasn’t getting the
reaction he wanted from me with the belt so he decided to change things
up.”
 The shock of her lips against the wound had me clenching my fists.
Emotion warred within at the aching tenderness of her comfort, as if she
was truly kissing them to make me better. My heart squeezed in my chest.
It was almost…too much.
I began to retreat. My walls sprung up to stop this sudden fragile and
terrifying vulnerability, but then she was the one who pulled back, as if my
skin had burnt her lips and fingers. She reared up as I turned to face her, and
within seconds, she’d straddled my naked body.
Palms on my shoulders, her dripping pussy poised over my hardening
cock, Landon stared at me with a fierce blue fire flaming in her eyes.
Stunned, I stared back, registering the shake of her body and the sheer rage
spearing me without sympathy or apology.
“Fuck him,” she growled, teeth grit, nails digging into my already sore
shoulders. “If I ever see him, I will tear him apart. I will make him hurt and
bleed and cry for mercy, and then I’ll finish the job. That fucking bastard
will never hurt you again. You won, Adam. You won.”
She sneered the last two words like a challenge, leaning over so her hair
brushed my scarred chest, and her swollen lips paused inches from my
mouth. She reminded me of a lioness; a witch; a Queen villainess who
swore to avenge me. And within that white-hot anger, something burst
inside me and oozed open as I realized she held no pity, or acceptance, or
questions.
Landon gifted me with something so precious I had no idea I needed it.
Her rage.
I broke, reaching for her, but she was already pressing down and taking
my mouth with hers. Her tongue plunged inside to tangle with mine, and at
the same time, her hands grasped my cock and she lowered herself down in
one strong push to take me deep.
I gasped against her mouth. She murmured my name, and rode me,
angling her hips to hit her sweet spot, her hard nipples teasing the hair on
my chest, and I cursed and shoved my fingers into her hair to hold her still
as I arched up to savor every inch of her slick tight heat.
It was an animal mating with a tinge of violence, and we both got lost as
we fucked each other. I shoved my hand between us and rubbed her clit,
and with a cry she was coming and God, I felt every sweet convulsion and
shiver as she squeezed me mercilessly.
 I came right after with a shout, emptying myself while I shouted her
name. When she slumped over me, boneless, I caught her and held her
close.
Suddenly, the reality of what happened slammed into me. “We didn’t
use a condom.”
“I know.” Her voice was raspy. “I’m on the pill and was tested recently.
I’m hoping you were too or did I make a terrible mistake?”
Relief flowed through me. “No, I’m good—just had a full physical a
few weeks ago and I haven’t been with anyone else since.”
She raised her head. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. I only wanted a sweet little princess who was really a queen
whore.”
Her attempt at a punch landed weakly. “Dickhead.”
I laughed, relishing the scent of musk and sex that rose from her skin.
“I’m going to run us a bath. Stay here and I’ll set it up.”
I rolled off the bed and headed to the bathroom. I got the tub ready
while my mind tried to make sense of what had happened between us.
I’d let her see all of me, and she’d reacted differently from any other
woman I’d been with. When I decided to fuck without a shirt, or walk
around naked, the gasps and hungry questions were more about them then
me. I was a novelty, with marked skin and wounds that bespoke of violence,
and to many, violence was sexy. I played up my past as something that
wasn’t a big deal—a passing phase of too much anger and too many fights,
with my father and at local bars. Everyone bought my explanation. They
asked for stories and treated my battered body like something they could
get off on.
Sometimes, I played into the role. Darkness was part of my essential
soul, so it wasn’t that much of a stretch. I dosed out pain, gave them
dominance and humiliation and endless orgasms. They walked away and I
rarely saw them again.
But Landon had been the first to really, truly give a shit. She’d touched
and kissed each one with a humbleness that tore at my heart. She listened to
me without judgment, without pity. And the fierce pride and fury in her
eyes made me feel like a fucking warrior rather than a victim.
I almost believed the pain had all been worth it, every second I’d gone
through.
To get to this moment. With Landon.
 I walked back, gathered her from the bed, and carried her into the
bathroom. I liked the way she didn’t fight me, just clung tight and allowed
me to place her gently into the bubbly water. The tub was beat up, but I kept
it clean and it was big. One of the only perks in the apartment. I joined her,
sitting behind so she was between my legs, her back to my chest. I soaped
up a washcloth and dragged it over her back. Her sigh was wispy,
reminding me of clouds floating. “Feels good.”
I kissed the top of her head and bathed her in silence, making sure to get
every inch of her sweet body with the soapy cloth. I froze at the soft
question floating to my ears, her voice ragged from screaming my name
through her multiple orgasms.
“Do you think if we fell in love with each other, this intensity between
us would be gone?”
 Chapter Five
Landon

Listen to Is This Love?

by Whitesnake

T he moment I asked the question, I regretted it.

Adam had cast a spell on me. I’d come over to specifically settle
this push and pull between us but had no idea he’d completely claim
me; own me; fuck me the way I’d secretly dreamed. The contrast between
his humiliating demand I crawl to him and the sheer gentleness of his touch
right now made my head spin. I was obsessed with the way he made me
feel.
I was becoming obsessed with every part of Adam. He scared the hell
out of me.
I want you to feel safe with me but I also want you to shake with fear.
His vow floated through my mind and reminded me I’d wanted this. I
was helpless when he spoke in that rough, commanding voice. No matter
what he asked, I longed to fulfill the need, for both him and myself. I’d read
about submissive tendencies in some erotic romances, but never believed
I’d fully bloom under those dynamics.
Yet, Adam created a fire inside that only he could quench. He’d shared
his body with me completely, along with his secrets. He’d trusted me to
care for both of them.
But love?
 Was this love? I’d always believed love was gentle and kind. Built on
respect and trust and a shared goal of a future.
This type of love cut me into pieces and put me back together. It was
too raw, too loud, too messy to be the type I believed in. But right now, if
Adam forced me to tell the truth, I would admit it.
I loved him this way. My way. The wrong way.
And there was nothing I could do about it.
He stilled for a few moments, then continued to squeeze the washcloth
over my breasts, allowing trickles of warm water to cleanse and tease my
hard nipples. His erection settled between my buttocks, poised in the
entrance of my pussy. With every shift in the tub, his dick bumped against
my clit, making me want more. I’d become a needy, writhing whore for
him, just like he’d promised.
“Are you asking if I love you, Landon?”
My cheeks burned in humiliation. I wanted to get out of the tub and
stalk away in pride, but we’d come too far tonight for me to fall back now.
Not after kissing his scars. Not after giving him every part of my body,
inside and out. “No. I don’t need those words now. What we have is
enough.”
I meant it, even though the future was messy and I had no idea how to
navigate us.
I felt him relax. He wasn’t ready to define what we were either. We’d
done enough for tonight to put that question to the side.
“I think the intensity is a part of who we both are. I felt it the moment I
looked at you, but you chose Max. The only way I could deal was to turn
that chemistry into hate. I needed to lock you up in a box in my head and
keep you there.”
“It was easy to choose Max,” I admitted. “He was what I knew. What I
was comfortable with. I loved him in my own way.”
“I know. I’m not jealous of that part. It was imagining his hands all over
your body, his tongue in your mouth, his gaze watching while you came.
When I pictured the scene, I felt like ripping him apart.”
It was the first time he admitted his jealousy. The truth both thrilled and
shamed me. “You never let anyone see it. Even me. I thought you despised
me.”
“Oh, I did. And Max. Yet, both of you are an important part of my life I
couldn’t let go. We are a fucked up, incestuous group.”
 I laughed. His arms wrapped around me and held tight. “I know. I need
them, too. We have to make them understand. Even Max.”
“I’ll talk to him. Take the hit. Either before I leave for LA or right after.
When do you start filming for Dumped?”
I didn’t hear any tinge of mockery in his voice. “Two weeks.”
“Exactly when I leave.”
Silence settled other than the gentle movement of water as Adam shifted
position, cupping his hands over my breasts and playing with my nipples.
The fiery heat speared through me, and I craved him again. The hunger was
never ending, and I knew I could spend the rest of my life exploring this
intensity with him, in bed and out.
The thought of being apart for three months ripped through me. I’d kept
his trip as a shady type of future event that would never happen. Now, it
was almost here, just when we’d committed to each other.
“I have to tell Elle about us,” I said.
“What about Gabby and Daisy?”
I shook my head. “Not yet. Do you want to tell Coop?”
“No. I’m closest to Noah right now but I’m comfortable not telling
anyone. Will Elle keep the secret until we’re ready to share?”
“Yes, I trust her with my life.”
“Then we’ll wait. Hell, maybe it’s best this way. We both come back
from our break and start fresh. Maybe Max will be in a new relationship.”
I knew he was being positive for me, but sensed he had doubts.
“Maybe.”
I listened to the sound of his breath and got lost in my thoughts. Then he
asked the question that would set an entire new story into action.
“Landon, I want you to come with me. To LA.”
I twisted around to glance at him in shock. “What?”
His lips tightened. “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way. I’m not
trying to belittle your choice to do the reality show—I have no right. I
respect your decision. But I need you to know that I want you with me.”
My mind blurred as I tried to make sense of his statement. “I don’t
understand. You’ll be on tour, with the band, right? How would I even fit
into that?”
“Lance and Seb are bringing their girlfriends. You’d be on the bus with
us, and stay in my room. You’d be part of Unison.”
 I shook my head. “Adam, I finally got a tv job and I’ll be filming. I
explained that. How can I go with you?”
“It’s only an option. If for any reasons you decide not to film the show,
you can come with me. We’ll be together. Have an adventure. Dive deeper
into us without the shit and stress around us. We get a chance to see what
we are, away from the group.”
His offer sparked both excitement and fear. He was asking me to be part
of his private world. But I was on my own path, wasn’t I? I had a thriving
career. A reality show I was picked for out of thousands. I wouldn’t get the
same opportunity again.
“If I didn’t do Dumped, I still have a job at Red. Modeling assignments.
My apartment. You’re asking me to run away with you to LA and put it all
on hold?”
I waited for him to get mad and say I didn’t appreciate the offer. I
waited for him to wave his hand and say my life wasn’t important and to be
his little whore and follow him wherever he commanded. I waited for the
rage to hit at his lack of respect and realize what we were doing wasn’t
healthy for either of us.
I waited for him to act like Max.
Instead, his hands pushed back my wet hair and he met my gaze head
on. “No. I’m simply saying you’re important to me, and it’s an open
invitation. I’m not trying to tell you my dreams are bigger than yours,
Landon. If Dumped is what you want, I’ll support you. If coming with me
will hurt you in any way, forget it. But if you’re having doubts about stuff
and a break to wrap your head around things is helpful, come with me. You
can write. You can post on socials. Hell, you can take some casting calls out
in California while we’re there. I only want you to see there are
possibilities. The option is on the table. Okay?”
I sifted through his words and realized he was trying to show me by
actions that I mattered. I also knew Adam believed in me. He saw things for
my future I’d never pushed myself to reach for. Like writing. Or doing
something else rather than tying my face and body to a camera for the
world to judge.
It was a lot to process.
I paused. “If I don’t go, you won’t be quietly resentful, right?”
“No.”
 I believed him. “Good. I promise to think about it.” Another thought
struck, worrying me. “You won’t fuck anyone else when you’re on the
road? You’re a rock star now. Girls will be crawling all over you constantly
and I’ll be far away.”
His grip tightened around my breasts. I gasped as he squeezed my
nipples, and a bolt of heat shot straight to my clit. “Did we not just talk
about this?” he asked softly, warningly.
I gasped. “Yes.”
“What did I say?”
His cock rubbed against me, eliciting a lusty moan. “No fucking other
people. You belong to me.”
“That’s right. I’ll kill anyone who tries to take what’s mine. And no one
touches me who’s not you. I’m not Max. I don’t cheat and I don’t lie. Tell
me you understand.”
“I understand.”
In one strong motion, he lifted me up and impaled me on his cock.
I grabbed at his knees; my fingers slippery as I fought for balance. His
fullness at this angle was almost painful, and I struggled for breath from his
swift invasion. Seconds later, my entire body throbbed for more, needy for
him to slide in and out and take me to that place only Adam could.
He didn’t move.
I wriggled my hips but he had me in a locked grip, his muscled, tatted
arms holding me still in the water, refusing to give me what I craved.
“Adam,” I whimpered. “Please.”
“Don’t ever question me or my intentions again, princess.”
“I won’t.”
His hold relaxed a bit. He bent his head and began nibbling on the curve
of my neck. My skin broke out in goosebumps even in the heated water. It
was as if he had overtaken every one of my senses; his cock inside my
drenched pussy; his fingers squeezing my breasts, his teeth sinking into my
neck like a damn vampire.
And I could do nothing but accept whatever he gave me.
“You want to come?”
I moaned again. “Yes.”
“You know what to do.” I arched back, trying to get him to hit my sweet
spot. “Oh, no, my sweet little whore. Did you think I’d make it easy? You
get off by my cock only. I’d advise you get moving.”
 “Motherfucker,” I whispered, half insult, half praise.
He sunk his teeth into my skin, then licked the wound. I tightened
around him. “That’s right. Move.”
Oh, God.
He gave me just enough room to begin bouncing up and down in tiny
movements. It was slow torture, trying to go faster but not allowed, trapped
by the limitations he set in an awful, delicious sexual torture that got me so
hot, slick, wet noises rose in the air, evidence of my greed.
He urged me on, whispering filthy things in my ear, allowing me to
move more second by second until I was frantically working at his cock,
reaching desperately for my orgasm, pride shattered in tiny pieces around
him.
I cried his name in a plea, and he gripped my hips, finally slamming me
hard and fast on top of him, pushing me slightly forward so my clit barely
brushed his hard length, but it was enough.
I exploded into my orgasm, shuddering around him. He stroked me and
called me his perfect, beautiful whore, his good girl, and I began to sob at
the intensity of release.
Adam picked me up from the water, wrapped me in a towel, and dried
me gently. Boneless, wrecked, I let him take care of me. He tucked me back
into bed, climbing in beside me and turned out the lights.
His arms kept me from bad dreams, but I knew with daylight, I’d have
to make some hard choices.
 Chapter Six
Landon

Listen to Let’s Go to Hell

by Tai Verdes

“I have to tell you something.”

I worried my lip as I stared at my best friend. It felt weird to be
alone with her without Daisy and Gabby. We’d become a tight group
and I’d felt supported after Max’s betrayal. It was definitely easier for us to
be together again after Max vowed to chill, but I still think everyone was a
bit off. With Adam running off to LA, Max and I on shaky ground, and Elle
beginning to get into music more than acting, we were all going in our
different paths.
I knew, eventually, things had to change. Nothing lasts forever—even
best friends. But I wanted to cling harder to all of us for a little while
longer. I needed to believe we’d be able to make it through the hard times,
especially when I came clean about my relationship with Adam.
God, Max had been the bad guy for so long, I wasn’t sure how to handle
taking his place.
“You’re scaring me. Is it something with Dumped?” Elle asked,
chewing on her straw as she sucked up a Diet Coke. We were both
scheduled to work Red tonight, and I wanted her to know before we began
our shift. I picked at my salad and figured the best way to do this was dive
right in.
“I’m sleeping with Adam.”
 The soda must’ve gone down the wrong pipe, because Elle began
choking. Her eyes turned red and watery, and she gripped the edge of the
table, as if in desperate need of air. I hurried over to her side and pounded
on her back until she stopped hacking. Wheezing, she turned to me with her
jaw unhinged. “Sorry. I thought you said something else. What about
Adam?”
“You heard right. I’m sleeping with Adam. Please don’t hate me.”
Her eyes bugged out of her head and she stared at me for a few
moments. The waitress came by and asked if we needed anything, but one
look at Elle had her scurrying away. She tried to speak several times but
nothing came out. My heart pounded hard in my chest and my stomach
clenched. I had to get her to understand what happened. I refused to lose
Elle from my life.
“Wait. Just—wait. You’re sleeping with Adam. Our Adam? Or another
Adam?”
I winced. “Our Adam.” My Adam, my heart and soul screamed. But Elle
wasn’t ready for that intensity yet.
“How long?”
“Since the night Max blew up at Red. I ended up at Adam’s door and
we slept together.”
Now, she seemed to have too much breath and began panting hard.
“This isn’t happening,” she muttered, shaking her head hard. “I’m
hallucinating. You hate Adam. Unless––”
I swallowed. “Yeah.”
“That was all about sexual tension?” she screeched. “You were hot for
each other this whole time and I had no idea!”
I grabbed for her hand but she snatched it away, glaring. “Please, listen,
Elle. I know you’re pissed. I know you feel betrayed. I’ve been wanting to
tell you forever but it was like everything happened at once. I always had
feelings for Adam but I couldn’t understand exactly what they were. And I
did love Max. That was never a lie. I feel differently about both of them.”
Elle moaned and rubbed her temples. “I’m trying here, Landon. But I’m
freaking out big time. Big time.”
“Can I explain? Tell you the whole story?”
She nodded.
I launched into my re-telling of our relationship, leading up to Max’s
cheating, and the night we spent together. I glossed over the intense,
obsessive parts of our sex life and the idea I may be in love. That could wait
till the next time. Finally, I left off from yesterday, when we spent the night
together again and decided we’d launch our relationship in public.
“I need rum in this Coke,” Elle announced. “A lot.”
“No one else knows except you. Not Gabby or Daisy or any of the
guys.”
“Why didn’t you trust me enough to tell me earlier? I could have helped
you sort things out. I feel kind of…hurt.”
This time, I grabbed her hand and refused to let go. “Elle, I love you.
You are the sister I never had. I swear to God, I was so confused, I couldn’t
confess the secret because I didn’t even realize how deep my feelings for
Adam went. It wasn’t until Max cheated that I realized the truth. Neither of
us were prepared for this. Sure, maybe we figured we’d blow off some
steam with a one-nighter. But it’s more than that. It’s more than anything
I’ve felt before.”
“Holy crap. Are you in love with him?”
I tried to deny it but fell silent. “I don’t know,” I said honestly. “He’s
leaving for LA and I have to film Dumped. We’ll be apart for a while. I
figured we’d wait to see what happened and then tell the group. We don’t
want to hide longer than that. It may give everyone a chance to reset after
Max and I broke up.”
Elle stared at me hard, searching for my face. “Does anyone suspect?”
“Not yet.”
“Max is going to lose his mind, Landon. So are the rest of the guys.
This may not go well.”
I groaned and buried my face in my hands. “I know. But maybe Max
will get a new girlfriend and it won’t be as bad,” I said hopefully.
Elle rolled her eyes. “Doubtful. He thinks if he’s cool for a while, he can
charm you back into his bed.”
“Never going to happen.”
“Can I ask you a serious question?”
“Anything,” I said.
“Is this all really worth it? What if you just sleep together until you both
leave? Maybe it will be out of your system. Maybe you’ll fall for someone
on Dumped and he’ll fall for some groupie in LA? Maybe you don’t have to
blow everything up?”
 The idea of Adam hooking up with anyone made me want to scream,
but after last night’s physical proof of how we belonged to each other, I
believed in him and our vows. “I don’t think so.”
“Oh, my God. This is serious. I’ve never seen you react this way about a
guy before. I can’t believe I didn’t see any of it.”
“Maybe you were too busy banging Coop all over town in public?” I
teased, desperate to get back on good footing again.
She narrowed her gaze. “I’m still mad.”
“Sorry. Elle, I need you. Because I have another question that’s been
bothering me. Adam asked me to go to LA with him instead of filming the
show.”
“What!”
“I know. He’s not that sold on reality tv for furthering my career. Said
he’s afraid they’ll make me look dumb and I’ll regret having that stigma
forever.”
Elle tilted her head, considering. “He’s not entirely wrong,” she said
bluntly. “Every time I take a role, I know there’s a certain way they want
me to be. If you’re going to be the gorgeous, dumb blonde on a hook-up,
that’s the way they want to slant the story for more viewers.”
Worry nibbled at my nerves. I’d been fully on board with however they
wanted to cast me, but in the past few days, Adam’s warnings had dug deep.
Is this what I really needed to get to the next level? If the show blew up, I
could have endless opportunities. If the show tanked, I could be blasted in
the industry and pretty much done before I started. I was no Paris Hilton or
Nicole Richie, and this wasn’t the debut of reality television. Unless it was
a well-known hit, the odds were stacked against me. Plus, delving into a
fake tv romance for ratings didn’t fly.
“Do you think I should have another talk with the producers and casting
before I finalize the contracts?”
“You didn’t sign yet?”
“No. My new agent was away so there was a delay. I have to go to her
office tomorrow.”
“I think you need to ask yourself some hard questions. If Adam wasn’t
here and chattering in your ear, would you be really excited? Would you
have even second guessed not taking the role?”
I sighed. “No.”
 “Make sure this is about you and not him. Adam’s got his gig in LA. He
made his own sacrifices to get what he wants. If you want tv and fame and
don’t care about the steps to get there, you should do the show. But if you
want something else—maybe stuff that you haven’t even admitted—you
may need to say no.”
“I think you’re right. I can’t run off with Adam to LA on a whim.” I
forced a laugh. “Right?”
Elle shook her head. “Before today, I would’ve laughed my ass off at
the thought. Now? Who the hell knows?” Her lips tightened. “But I don’t
think you should, Landon. Let Adam do his thing and you do yours. You
have a job at Red and a life. What are you going to do out there anyway?
Be his groupie?”
I winced. “He mentioned poking around for casting calls and taking
some time to re-think my career.”
“Doing what? More modeling? More sponsors for your influencing? A
master’s degree?”
It popped out of my mouth before I could think. “Writing.”
She blinked. “You want to be a writer?”
I hesitated but it was time to share everything with Elle. “Remember I
mentioned a while back I liked to make up stories? Well, I have a few series
I write on Wattpad under a different name. They do pretty well but I never
thought of making writing a part of my career. Adam mentioned it.”
A strange hardness settled into her gaze. “Babe, this is a little weird.
You sleep with Adam and suddenly you want to quit this tv role you fought
so hard for, and you want to write? Don’t get me wrong! I think you should
definitely pursue writing, but you don’t have to drop it all and go to LA for
that. Right?”
Heat burned my cheeks. It did sound ridiculous now that I said it aloud.
Maybe in the intimate moments I had with Adam, in his bed, the offer had
sounded more romantic. More like he saw more in me than I saw in myself.
But Elle could be right.
Was I being impulsive because I was deep in lust? Is this what I really
wanted?
I forced a smile. “You’re right. That’s what I needed to hear.”
Her whole body relaxed. “Okay, good. You’re not that far gone! Umm, I
guess I can’t tell Coop about any of this?”
“Not a word. Please, Elle. Swear you won’t tell a soul.”
 “I swear. But I won’t be able to hold out for too long. I just stopped
giving him shit for keeping Max’s cheating from me. It’s not gonna look
good if I do the same to him.”
“I’ll figure it out. Thanks. I love you.”
“Love you, too, you psycho slut.”
I laughed and tried to finish my salad. But I knew time was running out
to make my decision.
About the show. About Adam. About our relationship.
About everything.
 Chapter Seven
Adam

Listen to Save Me a Place

by Mono Minds

I texted the group to check who was going to my gig tonight, and I was
surprised when they all said yes. It was a gritty downtown bar, but
bookings were hard to score. Kind of like those old-school country bars
in Nashville, where only the queens and kings of country went to sing, or an
up-and-coming performer with raw talent.
Knowing JJ had gotten us a spot only solidified our climbing rankings
on the music scene. LA was getting closer, and I had a feeling when I
returned, shit would be getting real.
As long as I could get my songs into the world, it was a win.
And if Landon came with me? That would be a double score. The idea
of having her to myself, and building our relationship on our own terms
tempted me. Sure, I’d be causing her to say no the television show and
taking a leave of absence from Red. And yeah, to an outsider, it seemed like
a chauvinistic, selfish move, but hell, if I could follow her sweet ass upstate
and be with her as she shot Dumped, I’d go that route, I just wanted to be
near her. Give us a chance to bond away from the group. Especially Max.
I thought of our last convo when I’d met the guys for breakfast. Max
had been in a great mood, and when I asked if he was getting laid, he gave
me a smirk that set my blood cold. “Not yet. But I’m still working on
things. What about you and Gabby? Still hitting that?”
 I’d shaken my head, reaffirming we weren’t having sex. Max never
believed me and got annoyed with my denials. I circled back to my original
question. “Someone at Red?” I asked casually, pretending I didn’t care.
“New or an ex?”
Coop hit his shoulder and snorted. “You know he’s trying to get back in
Landon’s panties, right? Dude’s got a plan but I’m not sure it’ll work.”
“You mean the one where you’re super nice and her friend?” I asked
with a slight sneer.
Max lifted a brow as if catching my irritation. “I’m still going that route,
sure. But I’ve arranged something else. Something to remind her we’re
perfect together.”
“What is it?”
Max shrugged. “I’ll tell you when it’s over. Then we’ll know whether it
worked.”
I tried not to curse the bastard for chasing after her and forced a grin.
“Sounds fun.”
“It’s not. But that’s what I get for being greedy. I won’t fuck up
anymore.”
Noah sipped his coffee and stared thoughtfully at Coop. “Hey, is Elle
working at Red today? I wanted to see if she could cut a new demo with
me. I want to play it at Inferno next week when I DJ.”
“Yeah, she’s off. I’m glad she’s finally concentrating on music.
Probably blow up faster, like Adam did. She’s hot enough to catch
everyone’s attention.”
“She’s talented,” Noah said mildly. “Her voice is killer.”
“Sure. You both should create some songs and see what happens. Next
time Adam heads to LA, maybe we can all go.”
“The band loves Elle,” I said. “Once we release the album, we’ll see
how the song hits.”
“Good, cause the jobs I’ve had lately are shit,” Coop complained. “I’m
thinking of getting a job in house at a studio rather than freelance. The Red
shoot helped with networking, but I’m getting tired of chasing jobs and
piecing them together. I need steady clients.”
“Seems we’re all having some issues,” Max commented.
I tuned out the rest of the morning and kept chewing at Max’s last
comments regarding Landon. What the hell was his plan? I didn’t want to
tell Landon and get her upset, or let her believe I was behaving like a
jealous asshole. I hated him trying to manipulate her.
The rest of the day flew by as I met with Unison and had a meeting with
JJ about our tour schedule. When I mentioned the possibility of bringing
someone with me, the guys all hooted and teased me, asking for a name. I
begged off, saying I wasn’t sure but wanted to know if we had the space,
and confirmed we did.
Now it was up to Landon.
She was meeting me later at the club. I couldn’t stop thinking of her
naked in the tub, those big blue eyes asking me about love. I didn’t know
what love was, but if it existed, Landon would be the closest thing I’ve
experienced to it.
I caught a ride with the band and we did a practice run at Inferno. “Hey,
Adam, you should leave your shirt open, dude. I think we need a bit more
grunge for this place,” Xavier said with a dirty grin.
I rolled my eyes. “You kidding me?”
Lance and Seb cracked up. “Hell, yeah. You need to channel your
Magic Mike for the good of all of us,” Xavier teased. “They’ll love the tats.
Got any good piercings, too?”
“Fuck you.”
“Hopefully, they’ll want to fuck you,” Lance joined in, high fiving the
guys.
“Seriously, dude, JJ agreed. If we’re going to do this, let’s do it right.
You need to give the crowd what they want,” Xavier said.
Ah, fuck. They didn’t know about the scars and I sure as hell wasn’t in a
confessional mode to share my past. But I also didn’t want them thinking I
was too good for it or not a team player. I looked down at my black t-shirt
and jeans, my usual uniform, and wondered what to do. Maybe I should’ve
given JJ a head’s up that I wasn’t comfortable showing skin and tell him
shit had gone down I didn’t want to discuss.
But for now? I needed to appease the group. “I got an idea,” I grunted.
Heading to the bathroom, I took off my shirt and ripped off the sleeves.
Then with my pocket knife, I hacked at the hem so it hung above my belt.
Looking in the mirror, I decided to take off the leather belt and undo the top
snap of my jeans.
Yeah. Better. It was edgier and when I moved, it looked like I was
flashing my crotch. After all, I didn’t wear underwear.
 I walked back out. “Better?”
They whistled and clapped and I rolled my eyes. “Assholes. Let’s do
this shit.”
We finished prepping, throwing back some shots and getting worked up
and rowdy for the set. By the time they announced us, I was riding high,
and only wanted to give my best. The reality of my songs finally being sung
to large crowds was a turn-on. My adrenalin spiked and I got on stage,
grabbing the mic and guitar.
“Hey. We’re Unison. I’m Adam. Let’s play some good shit.”
The guys liked my opening so it was becoming more standard. Thank
God they didn’t realize my intro came from not giving a shit. I hated
catering to an audience. It was hard to separate the need I had to create
good music, and the rage I felt with the unfairness of having to kiss people’s
asses to give me a fair shot.
My gaze swept over the crowd as I looked for Landon and the rest of
the group. I finally spotted them to the right side of the stage, all pressed
together, whooping and dancing as I morphed into a hard opening number
with a lot of bass and a killer octave. It was a fuck-you song to an ex, and I
had fun with it, enjoying Landon’s sexy dancing with her halter top
exposing her gorgeous breasts. As she leaned forward, I caught Max’s hand
on her ass, leaning in to whisper in her ear. I looked away. I refused to let
the guy get in my head. Landon could take care of herself and I trusted her.
I fell into each song, solidifying a love affair with the screaming crowd.
Halfway through the set, I realized I was actually enjoying myself, jumping
to each of the guys for their solos, moving around the stage with the mic as
if it was an extension of my limbs rather than equipment. I let the music
take me where it should, and poured myself into the lyrics. When I got to
the song I’d written for Landon, I ached to sing directly to her, but didn’t
want anyone to suspect. We weren’t ready. I watched as a tiny smile play on
her lush lips and knew she was thinking the same.
The set ended. I was dripping sweat and flying high like I’d smoked
weed, chased pills, and drank a bottle of whiskey. “It’s only getting better,
man,” Xavier shouted. The screams from the audience kept going, even
though we’d done our final call. “Fucking better than coke.”
“Fucking better than sex,” Lance shouted back.
I laughed, buzzing hard from the whole experience. Xavier was right,
though. Each time I got on stage, it got easier, and I got more addicted. I
wondered what would happen if we really took off. I’d never intended
being in the spotlight, but if I had no choice, would this be a bad life to
live?
Before, I’d say hell no. Now? Things were getting foggy.
I texted the group that I’d meet them at the back table when I done.
After everyone had changed and chased more shots, I hung back, hoping
Landon would come see me. I heard the door open and turned, a grin on my
face. “’Bout time you—”
“Hey, baby.” A curvy brunette with green eyes, big breasts, and an ass
like a Kardashian stood in front of me. “Waiting for me?” she drawled.
I stared, taken aback for a few seconds. Ballsy to just walk in here, but
maybe I’d need to get used to this, and learn to handle it. I smiled politely.
“Waiting for someone else,” I said firmly.
“I’m Meg. Great show.” Her tongue licked her bottom lip. “You’re
pretty hot.”
I almost laughed. Any guy would be grateful but I only wanted to see
Landon. “Thanks. I have to meet some people if you’ll excuse me.”
Her lips quirked. “Wow, you’re polite, too. I looked you up. Heard
you’re hitting LA. You’re gonna get big.” Her gaze dropped. “Bet you
already are, though.”
Holy shit, she had some moves. “Yeah, I am. But I’m saving myself.”
She gave a startled laugh and strolled seductively toward me. Before I
could step back, she’d plastered herself against me, her breasts lifted in pure
invitation, her fuck-me eyes practically devouring me like a she-wolf.
Meg was a little scary. “Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle,” she growled,
stabbing her claw-like fingernails into my hair and grabbing on tight.
Oh, hell no.
I firmly took her wandering hands, grasped them in my wrist, and
twisted them behind her back. Her eyes widened. “I’m meeting someone,” I
said again. “Next time, ask before you touch. Be polite.”
She gasped.
I began to push her back, but a low noise rose to my ears and I looked
up.
Ah, fuck.
Landon was standing in the doorway.
 Chapter Eight
Landon

Listen to Houdini
by Dua Lipa

I watched the skinny ass groupie plaster herself against Adam, but I stood
back, refusing to spin out of control. First, I knew this was going to be a
new way of life for Adam and I better get used to it. Didn’t mean I had
to like the new world he stepped into, but right now, I had no choice.
Second, a little tart who thought she could control him with his dick was
no competition. She was more of a joke.
Third, I wanted to see how Adam handled her. I had to admit, I was
impressed. But no way would I show that to him. Let him worry about my
reaction a bit. Keeping Adam engaged was important, for both of us. We
seemed to thrive by playing the edge, and jealousy kept in check was
sometimes a thrilling game.
As long as we both agreed to the rules.
“Am I interrupting?” I asked, in a sweet, drippy voice. “Should I come
back when you’re done?”
Adam narrowed his gaze in warning. My lips quirked with the need to
grin, but I had an audience.
How fun.
Adam’s fan didn’t seem to care that she’d just been rejected and pushed
away. The girl practically sneered, her judgy gaze assessing me and
grudgingly admitting to competition. There was one thing I was confident
in and that was my looks. “Don’t bother coming back. He’ll be busy a long
time.”
I arched a brow. “That right?”
“That’s right,” she snapped back, having the balls to shove her fake tits
against his arm and try to wrap her body around his like a snake. “Bye.”
I let out a long sigh. “Okay, let’s do this fast since our friends are
waiting. Get your cheap KK carbon copy ass out of here before things get
ugly. Your grubby hands are touching my property. This pisses me off.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “You can’t talk to me like that! You don’t
own him.”
I leaned against the doorjamb and acted bored “Actually, I can and I
did.” My voice dropped in a low warning. “And I do own him. Don’t make
me count to three.”
“Are you going to let her—”
He cut the girl’s protest off, grabbing her arm firmly, and escorting her
past me and out the door. “Yep. Don’t come back—I’m taken.”
Then he took my hand, pulled me into the room, and shut the door.
“Bye!” I shouted through the barrier.
Adam shook his head, obviously amused. I kept my face emotionless,
refusing to give in too easily. I practically shuddered at the idea of that
skank touching him, especially on his bare skin. The primitive animal
within roared in feminine disapproval, wanting to mark him all over with
my scent; my tongue; my teeth; confirming it wouldn’t happen again. Adam
stared at me and studied my face. “Sorry. She forced herself in here. I was
about to get rid of her.”
I cocked my head, considering. “Yet, I found her pretty damn close. Did
she kiss you?”
“Hell, no.”
“Just checking,” I drawled, regarding him with heavy lidded eyes. I
knew Adam had no interest in anyone else. I knew he was loyal. But if
these episodes were going to become common place, it was time he learned
how to protect himself. “If this is going to be a regular occurrence, I’ll meet
you outside when you’re done satisfying your groupies. I don’t need to see
your private meet and greets.”
The air squeezed with danger. His gaze raked over me, and I fought a
shudder. Those heated, lustful eyes felt like a touch, skimming over every
sensitive part of my body like the teasing lick of his tongue. The bond
between us tugged tight; wrapping us together no matter how much we
fought. I had a love/hate relationship with our connection. It was both
heady and terrifying. “Landon.” He said my name in warning.
I couldn’t help but push. “Adam,” I mocked.
“Did you worry about that girl?” he asked roughly. “Afraid she’d tempt
me away from you?”
Oh, that comment stung. Anger slapped me in the face from the
demeaning idea she could even tempt a second look. “If your head is turned
for a half assed piece like that, good riddance,” I sneered.
Instead of getting mad, he grinned with satisfaction. “Such a mouth on
you,” he murmured. He reached out and trailed his fingers over my lips.
“We already went over this. You know there’s no one else for me, and no
one else for you. I played your game, and I won. Now, you’re my prize.”
His eyes burned as he said the words; words I both resented and reveled
in. It was like he was a Fated mate and when he called me, I fell apart,
because my entire body shook helplessly, trapped in his spell. He was right,
but I wasn’t ready to surrender. Not after his arrogant declaration.
Adam would have to work a little harder.
“I’d like to see you try to own me,” I taunted, opening my lips to bite
his index finger. He jerked back, gaze narrowing. My heart beat wildly in
half fear, half excitement. “I do what I want, when I want.”
“Not with me,” he said softly. “I don’t share, especially you.”
I almost sagged with the violence of my emotion—overcome with a
fierce joy at his bold claim. I didn’t share either, and loved that Adam
wasn’t afraid of letting me know. But I couldn’t help the devilish urge to
play and test boundaries. It was a part of who I was. It was part of the dark
stuff I usually buried. With Adam, I no longer had to hide.
“Maybe I need my own adoring fans,” I said softly. My smile was all
challenge. “Did you see how you worked up the crowd? There’s a bunch of
sweaty, horny people out there, ready to do anything to satisfy their
hunger.” I felt my own needs rise up and strangle me whole. “They crave
bad things, Adam. Just like I do. And you’re the one who set them all off.”
A curse slipped from his lips. Those dark eyes swam with a primal
yearning and a touch of violence. His hand wrapped around my throat,
holding me in a firm, yet gentle grip. “What do you crave, Landon? Do you
have the guts to tell me?”
 I shuddered. My nipples were hard, and I’d soaked my panties. I
practically swayed on my feet, the earthy scents of whisky, musk, and
arousal filling my nostrils. “Being naked. Spread out. Tied up.” His grip
around my throat slowly tightened. With his other hand, he leisurely flicked
my tight nipples with his thumb. I felt chained and owned, with a wild
arousal pumping through my veins.
“What else?” he commanded, his gaze locking with mine.
“Your mouth on my pussy, forcing me to come. Your cock between my
lips. The slap of your hand on my ass.”
“You want all of it, don’t you, sweetheart? All from me?”
I practically purred. “Maybe,” I whispered.
Darkness enveloped him. A cruel smile tipped his lips. “If you touch
anyone else, I’ll punish you. Oh, I’ll tie you up and fuck your pretty body,
but you won’t get to come, no matter how you beg.” I widened my eyes,
fascinated by this other part of Adam, melding with his beautiful, creative
side; enveloping the gentle, nurturing soul that held me like a broken bird
he intended to make fly again. “I’ll hurt you, princess. I’ll make you cry.”
We stared at each other while the air snapped and crackled like a live
circuit. A shaky sigh escaped me, along with a tiny moan. His pupils dilated
at the sound. His fingers squeezed tighter, making it harder to breathe.
“Adam?”
“Landon?”
I swayed toward him. He dropped his forehead to mine, forcing me to
look deep into his eyes.
“We have to get back now. They’re waiting for us.”
He squinted at me in warning. “I love games, baby. Just be very careful
you know what you have to sacrifice if you lose.”
In one swift movement, I yanked away. He let me go, his hand midway
in the air, holding empty space. My laugh was full and deep and slightly
cruel, like he was. “The night is young, music man. There’s plenty of play
left so maybe you shouldn’t underestimate me.”
I backed away and opened the door.
“Go ahead and run, Landon. I’ll catch you.”
My skin prickled and hot desire weakened my knees. If he picked me up
and fucked me right now against the wall, I wouldn’t care. If he dragged me
out of the club and threw me against the dirty brick wall and pushed me to
my knees, I’d open my mouth with eagerness. If he took off his belt and
pulled down my pants to whip me, I’d beg for more while I cried.
Because Adam owned me. But I was a worthy opponent. I’d just never
had anyone spring open Pandora’s box and allow me to fly.
“Maybe,” I mouthed, blowing him a kiss.
I turned my back on him.
And ran.
 Chapter Nine
Landon

Listen to Earned It by
The Weeknd

I ran into the dark and the writhing crowds still drunk and high from
Adam’s performance. I ran back to my friends and the shimmer of
safety, though I knew he’d find me.
I counted on it. It was part of the game.
Flushed, I grabbed the drink Elle handed me and tried to breathe
normally. “Did you see him?” she asked me under her breath, trying to be
cool.
I nodded and sipped my martini. “Yeah, He’s on his way.”
Daisy and Gabriella pushed into our circle and Elle’s face smoothed out.
I trusted Elle with our secret and knew no matter how hard it was, she had
my back. I just needed a little more time.
“Adam was incredible,” Daisy shouted. She was wearing cute pigtails
and a lace baby doll dress that was both sexy and adorable. She was a bit
drunker than usual, but I know her shifts at the hospital were sometimes
brutal. Gabriella flung her arms around all of us and gave a hoot, cracking
us up. She was in a great mood, excited about her up and coming launch for
her own shopping app she’d been working on. With Elle leaning into her
music, I thought again how important the show Dumped was. Everyone was
making a big career move. How could I be the last one with nothing? If I
didn’t do the show, what would be my defining mark?
 Red was great but not for long-term. Maybe Adam had made a point
about re-exploring my writing, but I wasn’t ready to dive in and give up
everything I’d been trying to build with my social media and modeling.
“Let’s do shots, bad bitches!” Gabby shouted, and I pushed my negative
thoughts aside. Not tonight. Tonight, I was riding high with my girls.
Tonight, I was playing games with Adam and no matter who won, I was
going to get fucked.
Which means, I won either way.
The guys got us green tea shots and then we were dancing, and finally I
caught sight of Adam. He stood encircled by Max, Noah, and Coop, as they
slapped his back and seemed to be congratulating him on the performance. I
watched him from my peripheral vision as I dirty danced with my friends,
and then his gaze shifted slightly to crash into mine. His lower lip tipped in
a hint of a smile. His dark eyes were hooded with a very bold, dirty
promise.
My breath caught and the blood in my veins turned lava hot. Gabby’s
curvy, sweat-dampened body brushed my aching breasts, while Elle’s ass
pressed into mine as she twerked. I was so turned on I almost moaned. My
skin felt prickly and sensitive. My inner thighs were wet. My hard nipples
practically fell out of my low-cut top, teasing the silky fabric, until I was
desperate for Adam’s lips to suck hard while his teeth scraped in a delicious
teasing caress.
And he knew. His hand casually brushed the front of his pants, and I
saw his erection clearly outlined in those tight black pants. He nodded and
pretended to be talking to Noah and Coop, but I knew he was watching me,
liking the show I put on for him.
A sexy, grindy hip-hop song belted through the speakers and I put my
hands on Gabby’s hips, arching my back and shimmying in an erotic
display. Gabby followed my lead, her hands caressing my ass as she threw
her long red hair back, a big smile stretching her lips, sinking into the
sexual dance with me. Elle joined us, and suddenly the dance floor parted,
making more room for the spectacle we were suddenly putting on. In my
half drunken, aroused state, I noticed Daisy diving in, and suddenly, she
was leaning in and kissing Elle while the crowd roared in approval.
My body soared with a dark freedom I’d always craved, and I let myself
go. Gabby leaned in and then we were kissing, while all four of us danced
and swayed, letting go of any limitations during those perfect moments, lost
in the music and each other.
The song ended, and the guys appeared, eyes glassy with lust and
alcohol, shaking their heads and whistling at the scene we’d just starred in.
“What the hell was that and how do we get more of it?” Coop asked,
snagging Elle around the waist and pulling her into his embrace.
Gabby rolled her eyes. “Typical. We weren’t putting on any show—just
enjoying being female. For us.”
I high fived Gabby and Daisy nodded. “Well said,” Daisy said, giving
Noah a hard stare. I glanced back and forth, studying Noah’s face in the
flashing lights, but he smiled and took her hand like there was nothing
wrong. She had a tiny smear of Elle’s lipstick on her face. I watched as
Noah used his thumb to wipe it away, then put his thumb to his lips. They
stared at one another, then Daisy looked away.
Hmm. Something weird was going on. Once I sobered up, I needed to
have a talk with Daisy.
Gabby threw her arms around Adam’s neck. “You were incredible. You
can’t go to LA; I’ll miss you too much.”
He hugged her back, but I wasn’t jealous. My gut told me they didn’t
have a sexual type relationship and never would. But Gabby was very
physical, and liked touch. It was another reason we’d gotten off to such a
rocky start—I wasn’t cool with her approach but now that I knew her, I’d
settled.
“Won’t be gone too long—only a month. When are you launching your
fashion empire?”
“Soon.” Gabby turned and motioned me over. “Landon, I know you’ll
be filming but I kept forgetting to ask if you wanted to model for me. I need
a variety of body shapes and skin tones. You down?”
“Of course.”
“It’s a paying gig. I won’t make you stand for hours in hot lights for
charity.”
I winked. “We already made out, Gabby. I’ll do anything for you now
for free.”
“Oh, no worries, you can be my sweet little whore and I’ll pay you,” she
said with sass, breaking into laughter.
I laughed with her, but noticed Adam’s eyes darkened. I loved being the
only one who knew our secrets, and Gabby’s remark hit close to home. I
knew my performance had done exactly what I’d intended.
Driven Adam crazy. Showed him if he wanted to claim me, he had to be
bold. Kissing Gabby on the dance floor was a sweet way to push
boundaries.
As if Gabby knew what was happening between us, she tossed her hair
back and pursed her lips. “She’s a good kisser, Adam. Too bad you missed
out.”
He arched a brow. His voice edged with dismissal. “Sorry, not interested
in making out with royalty. I like a woman who’s not afraid to get her hair
messed up. Right, princess?”
Oh, we were back to trading barbs from the old days. I practically
purred my response. “Totally understand, because I prefer a man who can
play a woman’s body rather than his guitar. You’re way too self-absorbed to
be rated on my bedpost scale.”
We glared at each other, but this time, it was on a different level.
Max whistled and stepped in. “Damn, are you two still at it? Play nice,”
he said with a smile.
Gabby watched our interaction with interest. I cleared my throat and
tried to lighten things up. “Old habits are hard to break,” I said cheerfully.
“Landon, can I talk to you for a quick sec?” Max asked.
“Sure.” I followed him to our table, away from the blasting music.
“What’s up?”
He scratched his head. “I feel bad but before I left Red tonight Rock
asked if I could work the late shift tomorrow night in the private club.”
My eyes widened. “Wow. How’d you manage that invitation?” The
downstairs room was the exclusive part of Red that very few had access to.
I knew there were all sorts of sex games going on and private stuff—many
of the stories spread through the staff but nothing was every confirmed.
None of our group had ever been asked to work that section. Max was the
first.
He winced. “Yeah, this is the part where you’ll probably get mad. Rock
said Mariah couldn’t take the shift and did I have someone I wanted to work
with. I mentioned your name. Rock said it was fine but to ask you if you’re
okay with it.”
“You want me to work the sex club?” I shook my head, trying to sift
through the pros and cons. It wasn’t like I’d need to do anything but serve
drinks and I knew it was safe. Discreetness was key. No phones allowed.
You needed to sign a contract with hefty provisions. The shift ran from 1am
to 5am. But the tips were said to be insane.
“You don’t have to do it,” Max said quickly. “I mentioned you because
Rock trusts you, and the money is off the hook. Figured you’d want in.”
“No, no, I can do it.”
He studied my face. “Sure? It’s not too much for you?”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be stupid—I can hold my own.”
“Yeah, I remember.” He said the words in a sad, gentle tone. A pang of
bittersweet pain hit me, but it was more about what I’d believed he’d be
than the actual hurt of losing him. Max had been my ideal. Realizing he
wasn’t the one who could ever make me happy put me into a tailspin, but
also gave me an opportunity to figure out what I really want. And who.
“You still hate my guts?” Max asked softly.
I gave a long sigh. “No. I mean, it still hurts, what you did. Not gonna
lie. But I don’t hate your guts.”
“Thank God.” He blinked, and incredibly, I caught the sheen of
moisture in his eyes. It really wasn’t an act. Max still cared about me, and in
his own way, was really sorry. It eased some of the remaining bitterness
from his lies. “Thanks for not breaking up the group over this Landon. All
of you are important to me. You’re my family. I don’t know what I’d do
without you.”
Guilt hit. Ah, crap. When this thing with Adam finally came out, Max
would take it the hardest. He’d think it was a revenge thing, and I sensed
chaos. My heart beat faster but I was too drunk and foggy to deal with any
of it now. “Me, too,” I said.
He smiled. I smiled back.
The girls came rushing forward, giggling and hugging me, tearing me
away from Max. “Come on, let’s dance. The night’s almost over!”
We spent the next hour partying hard. The tension between Adam and I
climbed higher with every lingering look. Finally, we stumbled out. “Meet
at the diner?” Gabby asked.
Noah and Daisy begged off. Coop and Elle and Max were in.
I swayed. I didn’t want food. I craved Adam. Craved knowing what
happened next between us.
“Landon, you dropped this,” Adam suddenly said, pressing something
into my hand and leaning close.
 His ragged whisper held the raw edge of command. “My apartment.
Now.”
I pretended to take the offering. “Thank you.”
Adam lifted his hand in the air. “Sorry, gotta get some sleep. See you
guys, later.”
They called their goodbyes.
“Landon? Come on,” Max urged, opening the cab door. “Let’s eat.”
I shook my head. “Sorry, I have an early call for the tv show tomorrow.
Love you—have fun!” I blew them kisses, stumbling away, waving down
my own cab while their disappointed groaned echoed in the air. Then the
door slammed and they drove away.
Adam had disappeared. Cursing him under my breath for leaving me
alone, I finally hailed a cab. I was about to get in when a firm hand
encircled my wrist. I gasped and looked up. Adam’s face was carved in
granite, hard and unyielding, his eyes boring into mine with a burning
intensity.
I swallowed hard. He pushed me in the back seat and gave the driver his
address.
As I was whisked away into the night, Adam leaned down and put his
mouth to my ear. Slowly, he nipped by lobe, causing shivers to skate down
my spine, then spoke in a rough voice.
“Get ready for your punishment, princess. It’s going to be a long night.”
My belly dropped and one though spun over and over.
Maybe I’d made a terrible mistake.
 Chapter Ten
Adam

Listen to Freaky Deaky

by Tyga and Doja Cat

W
as it wrong that Landon’s obvious discomfort over my promise
made me achingly hard? My dick practically pushed through the
seam of my jeans in an effort to be freed and pleasured in all the
ways I imagined. Her body literally shook under my grip as I left the cab
and escorted her inside my apartment. The contradiction of nerves and
arousal was absolutely perfect and everything I dreamed of in a woman.
How was Landon able to give me so much of herself, yet still retain that
sassy spite I fucking adored? All I could think of what a waste she was on
Max. Max, who had no originality in the bedroom or anywhere else. Max,
the perfect specimen to look at and want, but he was one-note, too full of
himself to break open and give his partner everything she craved.
Landon owned me. I’d drop to my knees and worship her any way she
wanted or needed. But I also knew my princess didn’t really want what she
said. No, she needed a man to challenge her on every level and break open
those dark corners of her soul, to hammer hard enough and allow the light
into the cracks.
She wouldn’t break because I’d be there to put every gorgeous, fragile,
strong piece back together.
 But right now, she needed my full attention. And her punishment.
“If you lay one hand on me, I’ll give you a black eye,” she said sweetly.
I tamped down the humor and delight at her mouthiness. I regarded her
with a stony expression, folding my hands in front of my chest and savoring
her reaction. No matter what she said, her body told me the truth. She
swayed slightly, nibbling on that sweet lower lip, gaze narrowed in pure
rebellion.
Her nipples were hard and pushed against her thin shirt. I could literally
scent her musky arousal, and guaranteed her panties were wet.
Oh, this was going to be fun.
“I’d seriously think about the next thing you want to say to me.” My
tone was mild but controlled. “If you want to save yourself some
discomfort, strip out of your clothes and get on your knees in front of me.”
Her laugh was half hysterical. Her pupils dilated with lust. “In your
dreams, music man.”
“No, it will be right here. It’s just a matter of do you want to do this the
easy way, or the hard?”
Her gaze dropped to my straining erection. “I guess hard wins.”
Damn her. It was taking me everything not to laugh out loud. “Your
choice.”
I strode across the room toward her. Her eyes popped open wide and she
threw her hands out, backing away. “Wait! Wait—tell me first what you’re
going to do.”
“Whatever I want,” I said softly.
Oh, yeah. She was trembling and needy but didn’t want to say it aloud. I
saw it all, but I also needed to make sure the rules were still in play. I’d die
before I really hurt or scared her.
“Landon,” I snapped out.
“What?”
“Do you understand what we’re doing here?”
I waited for the sign to see if I should back up a bit or keep pushing.
Damned if she didn’t give me a smug smile. “I’m not an idiot. I know
exactly what we’re doing.” My breath loosened as I snapped back into our
play. “I’m also not going to meekly bow before you just because you said
so.”
“Yeah, you will. If I tell you. Maybe it’s time I teach you that lesson so
you don’t forget it.”
 I moved quick, grabbing her around the waist and lifting her high. She
gave a cute little squeak but I had to use her surprise for my own benefit. In
seconds, I tipped her over so she lost her balance, then used the momentum
to topple her onto the bed. She didn’t have time to struggle before I’d
dragged her into my lap so her head was hanging low to the floor, and her
stomach was balanced on my knees. Using my hands to secure her kicking
legs, I pinned her in perfect position for a good old-fashioned spanking.
“You will not!” she screamed, but her voice came out hoarse from the
hours of dancing and yelling in the club.
I grinned. “Oh, I will. And I’ll enjoy every moment. Now, this is the
way it’s going to go. I’ll give you one hard swat for each time you
disrespected me tonight.” I caressed her perky ass, which trembled
underneath my touch. I wondered if she’d ever been spanked. If not, it was
a tragedy I’d soon correct.
“You were the one all over that slut! I’m the one who should be
punishing you—you, you, dickhead!”
I clucked under my tongue, then pushed up her skirt. She wore a red
lacy thong and I knew she’d worn it for me. God, she was so damn perfect.
I loved the outraged cries she let out as she fought me hard, but I easily held
her easily. I double checked to make sure she wasn’t tipsy enough to get
bed spins or nauseous. Her face was flushed, enraged, and healthy for now.
“If you start to feel sick, tell me and I’ll stop. If you get really scared, tell
me and I’ll stop.” She stilled completely, even her breath freezing in her
lungs. “But if you’re pissed off, or a bit sore or have a need to whine, you
are not allowed to tell me to stop. Do you understand me, Landon?”
I waited. Until I knew every single telltale sign of her face and body;
until I knew her mind better than my own, I needed to have these check ins.
Silence. I waited. “Yes.”
“Good girl. Now you’ll be punished like the bad girl you were.” I
noticed every time I said the word punish, a little tremble shook through
her. I cupped my hand over her pussy and hissed out a curse. “You’re
dripping for me.”
“It’s sweat, asshole. I’ve been dancing all night.”
“Oh, good, another swat for lying.”
“Fucker!”
“Keep going, my hand won’t get sore for a while.” She shrieked with
outrage as I stripped those tiny panties off her and threw them on the floor.
She was gloriously naked from the waist down. Her hair fell around her
face in a rich blonde curtain, and her fingers tried to scrabble to get leverage
from the floor but she was a few inches too short.
Exactly what I needed.
I rubbed her ass, enjoying the smooth, rich curves while she tried to
wriggle back and forth to escape. “Would you like to count or shall I?”
“Asswipe!”
“Okay, I’ll count. One.” I brought my hand down firmly, testing her
threshold. The sound of her breath hissing from her lips was total surprise,
so I waited her out until she re-connected with what was happening to her
body. “Two.” Another firm slap on the other cheek. The same hiss of
breath. She clenched up in automatic defense, then slowly relaxed. “Three.”
I hit dead center.
“Stop!”
I paused. Then slid my hand between her legs, my fingers delving into
her hot, drenched, sweet pussy that clutched at me greedily, asking for
more.
“You’re a liar, Landon. You’re body’s begging for more. Did you mean
stop?”
“I—I—”
“Sweetheart, let’s do it this way. Your safe word is red. You say red, I
stop immediately. Do you agree?”
Stubborn silence. I teased her clit and she let out a little cry. “Yes! I
agree.”
“I’m not going to listen to stop anymore. Do you understand?”
“I said yes, asshole!”
“That’ll tack on a few more. Let’s start over. One.”
She screamed my name as I spanked her but she never said red. With
each hit, I built a bit more force, playing with her pain edge to see if she
liked a super light level or a bit more. After a few hard smacks that left a
satisfying red mark, I sunk three fingers into her tight pussy and her hips
worked back and forth, begging me shamelessly for more.
“You like that, princess? You like the way I discipline your bad
behavior?”
“No! Yes—oh, you asshole, oh, God!”
Her legs fell open, and I rubbed her greedy clit that throbbed for a
firmer touch. She was right on the edge of orgasm and would do anything to
get there. Unfortunately, for her, this was where the real punishment came.
After a few more swats, I teased her clit again until her fingers curled
and she whined my name in that way I fucking adored. I knew she was
about to shatter right there and come hard all over my hand.
I removed my fingers and smoothed my palm over her heated ass
cheeks. Then gently pulled down her skirt.
“All done. You took your punishment so well.”
I lifted Landon up and shifted her so she sat fully on my lap. I smoothed
back her tangled her and looked into her stunned blue eyes, blurred with a
raw hunger that made me almost come in my pants. I’d never been wanted
like this before.
I’d never been seen like this before. It wasn’t about the pleasure I gave
her. I could tell the way she reached up to touch me, to sink her fingers into
my hair and bring my mouth close to her. I could see not only the lust
carved into her face, but something so much more…something fragile and
real and deep.
Something like love.
“Adam?” Her lips trembled. “Why did you stop?”
I kissed her, my tongue thrusting into her mouth, gathering her sweet
taste, wrapping myself up in her flavor and scent and the sting of her nails
on my scalp. “I told you. Your punishment is over.”
She ground her pussy over my thighs. “I need to come. I’m going to die
if I don’t.”
I counted to three in my head before I answered her. “Princess, that’s
not going to happen tonight. Not unless you do what I asked you,
remember? Strip and kneel at my feet.”
Her jaw unhinged.
 Chapter Eleven
Landon

Listen to This is Heaven

by Nick Jonas

I stared at him, still half drugged by the arousal that pumped heavily
through my blood, making me weak. My entire body hurt with a
throbbing hunger that only Adam could fulfill.
What the hell had just happened?
The inner voice popped up to answer. You got your ass abused and you
loved every second.
Yes, I’d read about all this stuff, but it was like being a voyeur, safe to
be turned on from the sidelines, like a book or movie. Tonight, Adam had
dragged me into reality and though it had been uncomfortable at first, I
wasn’t about to lie to myself. With each smack on my ass, I hadn’t been
wriggling to get away. I hadn’t hated being spanked and humiliated.
I’d lit up like a fucking Christmas tree.
Even now, with confusion swamping my mind, I loved his gentleness.
His big, rough palm smoothed my hair back, caressed my cheek. His gaze
held such intense care and pride, as if by taking his punishment so well, I’d
made him happy. My head said it was screwed up, but my body
contradicted the rationality, confirming I was turned on in a way I’d never
experienced before. Plus, he’d asked me every step of the way, giving me
plenty of time to back out or say the word red.
 Still, my body raged with an empty ache I needed to fill. I’d die if I had
to leave with such backed up sexual energy. And now he was calmly telling
me after taking his spanking, I still wasn’t going to get off?
“I did what you said.”
He pressed a loving kiss to my lips. The combination of edgy pain and
sweet tenderness made me spin out. God, why did I love the contradiction
so much? My body begged for more. “No, you didn’t. I asked you to get on
your knees and you refused.”
I treated him to a full pout. “You weren’t clear about what was going to
happen.”
“Because you don’t need to know. You just need to do what I say.”
His tone was mild, but his gaze narrowed in command, getting me all
melty. When he deepened his voice and bossed me around, I got so hot.
“So, if I kneel, you’ll give me what I want?”
His grin came slow and a tiny bit nasty. “Maybe. We’ll see.”
I glared, but it was obvious he wasn’t budging. And I was done
pretending the entire scene wasn’t a huge turn-on. I wanted more. “Fine.” I
climbed off his lap, swaying slightly. He immediately reached out and held
me steady, and then I began to sink to my knees.
His voice was a whiplash. “Get naked first.”
I realized I was still dressed, which freaked me out. He’d literally gotten
me more aroused than full-on sex and he’d only re-arranged my clothing. I
regarded him for a moment, but knew I had no other choice. Slowly, I
removed each piece of clothing with a deliberate brattiness that clearly
showed him I was still pissed off having to perform to get what I wanted.
Adam didn’t seem to mind. He was fully enjoying the show, his gaze
feasting on my curves, sweeping over my naked body like he owned every
crevice.
And he did.
Finally, I dropped to the floor. Tilted my head up. And pursed my lips,
awaiting further instruction.
His straining erection was evidence he was in as much pain as me. It
soothed the sting a bit. “You can be such a bad girl, Landon,” he crooned.
His voice touched all my secret places. “Yet, you can be such a good, sweet
little slut.”
I shivered at the insult that felt like a compliment. I kept still, and he
seemed to love my obedience, his dark eyes lighting up with pleasure. He
rose from the bed and walked around me, smoothing my shoulder, lifting
my hair, tweaking my hard nipples, caressing my sore ass with gentle
strokes that made goosebumps shiver across my skin. Slowly, I calmed,
caught up in the moment and his focused attention on every breath and
movement, as if I was the most important thing in the world to him.
I trembled with the force of my emotion, and he murmured my name, as
if he knew my thoughts. “When I ask you to kneel for me, this is what I
want. Clothes off. Knees a good six inches apart. I want to see what’s
mine.”
Another shiver. “I’m not calling you, Sir.”
He laughed then, and I couldn’t help smiling at the deep, wonderful
sound. “That’s a bit too much for me, too.”
“Good. And I’m not doing any of that crap where I can’t speak unless
you allow me.”
“I wouldn’t even try. You’d chew up any gag I tried to put in your
mouth.”
“Damn right.”
“But you will be using my name, Landon. Because for the next hour,
I’m the only one who can give you what you need.” He gripped my hair and
tugged my head back, exposing the vulnerable arch of my throat. I
swallowed hard, as he bent over and dragged his teeth down my neck, bit
my earlobe hard, then soothed with his tongue. “Right now, I’m your God,
so when you call him, you’ll be calling for me.”
And then he kissed me; dirty and deep, an invasion so erotic my toes
curled and my breath left my lungs. All I could do was hang on and give
him everything he demanded, my tongue frantically battling his so I could
drink as much of him as he did me.
“Go to the bed and kneel in the same position.”
My head spun as I immediately obeyed, desperate for what Adam
withheld. He nodded, obviously pleased at my willingness to spread my
legs for him and wait patiently for his approval. I wanted to cringe at my
blatant arousal, but I was too far gone.
“My sweet, little slut. Let’s see how many times I can hear you pray.”
There was no room for shock or shame. There was only room for Adam.
He launched a full out sensual attack I couldn’t fight. His hands were
everywhere, re-igniting all those achy parts until I was hanging on the edge
of orgasm again. He shoved my legs further apart and played, dragging his
fingers over my sensitive, throbbing labia, thumb pressing over my clit,
brushing back and forth without giving me the necessary pressure. His teeth
bit, his tongue licked, his fingers pinched. He kissed my mouth and
whispered sweet words until I sobbed his name, not caring about pride or
winning or anything except getting his dick deep inside me and taking away
the raw hunger tearing me apart.
Finally, he pushed me down on all fours, so my palms hit the bed. He
grasped my hips and yanked them high in the air, parting my thighs so wide
I felt as if I was ready to do a full split. And without another word, he
surged inside me, my swollen tissues squeezing him tight, the sheer
pleasure of him filling up every inch of me, forcing a scream from my
throat.
He stilled, making me wait for it. My muscles clenched in agony,
praying he didn’t want to torture me for longer and pull out. His voice was a
gritty, sexy rumble in my ear. “Now you can come, princess.”
He fucked me hard and fast and I exploded in seconds. The orgasm tore
through me, making me seize and shake as I was pummeled by the raw
waves. He didn’t let me come down or rest—just began pinching and
rubbing my clit while he continued to fuck me in savage strokes, pushing
me again into another orgasm, this one even more intense. I kept screaming,
and he kept fucking me, and I didn’t know when one climax melded into
another, or when I finally collapsed, my entire body shaking in convulsions.
He kissed and hugged me. Cleaned my sweat-dampened body with a
damp washcloth and tucked me into bed. His arms wrapped around me
tight. He told me I was perfect; that I was a treasure; that I was his beautiful
Queen; that I had knelt to him but he had truly knelt to me, and everything I
was.
My eyes burned with emotion as he wrapped me up in such tender care,
the rawness he’d exposed inside was now healed.
Adam had ruined me and I’d loved every moment.
 Chapter Twelve
Landon

Listen to Blurred Lines

by Robin Thicke

I got to Red on time, but felt a bit foggy. My night with Adam had
burrowed deep. His face burned in my brain like his touch imprinted on
my skin. Our play had led to deeper emotions on my part. It was beyond
the physical, though that was part of it, but I kept replaying our time
together over and over, trying to pick out the exact second I tumbled into
love—a completely different type of love I’d never known existed.
I wanted to be with Adam all the time. I didn’t care if it was healthy or
not, the idea of him being ripped away for three months weighed on my
heart. But could I really give up a television opportunity because I was love
struck? That’s what silly teens did in love—they followed their boyfriends
to unknown places in a hopeful state, and got destroyed when time did its
job. Were Adam and I strong enough to battle through so many obstacles?
Our bonds would be tested by our friend group and the physical distance.
I was supposed to meet with my agent today to sign the contract for
Dumped, but I delayed for another twenty-four hours. Every rational
thought directed me toward taking the role, but there was something else—
a nagging doubt in my gut—that kept me from closing the deal. I figured it
was Adam since he was my current obsession.
Yet…my Spidey senses kept tingling and making me question if
Dumped would be a big mistake. It was like I’d harnessed my dream from
the universe, and now I was rejecting it to follow a man across the country.
Unless it wasn’t the right dream because I was meant for something else. I
needed to dig deeper to find the answer.
Frustrated from my churning thoughts, I checked in with Rocco first,
then met Max behind the bar. The late-night crowd at Red was already
turning darker and more intense. I still couldn’t believe I had permission to
be here. Rocco kept the private servers separate from the rest of us. I was
always curious, but there was something intimidating about what happened
behind closed doors at Red.
I greeted Max and he grinned with an edge of excitement. “Ready for
this? We’re going to make an insane amount of money tonight.”
I nodded, swearing to keep my focus on the customers tonight. I needed
a distraction. “Sounds good. I had to sign away my life in that NDA
contract, though.”
Max shrugged. “Well worth keeping secrets. There’s a reason the hottest
celebrities come here and we finally get to find out. We can handle them.”
“True. I’m sure nothing will shock me.”
Max gave me an intense look. “You wouldn’t be interested in doing
anything like this?” he asked, a bit too casually. “I know Coop and Elle are
way into voyeur stuff. No curiosity if it’s for you?”
I thought of crawling to Adam on my hands and knees while I begged.
Heat touched my cheeks. “Nah. I’m into other things.”
His eyebrow arched but before he could ask anything else, I headed
downstairs. “Come on, our shift’s starting.”
I entered a private, unmarked door after punching in the code. The
private lounge area was smaller than upstairs, but more luxurious. The
décor stayed with the themes of rich red and sexy black, but there were
touches of opulence that screamed next level wealthy. I took a minute to
study the surroundings in full display and caught my breath.
Dim lights highlighted low tables and red couches with endless velvet
cushions littering the furniture and floors. The walls were covered in red
wallpaper with gold scrolling. Ornate crystal chandeliers hung from the
ceilings. The bar was more intimate, centered in the corner in a deep onyx
marble. High backed red velvet stools lined the bar. A floor held a few
swaying couples while a sexy, grindy hip hop song streamed from the
hidden speakers. One wall held a gorgeous mural of a man and woman
engaging in oral sex. I shivered at the carnal image that immediately peaked
my senses.
There was one other waitress and bartender serving. They were quiet
and discreet, shuffling to various tables to change out drinks or appetizers
amidst half naked women and men. Some men sat in custom suits and
watched. A few gorgeously dressed women sat at a circular booth,
surrounding a lone man with a collar, laying back on the table as if in
offering. I finally noticed the masks.
“Why are some of them wearing masks?” I whispered to Max.
“Don’t know. It’s sexy? Or they want to make sure they’re not
recognized? This is an exclusive crowd.”
The gorgeous black and red masks added the masquerade element that
upped the erotic aura. The place practically throbbed with sex. “I guess so.
This is tripping me out a bit.”
He rubbed my back in comfort. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anything
happen to you, Landon.”
He was looking at me strangely, but I just nodded. “Let’s do this.”
The other waitress, Alice, quickly showed me the basics, then left. Max
replaced the other bartender and the two of us fell into a rhythm,
comfortable in our ability to serve customers at a high level. I took pride in
how I worked at Red—I may be a simple waitress but I knew there was
much more to the gig than serving food. It was an experience, and the more
the groups loved me, the higher the tips. Figuring out what each person
wanted was a fun psychological game to me I always excelled at. Max was
a perfect partner; we settled into an ease from both our personal and work
relationship, sensing what the other needed before it was spoken.
Once, I thought I’d never forgive Max or be able to be his friend. But
over the past weeks, he’d been true to his word. He consistently checked on
me with no pressure, and I’d become more comfortable in his presence. I
knew Adam didn’t trust him, but I really felt as if Max realized we’d never
be more to each other after such a betrayal. Some things broken could never
be repaired.
I’d noticed Gabby and him talking more lately. I was going to approach
Gabby to see if she had any interest in Max as more than a friend. I used to
hate the idea of them together, but I was so happy with Adam, it may be a
relief to have another couple in the group find each other. It would take the
pressure off.
 As the evening progressed, guests morphed into more exhibitionism. I
placed a drink in front of a half-naked woman, legs spread, writhing under
two men while each took turns pleasuring her. The erotic scenes were
becoming more normal after a few hours. Oddly, though I didn’t want to
partake in what they were doing, my body became tight with arousal and I
wished Adam was here to take the edge off.
A gorgeous red-haired woman who reminded me of Gabby began doing
a strip tease on the dance floor. The room was enchanted with her moves,
and it took a lot for me to gracefully move around the tables amidst people
all over each other.
Finally, the night was almost over. My feet throbbed, my cheeks hurt
from smiling, and my back was killing me from bending over. I was still
turned on from the display of naked flesh, decadent kissing, and the strip
show from the red head. Afterward, a hot guy had taken her by the hand and
pulled her to a dark corner. I caught flashes of them fucking and it was
messing with my head.
I motioned to Max. “I’m heading for a bathroom break,” I mouthed.
“Take your time, it’s slowed down. Why don’t you step outside and get
some air? Use the back door.”
I nodded and headed to the restroom. I washed my hands and repaired
my lipstick. Some fresh air sounded like a good idea, since sweat dampened
my skin. I made my way down the dark hall, opened the heavy door, and
stepped into the private alley. I took a deep breath, wrinkling my nose at the
scent of garbage, then widened my eyes.
A couple grunted as they wildly fucked by one of the dumpsters. I
covered my mouth to quiet my gasp. “Sorry!” I muttered, stumbling back
and retreating back into Red.
Oops. Guess I was staying inside. I turned and suddenly, a muscled,
male body pressed against me.
“I’ve seen you watching all night.” The voice was rough and deep. It
took me a few moments to register I didn’t know who was speaking. “I
know what you want and I can give it to you.”
Uh, oh. I swallowed and reached for my professional tone. “No, thank
you, I’m just the server,” I said lightly.
I tried to move away but he anchored my wrists in a strong grip, his
whole body blocking me from my exit. “The wait staff indulges all the time.
I’ll keep your secret.”
 Temper and another emotion flared. “Not interested. I need you to let go
of me now.”
His breath was hot against my ear, but it wasn’t sexy like Adam. This
was fearful and threatening. When I cranked my head to the side, I caught a
glimpse of his black and red mask covering his face. “After I give you what
you want, bitch. And you’re gonna love it.”
 Chapter Thirteen
Landon

Listen to Bad Idea, Right

by Olivia Rodrigo

T he words crept over my skin like scurrying bugs, bringing out a wash
of goosebumps.
In horror, I realized when I tried to fight back, he was much
stronger, and his hands were tugging up my skirt. I went bonkers, opening
my mouth to scream, tensing my muscles to try and throw him off when–
The pressure was ripped away and I gave a yelp, whipping around to
bite and claw and punch with a frenzy, desperate to get away. But Max was
already there, shoving the guy away so he stumbled and almost fell to the
floor. Max panted, glancing at me, then the guy in the mask. “I’m going to
kill you,” Max said coldly. “After I beat the shit out of you for touching
her.”
The guy straightened and I saw a tiny smile curve his lips. “Do it and
you’ll both be fired. Plus, I’ll sue the restaurant and ruin you.”
“You think I care?” Max went after him, getting in one good punch. The
asshole’s head spun as Max connected with his jaw. I hoped he broke it; I
craved to get in on the action of physical assault and make him pay. My
fingers curled into fists and I was about to launch myself at him but the guy
suddenly snapped back with an upper cut. Max stumbled and I grabbed
Max to keep him from falling, and in a matter of seconds, the guy had
disappeared.
 Max roared and ran after him. I followed, struggling with a wild array
of emotion after the awful experience. When I re-entered the lounge, half of
the customers were already gone. I looked around for Max and the guy and
reached for my phone. I needed to tell Rocco what was going on.
Fuck. My phone was locked up. I fought for focus as I looked around
wildly, and then Max rushed back. “He’s gone. I lost him. Must’ve ran
upstairs and out of the restaurant. Are you okay?”
I nodded, even though I was lying. “Y-yeah. It was just surprising. He
was all over me so fast, I didn’t have time to think. I need to tell Rock. Can
I get my phone?”
“God, Landon, you’re shaking.” The gentle care in his eyes made me
shake harder, and then Max pulled me into his arms, holding me close. The
familiarity of his embrace helped me catch my breath and for a few
moments, I let him hold me, leaning into his strength until I regrouped. He
stroked my back. “Baby, I’m so sorry this happened. I’m going to find him
and tear him apart.”
I let out a half laugh. “Something tells me he’s not going to be found.”
“There are cameras. We’ll get him.”
“He wore a mask and he’s part of the inner circle. Probably thought all
the wait staff was fair game. I need to talk to Rock,” I said again. I felt like I
had to go to someone in authority who could explain how this happened
during a work shift. It was fucked up. What if Max hadn’t been there to
help me?
I shivered in dread and he held me closer. “I’m coming with you. We’re
done here, come on.”
I followed him upstairs to Rock’s office, which was shut tight. Max
knocked and after a grunt my boss opened it. “Shift’s not over for another
twenty minutes,” he growled. “I swear to God, if anyone complains you’re
fired.”
“Some asshole attacked her,” Max grit out. “She’s done.”
Rock paused, his gaze taking in my face and shaky body. “Ah, fuck.
Come in. Tell me what happened.”
We both reported the incident. Rock wrote it up, then came downstairs
to talk to the remaining customers but most of them had fled. Rock said a
report was going to HR and he’d call the police if I wanted for an official
investigation. I told him no. I didn’t want to deal with any of it and only
wanted to go home. It was a while before Rock had everything he needed
and promised an in-depth analysis, citing an incident like this had never
happened in the past seven years he’d been working there.
Great. I was a record breaker for assault. I knew I’d never work the
after-hour club after this, which pissed me off because Max had been right
about the money. The tips were insane, and I hadn’t even found out what
came in from the credit cards since we bolted before closing.
Rock promised to handle it all and Max walked out with me.
“I’m taking you home,” he said firmly. I tried to refuse but he was
insistent. I longingly looked at my phone. All I wanted to do was call Adam
and hear his voice. I needed to be in his arms and have him tell me it was all
okay and then it would be. But Max was still freaking out and Adam had a
gig in Brooklyn, and would probably crash at JJ’s place tonight. Did I really
want to bother him with all this when he’d just gotten to bed? Or was out
with the guys partying?
I wasn’t ready to tell Max the truth about Adam. Not right now. Not
after this nightmare when I couldn’t think rationally and present my case.
Max insisted on coming into my apartment. He poured me a glass of wine
and fussed over me like we’d never been apart. A strange feeling settled
into my stomach and I opened my mouth to tell him I wanted to be alone,
but exhaustion finally hit hard and I suddenly felt like crying. I only wanted
to go to bed and feel safe. I only wanted Adam.
“I’ll stay on the couch in case you need me or have a bad dream,” he
said, grabbing a pillow and blanket. “Want something to help you sleep?”
I shook my head. “No, I’ll be okay. I need to lay down.”
He reached out to take my hand but I turned away. I wasn’t comfortable
with any physical touching when we were alone. It wasn’t fair to Adam, or
Max. Plus, it gave me the ick factor. Max shook his head and gave me a wry
grin. “Sorry. Just a habit.”
I forced a smile. “It’s okay. You really don’t have to stay.”
“Landon, that was some scary shit. I’m not leaving you alone until I
know you don’t need anything.”
I offered him a tired nod. I knew that stubborn look and there was
nothing I could do. “Thanks. See you in the morning.”
I climbed under my covers and buried my face in the pillow. A deep-
seated weariness swept over me, and my stiff muscles loosened. Tears stung
my eyes as I thought of that dickhead trying to take a part of me that didn’t
belong to him. The entitlement of his money and privilege thinking I was
some type of whore that came with his check. I burned with anger and
resentment, but the shock finally took hold and I tumbled into a sleep filled
with restless dreams.
In those dreams, I sought Adam’s comfort. I called out to him. And
finally, a low, familiar murmur drifted in my ear and I sighed in relief. He’d
come for me. He always knew when I needed him. I burrowed into his
muscled warmth, felt his mouth soft on my skin, then went back to sleep.
In the morning, I woke up and Max was in my bed.
 Chapter Fourteen
Adam

Listen to Is it Over Now?

by Taylor Swift

I got back to my apartment with a pounding headache and a burning need

to see Landon.
The night had been an absolute blast but I was starting to see how
living on the road could be a challenge. JJ was trying to get our name
blasted everywhere in New York ahead of our album, and before we hit LA,
so we were covered on both coasts. I loved the smaller, fan dedicated
venues we were playing, and the place in Brooklyn had been one of my
faves. The crowd was a mix of hard-core fans who’d been following Unison
before I came, and newer ones who’d heard the rising buzz and wanted to
claim fandom in case we exploded. The combo had been electric—we’d
done some extra sets because we were so high on adrenalin, then ended up
partying late and crashing at JJ’s friends’ place.
I’d hit one of the spare bedrooms alone, ignoring the teasing taunts of
the singles who wanted me to partake in some hard play. Women swarmed
me, but I kept them at a distance.
All I wanted was Landon.
As I flopped on the creaky mattress, safe behind a locked door, I felt as
if Landon and I were nearing a crossroads. Each moment we spent together
strengthened the bond between us—both sexual and emotional. I craved her
on such a primitive level, I wanted to ingest her; imprint my whole self into
her skin and bones so she was just as haunted. So we were nothing without
the other.
Groaning, I rubbed my face and tried to sleep. This was fucked up. I’d
vowed early on to never let a woman control me. Sex, yes. Love and
obsession? Hell, no. It was too dangerous and I refused to be vulnerable like
I was with my father. He’d taught me early on not to trust.
But was Landon a sign that things could be different for me? That the
world wouldn’t fuck me at every turn? That Fate was not a cold-blooded
monster, but a gentler Goddess who wanted to reward me for my past, by
sending me the love of my life?
I was falling apart, yet the one woman who was doing the ripping was
also the one who made me stronger. I craved to be more…not only for
myself. For her.
Glancing at the clock, I fisted my hands and refused to text her. She was
probably asleep or out with the girls. She knew I was in Brooklyn tonight
and we’d made plans to see each other tomorrow. There was no reason to
reach out because I was suddenly needy.
I’d sleep it off and see her in the morning. Fuck her brains out so each
time she took a step, she’d remember me inside her. Make her feel so good
she’d gaze at me with those half drunk, starry blue eyes that owned my
soul.
Finally, I drifted off, remembering the sweet sting of my hand as I
slapped her ass and she moaned for more.
The ride back from Brooklyn was too damn long and I needed to do a
bunch of shit. My trip was getting closer and I was running out of time to
prep, plus I wanted to work on one more song Noah had suggested. He said
it’d be perfect for Elle’s debut and Unison was on board, so I didn’t want to
disappoint either of them.
I popped two Advil, gulped down a glass of water, and headed to the
shower.
Then got a text from Max in the group.
Meet at diner 11am? Need to talk—something happened with Landon!
I stared at the text while my stomach churned. What the fuck was he
talking about? I almost shot off a heated response, then remembered we
hadn’t publicly announced our relationship yet. Since the moment Max had
hinted at some big plan he had to get Landon back, my gut told me
something bad was going to happen.
 And Landon still hadn’t reached out.
I spit out a curse, wondering what was going on. Quickly, I texted
Landon.
Checking in. You good?
I squinted at the screen, relieved at the three dots that immediately
popped up.
I’m ok. I miss you. Six pm tonight? Not working Red tonight.
I let out a breath and my muscles relaxed. More of Max’s bullshit
stories, probably. I quickly tapped out that I’d see her later and I’d order
takeout for a night in.
Quickly calculating my agenda, I decided to meet the guys. Even if I
stopped in for a cup of coffee to hear Max’s crap and pretend I believed
him, then ditch. I could talk to Noah about the song, too.
I texted that I’d be there and jumped in the shower.
I was the first one to arrive at the diner so I grabbed a booth and ordered
coffee for all of us. I’m sure most of us were nursing hangovers. Friday
nights were usually legendary in our group, even when we were separated.
Sure enough, Coop and Noah came in looking a bit ragged. We shot the
shit for a while, and I realized how much I missed just hanging out with
them like the old days. We’d all gotten so busy, our regular cocktail lunches
or hangover breakfasts were getting few and far between. I wondered if this
was part of how things were going to change for us. I didn’t like to think of
splitting up, but once Landon and I told them, I wondered if we’d all be too
broken up to return to normal.
“I’ll need to borrow Elle again,” I said to Coop. “She say anything to
you about the song we’re gonna work on?”
He shrugged. “Noah mentioned it. Elle finally seems excited about
diving into music rather than acting. I’m glad she has you two to look out
for her.”
Noah winced. “Yeah, I’m not sure if the music industry or Hollywood is
worse.”
“They both suck balls,” I said. “Especially for women. I already told JJ
I’d shed him if he leads her wrong.”
Coop nodded. “Thanks, man. I thought she was supposed to sing in a
few tour spots with you but said she changed her mind?”
I shrugged. “No big deal. I’m sure JJ will be in touch.”
 Coop let out an annoyed breath. “Yeah, but Elle does this. Says she’ll do
something, then doesn’t follow through. Pisses me off.”
Noah cut in. “She wasn’t ready.” I looked at him, taken aback by his
fierce tone. “Elle said she needed more time.”
“She wants to act but afraid to sing? I don’t get it,” Coop muttered.
“Once Elle’s ready, nothing will be the same,” Noah said
Interesting. Coop didn’t look like he cared that Noah knew more about
what Elle wanted than him. He just kept talking. “Well, maybe you can help
her out with that. Noah, I haven’t told you how cool it was that you really
pushed her on this. You were the one she finally listened to—giving her
another possibility other than acting.”
Noah looked uncomfortable, keeping his gaze averted. “No problem.”
I sipped my coffee. “I like the music you’re circling around. I’ll send
you some of the lyrics I’m working on.”
“Yeah, mind if we take a shot at it, too?” Noah asked. I arched my brow
in question. He cleared his throat. “Umm, Elle and I thought it’d be fun to
give you some lyric ideas. If that’s okay.”
“Sure, I didn’t know you were into the writing. Of course, I need to go
to the band once we have something solid.”
Noah threw up his hands. “Of course, dude. Not trying to take your
place.”
I waved off the comment. “Nah, not a problem. The more minds, the
better.”
Coop already lost interest in the conversation. “Where the hell is Max?
Didn’t he call this emergency meeting?”
“Right here, asshole.” Max grinned and slid in the booth, greeting us.
The waitress came right over and we put in our order. He leaned back with
a cat-who-ate-the-canary expression, not looking like the worried or
brooding Max I expected. A slither of unease slid down my spine but I tried
to ignore it. I’d already connected with Landon so nothing should be too
bad. “How’s everyone doing?”
We did a quick catch up, going round the table. Ribbed each other and
cracked jokes. I settled into the routine of us together like sliding on my
favorite broken-in jeans. Finally, Coop asked what everyone was
wondering. “You ready to tell us what’s going on? We all dropped our plans
to show up for your ass. Is it in trouble?”
 Max’s face morphed into a more serious expression. He looked around
the table, meeting each of our gazes directly. When it was my turn, a dark
sense of betrayal unfolded within me. I didn’t like it but I also didn’t know
how to make it any better. Landon and I were sleeping together behind his
back, and though Max had been the one to fuck it up, I was there ready and
waiting.
Some friend I was.
“I’m sorry, guys. I don’t think I tell you enough how much you all mean
to me. Shit got crazy last night and this morning, and my head was gonna
explode. The first thing I did was text you, and you came.” He shook his
head, blonde hair glistening in the light. “I love you. I really do.”
Coop groaned and Noah rolled his eyes. I gave a laugh. “Were you
watching The Notebook again?” I joked.
He laughed, too, and a sense of warmth settled over the table. We’d
been through a lot together and ended up right here when shit went
sideways, trying to help the other. I hoped to God Max was going to
announce he wasn’t into Landon anymore. That he’d fucked someone else
and he was in love again. Anything that would help all of us.
“Sorry, I wanted to let you know since most of the time I’m an asshole.”
“Hell, yes,” we said in unison, which made us all crack up again.
“Okay, back to the purpose of this get together,” Max said. “I worked
the late shift with Landon last night. You know, the exclusive shifts in the
lounge where all the sex shit happens?”
My gut clenched into a tight fist. WTF? Landon hadn’t mentioned
anything.
Coop nodded. “Yeah, Elle told me about that.”
“I was able to convince Rock to get me in. The money’s crazy, and it’s
pretty easy. I asked Landon if she’d work with me so we did the shift
together last night.”
Noah grinned. “Why do I think that was majorly planned. Dude?”
Max practically stretched in satisfaction., “Cause it was. Figured I’d
have some time with her, and maybe it would spark some memories. But
I’ve been careful about keeping my distance. I’m playing the long game, so
no jealousy.”
I listened with curiosity but I wasn’t worried. I knew Landon had
moved on, and couldn’t help Max’s intent to get back with her. “So, what
happened?” I asked.
 “Landon got attacked by some asshole last night.” My blood ran cold
and I froze, staring at Max. He was talking casually like he hadn’t set off a
bomb. “Some asshole got handsy and blocked her in the exit hall. I tore him
off and punched him, but he got in a good hit and took off. We couldn’t find
him.”
Noah whistled. “Is she okay? That’s fucked up.”
“Yeah, she was upset, so I spent the night at her house.” Max sighed,
looking off into the distance, as if caught up in memories. “It was nice to be
with her again. She let me cuddle her; take care of her. We talked for a long
time. Fuck, having her back in my arms? Guys, it was epic.”
My blood went from cold to boiling, until I had to sip breaths in tiny
doses or I’d explode from the booth.
Landon had gotten attacked at Red. Another man had tried to hurt her
and she hadn’t called me.
She’d gone home with Max instead.
My head spun but I tried to keep cool. Noah seemed genuinely freaked
out about it, but I noticed Coop didn’t look surprised. He just ate his
pancakes like he’d heard the story before. Like it had happened before.
“Wait—go back to the attack,” I said calmly. “Tell me exactly what
happened. Each step.”
Max didn’t seem to think my demand was off, and he quickly
summarized the events for me. “Some rich asshole who’s probably well
concealed. Rock said he’d try to dig but I don’t think anything will happen.
But you know how they say something good comes from something bad?
Last night, things finally turned for me.”
“How?” Noah asked.
“I told Landon I’d sleep on the couch. Again, I’m playing the long
game. But she had a bad dream and called out, and when I went in to check
on her, she pulled me into bed. We slept together the whole night, and she
woke up in my arms. Then I made her breakfast—just like the old days.”
I couldn’t seem to register the words. They came from far away, and I
almost heard the bang of a nail, closing in my coffin.
Landon had slept with Max.
I spoke in a too high voice. “Wait—did you have sex with her?”
He hesitated. “No. Not yet. I started to kiss her and she pulled back. I
could tell she was into it but looked all guilty and shit. Told me she was
seeing someone else. That’s why I called you guys.”
 His face tightened. His blue eyes iced with sheer determination and
something else, something almost diabolical.
“I need you to help me find out who it is so I can ruin him.”
 Chapter Fifteen
Landon

Listen to Jealous
by Labrynth

I n rising horror, I stared at Max. My head felt heavy and I blinked hard,
as if awakening from a deep dream, trying desperately to remember
what had happened.
There was no way I would have slept with Max or invited him into my
bed. Sure, I was tired and foggy last night, but I hadn’t been drunk or taken
pills so I had no idea how he ended up here.
“Hey, baby,” he said in a sleep-roughened voice. His blue eyes filled
with heat and a familiar love that dragged me into the past. His chest was
bare and his muscles flexed as he shifted position, propping himself onto
his elbow. “How are you feeling?”
“What are you doing here?” I tried to screech, but the words came out
husky.
He smiled, flashing white teeth. “You don’t remember? You asked me to
stay last night.”
I grit my own teeth, crawling to the edge of the mattress. I frantically
patted down my body, relieved I was still clothed. “No, Max! What the hell
are you doing in my bed? You were supposed to stay on the couch!”
Hurt crossed his features. “You had a nightmare. I heard your scream
and came to check on you. When I tried to go back to the living room, you
begged me to stay, so I climbed in bed with you.”
 “Oh, my God, this is not happening,” I whispered, searching my brain
for any type of memory. But I drew a complete blank. “I swear, if you’re
lying, and used this as some excuse to try to fuck me, I’ll kill you.”
His look of shock seemed genuine. He sat up, the sheet falling to his
hips, leaving him bare to my gaze. Thank God, he was wearing his pants.
“Landon, I would never do something like that. Especially after last night.
You asked me to sleep with you because you got freaked out. Nothing else
happened. I’d never take advantage of you.”
His voice rang strong and clear. I studied him carefully, but his gaze met
mine with a sense of outrage, and I finally relaxed. Holy hell, that was
scary. I must’ve been deep into sleep not to remember any of it. I couldn’t
believe Max would ever lie to me like that. Yes, he’d cheated, but this was
completely different. We’d moved forward. We were friends. If he was that
diabolical to climb into my bed on the pretense of me calling out to him,
then I’d truly never known the real Max.
“Okay. I’m sorry, I just don’t remember and I’m not comfortable.” I
hesitated briefly. “Nothing happened, right?”
He shook his head. “I could’ve easily kissed you. You were very clingy.
But I wouldn’t cross that line. Ever.”
I offered a weak smile. “I didn’t think so. I guess the event affected me
more deeply than I thought.”
“Makes sense. I can’t imagine how vulnerable you felt. I’m glad I could
help.” He gazed at me for a while. “Really? We slept together for over a
year and you’re acting like I’m a stranger.”
Unease settled over me. “It’s weird now. We don’t have that type of
relationship anymore.”
“Landon?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you think one day we could?” he asked softly.
I froze, suddenly feeling like a lamb to the slaughter. I’d suspected he
still wanted to get back together after he confessed he still loved me. But
now, we were circling dangerous territory and he was half naked in my bed.
“No, Max. It’s over for good. I need you to know that.”
I waited for a fight, or him to push back, but he only nodded. “I
understand. Just wanted to make sure.” His half grin was charming and self-
deprecating. “Had to try.”
 I took the opening to get out of bed and quickly don a robe. “I’m
surprised you’re not dating someone else. Half of the staff at Red are in
love with you, waiting for you to get clear,” I joked.
“Not ready yet. How about you? Is that why you freaked on me?”
His question seemed light and casual. I struggled for a few moments,
wondering if I should be honest, then decided it was a good idea to give
him a warning. Before I told him it was Adam. “Actually, I am.”
He cocked his head. “Really? Wow, I didn’t realize. Anyone I know?”
I skipped over the question and turned my back. “I need coffee. Want
some?”
“Sure.” The covers rustled and he was trailing behind me. “You didn’t
answer my question. Afraid to bring him around?”
I focused on the Keurig and ingesting massive amounts of caffeine.
“Not ready yet. We’re working some things out, but then I’ll let everyone
know.”
“Mysterious. Well, as long as he makes you happy.”
“He does.” I glanced over but he seemed both curious and genuine.
Maybe Max realized unconsciously we weren’t good together and he
needed to know I was truly moving on. Usually, he was crazy jealous and
would lose easily lose him temper knowing another man was circling me.
He didn’t look like he was secretly seething.
“Then I support you. We shared a lot together, Landon. I want to know
we can move forward and always be friends. You’re an important part of
my life and I never want to lose you. Okay?”
I smiled. “Yeah. Okay.”
“How about I make those pancakes you love?”
I bit my lip. It was still a bit weird, especially since Adam didn’t know
anything about what happened last night, but I planned to see him tonight
and would tell him everything. “Sure, sounds good.”
Max winked and got to cooking breakfast. I poured us both coffee and
we chatted for a good hour, going over last night’s events and sharing
opinions on what to do next. If anything.
Finally, he brought up work. “What’s happening with Dumped? Signed
the contract?”
“Tomorrow. My agent delayed things, and I started doubting if I should
take the role.”
 He lifted a brow. “Wait—why would you pass that up? This is
everything you’ve been working for. Your platform will explode!”
“I know, but will it explode in the wrong way? I’m worried the
producers want to script this story for me that won’t be good for my career.”
I gave him the summary of how they wanted me to play up the love interest
for one of the guys, and pigeonhole me as the ditzy blonde.
A frown creased his brow as he forked up the last of the pancakes.
“What did Elle say?”
“That it could go either way. But she’d do it.”
“Landon, you have to do it. No matter what their agenda is, you can use
this show in your own way. Spin it on your socials. Show the world what
you’re really made of. This is only the door opening so you can create what
you want.”
Max’s words beat through me with hope. I’d been seriously thinking of
pulling out, especially with Adam’s invitation on my mind. Now, I began to
wonder if it’d be a mistake. I could potentially do what I needed no matter
what the producers wanted. “Yeah, that’s true. I never really thought of
that.”
He reached out and squeezed my hand. “You’re a badass, Landon. Own
it and show the world what you’re made of. I’ll be cheering from the
sidelines.”
I nodded. “Thanks, Max. I appreciate the support.”
“Of course. I think you’ll handle the attention better than Adam. You’ll
take the opportunity and create something good out of it.”
I stilled, trying to calm my beating heart. What made him mention
Adam? I tried to keep my voice casual. “What do you mean? I thought
Adam was doing really well. He’s excited about LA.”
Max rolled his eyes. “Oh, yeah, he’ll kill it out there. But it’s different.
You knew exactly what you wanted from being an influencer, or model, or
any type of career in media. Adam likes to lie to himself. Spins his role as
an artist—a writer—almost like he’s above all of us. He spent all his time
sneering at the idea of singing, and now he’s not only the lead of a band,
he’s traveling the world and cutting an album as part of Unison. It’s not
about him anymore, he’s part of the band. He’s gotta stop pretending he’s
more and own it.”
I didn’t know how to respond to Max’s strange statement. Max and
Adam’s friendship had a ton of ups and downs—they fought more than him
and Coop and Max had called Adam an arrogant ass many times. But when
we were together and I tried to diss him, Max always stuck up for Adam,
begging me to be nice. Touting his coolness and good heart. All the time, I
was trying desperately to hate Adam because I wanted him so bad.
But now? I sensed a darker, meaner tone as Max spoke about his friend.
“Adam is an artist,” I said carefully. “He writes songs. He never wanted
to sing them, but he’s taking the opportunity in hopes it happens later on.
Just like I’m taking this opportunity. We’re doing the same thing.”
He shook his head slowly, as if amused. “I know you never liked Adam
and I always defended him. And he’s my friend—one of my best friends.
But lately, I’m starting to see things differently. It’s kind of what you’d been
telling me all along. I mean, the way he pretends he’s got things more
together than the rest of us? It’s getting old. He gave us this song and dance
about joining Unison as a sacrifice. Like he was lowering himself and doing
Unison a favor. But you should see him out there now. He fucking loves it.
He’s playing the role of rockstar to the max.”
I blinked. “Is it wrong to enjoy the benefits of being up on stage?”
“No. I think he’s lying to himself about how much he adores being the
center of attention. And the women? You thought he was a whore before?”
Max chuckled. “Hell, he’s hooking up with anyone who gives him side
eye.”
I stared at Max and hoped to God I’d heard wrong.
 Chapter Sixteen
Landon

Listen to No Promises
by Cheat Code/Demi Lovato

I tried not to freak out and swallowed past the lump in my throat. “He’s
hooking up a lot, huh? How do you know? Did you see him?”
Max laughed and brought his dish to the sink. He didn’t seem to
catch my shaky voice or think it was weird I suddenly cared who Adam
screwed. “One of my friends went to his gig last week and said when he
went to his dressing room, he heard crazy banging, then some girl came out
half naked. Big ass smile on her face, too. And another girl was waiting in
line to go in! He’s out of control. I know I shouldn’t judge him—but I want
him to own it, at least. He’s become the typical male whore rockstar.”
“Maybe they were just groupies? I heard he shoved out some girls who
were trying to come on to him.”
“Yeah? Didn’t hear about that. Let me tell you something—for every
girl he turns down, there’s two he’s fucking. He’s gonna be a beast in LA.”
I’m glad Max’s back was turned because I know I turned white. I tried
desperately to remind myself our relationship was too special to allow
doubts to crawl into my head, but Max didn’t know we were together, so it
wasn’t like he got some big payoff telling me this stuff.
I remembered finding that girl in the dressing room, pressed against
Adam. I remembered not worrying because I trusted him. But Adam was
reaching a whole other level. Sure, he was crazy about me now and we
were connected, but after being apart for months while he met endless
women? How long would he hold? There was a reason musicians on the
road cheated. Eventually, didn’t every male break?
I never thought Max would cheat on me, but he did. Could I really trust
Adam with my heart and soul? Max was like child’s play to the emotions
Adam held over me. It was almost like an addiction I couldn’t see an end to.
But I’d be on a set in upstate New York and he’d be in LA where his
buddies would constantly encourage him to run free and indulge, even if
some had girlfriends with them.
Sickness clenched my gut. I tried to breathe and settle. I couldn’t let
Max know his gossip had affected me so deeply. When Adam and I told the
group, I wanted to do it together, not here at my house over breakfast.
I stood up, forcing a smile. “Thanks for breakfast, but I gotta get going.”
“Kicking me out? I get it.” He grinned and came over, giving me a hug.
“I’m upset about the circumstances, but happy we got some time together. I
missed talking to you. As a friend.”
I noticed he added the last part halfheartedly. “Me, too.”
We said goodbye and he left. I collapsed back onto the kitchen chair and
closed my eyes with a groan.
I needed to talk to Adam. Tell him what Max said and be honest. I hated
to show my weakness or let him think I didn’t believe in us, but this had to
be addressed or I’d worry nonstop. As much as I dreaded it, I wanted Adam
to be brutally raw with his intentions about us. Staying celibate was one
thing.
Wanting to was another. I sure as hell refused for him to act like he was
making some type of sacrifice to stay faithful. Because I knew I could be on
a fucking deserted island for months, meet a bunch of Chippendale
strippers, and not have any type of impulse to be with anyone but Adam.
I thought of what Max said about Dumped. It would be so much easier
to go to LA and be with Adam and let everything back in New York burn.
But Max was right. I’ve been working toward this goal, and I couldn’t let
my love addiction distract me. Adam was doing his career, and I had to do
mine.
Feeling strong again in my decision, I texted my agent and told her I’d
be in today to sign the finalized contracts for Dumped.
I took a shower and got ready. When I re-checked my phone, I had a
voice mail from Rock about last night. Then Adam texted me to ask me if I
was okay.
Weird. He didn’t know about last night. Did he sense something was
off?
My mind jumped to the worst-case scenario. What if he’d gotten caught
in Brooklyn with some girl and was afraid I’d found out? I chewed my lip
and tried to talk myself off the ledge. I couldn’t do this to either of us right
now. Stupid Max had messed me up. Until we had our talk, I refused to
think the worst, even though it was ripping me apart inside.
I hesitated before telling him I was good and that I’d be over tonight. He
gave me a thumb’s up and I let out a breath.
I called Rock back, and confirmed I still didn’t want to bring in the
police. He gave me the next day off so I could regroup. Maybe leaving to
shoot the reality series was a good break from Red, too. I adored my job but
the incident had definitely shaken me up. Which reminded me I had to call
Elle and spill the tea.
Gabby’s face suddenly flashed on my phone. I clicked on it
immediately. “Hey, girl. I haven’t seen you in a while. How are you?” I
asked.
“Landon, what the hell is going on? I heard something bad went down
at Red and some asshole assaulted you? And Max rescued you?”
I winced. Damn, gossip spread fast in our group. “Yeah, it’s true.” I
gave her all the details while she cursed like a sailor.
“Mother fucker! Are you okay?”
“I am. Taking off today and tomorrow so I can catch my breath. How’d
you find out so fast?”
“Had to see Rock early this morning for a few things and he told me.
Are you going to do the show? He mentioned you may be taking a leave of
absence to shoot?”
“Yep, going to sign contracts today.”
“Good. How’s Adam taking it?”
I stilled. “Why would you ask me about Adam?”
Her sigh was weary. “Really? I know you’re together, Landon. God, it
was so obvious the last time we were at the club—you were all over each
other with your eyes.”
I gasped. “Oh, my God, does anyone else know?”
“Nah, I’m the smartest in the group. Are you gonna tell everyone? Take
you and Adam public?”
 A strange relief flooded me as I realized I didn’t have to hide it from her
anymore. “I’m sorry I lied to you, Gabby but things were fucked up. I did
tell Elle.”
“Damn, you always tell her everything first,” Gabby sulked.
I laughed. “Sorry—habit. No one else, though. Adam leaves next week
so we were thinking of meeting up and telling the group before he goes to
LA. That way, there will be time and space for them to get used to it.”
“Especially Max.”
I hesitated. “Max seems pretty solid lately,” I said carefully. “No more
jealousy. Open to me dating. I hinted that I was with someone but wouldn’t
give him a name.”
I didn’t like Gabby’s snort. “Girl, are you crazy? Max is madly in love
with you and he’s going to lose his shit. Don’t go into this thinking it’ll be
all wine and roses. Expect the worst. I know Max better than you think.
He’ll go low and dirty.”
Irritation prickled. “I dated him for a long time, Gabby, I think I know
him a bit better than you.”
“Whatevs. Just warning you. Things with him aren’t what you think.”
“Okay, well, thanks for the heads up.”
We chatted a bit and then I called Elle. Later on, I pushed Gabby’s
warning to the side. I know Max would flip out, but I also believed he’d
eventually calm down. It was all in the way we told him. We’d do it
carefully.
If I knew what would happen next, would I have changed my plan?
I’d never find out because it was already too late.
 Chapter Seventeen
Adam

Listen to Hanging
by a Moment by Lifehouse

I waited for Landon and thought over my conversation with Max.

His crazy-ass vow to do some type of vigilante stalking to Landon’s
current boyfriend threw me off. I was still processing the fact Landon
hadn’t told me about being attacked at Red, and that Max had taken care of
her while I was in Brooklyn.
The rage burned hot in my blood but I needed to tamp it down to get
through the rest of the meeting at the diner, and keep calm until I spoke
directly with Landon. The way Max bragged about being in bed with her
almost had me launching from the booth to beat the crap out of him. I had
to remind myself no one knew about us yet, and I had no rights. Until I
went public, my relationship with Landon was still a dirty secret. Instead, I
had to sit there like a mute while Coop and Noah counseled Max with a
bunch of platitudes.
“I’m sure it’s nothing but sex—Landon still has feelings for you, dude.”
“Maybe if you keep chill, she’ll come back. After all, she didn’t call that
guy to help her. She turned to you.”
“You saved her from a trauma. I bet Landon could forgive you for the
cheating now that she sees you as a hero.”
I couldn’t stand the bullshit remarks all pointing to evidence Landon
was going to get back together with Max.
 When Max asked what I thought, his sharp gaze shredding my stone
face expression apart, I mumbled something and agreed with the others.
Because I was a pussy.
I should’ve had the balls to tell Max and the others Landon was not only
fucking me, but I was in love with her. I should’ve taken the leap and
trusted Landon would leap with me. Instead, I ate my eggs and drank my
coffee in a state of half shock, half fury, waiting until I could get the hell out
of there and call Landon.
Max ranted on about killing the random dude, and stalking Landon until
he could figure out who she was seeing. Thank God, Coop and Noah did
the job for me and calmed him down, convincing Max to stay the course of
superhero friend/supporter. Coop was charged with getting the dirt from
Elle, and Noah swore he’d ask Daisy if she knew anything. Max asked if I
could text Gabby, who seemed to know everything, because she wasn’t
giving him shit. I think I nodded and agreed. I don’t even remember.
I never called Landon afterward. Some things needed to be done in
person. This was one of them.
Finally, the door opened and she came in. My heart gave a jump as my
gaze devoured her, not caring if she’d hurt me or had Max in her bed. I
didn’t give a fuck once she was in my orbit. I’d tear her apart, punish her,
fuck her, and then forgive her.
That’s how screwed I was.
She was wearing tiny denim shorts, a white t-shirt, and sneakers. Her
hair was in a ponytail, showing off the elegant features of her face. Her lips
were painted a bright pink. Those sea-blue eyes snapped to mine, probing,
as if wondering why I was standing in the shadowed corner of the room
instead of walking over to greet her.
“Adam?”
Her voice was tentative. I watched without speaking, and her tongue
flicked out to wet her lower lip. She looked like a teen cheerleader in her
outfit, a wholesome, sweet, sexy innocent who secretly wanted to be dirtied
up.
But last night someone else had touched her without my permission.
And I needed to find out every detail.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
The energy in the room heightened. She took a step back, as if
retreating, then squared her shoulders. “How did you find out?”
 Her answer pissed me off. Another part of me admired her grit. Landon
didn’t surrender or bow to anyone. Even me. Only when she wanted to, on
her terms. It was part of my obsession with her. “Max.”
Her eyes widened. A curse blistered from her lips and she walked
further into the room, closing the space between us. “Okay, that’s
unfortunate. I planned to tell you everything tonight. Want to step into the
light with me, or continue to be a sulky vampire?”
My muscles tightened and it took all my ability not to drag her into my
arms and brand her with my lips and tongue and teeth. To take all the fight
out of her and fuck her so senseless, she begged and pleaded for release,
promising to do anything I wanted. But the payoff was too big for this
conversation and I wasn’t about to use sex to get my answers.
At least, not yet.
“Don’t push me, princess. My patience is razor thin. Unless you want to
be forcibly stripped naked, tied up, and ignored for hours while I sexually
torture you?”
The lust in her eyes told me I’d do exactly that another time. Eventually,
I’d unearth and explore all of Landon’s darkest fantasies. Unfortunately,
tonight wasn’t about play. She pretended I didn’t see her reaction and
sneered. “Sounds like a real party, but I’m thinking we could have a grown-
up conversation about what happened yesterday.”
I kept my tone mild even though I wanted to explode. “Not sure. I
thought we could, until you deliberately cut me out and replaced me with
Max.”
She let out a blast of breath, threw her purse on the bed, and faced me
with feminine temper. “I did not replace you with Max! I’m not sure what
you heard, but shit went down at 4am at Red. You were in Brooklyn. I
planned on telling you what happened in the morning, once you got back,
but when you texted, I figured it was better waiting until we were face to
face. Max insisted on following me home to make sure I was okay.”
“Yeah, Max told me over breakfast this morning. How’d he get in your
bed, Landon?”
Her entire body tightened. I watched her carefully, seeking any type of
sign she was trying to hide something important from me—namely
lingering emotions for Max. She groaned and shook her head, all the snark
draining from her in a rush. “Ah, fuck.”
 I waited, refusing to say another word. I wanted her truth, even if I
dreaded hearing it.
“Adam, it’s not what you think. I was working the late shift at Red—
Max asked me to do it because the money is sick—and things got out of
hand. I went outside and when I came back in, this guy in a mask pushed
me against the door and tried to…assault me.” The way she stumbled over
the word made a red sheen blur my sight. My fingers curled into fists at the
idea of someone touching her to bring pain that wasn’t mine. I ached to
hold her and reassure myself she was okay, but I kept still, needing her to
finish.
“I fought but then Max ripped him away and hit him. The guy hit Max
back and then took off. Max ran after him but wasn’t able to find him. We
told Rock, who asked if I wanted the police but I just wanted to leave. I
knew we wouldn’t find him.”
“What about cameras?” I asked.
“There were none from that angle in the doorway. If he had gone
anywhere else, we may have caught him.”
A bell rang in my head, adding to my suspicions, but I concentrated on
Landon. She continued. “I wanted to go home, but Max insisted he didn’t
want to leave me alone in case I freaked out later. When we got there, we
had a drink, and then I went to bed. He was going to sleep on the couch.
But when I got up this morning, he was in my bed. Said I cried out having a
nightmare and asked him to stay, but I don’t remember any of it. It was a
blur.” I grit my teeth so hard it was a miracle they didn’t shatter. “I swear to
God, Adam, I want nothing to do with Max. He didn’t try anything at all—
my clothes were all on and when I told him it wasn’t cool, he immediately
backed off. Then I told him I was seeing someone.”
I waited a few beats. “Was that before or after he cooked you
breakfast?”
Her face fell, but I didn’t see the guilt I was searching for. Guilt would
tell me if she had unresolved feelings. I only spotted frustration at the
situation and her rush to explain. “During. He offered and I felt funny about
kicking him out when he was trying to be there for me. We ate, and he left.
That’s it.”
It wasn’t it but at least she’d told me her version. “Why didn’t you call
me? Did you really believe I wouldn’t have left Brooklyn immediately to
come to you?”
 “I knew that’s exactly what you’d do,” she said calmly. “And I didn’t
want that. I was okay, and just craved sleep. There was no reason to have
you rush back for nothing.”
“But you let Max stay?”
“Yeah. I’m not sure if this is going to come out right, but having Max
there wasn’t a big deal. We share a long history. And though he cheated and
I’d never look at him romantically again, he’s still someone I cared about as
a friend. He’s part of our group. When he pushed hard to stay, it was easier
to let him. It was about having another person around—it didn’t matter who
it was.”
“You didn’t want to call Elle?”
“Adam, I only wanted to go home, sleep, and forget about the whole
thing. I simply wasn’t thinking clearly. Can you believe that?”
I did. I may not like it, or the way she still cared about Max, but I also
understood. If Gabby insisted on staying, would I say no? Even if we never
slept together, anyone part of our crew was safe. Landon simply wasn’t a
liar. She’d tell the hard truth whether I liked it or not, just like now. She
wasn’t going to apologize for letting Max stay. She was going to apologize
that she kept me out of the loop and that having Max there made me
uncomfortable.
I could live with that. And I didn’t want any type of abnormal jealous
relationship. Trust was key.
I trusted Landon.
I did not trust Max. Especially now that I put the pieces together.
Because now I knew that Landon had been set up and the game had
completely changed.
 Chapter Eighteen
Adam

Listen to Chemical
by Post Malone

“I believe you, Landon.”

Her body collapsed in relief. Blue eyes flickered with gratitude.
“Good.”
“Go over everything that happened at Red, from start to finish.” She
did, and pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. “I think there’s something
bigger going on here.”
She frowned. “What?”
“I’ll tell you in a bit. First, I want to know if you gave Max any
indication who you were seeing and what his reaction was.”
She stared at me for a while, as if trying to decide if she should push for
an answer or not. “He was fine. I told him I was seeing someone, and he
made a joke about it, and that was it. Are you going to tell me now what
Max said at breakfast? He told you what happened at Red?”
I nodded. “He called all of us to meet him and said you got attacked.
Told us he went home with you and ended up in your bed, making you
breakfast, getting cozy. Like the old days. Then he declared he wanted to
find the person you were seeing and kill him.”
Landon gasped. “What? Wait—this doesn’t make any sense. Are you
saying he’s pretending not to care about me dating someone else?”
 “Yep. He’s still in love with you, Landon. Max wants you back. He’s
playing the long game, thinking if he masters the good friend role,
eventually he’ll find a way back in. Getting you that shift at Red was
deliberate.”
A frown furrowed her brow. “What does my shift at Red have anything
to do with it?”
I gave her a hard stare. “Max set you up. I’m almost positive he hired a
guy to attack you just so he could jump in and play the hero.”
I waited for her shock and rage. I prepared myself to calm her down so
we could work on a plan together. But the joke was on me.
Landon’s eyes widened and she began to laugh. My jaw almost
unhinged. “Adam! That’s crazy! I know Max is an asshole and a cheater,
but a criminal? No way would he do something like that. I think you’re
overreaching.”
Ice trickled down my spine. I hated the way she dismissed my
suspicions. Didn’t she know I wasn’t one to throw declarations out on
impulse? Didn’t she know Max was one of the biggest liars I’d ever met? I
tried to keep my tone chill. “Yeah, he would. He’s already hinted that he
had some big set up to draw you close to him. He was bragging about a
secret plan to the guys, but wouldn’t tell us anything concrete. When he was
talking about what happened at breakfast, I noticed Coop didn’t seem
surprised. It was like he knew and wasn’t concerned.”
She waved her hand in the air. “Coop is always distracted—he probably
wasn’t listening. And as for the plan? Yeah, I agree it’s an asshole thing if
he tried to be alone with me. But I’m sure Max’s master plan was working
together at Red in the sex club. Not conspiring to get someone to attack
me!”
I clenched my jaw. She didn’t believe me. She actually thought Max
would never do it, which told me even with the cheating and lying, Landon
refused to accept he’d cross the line that way. Her reaction pissed me off,
but even worse?
It scared me. Because what else was Max capable of? Had he drugged
her wine so he could easily crawl into bed with her? Had he touched her
when Landon was at her most vulnerable?
“I can’t believe this shit,” I muttered, shaking my head. “I’m trying to
tell you the truth, Landon. I don’t trust him anymore—he wants you bad
enough to actually harm you. You have to listen to me—you need to gain
some distance. He’s literally stalking you now to see who you’re with.”
Concern flickered over her face, but it wasn’t for Max. She reached out
and touched my arm. “Adam, you’re going overboard with these conspiracy
theories. Let it go. Max will eventually move on. He’s not a crazy stalker or
psycho—he just has a giant male ego and can’t stand the idea that I broke
up with him. It’s not good to hate him that much. Let it go,” she repeated.
My temper exploded, even though I tried hard to be calm. “I’m not
going to let you get hurt when you belong to me! And if you’re not going to
look out for yourself because you have your head up your ass, at least try to
believe me and help me keep you safe!”
She squinted and anger steamed from her pores. “Don’t talk to me like
that!” she snapped back, throwing her head up. “I keep myself safe, and I
don’t need some overprotective caveman telling me what and what not to
believe. Got it?”
“Max set you up!”
“No, he didn’t. He overstepped by climbing into my bed, which made
you insane with jealousy. And I don’t blame you, but I’m telling you,
Adam, he’s not a monster. Let this go and we’ll move on.”
There was no moving on, because Max would keep upping his game.
There was only one alternative left.
“Want me to let it go? Fine. Then do one thing for me. I’m asking you
to give me something, Landon. Something important.”
Her beautiful blue eyes softened. This time, she moved toward me
without anger, wrapping her arms tight around my shoulders and resting
against me. I held her tight, soothed by her embrace. The scent of her hair
and skin rose to my nostrils and I let out a sigh of relief. “Anything. What
do you need from me?”
My dick immediately hardened. I played out a few scenarios in my
head, mostly of her gagged while I licked her sweet pussy and forced her to
multiple orgasms. My hands roamed her curves and the little moan she
made in the back of her throat made me insane for more. Even though I’d
sworn not to use sex to sway her decision, I hungered for her to submit. She
was stunning when she came; giving herself so completely I wanted to howl
and beat my chest like the caveman she accused me of being. I shoved my
hands down the back of her jeans, cupping her bare ass and squeezing. She
wriggled, parting her legs, and I took the invitation to play.
 Dipping my fingers into her cunt, I found her already swollen and wet,
desperate for me, just the way I liked it. I bit gently along the curve of her
neck where she was sensitive, and in seconds, she was melting and moaning
for more, grabbing at me and pushing me toward the bed.
I laughed low and refused to move. Instead, I ripped down her jeans so
they tangled around her ankles and kept her in check. “Will you give me
what I need from you, my sweet little slut?” I whispered, tapping her clit,
sliding my thumb gently back and forth, giving her just enough to torment
but not enough pressure to go over the edge.
“Oh, God.” She rocked her hips back and forth. “Yes, anything you
want. Please.”
I ripped her thong and the band snapped against her hip. She jolted in
my arms, but I’d already thrust my fingers into her tight, dripping channel,
fucking her deep, rubbing with steady motions. My name erupted from her
lips the same time her orgasm ripped through her, and I took her mouth in a
violent kiss, swallowing every sweet, needy moan like fuel.
She was magnificent and I knew I couldn’t leave without her.
Landon wasn’t safe with Max. He’d stake out his claim and do anything
he wanted. I couldn’t play endless clubs in a strange city without having her
by my side, in my bed. It would be a time for us to grow and get away from
this group that I loved but who may destroy us. From the moment she told
me about the reality show, I sensed it would be a big mistake—not only for
her career, but her very soul—thrusting her into a spotlight that would rip
her apart. She was so much bigger than all that.
LA would be an opportunity for her to explore her creativity; to meet
new people and gain connections. We’d return to New York so much
stronger. I needed to convince her.
The moment I felt her convulsions slow, I bit her bottom lip, eased
away, and gazed into her drunken eyes.
“Come with me to LA, princess. Let’s do this thing full out. Let’s be
together.”
I watched as my question pierced the sexual fog. Her answer sprang
from her lips, even as Landon shuddered from the tail end of her orgasm,
my fingers still buried inside her.
“I can’t.”
 Chapter Nineteen
Landon

Listen to Something Just Like This

by The Chainsmokers

I stared at Adam’s shattered expression as regret tumbled through me,

leaving my heart hurting the same time my body purred with
satisfaction. The after effects of my orgasm softened my body so I clung
to him at the same time I realized he was beginning to stiffen and back off;
probably in shock at my answer after surrendering so fully in his arms.
The entire conversation about Max confused me. Yes, I could easily
believe Max manipulated the schedule so I was forced to work with him.
But hire an attacker to terrorize and assault me at my place of work? Right
under Rock’s nose?
No, it was too dangerous. Too outrageous. I understood how Adam felt
about Max, and figured he’d probably seen Max do a bunch of shady things
throughout their friendship, but there was no way I believed it had gone that
far. I didn’t like how Max climbed into my bed, but again, it wasn’t like he
tried to push any sexual moves on me, or even begged to get me back.
I’m sure Adam was losing his mind knowing he wasn’t there to protect
me. I loved his care and fierce possessiveness, even when I was pushing
back on his reactions. Deep inside, his primitive male need was thrilling,
but I couldn’t have him think it was cool to try and order me around outside
the bedroom. Knowing Max had been the one to save me must have driven
Adam crazy. I needed to give him the space and understanding until time
passed and he realized he’d overreacted with Max.
But this plea? The dark, intense way he asked me to go with him to LA?
I was literally weak all over with need to give him what he wanted. I craved
to say fuck it and follow him across the country just to be close. I knew how
much it cost him to be vulnerable and ask aloud, and though it tore me
apart, I knew my answer had to be no.
“Adam, listen to me. I want to, but I can’t. I signed the contract for
Dumped today. It’s too late.”
He began to shut down and retreat.
Instinctively, I used the strength of my body and his distraction to shove
him toward the bed, pushing him hard and climbing on top of him with a
feminine growl of hunger. “Don’t you dare,” I hissed, ripping down his
jeans; pushing his shirt up with my frenzied fingers. “I will not allow you to
pull away from me. And if this is the only way I can prove I fucking love
you, then so be it.”
With my declaration ringing in the air, I ignored his shocked gaze,
gripped his face, and covered his mouth with mine.
My tongue thrust between his lips and he stilled for a few seconds.
Desperate, I began to grind my wet pussy against his erection, sliding the
thick, hard shaft through my folds while my fingernails sunk deep into his
muscled arms. With a muttered curse, he came alive, shoving my legs apart
and grasping my hips. I threw my head back and moaned, and then he
slammed me fully onto his straining cock.
“Fuck me,” I whispered dirtily, swiveling in slow tight circles as I
pulled out. I rubbed my clit against his massive dick with shameless greed. I
held his hot gaze each time I sank back down, and he reached out to twist
my hard nipples, then tweak with his thumb. I took my fingers and slipped
them into his wet mouth, and he sucked hard. “Own me like the dirty slut I
am. Because I belong to you. Only you.”
Adam let out a primitive howl, rearing up and throwing me underneath
him. Pinning my knees against my shoulders, he shoved his cock back
inside and fucked me like an animal. My skin held his bruises; my pussy
tightened and squeezed mercilessly; my lips chanted his name like a
mantra.
We both exploded together and I held on fiercely as the convulsions of
pleasure wracked my aching body. He stayed inside me, slumping against
my sweat dampened skin. I stroked his hair back, automatically tracing his
scars like a map I’d memorized. I didn’t regret telling him. I was tired of
pretending it was lust, or a temporary affair. Adam owned my body, mind
and heart. I was his and I didn’t want to fight it anymore, even if he hadn’t
come to the same conclusion.
I could wait.
“Why did you sign the contract?”
His voice was quiet. I pressed a kiss to his temple, loving the way he let
me comfort him and be close. I didn’t mention anything about Max or our
talk. “It was the last day. I thought about coming with you. I wanted to, but
if I don’t take this chance, I may always regret it. And that’s not fair to
either of us.”
I prepped for an argument or to defend my decision. But he only sighed,
his breath rushing over my belly, his hand stroking my wet inner thigh. “I
still think it’s a big mistake but I don’t get how to tell you to make them. I
need you safe from Max. I know you don’t believe me, Landon. But I’m
telling the truth.”
I didn’t answer, wondering how I should handle it. “Let’s tell everyone
tomorrow night. Daisy mentioned Noah was at a DJ gig. I don’t have to
work—let’s put out a text to meet there. I don’t want to hide anymore.”
His grip tightened, then relaxed. “You sure you’re ready for this?”
“Yes. You’re the only one I want to be with, and I want the world to
know you’re mine.” I caressed the beautiful ink down his biceps. Traced the
elaborate guitar and bleeding roses hiding the childhood wounds he carried.
“If you’re worried about Max, declaring we’re together will finally get him
to understand it’s over.”
“Or have the opposite effect,” he said with a touch of bitterness.
“Then you’re going to have to trust I can take care of myself,” I said.
“Like I’m going to trust you in LA, in strange hotel rooms and parties with
girls crawling over you.”
“Once you taste a queen, every other woman tastes bitter. There’s no
contest, princess.”
I melted, snuggling against him. “You gonna put that in a song, music
man?”
“Maybe.” Our breath mingled in the quiet. “You mean what you said?”
“Yes. I’m not afraid to say it. I love you, Adam.”
 He reached up, burying his hands in my hair, drawing me close. His
mouth pressed over mine, sipping gently over my swollen lips. “I’ve only
said it once before, after my mother. I swore I’d never say it again, to
anyone. I didn’t think love really existed.”
His pain was almost palatable. My throat thickened with emotion.
“That’s okay. I can wait.” I meant it. I knew Adam loved me, but
understood the words may be hard. They were just words. Max had given
me a ton of them, but his actions were hurtful. I knew I could trust Adam to
care for my heart. I was jealous, though, of that one woman he’d said it to.
“You must have really loved her.”
He spoke with hesitancy. “I had a stray cat once. Named her Melba.
Saw some shit on the tv about melba toast and it stuck with me. At first, I
ignored her, told her to go away. I was bitter after Mom, stuck with my
father’s shit and feeling like there was no way out. I used to go outside and
she’d purr and try to be my friend. Took me weeks to finally break down.”
I didn’t like the way the story was heading, but it was important. I kept
quiet and listened.
“I began to feed her tuna. Old bread. Anything I could scrounge up.
Saved some money and got cat food. She was strictly an outside cat so my
father didn’t know too much. Then I found out she was pregnant. I was
freaked out about it—wasn’t sure what to do. I called the animal shelter and
they gave me some tips, but other than trying to catch her and bring her to
the vet, there wasn’t much I could do. I set up a safe place for her in the
yard. And damned if Melba didn’t have her kittens. Six of them. Black as
night, like blind little bats. They were fucking adorable.”
I swallowed hard, keeping my hands on him for comfort. “What
happened?” I asked softly.
“Dad found them. Knew I was hiding them and sneaking food. He went
apeshit about a cat colony around our house. Beat the shit out of me and
locked me up. When I got out, the kittens were gone and so was Melba. He
said he drove them somewhere in the woods and let them go free. But every
night, I wondered if Melba believed I betrayed her. And I loved that fucking
cat.”
My heart broke into tiny pieces. The thought of this beautiful man
dealing with such evil and pain was hard to process, so I just stroked his
hair and pressed kisses to his temple and told him again that I loved him.
I held the space for his story. It was all I could do.
 Chapter Twenty
Landon

Listen to Calm Down

by Selena Gomez & Rema

T he day started off so hopeful. If only I’d known how it ended, I may
have stayed in bed with Adam and avoided the fall-out.
I opened my eyes to agonizing pleasure and found Adam between
my legs, his hot mouth licking and teasing my swollen folds. Half dazed, I
tumbled into my orgasm with intense speed, screaming his name. When he
wrapped me up in his arms and our gazes locked, I knew he loved me. He
just wasn’t ready to say it yet.
Our plan was set. I’d call and rally the girls, and Adam would take care
of the guys. We’d meet at the club where Noah was playing, and when he
finished, we’d tell everyone the truth. Nerves jumped in my belly but it was
also mixed with excitement. Last night had proved we needed to stop
hiding. Adam was paranoid about Max. Max still believed there was hope
to get back together. And I was lying to my friends, which I despised. I
figured everyone would get upset and blow up, but eventually come to
accept us.
Adam had a meeting with JJ and Unison, and I headed to my own
meeting with the crew from Dumped. I’d been the last to sign on, and my
agent said they’d gotten twitchy, so I’d decided just in time before they
began to look for my replacement. We’d get the finalized shooting schedule
and go over details. Now that I’d taken the leap, I was excited to move
forward. It would be hard without Adam, but maybe I’d lean in to this
opportunity and prove to him it was a good decision. I’d already teased the
news out on my social media and responses were building. Everyone
wanted to know the details and now that I signed the contract, I figured I’d
do the big reveal today with the cast members.
I called my girls one by one, and they were on board. Elle swore to act
surprised and have my back, so at least I knew one member of the crew
would step up for us. Maybe all we needed was one person’s support to get
the rest to accept the news. I figured Max would be the hardest, and would
probably throw a fit and leave. I was prepared for any and all reactions. I’d
be calm and patient but I’d fight for Adam. God knows, he deserved it—
he’d been betrayed his entire life by people he loved. I’d never hurt him and
eventually, he’d open his heart and trust me.
I changed into a cute baby blue crop top and linen shorts, paired with
Italian high-heeled sandals in buttery leather. I arranged my hair into two
long, tight braids, adding oversize silver hoop earrings, figuring the
producers would like this look. It screamed country chic. I hoped they
didn’t want me to muck stalls in open toe shoes. I shuddered at the idea.
The rest of the cast was already there. I greeted everyone with
enthusiasm, knowing my role was going to be the cool, slightly bitchy,
slightly ditzy blonde. Samson was the clown of the group, making everyone
laugh so it was nice to get some comic relief. When Clayton hugged me, I
noticed his cheeks turned a ruddy red. My showmance would be easy to
control so maybe I could escape without being burnt too much. I was
supposed to show him how to kiss, but I had no intention of following all
the producers demands. Clayton would be easy to handle, though.
It was Brody I was more worried about.
The guy was an obvious asshole, big and brash and bold, the most
annoying of the group. His good looks were different from Max, less
polished, but he had those bulging muscles that screamed gym rat, and a
calculated look in his hazel eyes. His hands wandered as he pretended to
hug me with a casual friendliness, but I sensed he wanted more. It was the
expectation I didn’t like. I could handle myself but I’d need to keep an eye
out. After the incident with Red, my skin prickled when Brody touched me,
dragging me back to that moment when a guy pawed me without my
permission.
I squared my shoulders and swore he wouldn’t get the upper hand.
 The other girls seemed nice and fit into certain niches. Abby was the
geeky girl who wore oversized black glasses, and spoke like a scientist.
Supposedly, she was going to be the one to try and rig the farm with
mathematical theories to help the machines work better. I didn’t understand
any of it, so I just nodded and agreed with what she said. Veronica—Ronnie
—was the rebellious one. She said fuck a lot and rolled her eyes, with black
bangs falling into her dark eyes. She was gorgeous in that untouchable,
mean sort of way. I wondered if Adam would have liked her thorny
personality. She was the one who’d have a temper and try and walk away
from the work or get all of us into a big fight. After watching her, I
calculated the best way to handle her was not to take her shit personally or
I’d be blowing up every hour in front of the cameras.
Corinne was a makeup influencer, and obviously insecure. She flirted
with all the boys in an attempt to gain their approval. Her honey brown hair
and big brown eyes should have made her beautiful, but her face was too
sharp and her gaze too calculating. The woman stunk with desperation to be
the most popular. Men could smell it from miles away.
All of us had some type of social media following. The rest of the cast
were fillers—explained by the crew that they’d be easy marks to take out to
keep the episodes rolling, and we were the main stars. When we were given
scripts, the producer detailed how this was more of a scripted reality show,
and we all had our parts to play. A lot of it would be filmed organically,
which was more realistic, but some of the scenes had to be acted out to keep
up interest and drama.
I also noticed the word drama was repeated like a mantra. We needed to
bring it, but I hated my portrayal. I’d hoped I could be cutting and cool, but
they sketched me out as the annoying, entitled brat with a touch of slut
thrown in. I brought my suggestions to the table but the producers waved
off my suggestions, saying I’d have plenty of opportunities to let my real
personality shine.
We went over the detailed schedule and script, and then I overheard
something that made me speak up. “Excuse me, did you say we’d be
leaving this Monday? I thought shooting started next Friday?”
Lydia, the assistant producer, gave me an overly patient look. “No,
that’s when cameras begin rolling. We’ll need you at the site a few days
beforehand to get situated.”
 Crap. That meant I wouldn’t be able to see Adam off. I had it marked
down wrong.
“You can influence on the farm, country girl,” Brody drawled, his gaze
on my bare midriff.
I rolled my eyes. “I work at Red so I need to put in for my time earlier
than I thought,” I explained.
Brody’s eyes lit up. “Red, huh? Hard to get in. Maybe you can get us all
a reservation for our send-off? That’d be a nice thing to do.”
I gave a tight smile as everyone perked up with interest. “Sorry, my boss
is an asshole. He doesn’t allow his employees to make any reservations for
friends.”
I could tell Brody didn’t believe me but thankfully didn’t push. After
the meeting, I spent some time chatting with everyone. Unfortunately, I felt
no connection with any of the girls. They seemed nicer at our intro meeting.
Most ignored me. Abby and Ronnie drifted off with some of the others,
leaving me as odd one out. Corinne shot me nasty looks. My belly tumbled
with nerves.
“Don’t worry, you’re one of those types that get along better with the
guys,” Brody said behind me. He touched my shoulder and I pulled back.
“Actually, I have tons of girlfriends. Can you please not touch me?”
He pulled his hands back dramatically and laughed. “Whoa, you are a
bitch. Sorry, I was just being friendly.”
“I appreciate friendly, just not touchy,” I said easily, smiling to take out
the sting. “My boyfriend is possessive.”
“Boyfriend, huh? He’s not gonna like you giving kissing lessons to
Clayton, then. Or anything else that happens up there in the boonies.”
“I have it handled. See you Friday.”
I left, feeling nauseous and trying to tell myself it would work out great.
Eventually. I needed to show the cast I wasn’t the enemy. Seems Brody
would be.
I spent the day organizing my packing and stopping at Red to check in
with Rock. No more news on the attacker, and when I let him know about
the schedule change, he signed off on releasing me from any additional
days so I was now free for the whole weekend. I called my mother and let
her know I was leaving for the show. I hated the stupid excitement whirling
inside, figuring she’d be proud of me for getting on television, but she was
drunk and sloppy and said some crap about Dad that put me in a mood. I
wondered if my stepsister would think being on Dumped was cool. I even
thought of reaching out to tell her, then decided not to. Dad had said he
disapproved of my entire career, and reality tv wouldn’t make him change
his mind.
At least, I’d get to spend all my time with Adam. I hated that I wouldn’t
get to see him off, but hopefully after our announcement tonight, we
wouldn’t have to hide these next few days. I quickly texted him the bad
news, and we agreed to meet early before anyone arrived so we could spend
a bit of alone time. Adam said he had something else to tell me also, but
when I tried to push, he had to go, so I was stuck waiting until it was time
to leave.
I donned a short beaded black dress, backless, with a bow right above
my ass. Black heels with a strappy anklet attached in rhinestones and a
small beaded bag completed the look. I left my hair loose with beach
waves, wearing my signature red lipstick with the perfect smoked cat-eye to
make my blue eyes pop.
Adam was waiting for me outside the club. He shook his head when he
caught sight of me, his gaze hungrily roving over my body with a flare of
possession I loved. Not caring about my lipstick or the crowd, he drew me
in and kissed me with the raw passion that marked me as his. I immediately
melted into his hard muscled length, my nails massaging his scalp as his
tongue tangled with mine. “You look edible,” he murmured.
“I hope you’ll eat me later.”
He gave a choked laugh, then grasped my hand. “I’m going to make you
pay for teasing me like that.”
I tossed him a sassy look. “Can’t wait.”
“I called ahead and got us a table. Noah shouldn’t be here till ten.”
“The others don’t get off at Red till eleven so we have plenty of time,” I
said.
“Good. I want you to myself, even if I’d rather have you naked in bed.”
I slid my phone into my purse and snapped it shut. “I’m all yours for the
next few days, Adam. I’m done with Red, and I got ahead on my packing.”
He squeezed my hand, leading me to the back of the club where diners
were gathering for cocktails and small plates of food. It had a chill, intimate
vibe; separated from where Noah would be playing. We settled into a small
table, chairs pushed close together, and ordered crab cakes, mussels, and
mini steak burgers. We fell into conversation, high on being close to each
other, hands freely touching and kissing in between sentences.
Adam would text Noah around 9:30pm and when he got here, Adam
would help him set up. I’d hang with Daisy until the others arrived and then
after Noah’s set, we’d tell them the truth.
It was a great plan.
Until it blew up.
 Chapter Twenty-One
Adam

Listen to Till Forever Falls Apart

by Ash and FINNEAS

T he day started out perfect. Too bad it all went to shit.

I woke up with Landon’s naked body plastered to me, and a stiff
morning erection. Last night, I’d shared another intimate story I’d
never told anyone. Somehow, it seemed right that she knew about Melba. I
wanted Landon to know everything about me, especially the bad and the
broken parts. When she said she loved me, my heart said the words back. It
was just my head and my voice that rebelled against that final surrender.
Seeing her patience reflected back in her beautiful blue eyes soothed the
fear. Landon wasn’t going anywhere. I couldn’t spook her by not
responding back and it was another part I loved about her so much—her
refusal to question her worth and value just because I couldn’t utter three
words. So, I gave it to her in actions all night long. And with my story.
She gave a cute little snore and I eased myself between her legs, slowly
pushing her thighs apart. My gaze roved over her with familiar hunger. Her
skin was flushed pink, and her nipples were hard, begging for my touch. I
pulled the sheet all the way down, exposing her in full, and feasted on her
warm, open nudity. Her sweet pussy was already wet, as if she was
dreaming about me and sensed I’d soon pleasure her.
With a grin, I lowered my head and began to lick her sensitive folds.
She moaned in her sleep, her body naturally arching and demanding more,
so I gave it to her. Increasing the pressure of my tongue flicking her clit, I
sucked gently, as my fingers pushed into her tight, wet channel.
Pure fucking heaven.
I heard my name panted from her lips. Staring up at her face, pushing
her knees further apart, I saw the moment she blinked awake, eyes foggy,
teeth biting into her lower lip as she realized what was happening.
But it was already too late.
She neared the edge of orgasm, and I kept her ruthlessly pinned there,
giving her just enough to get her to beg. “Adam! Oh, please, oh God—”
“Come all over my face, princess. Do it now.”
She did, screaming and crying my name, shuddering as I didn’t let up
and forced her into a second orgasm, refusing to obey her frantic tugs on
my shoulders as she tried to control her reaction. I didn’t stop until she lay
wrecked on the damp sheets, breathing hard. The spicy taste of her was
better than any cocktail. I pressed kisses over her body as I climbed up, then
took her mouth in a rough possessive kiss.
“Morning.”
Her arms wrapped around me and she smiled sleepily. “Holy hell, it
certainly is.”
I chuckled. “Not over yet. Hold on.”
She did. I pushed myself inside her until I was seated fully. Her pussy
gripped me like a silken fist and pleasure was an agonizing edge as I fucked
her slow and controlled, my gaze pinned to hers the whole time so she
couldn’t hide anything. When she tried to look away, I grasped her chin and
held tight, watching her fall apart again with me buried deep. Afterward,
she cuddled so sweetly against me, I only wanted to stop time and spend the
day in bed.
I wish I had.
Instead, we talked about the plan for tonight and how we’d tell the
group after Noah’s set. She had a big meeting with the crew for Dumped,
and I was seeing JJ and the band since we were leaving soon. I wished
Landon would be coming with me. I hated the thought of leaving her
behind to face our friends’ wrath but I had no choice. She’d signed the
contract and I was stuck. I needed to focus on killing it in LA, making
enough contacts to get my songs out there, and returning to Landon so we
could focus on our relationship.
If I kept those goals in mind, I’d make it. We both would.
 Together.
“Adam?”
She said my name like a question, hesitation on her swollen lips. Sitting
up on the bed, Landon stared back at me with an odd combination of doubt
and challenge. “Yeah?”
“Max mentioned you were acting like a whore. Fucking women in your
dressing room, one after another. He said LA was going to be like an all-
night buffet of ass for you.”
I studied her face and slammed down on my temper. Of course, Max
would say shit like that. I wondered if he sensed Landon and I were
together. It was odd that he’d want to sabotage me, but then again, I’d fed
Max and the guys a bunch of bullshit mostly about me getting laid regularly
when I was really writing songs. Maybe it was a stupid guy thing, or pride,
or simply that even though they were my best friends, I kept a part of
myself separate. It had always been that way. I think Max hated that—he
was able to worm his way into everyone’s confidence easily, except me. I’d
never give him all of my secrets, and he seemed almost desperate to know
them.
So he could use them against me like that videotape was used against
him. Max never liked being out of control.
Luckily, I knew Landon believed in me enough to ignore Max, but any
woman would have some worry after that statement. Especially since she’d
seen a woman plastered all over me.
I needed her to know my soul and that another woman wasn’t even a
possibility.
I reached out and cupped her face. My gaze pinned hers and I opened it
all up, so she could see all of the stuff inside I kept hidden. So she could see
I loved her with my heart and fucking soul.
“I am not interested in anyone but you. There will never be another
woman who’s not you, Landon. Max is making shit up. Not sure why. I
know that’s hard for you to trust, especially when he cheated and lied about
it. I’m asking you to trust me anyway. I want to play my music and get
home to you.”
Slowly, she relaxed in my embrace. Her blue eyes cleared and I knew it
was good.
“Okay.”
 She slid off the bed and headed to the shower. I slumped back in the
sheets, relieved this woman was brave enough to take the leap with me.
I was never letting Landon go.
After she’d left, I headed across town to meet with the guys about
finalized itinerary details. JJ had blasted out our album promo everywhere,
and the buzz was beginning to build, especially after our live performances
the past few weeks. I was surprised when he informed us we were delaying
the LA tour by a few days.
JJ threw up his hands when we all got pissed off. All of us were
pumping with adrenalin to start the tour, and being in limbo for a few more
days was torture. “Guys—the club had a fire in the kitchen and we can’t
perform there. It was too late to get us scheduled, so we’re gonna tack on an
additional venue toward the end.” He detailed the change of plans, and I
figured it wasn’t the worst thing because it meant a few more days with
Landon. Now that we’d be apart, I intended to try and spend as much time
as possible with her. Preferably in bed.
We finished up, and I stayed for a while, shooting the shit with the band.
JJ bumped me from behind and waved me over to a private corner. “What’s
up?” I asked.
His gaze held a flare of shrewd calculation. “I’m interested in Elle.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Dude, she’s in tight with another guy.
Coop will kick your ass.”
JJ grinned. “Not like that. You know that song your friend Noah and her
were working on? It’s killer.”
I lifted a brow. “You know I partnered with him to write the lyrics?”
“Of course. This is my whole point. Noah has some serious talent with
music and you’ve been more interested in the writing side. Now, don’t get
me wrong—your best shot is with Unison. I’m gonna make you famous. I
feel it in my damn bones.”
“Promises, promises.”
“No, I will. It’s all there. Ready to pop. I hope you’re ready.”
As he stared at me, dead serious, a shiver raced down my spine. I was
surprised it held fear. Fear of getting what I wanted, but in a way I never
planned on. Getting famous with my face out front and nowhere to hide. It
wasn’t my fantasy. But having my songs played over and over by fans?
Yeah. That was worth it. “What does Elle have to do with any of this?”
 “I’ve made some calls. Elle has all the elements I can work with. She’s
sexy, with a good sound. And the way Noah cut the tracks was fresh—it’s
not the same old tired shit I’m always hearing from young performers.
Olivia Rodrigo made angry women music famous, and I love it, but we’re
all ready for something else. I think Elle has it. I may offer her a contract.”
My jaw almost unhinged. “Holy shit, that’s awesome. As a solo
performer?”
JJ nodded. “Yeah. I might bring in Noah if he’s interested, and you can
be a co-writer. Kick off your writing credits. It’s a double whammy, Adam.
This could be big if it works out.”
My heart sped up. This was a lot to take in. I wondered if Elle was
ready to take the leap or if she still wanted to act now that the strike was
ending. “You talk to her yet?”
“No. Wanted to get your take on how I should approach first. I’d need
her fully in. I don’t have the energy if she doesn’t—it’s too fucking hard.
But if she wants it, and the three of you work together, things could go big.”
“I’m gonna see her tonight. Why don’t I ask her? Feel things out and let
you know?”
“Sounds good, man. Thanks.”
JJ took off and headed back to my place. I wondered what it would be
like working with Noah and Elle after they found out about me and Landon.
Could we all put the conflict aside for the opportunity? And how would I
handle more writing and Unison?
This is what you always wanted, the inner voice whispered. Everything
your old man said about your music will be proven bullshit. It’s your time
now, motherfucker.
I was buzzing hard until Landon texted her news. We only had the
weekend together before she needed to take off. Frustration coursed through
me but there was nothing I could do. Now, I’d be alone those extra days,
dealing with the fallout. Sucked, but the main thing was making sure
Landon got out of town away from Max.
I made arrangements to meet her early at the club to eat and get some
time. I texted Noah to get an ETA, and Landon said both Elle and Max and
Gabby were working late. Coop had some type of photo shoot so he
wouldn’t be there till after ten either. Landon and I were good until then.
I changed into dark wash jeans and a Unison t-shirt, pulled my hair back
in a tie, and skipped shaving. I saw the way Landon looked at me when I
left some scruff –it turned her on. When I met her outside, I lost my breath.
She was fucking gorgeous. And all mine.
I walked over real slow as my gaze devoured her whole. Not giving a
crap about her makeup, I kissed her hard and deep, reminding Landon I
owned her. Eyes dazed, she blinked up at me when I finally pulled away.
“You look edible,” I said.
The cheeky spark I loved lit up her face. “I hope you’ll eat me later.”
My dick practically burst out of my pants, and I gave a choked laugh.
“I’m going to make you pay for teasing me like that.”
“Can’t wait.”
I grabbed her hand and told her Noah should be here till ten.
“The others don’t get off at Red till eleven so we have plenty of time,”
she said.
“Good. I want you to myself, even if I’d rather have you naked in bed.”
I approved when she slid her beloved phone into her purse and snapped
it shut. “I’m all yours for the next few days, Adam. I’m done with Red, and
I got ahead on my packing.”
I squeezed her hand and led her to the back of the club where it was
more private. I told her about Elle and Noah while we ate a bunch of tapas.
“I think she’ll go for it,” Landon said. “She’s ready for something different
and working with Noah will give her some familiarity. I wish I’d be around
to help her out.”
“Cutting music will take a while. You’ll be back. Just be careful with
Max.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Raw hunger cut through me. “Say it again. Later. Naked.”
She grinned and blew me a kiss. I laughed at her sass.
For the next hour, nothing mattered except me and Landon. Time
stopped around us, and I fell into her as if she was the missing half of
myself. I kissed her and held her hand. I stroked her back and feasted on the
length of her bare legs. The waitress smiled at us after bringing another
round of drinks and said we made a cute couple. I was embarrassed at how I
loved hearing such a lame line. It wasn’t like me.
I was already changing and there was nothing I could do about it.
Finally, we paid the bill and began to move toward the club side. She’d
grab a table, and I’d go outside to meet Noah and help set up. We’d come
back around when everyone was there later on and tell them the news.
 It was a good plan.
Until it wasn’t.
My arm was wrapped around Landon’s waist and as we moved, she
tilted her head up, smiling at me like she was staring at the sun.
But it was just me. Just me she loved.
I murmured her name and kissed her. She parted her lips and clung to
me. It literally hurt to break contact with her sweet body. I eased away and
smiled back. For those few precious seconds, everything was perfect.
Until it wasn’t.
I heard a loud noise, like a scream of shock, but my brain didn’t process
anything until I turned.
I blinked and stared ahead of me. Landon and I both froze.
Coop, Elle, Noah, and Daisy stood in front of us. Jaws dropped.
Shocked faces stared back, glancing to me and Landon as if they’d walked
into a sci-fi movie and was trying hard to focus on their new fucked up
world. And then I saw Max.
He stood slightly behind, gaping at us from behind Coop. Ice washed
over me as his furious gaze swiveled from Landon to me.
And then the shit hit the fan.
 Chapter Twenty-Two
Landon

Listen to Burn the House Down

by AJR

I t was as if the scene happened in slow motion. I was outside my body as

I stared back at my friends, who gaped at the show Adam and I had just
put on for them without our knowledge. Emotion smashed through me
at the look in their eyes and matching expressions.
Shock.
Hurt.
Anger.
Betrayal.
I blinked, hoping I’d conjured up a nightmare, but it was real. Adam’s
grip tightened around me, and I unconsciously leaned against him, needing
his strength. The plan had backfired and now we couldn’t control the
narrative.
Now, we were the ones who’d wrecked the trust and for the first time, I
wondered if we’d ever be able to pick up the pieces.
The stunned silence suddenly gave way to a roar of voices as they all
began shouting at once.
“What is going on?”
“Are you both fucking with us?”
“Oh, my God, are you two sleeping together!”
“What the fuck is happening right now?”
 I winced and Adam stepped in front of me, his voice low and calm.
“Hey, before we all lose our shit can we go talk?”
Elle’s gaze found mine and she slowly mouthed, I tried to call you. My
eyes widened as I realized my phone had been in my purse and I hadn’t
checked it the whole time. Somehow, they’d all showed up early and Elle
had tried to warn me. A crazy urge to laugh overcame me. My phone was
tattooed to me twenty-four seven, but the fateful hour I needed it most, I’d
locked it away. Poor Daisy looked crushed, staring at both of us as if we’d
deliberately tried to hurt her.
“You want to talk now, asshole?” Max’s voice held both ice and rage,
making my stomach clench with nausea. He flicked a hot glance to me, but
he was focused completely on Adam. “I can’t believe I’m even surprised.
You’re such a piece of shit, of course you’d take advantage of Landon just
to get laid. We all know you don’t know what loyalty or friendship is. With
you, it’s always the Adam show. But you’ve gone too far.”
A flash of light hit my vision and I shook my head. Gabby came
tripping up behind them, stopping short as she spoke into her phone, then
staring at us with a frown. “What’s going on?”
Coop practically growled back. “Adam’s fucking Landon behind Max’s
back. We found them all over each other.”
My heart sunk as I noticed a small crowd gathering interest around us.
Gabby cocked her head and took in the scene, then let out a small laugh.
“About time they stopped sneaking around. Good for you.”
I swayed on my feet. No, no, no.
Elle and Daisy swung around to face her. “Wait—you knew about
them?” Elle asked.
Somehow, Gabby was still holding her phone, but looked completely
chill and poised. “Of course. I knew months ago.”
A deadly silence settled. I stumbled over my tongue in a haste to beg
that they listen to me; to explain I’d told Gabby nothing and she’d only
suspected; to make this whole giant dickwad of a mess narrow to something
I could actually control, but it was too late.
A wall dropped in front of Elle, as if she’d distanced herself from me
and the entire scene. Gabby made it seem as if I’d confided in her way
before I told Elle. “I guess Landon was able to trust someone,” she said
with bitterness.
 “No, it wasn’t like that!” I burst out, taking a few steps toward them. “I
never told Gabby—she figured it out. You were the only one I confided in,
Elle.”
Gabby cocked her head. “But I mentioned it to you when we were in
AC, remember?”
The blood drained out of my face and I almost thought I could faint.
“Why are you saying this stuff? I never said anything!”
Elle shook her head. “My God, this was happening back in AC? When
you were still with Max?” Hurt shimmered in her gaze. “I don’t understand
you, Landon. I don’t understand any of this.”
“I was the only one who knew nothing, then?” Daisy asked. “Shows
where I rank in the ladder of this friendship.”
A sob caught in my throat. The whole thing was spinning out of control
faster than I could contain it. It was as if I was losing my friends all at once,
like watching a fire burn everything you love slowly to the ground. “Guys,
please let’s go talk. We need to explain some stuff—I swear we planned on
telling you tonight!”
Noah shook his head. “This is too much,” he muttered. “I don’t have
time to sort out this clusterfuck. I gotta set up and be in a mind space to
play.”
Daisy looked torn but took Noah’s arm. “I’ll go with you. I’m really
confused.”
“Daisy, Elle, I’m sorry. Can you please listen to me?”
“All this talk about Max and getting on your high horse,” Coop said,
pointing angrily at Adam. “All your holier than thou bullshit about not
cheating and you go screw the woman he loves. Un-fucking believable.”
Adam’s jaw clenched but he stayed calm. His hand grabbed mine,
interlacing his fingers within mine for comfort. “I get it. You have every
right to be pissed and freak out. Noah, go set up, I don’t want to mess with
your job. Want to head outside? Or can we just walk over to the booth I
reserved to talk?”
“You keep talking about talking,” Max ground out, stepping closer. His
features were so tight it looked like he’d shatter. He kept his gaze off me,
focused on Adam. “But it’s too late for that. You should’ve talked to me
before you stuck your dick where it doesn’t belong. You should’ve talked to
me when I opened my heart up and told you Landon was the one for me.
You should’ve done a lot of things.”
 “Max—”
Adam tried to speak but suddenly Max was in his face a few inches
away.
Noah looked uneasy as he spoke to Max. “Hey, let’s bounce, dude. Get
a drink and get our shit together. I need to DJ tonight.”
I watched in horror as more attention was pulled to us and people began
to gather to watch, like we were on some type of reality show. Gabby held
up her phone. Holy shit, was she videoing this?
Max shook his head in mockery. “At least you kept it easy for me, man.
A clean break. Showed your true colors and there’s no more regrets. I’m
just gonna ask for one thing. Do this one thing and we can all walk away.”
The pause was terrible, a silence filled with gossipy comments around
us, and music streaming from the speakers and the clatter of glassware as
tables were cleared and drinks poured. Adam kept me shielded, as if he was
afraid Max would hurt me, and I could tell it made Max even more furious.
“What’s that?” Adam asked, his voice giving no hint of the screaming
tension swirling around them.
Max’s voice was soft and deadly. “Get your fucking hands off her.
Now.”
“Guys, please stop!” Daisy wailed. “Let’s not do this here!”
Automatically, I tried to step away from Adam to calm things down, but
I couldn’t move because Adam kept his grip firm and assuring, not allowing
me any space. I didn’t know if it was a fuck you to Max or to reassure me
he wouldn’t let anything happen; that we were finally a team. Either way,
no good could come of it.
“I can’t.” His tone held a flick of regret. “Because now she’s mine.”
Coop cleared his throat. “Max, come with me.”
Max gave a terrible smile. “Wrong answer, asshole.”
His arm snapped back and he punched Adam in the face.
 Chapter Twenty-Three
Adam

Listen to Regret Me
by Daisy Jones & the Six

I ’m not sure who started screaming. All I know is I expected Max’s

move way before he did it. I’d watched his actions during bar fights and
he always liked the quick surprise punch to the face to disarm and
surprise his opponent. He also liked to smile before he did it, which tipped
me off. I could’ve easily countered, or side stepped to save myself the pain,
but I didn’t.
I gave him the punch. He deserved a freebie. I’d betrayed him and had
no issues with a black eye or bent nose. Hell, after my father beat me for all
those years, Max’s hit was laughable. I only felt bad for Landon for having
to see it happen, and I hoped to God the scream wasn’t from her because the
noise rattled my ears and closed in on me as I staggered back and blinked
my vision to clear it.
Good, it wasn’t her. Daisy had issued the loud noise, and now all the
girls began yelling and Landon jumped in front of Max to protect me, but
thank God Coop was there to get her safely out of the line of fire. I’d seen
too many fights spill over to innocent witnesses and I’d kill Max myself if
Landon or the girls ever got hurt.
Max tried to go after me again but Coop dragged him back. Elle burst
into action and took a crying Daisy in her arms, because Landon had turned
into a furious Goddess ready to wreak revenge. She went after Max,
pushing him hard, then descended over me like a protective angel. Did she
really think I’d care about a simple punch from Max?
Hell, it was worth it to have her fuss over me. A sharp wave of emotion
crashed through me as she cupped my cheek with care, her blue eyes
worried as she took in my injury. I’d never had anyone care before—not
like this. It was becoming addicting.
“Adam, are you okay?”
I smiled at her sweetness. “Princess, that was like a gnat biting me. He
deserved at least one.”
She relaxed, then nibbled at her lower lip. “This wasn’t the way it
should’ve gone, huh? I hoped we could have controlled the narrative.”
“If there’s one lesson I learned, it’s none of us know what’s going to
happen next. Best to go along for the ride.”
Our gazes met and locked. For a few precious seconds, we were calm in
the midst of a shitstorm exploding around us.
Then I was thrust back into reality.
Security guards surrounded us to escort everyone out of the club.
Crowds pushed in, trying to get a peek at the action. Daisy wept, while
Gabby and Elle tried to comfort her, each grabbing one arm. Coop and
Noah kept a tight rein on Max, as he shouted and tried to twist around,
waving his fists in the air and giving a good show. Landon kept her hand
tight in mine, and we were shoved outside as a group, dumped onto the
street as the humid night air closed in.
Noah tried reasoning with the guard, telling him he was the DJ, and
disappeared back inside. I hoped he didn’t get cut because I knew stories
traded fast around here, and he didn’t need a mark on his record for
courting drama.
What a clusterfuck.
Instead of trying to calm everyone down, I shut my mouth to play
defense rather than offense. The group obviously needed to lose their shit
publicly first. I shouldn’t be surprised—they loved drama and this fed their
appetites like a five-star meal. My only worry was Landon. She looked sick
as she gazed at her girlfriends, all huddled together and obviously icing her
out.
Max started in again. “Nice move ruining Noah’s gig. I bet you wanted
this to happen to rub my face in it, didn’t you? You’re a liar about wanting
to talk to us later. I’ve always seen through you man. You can’t fool me.”
 I tried not to roll my eyes and make it worse. “You’re the one who
punched me,” I said mildly. “And we did plan to tell you. Landon didn’t
want to hurt anyone—not even you. She respects her relationships with this
group. This has been tearing her apart.”
Daisy gulped back a sob. “But why didn’t you just come clean when
you first began having feelings for each other? This seems so calculated!”
“Agreed,” Coop said in a hard voice. “Maybe you wanted to screw with
Max, but you ended up betraying everyone. We always had your back,
Adam. But this? This is unforgivable.”
A flicker of regret burned but it was too late. I could only hope once the
shock passed, they’d see we all made big mistakes. Max cheated. Coop had
dragged us into one of his beefs and we spent a night in jail after joining
him in a fight. Noah had stolen shit from a club and we lied to protect him.
Plus, every single one of them had fucked around in the gray area with their
girlfriends. There was endless shit that didn’t need to be pulled into the
light. I could only hope once they found out how I really felt about Landon,
they’d give me a bit of understanding.
“It’s not Adam’s fault,” Landon said in a choked voice. “You’re all
pissed at him like he bullied me or something. I fell for him and I’ve been
tortured about how to tell you all. We didn’t plan for this to happen, but it
did.”
Max shook his head and muttered a curse. “Landon, you’re wrong. You
don’t see that he set this whole thing up. He was the one who leaked the
video! Can’t you see his plan? Every step was thought out. Adam has
always been jealous of me and wanted what I have. Especially you.”
“Adam didn’t do it,” she said. “He didn’t need you to look bad, Max.
You did that on your own. Our breakup has absolutely nothing to do with
Adam and I getting together.”
“Gabby said she knew,” Elle accused. “When you were with Max. What
the fuck, Landon?”
Gabby glanced back and forth looking guilty. “I noticed they had crazy
chemistry in AC.”
Max stepped toward Gabby. “Tell the truth. Did they hook up in AC? I
know you’re holding back, Gabby. Don’t you think we all need to know
everything?”
I half closed my eyes, already anticipating Gabby’s answer. She was a
loose cannon but there was no way I was faulting her for telling the truth.
Maybe this whole thing was better being blown up now rather than later.
Her gaze met mine and I gave a tiny nod, letting her know I wouldn’t be
pissed.
“I think they kissed.”
Another explosion of raised voices and accusations.
Noah came out of the club with a tight expression. “I gotta get back in
and start set up. I can’t deal with this bullshit right now. I need to work.”
I raised my hands. “Understood. I’m sorry, Noah, I didn’t want this to
happen. I’ll leave.”
“Fuck, yeah, you’re leaving,” Max growled. “Landon, stay with us.
We’ll hear you out.”
A strange quiet descended. I looked at them all and realized they’d
chosen. If I stepped away, they’d take Landon back into the group and
freeze me out. Pain hit, but I understood. Maybe it was the right thing. If I
could let Landon go, I’d surrender, take off, and allow her to sink back into
the fold of her familiar friendships. I was the one they hated.
I was the one who had to go.
The only problem?
I couldn’t leave Landon. It was too late for me, and for us. Maybe if I
wasn’t a selfish asshole, I’d go on tour and leave this whole mess behind.
Landon would forget about me. Maybe Max would eventually get her back.
I’d make new friends and let my bandmates be my new family.
But I wasn’t going to do that.
“Landon stays with me.”
Shock settled on all their faces. My heart sped up and knocked crazily
against my chest as I waited those few terrifying seconds to see if Landon
had changed her mind. I waited to see if she’d look at me with regret and
choose her friends over me. The known over the unknown. It’d be easier
and cleaner. It’d be the smart choice.
My gut clenched. And I waited.
“I’m with Adam now,” she said softly, easing back to my side. “I want
to talk to all of you and explain. What Gabby said is the truth.” Her chin
tilted upward and pride spilled through me at her raw vulnerability. “I’ve
been fighting my feelings for Adam a long time. I buried the truth because I
didn’t want to face it or betray Max, or hurt any of you. I love you all.
You’re my family.”
“Landon—” Max interrupted, but she shook her head and continued.
 “No, you have to listen! Adam fought just as hard. Tried to push me
away over and over but there was a pull that eventually sparked after I saw
that video. I know we lied. I know you hate us, and feel betrayed, but I
swear to God, I only did it because I had no idea how to handle the truth.”
“What truth?” Coop spit out. “That you wanted to fuck him while you
were with Max? That you made it seem Max destroyed you while you were
already cheating on him with his friend? What’s your fucking truth,
Landon?”
I was about to smash him for talking to her like that but Landon pulled
in a breath and faced them all down.
“I’m in love with Adam. It’s not a fling, or revenge screw. I just…love
him.”
I wanted to sink to my knees in relief and worship at her feet, but once
again, chaos erupted.
Landon walked toward her friends; her hands raised in supplication.
“Please, talk to me. Give me a chance. I’m so sorry.”
I watched as Gabby looked at her with sympathy, and Elle remained
cold, clutching Daisy’s arm. They just stared back, refusing to speak, and
my heart shriveled at Landon’s obvious pain.
“I’m going inside. Who’s with me?” Noah asked.
Slowly, the girls broke away from the circle and joined Noah along with
Coop and Max.
Max put his hand out to Landon. “Come with us,” he urged, eyes intent
on her face. “We can all talk inside. Don’t make the wrong choice again,
Landon. Trust us.”
Landon stared at his outstretched hand. Tears filled her beautiful eyes.
“I can’t.”
She leaned into me and my arm wrapped around her waist, holding her
close.
Max’s eyes hardened. His voice was a whiplash. “Good luck. I never
want to see either of you again.”
Then he left, along with the rest of our friends.
We stood on the street alone and watched them disappear.
 Chapter Twenty-Four
Landon

Listen to Give Me a Kiss

by Crash Adams

T hey’d left me.

I stared at the empty space where all of my friends had gathered—
the people I chose as my family. Pain stabbed sharply in my gut,
making me want to bend over and vomit. Elle believed I’d betrayed her.
Gabby was filming us. Daisy was crying and looked so hurt, I only wanted
to hug her and explain.
But no one had given me time. They’d shut us out, led under Max’s
charge, and for the first time I realized I’d been kidding myself, believing a
truthful discussion could save all of us from the fallout. Now, I knew the
truth. By choosing Adam and not telling them ahead of time, I’d lost their
trust.
“I don’t understand,” I murmured, swaying on my feet. “They wouldn’t
listen to us.”
“Sweetheart, look at me.” I blinked and tried to focus on Adam’s face.
His dark eyes gripped mine with an assurance I desperately needed. “You
gotta give them time. Elle will apologize and understand. So will Daisy.
And Gabby’s playing follow the leader now, she’ll also back you up.”
I chewed my lip and thought over his words. “Max is never going to let
anyone forget.”
 “No, he won’t. But it won’t matter. Your girls will support you—they
just need a moment to sort it out. Landon?”
“Yeah?”
He tipped my chin up and studied my face. “Breathe.”
The breath suddenly whooshed from my lungs and I realized I’d been
holding it in, ready to pass out. Adam’s strong arms held me tight, and inch
by inch, I relaxed into him. We’d made our stand and it had blown up. But
he was right. I couldn’t lose my shit and assume no one would ever talk to
me again. Like any fight or explosion in our group, we needed to hold on to
the drama for a while, but eventually we always came back together.
Through cheating scandals, lies, and broken hearts, we seemed to seek each
other out in the end no matter what happened. Usually, the dynamics were
tweaked, and we found a new normal.
I needed to believe it would happen again.
“Let’s go home.”
I nodded at Adam’s words and we returned to his apartment. He poured
me a shot of whisky and I drank it, feeling the warmth explode in my belly
and loosen my muscles. I sat on the edge of his bed. “I never told Gabby
about the kiss. Why would Elle get so upset? She was the only one who
knew about us.”
“Gabby’s suspected for a long time. Maybe she was resentful we kept
denying it and decided to push back. Maybe she wanted some drama in the
evening. I think they’ll be ready to talk to you tomorrow when shit settles
down. Come here.”
He tugged me onto his lap and cuddled me. I lay my head against his
chest and breathed in his scent, my hands wrapped around his shoulders,
cheek pressed into the soft cotton of his shirt. I wished I could stay in this
position forever, bodies entangled, hearts beating together, a sense of
homecoming beating through every cell. I knew as long as I had Adam, I’d
be okay.
“I shouldn’t have expected it to be easy,” I sighed.
He kissed the top of my head. “Easy would bore us.”
I gave a half laugh. “Yeah, I guess. What about you? I’m afraid Max
will poison Noah and Coop against you, especially since you’re going
away.”
“Maybe. But I can’t apologize for taking what I’ve always wanted.
What was always mine.”
 Shivers exploded at his possessive vow. “I think they’ll find fault with
that statement.”
“I don’t care. I can only apologize for how it went down. That we
should’ve been upfront from the beginning. The rest? Fuck them. I got you
and I’ll never be sorry for that.”
My breath caught and immediately, my nipples hardened. Guess I liked
the primitive caveman approach because all my girly parts were suddenly
aching and needy. As if he knew, his hand immediately slid up and cupped
my breast, tweaking the hard tip with his thumb. I shuddered.
“Oh, you like that princess? You like when I treat you like my sweet
little slut that I own, to do as I want?”
I tried to be bratty but the emotions of the night had left me raw and
exposed. Instead, a moan escaped my throat. I waited for him to tease me
about it, but he must’ve felt the same because he suddenly pressed me down
on the bed and loomed over me, those seething dark eyes locking on mine
and promising all the bad things I secretly wanted. I stayed silent,
unconsciously begging him to wipe out all my anxiety and doubts and give
myself to him.
He undressed me slow. His gaze devoured and burned as each inch of
naked skin was revealed. By the time he was done, I was shaking,
sensitized to the point of anguish, so when his rough hand finally touched
me, I shook with need.
He bit my earlobe, then licked the delicate shell with his hot tongue. His
voice was a low growl of sound. “The last time you were in my bed, I
punished you for being a bad girl. But tonight, you deserve a reward. What
do you want? I’ll give you anything. The moon, the stars? My dick and
tongue and teeth? My body and soul?” His palms coasted over my curves,
grinding against my swollen pussy, scraping his nails past my trembling
inner thighs. “Ask.”
And I did—requesting the only thing I ever wanted from the moment
our gazes met at the bar, and I walked past him to choose Max.
Parting my legs for full access, I slid my arms up over my head, spread
out fully for him, giving him all of what he already owned.
“Everything.” A sob caught in my throat at the edgy, painful desire for
him to imprint himself on my skin like a tattoo, a permanent brand and
reminder of who I belonged to. “All of you. No holding back.”
 He stilled. Studied my face as raw emotion flickered over his carved
features. He half closed his eyes and blistered out a curse. When he opened
them, I caught the storm of rage and hunger and possession blazing out,
warning me what I asked had pushed him to the edge.
“Can you handle it, princess? Everything I dream of giving you?”
I gasped as he knocked my legs further apart and shoved his fingers
inside me, pumping my channel with thick fingers, ramping me up so high
and fast, the orgasm shattered over me and I cried out, barely able to choke
out breaths. When I managed to re-focus, he was still waiting for his
answer, deadly still.
“Yes.” My voice softened, lingered, seduced. “Please.”
His mouth crashed over mine and he devoured me whole.
Adam unleashed was a force that wrecked my entire being without
finesse or apology. No, this was raw, unfiltered hunger that seemed
endlessly ravenous. He took what he wanted throughout the night, not
allowing me any rest or retreat, until I was a begging, writhing animal
sobbing his name and clinging to him, my only shelter in the storm.
His teeth bit and his fingers bruised before bringing intense orgasms
that convulsed through my body. He licked and sucked my clit until I was
so sensitized, a brush of his finger would make me come again. I tasted
blood on my lips. I tore at his hair and raked my nails down his back as he
fucked me over and over, throwing me into different positions.
On my knees as he pulled my head back and bit my neck.
On top of him as he forced my hips to buck and twist over him until he
came.
Sitting astride, face to face, while he trapped me with his grip and his
dick split me apart.
It went on and on until I was weak and my throat was raw from
screaming. Tears leaked from my eyes as the last of my walls forever
collapsed and I knew I’d never recover from this night; the night Adam had
taken everything from me and given back everything I ever wanted.
Finally, he let me collapse on the pillows and held me while I cried. He
brought out a wet cloth and cleaned me, kissing away my tears and bruises.
He brought me water and made me drink, then wrapped me in the covers
and held me close, rocking me against his heart.
In the dark and the quiet, I whispered his name.
“What is it sweetheart?”
 “Why did I get a reward?”
His voice held a smile but I was too tired to look at his face. “You did
something no one has ever done for me.”
I frowned. “What’s that?”
Adam hesitated only a moment. “You chose me.” I held my breath,
sensing he was about to say more. “I love you, Landon. I fucking fell in
love with you the moment I saw you in that bar. It didn’t matter if you went
to Max. We both know you always belonged to me. You were just making
your way there.”
I tipped my chin up to study his beloved face. Joy unfurled like a
blossom opening to the sun. A trembling smile broke over my lips. “About
time you said it.”
He chuckled, holding me close, and we held each other as the sun came
up. It was as if we were both in a protective bubble, safe from the world and
our friends and the reality waiting to attack with the day.
But it was worse than I could have ever imagined.
Because when I finally opened my phone, I found the video from last
night had gone viral and Adam and I were everywhere.
 Chapter Twenty-Five
Landon

Listen to Champagne Problems

by Taylor Swift

A fter one of the most emotional nights of my life, I climbed out of

Adam's bed with a sense of purpose. He loved me. He'd said the
words that broke through our last barrier, and I knew now I could face
anything—even the physical distance between us in our future. Yes, I was
still hurting from my friends and their choice, but it didn't matter as much
after the time I spent with Adam. The bond between us felt unbreakable,
and if I needed to face difficulty, having him by my side made it all
possible.
But when I checked my phone to see if Elle had texted or anyone had
reached out, I saw a scrolling stream of notifications that made my belly
clench. I half closed my eyes and wondered if I should crawl back into bed
and delay the inevitable. But Adam was already putting on coffee and I was
tired being scared of the unknown.
So, I clicked on it.
The Tik Tok video blasted me like a punch to the face. Gabby had
posted it to her page, and it was blowing up with likes and endless
comments. The graphic screamed in red font: Love Triangle Alert! 2 Gorg
Men fighting over you...check out this fight!
The video zoomed in on us. I stood close to Adam, who had me tucked
behind him as if trying to protect me. The camera panned out quickly to see
the group's reaction, then straight to Max's furious face. Even in anger, his
thick blonde hair and perfect profile made him look like the hero in the
movie rather than the villain.
In rising horror, I watched the scene play out for the world to judge. I
watched me desperately trying to explain. I watched Adam boldly claim me
as his. I watched Max hit Adam, and Adam's cold response. I watched the
group go apeshit and get thrown out.
The camera jerked and followed as we stumbled outside, then went
black.
Oh, my God. It got much worse.
Gabby's face spoke to the camera in a close up. I was struck by her
presence, with her bright red hair and perfect skin; her full lips and the
dramatic way she catered to the screen, as if she was sharing a big secret
with a chosen, lucky few. "What do you think of Landon's choice? Yay or
Nay?" she whispered.
Then she tagged all three of us.
I closed my eyes and fought nausea. What had Gabby done to all of us?
Had this been her plan all along? To become part of our inner group to
destroy us? Was she laughing right now at our naivete? Was this her way to
gain a million more followers at my expense?
My voice shook. "Adam. You have to come see this."
He walked over with a concerned expression. "If anyone’s texting you
crap, maybe you should let them cool down before responding. They're
probably all still smashed and aren't thinking clearly."
"It's not that. It's much worse."
I handed him the phone. He watched the video with a tight jaw, but his
eyes blazed with emotion as the video rolled on. "What the fuck," he
muttered, handing it back and grabbing his own. He punched a few things
out and stared in shock. "Holy crap. This isn't possible."
"What?"
"My followers. I have thousands now. They keep going up."
I brought up my own pages on IG and TikTok and my jaw almost
dropped. The same thing had happened. I'd begun with 25K followers and
now I was over 50K and climbing. The video had already been shared and
was going viral. I'd seen this stuff before and it was like watching a train
approach a wreck. I'd always wanted to be in a video that blew up and put
me in the world's focus. But this was different. This was...all wrong.
 In silence, we read the rush of comments. People chose sides and asked
for more info from Gabby. Gabby teased in the comments to follow her, like
and share, and maybe she'd give everyone an update.
And it worked.
In real time, I watched myself get famous for something I wanted to
keep private—something that tore my chosen family apart. And now the
world was there to judge, and pick apart every nuance, like we'd filmed a
scene in Vanderpump Rules in the Bravo universe.
Adam muttered a curse. "The page for Unison is also blowing up. And
so is Max's account."
"How did she do this?" I asked in wonder. "Why does anyone care
about us?"
Adam's tone was slightly bitter. "Because everyone loves drama.
Because judging and watching us is easier than dealing with their own shit.
You should know, Landon It's always been the game."
I bit my lower lip. “What do we do? I can’t believe she did this to us.
I’m going to kill her!”
“Gabby’s always been a wild card but I never thought she’d hurt us on
purpose. I thought we were close. Guess not.”
“She posted this late last night when she was probably still at the club.
Do you think she got drunk and everyone was in on it?”
He shook his head. “No. She’s obviously narrating it from a quieter
place. She did this afterward. And she knew what she was doing.”
On cue, texts began rolling in. The first one was from Elle.
Were you in on this?
My head throbbed. “I have to call Elle.”
“I better call the band. I made your coffee—it’s on the table.”
“Thanks.” I turned, then stopped to grab him. “Adam?”
“Yeah?”
My words wobbled. “Last night meant everything.”
Immediately, his face softened. Last night had really happened and he
wasn’t taking it back with the light of day. “Same, princess. Same.” He
pressed a kiss to my lips then took his phone into the bathroom.
I sucked in a lungful of air and called Elle. “What in the hell is going
on, Landon?” she practically shrieked. “Did you tell Gabby to post this so
you can get followers? It’s like I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
 I ignored the pang of hurt my bestie could think like that and kept calm.
“No! Why the hell would I do that, Elle?”
“Because you lied and you’ve never lied to me! Maybe you and Gabby
are much closer and I had nothing to do with this whole plan to blow up
your platform and secretly have sex with Adam.”
“It wasn’t like that and you know it,” I said softly. “You were the only
one who knew how I felt about Adam. I never told Gabby, no matter what
she said. And this video? I don’t want my private life out there so I can
become some weird zoo like animal!”
Elle was quiet for a while, and then I heard a whoosh of breath. “I have
such a headache,” she muttered. “I can’t deal with this right now.”
“Meet me at the diner,” I begged. “Please. I want to talk to you in
person.”
“Now?”
“Right now. I need you.”
I waited for her answer with a pounding heart. If Elle didn’t believe me,
no one else would. What if everyone believed I urged Gabby to post so I
could get attention? This whole thing could blow up in so many bad ways.
“Okay. I’m leaving now.”
“Thanks.”
I finished getting dressed and peeked my head into the bathroom where
Adam was talking to JJ. I mouthed I was meeting Elle and he nodded. Then
I raced out and toward the diner where all of our big moments seemed to
occur.
I got our favorite booth and ordered coffee and Elle’s favorite French
Toast special. She rolled in with her hair up in a messy bun, baggy sweats,
and a t-shirt. Typical morning after outfit when nursing a hangover.
Jealousy struck when I thought of her partying and having fun after our big
fight but I pushed it away.
“I ordered you the French Toast.”
“Thanks.”
We stared at each other and I had the strange impulse to cry. Elle was
my sister. I didn’t know how to do life without her—she was my person.
“I’m sorry,” I finally said. “That it blew up like that and I didn’t get to talk
to you in private. But I swear, you need to believe you were the only one I
confided in.”
 Her eyes filled with anguish. “Landon, I know. I was a total bitch. I lost
it because I was mad you told Gabby and not me and felt stupid. And after
Max punched Adam, you seemed to act like it was you against us and that
got me mad, too. I thought you blamed me for getting caught. I texted but
obviously you didn’t see it.”
Tears burned against my lids. “Elle, I wasn’t mad! I felt like I was in
this bad dream or some Black Mirror episode. One minute, Adam and I
were going over our plan to tell everyone in this calm, informative manner,
and the next, the shit hits the fan and you hate us.”
“I don’t hate you. I love you. When I got up this morning and saw
Gabby’s video, I convinced myself you were in on it but I knew the truth. I
know you, Landon. Sure, you want followers and to become known, but not
like this. Not at the expense of Adam and Max.”
I reached out across the table and she snagged my hands. Relief washed
through me. Elle hadn’t turned her back on me—she’d needed time to
process. “Thank God, because I cannot go through this alone. I’m losing my
mind.”
“Did you call Gabby?”
I shook my head. “Adam and I saw the video. I keep thinking how she
played all of us. Maybe the whole friendship thing was a lie. It makes me
sick.”
“We need to talk to her. This is ridiculous—we have to know.”
“You’re right. Let’s do it now.” A chill overcame me as I tapped out her
number and put her on speaker.
She picked up. “Girl, I’ve been waiting for you to call me.”
“I bet. How about you get your ass over to the diner? I’m here with Elle.
I think I deserve a one on one, don’t you? Or is that how you like to ruin
people? Stabbing them in the back?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
I shared a disbelieving look with Elle. “I’m talking about finally telling
us the truth, Gabby. Because you are a fucking liar and cheat, just like I
originally thought.”
“Okay, this shit is going sideways fast. Stay there. I’ll be right over.”
The phone clicked.
Finally, I’d get the answers I needed.
Because I was going to burn this whole fake friendship to the ground.
 Chapter Twenty-Six
Landon

Listen to Burn
by Ellie Goulding

I watched Gabby enter the diner, looking gorgeous as usual. She looked
fresh and put together, her hair in a sleek pony, emanating mob wife
style with black boots, leopard t-shirt, and a black silk mini. A classic
Chanel purse set off the amazing outfit. Elle and I shared a glance of pure
jealousy as she slid into the booth, her bold red lips pursed in concern as
she stared at us. “Did you at least order me coffee?”
I gave her a cold, dismissing look. “No, because you’re no longer our
friend. You fucked me over big time by videoing a private moment and
posting it on the web for everyone to gawk at. I hope it got you enough
followers to make betraying me worth it.”
Gabby let out a dramatic sigh. “Really? I can’t believe you’re still
questioning my loyalty. I thought we were past this and true friends.”
“Friends don’t do this stuff,” Elle hissed. “You didn’t get permission
from Landon to share, plus you deliberately made it seem that you were
told they hooked up. Landon said she never told you so you’re also a liar!”
Gabby shook her head and I caught a gleam of hurt in her eyes. “Wow,
okay. I guess I was wrong about all of it. So, I’ll give you my truth and then
I’m out of here. I’ll leave you and your precious group.”
I refused to soften. “Spill.”
 “First off, I was filming already as we walked in to do a post, so I
wasn’t this blood thirsty bitch hitting the record button as everything went
down. I actually forgot about it—which you’ll see in the video when my
phone slides down and you see the floor for a bit. Then I realized that if I
recorded, you both could benefit big time.”
I gave a bitter laugh. “Makes no sense.”
“Yes it does, Landon! You’re about to go on reality tv and shit’s gonna
get real. The producers will be watching to see who flourishes in their role,
and how you can pull in viewers. If they find you lacking, they’ll give you
no camera time and edit it to make you look like an idiot. Or boring. Or
mean. They’ll create a persona that people will hate, and you will get
slammed by the media. I see it all the time. This video shows you as a real
person. A woman torn between her emotions and her friends. It’s big-time
drama, and you’re vulnerable. So, now, no matter what happens with
Dumped, you’ll be filming with a built-in audience, plus sympathy. No one
will mess with you now.”
I was so ready to call her out and blast Gabby for the betrayal, but her
words actually made a sick type of sense. Gabby was more central to that
world, and hadn’t I been worried about how the producers already viewed
me?
Elle tapped her finger against her mug. “So, you did all that to make
Landon look good?”
“Yes! What could I possibly get out of it otherwise? And Adam will
now be going off to LA with a huge audience. I bet Unison is already
blowing up because everyone is going to want to listen to his music. People
go their whole life without an opportunity like this, and I’m the one who
gave it to you.”
I thought about Adam saying how Unison’s socials were exploding. I
thought about how many messages had already slid into my DM’s. I hadn’t
even checked the Dumped social media. It was brand new with not many
followers since we were just beginning to film, but I wondered if it was the
same type of snowball effect. Nowadays, bad press was good press and vice
versa. It didn’t matter as long as the content was raw and real.
Our blow up had been both. Big time.
My anger dulled. “Okay, I do see your point. It felt calculated though,
Gabby. I got the major ick factor. Kind of like when I saw that video of
Max cheating on me.”
 Her voice turned pleading. “I would never do that to hurt you! And Elle,
you were right. Landon never told me straight out she’d kissed Adam. I had
a gut feeling when I caught them both in AC, and I was hanging with Adam
a lot so I could see the look on his face when he was around Landon. It
didn’t take me long to see they were eventually going to hook up. I’m sorry
I made it sound like you were out of the loop.”
Silence fell briefly over the table, but I could see Elle was already
softening. So was I. When I analyzed what the benefits would be to try and
humiliate us, it didn’t make sense. My emotions were running high, and it
was easy to think the worst.
“I wish you would have told me,” I said.
Gabby bit her lip and looked guilty. “If I did, you would’ve tried to stop
me. I figured if I took the decision away, it’d be easier for you.”
I sighed. “I guess you’re right.”
“Am I leaving or can I get a fucking cup of coffee?”
Elle and I laughed. Gabby slid her hands across the table and we linked
up. “You can stay, bitch,” I said. “God knows, I need as many friends as
possible right now who don’t hate me.”
Gabby rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, no one hates you. Well, maybe
Max. Daisy probably already feels guilty and will reach out today. Coop
will follow Max’s lead but there’s nothing to do. He either accepts it or not.
I actually think it’s a good lesson for Max. He’s too used to getting
everything he wants.”
Elle nodded. “I agree. Not that it’s tit for tat, but the guy’s not innocent.
It wasn’t like he’s been the perfect boyfriend.”
I agreed, but couldn’t help feel guilty. I knew I was a bitch, but sneaking
around with Adam wasn’t cool. At least both Elle and Gabby understood,
and I hoped the entire group would eventually forgive and move on.
Maybe.
“Will you explain to Adam I’m not the villain?” Gabby joked. “Our
friendship is important to me. He was the only one who gave me a chance
when I was trying to convince all the girls not to hate me.”
“I will. He’s not comfortable being in the spotlight.”
Gabby arched a red brow. “He better get used to it. You too, Landon.
Because if you both want to succeed, going viral is your best friend.”
“Damn right. I’m going to be trying my own stuff with music. Noah and
I are working on some new songs,” Elle said, sipping her coffee.
 “Anything I can do to help?” Gabby asked playfully. “Film you and
Cooper doing it somewhere naughty?”
I cracked up as Elle turned pink. “You know, too?”
“Babe, everyone knows you get off on being watched. Or caught. It’s a
popular fantasy. I think it’s cool,” I said.
“Ugh. It’s weird but I’m getting a little too addicted. It’s like I’ve
always been this good girl inside, but Coop is bringing out some things in
me I’m a little ashamed of.”
“Sex is meant to be explored in all forms,” I recited. I thought of the
dark games Adam and I played together and a shiver raced down my spine.
“No one’s judging.”
Gabby laughed. “If you two saw what I do in the bedroom, you may not
be my friend.”
Elle and I looked at each other, then Gabby. “Oh, now you gotta tell,” I
begged. But she only laughed harder and shook her head.
“Another time. Not ready to share my kink.”
We ate breakfast and afterward I felt calmer. Sure, I’d have to deal with
the fallout and social media chaos, but knowing Gabby didn’t do it to hurt
us was key. Her point was well taken. I bet the show had no issues with this
type of blow up.
In two days, I’d be leaving for filming and I wouldn’t see Adam for a
while. I texted him that I’d meet him in an hour, planning to stop at my
apartment. I quickly explained that Gabby and I were cool and I’d share
details later.
When I got to my place, Max was sitting on the steps.
Heart beating madly, caught between a bunch of raw emotion, I stopped
in front of him. We didn’t say anything for a while. He looked like crap—
his eyes red, his hair mussed, his clothes wrinkled. He smelled like he
hadn’t showered and held the faint scent of alcohol drifting around him.
“I have to talk to you, Landon.” His gaze burned into mine. “It’s
important. You need to know the truth before you make a big mistake.”
 Chapter Twenty-Seven
Landon

Listen to Breathe 2am

by Anna Nalik

I held back a sigh and stared at Max. I knew why he was here. It was his
last-ditch effort to make me doubt Adam, but we’d already gone past the
edge of no return. Nothing Max could say would change my mind. A
flash of pity raced through me. This was a man I’d once loved and dreamed
of marrying. How had so much transpired in one summer? I was now a
different person, on a new path I’d never imagined. But without Max, I
would’ve never found Adam.
I owed him a conversation.
“You didn’t have to hit him,” I said softly.
His jaw clenched. “Yeah, I did. He crossed the line.”
“Then you should be just as mad at me. I was the one in a relationship
with you.”
Sadness gleamed in his blue eyes. “No, Landon. I can’t blame you
because you were played. No one knows Adam the way I do. You never had
a chance.”
Temper slapped back and my gaze turned cold. “You’re not coming up.
I don’t trust you in my apartment. Say what you want right here.”
He ran his fingers through his hair, rubbing his scalp in obvious upset.
“How did this happen to us? Did I make you so unhappy you’d run to him
for revenge? What is he giving you that I don’t? Is it the sex?”
 I refused to blush or answer the direct question. “It doesn’t matter
anymore, Max. That’s what I keep trying to tell you. I’ve been fighting my
feelings for Adam for a long time. I never wanted to hurt you, but I’m
almost glad for that video. It helped me see the truth and things would’ve
been much worse if we ignored the warning signs. It’s no one’s fault—it
just happened. All I want is not to lose the entire group over this. We were
hoping with enough time and space we could get past it.” A desperate plea
leaked into my voice. “We wouldn’t have been happy together. I know once
you meet the right person, you’ll see that, too.”
“I see you’ve already decided, which means you won’t believe me. I can
only tell you the truth of what you’re getting into. I cheated on you, and
broke your heart. Adam is also a cheater, but it will be so much worse for
you, Landon. He may love you, but he’s too fucked up to stay in a long-
term relationship. He confessed that to me over and over—that even when
he tries, the demons come and get him and he needs to tear it apart before it
becomes too important. He won’t have a choice except to hurt you.”
I swore I wouldn’t listen, but his words held a terrible doubt that locked
inside my chest. Adam had spoken about his father many times; how his
brokenness loved mine and it made us strong together. But it was still the
beginning for us. Would Adam be able to commit or would he get spooked?
Plus, we were about to be torn apart for weeks, living separate lives. I
trusted he loved me and didn’t want to hurt me.
What I didn’t trust was Adam’s belief and love for himself. He’d told
me it was hard for him to believe he deserved anything good. Would his
fears rip us apart before we even had a chance?
“He’s not a cheater,” I said. “It was a game to you. What you could get
away with. The only thing that mattered to you was not getting caught.”
He stared at me for a while, then lowered his head. “You’re right. God, I
regret what I did every damn second. I became reckless with what we had
and now I’ve lost you. That will always haunt me, Landon. But this isn’t
about trying to break you up so I can get you back—I know it’s too late.
This is about knowing who Adam truly is and being real with yourself.”
“No one knows the future. And I choose him. I choose to believe Adam
won’t hurt me.”
Max shook his head, regret carving out his features. “Fine. Just ask him
about Josie. Ask him to tell you the truth. Then you decide if I’m trying to
bullshit you or not. I’m done trying to convince you. Good luck with
Dumped.”
He spun on his heel and started to walk away. I called out his name.
“Yeah?”
I hesitated only a few seconds. “When we come back, are you willing to
try and forgive? Give us a chance to move forward with everyone?”
I was surprised at his sharp nod. “If you and Adam are still together,
then yeah. It’s a month, right?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be here. I never want to lose you from my life, Landon. No matter
what happens.” A small smile played on his lips. “If the world sees what I
see, you’ll come back a star.”
Then he disappeared down the block, leaving me with a bittersweet
sadness and a strange ringing worry that lodged into my heart.
Josie. Who was Josie? And would it really matter what the story was?
I was strong enough to listen to Adam’s past mistakes and move on.
History couldn’t hurt us now. Only our current choices.
I spent the next few hours getting ready to leave tomorrow. It was my
last night with Adam and my stomach twisted with dread. I know I should
be more excited to get on set and see what the opportunity of reality tv
brought, but my interest wasn’t there for the actual job. It was like I was
more focused on the opportunities it brought after the show wrapped. I had
no desire to play a role and look like an idiot for the audience, but I also
knew I’d chosen this and I needed to get on board.
I kept checking the video and the viewers kept growing. I also noticed
Dumped was getting some play as people found out I was going to be on the
show. I wondered if the producers would change my storyline now that my
relationship with Adam was out there. So far, I hadn’t heard anything from
my agent so maybe they didn’t know about it yet?
Daisy ended up calling and we spoke for a while. She apologized and
said she’d miss me while I was gone; that she’d acted emotionally. Relief
flowed through me when we officially made up and ended the call in tears,
saying we’d miss each other.
By the time Adam arrived, I was emotionally exhausted but felt as if
everything had been wrapped up. I was free to go after one last goodbye.
“Hey.” His shoulders filled the doorway. He smelled of smoke and
coffee, wearing ripped cutoffs, sneakers with no socks, and a worn concert
t-shirt. His hair was damp from a shower. Those dark eyes studied me with
a piercing intimacy that brought goose bumps and a sexual awareness I
couldn’t fight. “How did your convo with Gabby go?”
“Good.” I shut the door behind him and filled him in. “I just got off the
phone with Daisy. She also apologized and we’re good now.”
He pulled me in for a hug and I snuggled against his hard chest. “I’m
glad. You didn’t need to leave with that guilt hanging on you. You’re
packed and ready?”
“Yeah.” I hesitated. “Max came by.”
His entire body stiffened but he didn’t stop gently stroking my hair.
“Want to tell me about it?”
“Of course. Basically, it was a big warning about not getting involved
with you. That you were a cheater like him. That you’d break my heart.
Etcetera, etcetera. Yada, yada, yada.”
He let out a long sigh. “Last ditch attempt, huh? I figured. Did he say
anything that made you nervous about us? Because for the next few hours,
I’m going to fuck you into oblivion and there will be no more words.”
My knees literally sagged and he let out a sexy low laugh. Already, my
body was lit on fire, and his palm traced the line of my spine, stopping at
the curve of my ass. Slowly, he squeezed.
I fought through the arousal, knowing I had to ask. The name would be
imprinted in my memory and it wasn’t fair to either of us for me to pretend
otherwise. “He did mention something. Or, someone. Told me to ask you
about a woman and demand the truth.”
“I’ll always tell you the truth, princess. But there’s really been no one in
my life so I’m not sure who he’s talking about.”
“Her name is Josie. Max told me to ask you about Josie.”
It happened so fast, I wasn’t prepared. In seconds, he released me and
stepped back. His face morphed into a stranger, ravaged with pain and rage
as he stared back at me. Eyes fierce and coal black glimmered with raw
emotion that took my breath and had me retreating, suddenly afraid of what
I saw there.
“Adam?” Did I whimper or whisper? I wasn’t sure. My feet were rooted
to the floor as I waited. “Who’s Josie?”
 Chapter Twenty-Eight
Adam

Listen to I Guess I’m in Love

by Clinton Kane

I stared in shock as the name I’d buried deep suddenly sprung forward
with all its taunting, painful memories. It took me a few seconds to
register Landon’s growing horror, probably afraid she’d unearthed a
terrible secret Max was giddy to share in order to get her to doubt me.
The breath stuttered in my lungs. I spit out a vicious curse, as my
trembling hand pushed through my hair. I needed to get my shit in order to
explain, but either way, Max had once again proven we were never friends.
I’d confessed my shameful story while I was stumbling drunk, and we’d
shared a rare moment of vulnerability. Of course, looking back, I now
realized his secret gave away nothing real—he’d confessed he once tried to
seduce one of his high school teachers but it had blown up when she
rejected his advances and called his parents in to cover her ass. Guess he
still thought about her as the one who got away.
Big fucking deal.
I’d told him about Josie, and now I’d pay just for having to re-live the
memory in front of the woman I loved.
“Adam?” Landon’s voice was a low, pleading sound. “Who’s Josie?”
Didn’t I know by now you could never outrun your mistakes? Nothing
was safe. It was another reason I rarely opened myself up to anyone,
especially a woman who could destroy me if she ever turned on me. But
loving Landon wasn’t a rational thing. It was a vile, beautiful, raw mess that
refused to be tamed, and I was done trying.
“I haven’t thought of her in a long time,” I finally managed to say.
Regret and a touch of bitterness threaded through me. I wondered if I’d be
able to explain her to Landon. I wondered if this was the beginning of a
crack in our trust, on our last night together before we were ripped apart.
“To be honest, I like it that way. She’s a part of my past I’m not proud of.”
Landon chewed on her lower lip and stepped back. I gave her the space,
knowing it wasn’t the time to push. That may come later, if she tried to run.
“Okay. Usually, I wouldn’t act like a jealous girlfriend and ask you for
details on someone you dated. But Max acted like you’d done something
unforgivable.”
Was it? Not to me. But others looking in would probably have various
opinions. I’d tried to make peace with my actions and move forward,
because survival had been my number one priority.
“I met Josie when I was seventeen. She was fucking my father.”
Landon jerked. I kept still, my gaze calmly focused on her face. I waited
to see the revulsion, but she only tilted her head, and waited for me to
continue.
“I noticed when my father began seeing Josie. He began ignoring me.
Stopped picking fights and throwing empty whisky bottles at my head. Hell,
he even smiled sometimes when she was around. I was just grateful she
took some of the heat off me.”
“How old was Josie?” she asked quietly.
I shrugged. “Thirty? Not sure. I don’t remember how long dad was
happy. I only knew I’d gained some safety in the house. But soon, I began
noticing her walking around me half dressed. Coming out of my father’s
bedroom wrapped in robe that barely covered her. Knocking on my door to
check on me. Soon, Dad noticed too, and that’s when the torture began
again.”
The memory still ate like acid, remembering the pain dad tried to inflict
after he saw me staring openly at Josie, whose tits jiggled freely without a
bra; whose greedy gaze stripped me naked with glee. She’d played me and
my father against each other, loving the attention and racketing tension. My
home became even more dangerous and it was then I realized something
bad was coming and it would change everything.
“What happened?” Landon asked.
 My lips curved in a smile, as cold as the ice trickling through me. “I
took what she was offering. I fucked her in my father’s bed, and waited for
him to come home and find us.”
Landon sucked in a breath. I kept talking in a robotic voice.
“He went apeshit, of course. Came at me with a knife. We fought and he
got cut. Josie acted like she was devastated at the fallout, but I saw the
satisfaction in her eyes. She loved every moment. I packed up my stuff and
left. Josie went with me. We got a hotel room and stayed together for a
while. I had no money so she paid, and she took rent out in trade.”
I made sure my words were ruthless because Landon had a right to
know. That I had no pretty past like Max. That I was dirty—just like I told
her.
“How long did you stay together?” she asked.
“Not sure. A while. We were saving up money to get away. I promised
her shit I didn’t mean. She said she loved me, but I caught her texting my
father once. Sending him some sex video she’d taped with me. Not sure
why she wanted to hurt him, but I didn’t care. I was pretty much dead inside
anyway.”
Did I hate the gentleness in Landon’s blue eyes, or crave it? Tenderness
was a quality I didn’t own or receive. It was different from the pity or
judgment I saw in other people. No, Landon seemed to get me to my very
soul, and didn’t judge my choices. But I was giving her another test, and I
didn’t know if she wanted to live in my world.
“I knew where Josie kept the money. I waited until we’d saved up a
hefty amount. Then one night, I put sleeping pills in her drink, and while
she was passed out, I took the money and ran. Dumped my phone. Came to
New York City with my guitar, a wad of cash, and a plan to do what was
needed to make it. I never heard from her again. Maybe she went back to
my father? Maybe she didn’t really give a shit after all? Or maybe
something happened I don’t know about. Doesn’t matter. It’s over and I
don’t care.”
A tense silence settled between us. I waited for the disgust or the
endless questions I couldn’t answer with anything she wanted to hear. I
wasn’t sorry about what I did, even if I’d hurt Josie. I had no regrets about
fucking her or slicing up my father as we rolled around on his sex-stained
bed. No regrets about leaving to ensure my survival.
“I’m sorry that happened to you.”
 I blinked, wondering if I heard correct. “You’re sorry?”
A sigh broke through her lips, filled with sadness and a touch of anger.
“You were seventeen and had no one to look out for you. That bitch not
only used you, but exploited you. Makes me sick. If I ever found her, I’d
kill her myself.”
My world shifted, then righted itself. And Landon was still there,
looking adorably pissed I’d been hurt, not caring about my part in all the
shit that had gone down. “I’m not a victim. I knew exactly how to play her,
too.”
She rolled her eyes. “Duh. You’re a hot, young dude who had a hard-on
for her and a maniac for a dad. You had street smarts—you did the best you
could. It’s over, and in a way, she got you here. In New York, being part of
a famous band. And with me.”
God, I fucking loved her.
My knees nearly buckled like a pussy with a need to crawl to her, kiss
her feet, and admit she was the love of my life.
I decided instead to show her my undying devotion for her
understanding in a much better way.
Closing the distance between us, I grabbed her cheeks and took her
mouth in a hard, savage kiss. She gave a little yelp of surprise, which I
swallowed whole, bending her back while my tongue tangled with hers;
claiming the sweet, wet heat of her beautiful mouth as mine.
Mine to care for. Mine to protect. Mine to worship.
Mine to love.
I lifted my head and stared into her dazed eyes. “Did I say something
good?” she asked weakly.
Damned if didn’t laugh at her banter. “Yes. And you’re going to get
rewarded right now.”
 Chapter Twenty-Nine
Landon

Listen to Unholy
by Sam Smith & Kim Petras

I blinked and studied Adam’s face. The cold stoicism was gone, replaced
by the heated light of lust and love reflected in his dark eyes. My whole
body trembled from the intense kiss and the open emotion he wasn’t
trying to hide. I lifted my hand to stroke back his hair, the crackling energy
of our connection stealing my breath. “I don’t want anyone to hurt you
again.”
A groan escaped his lips. “Sweetheart, you’re killing me. The only thing
that can hurt is not having you. And that’s not going to happen, is it?”
“No.” I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and tilted my head back.
“I’m yours, Adam. I’m not going anywhere.” He kissed me again, long and
deep, and when he surfaced, I gave a cheeky grin. “Now, what’s this about a
reward?”
He backed me up, step by step, into my bedroom. Already, my body
parts were lit up with anticipation. Adam knew how to play me like his
guitar, and I never knew what song was coming. “You’re due a reward for
being such a good girl. But first you need to answer a question.”
I shivered. “Okay.”
The backs of my legs bumped up against my bed. His head lowered and
he whispered against my ear, “Did Max fuck you in this bed?”
 I stilled. I wanted to lie, but couldn’t. Was this a trick question? Or was
he setting me up for a punishment? “Yes.”
He bit my lobe hard, then soothed with his tongue. “I’m pleased you
told the truth.” His hands began stroking me everywhere, light touches that
distracted me. “Many times?”
“Yes.”
“And you orgasmed?”
He nibbled down my neck while his fingers pinched my hard nipple. I
jolted. “Most of the time.”
“Where are your toys?”
“In the top drawer of my nightstand. Adam, please—”
“Shush, princess. All you need to do is strip. Get on the bed on all fours.
Head down. Ass up. Understood?”
Oh, the dirty command touched that bad place inside and melted into a
pool of lava. He gave a low laugh, as if knowing exactly what his words did
to me. I scrambled to obey, not interested in playing our usual games,
greedy for everything he’d be able to give me. It was our last night together
and I wanted all of it.
I positioned myself on the bed and heard the open and close of my
drawer. I tried to breathe but my heart was pounding, as I mentally went
through my basic toys I used to get myself off. There wasn’t anything fancy
—only a few vibrators and clit stimulator. The cool air caressed my aching
nipples and my wet, swollen folds as I waited patiently.
I heard a clatter. A buzzing. The soft hush of clothes being dropped to
the floor. Then hot, hard hands on my back, stroking my spine, bringing
goose bumps. “So pretty and perfect. I love your brattiness, but your
obedience? That’s more precious than anything. It makes me want to give
you things you can’t even dream about.”
A little moan mewled from my throat. I was on fire; on the verge of
orgasm just from his dark, hypnotic words and caressing fingers. Light
brushes on my breasts, my ass, across my stomach Fingers pushing my hair
to the side and exposing my neck. Soft kisses at my nape and the flick of a
tongue. My hips began to push back in a desperate urgency to be filled and
take away this writhing, agonizing hunger.
“Would you like to know your reward?” Adam squeezed my ass,
trailing down the backs of my thighs and over my tight calves. “Or do you
want to be surprised?”
 My hand shook but I kept the position. “I’d like to know, please.”
His hard dick rubbed the cleft of my buttocks, getting himself wet from
my arousal. “I’m going to let you come as many times as you’d like.
There’s just one rule.”
I was both afraid and excited to ask. “What?”
“You need to be honest and tell me if don’t have any left to give me. I
own all of them, princess. No lying.”
No problem. Easy, peasy. I knew exactly how much I could take and
what I couldn’t. “I can do that.”
“Good. Now, I have my own goals tonight.”
I stared at the quilt, confused. “What goal?”
In one swift motion, he caught my hair and yanked my head to the side.
His teeth sunk into the part where my neck met shoulder, shoving me right
to the edge of erotic pain until I gasped. “I’m going to fuck you so many
times in this bed, you’ll never remember Max here again.”
And with that, his cock sank deeply inside of me in one shocking thrust.
A wail erupted from my lips as the rollicking sensations hit all at once.
He sucked on my neck while his erection dragged slowly back and forth
over my throbbing clit. His ruthless hands held me in a grip by my hair, my
scalp sensitized. Adam’s hips moved in a rotating circle so he hit every
pulsing inch of me, and no matter how bad I wanted to shove back and
hurry him up, I was helpless, unable to move or do anything but take what
he decided to give me.
The tight grip of control he held gave me a sense of soaring freedom.
Because there was no action for me to take, I slipped into surrender, my
body softening and giving him more, and he murmured my name as his
cock slammed deeper, his foot kicking my legs out so I was more widely
spread for him.
It didn’t take long for the orgasm to race up and wash over me. “I’m
coming,” I screamed helplessly, allowing the convulsions to take me and
the shattering pleasure break me apart. He didn’t stop fucking me, and when
I finally collapsed, he held me tight to his chest and dropped kisses down
my sweat-dampened back.
It was then I realized he hadn’t even come yet.
My voice came out breathless. “Adam?”
His low laugh made my belly clench. “Oh, sweetheart, we’ve only
begun.”
And I wondered if my reward would soon become my punishment.
 Chapter Thirty
Adam

Listen to Without You

by Miley Cyrus and The Kid Laroi

I watched her wrecked face and trembling body and felt a wave of
possession so fierce, I shuddered. This woman refused to hold back with
me, unafraid to be vulnerable. Unafraid to go after her pleasure under
my guidance. I was obsessed and I didn’t know how I was going to be
without her for three months.
Shoving the thought away, I focused on my one job. Wiping out Max’s
memory from her head, her heart, and this damn bed. When I was done, the
only image she’d have is me fucking her until she passed out.
I couldn’t wait.
Still hard as a rock, I pulled out of her and flipped her over. “I think this
next round will be better if you can’t see anything.” I grabbed the scarf I’d
laid next to me with her female toys and smoothed it out. “Let’s give this a
try.”
She blinked dazedly. “You’re going to blindfold me?”
“Yes. Be happy it’s not a ball gag. Those are super fun.”
She looked nervous, yet intrigued. I held back my laugh as I
acknowledged how much fun she was in bed and out. She seemed to know
exactly when to surrender and when to give me sass. I fastened the scarf
around her head, then checked the fit. “Are you going to hurt me?” she
asked.
 I kissed her hard, running my hands over her sweet curves, and flicking
her hard nipples with my thumb. “Yes, princess. I am.”
Her shudder was almost painful to my cock, so I began to move again,
knowing I needed to come before I was able to play with her. Bringing her
legs over my shoulders, I took her hard and fast, hitting her G spot while I
played with her breasts, squeezing those tight nipples with an increasing
pressure until I saw her caught between pain and pleasure, that perfect
balance where the best orgasms lie in wait. She writhed and cried out my
name but I never paused, my balls tightening up as I neared the edge,
holding us both there in that intense agony of building pressure, a place we
were both truly free.
I threw my head back and let go, pumping into her with animalistic
movements as I came inside her hot, wet channel. She gripped me tight and
I felt her spasms as she orgasmed, quaking underneath me.
I pulled out and Landon let out a soft mewl, her hands seeking contact. I
stared down at her with an animalistic pride. Inner thighs wet and trembly,
bruised, swollen lips, she was a perfect mess made for me. “Adam?” she
murmured.
“Tell me. You have another one in you, right?”
She hesitated. I wondered if she’d lie, which would force me to punish
her, but in that moment, I wanted her truth. I wanted her stripped raw with
only me as her judge and jury. Her salvation. “Yes.”
“Good girl.”
Not missing a beat, I grabbed the vibrator, notched it to the highest
speed, and pressed it against her clit.
She screamed and jerked, coming fast around the toy. I laughed and
enjoyed the gorgeousness of her during orgasm. I know the mask took
everything to the next level—and my Landon loved a good challenge. I
made sure she was fully done before prying her legs back open and sliding
down. Pressing soft kisses against her stomach, I whispered love words to
her, nibbling down her mound, tracing her vulva, and finding her sweet,
throbbing clit that was swollen from all the attention.
“So pretty,” I crooned, separating her lips and treating her to one long
lick. My name burst from her lips and she tried to writhe away but I kept
my arm clamping down on her thighs. “I’ll go slow on this one, sweetheart.
I know you need a little recovery time.”
“No, I can’t, I can’t—”
 “Are you really done? Do you really think you can’t come one more
time for me, or are you lying to me, my gorgeous slut?”
I licked gently, swirling my tongue around her engorged clit, playing
until she was right back at the edge, where I wanted to keep her. Scraping
my teeth back and forth, she shuddered, wildly throwing her hands out to
find and grasp my shoulders. “Bastard,” she hissed.
“Come for me again, my queen. Show me how greedy your cunt is for
my mouth.”
And then I fucked her with my tongue, closed my lips around her clit,
and sucked hard.
She let out a screech and came again.
I was hard again. I could fuck her all night and never get tired of her
spicy scent and taste, her soft, damp skin and hard strawberry nipples, her
sloping curves and muscled calves, her luscious lips and punishing nails.
I’d intended on using the vibrator one last time, but decided I’d do the
job myself. I needed to be inside her again, and gain my fill of memories for
my cold bed. Moving her like a rag doll, I ripped the blindfold away and
propped her up so she straddled my lap. She wrapped her arms around me
tight, pupils dilated, lip bruised where she bit it over and over. “My
beautiful one. Don’t disappoint me. There’s another left to give me unless
you tell me no.”
I pressed soft kisses to her lips, over her damp cheeks, pushing back her
mass of tangled hair from her face. My hands roved everywhere, and as my
cock lined up against her, I moved back and forth, teasing her just enough
that she began to rock her hips for more. “Yes…or no?” I asked her again,
lowering my head to suck on her nipples. Her nails dug into my back. She
blinked.
I met her drunken gaze and watched the moment she came to. With a
feminine hiss, she rose up like a female goddess, baring her teeth and
scraping her nails hard down my back to draw blood.
“Fuck me, Adam. Fuck your queen.”
God, I loved her.
Taking her mouth in a deep kiss, my cock shoved inside her in one
rough push. She closed around me like a silken glove, and I grasped her
hips, lifting her up and down in a frenzied pace that had both of us falling
apart. I opened my eyes and met hers, the gleam of triumph evident before
she surrendered, exploding around me for the final time, screaming my
name over and over and over.
I fucked her savagely and emptied myself, the pleasure shredding me
into pieces and leaving me torn apart as we fell to the bed together, limbs
tangled, hearts beating as one, destroyed.
“You are the love of my life,” she whispered in the darkness.
“And you are mine,” I said back, cradling her like the fragile treasure
she was.
The next day, she said goodbye and left me.
 Chapter Thirty-One
Landon

Listen to You
by Regard, Troye Sivan & Tate McRae

T he viral video changed everything.

When I arrived to the set where we’d be living for the next month,
my jaw dropped. I’d seen it in pictures and video, of course, but in
person was a whole new level of bad.
The “farm” consisted of a rundown dirty white house with an endless
amount of junk littering the outside. There was a large chicken coop to the
side and random farm animals were wandering around like they didn’t
know where they were supposed to be. The barn or shed had a saggy roof,
and as I peeked into the horse stalls, I wanted to hold my nose. I’d hoped
for one of the places I used to visit as a kid, with cute animals to pet, clean
stalls, and a cheery red fence surrounding gorgeous horses, with the
mountains in the distance.
I could tell my fellow castmates were just as horrified. A big burly guy
named Owen came out wearing denim overalls and spoke to us about
having respect for his home and working farm. All of us could barely keep
a straight face. It was so obvious the money he got from letting us film here
would go into his pocket instead of his so-called beloved business.
I was immediately pulled aside from Lydia, the assistant producer. “This
is fire,” she said, her intense gaze lit as she showed me her phone. I
watched the familiar screens flicker past and tried not to wince. But she was
more focused on the viewer numbers than what was happening. She tapped
her red painted nail on the endlessly scrolling comments—some casting me
as the victim, and others as the seductress spawn who manipulated two
men.
Unfortunately, the villain role got more play.
“We were already leaning into your influencer persona, but now you’re
going to be torn between two men. Clayton and Brody.”
I stared at her in shock. “Umm, wait a minute—I told you I have a
boyfriend. That’s him, right there in the video. Adam. And he’s in a band
that’s blowing up also called Unison. That’s a better angle. Me out here in
hell while he’s in LA.”
Lydia shook her head. “Not as good. We need to lean in hard to catch
the wave, and I promise it’ll be worth it, Landon. Just trust me and the
writers.”
“But, I’m not comfortable being with anyone else.”
Lydia’s gaze narrowed. “I’m not asking you to sleep with them,” she
snapped. “Flirting and harmless banter. Think of yourself on one of those
shows like Greys Anatomy. Play the role we need and it will work out.”
Before I could protest again, she’d walked off with her assistant, leaving
me frustrated and worried. Grey’s Fucking Anatomy? That was a real show
—a Shonda Rhimes masterpiece! I didn’t like the way I was being
manipulated last minute. Maybe I’d call my agent and get an opinion. For
now, it looked like I needed to play nice until we began filming.
I went back to the girls and we were shown our accommodations. The
groans and whining filled my ears but I added to the sounds myself. The
rooms were a bunch of twin beds with obviously old mattresses, one single
window which allowed a few weak rays of light to stream in, and a few
chests of drawers. The bathroom was terrible—pink tile, a small tub, and
one sink. All of us glanced at each other in horror.
“Wait—how are we supposed to do our makeup and hair?” I asked.
Ronnie snickered. “Guess you gotta get up early if you want to look
good on camera.”
One of the assistants cut in. “We’ll have hair and makeup available.
This is for your regular and nightly use.”
Abby wrinkled her pert nose and her oversize glasses slipped down.
“I’m a vegan. I need to be careful of what I eat—are we cooking
ourselves?”
 The makeup influencer, Corinne, rolled her eyes. “Of course, we’re
cooking. The script says we do it all on our own and they provide
groceries.”
Brenna seemed the nicest of the group and looked at us worriedly. She’d
been one of the most popular people on the Biggest Loser but had gained
most of the weight back. Now, she said she needed the hard work and limits
on junk food to help her reconnect with who she was years ago. I felt sorry
for her and wanted to be friends, but she’d been surrounded by Ronnie,
Corinne, and a few others who froze me out. “I don’t want anything with
sugar or carbs,” Brenna said. “I was clear in the contract.”
The assistant began addressing our concerns but I could tell she didn’t
really care. This was a low budget, lottery type show that no one believed
in, but it had been squeaked through in case it got big by accident. My viral
video was the most exciting thing to happen. Gabby had been right about
bringing more attention to my role, but I hated getting stuck with more boy
drama.
I missed Adam like crazy and it was only day one.
We spent the rest of the time getting settled in, and took a tour of the
farm. Owen showed us each of the tasks that needed to be done daily, and
the bigger projects we would take on, like literally building an additional
chicken coop and repairing fences.
Thank God, dinner that night was pizza and a welcome party. We’d start
cooking end of the week when filming officially began. I did my best to be
friendly and open, and told myself to be patient. Corinne hit me up for the
dirt on my viral video, pretending to be shocked and concerned for my
drama, but I already knew she’d be gossiping and planting crap in
everyone’s ear.
I knew the game well. I lived it with the clicks of girls who wanted to
take me down in high school and college. I could handle myself. I gave
Corinne just enough, made a few allies from the cast and played super nice
with the producers, who’d be my real bosses. Unfortunately, when I went
out for some air, Brody followed.
“I heard the mud can be used for face masks,” he said, and I laughed,
hoping we’d be cool.
“Yeah, why’d we do this again?” I joked.
“To get famous. Like the rest of the world,” Brody said, lighting up a
cigarette. The image of Adam slammed into my brain, and my entire body
ached for him. “I guess me and Clayton will be hanging with you.”
I let out a sigh. “Lydia wants you two to fight over me. It’s so stupid
because it will be obvious it’s a set up. I’m literally in love with my
boyfriend and the world now knows it.”
Brody shrugged. “People fall out of love all the time. Maybe you’ll
surprise yourself. I’m a pretty charming guy.”
I laughed again but felt uneasy. I did not need his gargantuan ego
making problems for me. I could play a role fine, but I refused to do
anything to hurt Adam or let anyone think I’d be unfaithful. I knew Adam
trusted me. I had to believe we’d both remain true. “Has nothing to do with
you. We’re talking about getting married,” I lied. “It’s serious.”
He regarded me intensely as he smoked. “Good for you. We’ll see what
happens.”
I didn’t trust him at all, but I’d handle it. Still, the stress of the day
pressed down on me and I excused myself to go to bed. I texted Adam, but
he was in rehearsal so I told him we’d talk tomorrow.
I lay in my twin bed, surrounded by girls who were my rivals for no
good reason, and wondered once again if I’d made a terrible mistake being
here.
 Chapter Thirty-Two
Adam

Listen to Karma
by Taylor Swift

A few days after Landon left, Max came to see me.

He took me by surprise. I’d been busy doing last minute
rehearsals and prep for LA, especially since the trip had been
prolonged. Coop had stayed away, but Noah reached out and said it was all
fucked up but he had my back and understood. There was something in his
voice when he spoke that gave me an idea he knew what I was going
through. I was happy the girls had forgiven Landon and Noah was cool. I
did the most work with him anyway, especially with Elle and Unison.
Coop was Max’s boy so it would be a while before I heard anything
from either of them. At least, that’s what I thought until I watched Max
walk into the pub where I was grabbing a beer with the guys from the band.
He approached like he had every right, probably expecting me to blabber a
bunch of apologies and beg him to listen. Instead, I stood up and gave him a
nod. “What’s up?” I asked casually.
I caught the flash of anger in his eyes until he quickly masked it.
“Figured we should talk.”
“Okay. Let’s go over there.” Max got a beer and I led him to a back
booth where we had some privacy. Immediately, memories of Landon and
me slammed into my brain. I remembered cornering her here when she was
still with Max. Watching the hunger on her face, yet still fighting the
attraction. I’d ached to push her against the wall and give her everything
she asked for, but it had been easier to turn that want to hate, and insults.
Now, she was the most important person in my life.
I stared at Max and a piece of me grieved the loss of a friend I’d known
for years. We’d shared a lot of moments and memories I’d always hold
tight, but inside, he was rotten. It was easy to ignore it when I had nothing
important to protect, but Landon had changed everything.
“I can’t believe this happened to us,” Max finally said. His voice was
full of pain. “Sure, we had some ups and downs, and some fights. But I
always had your back. Tell me the truth. Were you after Landon from the
first?”
I regarded him from across the table. Emotions punched my gut in an
inner war. For once, I wanted me and Max to be ruthlessly honest with each
other. If there was anything to salvage, we’d decide but the slate had to be
clean. “I wanted her from the first,” I finally said. Max stiffened but I
continued. “The moment she walked past me I knew we had chemistry, but
I buried it when she chose you. I never went after her until you fucked that
girl on video. She began to doubt, and when we were together, something
changed.”
“So, you went after her hard,” Max said, voice bitter.
“I gave her a choice. It was like we were drawn to each other. I tried to
fight it, but I saw how unhappy she was with you, and after the video went
public? She was the one who came to me.”
“But you fucked her without worrying about me.”
“Yeah, I did.” I waited for Max to go after me again but he just sat there,
shaking his head. “We hid it for a few weeks but both of us knew we were
going to tell the group. The night you found out was the night we were
gonna put it all out there.”
“It’s so fucked up. Didn’t you even think of confronting me and telling
me you wanted her for yourself?”
“No. I buried my feelings for so long, when they finally exploded, I
went full force. I think I swallowed any guilt because you’d been unfaithful.
It was easier once you screwed up for me to move forward.”
His face tightened. “You were supposed to be my friend. Do you know
how shitty that feels, knowing I trusted you all these years and you fucked
me over?”
 I let out a breath. “Yeah, actually it is shitty. But I got nothing for you,
Max. Am I sorry the way things went down? Yes. Am I sorry I moved in
and made a move on Landon? No. I love her.”
Max’s eyes widened. “You really believe that?”
“I know it. I’m sure there’s nowhere for either of us to go now. I think
we both hoped you’d find someone else and we’d be able to hang out and
forget. But I’m starting to realize you love her, too.”
“I do. I screwed up but I don’t deserve to have all that time I spent with
Landon just disappear. She loved me, dude. I know that—for a fact. You’re
her transition. Some way to get her sick fantasies out because I know how
you treat women in bed. They tell me you’re a freak and maybe Landon’s
getting off on that, but she’s coming back to me.”
My heart beat fast but I kept cool. “No. She’s not. Because I’m never
letting her go. And I’m not screwing up like you did.”
We stared at one another; masks ripped off. Relief cut through me. I was
tired of all the fake shit Max threw, and rather battle with him in his true
state. “Yeah, you’re right. I can’t ever be around someone with no morals.
We’re done, " Max said.
I leaned forward. “I get it. But I’ve told my truth. We may have slept
together after you broke up, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t pushing limits
before. And if I had the chance to sleep with Landon, I would have. Even if
you were together. That’s just the way it is.”
Max opened his mouth but I kept talking.
“Now, it’s time for you to come clean. There are no more videos to hide.
It’s you and me, one last time. I need you to admit you hired that guy to go
after Landon in Red. Just say it and I’ll least have some respect for you.”
I analyzed his expression, probing his gaze for that one second where
there was no time to throw up barriers. God knows, I’d learned the skill
young, because judging a mood or a lie had sometimes meant life and
death.
“I would never hurt Landon. I never hired anyone. I was the one to
protect her.”
His voice rang out loud and firm. Gaze held tight to mine; chin up,
ready to fight and defend.
And I knew Max was lying. He’d definitely hired the guy and Coop
knew. It was right there within those fake blue eyes like a quick flash of
light. I doubted Max would ever admit it, and Coop would take the secret to
his grave. Not even Elle would get a whispered word of gossip.
It made me more convinced Max was a liar to his soul, and I’d saved
Landon from someone who could never love her the way she deserved.
I gave a slow smile. “Gotcha. Good to know.”
Max frowned, trying to figure out if I was serious or fucking with him.
But it didn’t matter any longer. We were done.
“I hope you remember you did this to all of us. You screwed everyone
and destroyed Landon’s friendships.”
I shrugged. “It is what it is.”
Max cursed and stood up. “Good luck in LA. You’re probably better
staying out there with your new buddies. Doubt there’s anything back here
for you. Because you’re putting a hell of a lot of pressure on Landon, when
you’re just her transitional, fuck-you fling. I almost feel sorry for you,
Adam.” He paused and shook his head. “Almost.”
Then he walked out.
I stared at the empty door. And I tried with all of my inner soul to
believe he was lying. That Landon was my soul mate.
But his words had dug under my skin, itched, and buried in for the long
haul.
 Chapter Thirty-Three
Landon

Listen to Breaking Me
by Topic & A7S

“H ow’s it going, sweetheart?”

At the sound of Adam’s voice, I wanted to jump through the
phone and touch him; snuggle against his hard chest and let go of all
this awful tension while he made me feel good, satisfying my body and soul
in ways I’d never imagined. Instead, I sucked it up and tried hard not to
whine.
After all, he’d warned me plenty of times not to do this show. And after
one full week of endless shooting, I had to admit he’d been right.
I was completely miserable.
I injected fake cheer into my voice. “Good. The crew is pretty nice, and
I’ve gotten close to one of the girls here, Brenna. But it’s truly a dump.
They named it correctly.”
His low laugh stroked all the nerve endings in my body. “Are you
shoveling horse manure in platform shoes?” he teased.
“Close. My costumes are Daisy Dukes, high heels and shirts tied
halfway up my stomach. They even braided my hair the other day and put
in sparkly ribbons. I felt like I was in a porno.”
His voice took on a bit of edge. “You can say no, princess.”
 “Like I do with you?”
“I love when you say no to me,” he murmured. “Then I get to convince
you all the ways to scream yes.”
I shivered. It was getting harder to be away from Adam each day,
especially in this hell hole. I bit my lip and wondered if I should be honest.
Just cry on his virtual shoulder and ask him what to do.
God, I hated it here.
“I think saying no here means a different thing,” I said, trying to keep it
light. “Saying no to you is so much more fun. How’s everything there?”
“Getting ready to leave next week. Our sets are pretty tight now so I’m
confident we’ll kill it in LA. Started bonding with the guys more. Maybe
because…” he trailed off but I picked up his thought.
“Because you’re not hanging with the group any longer.”
“Yeah. It’s definitely weird. Girls been in touch?”
“Elle calls and checks in. Gabby texted, and Daisy wrote me this long
ass text saying again how she was sorry and missed me.”
“Daisy has a soft heart. I think she’s struggling with the fallout. Noah’s
spending a ton of time in the studio and began working with Elle. I think
Daisy misses him.”
I sighed. “I’ll call her later today and check in.”
“Landon?”
“Yeah?”
“I have no regrets. Even if I lose all of them, I have you. Understood?”
My entire body sagged with relief and longing. I needed to focus on
what I had with Adam and getting through the rest of this filming. The
producers were pushing my role hard to be center stage and piggy back on
my viral video. It should be a good thing. Maybe even before I met Adam, I
would’ve leaned in and loved the attention. But somehow, I’d changed over
this summer. I didn’t like the role of pampered princess or femme fatale. I
wanted to figure some stuff out but I chose this, and I needed to put on my
big girl panties and see it through. “Understood. I miss you like crazy.”
“I intended to indulge in phone sex but not with your four roommates.”
I laughed. “Yeah, there’s no time alone here. Probably the point—this
should’ve been Big Brother the way the cameras follow us around. I snuck
away to make this call but the last time I tried, they wanted to film it.”
“Remember you’re a bad ass. Don’t let them walk over you, okay?”
“Okay. Love you.”
 “Love you.”
The call disconnected. I leaned against a tree trunk and closed my eyes.
Soon, Adam would be heading out to LA and it would be worse. His
schedule would be insane, and with my shooting agenda, who knows when
we’d be able to connect. He’d be surrounded by women throwing
themselves at him. I trusted Adam and knew we had something he’d never
betray. But the thought of all those temptations and empty space between us
made my stomach clench.
As if I saw something in the future that would rip us apart. And that I
had a choice, but I’d chosen wrong.
I swallowed back the lump in my throat. The last week had been filled
with daily humiliations that I sucked up with good humor, and Brody
stalking me like a predator. Clayton was a sweetheart, but I also knew he
was up for a few make-out sessions so I felt like a piece of meat being
fought over.
I tried to fall into the familiar role that used to fit. I bitched about the
space and the accommodations and the bathroom. I paraded around in tiny
shorts and sparkly shadow, crying about my manicure when I was raking
hay. It was obvious I was the villainess but also the underdog. Corrine and
Ronnie hooked up to make fun of me, and Corinne was obviously trying to
get Brody to pay attention to her, which Brody ate up. The other cast
members were like minnows, swimming around the sharks and trying to get
camera time.
It was a complete clusterfuck.
This week, we were supposed to go out to this woodsy lake and do
skinny dipping as we celebrated after the first eviction, who everyone
already knew was a guy who had no personality and was a throw away.
“Hey, we were looking for you.”
I looked up to see Clayton. His Irish skin had burned in the sun and he’d
needed some makeup so it didn’t look too bad. I smiled as he walked over.
“Just sneaking in a call.”
“Yeah, there’s no alone time around here. Kind of stressful.” His hand
propped up against the bark near me. He was close, but smiling, so I didn’t
make a big deal out of pulling away. “Wanted to check on you. Is Brody
pushing too hard?”
I rolled my eyes. “When doesn’t he? The guy would prefer a harem but
he’s happy pitting me and Corinne against each other.”
 “Yeah. I’m hoping good guys win out.”
I stiffened as his puppy dog eyes stared at me like I was a treat. “They
do. Adam, my boyfriend, says it all the time.”
Clayton winced. “Sorry, I know you’re hooked up. But I gotta ask for a
favor. They want me to have these kissing lessons with you on camera and
I’m freaking out. I don’t do well under pressure.”
“I’m still fighting that. Told Lydia I’m not doing it.”
He snorted. “Good luck. She already told me the storyline is solid and
we’re moving toward it. I’m looking at it as an acting job. It’s not real, and I
know you love your boyfriend, but we’re just characters in a role. That’s
what the crew has been saying and I agree.”
“I guess.” It made sense, though I still didn’t like it. I know Elle said
she’d get in bed naked if she had to in order to get a scene shot, and that it
was fake.
“Landon, can we kiss?”
I turned and looked at him in shock. “What!”
He turned beet red and ducked his head and looked awkward. “Just
once? I don’t want to freak out later and I want to feel comfortable. I swear
—no funny business, just a simple kiss. Don’t you think it would be good
for both of us?”
I was about to shove him away and storm off, but he began rubbing his
head and looked so nervous, I actually felt sorry for him. This was hell for
him, too. Especially with Brody in his head, making fun that he was a virgin
and trying to get the hot girl.
It was all fake. A role. If I could get my mind wrapped around the fact,
maybe I could get through this and flourish. Maybe it would be all worth it.
“One kiss?”
He brightened. “Yeah. No hands.” He lifted his arms away. “Please?”
I must be nuts but I was going to do it. “Fine. Just stand there, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Close your eyes.”
His lids shut. A piece of me felt bad for the way he pursed his lips,
obviously having no experience with kissing. Clayton was way over his
head. I could do this.
I held one cheek gently and pressed my lips to his. I kept the pressure
gentle and soft, showing him how to move his lips a bit until he seemed to
relax and respond with a more natural ease. Then I pulled away.
 “Wow.” He grinned, staring down at me with a happy light in his eyes.
“Thanks, Landon. You’re a great kisser.”
I gave a half laugh and turned. “Sure. We better get back.”
It was then I saw the cameras rolling, catching every second of our
kissing session.
 Chapter Thirty-Four
Adam

Listen to Far Behind

by Candlebox

I n forty-eight hours, I’d be on a plane to LA.

I checked my text stream but Landon hadn’t responded. Our
schedules were a little off since I was running around doing last minute
shit and Landon couldn’t have her phone while she was shooting. I thought
of her on that awful remote farm surrounded by guys who wanted to get in
her pants. It was hard to swallow but I kept reminding myself it was her
career and she deserved to make her own choices. I wouldn’t be that type of
toxicity for her.
I’d done a bunch of packing but it was easy to leave because I had
nothing to care for. No plants or animals or people left who I gave a shit
about. Just Landon.
I grabbed my guitar and headed out to meet the band. We were doing a
dry rehearsal for a few new songs at the local club. Tickets were sold in
limited quantities, but since I’d gone viral, Unison had become a hot topic
of gossip, especially me as lead singer. When I got there, people were lined
up and screaming my name, which was so fucking weird. Is this how it’d be
in LA? I never expected to be in the limelight—only the guy in the
background writing the lyrics.
But the thrill was real, whether I liked it or not. The idea that these
strangers connected with the music we played gave me a feeling I’d never
experienced. Like an adrenalin rush, but spiked with danger.
I knew what happened to assholes who let their egos take over. They did
drugs and cheated on their girlfriends. They chased pleasure and forgot
what they were there for.
I refused to let that happen to me.
I waved at the crowd and met JJ and the crew back stage. “What the hell
is going on out there?” I asked, fist bumping the guys. “We giving
something away?”
JJ grinned. “Not gonna lie, dude. Your little reality drama gave us a new
audience and we want to take advantage. There’s a photographer here
who’ll take a few pics to stream out ahead of LA.”
I groaned. “You gotta be kidding me. I’m over it. Ready to move on.”
Lance laughed. “We’re not! We’ll ride your pussy drama all the way to
the bank.” The guys chimed in and agreed.
I rolled my eyes, taking the jabs because I had no choice. I wish I could
be pissed at Gabby but I know her social media audience and that she
figured she’d help get us some attention. Too bad it worked so well. “Let’s
go warm up and do our real job.”
We tuned up and people began to stream in. The stage was small, the
club cramped, and the air conditioning terrible. The drinks were watered
down so everyone ordered shots. People crushed in around us and when we
opened with a powered-up rock song, the energy immediately burst at me,
making my blood throb and my adrenalin spike to massive levels.
I was drenched in sweat immediately. I bounced around the stage and
interacted with the guys as flash bulbs popped and people screamed. When
I did the slow song Elle and Noah wrote, a buzz lit up the crowd as they
swayed back and forth. One girl began to cry and threw out her arms. It was
a total addictive experience I was starting to get familiar with.
And crave.
Afterward, they pulled two women on stage and the photographer
shoved them in between us. I’d noticed the two had been up front next to JJ.
The short, curvy blonde pressed herself against my side as we smiled for
the camera, and then JJ stepped in with a knowing grin.
“Go ahead, ladies. Let it rip.”
With a shriek, the two whipped off their shirts. Bare breasted, giggling,
they crowded in tight. The blonde’s boob pressed against my arm as the
camera snapped. “Get one from my camera too!” the other girl shouted,
who was cozying up to Lance. I kept my smile and my gaze firmly averted
from her.
The moment it ended, I turned away before she even spoke to me. I
knew what JJ wanted for PR but it stopped there. I may need to have a talk
with Landon and warn her what shit was coming down and remind her it
was all fake. Like that girl’s tits.
We finished up and met in the back, where JJ went over final details.
The bus was leaving at six am to take us to the airport. When we go to LA,
we’d board the tour bus—our second home. He reminded us this was our
big shot and we needed to bring it for every show, lecturing about their
girlfriends not distracting us.
I knew if Landon was there, I’d be my better self. Being in her presence
made me the man I always wanted to be. But I knew the tour would be
tough and exhausting, especially since JJ wanted me to begin writing new
songs for the next album.
Finally, we wrapped. I got changed, gathered my stuff, and headed out.
I checked my texts but Landon still hadn’t answered.
A few hours later, I got a link sent to me by an unknown number. I was
about to mark it spam but the words made me stop cold.
Your girlfriend’s already found a new dick to play with.
My finger hovered over the button while a knowing tugged at my gut.
Still, I didn’t want to explode a virus onto my phone. I switched to Safari
and searched under her name with today’s date.
A link from an entertainment site popped up immediately.
D S F S N C !
I read the story. The picture needed no explanation.
Landon was kissing some guy and seemed to be the one initiating it.
 Chapter Thirty-Five
Landon

Listen to A Symptom of Being Human

by Shinedown

I tried desperately to focus on my castmates even as my attention kept

going back to my phone. I’d had spotty service all day, which seemed to
be part of the course in this remote hell. My entire body throbbed after
the endless shooting. I’d been up since six am to gather eggs and be chased
by the demon chickens who probably wanted to eat me since he looked so
skinny. Then I had to muck stalls and give the horses a bath with Brody.
Covered in sweat and bugs, I’d gotten wet from the hoses and ended up
with a too-clingy shirt and molded shorts. No one let me change and I spent
the next few hours uncomfortable and ignoring stares from all the guys on
set.
Ugh.
Things kept getting worse. After the debacle with Clayton, the producer
told me it was great for prelaunch, and that Lydia believed I’d be the break-
out star from all of them. They were already angling for me to be the last
one with Brody and Clayton so we all fought it out together.
Guess reality wasn’t as real as I’d believed.
Ronnie and Abby were talking in loud voices, and the guys were getting
trashed at the run-down, half-assed bar down the road. All I wanted was to
go home to bed, but didn’t want to add any extra incentive for the girls to
hate me, so I agreed to go out for a drink.
 Big mistake.
I looked down at her phone again.
“Still waiting to hear from Adam?” Brenna asked with a bit of
sympathy. She ended up being the only one to really give me a chance, even
though she took crap from the others.
I sighed. “Yeah, he leaves for LA soon and I’ve been having trouble
with my connection.”
Brenna wrinkled her nose. “Me, too, it sucks out here. Hey, I’m afraid
I’m going to be the next voted out.” Her voice held worry. “It’s all about
stupid alliances here. Any way you can make nice with a few more people
so they don’t gang up on me?”
I tried to act like I cared, which was sad because I’d taken this job for a
reason. Every day I spent here I questioned my decision. “I’ll talk to
whoever will listen. We should get Corinne out since she’s always about the
drama.”
Brenna snorted. “No one’s letting her go yet. Especially Brody and
Ronnie.”
“Then I’ll say Amy’s name. She’s an easy loss.”
“Thanks.”
I got through another half hour and then I stood up. “Gonna head back.”
“One more drink!” a few shouted out. “Last round.”
I shook my head. The music was high, the guys were stumbling, and
usually I’d be in the middle of the party but not tonight. There was an
instinct to keep my wits with these people. I trusted no one.
Not like my friends.
Pain hit my gut. The idea of not seeing them all hurt. But how could we
piece together what had been so broken? I still had hope after some time we
may come back together, even stronger. Being around these strangers only
made me realize what I’d lost.
I snuck out of the crappy pub and began to walk back to the farm. My
stupid shoes forced me to go slow so I wouldn’t twist an ankle over the
broken pavements. The light in the distance guided me as crickets chirped
and mosquitos swarmed and gnats nibbled at my bare legs. No amount of
bug spray made a difference here. I swore I’d never leave the city and solid
concrete again.
“Wait up.” I cursed under my breath as Brody fell in step with me. “You
shouldn’t walk alone out here.”
 I rolled my eyes. “I don’t need you as an escort. You should’ve finished
your drink.”
“I’m pretty trashed. Gonna be hurting tomorrow.” He offered me a
smile and I gave it back, though my walls were up. I knew Brody was
playing a game but hoped he wasn’t as big of a dick as I imagined. “Phone
still not working?”
I shook my head. “It’s so annoying to feel cut off out here.”
“Yeah, it’s not Hollywood.” We walked in silence for a bit. “How do
you feel you’re doing?”
“On set? Okay.”
“I mean, with all of the girls. Me and Clayton. I noticed you get really
tense around me.”
I lifted a brow. “I have good reason.”
“I only want it to be a good show.” Frustration radiated from his aura.
“This is important to me. If we do it right, we can all walk away with a
bigger following and opportunities. A love triangle will keep people
watching. But you have to play your role.”
I was so sick and tired of the role thing being thrown in my face, but I
understood why. My biggest question is why had I changed so much since
Adam? I’d truly believed this is what I always wanted, but now I know it’s
not. At least, not like this. “I hate all of this fake shit,” I muttered. “No one
else was told to be kissing two guys or act like an idiot in front of the
camera. Do you know how embarrassing it was when Corinne dumped that
bucket of hay over me? And she got praised for it!”
“Because it was funny and she’s giving Lydia what she asked for. A
girl’s feud. A love triangle. God, it’s easy enough if you shut up and give in.
You’re supposed to get to the winner’s circle, but not like this.”
I winced but accepted the truth. Brody was right. It was my choice and I
needed to be real with myself.
We were approaching the house when he suddenly turned. “Maybe we
should practice. Like you did with Clayton.”
I frowned and tried to push him away, but he backed me up so my back
slammed against a tree trunk. What the hell was going on? I was getting
sick of these guys pushing me around, trying to take what they wanted
when it was solely mine to give. “Get off me,” I growled, trying to duck
under his arm.
 He shook his head and looked disgusted. “Get over yourself. I’m not
gonna force you, Landon. But you’re a wreck, so why don’t you just kiss
me and get it over with. There’s no camera. I’m gonna come at you hard
during shooting, and if you’re like a scared animal, no one’s buying shit.”
I dragged in a breath and calmed down. He had a point, and even
though he was drunk, he wasn’t his usual aggressive self.
But no way in hell was I kissing him in the dark, in the woods, without
the safety of a camera crew.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’m good. I hear what you’re saying. Okay?”
He squinted at me, looking a bit sulky, but finally nodded. “Yeah.
Okay.” A grin tugged at his lips and he leaned in. “Sure you don’t want to
do this privately on our own?”
I pushed at his chest. “Nice try but—”
“Get the fuck off her.”
Both of us jumped as a furious male voice rang out. I stared at the figure
standing close, hidden by shadows. My heart began to pound for a few
seconds, hoping Adam had somehow taken the drive upstate before he left
to say goodbye to me.
But when the darkness cleared, it was Max that leapt toward us, grabbed
Brody, and threw him to the ground.
 Chapter Thirty-Six
Landon

Listen to Training Season

by Dua Lipa

“M ax! What the hell are you doing?” I screamed, shoving him away
from Brody as my fellow castmate rolled easily to his feet, ready for
battle.
“I came to see you,” Max grit out. “I saw you pushing him away but he
wasn’t taking no for an answer.”
Brody shook his head. “What the fuck is wrong with the guys you date?
Isn’t this the same dude from the video?”
I glared at Max. “Yeah. I’m sorry, Brody, he’s not supposed to be here.”
“Whatever. Clear up your shit, Landon. Or you’ll find yourself going
home soon.” He jabbed a finger at Max. “Touch me again and I’ll break
your hands.”
“Try it.”
I jumped in the middle as Brody started toward him. “Ignore him, I got
this.”
Brody glanced back and forth between us. “I’m too drunk for this shit,”
he muttered, disappearing down the path and out of sight.
Blood pounding in my veins, I turned on Max. “Why are you here? This
is a closed set!”
“Lydia knows my dad. I made a few calls and Lydia said I could visit
you. I was worried, Landon. I needed to know you’re okay and you’d never
return my calls.”
Anger hit, but underneath was the twinge of affection I’d probably
always feel for Max. He fucked up, and I didn’t trust him, but something
said he truly cared about me. Blue eyes stared into mine with an urgency
and concern that dissolved my temper. “Why am I not surprised Lydia let
you in here?”
A hint of a smile touched his lips. “Because I still have power to pull a
lot of strings from dear old Dad. There are benefits of growing up rich.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t I know it. Still, you shouldn’t be here. We’re
not together anymore and Adam would probably kill you.”
“We spent over a year together, Landon. Just because we broke up
doesn’t mean I still don’t love you.”
I stilled. He’d hinted his feelings hadn’t changed but now he’d put it out
there. “I’m sorry. I don’t love you anymore, Max. I love Adam.”
Pain flickered over his features. He blew out a breath and took a few
steps toward me. “I know. But that’s another reason I’m here. To be your
friend when it all falls apart.”
His words gave me a strange premonition that made goosebumps break
out on my skin. Like Max was the bringer of doom. “Is this another attempt
to break us up? Because he told me all about Josie. I know about his past
and it doesn’t scare me. You have to accept I’m with him now and let me
be.”
“Even if Adam will be the one to destroy you?”
His soft words chilled me to the bone. I began to tremble. “What did
you come here to say?”
“Something you don’t want to hear. And you can blame it on my
jealousy and call it manipulation, but the bottom line? He’s going to LA to
be a rockstar. Did you see this making its way through social media yet?”
I pretended not to care. It was imperative I showed Max a strong front
and that I didn’t believe anything Adam had done would hurt me. “More
women?” I drawled.
“Is this what you want your boyfriend doing in his free time?” Max
lifted his phone so I could see the picture close up. I tried not to react but
the shock still stunned.
A woman was plastered to his side, tits bare, smiling giddily for the
camera. Adam also smiled, though he looked a bit stiff. I stared at her social
media account. Some perky blonde who dropped hints they’d hooked up
afterward. #LAALLTHEWAY.
Nausea rolled in my stomach but I managed to shrug. “Another
groupie,” I said calmly. “I’m sure he’ll tell me about it later.”
Max’s face made me want to howl.
Because it was filled with sympathy, not rage. Not resentment. As if
he’d known what happened and felt pity that I was being stubborn.
“Okay, Landon. It’s your call. But I can tell you’re unhappy here. I
booked a hotel down the road for a few days. I’m not working at Red till
Friday so I’ll hang around. Have your back. Lydia told me you were having
issues.”
My jaw dropped. “Wait—why is she giving you all this information?
You have nothing to do with this show or me!”
“I think Lydia wants you to succeed. Everyone is still focused on that
video Gabby dropped.”
“I hate that video.”
“Yeah, but it helped get you into the spotlight where you need to be.”
His voice took on an urgency. “Forget Adam. This is your dream, Landon.
You talked about this and worked hard to be here right now. Are you really
going to throw it away for a boyfriend on his way to stardom? You gonna
chase after some guy and ignore your own ambitions? What the hell? That’s
not you. Not the badass I fell in love with.”
Each of his words stung and burned like swarming bees. Confusion
swamped me, along with the need to talk to Adam. Between Clayton’s kiss,
Brody’s challenge, and Max coming back, I was a mess. I needed to be
clear headed.
The sound of everyone stumbling through the woods echoed in the air.
“I can’t do this right now. I’m so tired and they’re coming back. I need to
go to bed.”
“I get it. I’m sorry, Landon. About everything. I’ll come back in the
morning tomorrow so we can talk.”
He gave me a smile, and began to walk the other way, hidden by the
crowd.
I hurried to the cabin and locked myself in the bathroom to gain some
precious privacy. Praying, I tried to dial Adam but the call never connected.
Okay, tomorrow I’d go wherever I had to for WIFI and speak to Adam.
He’d explain about the picture and I’d understand. I knew in my bones he
wasn’t cheating on me. Still, the road ahead was rocky.
Max was right. Adam was going to be a rockstar. He’d travel for months
surrounded by groupies and naked women. Eventually, would he get too
drunk and cheat, like Max? Would we grow apart because our worlds were
different? Would he realize our connection wasn’t as strong as he believed
due to distance and endless other choices?
Could I really let him go when I found my soul-mate?
Max wasn’t giving up. Did he see something in our future I couldn’t?
I’d never love him like Adam, but what if that type of love was toxic? If I
could forgive Max for cheating, and lost Adam forever, would I give Max a
second try? Or would Adam own my heart forever, leaving me in tatters?
I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed for an answer. Or the strength to let
the pieces fall where they may and surrender to Fate.
 Chapter Thirty-Seven
Adam

Listen to Believer
by Imagine Dragons

I didn’t sleep that night.

I couldn’t get a hold of Landon, but refused to panic. The rational
part of my brain told me that kiss was a set up. She’d already warned
me the producer wanted a love triangle to play out like the viral video, and
Clayton was one of the guys involved. I knew actresses kissed others and it
was a job. So was a hot sex scene played before the camera. All of those
thoughts tried to soothe my inner beast but everything I felt about Landon
was too uncivilized.
Inside, I was barely holding on to my control.
I owned her. Landon was mine to touch and kiss, and knowing another
guy had his mouth on hers made me roar like a wounded predator. My
blood ran hot and my cells fired with the need to get my ass to that upstate
camp, rip her away, and chain her to my bed until she remembered nothing
except the way I made her come. Hell, in the state I was right now, I’d fuck
her right in front of her castmates to stake my claim. Violence simmered to
the surface. This was the part I’d never be table to tame; the part that
Landon had always not only accepted, but embraced.
I had twenty-four hours before I boarded a plane. If I couldn’t make
contact this morning, I’d lose my shit and go and find her.
 How could I have fallen in love with Landon the same time my career
was taking off? I’d dreamed of this my whole life and now it was as if I was
in a constant war with myself. I kept imagining us in LA together but I was
being a selfish prick. It was even worse because I knew in my gut this
reality show was a mistake. Working at Red was a great opportunity for
money and contacts, but Landon was beyond that, also. There was more for
her—it literally seeped from her pores. She had ambition and arrogance.
She had talent and grit and passion. She was a ball of fire who needed the
right man to keep her flame hot, yet control her enough to release those
hidden demons. Her writing was fucking incredible. She just didn’t want to
believe it.
I’d read every single of her Wattpad stories. She had thousands of fans
and readers begging for another installment. Hell, with her platform,
Landon may be able to have an edge over all the new writers coming up
with nothing. If she took all that ambition and put it into her stories, what
could she accomplish?
And damned if I didn’t know she wanted it. I also know she was scared.
Because if she failed at writing, she’d be gutted. It was kind of like my
song writing. It was so important and necessary, like breathing, that I’d
grabbed this opportunity even if it wasn’t perfectly for me. Landon had
grabbed Dumped as an alternate way of becoming famous. But it wasn’t
what she really wanted. She wanted to be recognized and read for the stuff
of her heart.
Just like I needed to be recognized for my songs, not my voice.
We were the same, yet different. But there was no way I could convince
her. She had to walk the path on her own and make her choices. I fucking
hated feeling so damn helpless when I recognized Dumped would never
make Landon happy.
Would our distance make us stronger or weaker? What if shit like this
kept happening while we were apart? Me photographed with random
strangers like that girl yesterday. Her videotaped with her castmates in
sexual situations. Gossip and trash entertainment sites whipping up drama
for click bait while we became victims.
Could we possibly survive? Was LA worth it?
The questions forced me out of bed. I got up and tugged on shorts, a t-
shirt, and baseball cap, then headed out for decent coffee. I tried calling
Landon but it went straight to voice mail. I hung up without leaving a
message.
The café a few blocks down was known for their coffee and bagels, so I
ordered both while I waited.
“Hey, Adam, right?”
I turned at the masculine voice. The guy staring at me was familiar.
Slicked back hair, jacked muscles, and dark eyes that held a hint of
coldness. My brain tried to click on where we’d met but came up blank.
“Yeah? Sorry, man, do I know you?”
He grinned, flashing straight white teeth. Dressed in chinos, a silky
shirt, and loafers with no socks, he gave off entitled vibes. “Kind of. We
met once—Max is a friend of mine. We did some hard partying that night at
Rage club. I’m Gio.”
The image of us pounding shots together was blurry, but clicked. “Oh,
yeah. Sorry, I was wasted that night. How are you?”
“Good. Not as good as you, though.” A smirk rested on his lips. “You
still fighting Max over that smoke show?”
Immediately, my politeness cooled. “No fighting needed.”
His laugh grated on my nerves. “Sure, guess you won, then. Well,
congrats on that and your Unison gig. Heard you’re going on tour.”
“Yeah, thanks.” I immediately dismissed him as my order was called. I
grabbed my stuff and nodded. “See you around.”
“Sure. Tell Max I’m available if he has any other fun gigs he wants to
pay me for. Hell, tell him next time I’ll do it for free.”
Gio turned in dismissal but I’d already frozen up. His words hit me like
a bash of bricks, making my head spin and my gut lurch. Slowly, I turned.
“What did you say?”
He shot me another shit eating grin. “Nothing, man. See ya.”
Gio stepped up to order but I cut in front and blocked him. “What did
you say?” I repeated between gritted teeth. He must’ve sensed the violence
emanating, my gaze narrowed on his face as I trembled, ready to punch it
out of him.
“Dude, calm down. It was nothing.”
“What’s nothing?”
He studied me, probably realizing I was ready to snap. “No biggie. Just
a little thing at Red. Wanted a bit of an edge to get his girlfriend back so I
gave her a tiny scare. He wanted to step in and save the day. You know how
Max hates to lose.”
The cashier called out “Next!” in an irritated voice.
Gio went to the register to order.
And everything went black as I realized the truth that I’d already
known.
Max had paid him to attack Landon.
Half of me wanted to beat the shit out of Gio right now and get it done.
But that would only complicate things. I wasn’t about to let this asshole win
by suing me and screwing up my gig with Unison or going viral again.
I’d deal with him later in my own time, in my own way.
But right now?
I needed to tell Landon.
"Gio!" I shouted.
He spun back around, obviously pissy, and I snapped his picture. Gio
blinked.
"You ever come near her again, I promise I'll kill you."
Then I walked away.
 Chapter Thirty-Eight
Landon

Listen to Popular
by The Weeknd & Madonna

A t least, I wasn’t the only one suffering from WIFI detox.

The entire cast lost their minds. They complained to the crew
about the lack of Internet service and how no one could connect.
Lydia tried to calm us down by explaining there was an accident down the
road that had taken out some connections and we’d be back up by Noon.
In the meantime, we were dragged out to shoot a morning breakfast
scene that broke down into chaos over this evening’s vote. It was only the
second one, but already it was feeling kind of ridiculous. I think the people
who got to leave this farm were the lucky ones, but then again, I was
beginning to lose my ambition to make Dumped my vehicle for fame.
I’d been up most of the night tortured by Max’s picture. He never
showed up this morning, probably because he couldn’t get a hold of anyone,
and I was glad. I didn’t need to talk about Adam’s tendency to be nice to
half naked groupies or hear about how he was bound to betray me in LA.
It’d be best if Max went home at this point. I looked at the long string of
undelivered texts and hoped after this shoot I’d be able to talk to Adam and
clear things up.
We were all supposed to gather in the barn to milk cows and take care
of the lone Alpaca who seemed to enjoy spitting. Who would’ve thought
those cute fuzzy animals that looked like adorable stuffies were really evil?
This one was named Hal and he seemed to be doubly interested in annoying
me. The crew had spotted my nerves immediately so now I was the one to
feed and clean out his stall, which was really a big open space where he
crapped, threw food, and kept dead bodies hidden. Hal was a serial killer
but everyone thought he was funny.
Dodging the glares and insults being traded by my castmates, I walked
out of the kitchen and away from Brody’s stare. Clayton followed me down
the hall like a puppy dog.
“I’ll help you with Hal,” he said nicely. “I know you hate it.”
I gave a grunt. “Lydia will make me do it alone so I get spit on and
everyone gets a laugh.”
Clayton looked sympathetic. “Sorry. I’ll give it a try. Hey, I noticed
Brody giving you a hard time lately. It’s getting a little intense. Let me
know if I can help out.”
I tried to hide a groan and wondered if he was getting caught up in this
fake drama or if he thought this was actually real. “Clayton, it’s cool. Just
follow my lead—I know how to handle Brody.”
“So can I.” His voice deepened. “I may be inexperienced, Landon, but
I’m not a pushover. I can deal with him myself.”
I decided to ditch this whole conversation since it was going nowhere.
They weren’t allowed to fight on camera—physical altercations were
against the rules—but everyone was practically salivating for me to lean in
a bit and get these two guys to play off each other.
It sucked. I wanted nothing to do with it. Yet, Brody was either going to
try and vote me out if I didn’t, or force me to step up.
Trudging into my tiny space, I shut the door and changed quickly into a
ridiculous skort and halter top, quickly braiding my hair. It was touched up
by the stylist and then we were all pushed onto the “set” and our boss the
farmer began ordering us around to milk cows.
I dealt with the indignity of squeezing a penis-like appendage that
squirted milk. I handled the bold insults and catty fighting with the girls that
the camera soaked up. Finally, I escaped to the fields where Hal waited,
chewing hay and staring at me with his dark, judgy eyes that said I was
about to get tortured.
“Can I clean up while you leave me alone?” I asked him grouchily,
feeling exposed in my outfit. I slapped at the bugs biting my legs and my
high heeled boots sunk in the mud making me look ridiculous. Still, I
played the role well and even got some laughs from the cameraman as I
struggled with the rake and cleaning, while Hal stalked me. I almost
enjoyed the acting with the animal, safe from the men, and when Hal let out
a spit striking me in the face, I pretended to be affronted and sank into a
bantering dialogue with the animal that I sensed would be perfect for the
series.
This is what I’d hoped for. Less relying on men for my storyline and
leaning into the natural aspects of the farm and community.
“Are you going to let him talk to you like that?” Clayton asked, coming
up behind me. He was smiling and we fell into easy dialogue while Hal
began to chase Clayton away.
“Oh, my God, Hal wants you to himself!” Clayton said with a laugh.
“Look—he’s chasing me away!”
I put my hand on my hip and fluttered my eyes. “My milkshake brings
all my boys to the barn,” I sang, twisting the lyrics.
“Okay, you are a horrible singer.”
I gasped in mock astonishment. “How could you say that to me, Clay?”
I picked up some random hay and threw it at him. Immediately, he dropped
to his knees, gathering his own, and we had this big hay fight while Hal
watched us like we were idiots and the cameras rolled and the crew gave
thumbs up and seemed over the moon with our spontaneous play fight.
I was actually enjoying myself until Clay fell on top of me and the
breath whooshed from my lungs. “Oh, sorry,” he said.
“It’s okay.”
His head dipped and he tried to kiss me and I turned away, giving him
my cheek instead. In my peripheral, I saw Lydia glare but I stayed stubborn
and took in Clayton’s disappointed look. “Sorry,” he said again. “I know
you’re out of my league, Landon. I’ve never felt like this before.”
“We just met,” I said cooly. “Just because I look easy doesn’t mean I
kiss anyone while we roll in the hay.”
Clayton laughed, then stroked back my hair. Discomfort squeezed
through me. “Remember I see who you really are. Not what you try to be
for the camera.”
I looked into his eyes and wondered if he was acting or telling the truth.
Either way, I froze with my response, feeling the camera eating my face up
and zooming close. I hated that my expression would be torn apart and
analyzed.
 “Clay—”
“Interrupting something?” Brody drawled. He walked over with a smug
grin. His jeans and ripped t-shirt gave off bad boy vibe as he stopped near
us, lifting a brow at Clayton. “Got the cold shoulder, huh? Too bad. She
gave me much more last night outside her cabin.”
My jaw dropped and my cheeks reddened. “Not true,” I said, shaking
my head.
But I knew I looked guilty. Brody was smart to use that encounter to
push me hard, and Clayton’s mouth tightened with anger. Obviously, he
believed Brody, which was exactly what everyone wanted except me.
Fuck my life.
“You just want to use her,” Clay said hotly.
Brody laughed. “I’m trying to help you out. You’re not ready for
someone like Landon, freshman.” It was his casual term for Clayton being a
virgin since he was walking a line and the producers loved it. “She’s
playing you.”
Clayton jabbed his finger in the air. “You’re the one playing her. Every
time we have a conversation, you’re getting in our space, interrupting and
showing off. What’s the matter? Afraid you’ll look like an ass when she
chooses me?”
Brody blinked, then treated me to a hot gaze. “No. I’m afraid she’ll
break your heart like she did her other two boyfriends. I’m protecting you,
man.”
“Stop it,” I said forcefully, stepping between them. I felt everyone’s
stares and swallowed back my unease. The only way I could get this done is
to protect myself by acting the cold bitch like they wanted me to be. “None
of you own me or know me, so stop pretending to. I’m tired of feeling like a
piece of meat. Grow up.” I tossed my hair and marched off, pausing long
enough to deliver my exit line. “Neither of you are worthy enough to hold
my Louboutins, let alone kiss me.”
Clayton jerked back, obviously hurt. Brody’s voice snapped to my ears.
“Then what was last night? When your tongue was in my mouth and my
hands were up your shirt?”
“In your dreams,” I sneered. “You’re reaching, Brody. Why don’t you
go play those games with the other girls? I’m sure Corinne will let you do
all of that with a smile.”
 I stalked off, breath shaky, keeping my head high. One of the
cameramen gave me a thumb’s up, meaning I was free to leave and the
scene was good. The boys kept talking and the crew kept filming. Some of
my other castmates were surrounding the barn, bitching in style. I ignored
them as I walked on by, while some taunted me about voting me out tonight
because Clayton and Brody were under my spell.
Suddenly, it seemed like too much. The playacting and the stress and
knowing it was all fake.
I was a fake.
I grabbed my phone and suddenly I saw all my texts had gone through.
Greedily, I ready Adam’s past messages. My horror mounted as he told
me he’d seen a clip of me kissing Clayton and wanted to know what was
going on.
Oh, God. How was that possible? The show hadn’t even aired yet!
With shaky fingers, I was ready to call him but Facetime popped up.
Finally, we’d get all of this shit cleared up.
I hit the button and began to talk.
 Chapter Thirty-Nine
Adam

Listen to Somewhere Only we Know

by Keane

I ’d been ready to grab an Uber and drive out to the country to talk to
Landon in person when her texts finally came through. I read through
them like a maniac, trying to calm my rapidly beating heart.
I saw the pic with your new groupie. Planned? Or…
Crap. That was something I’d wanted to warn her about but not over
text. Guess it went out into the cloud verse and she saw it. I rubbed my
head, cursing. But that wasn’t the real problem anymore. I had to tell her
about Max.
I dialed her into Facetime and hoped she picked up. When her face
came on my screen, my entire body seized up and calmed at the same time.
God, I missed her.
“Adam?”
“Landon.” I repeated her name in the deep voice she responded to when
I needed her to focus. I could see immediately she looked frantic and almost
fragile, which made me want to lose my fucking mind. “Breathe,
sweetheart.”
Blue eyes wide, she immediately responded and sucked in air. Let it out
slow. Then stared at the screen.
“Good girl.”
 Heat flared even though we were miles away and a needy whimper
escaped her mouth. I got hard in an instant and fought to keep my focus.
There was too much going on and I needed to be clear. “I couldn’t get a
hold of you. The connection here is crap and there was an accident that
knocked out power.”
“It’s okay. I’m here now.”
She nodded and I sensed her calming. “I miss you. It’s a shit show here.
When do you leave?”
“Late tonight. Tell me everything that’s happening with the show. With
you. With that asshole you were kissing.”
She visibly shuddered. Licked her full lips. I waited it out though my
gut clenched. “I didn’t know they were filming,” Landon admitted.
“Clayton said he was nervous and didn’t want to kiss me on camera for the
first time. He was sweet and seemed overwhelmed. Asked if I could just
give him a peck to make him more comfortable so I did. It was nothing,
Adam, I swear. Then I looked around and cameras were filming.”
I believed her. The kiss had been edited to look like something more,
but I still hated the idea of any man’s mouth on hers. I gave a tight nod.
“Okay. Not gonna lie. I still want to rip his face off.”
She gave me a smile. “Same way I felt when I saw that girl with her
naked tits pressed against you. What was that about?”
“Bullshit. JJ had all these influencers come to our last gig and take pics.
I guess she posted? I didn’t even get her name. It was nothing.”
A pause. “I believe you.”
Yeah, believing each other didn’t seem to be our problem. The bigger
issue was continuing on this blind trust when we were separated for three
months and hit with viral bullshit. Groupies and castmates. Producers and
managers. Performing for others at the expense of this relationship.
“I’m glad,” I said. “But we’ve only been apart a few days and already
it’s a shit show. Why do you look upset, Landon? What’s going on with the
cast?”
She filled me in on the voting mess. The fighting. The way Brody and
Clayton were beginning to heat up regarding who’d be with her. How she
walked away and told them off.
It was the stuff she wasn’t saying that I noticed. How the crew pushed
her in their direction so they could film drama and angst that sold a show.
How they were using Landon as a prop and a trope for the audience. This
would come out badly for her. Instead of making her a household name, it
could ruin what she really wanted.
I seethed with frustration. “It’s so obvious what they want. This isn’t a
reality show. It’s scripted like a soap opera and you’ll end up the villain.”
“I know. But Brody said I committed and it could blow up the show and
everyone if I don’t work with the producers. I think he’s right. I can’t be
here always worried about looking bad or getting you upset.”
I stiffened. “You’re saying you want to go full in on this drama with
them?”
“No! I’m saying I need to fake it and hear from your lips that it won’t
matter!”
I squeezed my eyes shut and felt Landon slip away a little more. I’d
gotten sidetracked. I needed to deal with the Max issue. “It won’t. Don’t ask
me to like it. I’m away while you’re playing kissing games with two men,
but I will accept it. And no, I’d never use it against you. I swore I’d support
your choices and I will, Landon. Just make sure it’s what you want more
than anything else.”
She blinked, leaning in toward the phone. “I love you.”
“I love you.”
“Will it be the same? With you in LA, getting pushed to do PR stuff?”
“Yeah, it will. God knows what you’ll see. All I can tell you is to trust
me and vice versa.”
A pause. “What if it’s still too much for us to handle?” she whispered.
My heart shattered in my chest. She was worried. Maybe she was
beginning to question this whole thing before we even started the hard stuff.
“Then we don’t make it.”
“Adam—”
“Wait, you need to listen. This is important. I found out the truth about
Max. That night you were attacked at Red? He hired someone to do it.”
I watched her face smooth out as if she was trying to placate me. “I told
you before, Max wouldn’t do that. I know you think he’d do anything, but
that type of move is beyond even him. Can we let it go? I want to move on
and focus on us.”
I practically growled into the phone. “Landon—I have proof. I met a
guy named Gio. He’s Max’s friend and he admitted it to me!” I quickly
related the entire interaction sparing no detail.
 “What? Come on, you must’ve misunderstood, or he was fucking with
you. He said he attacked me at Red and Max paid him to do it?”
“Exactly.”
“Why? What type of payoff would Max have gotten?”
I ground my teeth so hard my jaw hurt. “So you’d go back to him! I’m
telling you Max is fucking dangerous and I don’t want you seeing him
again. I intend on kicking his ass and confronting him but I haven’t had
time. I just found out this morning. And—”
As if I’d stepped into a dream—or nightmare—I heard the familiar
voice echoing from the phone.
“Hey, Landon! Wanted to check on you since there was no service.
Oops—sorry to interrupt.”
The world tilted and my head spun. Everything inside me got super
quiet and still. “Landon? Is Max there?”
I caught the raw emotion in her eyes as she slowly nodded. She said
something to him, walking away until she was framed by a background of
trees. “Yeah, Max came up last night. He knows Lydia and said he was
worried and wanted to check on me. I know you’re upset. I know you think
Max did something horrible. I’m asking you to trust me on this.”
Where heat once burned, ice now froze. My insides morphed as I
looked into Landon’s beloved face and realized she’d chosen Max.
She’d chosen to believe Max over me.
“Don’t worry, I’m telling him to go home today.”
She’d chosen to believe Max over me.
“I’m a mess, but I think we can manage if we keep strong, Adam. If we
trust each other, and make sure we’re on the same page, we can do this.
Because you’re everything to me.”
My heart shattered. Sharp fragments of pain jabbed in my gut but I was
too devastated to even care. No matter what Landon said or felt, the bottom
line was where it counted most, and she’d chosen Max. Even if I had proof.
Even if I swore it wasn’t about jealousy or justice. I wanted to protect her
with the truth, but she’d already chosen what side she was on.
And it wasn’t me.
“You believe Max?”
It was the final answer I needed. Landon tilted her head, obviously
confused at my cold question. “No, I just believe you got wrong
information. Adam—I’m not interested in Max. You know that, right? I
love you.”
An animal sound escaped my throat. “You don’t even see it, do you?
How easy it was to believe him even after he proved to be a liar? I’m not
sure how he managed, but he did it. He kept a piece of you for himself, and
you gave him permission.”
“What are you talking about! Adam—”
“No, Landon. I see it now. I was being stupid. I’ll never…” I trailed off
as I realized in real time that I’d lost her. Maybe she’d never been mine to
begin with. Maybe she’d always belonged with Max and it was better I
accept it now rather than later. “Doesn’t matter. I gotta go. I have a plane to
catch.”
“Not like this.” Her voice whipped with ferocity and she glared into the
screen. “You are not hanging up because you’re pissed Max is here. That in
some fucked up way you think I chose him over you. It will always be you,
Adam. Haven’t I proved it?”
Because I loved her, raw emotion bled into my tone. “Finish the show,
Landon. Do what you need so you have no regret because that’s the most
important thing of all.” I paused, memorizing the elegant planes of her face,
her regal nose, her golden hair and bright blue eyes. “I fucking love you. I’ll
die loving you.”
I hung up the phone and sent her the picture of Gio in the café. Then
turned my phone off completely.
Tonight, I’d be heading to LA. I’d have three months to rebuild myself,
though I’d only be a shadow of who I was meant to be.
It was over.
 Chapter Forty
Landon

Listen to Greedy
by Tate McRae

I stared at the phone in shock. Max approached me slowly, as if trying not

to startle a scared deer. I looked at him through a veil of fog because
even though my mind kept telling me it would all be okay, my heart
knew it would not.
I think I’d lost Adam.
The breath that he’d ordered me to take wheezed from my lungs. Nerves
raw, I leaned forward and started to hyperventilate.
“Landon, what’s wrong? Holy crap, are you having a panic attack?”
Max asked sharply.
His voice came from far away. What had happened? I thought we were
agreeing that each of us experienced drama but we didn’t have a choice.
Our careers were forcing us to deal with situations we rather not. But we
trusted each other and would move forward. Right? Hadn’t that been the
conversation?
“Landon, I’m going to count and you’re going to focus on your breath,
okay? I got you.”
His grip tightened as he held on to me, but nothing mattered except
figuring out how everything had gone wrong.
Max. Adam had said Max paid a guy to attack me in Red. Adam wanted
me to believe him. Was that all? He’d hung up and left me with a gut
instinct I’d done something horrible; something that had changed us.
Imagining Max committing such a betrayal was against everything inside of
me. To even accept such a fact would put me on a road I didn’t want to
travel. A road where the man I’d once loved was really a monster.
Adam had needed me to say I believed him. Why? Why was he pushing
this so hard? I’d imagined it was because he needed to win over Max and
prove I loved him more. But now, I wondered if Adam had seen my refusal
to accept his truth as a betrayal.
My vision cleared. I heard Max’s soothing words in my ear. His arms
held me in support. A terrible instinct washed over me. Slowly, I
straightened, my lungs finally allowing me to receive precious air.
Max stepped back but kept his hand on my arm. “Do you feel better?
You scared the hell out of me. You never had attacks before.”
“I’m okay. My conversation with Adam was intense.”
His eyes dimmed but he slowly nodded. “I can imagine. It looked
intense. He’s pissed I’m here, right?”
I eased away from his touch and gained precious distance. “Of course.
You shouldn’t have come, Max.”
Pain reflected on his face. I stared at him, trying to sync up with the idea
he’d sunk to new depths in order to gain what he wanted.
Me.
I always knew Max was selfish. It was a part of him I understood as I
owned my role as the pampered princess—the Queen bitch. I’d been
playing it most of my life, and no one had ever dared to try and tame me
until Adam. With Max, I was able to flourish, but eventually, such
selfishness would have strangled me alive. I owed myself better. I owed
myself the truth.
And suddenly, I was beginning to see things crystalize before me,
whether I liked it or not.
Adam’s voice echoed in my head. I glanced through his texts and
studied the picture Adam snapped. Gio. He didn’t look familiar. I hated
what I was about to do. Accusing Max broke my heart. But I’d be more
broken if I lost Adam and didn’t listen to his warning.
“Max, do you know this guy?” I asked casually, holding up my phone.
A tiny frown creased his brow. He squinted at the picture for a few
seconds, then nodded. “Sure, that’s Gio. You met him once at one of the
clubs.”
 “I don’t remember.” I paused, waiting, but he remained silent. “He a
good friend of yours?”
Max shrugged. “Nah, it’s casual. We don’t hang out one on one. Why?
He dating one of your friends or something?”
I knew the next few seconds were crucial. Max had taught me a few
things about himself over the year. It was possible to scent a lie, but I
needed to open up and separate myself from the outcome I wanted. I needed
a calm, clear mind. So, I took a deep breath, slowly let it out. And asked the
question.
“Did you hire Gio to attack me at Red?”
He jerked back in shock. Disgust radiated from his aura as he stared at
me. “Are you fucking kidding me? Of course not! Who told you that?”
I kept my gaze focused. “Adam said Gio admitted it in the café this
morning. Said you paid him to attack me so you could play hero and get me
back.”
He began to pace while curses streamed from his mouth. “I fucking
don’t believe this. Either Gio is playing some sick game or Adam is.
Landon, you know I’d never hurt you. Can you imagine me doing
something like that? For god’s sakes, I dragged my ass all the way up here
because I was worried about you! Tell me everything Adam said.”
I repeated the story but my voice had become rusty. Once again, I felt
separated from the ground beneath my feet, as if I was looking down at
myself having this conversation.
Max had lied.
His response was picture perfect. All the emotion was on point. If I
hadn’t been dialed in, I would’ve never caught it, but now that I’d seen his
tell, it’d be impossible to live in ignorance or denial again.
A tiny spark of smugness flickered in those blue eyes. Barely
noticeable, but a clear indication he’d been waiting for this accusation. He’d
imagined his denial, practiced, and cultivated his reaction so I’d believe
him. He intended to win over Adam no matter how he did it. I’d seen that
same reaction before, usually when he achieved some type of success he’d
worked hard for. Max loved the hunt and conquer and wasn’t afraid to show
his dominance in life’s game of who was best.
Now, I knew the truth.
His words were rehearsed. Max ranted on, peppering me with questions,
in his usual way when he got caught doing something he needed to turn
around. In that instant, the image of so many other moments throughout our
relationship hit me hard. He’d always been a liar. It was part of who he was.
Maybe I knew all along and accepted it because I’d never felt truly worthy
of something more. Being with Max was easy. We were perfect on the
surface and skimmed through life, reveling in our spot at the top. We
understood one another’s ugly parts.
The difference between Max and Adam was Adam embraced and
morphed those parts into something better.
Max exploited it with cruelty.
My entire body shuddered as my familiar world closed up, boxing me
in. There was only one way out.
“Do you still love me?” I asked.
Hope flickered over his face. He stepped forward with his arms
outstretched. “Yes. I will always love you, Landon. Thank God, you see the
truth. That you didn’t let Adam twist what you know about me.”
The lump in my throat thickened. Each action and choice had led me
right here and nothing would be the same. I wished there’d been time to
mourn, but maybe I’d already had too much of it to begin with. Enough that
I’d almost lost Adam over preferring denial.
“I don’t believe you.” He stilled, nostrils flaring. Ice edged my tone. “I
want you to leave, Max.”
He stared at me in confusion and obvious hurt. “Adam really got to you,
huh? He’s trying to control you! Hates the idea we can even be friends,
which is ridiculous. You know me better than that. Hell, why don’t I give
you Gio’s number? You can text or call him yourself and ask.”
Clever. I was sure that had been rehearsed also, in case of a blow up. It
was so clear now, how I was manipulated. But it was my fault, too. I just
hadn’t wanted to see the truth.
I took a few steps back, needing the distance. “No need. Adam already
told me the real story. You know the worst part? We could’ve actually
stayed friends. There was hope we could heal and rebuild the group, but
your ego would never allow that. I feel sorry for you, Max. Because until
you accept who you really are, you’ll end up with nothing but shallow, sad
relationships.”
He stayed in character, even though his jaw tightened and fury darkened
his eyes. “Adam is feeding you lies and one day, you’ll see your own truth.
He’ll keep you as his little groupie and strip you of everything. Your
ambition, your strength, and your identity. You’ll be his puppet, while he
fucks other women. Is that what you want?”
I stiffened. Max knew how to hit my sensitive parts. I was scared of
many things, but that was the worst. My old self would walk away and seek
protection, but I’d changed. Adam had shown me something bigger and I
needed to take a risk for the payoff.
“It’s always been Adam.” I raised my chin. “It will always be him, no
matter what happens. Now, get your ass off this property and don’t ever
contact me again.”
His body shuddered as he clenched his fists. I watched with calm,
wondering if he was going to lose his shit, but Max shook his head and
drew back his lips in a snarl. “Good luck. Funny how your win is gaining
the biggest liar out of all of us. This time, I’m not taking you back when
you come running.”
With a nasty glare, he stalked off and disappeared down the path.
I slumped over, shaking hard, and called Adam.
But he didn’t answer.
 Chapter Forty-One
Landon

Listen to Look What You Made Me Do

by Taylor Swift

I began to lose my shit.

Adam wouldn’t answer. I called and left messages. I left texts. All I
got was radio silence.
I reminded myself he was busy getting ready to leave. He’d listen to my
apologies and hear I kicked Max out and forgive me. He’d call once he got
settled and we’d put this mess behind us. I was just being paranoid and
needed to calm down.
The problem? My gut instinct was screaming danger and that the more
time I let pass built another wall between us. I kept replaying our
conversation, remembering the flat tone to his voice; the weary acceptance
that he used when he was battling demons and had nowhere to turn. His
safe place was supposed to me, but in his perspective, I’d refused to believe
him.
Adam had spent his entire life not being chosen. He’d needed that from
me and I’d not only rejected him, but then invited Max over to laugh in his
face. No, it hadn’t been my intention, but did it even matter? The outcome
was still the same.
I had to do something.
Lydia called out in a sharp voice. “Time for the voting. Gather in the
living room, please.”
 Whispered conversations flew around me, like it had all afternoon.
Groups formed, then dissipated, and everyone was suspicious. Tension built
and cranked everyone to the highest level of stress. It was like a storm
gathering, ready to explode. The cameras ate it all up with greed.
I didn’t care. I tried to get involved in the discussions on who should go
and why, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Adam and my real life, away
from this farmhouse of hell.
Brody grabbed my arm and pulled me into the hall. “Get your head out
of your ass,” he hissed. “We’re gonna vote but if you keep looking like you
couldn’t give a shit, you’ll be out next week. Then all of this will be for
nothing.”
I shook off his hand and glared. “I got it, okay? We decided on Amy.
Brenna and I finally made nice with the bitch pack to make it an easy night.
Everyone knows it’s too soon to get anyone big out.”
“Fine. But I think next week we go hard for Abby since she’s Ronnie’s
sidekick. You better bring it during the ceremony and not act like a damn
robot like you have all day.”
I shot him a glare and walked out, joining the others in the main room. I
imagined my phone ringing and not able to answer it since we weren’t
allowed to have phones while shooting. Imagined Adam questioning our
relationship while I embroil myself in this fake drama that had become my
life.
Corinne spoke first, her tone smug. “I think it’s obvious who’s not
pulling their weight around here.” She sent me a blistering look and I
automatically rolled my eyes. “Landon’s been more worried about her outfit
than really helping us turn this farm around.”
Brody looked surprised. So did the cameraman. Interesting. Was she
trying to rally up a coup and throw me out early? My respect went up a
notch even though I still despised her. I examined my cherry red manicure
and fell into my role. “Funny, Corinne, but I’ve caught you throwing
yourself at Brody and Patrick so many times, maybe you think this was the
Bachelor?”
The group tittered. Brody’s shoulders relaxed. God knows, I excelled at
the Queen Bitch role. Too bad I didn’t like it anymore.
Ronnie jumped on board. “You’re the one causing issues, playing
Clayton and Brody against each other. If you’re gonna be a whore all the
time on camera, maybe you can do it privately and not ruin a working man
trying to save his job.”
“She’s not a whore!” Clayton defended. “You’re just pissed because
Landon is liked more than you.”
Discomfort itched through me. I tried to ignore it. “I was only teaching
Clayton how to kiss. Would you like a class too, Ronnie? I heard you got
dumped right before you got here. OUCH.”
Brenna cracked up. And then the petty arguing and name calling began.
I sat through all of it, watching myself from a distance, and wondered if
this was the fame I’d imagined for myself. Maybe, at first. But now? What
if I asked or demanded more? What if I reached for something outside of
my comfort zone? What if I refused to play this type of game and set new
rules for myself, on my terms?
Amy let out her usual whine. “I heard my name being tossed around and
I think that’s so wrong. I’m the only one who makes dinner and cleans the
bathroom. I do more chores than anyone.”
Brody propped his feet on the cheap scarred coffee table, looking bored
and hot. “Corinne, I thought we discussed what’s best for the house already.
Why are you trying to change your vote? Are you making side deals?”
Her skin turned hot. “I have no deals, Brody. Not like you—who
promised to go to the final with every one of you!”
“Not true,” Brody drawled. “Don’t be jealous, darling. Landon’s a
smoke show, but you’re the one who’s slowly stealin’ my heart.”
I almost gagged at his fake country accent and the way she simpered
like an idiot at his obvious fake words. Clayton gave me a sympathetic
look, with a gleam of real emotion, and I wondered again if he was getting
caught up in the game and catching feelings that had no place here. He was
young, and sweet, and did what he was told for the camera. What if this
whole thing was building up so I was forced to break Clayton’s heart? What
if that entire spin was being kept secret but they were filming to sacrifice
me to the online Gods of algorithms? I’d be the biggest villain and bring in
huge ratings. Clayton would capture the hearts of America.
I’d be fucked.
Since there was no host, the clock they’d brought in chimed three times
which signaled it was time to vote.
One by one, we each had to go outside to the back and write the names
on these giant fake eggs with black sharpie. I took my turn, writing down
Amy’s name automatically, then looked at the camera to give her a goodbye
message. I said something snarky and rolled the egg into the coop.
When I returned, I took my seat, glancing at the clock.
Adam’s flight was late tonight. He was probably meeting the guys early
so they could all drive to the airport together.
And I was here. Stuck in a reality show of my own choice.
The box magically appeared on the table. A fake voice called out:
“Brody, will you please read the votes out loud?”
Brody stood up and opened the lid to reach for an egg.
“The first vote is for Amy.”
Amy’s face scrunched up in anger and embarrassment.
I thought of the first time I kissed Adam and how my entire body had lit
from the inside out.
I thought of the way he commanded me in bed and held me tight
afterward, healing my brokenness with a gentle heart.
I thought of the way he’d shared his story about his Dad and Josie and
let me see all of the shattered pieces.
I thought of the way he’d said goodbye over the phone.
I thought of the way I loved him.
Like a firestorm, my entire body shook, and I almost choked on the rush
of emotion flowing through me in choppy waves.
God help me, I didn’t want to be here. I wanted to be with Adam. I
wanted to be at his side in LA while he made his music and I let myself be
that other person I’d refused to let loose. The person who loved to write and
create; who wasn’t ruled by social media stats or tv cameras or false fame. I
wanted to see who I was stripped of it all, away from everything but Adam.
I wanted to blow it all up and watch everything burn.
Brody read another vote. “Amy.”
“This is ridiculous! Why are you doing this to me?” Amy whined.
I lurched up on shaky legs. “Stop. I have to say something!”
Everyone’s gaze focused on me. Some with satisfaction; some with
greed to hear my next words.
“No one has to be voted out tonight,” I said.
A groan echoed from the room. “We’re required to vote out one person
at every ceremony,” Abby said primly, pushing her glasses up her nose.
“I know. But Amy’s not the one leaving tonight.”
“Then who is?” Corinne sneered. “You want to volunteer?”
 A smile curved my lips and lit up my heart. “Yes. I nominate myself to
be voted out tonight. I’m going home.”
There were a few seconds of complete stunned silence.
Then everything exploded.
 Chapter Forty-Two
Adam

Listen to Love You Anyway

by Trisha Yearwood (feat Don Henley)

M y insides felt scraped raw as I grabbed my bag and got in the Uber. I
was meeting the guys at JFK since I skipped out on the bar get
together before the flight. Somehow, I had to get my shit together to
go on this tour and put all my focus into my career. Even though my heart
was squeezed so tight, there was no blood to pump anymore.
I’d lost Landon.
I sat in the back seat and stared out the window. The traffic was a
nightmare and it’d be a long damn ride. The city I loved said goodbye with
a gloomy rain that reflected my mood. Once again, my phone buzzed and I
couldn’t help myself. I had three missed calls I’d managed not to answer or
return, but I had to read the text.
Please, Adam, call me. I made a mistake and I’m making it right.
Please.
Pain rippled through me. I knew Landon believed she could fix this, and
maybe I was being a stubborn ass for letting the woman I loved go over one
mistake. Unfortunately, it was bigger than that for me. She knew what Max
had done before. She knew how I’d backed her up over and over, trusting
she’d never hurt me. But to listen to my pleas while Max stood by her side
—that slimy snake having full access while she defended him? To choose to
believe Max without question?
 No. I couldn’t forgive that. At least, not right now.
I ignored the text and sat in silence. My thoughts churned. Landon
would finish shooting Dumped and I’d tour in LA. Maybe the distance
would allow this pain to soften and I’d realize I couldn’t live without her,
no matter what she did. Maybe she kicked Max off the set and swore to
never see him again. It would help. But the betrayal wouldn’t be erased by
simple words. I was too fucked up and needed time.
Another text came through from Gabby.
Where r u? Did u leave yet?
I typed out my response. On my way to JFK. 10pm flight.
An emoji blowing a kiss popped up. Safe flight. Text later. Will miss u.
I managed a half smile. Gabby was like a firebomb—you never knew
when she’d bring excitement or chaos. I respected her ambition with her
career and the direct way she lived her life, with no apology. But I also
never knew if she manipulated things in the background. She was an
unknown factor.
I brooded and my phone stayed silent. Time passed slowly, leaving me
alone with my muttering driver and my thoughts. I made a vow then and
there to commit to what I was stepping into. My music had been the only
thing in my life that was constant—a safe place to escape my doubts and
pain and suffering. This was my time and I couldn’t allow to be distracted
by what I’d left behind.
Or who. Even though Landon would always own part of my soul.
Finally, we got to the airport. It took forever to get through baggage and
pre-check. I confirmed my gate, bought a few snacks, and finally went to
the bar where the band was hanging.
“Finally! Started to wonder if you’d dumped us,” Xavier said with a
grin. We all gave each other half-ass guy hugs.
“JJ’s next door getting some fancy ass pillow. Like that maniac is going
to sleep,” Seb said.
I grinned. “We’ll finally see if he’s the vampire we suspected. Are you
already shit-faced?”
Seb raised his glass. “Hell, yes. Fucking seven-hour flight and I plan to
pass out.”
“Might as well join you.” I ordered a beer as they all gave a whoop. We
fell into easy conversation. The girls were joining them on a later flight the
next day and I couldn’t help but think of Landon, and what it would feel
like if she’d chosen to come with me. Maybe Fate had stepped in to make
me realize I needed to do this journey on my own. I’d made best friends
with loneliness most of my life. Landon had shown me another way, but I
obviously wasn’t meant for that type of world. Better to learn that lesson
now.
I had a few beers. JJ returned to some good-natured ribbing. Finally, it
was getting close to boarding and we made our way toward the gate, where
a long line was already formed, snaking down the aisle.
“Gonna hit the bathroom,” I said, dropping my bag. “It’ll be a while.”
I walked down the wide hallway, maneuvering through the crowds, and
heard my name.
I paused, cranking my head around, but didn’t see anyone. Great, now I
was hallucinating shit. I began walking but the voice got louder, drilling
into my brain with a familiarity that stole my breath.
WTF?
I stopped and squinted behind me. And then I saw her.
Landon stood a few feet away. I blinked several times to clear my
vision, but she was still there. She wore tiny denim shorts that showed off
her long legs. Her low-cut shirt was damp with sweat, and her blonde hair
was slipping from its holder, where strands messily framed her face.
Makeup had rubbed off her face, showing smeared eyeliner and natural pink
lips. Her blue eyes were fixed on me with such a naked vulnerability, I
froze, unable to move. Unable to speak.
“Adam.” Her voice broke on my name. She closed the distance between
us slowly, carefully, as if she was afraid I’d bolt. “I made a terrible mistake.
But I’m here now, and I need you to forgive me.”
 Chapter Forty-Three
Landon

Listen to Fade Into You

by (feat. Sam Palladio & Clare Bowen) Nashville soundtrack

A s I looked into Adam’s face, I wanted to fall to my knees and weep.

He stared at me with wariness and a touch of distance, dragging me
back to the time when we circled each other but were unable to
connect; the time when I was with Max and refused to blow up my safe life
for the unknown.
I forgot how Adam affected me; pulling me to him as if he was my true
other half. My entire body shook with the need to go to him, touch his face;
stroke his hair; tell him how much I missed him. He’d pull me in and
dominate me with his kisses and rough commands, allowing me to splinter
and be free under his care.
But now? He’d already built walls around his heart. I’d broken his trust
and it wouldn’t be about one apology to earn it back.
When I announced I was leaving Dumped, the cast and crew had gone
apeshit. Lydia paused filming to take me aside and warn me about what
would happen if I walked. I’d be breaking my contract. I’d be done with tv
and a lot of other bookings. My agent may drop me. My name would be
blacklisted.
I didn’t care. I stuck to my decision, threw my shit in a bag, and left the
set. They’d probably spin my role on the show badly, but fuck it. The sheer
relief that pulsed through me confirmed I’d made the right choice.
 I got in an Uber, which took forever to come, and kept trying to reach
Adam but he still wouldn’t answer. I knew he was leaving for the airport,
but I wasn’t sure of the flight, so I called Gabby and told her to text Adam
to get the info. Gabby rocked. She didn’t ask for details—just got the job
done. As I urged the driver to do everything possible to speed up or take
short cuts, I booked a ticket for Adam’s flight to LA, which still had seats
available.
Maybe I was losing my mind. Maybe I’d show up with my grand
gesture and he’d politely tell me he needed time away by himself. Time to
see if my one mistake was big enough to step back and focus on his career.
Fear lodged icily in my heart but there was nothing I could do except put
myself out there and hope he caught me.
God, please let him catch me.
Because what I was about to do would change everything. I’d leave it
all behind and follow him to LA. People would call me a groupie. I’d need
to figure out what I wanted besides being in love with Adam, but somehow,
I was more scared he’d reject me than anything else.
I’d torn through the airport like a bat out of hell and found Unison on
line. The guys had looked confused but pointed him out, and now I was
standing before him, about to plead my case.
The movie Notting Hill flashed through my mind. I was tempted to say
the famous line: I’m just a girl, standing before a boy, asking him to love
me. But that was too cheesy and not good enough. I’d need my own words
to win this one.
“Landon?” His gaze narrowed as he studied me. “You came all this way
to say you’re sorry?”
My hands were shaking but I refused to hide them. “Yes. I can’t let you
get on that plane without knowing the truth.”
His muscles stiffened. “I already know the truth. I tried to tell you but
you’ll always protect Max. Shit, maybe I can’t blame you. There’s a history
with him. Maybe this time apart will be good for us. We can figure some
stuff out.”
Fear shredded my nerve endings. I stepped into his space, throwing my
head back as I challenged him to look at me; to see me. “I don’t need time
to figure anything out,” I said fiercely. A strange primitive fury whipped
through my body as I fought for the man I loved. “I fucked up, okay? I was
off my game and distracted with the stupid show, and Max was buzzing
around me and saying all the right things. But once we hung up, I realized
you’re my truth. Not Max. I told him to leave. Told him he wasn’t welcome
in my life anymore. I won’t be seeing him again.”
The flicker in his beautiful dark eyes gave me hope. “Even if our group
will be broken up? There’s no way I can be around him and Coop,
pretending we’re friends. Things will be different.”
“Then it’ll be different,” I said simply.
His voice hardened. “You believe me about Max?”
“Yes. I know you wouldn’t have said it unless you were one hundred
percent positive.”
I stared back at him and let him see all of me. The fear and the need for
him. The love that I felt for him, so deep and dark and encompassing, it
held a bittersweet brutality that filled me up. Because it was unique to us.
There. The tiny break in his armor confirmed it wasn’t over between us.
A softer edge emanated from his tone. “You were able to leave the set? I
thought there was a vote tonight.”
I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out and touching him. My palms
lightly touched his chest, and I half closed my eyes, fighting back the raw
urgency to step in his arms and force him to hold me. “There was. Everyone
was voting for Amy, but when they began to read the votes, I realized I
didn’t want anything else except for you. So, I quit.”
He jerked back. Shock glimmered in his eyes and on his face, but I kept
talking.
“I don’t want to do the show, Adam. Every day I felt as if I was a sell-
out. The manipulation wasn’t about reality—it was pulling me apart but I’d
wanted this for so long, I couldn’t recognize I’d changed. I’m not that
person anymore.”
He leaned in, his hands gripping my shoulders. “Wait—you left? Just to
come apologize to me?”
I swallowed back the anxiety and threw myself off the cliff. “No. I
bought a ticket to LA. I want to come with you.” I touched his rough cheek.
My voice was a shaky whisper. “I love you. You are my choice, over and
over, again and again. Always you. Only you.”
It was as if we were in our own world of silence. The airport buzzed
with activity, as people bumped into us with their luggage and
announcements screamed over the intercom calling for flights. But to me, I
only saw Adam, waiting for his response to my raw speech.
 But he didn’t speak.
Instead, he took my mouth with his in a kiss that told me everything I
needed. Deep and hard, his tongue thrusting against mine in demand, his
hands cupping my head to hold me there for anything he wanted to give me.
I whimpered and reached for him, giving everything he asked for, fading
into him, under him, against him. Until we were one.
He finally ripped his mouth from mine. Dark eyes gleamed with a mad
type of hunger that made my blood run hot in my veins. “You’re coming
with me to LA?”
I nodded. “If you still want me. If you can forgive me.”
His forehead pressed against mine. “I’d never stop wanting you,
princess. And I forgive you. But I need you to be sure. You don’t have to
come to LA if you want to stay behind and figure things out for your career.
Maybe even fly out later when things settle.”
“I’m more than sure. I want to be with you. And LA is a great place to
figure some things out. Away from New York and the group and Red. It’s a
new chapter—for both of us.”
His smile stopped my heart. “Good. Because I choose you, Landon.
Forever.”
He kissed me again, and I blinked back tears at the fierce joy
shuddering through me. For the first time since I left him, I felt completely
whole and confident in my decision.
“Now, we better go before final call,” he said, gripping my hand.
We walked hand in hand, and boarded the plane together.
I had no idea what would come next. I knew there’d be challenges
ahead, but I was willing to face them head on and fight for Adam in
whatever way I had to.
As I stared out the window, watching the ground disappear beneath me,
I thought of Elle and Daisy; of Gabby and Coop and Noah. My heart ached
as I remembered all we’d been through, the ups and downs and everything
in between. I’d miss them like a bittersweet memory of my past, but I
needed to think of my future.
I know I’d see them all again. But things between us would never be the
same.
And then Adam leaned over and kissed me and nothing else mattered.
 I hope you enjoyed Adam and Landon’s journey
but there’s more to come!

Covet
Book 3 in the Red series

If it’s a sin to covet…

I should be happy. I have everything I want. A tight knit group of
friends. A job at Red, the most exclusive restaurant in New York City. A
burgeoning music career. And a boyfriend who’s willing to bring my secret
fantasies to life.
My friendship with Noah is a safe place to be my true self; the nerdy,
creative girl who believes in poetry and songs, but lately something has
changed between us. Noah doesn’t look at me like a friend anymore.
Instead, his eyes burn with a longing I can’t seem to ignore, but we’re both
involved in serious relationships neither of us intend to break. Until one
night changes everything…and secrets are unleashed that will force all of us
into a reckoning no one is ready for.
Then I’m ready to burn…
I’ve been secretly in love with Elle for a long time but she was never
meant to be mine. At least, I’m able to help her as she explodes on the
music scene, and the hours we spend together creating songs soothes my
aching need. But my girlfriend, Daisy, deserves all of my heart, so I intend
to give her the commitment she’s been asking for. It’s time to move on;
focus on my career as a popular DJ, and be the friend my group desperately
needs. Until one night, I’m suddenly faced with the possibility of getting
the woman I dreamed of.
The cost?
Destroying everyone else I love.

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COVET
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 About the Author

Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her
classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She holds a masters in English Literature and lives in
the beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York.

She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifty
books in contemporary romance fiction. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, spent 26
weeks on the New York Times. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over a
million copies, and was dubbed a “romance phenom” by Kirkus Reviews.

She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website at www.jenniferprobst.com.

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