Total pages in book: 15
Estimated words: 13338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 67(@200wpm)___ 53(@250wpm)___ 44(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 13338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 67(@200wpm)___ 53(@250wpm)___ 44(@300wpm)
The rest of the room was filled with strangers wanting a piece of the band members, one of whom stood with Naomi, who was waving Dash over.
He groaned. “Come on, let’s go see what she wants,” he said, his exhaustion and weariness obvious in his lack of enthusiasm.
“Okay, how about you go take care of business and I’ll go keep Axel company and drive the interested ladies away.” She smiled.
He narrowed his gaze. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Lifting herself up on her toes, she kissed Dash’s cheek. “I’ll be fine.”
He nodded. “I won’t be long. I’ll schmooze and get us out of here.”
“Okay.” She turned and pushed through the crowd, finding her brother leaning against the wall, looking around.
“Who are you looking for?”
He glanced her way, grinned, and picked her up, hugging her tight before putting her down again. “Missed you, sis.”
She grinned. “Back at you even though it’s only been two weeks.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Is that what you said to your husband? It’s only been two weeks?”
She frowned and pushed his shoulder with one hand. “Troublemaker.”
“I take it things are better between you two?”
If he counted forty minutes together and a broken condom they hadn’t discussed better, she thought. “Yep!”
Axel narrowed his gaze at her phony smile, but before he could ask any questions, ones she wouldn’t be answering, a young woman Cassidy recognized bounced over to them.
“Hi, Axel!” Peyton said, the pink streak in her hair even brighter in person.
“Peyton! Meet my sister, Cassidy. Cass, this is Peyton Jones,” Axel said.
Cassidy smiled. “It’s so great to meet you. I’m sorry I didn’t get out to see any of the concerts. I heard you were amazing.” To her surprise, she wasn’t filled with jealousy at the sight of the young, pretty rock star. Instead, she felt sorry for all she was going through.
“Thanks.” Peyton stared up at her, her big blue eyes wary. “You’re Dash’s wife.”
Cassidy nodded. “I am.”
Peyton pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “I-I’m sorry for the stories about me and Dash. I never—”
Cassidy put an arm on her shoulder. “I know.”
Axel cleared his throat. “I’m going to leave you two to talk,” he said, rushing off.
Cassidy shook her head. “Men. One whiff of emotion and they’re gone.”
Laughing, Peyton nodded. Despite the fact that she’d been on tour with a world-famous rock band, Peyton looked young in person. Very much an ingenue, though she was twenty-two.
“Are you traveling with your parents?” Cassidy asked, though she assumed not since Dash and the band had appointed themselves her protectors.
She shook her head. “They had a baby around the same time this happened for me. Oops!” she said, with a girlish giggle. “They trusted my manager to keep an eye on me. Though I’m sure Dash told you, I’d have been safer on my own.”
“I’m sorry. No man should be able to harass you or use his power to…”
“Try and extort sexual favors,” Peyton muttered.
Cassidy nodded. She’d taken one look at the younger woman’s wide-eyed, innocent look and knew immediately her manager had spotted the same thing.
Fury rose up inside Cassidy, the anger a fire in her chest. “You need to fire him and let the world know what a slime he is. So he can’t do it to any other woman.”
“I know.” Peyton swallowed hard. “I waited because I didn’t want to ruin the tour for the band or this opportunity for me. But I did tell Dash. He and the rest of the guys were so amazing, looking out for me like a little sister.”
“They’re a good group.”
“Yeah. Dash even connected me with a female manager he knows from way back. She was waiting for me at the hotel tonight, and we went to my room after the concert. I sent a termination notice to Russ and then I signed with her.” Peyton let out a sigh of relief. “I also hired a lawyer, and he’s going with me to the police station in the morning.”
Reaching out, Cassidy grasped her hand. “That’s brave. So brave.” She hoped the man hadn’t touched Peyton inappropriately, and it wasn’t her place to ask. But Peyton had used the words try to extort sexual favors. That gave Cassidy hope that it never moved to the physical.
No matter what, Peyton’s manager was a predator and needed to be stopped.
“There she is,” a deep, masculine voice said loudly.
Cassidy turned to see a large man pushing his way through the crowd. His face was flushed red, his head balding, and sweat had broken out on his forehead.
“Russ!” Peyton exclaimed, her eyes wide. Obviously she hadn’t expected him.
Shoving Cassidy aside, he stepped into the other woman’s space and grabbed her elbow. “Who do you think you are? You can’t fire me. Without me you’re nothing!” His voice rumbled low and angry.
Peyton seemed to shrink before Cassidy’s eyes.