Chapter 16
Cruz
I needed her to know how serious I was about working things out. If music is what she needed to be happy, then I would learn to love it.
When I was asked about going to her Cheyenne concert, I really didn’t know how to reply. I’d not given it much thought until I saw the look on her face. I was pretty certain that Daisy had never even thought to ask me. Like it didn’t occur to her in the least.
Maybe she was struggling to merge two lives. I sure as hell knew I was.
What did I know about the life of a superstar?
How was I going to fit into her world?
I knew in my heart I could never ask her to step away. While what she’d shared with me wasn’t all good, I could see on her face just how much she loved it . . . enough to endure all she’d told me about Ronnie.
I growled.
That asshole was going to have to go. I didn’t know how to make that happen yet, but there was no room in our life for an asshole like that. I’d just end up ripping his throat out and putting Thomas in a tough situation on how to issue the consequences of said action.
Daisy raised her eyebrow and pulled back from me.
“Sorry,” I muttered.
“Did you just growl at me?”
“It wasn’t you. I was thinking of something else.”
“Something or someone?”
“Ronnie, okay? I was thinking about Ronnie letting you work here, and I haven’t met the guy, but from what I’ve heard, it’s going to take a lot not to rip his throat out.”
She sighed. “He’s my manager.”
“There are plenty of others out there.”
“Not ones that understand my, um, limitations.”
“What limitations?”
Was there something wrong with my mate that I didn’t know about?
“My wolf side, Cruz.”
I started to relax.
“A manager doesn’t have to know anything about that, honey.”
“What if I get freaked out and wolf out in front of people?”
“Has that ever happened before?”
“Of course not.”
“Then why do you think it will now?”
“Because Ronnie . . .”
“No Ronnie,” I insisted.
She took a deep, frustrated breath. “He’s done a lot for me. I owe him everything.”
“Does he get paid well for what he does?”
She shrugged. “I assume so. He controls all of my finances, so I really don’t know.”
“Oh, hell no! That’s going to change immediately. I just hope he hasn’t been ripping you off in the process.”
“He wouldn’t do that,” she insisted, but then something inside her changed, and she deflated in my arms. “I hope he wouldn’t.”
“Can I make some inquiries and have a background check run on him?”
“You can do that?”
“Westin Force can. They may already have.”
She slowly nodded. “Okay. But if he comes back clean, we drop it.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, okay?”
“Deal.” But I had a strong suspicion the man was shady as shit.
“I can’t believe you did all this for me,” she said, hugging me tightly.
I reached down and lifted her chin so I could see her. There were tears in her eyes.
“We’re going to figure this out, honey,” I assured her, or maybe I needed to hear it just as much.
Why would Daisy want me when she had the life of her dreams already?
I knew that was a product of my upbringing and always being told I was a piece of shit.
There was a small part of me that still believed that, but dammit, I’d worked my ass off to get passed that and she was my responsibility now.
God, or whatever greater force was out there, must believe I’m worth her.
I had to believe that. Having a mate was the ultimate responsibility as far as I was concerned.
Mate, my wolf growled.
“Mine,” I told her, leaning down so I could kiss her.
She melted into my arms.
A part of me wanted to claim her right there on the cold concrete basement floor, but I also knew better. She was a virgin, completely untouched. Her hesitation in kissing me for the first time had clued me in that it very well was probably her first kiss.
It relieved and excited me knowing no other would ever touch her.
She was mine. But with that knowledge came nerves I’d never experienced before.
When I finally claimed her, I wanted it to be perfect for her.
I had to take things slow no matter how much I didn’t want to, and a hard basement was hardly the place for it.
I could hear her heartbeat quicken and could smell desire pouring off her in waves. The pressure of her lips increased against mine. She wanted more, which made it all the harder to do the right thing and end it before we even really started.
Taking her hand in mine, I broke the kiss and guided her back upstairs.
I could have kept walking upstairs all the way to our bedroom, and I knew she’d let it happen, but it wasn’t fair to do that to her.
She was still so excited for the surprise the team had managed to pull off for her by putting in the studio so quickly.
Sure, it still needed a lot of work, but it was there now and the rest would come together in time.
There was no reason to rush things even though I was starting to walk like I’d been out on the range riding for days. I was uncomfortable with need. Pre-Daisy, I’d be down at the tavern looking for a quick hookup to take care of it, but that thought now disgusted me. I would never do that to her.
“All good?” Brady asked.
“It’s perfect,” Daisy gushed. “Thank you all so much.”
“Did Luke head out?”
“Sydney had a meeting about the concert plans with Lily, so he headed home to watch the baby,” Tricia said.
I nodded. “I’ll thank him later.”
“There’s no need,” she insisted. “Everyone was excited to pitch in and do this for you. Both of you,” she said, smiling.
“You give and give, Cruz. You never ask for anything in return. Trust me when I say everyone involved was thrilled to do this today. And those working who couldn’t get off today were disappointed they couldn’t be here.
There have been a few asking how they can help later.
Plans are already being made to finish off the rest of the basement for you. ”
“That’s not necessary,” I said, but in truth it would help a ton. I knew the studio part wasn’t the only thing Daisy envisioned for the space. “You know what? Screw it. I’d love the help.”
Tricia squealed a bit and hugged me.
Daisy growled at her.
My face hurt from grinning.
Neither of us were really fighting the mating bond, but it was nice to have signs of confirmation that she was feeling it all too.
Tricia was completely unfazed and left my arms to embrace Daisy next.
My phone rang, and I looked down to find an unknown number. Hesitantly, I answered it.
“Hello?”
“Is Daisy there?”
“Yes,” I told him, but didn’t turn over the phone. “What do you need?”
I knew it wasn’t Ronnie, but after his call I was little on edge still when it came to Daisy’s professional life.
“Okay, look. This is Cash and we sort of did a thing. We had a window of opportunity, so we’re on our way early. She gave Knox the town but not the address. If anyone asks, she told us to bring the gear bus. Technically, it’s all hers anyway. But we did not steal it, do you hear me?”
Daisy gasped and grabbed the phone from me.
“What did you do?”
“We did what you asked. We need instruments and gear, right?”
“You stole the roadie bus?”
“And half a dozen roadies to set it up. Wait, not stole, Daise, borrowed. Watch your words. None of us want to go to jail for this.”
Another call was trying to ring in. I could hear it, so I took the phone from her and put Cash on speaker while I checked to see who was calling. It was James.
Before I could answer, it rolled to voicemail, but then Brady’s phone immediately started ringing.
“James,” he said.
“Answer it.”
I gave Daisy back my phone to work things out with Cash, curious as to why James had called me and now Brady, so I listened in as he answered.
“Hey James, what’s up?”
“I just got an APB alert on one of Daisy Brooks’s buses. It’s got a hefty price tag attached to it, too. You guys wouldn’t know anything about it, would you?”
Brady laughed as I grabbed the phone. “Is there a way to cancel it?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve never really been in a situation like this before. What’s going on?”
“It’s her band. They took the equipment bus and are on their way here to setup for the concert.”
“Aw shit. Okay, let me see what I can do. How far out are they?”
I looked up over to Daisy and knew she’d heard him when she asked Cash the same question.
“One hour,” she said.
“I’ll make some calls and see what I can do,” he assured me before the line went dead.
“Who’s driving the bus?” Daisy asked.
“Ed, the bus driver. He’s catching some major shit for letting you disappear on his watch.”
“Ronnie?”
“Of course. That asshole is completely freaked out that his number one commodity is missing in action and now thousands of dollars in equipment is gone too.”
“Why did you have to steal the bus?”
“Borrow, Daisy. We’re just borrowing it because you asked us to.”
“So your plan is to pin this all on me?”
I growled softly, but she laughed.
“Okay. Anything else I need to know I did or said?”
She was taking this really well. Actually, she seemed to be enjoying it.
“You’re sure about this?” I asked her.
She smirked and there was a new sort of confidence surrounding her when she spoke. “I’m Daisy freaking Brooks. I don’t need anyone’s permission to hold a free concert.”
“Damn right you don’t!” Cash said. “I’m loving this new Daisy power. You go girl.”
“I really like this guy,” Tricia whispered.
Suddenly another voice came on the line.
“Daise, we need an actual address. I think we’re going to have to try and stay off the main roads if the po-po’s after us.”
I took the phone from her. “Once you’re officially in Collier County, we’ve got you covered.
Can you share your location to this number?
” I spouted off Brady’s number by memory.
I wasn’t big on storing names in my phone, so I memorized everyone on my team and the Pack leaders.
I was just paranoid enough not to trust human technology.