Chapter 21
Defend – when you stick up for someone because her boss is an asshole
Aurora
I run through my to-do list checking items off as I go. “Done. Done. Done.”
Today is the first concert of the week-long tour for Cash & the Sinners and there’s still a ton of work to do. Especially since Mike wants everything done his way. And his way is a pain in my ass.
The members of the band tumble into the room. I check my watch before ticking sound check off of my list.
“The sound check is finished?”
Jett collapses on a sofa and taps his sticks on his thighs. “Yep. We’re ready to rock.”
“And roll,” Gibson finishes.
Jett’s body vibrates with excitement. He gets off on the adrenaline high of the concerts. He usually enjoys other adrenaline highs as well. But since suffering a concussion at the surfing competition, he hasn’t been able to go on any adventures.
I frown. Is this why he’s been so concerned with me and the baby? He’s stuck at home with nothing to do. Will he abandon us the second he’s medically cleared to go rock climbing or skydiving or whatever adventure catches his fancy?
Abandon us? I nearly snort. Jett isn’t with us. Is he being sweet and considerate? Yes, he is. But he also hasn’t claimed the baby as his. And he’s made it perfectly clear he doesn’t ever plan to.
I scowl. What is his problem? I know he doesn’t want children. But this child is here whether he wants him to be or not.
I rub a hand over my stomach. It’s okay, Little Bean. I will never abandon you.
“Are you okay?” Jett asks from in front of me. He must have snuck up on me while I was daydreaming.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re sure you’re not feeling nauseous? It’s common to feel nauseous in the second trimester.”
“How do you know? Have you been reading a baby book?”
“Yeah, Jett. Have you been reading a baby book?” Gibson teases.
Jett scowls. “None of your damn business.”
Dylan frowns. “You didn’t buy the baby books I recommended?”
Jett’s cheeks darken, and my mouth drops open.
“Have you seriously been reading baby books?”
Gibson waves Jett’s phone in the air. “According to his kindle app, he’s reading What to Expect When You’re Expecting.”
Jett dives for Gibson. “Give me my phone.”
They wrestle on the couch. I sigh before stomping over to them. I snatch the phone from Gibson and hand it to Jett.
“Stop fooling around before I decide to throw up on the two of you.”
Jett jumps to his feet. “You are feeling nauseous. Why don’t I grab some of the ginger tea you were drinking on the jet?”
“Drinking on the jet?” Mike asks as he walks into the room.
Jett and his stupid mouth. My boss isn’t supposed to find out about me flying on the jet with the band. This is bad. He’s going to fire me for sure.
“It isn—” I begin but I don’t get to finish my sentence before Jett is there shoving me behind him.
“I insisted Aurora fly on the jet with us,” he says.
Does he not realize he’s making things worse? I’m not supposed to fraternize with the members of the band. Let alone have the baby of one of them. Jett sticking up for me is equivalent to him waving a big red sign with the words Aurora broke ALL the rules on it.
I try to move him out of the way. “It won’t happen again.”
“Damn right, it won’t,” Mike grumbles, “because you’re fired.”
I hang my head. I knew this would happen. It was only a matter of time.
“You are not firing Aurora,” Jett declares.
Cash, Dylan, Fender, and Gibson come to stand behind him.
“Aurora is a damn fine assistant. You can’t fire her for flying on the jet with us,” Cash insists and Fender grunts in agreement.
“She’s having Jett’s baby,” Gibson says and I groan. Don’t remind him! “Of course, Jett insisted she fly on the jet instead of fucking economy class.”
“For the amount of money you make off of us, you could at least fly her business class,” Dylan adds.
Mike waves Dylan’s concern away. “Aurora’s fine in economy class.” Said with the confidence of a man who hasn’t flown economy class in two decades. Asshole.
Mike steps closer. “What is not fine is Aurora breaking all of my no fraternizing rules.”
“You can’t fire her for fraternizing with us,” Jett claims.
Yes, he can. He’s done it a million times before with other assistants. I’ve managed to last as long as I have at his management company because I didn’t fraternize with the band I was assigned to.
Until I blew that rule out of the water after Jett got injured. Stupid sexy rockstar I couldn’t resist.
“I can fire Aurora for any reason I want,” Mike insists and visions of Jett and all the naked fun we had at my apartment disappear.
“Do you want me to finish out the tour? Or shall I pack my bags and leave now?” I ask since there’s no sense in fighting the inevitable.
Jett growls. “You aren’t going anywhere.”
“Yes, I am, drummer boy. I just got fired.”
“Mike is not firing you.”
“Mike is right here and Mike is definitely firing Aurora,” Mike insists.
Jett places a hand on my shoulder. “Do you like your job?” I nod. “Do you want to keep your job?” I nod again. “Then, you’re keeping your job.”
“You’re not in charge of the world, Jett. You can’t snap your fingers and make things happen. You’re not a magician.”
His eyes light with humor, and he snaps his fingers. “Watch me.”
He starts to turn around to face Mike again but I grab his arm to stop him. “Stop it, Jett. I’m not worth all the trouble.”
He kisses my forehead. “You’re worth all the trouble in the world.”
I nearly melt at those words. At the feeling of his soft lips on my skin.
“Fire her and we fire you,” Jett says.
I gasp. “You can’t fire him.”
“Yes, we can,” Cash says as he stands next to Jett. Fender grunts as he joins them. Dylan and Gibson step forward.
Mike grits his teeth. “I don’t enjoy being blackmailed.”
“This isn’t blackmail,” Gibson says. “Blackmail is when we stuff your ass into a speaker box and demand you pay us a ransom.”
Cash smirks. “A speaker box is too big for him. We need to think smaller.”
“Naked in a speaker box,” Fender grumbles.
Dylan rubs his hands together. “Now we’re talking.”
Mike studies their faces. “When did you become this crazy?”
“After I went to rehab and you used my addiction for publicity for the band,” Gibson says.
“You’re serious? You’ll fire me if I fire Aurora?” Mike asks.
Judging by the tone of his voice, he thinks they’re bluffing. I don’t know about the rest of the band, but Jett isn’t bluffing.
“In a fucking heartbeat,” Jett snarls.
“Fine. Aurora stays.” He wags his finger at me. “But one more transgression and these assholes won’t be able to save you.”
He marches out of the room and slams the door behind him.
“I think I’m having hallucinations. What was it like when you took mushrooms?” I ask Jett. “Did everything turn purple?”
He shackles my wrists. “Are you seeing purple? Do we need to go to the hospital? Gibson, look up the nearest hospital.”
My skin tingles where he touches me. Tingling skin is bad. No matter how much Jett just defended me. I can’t afford to succumb to my hormones. I wrestle out of his hold.
“I’m fine. Well, not exactly fine. I’m in shock you defended me.”
Jett’s brow wrinkles. “Why wouldn’t I defend you?”
“Maybe because you spent the last decade trying to get me fired.”
“He tried to get you fired because he wanted you but didn’t think he could have you,” Gibson says and Jett hits him. “What? It’s the truth.”
“Maybe we should let these two discuss things in private,” Dylan says as he herds the rest of the band toward the door.
Panic hits me. I can’t be alone in a room with Jett after he defended me. I can’t trust myself not to jump him and have my wicked way with him.
I clear my throat. “It’s fine. I need to get back to work.”
I whirl around and walk to the door as fast as I can without breaking into a sprint.
“We can talk about this when we’re back home,” Jett calls after me.
Back home? I gulp.
It’s been hard enough resisting Jett before. Okay, fine. I didn’t exactly resist him when he stuck his tongue down my throat and I melted into him. But I did stop things before clothes disappeared. I pat myself on the back for my restraint.
But how am I going to continue to resist the drummer when he’s being all sweet and defending me? When he insists I travel in the jet with the band? When he stocks the plane with all of my favorite foods and drinks?
I groan. I am in so much trouble.