21. Jace
JACE
Not sure why, but I wake at the ass crack of dawn, hard, aching, and annoyed.
Rory is wrapped around me like a human octopus, and there’s nothing I wanna do more than whip off her dainty pajamas and bury my face between her thighs.
I’m not sure she realizes how much I enjoyed that pre-show kiss I planted on her. I was hard the entire night. Even after I got home and jerked off in the shower, the moment I jumped in bed and smelled her warm vanilla scent, the problem reemerged.
Then we decided not to fuck, which I admit was a good idea even if my dick does not.
And here we are again.
Except now, her tits press against my chest and her leg is slung over mine. I can feel her heat on my thigh. Why did I suggest we snuggle?
“Up! Up!” Layla calls from her crib, and I groan.
Rory lifts her head and smiles at me. “Good morning.” Fuck, she’s cute. She sits up to stretch while I get a nice long look at her perky tits through her thin top.
Jesus, I need another shower.
I cough and slide out of bed, hoping I can keep my back to her. It’s one thing to talk about screwing in the middle of the night and another to greet her first thing with my morning wood. “Would you mind getting Layla?”
“Sure. Why? Are you going somewhere?”
“You really want that answer?” I ask as I hobble to our bathroom.
“Are you… are you okay?”
Annoyed, I turn around and point south. “No, I’m not okay. If you don’t mind, I’m gonna go jerk off so I can feel human again.”
Her eyes widen when she sees what I’m dealing with. Her lips twitch before she barks out a laugh. “The Manwhore of La Mancha is really Moby Dick.”
Shaking my head, I laugh. “Shut up.”
I lock myself in the small bathroom, flip on the hot water, and a minute later, I have one hand braced on the plastic tile while I grip my dick with the other.
When I close my eyes, all I see is Rory.
Her sparkling hazel eyes when she had that makeover.
The way she moaned when I kissed her. Her amused smile when I make her laugh.
I’m not supposed to want my nanny. I’m not supposed to wonder how her nipples would feel against my tongue or how she’d look with her mouth full of my cock. I’m not supposed to think about the sounds she’d make if we fucked or wonder how fast I could make her come.
When I erupt, I squeeze my eyes shut and lean my forehead against the tile.
One thing is obvious. I can’t do this for the rest of the summer.
By mid-afternoon, I’m still annoyed with myself for letting my thoughts derail. I watch Rory through the giant window in the lounge. She’s talking to that influencer, Quinn, as she pushes Layla in the stroller. My daughter wouldn’t go down for a nap, so Rory thought walking her around might work.
The AC hums in the background, and outside, the sun glints off all the parked buses and trailers. Frank slides into the seat across from me at the kitchen table. “You have another twelve thousand followers. Whatever she’s doing is working. Gotta say I’m pleasantly surprised.”
“I need a band t-shirt. Maybe get me a small and a medium, and Rory can pick one.”
“Sure.” He looks me over. “Listen, the label has a request.”
The concern in his eyes worries me. “Lay it on me.”
“They don’t want you to advertise that you’re married. They’re afraid it’ll turn off female fans.”
Rory and I haven’t posted anywhere that we tied the knot, and we had a candid conversation about where we stand with each other last night. I shrug. “Okay.”
He grins. “Great. That was easier than I thought it would be.”
“Only I’m not gonna pretend I’m single either.”
“What does that mean?” His concerned face returns.
“It would be disrespectful to Rory if I let fans sit on my lap for photos. You know, that sort of thing.” I lower my voice so my bandmates don’t overhear. “I promised I wouldn’t embarrass her by sleeping around.”
Rubbing his chin, he nods. “Makes sense. How are you doing with Marlowe?”
“Hasn’t been a big deal.”
“You’ve been looking a little surly today, which is why I asked.”
I close my spiral-bound notebook where I’ve been messing with the same lyrics for two days. “Just trying to write.”
“Good. Remember, if you need anything, I’m here for you.”
“Thanks, man. Appreciate it.” My manager is the best.
“Jace,” Cooper calls out from the entrance of the bus. “We have a problem.”
Frank and I scoot out of the bench seats of the kitchen table. I don’t have to ask Coop what’s going on because he’s holding a destroyed box of chocolate in his hands. Damn it. “The Cherry Smasher.” I run my hands through my hair. “Maybe it’s a coincidence.”
Cooper picks through the candy until he finds one that hasn’t been annihilated. He holds it up to inspect it and then pops it in his mouth. “Or maybe that psycho missed us.”
Rory climbs up the stairs with my sleeping daughter in her arms. “What psycho?”
I debate what to say because I don’t wanna scare her, but Coop fills in the silence. “The one who followed us around Texas for an entire year.”
Her eyes grow wide. “Do we know who she is? I mean, it’s a woman, right?”
“Probably. She seemed fixated on Jace. Left him candy and presents. Kept asking him to meet up. When he didn’t respond, she got aggressive. Started sending destroyed candy, especially Jace’s favorite.”
Rory glances at me. “What’s your favorite?”
“It used to be chocolate-covered cherries, but they’re ruined for me now.”
“This weirdo heard Jace talk about it on a podcast, so she’d send boxes to all of our shows.” Coop pops another one in his mouth. “That’s why we call her the Cherry Smasher. Because by the end, it looked like she took a hammer to the box before they got delivered.”
Frank shakes his head at my drummer and takes the box of candy out of his hands. “Maybe you shouldn’t eat this. What if she poisoned them?”
Coop shrugs. “That’s not her MO.”
That vein in my manager’s forehead pulses. “Just because you watch CSI doesn’t mean you’re qualified to profile a stalker.”
We all chuckle, and I pat Cooper’s shoulder. “We probably have something sweet in the kitchen.”
Rory rocks Layla in her arms. “I have some fudge left. Want a piece of that?” When his eyes light up, I take the baby from her while she heads to the fridge.
Frank dumps the box in the trash. “Anyone see who brought the candy?”
“Edmond handed it to me. Says some girl dropped it off.” Cooper shoves a piece of fudge in his mouth.
Frank marches off the bus, probably to talk to our security guard.
With Layla in one arm, I grab Rory’s hand with my other and tug her to our bedroom, closing the door behind us. Layla yawns, and I smile at my daughter.
She’s so sweet and beautiful.
And vulnerable.
I’m at our show half the night or running around doing promo while Rory and Layla are alone on the bus. The thought sends chills down my spine.
I turn to Rory. “We need to be more careful. I don’t know if this woman was doing a quick drive-by or if she plans to stake out all of our shows, but I don’t wanna take any chances with you or the baby. This person’s deranged.”
“What do you suggest? Edmond is always here and there’s security at the venue.”
My temple throbs, and I press my palm against it. “I don’t want you walking alone at night. There are a lot of buses in our lot, but security isn’t that tight.”
She frowns as she glances out the window. “What if I called Edmond on my way back? That way he knows to look for me.”
“Or you could wait for me. It’ll take longer, but I can walk you back. I might need to head out again, but that way I’ll know you’re safe.”
Reaching out, she smooths down Layla’s hair. “Maybe this was a one-time thing. She saw you were here, and she was in town for vacation and dropped off her dumb smashed chocolates. Now she’s off being a nuisance elsewhere.”
“I hope you’re right.” I hug my daughter tighter. “It wasn’t a big deal when it was only me, but now I have you two.”
“This might be shocking, but I can take care of myself. I promise I won’t talk to strangers or head down dark alleys or take any chances.”
She thinks I’m being overprotective. Maybe I am, but I protect what’s mine. “How about you call Edmond like you suggested? Maybe talk to him the whole time you walk back? Could you do that for me?”
Her lips twist but she nods. “Yes.”
I pull her to me and hug her. “Thanks. Just don’t wanna take any chances.”