Chapter 6

six

Wrenlee

I busted my ass billing in my room. I heard Cash take off at nine to meet the guys, knowing he was scheduled to begin playing at Club Violet for eleven. I’d never been to Club Violet, though I’d heard it was popular. Marley once told me Cara frequented it, hoping to catch herself a man on his way to stardom.

She’d be so pissed to know I was now living with Cash.

Closing the lid of my laptop, I wipe tiredly at my face. It’s been a long day with a lot of emotions. I hardly got a wink of sleep the night before and the bed in Cash’s spare room is so frigging soft, all I want to do is sink into it and sleep for the next year. But I know I should hold up my end of this if I can, so I move to my box of clothes and dig for my best pair of jeans. I pair them with a white tank top and worn black leather jacket. Even in leather, with a swipe of mascara and blush, I don’t look like a rockstar’s girlfriend.

I’m plain Jane, all the way.

In the bathroom mirror, I stand back and study my reflection. Hope wheezes from my chest and I deflate like a balloon. We’re not going to fool anyone. Literally anyone with a pair of eyes would know that me and Cash would never pair. But if he wants to give this a shot, I’m game. I’ll play until he doesn’t want to play anymore, because living rent free in New York in a place like this is—well, it’s a dream come true.

Being able to sleep without worrying about who might be in my room, watching me, rummaging through my things, stealing touches in the dark—that’s worth everything. If I have to suffer the humiliation of feeling inferior on the arm of a man like Cash for a good night’s sleep, I’ll suffer without complaint.

But I will buy a tube of lipstick. Apparently, that crap is magic.

I’m going to give it all I’ve got to upsell this fake relationship.

I don’t have to walk far from where the bus drops me to Club Violet. I do, however, have to stand in line and agonize whether or not the bouncer is going to let me in. Most of the girls in line are freezing their tits off in tight little dresses, so I’m not hopeful, but when it comes to my turn and he waves me inside, I move fast.

The sound of Cash’s darkly smooth voice with that blade-like edge hits me instantly. For the first time, I listen to the lyrics, letting them wash over me. He’s not half bad, if I’m being honest. I’m just not used to music like his. Dad likes country, so that’s always been my go-to.

What Cash sings is a rough. There’s an undertone of dark seduction and a promise of a little pain, maybe a touch of violence. He sings about youth in a hopeless world. Growing up, getting older, dying hope. Aging out, no love, family tied by secrets, not blood.

It’s—sad. The crowd is eating it up.

I’m bumped by a stranger as I edge nearer to the stage, and to the man who is supposed to be mine. I steady myself, mostly, but feel the hands of a man gripping my hips anyway. My heart kicks in my chest as I twist to face my would-be saviour if I were in heels.

“Sorry,” I begin, but stop when I see the guy from yesterday. Billy’s friend.

What are the chances?

“Hey. You again.” He smiles broadly, a mouthful of teeth on display. “Small world.”

“Yeah.” I start to turn, giving him my back when he reaches out for me again. We’re surrounded by dancing bodies, skin glistening with sweat as they move to the sound of my fake boyfriend’s voice.

“You’re not working tonight?”

“Obviously not.”

Billy’s friend doesn’t take the hint. He keeps grinning down at me and introduces, “I’m Riley.”

“Cool.”

His grin doesn’t slip. Not a bit. “You’re mad about last night.”

“No. Just not interested.”

Ah, there’s the fracture in his grin. “No need to be such a bitch.”

I turn away, but again, I feel his hand catch me by the waist, tugging me back. My heart flutters, uncertainty ballooning inside me.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Hey.” He tugs me closer. “You want me to be sorry, I’ll be sorry.”

What a dick.“I don’t want you to be anything. I’m here to see my,”

I’ve been too distracted; I don’t realize the singing has stopped even though the band continues to play. But I’d know the dark voice anywhere as it finishes on a low, warning growl, “Boyfriend.”

Big hands replace Riley’s on my hips, and I’m tugged into a hard wall of chest. Riley’s eyes widen and he scoffs. “She’s your girlfriend?”

“Mine,” Cash says roughly. “Fuck off.”

Riley lifts his hands in surrender as he takes a few steps back muttering, “Whatever, man. Have her. She’s a bitch anyway.”

Cash tenses at my back and I sense something dark and violent crashing over him, so I spin in his arms, tipping my head back to look up into his face. He’s still watching Riley as he disappears into the crowd, his glare casting shadows in his eyes.

“Cash?” I call, and those eyes drop to me.

“You came.”

“I finished my bills.”

His eyes sweep my face before he glances at the crowd. My eyes follow and I tense when I see people staring, some with their phones out and facing us. A noise comes from Cash’s chest, and then he tugs me in closer, his face dropping toward mine—his trajectory set for a kiss. I stiffen more and his brows twitch inward before he veers off course, his mouth landing on the side of my neck and a breath of relief escapes my parted lips.

His hands tighten on my hips, fingertips biting into me as he hauls my body closer still.

“Relax,” he commands against my ear. I only tense more.

Pulling back, he takes in my flushed face and shifty eyes. Then he links his hand with mine and leads me to a tall table to the side where the band has their waters, and another girl sits.

“Wrenlee, this is Candace.” He introduces me to the girl before dropping another command, “Sit.”

When I do as I’m told, he leans in to touch his lips to my temple before he turns to leap back on stage. My heart hasn’t even remotely settled in my chest when Candace leans in and murmurs, “Hey.”

“Hi.” I force a shaky smile. I’m so out of my element, I don’t even know how to find my way back to comfortable.

“You and Cash?” She studies me. “When did that happen?”

“It’s new.”

She raises a brow. “Must be.”

I’m going to have to talk to Cash ASAP. We need to get our story straight. And maybe I should confess that I’ve never had a boyfriend and I don’t know how to be a girlfriend.

“I work at Addy’s Ace. We met because the guys play there.”

“Oh, yeah!” She snaps a finger at me. “Thought you looked familiar.” She glances back to the stage. “I’m with Ian.” She laughs, shaking her head. “Ian’s the bass player.”

“Right.” I bob my head, saying, “And Tav is the drummer.”

She appraises me, leaning back and folding her arms over a large chest that is mostly exposed by the very deep cut of a store-bought torn black shirt. Her blonde hair is long and wildly curly as it frames her small face. “And the guitarist is Kane.”

“Totally knew that,” I lie, and then I confess with a short laugh. “Okay, I didn’t. So, thanks.”

She returns my laugh with one of her own. “You’re not a fan of Devils Heartbreak, are you?”

I wince. “Is it bad if I say no?”

“Nope. Cash can use the dagger to his ego. Guy’s a bit of an asshole, to be honest.”

“He is?” My eyes shift to the stage to find Cash’s are on me. Goosebumps prickle my skin and I cut my eyes to the side. I feel shy.

Candace’s laugh is husky and low. Girl doesn’t miss a trick. “He is. And you’re not his type. Not even a little, so this—” She waves her finger between me and the stage. “Has my attention.”

I suck in breath, needing to change the topic before this charade is ousted before its even began. “How long have you and Ian been together?”

She huffs, like she knows what I’m doing. “Long enough to know it’s not easy.”

“What’s not easy?”

“Being the girlfriend of a rising rock God.”

“A rock God?” I snort. “That’s a stretch.”

She cocks her head to the side, leaning into the table and dropping her chin in her hand as she studies me. “Devils Heartbreak is going places, babe. No, not places. They’re gonna climb the ladder all the way to the top, and not a single one of them gives a shit who they have to stomp on during the climb. They aren’t soft and cuddly guys. They’re rough and mean and selfish as fuck. If you’re here for a ride, cool. Ride him and get off. If you’re clinging for a free meal ticket, know they don’t hand out scraps for long and strays never stick.” She licks her dark violet painted lips. “But if you’re real enough to be here for him, I’m your girl. I’ll help you hide your tears behind concealer when he fucks up, because he will. I’ll give you a lesson or two in clipping the claws of all the pussycats who will give it their all to sink every nail deep into your man. Just know this life, being the woman on their arm, it isn’t worth the money. The heart, however—” Her eyes land on the bass player. “If you can fight your way to that—ignoring all the rest—that’s where the real gold is.”

I can’t look away from her. This woman said a lot, and the picture she paints isn’t a pretty one. If I were really here for the man, I might heed her warning and ditch. But this isn’t real, and my delicate heart isn’t fighting for anything when it comes to Cash Jagger, so I force a smile to my face and say what I’d say if I really were falling head over heels for the lead singer of Devils Heartbreak.

“We’re going to be friends.”

She sits back in the seat. “You have my back, I’ll have yours.” She pushes her hand toward me with three quick snaps of her black painted nails. “Phone.”

I hand her my phone and she does her thing before she hands it back to me. Then she pulls her phone from her purse and saves my contact from the text she sent herself on my phone.

And that’s how a sister-club is formed. Even though this thing between me and Cash is fake as the nails Candace taps against the table, I have a feeling my unlikely friendship with Candace will be the opposite.

Candace slides from the table without a word, returning with two gin and tonics. “I need this after the week I had.”

“Work?” I ask as she slides one to me and I grin in thanks.

“Class.” She takes a big swallow from her glass. “I’ll be an ER Nurse—eventually.”

“Cool.”

“Yep.” She gives a nod, her eyes on the stage. “These guys are gonna hit it big. That means tours. Figure I’ll go on the road sometimes, but we don’t want kids, so I’ll need something to occupy my time while Ian’s off dominating the night.”

I nod, but say nothing as I sit and sip and watch my fake boyfriend dominate the crowd.