Love Damaged: Rock-N-Roll Heiress Book 2 Read online

  D. Thank god it wasn’t Ayden. After approaching me this evening and insisting on me giving him another shot, I feared he had followed me to my suite.

  I unlocked the door as soon as I reached it. The moment it opened, I worried maybe Ayden had come with D. Perhaps they wanted to discuss what I’d done. When I found my former lover standing in the hallway alone, I motioned him to come inside.

  As soon as the door closed again, I met D’s gaze. “Hey. What’s up?”

  He shook his head then laughed halfheartedly. “What are you doing, Mia?”

  My face heated. I could hear the frustration in his tone, which meant one thing. I’d upset him.

  “I, uh, was about to go over some paperwork.”

  I moseyed toward the office doors and grabbed the handle just as he spoke again. “Why did you make a scene in the arena?”

  My muscles contracted as I froze. I didn’t think about him coming here to lecture me. I should have, but I was so relieved to find him instead of Ayden that I didn’t give it a second thought.

  “It’s nothing. I’m sorry I brought you into it.”

  “Yeah, that makes two of us.” His footsteps sounded behind me. A moment later, I could feel the heat of his body radiating toward mine. When I peered around, I found him standing a foot behind me.

  “Mia, if I thought for one minute that you wanted me . . . No words could describe how happy it would make me. The thing is, I know how you feel about Ayden. You love him.”

  “That doesn’t matter though, does it? He didn’t believe me when I told him that I hadn’t cheated on him. Now he is facing the same accusations. Am I supposed to believe what he says?”

  “Yes. You need to check the security tapes to see if Ayden invited Izzy in like she claims or if she let herself in like he and Bentley said.”

  I released the handle to the office door and walked back to my kitchen. As I grabbed a bottle of vodka from the freezer, I mixed a drink. D was watching me intently, but he didn’t say a word. Guess he knew better at this point.

  After taking a long drink, I placed the glass on the edge of the bar and walked back into the living room. “Even if I check the tapes, it will only prove how Izzy entered the suite. It’s his word against hers after that. How do I know Ayden didn’t sleep with Izzy just to get back at me?”

  “That’s what Izzy wants you to believe. You have to see that. You’re the one who told me in L.A. that you thought Izzy and Wesley were in cahoots.”

  He was right. I still believed she was the one who drugged me. I didn’t have physical proof, but I knew my sister.

  So did D. He was playing the devil’s advocate, doing whatever he could to reason with me. “Wesley didn’t rat her out for drugging you, but we both know she did. I also think this is a backup plan they concocted. They wanted to make sure they kept you and Ayden apart if you decided to forgive him.”

  I’d already considered that, and a big part of me still questioned whether it was true. My fear was finding out that it was a lie and Ayden had slept with my sister to hurt me. It would be the ultimate betrayal.

  “Don’t let Izzy succeed at destroying your relationship. You love Ayden. Give him the chance he didn’t give you. You know your sister’s history.”

  Boy did I ever . . .

  “Yes, I know what she’s capable of doing, but you can’t compare what happened with you to what happened with Ayden. You slept with Izzy. Ayden’s saying he didn’t.”

  “I know, but like I told him, I didn’t know Izzy back then. If I knew who she was, I would never have slept with her. Ayden already has a past with Izzy. Why would he go back to something that broke him?”

  Shrugging, I held on to my anger, not allowing anything to sway me. “Alcohol can make you do stupid shit, like get revenge.”

  D took a few steps and stopped a foot away from me. “You’re right. People can be revengeful when their drinking, but not everyone gets so drunk they forget who they are or what they’re doing. I don’t believe Ayden would forget about screwing your sister if it had happened.”

  Clenching my hand into a fist, I fought against the anger inside me. “Ayden didn’t forget. He just doesn’t want to be caught.”

  “Damn it, girl, you’re so thickheaded sometimes.” D stepped back to the wall and leaned his head against it. Then he stared at the ceiling. “Mia, when things went bad between us, it was because I made a poor decision and slept with your sister. Ayden isn’t me.”

  “I realize that,” I snapped at him. Tears blurred my vision as I turned back to the bar and drank more of my cocktail. After a few sips, D grabbed my hand and tugged it.

  “Let’s check those tapes.”

  I didn’t argue with him. It would be pointless. Besides, I needed to see for myself who was telling the truth. My money was on Ayden, but my heart was betting for me.

  Once we were inside my office, I went to my computer and pulled up the security information. After a few clicks of my mouse, I found the date for the night in question.

  “This is the night I left.” I wasn’t really talking to D but more to myself. It didn’t stop him from replying to me.

  “Click it.”

  As soon as I did, I found a list of checkpoints and selected the one closest to the time this happened. After fast-forwarding a few minutes into the video, I saw Izzy approach his door.

  “There she is.” D pointed to the screen.

  I played the video as he and I watched what unfolded. Ayden appeared on the screen about five minutes after Izzy approached his door. They spoke to each other a moment before he reached into his pocket to retrieve his key. Izzy blocked the entrance when he tried to insert it. A second later, she ran her finger down his lips.

  In a split second, Ayden pushed her hand away and opened his door. He slipped inside but turned to say something else to her. Then he slammed the door in her face.

  I waited to see if he would reopen it and invite her in like Izzy claimed he did, but it never happened. Bentley had said Ayden left his key in the door. He was true to his word. I saw Izzy play with it before she glanced at her watch. Five minutes later, she pushed open the door and walked inside Ayden’s suite.

  The video continued to play, but I didn’t watch anymore. I couldn’t. The rest of the story happened off screen. As much as I wanted to believe Ayden had told me the truth, I was too afraid. My heart had been through enough.

  After a moment of silence, he cleared his throat. “This incident didn’t go down the way Izzy said it did. If that doesn’t prove she’s lying, I don’t know what will.” He turned me to face him and looked me in the eye. “You need to think long and hard about your decision, Mia. Don’t make the same mistake that Ayden made with you. Love is about forgiving.”

  It was also about trust, but I kept that opinion to myself when he leaned over and kissed my forehead.

  “Doll, I just want you to be happy. You deserve that much. Take some time to think. When you’re ready, you can deal with it.”

  I wiped at my eyes. “The video proves Izzy lied about how she got into Ayden’s suite, but I still don’t know what happened after that. I’m sorry, D, but I’m too angry to think about any of this.”

  “Which is why I said take some time. Ayden knows the truth about Wesley. Now give him a chance to prove Izzy is wrong about him.”

  All I did was nod. It was enough to satisfy D because he patted my back and then walked toward the door. As I stood between my office and living room, he glanced back at me. “If you need anything, just let me know, but think about what I said.”

  I rushed over to him just as he cracked the door. “I didn’t mean to drag you into this mess. I know what type of painful memories it brings up. And I’m sorry I kissed you too.”

  He touched my cheek before he lowered his hand. “Don’t be. I’m not.”

  Chapter 6

  ~Ayden~

  The only thing I’d ever been persistent about was my music until I lost Mia. She’d rebuffed me three times si
nce she’d returned to Music Haven, and still, I hadn’t given up. Either I was the biggest fool to walk the planet, or a man determined to make up for his mistakes. Whichever it was, nothing I’d done thus far had made a difference.

  I had my ex to thank for a big part of that. Mia was reconsidering our breakup two days prior when I had the nerve to approach her and ask her for another chance. She didn’t back away when I kissed her. If anything, I felt her resistance slipping.

  Had Izzy not showed up, I have no doubts she would have listened to me. We would be together now. Instead, I was sulking at the bar, just like I did every day.

  I was running out of time to make things right. We would be leaving for our tour in a couple months. Hell, we would be out on the road now if the headlining band didn’t have a medical emergency. I was bummed when we first received the news from Doug the night before. Now, I saw it as a blessing.

  The thought of leaving this place without making up with Mia drove me crazy. I didn’t know if I could do it, even if I knew we’d be back. There was a chance she would find someone new while I was gone.

  Worse, she could fall in love with Darius while I was on the road. If that happened, any chance I had in winning her back would be gone forever. They had a history. Despite how much I loved her, I wasn’t sure what we shared would compare.

  “Drinking alone isn’t healthy, Ayden.”

  I gritted my teeth as I turned to see Izzy standing behind me. “Being around you isn’t either, so get lost.”

  “Why, you got a hot date tonight? Oh, I forgot. You and my sister broke up.”

  “Anything to do with your sister or me is none of your business.” I faced the bar once more and grabbed my glass. I focused on sucking down the bourbon inside when I noticed Izzy sit on the stool where Bentley always sat.

  “Don’t you get it, Ayden? I want to make you my business again.”

  “There is no chance in hell of that happening, Izzy.” My cold glare did little to sway her. She chuckled softly as she glanced around the arena.

  “Never say never, sweetie. It doesn’t appear as though you have any other offers on your plate.”

  “Maybe it’s because I don’t want any offers, especially yours. Leave me alone.” Downing the rest of my drink, I motioned for Max to bring another. Just as he nodded and held up his index finger, Izzy leaned closer.

  “I’m sorry for busting you and Bentley, but Mia is my sister. She deserves to know the truth.”

  “You wouldn’t know the truth if it bit you on the ass, Izzy. You sure as hell don’t have your sister’s best interest at heart. All you want is to hurt her every chance you get.”

  “You’re one to talk. I believe you’re the reason Mia left Music Haven for a little while.”

  “Bullshit,” I growled as I hit my fist against the bar. “Every ounce of Mia’s pain began the night you and Wesley began your lies. What he did to her, you’re now trying to do to me. It’s not going to work, Izzy. We both know nothing happened between us.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head like a child. “No, you’re wrong. You were just too drunk to remember.”

  “If I was drunk enough to pass out there is no way I could have been up for the challenge, not that it’s much of one.” When her mouth formed a perfect ‘o', satisfaction filled me.

  “He’d rather jack off than be with you.” I hadn’t noticed Bentley approaching, but seeing him brought me a tremendous amount of relief. Izzy always hated Bentley when she and I dated in the past. Nothing had changed since then. It wouldn’t be long before she left me alone, at least for the evening.

  Izzy released a fake laugh then her face went void of every expression except annoyance. She narrowed her eyes at Bentley. “Speaking of jacking off, is that what you’re doing these days? We know you’re not getting sex from Andi.”

  “So what if he is?” She glanced at me when I asked the question. “It’s better than being with someone like you.”

  I was on a roll with the sarcastic comment today. Izzy brought it on herself. Why couldn’t she leave me alone?

  “You’re so full of anger, Ayden,” Izzy sneered. “You know we were good together once. Our relationship was hot. So was the sex. I won’t stop until you remember.”

  “I remember plenty. Trust me, nothing we shared compares to what I have with Mia. Your sister is three times the lover you think you are.”

  When Bentley started laughing, Izzy sneered at him. He went unaffected and pointed toward the exit. “You should really get out of here, girl. No one wants you here. Ayden went slumming when he met you. Those days are behind him.”

  “Perhaps, but he has no idea what’s ahead of him.” It sounded as if she was threatening me. Maybe I was paranoid. At this point, nothing would surprise me. I was back to expecting the worst and hoping for the best.

  “Here you go, Ayden.” Max set my drink in front of me as he glared at Izzy. “If she’s bothering you, I can have her escorted out of the bar.”

  Izzy snorted. As she prepared to respond to his comment, I beat her to it. “Don’t worry, Max. She’s just about to leave, but if she doesn’t, I’ll take you up on that offer.”

  Shooting me one of her infamous death-stares, she left the stool and did a full body scan on Bentley and me before rolling her eyes and walking away.

  “Good fucking riddance.” Bentley faced Max and laughed. “Can I get a bucket of beer? I need a drink. Fast.”

  “Totally understandable,” Max snickered. He went to the cooler and grabbed a bucket before he shoveled in ice and beer bottles. Then he brought it back and pushed it toward Bentley. “Enjoy. If you guys need anything, just yell.”

  We both nodded until Max disappeared to the other end of the bar. Bentley opened his beer while I took a drink from my glass. We sat in silence for a moment. I was sure Bentley was doing his best to decompress after exchanging slurs with Izzy. She could drain anyone’s energy.

  “You okay?”

  Bentley’s question caught me off guard. Nodding at him, I released a sigh. “I’m sick of dealing with that woman. I wish she would leave Music Haven. Wesley’s gone. Why can’t we get rid of her?”

  “Just keep your distance, man. She’ll get the message sooner or later.”

  “Yeah, but she’s going to blow any chance I get at reconciling with Mia.”

  “Listen, as much I hate being apart from Andi, I’m giving her the space she needs to cool down. I hope she’ll accept my apology and take my sorry ass back.”

  “What if she doesn’t?”

  Bentley grimaced. “Then I’ll have to respect her decision. All you can do is hope Mia will see through her sister’s lies and get past what’s happened. If she doesn’t, respect that.”

  It was easier said than done. Every part of me ached for Mia. How could I ignore something that powerful? I’d never felt this way about anyone.

  Bentley scanned the crowd around us. “So, have you seen Mia or Andi tonight?”

  “No. The bar was packed when I got here so I couldn’t see much. I haven’t checked in a while. Why?”

  He shrugged. “I haven’t seen Andi today. I need to gauge her reaction when she sees me.”

  And he thought he could respect Andi’s wishes if she didn’t want to see him anymore? Yeah, right. The way he was drumming his thumbs against the bar, I knew he was fighting the urge to find her. He wouldn’t be able to resist that urge if he thought she would talk to him.

  As the music playing in the background seemed to increase, so did the activity on the dance floor. The crowd I spotted there had tripled since I first entered the bar an hour ago. Everyone appeared to be having a good time. I wished I were one of them.

  It wasn’t but a second later that I spotted Mia and Andi in the crowd. They were dancing with a group of people, choreographers from what I could tell. Most of them were women, but a couple of men were amongst them.

  “Well, I found them.”

  “Who?” Bentley asked as he drank
his beer and then turned toward the people dancing.

  “Who do you think?”

  Bentley noticed them a moment later. He studied Andi with an intense gaze. “Guess I can assume I’m the furthest thing from her mind.”

  “I know the feeling.” Both women became our focus once more. They were laughing and dancing just as one of the guys took Mia’s hand and began twirling her around.

  My heart pounded in my ears. The twinges in my chest coupled with the heat spreading through me. I fisted my hands, fighting against the jealousy brewing. It wasn’t easy to see another man touching her, even if it was just a dance. I wanted to be the one with her. That need overtook me.

  A second later, I took my last drink of bourbon. It was for liquid courage. I would need every ounce I could get. How could I not? I’d already made my decision.

  I was going to talk to Mia.

  * * *

  ~Mia~

  Five shots of tequila . . . It was the amount it took for me to loosen up and convince myself that I deserve to have fun. Andi knew if she challenged me to drink every time I mentioned being upset, I’d find a way to have a good time or get drunk off my ass. Either way, she won, and I wasn’t complaining.

  I didn’t like how bitter I’d become. Being scorned twice by love had a way of making a person focus on nothing but the horrible things in their life. It made them angry, and anger led to resentment. Resentment led to bitterness. In the end, the only thing left was a miserable person no one would want to be near.

  At least I’d proven to Andi and myself that I could still have fun. It felt good too. Being carefree wasn’t my usual style, but stressing over everything in my life wasn’t getting me closer to what I wanted. Perhaps I’d never find someone to love me until I could learn to let go. Anger and resentment had plagued my heart for too long. I couldn’t go through another four years of swearing off dating. Being alone scared me.

  The world around me spun as Luke and I danced together. He was our lead male choreographer whose gift for dancing made me envious at times. The man could move. His fluid steps, coupled with his striking good looks, made him something to admire. It was like watching art in motion.