Libby

I’m staring straight at the first man who broke my heart. He looks different, but there’s no mistaking it’s him, and the way he’s glaring at me only confirms it. His upper lip is snarled as he wipes the sweat from it with his arm, and his eyes are narrow in on me like he’s ready to attack.

My stomach sinks when I watch him bring himself up from the stage and head in my direction. I turn around, my feet moving quickly, and rush towards the first exit I find. I push open the door and catch my breath when I make it outside.

Unfortunately, I stupidly chose the door that leads to a back alley.

I whip around at the sound of the door slamming shut and come face to face with him.

“Why are you here?” he hisses. “Are you following me to fuck up my life more?”

I bitterly let out a snort. “Don’t flatter yourself, Adam. I’m definitely not here for you. I’m Knox Rivers’ assistant.”

Any attraction I had for him years ago is gone. The arms I used to love around me are now chubby with the same vibrant tattoos that covered them before. He promised to get my name tattooed on one when I turned eighteen. I laugh to myself at how naïve I was. His hair is longer, a bit on the greasy side. There’s no way he has girls begging to suck his cock like he did years ago. Those days of being the hot rock star are over.

“You’re his assistant?” He snorts when I nod. “Assistant or fuck buddy? Because I could’ve sworn I saw his hands on your ass and your mouth on his earlier.”

I cross my arms and take a few steps away from him. “That’s none of your business. Why do you even care why I’m here?”

“I care because I fucking despise you.”

The nerve of this man. “You despise me? I think we can both agree it should be the other way around.”

“I didn’t ruin your entire fucking life.” I raise a brow. Do what? “Don’t act like you don’t know.” I continue to stare, not answering him. After the incident, my father and I never brought him up again. It was like it never happened. “My band’s reputation was destroyed by your piece of shit dad. He told anyone that would listen that I was a pervert who put his hands on teenage girls and couldn’t be trusted. Do you know what that does to a man? My band kicked me out. I lost everything, all because of you.”

“You lost it all because of me? Last time I checked I didn’t force you to take my virginity. You willingly fucked with my head, acted like I meant something to you, but in the end, you were only using me.”

“It wasn’t an act. I did like you.”

“And you also liked the whore you were fucking in the bathroom, so I don’t feel very special.”

“I was drunk, high, and horny. She was there, rubbing all over my dick, what was I supposed to do?”

“Say no? Walk away?” I’m pissed at myself at the feel of tears pricking my eyes. I thought I was over this asshole. I stopped thinking about him years ago, but I guess there’s always a little place in your heart put away for the first person you loved.

“So what, now you’re back screwing another guy on tour? Must be your thing, huh? I hope for his sake that you don’t ruin his career too.”

“Oh, fuck you,” I yell. I don’t need to deal with this shit. I give him one last look of disgust before making my way towards the door.

He lets out a sinister laugh. “You already have, sweetheart, and let’s just say I loved popping that sweet cherry.”

I can’t stop myself. I spin around, and the next thing I know, my fist is connecting with his face. I can feel the pain shooting straight to my knuckles. I’ve never punched anyone before.

“What the fuck, bitch?” he screams, his hand immediately flying down to stop the blood that’s gushing from his lip.

I start to retreat backward, realizing what a stupid decision that was. I’m alone with this dude in an alley. He can kill me, for fuck’s sake.

I jump when the door bursts open and suddenly George is at my side. “Libby,” he says, looking from me to Adam. “What the hell is going on here?” I gulp, not exactly sure how to explain the situation. He plucks his phone from his pocket without bothering to hear my explanation. “Meet me at Exit B. We have a situation.”

I wave my hand in front of George’s face and mouth, “Don’t call him!” Adam is moaning in the background, insults still hurling from his swollen lip, but I know he won’t do anything with George by my side. He’d be an idiot. George is at least six five with muscles that are bigger than anything I’ve ever seen and used to be a champion heavy weight body builder.

“You better shut your mouth, asshole,” George warns him. “She might pack a good punch, but mine are much more destructive. I can promise you that.”

Adam points to me. “I want her kicked off the premises and a police report filed. It’s your turn to have your life destroyed.”

My pulse skyrockets. I never thought about the actual consequences I’d have of nailing him in the face. If he calls the cops, I’ll most likely be fired and back on the news.

The door flies open, and Knox appears, out of breath. He looks at me, then George, then to a bloody Adam. He does it again, waiting for someone to give him some answers.

I nod towards Adam. “He’s an asshole, so I punched him in the face.”

“And I want to press charges,” Adam yells.

“You sound like a little bitch,” George tells him.

Knox is working his jaw. “And why exactly did you punch him in the face, Libby?”

“He was being an asshole.”

“She punched me because I told her how much I enjoyed popping her precious little cherry,” Adam yells, holding back the pain to throw Knox a taunting smile. “But she might’ve enjoyed it more.”

Knox gets to him before I even realize what’s happening. Adam grunts at Knox’s first punch and then cries out at the second one.

“Fuck,” George says, rushing over to them. He grabs Knox around the waist to pull him away. My stomach sinks when we he lets go of Knox to point to a guy who’s holding a camera in between a hole in the fence. “Motherfucker, give me that thing.”

“We’re all fucked,” I mutter to myself.

“Get him. I’ll stay with her,” Knox tells George.

He nods, and the guy takes off running. I watch George jump the fence to go after him.

“This is going to be bad,” I say to Knox.

“I don’t give a shit,” he replies, and then glares over at Adam. “You say one more thing or even look at her again, I’ll beat the shit out of you, do you hear me?”

Adam holds up his arms in surrender and swipes his tongue over his bottom lip, capturing some blood. “It’s your career, not mine, man.”

“Unlike you, I’ll always choose her over my career and any groupie hoe,” Knox replies.

I stumble forward when he grabs my hand and walks me back into the building. He keeps his hold on my hips and turns me around to face him, backing me up against the wall.

“You okay?” he asks, sweeping my sweaty hair away from my eyes.

“I’m alright,” I whisper.

“You swear?”

“I swear.”

His hand traces my jawline, and he lets out a deep breath. “God, I wanted to kill that fucker. It tortures me to hear him talking about putting his hands on you … having you … you loving him. I hate that Libby. I hate that you gave more to him than you have me.”

“That’s not true. I was a stupid teenage girl. I didn’t give him anything, I promise.”

His lips meet mine, sweet and soft. “Do me a favor,” he says against them. “Let’s not say anything to Thomas about this yet. Put your phone away and enjoy my show.”

“Got it.”

He’s not the only one who wants to avoid a conversation with Thomas right now.

We both jump when the door swings open, sunlight beaming down the hallway, and George appears.

“The mother fucker got away,” he says, out of breath. “I tried to catch him, I swear, but he had a getaway vehicle. I may be fast, but not as fast as a BMW 750.”

Knox pulls away from me to look at George. “It’s okay, man. Thanks for trying and always having my back.”