The shiny metal cuffs chaffed my wrists as the guard led me down the crowded hallway of the Travis County Courthouse. By the time I’d completed my walk of shame, I’m pretty sure at least three people had taken pictures. Or videos.

Not that I cared.

Despite my swollen knuckles and the blood staining my skin—the other guy’s, not mine—I was innocent. The fact that I didn’t have a scratch on me probably wouldn’t go a long way toward helping my cause. And then there was the matter of my two prior convictions for drunk and disorderly and fighting from my dive bar days.

Yeah, I was fucked.

I didn’t realize how fucked until I entered the small, windowless room marked Client Conference and found Trevor and not Chase.

The guard closed the door, taking any hope that he’d remove my cuffs with him.

“I was worried for a minute,” I said to Trevor dryly as I dropped into the cracked vinyl chair across the table from him. “But I guess if I was in serious trouble, Chase would’ve called a real attorney.”

Trevor’s expensive suit and business haircut did little to tarnish the memories of him from the old days, drunk off his ass and passed out on the floor of whatever bar Caged happened to be playing at.

His bitter smile didn’t reach his eyes. “And I’m guessing a real attorney might’ve let you cool your heels in the holding cell until your arraignment.”

Arraignment. That got my attention.

“It was self-defense,” I replied, my voice a little shaky. “The fuckers jumped me.”

Clasping his hands on the marred table, Trevor scrutinized me with a narrowed gaze. “Before or after you left the fight club?” When I couldn’t muster a response, he shook his head. “This is some serious shit, bro.”

Pain shot from my knuckles when I flexed my fingers, and I dropped my gaze to the caked on blood in the cracks. “How serious?”

He shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out. Chase is meeting with some friend of his. An assistant DA.”

My mind jumped to the one thing I hadn’t considered. “I have to get out of here. I leave for the tour in less than a week.”

Trevor tossed his pen on the table. “Unless Chase can pull off a miracle, you’re not going anywhere. Not without an ankle bracelet, at least.”

Is that what was on the table? House arrest?

My head fell forward and, catching sight of my reflection in the steel cuffs, my father’s words from long ago echoed from somewhere deep inside.

You ain’t nothin’ and you’ll never be nothin’.

And for the first time, I let myself believe he might’ve been right.

A couple of hours later, the guard finally led me into the courtroom. Bright sunlight poured through the windows, and I blinked, my lids like sandpaper over my bloodshot eyes.

The room was empty, my footsteps echoing off the ceiling as I shuffled to the defendant’s table where Trevor sorted through a stack of paperwork.

“Where is everyone?” I asked as I took my seat.

Panic churned, crawling from my twisted gut, but I pushed it down. I didn’t need anyone to hold my hand. Still, I wondered why none of my bandmates were here.

Trevor shoved a stack of documents in front of me. “I just talked to Chase about five minutes ago. They’re posting your bond.”

Thank fuck.

Hiding my relief, I pretended to scan the document while Trevor ran a distracted hand through his hair. “It’s all in there. If you have any questions …” His phone vibrated. “I’ve got to take this.” Swiping a finger over the screen, he pushed to his feet. “Just read it,” he mouthed, tipping his chin at the papers in my hand.

“Easy for you to say,” I muttered to his retreating back as he walked away.

Refocusing on the documents, the letters formed their usual jumble. A thin sheen of sweat popped out on my brow as I tried to concentrate.

“Lo?”

Melting at the familiar voice, and the comforting hand on my shoulder, I blinked up at Anna.

“Hey,” I said, and there it was again, that tremble in my tone. Hoping she didn’t notice, I glanced around. “Where’s Sean?”

“He’s with Chase and Taryn.” Her gaze darted to Trevor, holed up across the room with the phone cemented to his ear. “I thought maybe you might need me to, um … help.”

A refusal coiled around my tongue, false pride stiffening my spine. But this was Anna. My best friend’s girl had figured out my problem way back in high school. There was no use lying.

I swallowed hard. “Yeah.”

One word—tinged with defeat. Shame. Soul-deep humiliation.

Smiling, Anna set down her bag, taking a seat in Trevor’s chair. Rather than read me the document, she looked into my eyes. “Chase pulled some strings and got his friend to agree to a deal.”

“What kind of deal?”

“Well, you still have to go to court. You wailed on that guy pretty good.” She shifted her gaze to my mangled hand, and I got the urge to hide the evidence.

“It was self-defense,” I blurted.

As if to argue the point, a memory of the guy’s bloody face floated through my mind.

“Is that all you got, rock star?” he’d sneered.

And like a dumbass, I’d taken the bait, delivering a knockout punch straight to his jaw.

“Yeah, I know,” Anna said. “I mean … I saw the tape. Those guys followed you out of the club.”

My stomach dropped to my shoes. “There’s a tape?”

She nodded. “Chase figured there had to be security cameras, so he paid the owner of the building a visit.”

“Dex?”

“No. Dex just rents the place. The owner is a suit. He was reluctant to help at first. But Chase persuaded him to turn over the footage.”

My shoulders slumped, and I closed my eyes. Chase was a land developer, and a well-respected business man. But he wasn’t above using his muscle to protect those he loved. And that included me. But I could fight my own battles. This was about Taryn—his girl—and what she stood to lose if there was a scandal.

Silence hung between us for a few beats, because Anna knew it too, how entwined our lives had become with Twin Souls.

“So you saw the tape.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “The dude came after me first. Why am I here?”

“Diminished capacity,” Anna replied softly.

I was vaguely familiar with the term. Anna was a law student, and she spouted more legalese than the average person by double. I guess I’d picked up on a little of it.

“I wasn’t drunk.” A rueful smile curved my lips. “My capacity was undiminished.”

“Not you, Lo. Him. He was drunk or … high … or something. And the DA said you should’ve …”

“Walked away?”

Anna dropped her gaze to her hands, nodding. She always looked for the best in people. Which sometimes led to disappointment where I was concerned.

A sigh parted my lips. “Well, we both know I didn’t do that. So what does that mean?”

Straightening her spine, she looked me in the eyes. “It means that you’re going to need to take anger management classes. And if you want to do the tour, you need to have someone with you.”

I barked out a laugh. “Half the Twin Souls roster is on the bill. Plus, you’re going to be there and the rest of the guys. It’s not like I’m going to be alone.”

“That’s not enough. It has to be someone with a fiduciary,” she paused, then amended, “a vested interest. Someone with money on the line. For your bond.”

“I’ll pay my own bond.”

My tone had a hard edge that I didn’t mean to direct at her.

Unfazed, she placed a hand on my arm. “You can’t. And before you even ask, it can’t be a member of the band. Or Chase. The DA said it was a conflict of interest.”

Reality punched me hard in the chest, stealing my breath. She’d just named every person in the world with the means and the desire to help me.

The door creaked open, and Anna hauled to her feet. “Be nice,” she warned.

Nodding weakly, I waited for Sean to yank me out of my chair. Or maybe Cameron or Christian would take the first shot. But it was Tori who slid into the seat beside me.

Fucking perfect.

Easing back in my chair, I crossed my legs at the ankles. “Come to watch the show, princess?”

“Get over yourself, Cage.”

She snatched the plea agreement from the table, and I caught her wrist.

“Hey! That’s none of your business.”

Her amber eyes heated as she twisted out of my hold. “Really? I think it is.”

Digging a slip of paper from her back pocket, she tossed it onto my lap. A receipt. With a hell of a lot of zeros.

Lifting it carefully, as if it were a bomb that could blow off a finger, I met her gaze. “What is this?”

But I knew. Even before Trevor ended his call and rushed over to keep the peace, I knew. Tori paid the bond. She was the person with the vested interest.

I locked eyes with my attorney. “Please tell me you didn’t agree to this.”

Trevor rubbed the back of his neck, looking more than fed up. “I can’t agree to anything. It’s up to you. But if you want to do the tour, this is your only option.”

Tori didn’t betray any emotion beyond irritation. But that was nothing new. The girl couldn’t stand me. And the feeling was mutual. Sort of. When I wasn’t thinking about wringing her neck, I did have the occasional fantasy about what she might look like naked.

“Will you sign the paperwork, already?” she snapped. “I’ve got things to do.”

Whatever momentary bout of insanity had me considering the offer faded.

Wadding up the receipt, I lobbed it back at her. “You go ahead and do what you gotta do. Because I’m not signing shit.”