Chapter 7
“Holy shit,” Harley laughs so hard he almost falls out of his chair. He looks at the cards that I’ve just played and I know I’ve won this round. “You’re sick, man. Sick!”
I have tears coming down my face. Whoever invented this game deserves a medal. It’s so fucked up. I laugh even harder as Max tries to read the next black card and waits for us to find our funniest white card. When I throw mine onto the table, Max puts his head on the table and his laugh echoes through the whole suite.
Tonight’s show was incredible and by the time we got back to the hotel, we were all too jacked up to sleep. We decided to meet in my suite to play the card game Rachel had brought us last time she came to a show. We’d played in that night and had so much fun, we decided that was exactly what we needed tonight.
“Mind if I join you?”
Harley looks up at Katrina with tears in his eyes and pats the seat between me and him. “Join at your own risk. Watch out for this one, he’s sick.” He points at me and we all laugh.
“Let’s all tone it down a little. There’s a lady present.” Max winks at Katrina.
“Who are you calling a lady? Deal me in. I love this game.” She laughs as she sees the shocked look on Max’s face.
For a minute, she fumbles holding her cards. I lean forward and whisper, “See how good I am with my hands? I can hold all my cards. You should see what else I can do.”
“I’m not up to date on my shots.” She doesn’t even look up at me.
“I can help you with that. I’ve got a doctor’s bag in the bedroom.”
She laughs. “That doesn’t surprise me one bit. Did some naughty nurse leave that for you?”
“No. They hand them out if you’re an expert in anatomy. And believe me Princess, I am.” I like her when she’s relaxed and giving me shit. It’s a big leap from angry Katrina who wants to castrate me in my sleep.
“Dinner is served.” Joshua pushes into the room with his arms full of pizza boxes. “It’s a mad house in the lobby. I had to send the poor bellhop out.”
I check my watch. It will be a few more hours before it’s safe to head down and pick up tonight’s conquest. The press will still be in full force down there right now.
“Somewhere you need to be?” Katrina’s voice in my ear startles me.
“More like something I need to do.” I wink at her and she doesn’t even react. There have only been two women immune to my charm. One of them is Max’s sister, Karen, and the other is sitting right next to me. I don’t understand it and it kicks my self-esteem right in the balls.
“Something or someone?” She laughs when I glare at her.
“Just to make sure we’re clear, anything I do behind locked doors is off record. Do we have an understanding?”
“Chance, the last thing I want to know about is what goes on in your bedroom. I think I’ve been pretty clear on your slut syndicate.”
“My slut syndicate? Really?” I can’t help but laugh.
“Tramp troupe. Bimbo brigade. I don’t care what you want to call them. They aren’t newsworthy. Joshua says I have to keep the stories upbeat.”
“Then maybe you should start with my whore harem. They’re always upbeat when they leave my room.” When she rolls her eyes, I chuckle. I’m not planning on making her job easy. She wants a story on me, she’ll have to work for it.
I shove a piece of pizza into my mouth. I was so angry a few days ago when I saw her on the bus. I took it as a personal insult. Now that I’ve had time for some clarity, I realize the potential for her to do some good for us is there. I might as well have some fun with her. It’s so evident she loathes me. I don’t know why. It should be the other way around. She’s made our life hell and I don’t trust the press. But I do trust Joshua and I know there’s a reason she’s sitting here with us right now.
“Can we call a truce?”
My jaw drops. “I’m not sure I heard you right. Can you repeat that?”
“I have a job I have to do. Answer my questions honestly and I’ll stay out of your way. You go on doing whatever it is you do every night and those stories don’t see the light of day. But you have to give me something, Chance.”
“Oh, I’ll give you something.” I can’t help myself.
“You’re such a pig.” She stands up and wishes everyone a good night.
“You’re going to love me by the time this is all over. Just give it a chance.” I blow her a kiss.
“I don’t believe in love, remember?” She gives me one last look before she shuts the door to the suite. For just a moment, she seems almost human.
It didn’t take long to find a willing participant for last night’s sex Olympics. Once everyone cleared out of my room, I headed down to the lobby and there she was. When she saw me, her eyes lit up. She said her name was Morgan but it really didn’t matter to me.
I took her back upstairs and worshipped her for hours. It was one of the nights I didn’t allow myself to get off. As soon as we were locked inside my room, I knew it was a mistake. Something didn’t sit right with me and although my body was willing, my mind wasn’t in it. I turned on the charm and made sure she had the time of her life. She’ll have stories to tell all her friends. I just couldn’t get into it enough to care. I escorted her back downstairs around six, before most of the world was awake.
The downside to all this is that I didn’t sleep much. Today, we head to Boise. It’s a long drive and I’ll have plenty of time to sleep on the bus. I settle into one of the bunks and pull the curtain closed.
“Where is he?”
Katrina’s voice is loud and angry. I’m too tired to care. I pull the pillow over my head and shut my eyes. Joshua can handle it.
The curtain is ripped open and she yanks the pillow off my face. Her eyes shoot daggers at me and I’m sure my bloodshot ones mirror hers back.
“What the fuck, King?”
“All night? Really? I told you I’d keep your conquests out of the story but you don’t have to be an asshole about it. Are you torturing me on purpose?” She’s pissed.
I sit up, sighing and frustrated. “Ok, I’ll bite. How did I personally offend you already today?”
Max starts laughing. “You must have drawn the short straw. Let me guess. You were next door to Casanova last night?”
My eyes widen. I don’t know why it bothers me that she was next door, but it does. A wave of guilt crashes over me. “Were you really next door?”
“Yes. I was really next door. I slept a total of thirty-seven minutes. For as impressive as you seem to be, I’m not amused. I’m sleep deprived and bitchy.”
“Half of that isn’t because I kept you up. You were a bitch before.” I regret my words instantly.
“Thanks.” She throws her bag into one of the chairs.
“King,” I reach for her arm but she pulls away. “Katrina.”
She looks back at me and my heart squeezes. “Get some rest. I’d hate to be the cause of you losing sleep. I’d hate to be a bitch.”
I pull the curtain closed but I can’t sleep. The woman makes me so frustrated and I don’t owe her any kind of explanation. I’m not going to stop living my life because she’s next door. I’m certainly not going to feel bad for telling her she’s a bitch. She is. That’s a fact. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to her. She’s been on my case since the first day she met me.
I shove my headphones into my ears and blast my music. I’m done with her. She wants a story, she can interview one of the other guys. Why the fuck am I so angry?