My muscles stretch as I roll over, my arm flops across to the other side of the bed to feel for Brax and my eyes open when I know he isn’t there. I exhale in disappointment and wonder what time he left me last night. It’s been a week since the incident where he fell asleep and we’ve avoided talking about it since. Every night he leaves even though I try to fight him on the subject, we get nowhere. Feeling like I need a little comfort, I slide out of bed, my feet digging into the plush carpet doesn’t ease my discomfort as I trudge the small path to Charli’s room. It’s early, probably too early as I look down into her cot. Her beautiful eyes are closed shut, her tiny pink lips spread open as a faint echo of her breathing sounds through the room. I inhale awed by her beauty, she really is a Godsend. A sudden knocking at my hotel room door startles me causing me to jump on the spot.

“Who the fuck?” I murmur to myself looking down at my watch to see it’s just 5:47 a.m. I look down at Charli again to make sure the banging hasn’t woken her and she’s still fast asleep. Walking out toward my door, I wonder who the hell it could be. It would be nice if there were a peephole in my door so I could check who it is. My heart rate is spiking a little and I wish Brax was here with me. I pull the door open slightly and peer out to see Mase leaning against the door frame, his hair disheveled, his eyes closed as he breathes harshly like he’s trying to keep himself awake. Furrowing my brows, I pull back the door fully.

“Mase, what the hell? Are you okay?” I ask looking at his pale face and black rimmed eyes.

“I’m fine, just had a big night,” he replies and now I think about it I can smell the alcohol emanating from him.

“Have you slept?”

He chuckles. “Nope, but I came to see my girls,” he says pushing past me into my room and stumbling slightly. “Where’s Charli?”

“She’s in the other room, but you can’t go in she’s still sleeping which you should be doing by the looks of you. Were you partying all night or something?” I ask as he comes up to me and wraps his arms around my waist pulling me to him.

I exhale and keep my hands by my side.

“Amber, you know me. When I get depressed, I party like a rock star,” he says slurring his words slightly.

I swallow and shake my head. “Mase, c’mon you’re a father. You need to stop with the sex, drugs and rock and roll,” I say and try to remove his hands from around my waist.

“Oh, but Amber, I wouldn’t need to if I could have sex with you. You’re my drug of choice and I’d like to rock and roll around in the sack with you any day if you know what I mean?” he says with a chuckle thinking he’s funny.

He’s not.

I pull away from him and step back. “Mason, stop!”

He smiles and steps closer wrapping his arms around me again. I struggle in his grip, but he’s really strong.

“Mase, let me go,” I say and he shakes his head.

“Not until you kiss me,” he says with a smirk and leans in.

“Mase, stop it. You’re drunk.” I push on his chest, but he keeps pulling me closer.

“Kiss me, Amber. Just one kiss to tide me over.”

I furrow my brows as he sways us on the spot. “Mason Anthony Hughes, I swear if you don’t let me go I will scream.”

He chuckles. “Scream then,” he says calling my bluff as he leans forward and plants his lips on mine. I tighten my lips together so he can’t gain access to my mouth and try to pull back, but his hand snakes up into my hair and he holds my head to his.

I decide rather than fighting him, which would stir him on even further, I just relent and let him kiss me. But I certainly don’t kiss back. He moves his body against mine and I wince in uncomfortableness when I feel his erection against my leg. I decide I can’t do this any longer and I open my mouth and bite his bottom lip hard. He flinches back letting go of me and his hand shoots up to his lip as I stand back and hold myself for comfort.

“Ouch Amber, why’d you do that?”

I shake my head and walk toward the hotel door. “I think you should go.”

He smirks. “I think with that bit of playfulness I should stay,” he says grinning at me mischievously. I don’t like the look in his eyes. He’s not in control of his actions right now. He’s letting his hormones and his love for me cloud his judgement.

“No. Mason, leave. Before I say something I’ll regret,” I demand.

He pouts and walks toward me. “Baby c’mon, you want me too. I’ve waited over a year to be with you again, actually nearly two. Please, Amber, I’m dying to taste you. It’s time,” he says stepping up to me and placing his hand on my cheek caressing me tenderly.

I huff and open the hotel door and he frowns and shakes his head. “Amber, stop fighting this.” He steps into me and his lips meet mine again and I tense up grabbing hold of his biceps as he pins me to the open door. I try to push him off me, but he’s too strong. He grinds his erection into me and I whimper against him in discontent as my eyes flood with tears. I try hard to push him away from me, but his body is forced against mine so strongly I can hardly move. I push and he moves slightly. Suddenly he’s pulled from me and my body slumps as his lets me go and I breathe quickly while watching Mason fall to the floor with a thud.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Hunter berates glaring at him. He turns to me and rubs my arm. “Are you okay?” he asks and I wipe the tears falling down my cheeks and nod as Mason looks at me and frowns.

“You’re crying?” he asks and I scoff.

“You were forcing yourself on me, Mason. That’s not something every girl wants, you know?” I spit.

Hunter wraps his arm around my shoulders. “I know you had a wild night last night dude and you’re probably still wasted. But if you ever, and I mean ever, make my sister cry again or try and force yourself onto her, I will kick you out of the band and then make sure you only see Charli on holidays and special occasions. You got me?” Hunter thunders as he rubs up and down my arm, trying unsuccessfully to comfort me.

Mason nods as he stands up and looks at me. He swallows, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, I read it wrong. I just…I miss you, Amber,” he says and I furrow my brows.

“I was never yours. So how the hell can you miss me?” I ask.

He nods rubbing the back of his neck. “Don’t I know it! I miss what we had that one night Amber, it was perfect. You wanting me back, that’s all I’ve ever wanted,” he murmurs.

I frown and wrap my arms around myself and exhale. “I’m sorry, Mason. I just. I can’t…I don’t…it’s not like that with you,” I say and his posture stiffens.

“But it’s like that with Braxton?”

Hunter turns looking at me and his grip on my shoulders intensifies. Swallowing hard, my brother and my baby’s father both look at me waiting for my answer.

“Brax is…I don’t know what Brax is,” I admit and Mason slumps his body and Hunter stiffens his.

“She won’t be starting anything with Brax either Mason, so don’t worry. Just go to your room, have a coffee and go to sleep until you need to be at the concert tonight. Sort yourself out Mase, and leave Amber alone. No more hitting on her,” Hunter demands.

I swallow hard looking at Mason whose frown has fallen from his face as his eyes are glistening with unshed tears. He merely nods, his mouth opens like he’s going to speak, but he doesn’t say anything choosing instead to close it and walk away.

Exhaling, I wipe my cheeks as Hunter turns to face me. “Are you really okay?” he asks and I nod and pull him to me for a hug. Embracing him tightly, he holds me back and for once it’s nice to have my brother being overprotective.

“Thank you, I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t have shown up when you did.”

He pulls back from me and smiles reassuringly. “I’m glad I was here too. Mason is a tool when he’s drunk. I was awake and heard him from my room next door. Don’t worry, I’ll be having harsher words with him later, but as long as you’re okay that’s all I care about,” he says. I nod and turn to walk back into my hotel room. “So you and Brax?” he asks and I tense up as he follows me inside.

“It’s nothing really,” I say trying to pull Hunter off the trail. I don’t want to fight with him right now.

He huffs. “It better not be, Amber. I told you to stay away from him.”

I bite my bottom lip and decide to not let him know how close Brax and I have actually become.

“It’s just an attraction Hunter, nothing to worry about,” I lie and he walks through to sit on the lounge while nodding his head.

“Good, because I don’t want you getting hurt again Amber. You’ve been through so much in the last five years with Mum, then Aston, and having Charli. You’re teetering on the edge as it is with your panic attacks. I’m just looking out for you. You know that, right?” he asks and I exhale loudly and sit on the bed.

“I know. But I’m okay, I promise.” I hear Charli murmur in the next room.

“I’ll get her,” he says. I smile as he walks into her room and I fall back on the bed and take in a deep, steadying breath.

Why does liking someone have to be so complicated?

My brother is his best friend but doesn’t want me to date him. My friend and father of my child hates him and is constantly comparing his cock size to Brax’s. And then Brax is making it difficult by not sleeping next to me.

Why can’t my relationship with Brax be simple?

 

***

 

After spending the day with Hunter and Charli, I’m now on the bus sitting down ready to head to the next hotel. Brax is sitting next to me smiling happily as he chats about Charli looking even cuter today than ever. I giggle as Mase steps up onto the bus. Looking up at him as he spots me, I tense up immediately. Brax notices and looks from me to Mase, as Mase swallows hard and looks away tensing his jaw. I exhale and Brax looks back at me and raises an eyebrow as Mase continues to walk past us, down the aisle and toward the back of the bus. Trying to hide my discomfort, I nuzzle into Charli but Brax notices and he squishes his eyebrows and tilts his head.

“What’s that about?”

“No, nothing,” I say a little too quickly and defensively.

Brax tenses looking back down the bus at Mase and then back to me. “Amber, talk to me.”

I exhale and look at Brax biting my bottom lip. He’s not going to like this. “Okay, but don’t go off.”

He furrows his brows and purses his lips together shifting closer to me. “You have me worried now. What the hell is going on?”

I slump into the chair almost as if to hide myself from Mase’s view. I don’t want him to know I’m about to tell on him. “In the early hours of this morning, Mason came to my room after a party. He was drunk and wanted to see Charli and me.”

Brax tenses and his eyes squint like he’s already annoyed with where this is heading. “Okay.”

“Well, he was a little out of it and wanted to come in. He tried to kiss me—”

“What?” Brax shouts, aggravation evident in his voice while he glares at me.

My heart starts to race as the redness spreading over Brax’s face is alarming me. “He got a little handsy, but Hunter was there to stop him before he went too—”

Brax’s eyes open wide and his nostrils flare. “Are you fucking kidding me? He tried to force himself on you?”

“Well—”

“I’m going to fucking kill him,” he interrupts and goes to stand.

Grabbing his arm I pull him back down into the chair, his head snaps around to look at me and I’m sure if this were a cartoon there would be smoke billowing from his ears and nostrils.

“Brax stop! He was drunk, he was lonely and he didn’t know what he was doing. Hunter stopped him and everything’s fine. Please don’t cause a scene.”

He huffs and shakes his head. “Amber, he has to know that you’re not available for him to use and abuse. He can’t treat you like that and get away with it,” he demands his face still red.

I bring my free hand up to caress his cheek trying to placate him. “Brax, trust me, he’s kicking himself enough right now. I know he’ll be hating himself for how he acted. He doesn’t need you in his face making things worse. Plus, then he and Hunter would know about us. I’m not ready for that yet,” I state honestly.

His body slumps and I see the tension rolling through his muscles as he stretches his neck from side to side. “I don’t like this Amber.”

“I know, but I’m sure he learned a lesson. Hunter threatened to kick him out of the band and to limit his access to Charli. So trust me, he’s hurting.”

He nods and exhales wrapping his arm around my shoulders pulling me to him. I rest my head on his shoulder as Charli giggles and leans in grabbing Brax’s shirt. He moves his hand in and caresses her face softly.

“Well, I guess threatening not to see this little angel would straighten anyone out. But I swear Amber if he touches you again, and if I see it, I won’t be held responsible for my actions.”

“It’s okay, I have a feeling it won’t happen again,” I say honestly as I cuddle into Charli and Brax on our way to the next hotel.

 

***

 

Mase has been avoiding me. Especially now—because I’m pretty sure he realizes from the death glares Brax has been sending—that Brax knows Mase tried it on with me. But we’re at the venue and I’m nearing the end of the set. The lights are shining down making me hotter than a summer in Dubai. Beads of sweat trickle down my brow as I sing my heart out to the melody of ‘Get What You Want.’ Mase is starting to loosen up and enjoy himself as he walks over and slams on his guitar pressing his back into my side and smiling out to the crowd. I tense up slightly as I look down at Brax and see him looking up at Mase watching him intently. The last thing I want is for Brax to get all macho on me while I’m performing, so I straighten up causing Mase to jolt away from me. He looks back noticing my sudden movement and he furrows his brows as I continue to sing. He leans into me again pressing his arm into mine and leaning his head against my shoulder. I open my eyes wide wondering if he’s drunk. He’s acting weird like he’s trying to indicate to the crowd that we’re together or something.

I’m really confused, and as I sing the last few lyrics of the song I step back from the microphone to tell Mase to back off. He leans in as I glare at him and I can smell the beer on his breath—he’s been drinking!

Opening my eyes wide as my heart starts to race, I move to back up noticing the gleam in his eyes. I know that look, I’ve seen it all too often. He leans in and before I have a chance to back off he moves in pressing his lips to mine. There’s no sparks, there’s no electricity, only a churning in my stomach and a thunderous roar from the crowd as my heart leaps into my throat. I pull back glaring at Mase as he grins at me like he’s won the lottery. I want to slap him so hard, but before I have a chance to think, strong, warm arms wrap around me and drag me off the stage. I’m utterly shocked by the force of the pull that I’m disorientated slightly as I’m dragged through the crowd of screaming people into the back room. My back pressed hard against the front of a strong and chiselled chest leaves me guessing I’m in the arms of one mightily pissed off man. My heart’s beating fast as the crowd is a mixture of cheering and booing. We still had another song to play and I’m being dragged off and into the back room by a mad man. The hum in my ears from my blood pressure rising is making it hard for me to think as the door slams behind me. I’m finally stationary, and the arms let me go and spin me around. My eyes lock with Brax’s and my heart drops out of my chest and slams on the floor.