Forbidden Billionaire Rockstar (Raising Havoc Bandmates #4)

8. Jace

8

Jace

Watching Mallory pace is like witnessing a storm contained in human form.

The backstage area is a maze of thick cables snaking across the floor, disappearing behind heavy black curtains that muffle the roar of the crowd beyond. The air is thick with the metallic tang of equipment and the unmistakable musk of pre-show nerves. In this pressure cooker of emotions and expectations, Mallory's distress is a discordant note, impossible to ignore.

Each frantic step, each frustrated call, sends a jolt of concern through me. Her hair, usually so carefully styled, falls in wild waves around her face - a physical manifestation of her unraveling composure. It takes every ounce of self-control not to go to her, to offer comfort I have no right to give.

Brent is standing off to the side, lost in conversation with Donny, and I saunter up to them with a frown. “Hey,” I say, nudging Brent with my shoulder. “What’s up with Mallory?”

He looks over his shoulder at her, then sighs. “She was supposed to have a radio show interview set up for when Sweet Surrender finished their set, but I guess she fell asleep earlier before confirming it.”

“So, no one is showing up?”

“Looks like it.”

I hum in response, then spend a few minutes acting like I’m involved with the conversation before calmly walking away and going in search of Carmen. It doesn’t take long to find her. She’s leaning closely toward a pregnant Mia and looking over the clipboard in her hand.

“Carmen.”

She snaps her attention up to me, straightening her spine, and leaves Mia to worry about whatever security issues there might be. “Jace, what’s up?”

I glance back at Mallory, who looks like she’s already preparing herself for the worst, and I run a hand through my hair. “Can you get in touch with one of the radio shows around here?”

“Uh, yeah, but is there a reason why?”

“Tell them they’ll be meeting with Raising Havoc, get them here, then explain there’s been a change of plans, and they’ll be interviewing our opening act instead.”

“Oookay,” she says slowly before arching a brow. “This has something to do with Mallory?”

I roll my eyes. “Not at all. Brent is in the middle of talking to Donny, and he wanted me to talk to you about it before it got too late.”

Carmen’s eyes narrow, her gaze flickering between me and Mallory. I can almost see the gears turning in her head, piecing together a puzzle I’d rather keep scattered.

Carmen blows out a rough breath, checking the time, and she shakes her head. “It’s cutting it pretty close, but I think I can manage to get someone over here. Let me work my magic.”

Mallory storms past me as soon as our conversation ends and I frown, but with Brent being so close, I force myself not to follow her. She has a brother who can check up on her. Just because I kissed her last night doesn’t mean I have the right to make sure she’s okay. I did my part; even if no one will ever have the knowledge, it was me.

I hate turning away from her, but I make my way back toward the rest of the guys as Sweet Surrender starts their set. It’s only a few songs into their show that Carmen comes barreling through the room. Her eyes locked on me, and she nods to show that everything went as planned.

Someone will be here for Mallory.

“All is prepared,” she murmurs softly, stopping beside me.

“They think they’re interviewing us?”

She nods curtly. “For now, yes. When I lead them into the back room, I’m going to break it to them that they’ll interview Sweet Surrender instead.”

“You’ve got the extra money to make sure they stay?”

“Already burning a hole in my pocket,” she mutters, then glances around the room before leaning closer to me. “You sure this was Brent’s idea? When I made him aware I got it situated, he didn’t look like he had a single clue what I was talking about.”

I scoff. “He’s just trying to act like he’s not looking out for his sister.”

Carmen nods but doesn’t look convinced with my answer. “Right.”

“Do me a favor,” I say, nodding toward Mallory’s form on the far side of the room, where she’s leaning against the wall with a distant look in her eyes. “Call Mallory’s phone, act like you’re an assistant for the radio show, and let her know you’re available for an interview.”

“The things I do for you guys,” she grumbles. “Anything else?”

I smirk and throw an arm over her shoulder. “You know, now that I think about it… you could take it a little easier on Donny.”

She stiffens in response to my words and shakes her head. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

“Carm, everyone can see the daggers you point at him every single day. I’ve watched you smile at each of us, but as soon as your eyes land on Donny, it’s like you think he’s the reaper coming to take your soul.”

“Whatever.”

I arch a brow. “What’s up with that, anyway?”

“Not important right now.” She steps away from me and shakes her phone in the air. “I’ve got some work to do.”

Donny's laugh, usually a booming sound that fills any room, falters as Carmen walks past. His eyes, normally crinkled with mirth, follow her with a mix of confusion and hurt.

There's history there, unspoken but palpable. Carmen, for her part, stiffens as she passes, her clipboard clutched to her chest like a shield. The tension between them is a tangible thing, at odds with Donny's usual easy-going nature.

As she disappears around a corner, Donny's shoulders slump almost imperceptibly before he plasters on a smile and rejoins the conversation. But the light doesn't quite reach his eyes, and I'm left wondering what story lies behind their strained interaction.

I haven’t been around as long as the other guys, but I’ve been here long enough that I know Donny is always smiling. He’s the one we can all go to when our moods are down, knowing he’ll be able to lift us back up. There’s really no reason that Carmen should feel negatively about him, yet that hasn’t stopped her.

That’s a different issue for another day, though.

Mallory perks up from her spot against the wall, phone clinging to her ear, and she nods with a smile on her face. When the call ends after a few moments, Mallory throws a fist into the air and shimmies her hips before smoothing her outfit out. She glances around, locking eyes with mine, and even from a distance, I can see the pink tinting her cheeks.

She quickly disappears behind a curtain, one that leads toward the stage, and I wonder what Trevor might have done after our conversation earlier today. Did he end up asking her out on a date, anyway? The thought makes my vision grow red, but a hand landing on my shoulder calms it, and I look over at the culprit.

Brent arches a brow. “Everything okay?”

I nod, then clear my throat. “Yep, great.”

“Seems like you’ve become quite the radio whisperer,” Brent says, his tone a mix of curiosity and suspicion. “Carmen’s singing your praises about some last-minute interview setup,” he says, eyeing me curiously.

“She seemed to think it was my idea, you know anything about that?”

“Not a clue.”

He nods, smirking. “Interesting because I saw her talking to you a few minutes ago, and it looked pretty serious.”

“Talking about Donny, still trying to figure out what her issue is with him.”

“Ah. It’s best we just keep our nose out of all that,” he mumbles. “We should get ready. Sweet Surrender will be finishing their set soon.”

With that, he walks off and claps our other bandmates on their backs before heading down the long hallway to the edge of the stage. Evan quietly follows his trail, Donny falling into step behind Evan, and I wait a few moments longer before finally heading toward them. Carmen is leading a younger guy toward a room in the back, talking animatedly with him, and I can tell when she breaks the news to him because his shoulders deflate slightly.

It doesn’t take long for him to perk back up, though, when Carmen pushes a wad of cash into his hands and pushes him into the room with a smile.

Maybe there’s a chance that Mallory won’t figure out what I did here tonight.

As I mull over this thought, the backstage erupts into a flurry of activity. Sweet Surrender's set is ending, and it's our turn to take the stage. Crew members rush past, carrying guitars and adjusting earpieces. The energy is electric, a stark contrast to the weight of my thoughts.

I shake my head, trying to clear it. There's no time for this now. I grab my guitar, feeling the familiar weight ground me. The roar of the crowd filters through, growing louder as the opening act takes their final bow.

Brent catches my eye, grinning with pre-show excitement. "Ready to rock, brother?"

For a moment, everything else falls away. This is what I'm here for. This is what I know. I nod, a genuine smile spreading across my face. "Let's give 'em a show they'll never forget."

As we move towards the stage, I push thoughts of Mallory to the back of my mind. For the next two hours, there's only the music, the crowd, and the rush of performing. It's a welcome respite from the turmoil in my head. But as the first chords ring out and the crowd erupts, I know it's only temporary.

Reality, and all its complications, will be waiting when the lights go down."

The thought of her gratitude directed at someone else twists something in my chest. I admit it’s selfish, but deep down, I want her to know it was me. I want her to see that I care, even if I shouldn’t.

***

Donny is the first one to walk off stage, waving excitedly at the crowd in front of us while I patiently wait my turn. Since Brent is the lead singer, he’s always the last one to walk off the stage, and Evan normally heads off before me. A few minutes later, I’m stepping through the curtain and my eyebrows raise when I see Mallory standing there.

My heart does a painful flip as Mallory rushes past me. For a split second, I thought - she was coming to me. But of course, it’s Brent she embraces. I watch, a bystander to a family moment, feeling like an intruder in more ways than one.

He glances at her, confused by the gesture, and she pulls away with a small smile. “Thank you.”

“Uh, you’re welcome?”

“You have no idea how much you saved my life by getting the radio host here to interview Sweet Surrender,” she whispers.

Brent nods. “Yeah, but that wasn’t me.”

Mallory frowns. “You’re the only one I said something to. Who else could it have been?”

He glances at me, a frown on his face, but shrugs his shoulders in response. “Who knows, maybe Carmen overheard us and took it upon herself.”

This is going to raise even more questions for him, but seeing that smile on Mallory’s face makes everything worth it. I could tell she was stressing over things, and I’m glad that I could take that off her shoulders.

“Either way, thank you,” she says. “Where’s your wife at?”

Brent smiles brightly, just like he always does at the mention of Julia, and chuckles. “She wasn’t feeling up for it tonight. She’s been lying in bed since we got here.”

“Think she’ll feel up for a visitor? We’re on this thing together, and I hate that I haven’t been able to hang out with her.”

“Are you kidding? She’d love a visit from you, me and the guys are probably heading out for a bit, anyway.”

This is news to me, and clearly to the others as well, judging by their raised brows, but we don’t object to this idea. It’s been a while since we went out on the town, especially in a city that we’re touring, and I think it could be fun. Maybe I can find a pleasant woman who doesn’t want more than to get in bed with a rockstar, and she can help get my mind off the woman who’s off-limits to me.

Brent can’t imagine the thoughts running through my head about Mallory. This is the best way to prevent that from happening.

The guilt gnaws at me, a constant, gnawing ache in my chest. Every time I look at Brent, I see not just my best friend, but the trust I'm betraying. He's been my brother in all but blood, the one constant in this chaotic celebrity world. And Mallory... God, Mallory. She's the forbidden fruit I can't stop craving, the siren song I can't unhear.

I'm torn between the loyalty that's defined my life and a desire that threatens to consume me. Each smile, each casual touch from Brent feels like a knife twisting in my gut. And every glimpse of Mallory sets my blood on fire, making me question everything I thought I knew about myself.

I'm terrified of the choice looming before me - not because I don't know what I'll choose, but because I'm afraid I do. And the cost of that choice might be more than I can bear.

But even as I think about it, I know it’s a lie. The taste of her lips, the feel of her skin - it’s burned into my memory. I’m playing with fire, and I know I should walk away. But like a moth to a flame, I can’t seem to stay away from her.

“I’ll head out, then,” Mallory says, barely looking at me as she nods to the other guys. “See you guys later, and make sure to tell Carmen to thank you for me, okay?”

“Sure thing, sis,” Brent says, then waits until Mallory disappears before narrowing his eyes on me. “You still gonna act like you have no idea what the hell is going on?”

“Okay, okay,” I mutter. “You’re right. I was the one who talked to Carmen.”

“There is a reason for that?”

“She looked really upset earlier, so I figured I’d help her out. It’s not a big deal.”

Evan chuckles, then clears his throat. “We heading out?”

Brent looks as though he wants to say more but nods and decides against it. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Donny and Evan walk ahead of us, giving Brent the opportunity to fall into step next to me, and he clears his throat. “Thanks for doing that, man. She won’t admit it, but I can tell she’s got a lot on her mind, and it’s messing with her work.”

“No problem. We look out for each other, right?”

“Yeah, right.” We pause at the exit, and he cocks his head to the side. “It’s nothing more than that?”

“Not sure what you mean.”

"Are you trying to get in my sister's pants, Jace?" Brent's voice is light, but there's an undercurrent of steel that makes my stomach clench.

I force a laugh, praying it sounds more convincing to him than it does to me. "Come on, man. It's Mallory. Your sister." I meet his eyes, willing him to see sincerity instead of guilt. "That's a line I'd never cross. Bros before... well, you know."

Brent holds my gaze for a long moment, and I feel like he's looking right through me. Finally, he nods, but there's a flicker of something - doubt? concern? - in his eyes. "Yeah, I know. It's just... Mallory's been hurt before. I couldn't handle it if..."

"Hey," I cut him off, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "I get it. But trust me, there's nothing to worry about. Mallory's family."

The lie tastes bitter on my tongue, but Brent’s shoulders relax. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry, I just... I worry about her, you know?”

I nod, guilt and relief warring in my chest. “I get it. But trust me, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Nothing except the fact that I’m falling for her, I add silently.

His shoulders sink with relief, and he nods before walking ahead of me. Meanwhile, I’m trying to figure out how I can make sure he never finds out about mine and Mallory’s night together… or the kiss I shared with her earlier today.

Along with making sure none of it happens again.