Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“Shit.” She blew out a long breath. “I usually have an answer for everything, but I don’t know what the right thing is here.”
“I wasn’t supposed to find out. I feel like I should just try to forget and move on, let them tell him the way they want to. It’s their right.”
“But at the same time, that’s pretty big news to be keeping from your man.”
I pulled on my hair. “You would tell Tristan if you were in my position?”
She chewed on her lip. “You know what? As you know, when I first went on tour with the band, I was hiding a pretty damn big secret. I’d made the decision that I wasn’t going to say anything to Tristan until the tour was over. I’ve never regretted that because he was able to at least get through the North American leg without that interruption. I made the call I felt was best for him at the time, not me. I’m thinking you know Atticus best, and if you think finding out will throw him off for the rest of the tour, you should wait.”
I nodded. That made sense and gave me the justification I needed to keep quiet. “Thank you. When you put it that way, I feel better about holding back, for his sake.”
“I’m certain Ronan and Kenzie will thank you, too.” She blew a breath up into her hair. “Gosh, I feel bad for taunting Kenzie now. The poor girl is stressed about sneaking around as it is. And there she was, thinking I was about to blow her cover.”
“She’d freak if she knew I heard them talking.”
Emily chuckled. “Let’s start a prayer chain now for Ronan’s well-being once Atticus finds out. Do you think he’ll go ballistic?”
I shook my head. “I hope he doesn’t. I hope he’s smart enough to realize that when two people are determined to be together, no one can stand in their way.”
CHAPTER 36
ATTICUS
We’d just arrived in Minnesota, and the guys and I were chilling on the bus while Nicole and Emily took the rental car to get lunch for everyone.
Ronan had left his phone behind while he went to the bathroom. When it lit up with a text, I thought I was seeing things.
Kenzie: Just wanted to tell you that I love you.
That doesn’t say Kenzie, does it? I blinked to even out my vision.
It did say Kenzie.
What? Love?
My niece loves Ronan?
What the fuck is going on?
I willed myself to calm down. Maybe it was a different Kenzie.
What were the chances of that, though? My hand shook as I grabbed the phone and turned the screen toward Tristan. “What the hell is this?”
Based on his stoic expression, whatever fuckery this was didn’t come as a surprise to him.
“What the fuck is going on with Kenzie and Ronan?” I demanded.
“Take a breath.”
Not even a denial. “You knew about this?” I seethed.
“He had to tell someone who wouldn’t kill him.”
Adrenaline coursed through my veins. “How could you keep this from me?”
“You’re proving how well you would’ve taken it. You really wanted to get news like this in the middle of a tour?” He shook his head. “But honestly, I have no guilt about it because they’re not doing anything wrong.”
Ronan emerged from the bathroom.
“What the fuck are you doing with my niece?” I roared.
His face turned white. He held his hands out. “Okay…calm down.”
“I won’t calm down.” I felt like I was about to hyperventilate. “You can have any woman in the world—why my niece, you prick?”
“Why not her? Do you have any idea how special she is?”
“Does she know how many women you’ve fucked around with?”
“If that was relevant, then Nicole shouldn’t be with you, should she? None of us would be worthy of a good woman if we were judged by our past actions.”
I rose and began to pace. “I knew there was something weird going on. You’ve been acting strange for a while now.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve messed around with zero groupies this entire tour. And even before that, you weren’t as talkative as you normally are. I knew you were keeping something from me.”
“So not sleeping around makes me suspect? Think about what you’re saying. I haven’t been with any groupies because I’ve been loyal to Kenzie.” He paused. “I love her.”
“Love?”
He nodded. “It’s been going on for a while. It’s not new.”
I drew in my brows. “Since when?”
“Since Tristan’s wedding.”
Spit flew out of my mouth as I shouted, “You’ve been seeing my niece for months behind my back?”
“I get that you’re not happy with this. No one is ever gonna be good enough for her in your eyes. But I’m your best friend. Do you really think I’d do this to you intentionally? Out of malice? Are you crazy?”
“He’s got a point,” Tristan chimed in.
I ignored him, waving my index finger at Ronan. “You kept it from me. Friends don’t do that.”