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Brendan just shook his head and turned away.
“Come on, Brit. Let’s go.” Danny took the glass of champagne from his fiancée’s hand and set it down.
She pouted. “But we just got here.”
“And now we’re leaving.” When he took her by the arm Brittany shrugged out of his hold.
“Why? Because of her?” Brittany’s eyes narrowed and she glared.
“No, because of you.” Then Danny turned to Chloe. “Sorry, babe.” He paused. Did he look sorry? She couldn’t tell and she no longer cared. “For everything.” Danny glanced over to Jesse and then Taylor, the impenetrable forces at her side. “Take care, okay?”
Danny took Brittany by the hand and guided her toward the exit. Chloe watched them go. She felt nothing. No anger. No bitterness. No jealousy. No pang for what once was or what might have been. She felt nothing at all. When they reached the door, without a backward glance, Brittany raised her hand in the air and extended her middle finger.
Chloe swallowed some champagne and giggled.
Cheers, Brittany.
Jesse pulled Chloe against his chest. Holding her face in his hands, he kissed her. “I fucking love you.”
Taylor stood at her back and turned her to face him. Then he kissed her too. She smiled up at him. “Trust me, that boy regretted it the moment he let you go.” He looked at her so tenderly as he threaded his fingers through her hair. “He knew you were too good for him, little bird. He’d never be able to hold onto someone like you, so he downgraded.”
Sometimes Taylor surprised her with his tender actions and caring words. Did he care? It seemed like he genuinely did more often lately. There was so much more depth to this man than what the media portrayed. To the public he was just a tattooed, bad-boy musician. Chloe knew him differently. Taylor was so much more than that. He was intelligent and articulate, thoughtful and kind, and he made her laugh with his wicked dry sense of humor. It was probably too soon to know for sure, but she hoped he had feelings for her, and one day…
Let life happen.
Brendan rejoined them, the chick in the Elvira dress hanging at his side. Who the fuck was she anyway? No one had bothered to introduce her. Whoever she was, Chloe got bad vibes from her and she didn’t think she liked her very much.
“You didn’t have to do that, Brendan, but thank you.” Chloe smiled at him. She hadn’t needed him to rescue her, and if they had been anywhere else she would have let Brittany have it herself, but she didn’t want to cause a scene at the club. She let it go.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart.” He winked at her.
“Have you seen Linn and Ky yet?” Chloe was starting to wonder if they’d ever make it out of the greeting area so she could see all the way inside the club. And her bestie.
Chloe caught the roll of Elvira’s amber eyes. They were an unnatural color and she wondered if they were contacts. She cocked her head at the woman and raised a brow. “And who are you? We haven’t met.” She extended her hand. “I’m Chloe.”
The woman didn’t take it. “Salena.” She rolled her eyes again and, glancing away, dismissed her.
Bitch.
Taylor leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Ignore her. She’s a vile cunt.”
Before Chloe could question him further, two long-haired men she recognized sauntered up to them. If she hadn’t already spent the last six weeks practically living with Taylor and Jesse, she probably would have fangirled on the spot. Sixteen-year-old Chloe would have fainted. Matt McCready and Kit King, the rhythm guitarist and bassist of Venery, were so close to her she could feel the heat emanate from their skin.
Once the back-slaps and bro-hugs were done with, Taylor wrapped his arm possessively around her and squeezed her shoulder. Jesse did the same from her opposite side, their arms linked behind her. She was theirs, only theirs, and it seemed they wanted to make sure Taylor’s bandmates knew it.
“Is this her?” It was Kit who spoke.
Did they know who she was? It seemed like they did, which meant Taylor thought enough of her to tell them about her. These guys were close to Taylor and to Jesse and his cousins. Chloe wanted them to like and accept her, because if this relationship worked out the way Jesse wanted it to, they would be a big part of her life too.
“Yes, this is our Chloe.” Taylor kissed her temple and squeezed her tighter against him.
And her heart melted just a little bit more.
Kit leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Hello, Chloe.”
“Good to finally meet you,” Matt greeted her.
Brendan put a glass of champagne in her hand. Jesse kissed her on one corner of her mouth while Taylor kissed the other.
