Hate Me Today (Save Me #3) (6 page)

Vanessa

“Mandi, stop.” I reach out and grab her arm, pulling her back down into the booth next to me. “What the hell is wrong?”

“Nothing,” she mutters, “it’s not my place to say anything.”

“Obviously it’s not nothing. Something is bothering you and I want to know what it is. You were fine until I told you that Zach was flying in to go to this club thing tonight.”
I stare her down, not letting up until she caves.

“I’m just worried about you, Vanessa. You had so many bad things to say about him when we first met and now here you are, fawning all over him like he didn’t walk away when you needed him most.”

Her words kick me in the stomach, leaving me thinking about everything I went through with him but I still come to one conclusion; people can change. Mandi reaches over and squeezes my hand, her eyes are sad.

“Just promise me you won’t get in over your head. I don’t want to see you get hurt.” Her hands comes up, framing my face so I can’t pull away.

I just nod. It’s the only thing I can do since I can’t talk around the lump in my throat. Thankfully, our chat gets interrupted by Eve who gets us all ready before we’re supposed to leave. We have less than an hour before Zach is supposed to be here and we’re supposed to leave.

While Eve’s pulling my hair into a ponytail so severe I swear it will be pulled out of my head, I can’t stop thinking about what Mandi was saying. I come to the conclusion that I just can’t let my heart get in the way this time. At least
, not until I’m sure he’s not just going to walk away and break my heart again.

I slide into the long sleeve
, white, lace cocktail dress that barely covers my ass. I pull my hair to the side, letting Mandi zip me up while I slip into the bright red pumps that I know will kill my feet before the end of the night. I sit so I can fasten the buckles without falling on my barely covered ass. I hear the door open and the bus gets loud as all the guys climb in but the only thing I focus on is the fact that one pair of feet stop in front of me and they aren’t Zach’s.

“You actually think you will be able to perform like that?”

I stand, coming almost eye to eye with Jason with the five inch heels and stare him down. I swear something had to have happened to him when he was younger to make him such an asshole, but nobody knows and I don’t plan on asking.

My hands rest on my hips while I talk. “You realize I wear heels at every show. Tonight is no different, just a shorter set and I get to actually have some fun after we’re done.”

The corner of Jason’s mouth tips up into a cocky smile. “Don’t have too much fun. You remember what happened last time you went out and had a little too much to drink.”

I’m just about to say something smart assed back to him but Zach clears his throat and wraps his arm around my waist.
“What happened last time you went out and drank, babe?”

“Nothing. I just made the dumbest mistake possible. It wasn’t very memorable though, I’m pretty sure my pinky was bigger than his dick and did a better job too.”

Jack and Devon bust out laughing while Jason just glares at me. No one on the bus has said anything about it so I don’t think that anyone knows what has happened between us. I want to keep it that way so I pull Zach off the bus before anything comes out of Jason’s mouth. I’m sure he would say something just to be an asshole.

We pull up in front of Club Lush and slide out of the back of the SUV. People screaming my name is something I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to
, but I smile while I sign autographs on my way in. Zach’s hand stays firmly on my lower back and Tyrone doesn’t let anyone get too close to me or the guys.

We finally make it inside and are shuffled forward to the stage they set up for us. All four of us have fought all day about what we were going to play but since the club isn’t geared toward the country crowd we decided to do Hate Me Today and a few covers. The only thing the club asked was that we switch back and forth like we do on stage.

I lose track of Zach once we’re on stage but I don’t worry about it; I know I’ll find him when we’re done. Devon counts us in and I start into "Move It Like You Stole It" by ZZ Ward, losing myself in the music and energy of the club and before I know it we’ve finished our entire set and are being led off stage and into a roped off VIP section.

I still haven’t seen Zach and when I say something Jason stands up and walks away, saying something about having to take a piss. Tyrone tells me not to worry
, that he’ll turn up. So I don’t. I sit down next to Mandi, taking the glass of champagne she hands me and sip it slowly. Jason was right, I don’t want to make the same mistake I did the last time I went out to a bar.

My mind doesn’t need to be fucked like that again.

Jason

This damn line isn’t moving. I’m half tempted to find the exit and piss in the alley way. At least the blonde bobble head that’s practically mounting some guy is giving me a good show as he pulls her dress up and slides his hand under it. Either she’s too hammered to notice that she’s surrounded by people or too slutty to care.

The line moves but not enough for my liking and I know this nights is about to go down the drain the second the blonde chick pulls her mouth away from the guys. The douche that Vanessa is supposed to be dating lifts his head just enough to see me and smirks.

Suddenly I don’t have to use the crowded bathroom anymore. Without thinking
, I pull the girl away from him, grab him by the front of the shirt and shove him down the hall toward the door.

“What the fuck
, dude!” he screams when his back hits the brick side of the building.

I clench my fists by my side, telling myself over and over that I won’t hit the sorry son
-of-a-bitch.

“What the fuck, you’re supposed to be dating Vanessa! Instead while she’s working, you’re off finger fucking the town slut.”

“It’s none of your business. From what I’ve heard you don’t even like her so what does it matter?”

“I work with her, I live with her while we’re on tour and I have to listen to her bitch. That makes this my business. I don’t like her but I fucking hate men who think it’s
OK to cheat. I knew you were a piece of shit the first time I met you. You either leave or you man the fuck up and don’t touch another woman or my fist will meet your face next time.”

I barge back into the club, heading straight for the VIP room. People scream for me but I’m so pissed off that I just walk past them. I know I’ll hear about it later but right now I just need to get out of here. I know if I stay I’m going to end up in jail and Tuesday’s warning is ringing loud in my head tonight.

“I’m done. I’m going back to the bus,” I yell over the pulsing sound coming out of the speakers. Vanessa jumps up from the bench, teetering on the sexy as fuck heels she had to wear tonight. On someone else, I would have them bent over the back of the couch fucking them as hard as I could just from seeing the way they make her legs look, but this is Vanessa and I hate her even though her scumbag man is fucking around on her.

“You can’t leave, Jason. The club hired us to be here for at least another hour.”

“No, the club hired Vanessa Knox.” I press my finger into her chest. “It’s you they wanted, not me, not the band. Don’t worry, Princess, I’ll still be around in the morning but I’m done with the shit tonight.”

“What the hell went and crawled up your ass?” she asks. “When have you ever heard me say anything
about this only being about me, or about us not being a group? Just because we don’t go by a band name or work exactly like Thirty Ought Six did, doesn’t make us any less of a group. As much as it sucks to say, we don’t work without you.”

I can’t come back with anything to say because she’s right. I’ve got to give it to the bitch. All the interviews we do are done as a group even though she doesn’t have to do things that way. We’re like one big dysfunctional goddamn family.

I shake my head and shoulder past her, flopping down between Mandi and Devon just as Zach walks up. Vanessa wraps herself around him, the smug look on his face just makes me want to punch him more than I did when he was pulling his fingers out of the other girl.

I tip a shot back into my mouth and swallow. Since I’m an asshole who just can’t keep my mouth shut I holler at Zach and he glares at me as he pulls Vanessa down on his lap and let’s his hands wonder over her legs.

“I hope you at least washed your hands.”

Vanessa’s head swings around and she asks me what I’m talking about. Zach mouths something at me but I can’t quite make it out in the dim lights.

“I’m not talking about anything, Princess. Just that I hope your man washed the filth off his hands after his bathroom trip.” I wink at them and tip another shot back, know it’s the only way I’m going to make it through the rest of this wonderful night.

Vanessa

Three Weeks Later

“Hey baby,” Zach’s voice drifts over me, waking me, “if you don’t wake up now you won’t make it to the stadium on time.”

I spring up, grabbing my head to make the throbbing go away. Without a word I start rushing around. I drag my jeans on faster than I probably ever have before, Zach laughs from behind me.

“Jeez
, babe. I don’t even get a hello, I missed you?” His snarky tone irks me for some reason.

Marching back to him, I pull him down, planting one hell of a hello kiss on him to make up for not doing it before. “Sorry. Hi, I missed you, I’m running late.”

“You’re Vanessa Knox. You’re allowed to be late,” he shrugs, pissing me off. I’m so tired of people thinking I’m a diva when I’m not. The only time I’ve ever been late to anything is when I’ve had late running doctor’s appointments.

“No,” I snap, “I can’t. Even if I was the goddamn Queen of England, I would still try to on time, if not early! My name doesn’t give me any right to disrespect anyone.”

“I think maybe you should try crawling back into that bed and waking up again, preferably with me buried inside of you. Maybe then you’d be in a good mood.”

“Sex isn’t always the answer.”
Believe me, I know. “Why don’t you go ahead of me and I’ll just meet you at the stadium? Tyrone will bring me.”

The corner of Zach’s mouth perks up in a cocky smile that right now, for some reason, I’d like to wipe off his face.
Damn, maybe I do need to go back to bed and try waking up again.

“Is that it? You want some alone time with the deep voiced choco
-cock? Want me to go invite him in while you change?” He starts toward the door.

“What the hell is wrong with you today?” I yell. I don’t think he even acted like this when we dated in high school.

His head drops as he stops walking, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. Turning, he pulls me into his arms, and buries his face in my neck.

“Sorry. It just seems like we never see each other and when we do, you send me away so you can do something.”

“Zach, I fly you to wherever I am twice a week. We don’t see each other maybe three days a week. How you even manage this around working baffles me, but you do.” I sigh, pulling my hair into a messy knot. “You knew this was going to be hard. You knew I wasn’t always going to be around and you know I’m still feeling like crap sometimes. If it’s going to be a problem, please tell me now so I don’t end up putting my entire heart into this just so you can break it again.”

“You’re right,” he concedes, “I did know all that. It just sucks not being able to see you whenever I want. I’m going to go
. I’ll see you at the show.”

After I’m finally dressed, I swing my door open just as some timid looking blonde woman is about to knock. Her eyes widen in shock as she drops her hand.

“Can I help you?”

“Are you Vanessa Knox?” she asks, her fingers twisting together, knuckles turning white.

I nod, “Yes, what can I do for you?”

The girl looks down the hall nervously before looking back to me. “I’m Ashlyn Perkins. I believe you’re
screwing my husband.”

I stumble back to the edge of my bed. There’s only so much shit a girl can handle. One second everything is flying by smooth as can be and then suddenly it’s like someone drops a bomb in the middle of Time Square, halting everything and everyone.

It’s like every time things start getting better for me: I start feeling better, start acting like my old self, something like this happens making me retreat into my hard ass exterior. I don’t like being that girl. What I like is the part of me who loves life, who can act like a fool without actually being a fool.

I thought everything was good. Like, really good.
I guess I was wrong. Three weeks ago, I thought I made a good decision by getting back into a relationship with Zach, now here standing in front of me is someone claiming to be his wife.

I feel like I just swallowed a box of razor blades when I go to speak but she beats me to it.

“By the look on your face I’m going to assume you didn’t know. Hopefully that will make this a bit easier.” The expression on her face is grim as she steps into the room, closing the door behind her. “My husband is not a good man. He’s not someone you want to be involved with, believe me. If I could, I would leave but that would just make him mad and having him mad is not something you would ever want to see. I’ve left. Do you know where that got me?” her voice drops to a whisper as she scrolls through her phone, handing it to me.

The pictures she has me swipe through make me sick. Bruises cover her face, chest, arms and legs along with split lips and bloody spots where he must have ripped her hair out. I wipe away the tears that are falling freely from my eyes for a girl I just met. It couldn’t have been easy for her to come here, to tell me to stay away from the monster she calls her husband.

“You have security around you all the time, you can walk away and be OK. He won’t be able to hurt you like he does me,” she continues, pulling me back from my thoughts. “Walk away while you still can, Vanessa.”

She turns her back to me, heading for the door. I reach out, grabbing her arm. There has to be something I can do because she shouldn’t have to live through that shit anymore. Just as I’m about to speak, Tyrone knocks on the door telling me if we don’t leave right now, we’re going to be late. Opening the door, I pull him in and stand back in front of Ashlyn.

“Do you want to leave him?”

“I’ve tried,” she cries, “more than once. I end up like that every time. I’ve come to realize that as long as I stay and stay out of his way, not make him mad, it’s not as bad.”

I shake my head. I won’t let her keep going through this. “Do you want to leave?”

She nods. I grab her hand, pulling her toward the elevator with Tyrone leading the way.

As we drive to the stadium she tells me more of how everything happened between them, how Zach’s been living off the trust fund his grandfather left him and how it’s almost gone. It explains how he was able to take so much time away to fly to wherever I was.

Tyrone and Wayne sit in front of us, talking to us over their shoulder as we come up with a plan to get us both out of this situation without getting hurt. Since Zach doesn’t allow her to have any of her personal stuff at their house in Texas, getting her to walk away was the easy part. Keeping him away was going to be the hard part.

“Can I ask you something?” I start. She nods. “Why didn’t you tell your family? Maybe they could have helped you get out.”

“Have you met Zach?” she laughs quietly. “He has my parents wrapped around his finger. They think he hung the damn moon. I even showed them the pictures that I just showed you and everything. They still didn’t believe me.”

“Well,” I say, reaching across the seat I take her hand in mine, “you’re getting out now. We’ll do this together and he won’t ever land a hand on you again.”

Stepping out of the car, Tyrone walks beside me, leaving Ashlyn in the car with Wayne until I know where Zach is.

Walking into the dressing room, I immediately search the room. My eyes land on Jason first, who is still doing everything in his power to ignore me and then drift to Zach.

I want to yell, to scream, to punch him in his suddenly smug looking face. Instead, I head over and plop my ass into the chair, ignoring everyone while Eve does my hair and makeup. Jack and Devon have some groupie sluts straddling their laps, moaning over the noise coming from the growing crowd outside the door. For the first time since we started touring, Jason isn’t joining in on the groupie whore time before the show.

Tyrone doesn’t leave my side until I’m on stage. That includes when he picks me up and carries me to the platform I need to be on just to keep Zach from kissing me. I laugh as he sets me down, grumbling some shit about Zach being worse than some rabid animal that needs to be euthanized. Stepping back, he promises me that he will be here when I step off stage and everything will be taken care of then.

~*~*~*~

“What the fuck was that earlier?” Zach growls the second I walk through the door after coming off the stage.

He grabs my wrist, pulling me to his chest but in a flash Tyrone is on him. Zach’s ass hits the couch faster than I can even blink. Eyes wide, he stares up at Tyrone like he’s actually going to do something.

“Touch her again and I will put a hole the size of that state you call home through your goddamn skull. You understand me, boy?” Tyrone’s deep voice booms through the small room.

Zach’s nods timidly, shifting uncomfortably in the seat he was just thrown into. Taking the few steps needed I open the door and step back. Wayne steps through, his huge body takes up most of the doorframe until he side steps, allowing Ashlyn to walk around him.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Zach yells at Ashlyn, she flinches back until Wayne’s hand settles on her lower back.

Squaring off her shoulders, she looks him straight in the eye. “I’m leaving, and this time you’re not stopping me,” Ashlyn says.

“The hell you are!” he roars.

“Actually,” I speak up, “we’re both leaving you. You only get this chance to walk away without her pressing charges. I suggest you take it and never contact either one of us again.”

I wave my hand at the door, signaling for him to leave. I put up with a lot of shit in my life, but being the other woman won’t be one of them. I also won’t stand back while he beats his wife either.

The last thing from his mouth as he’s being pulled from the room is that I will regret leaving him.