Read Online Harley (West Coast Rock Star #1) by Michelle Jo Quinn - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michelle Jo Quinn
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smirk. They might have been brave when they didn’t know she was around, but now that they were aware of her presence, they shook in their boots. Groupie number one stopped reapplying her lipstick and stepped aside. Cade took her time washing, not looking up or giving them anything else to talk about.
Eventually, they filed out. She wanted to kick all their asses, but what would that say to Harley? How would that make her seem responsible? And if one of them complained, it would go straight to Zee and Mac. Not going to happen.
She heard the flush of the toilet, then the door to the last stall swung open. Harley went to the sink in her right and washed her hands.
“You should’ve kicked their butts.” Cade wished Harley hadn’t looked so serious when she said it. They locked gazes through the mirror. They laughed.
“Oh, Harley, if I had a penny every time I want to kick someone’s butt for the things they say, I’d be as rich as your dad!” They laughed again.
When they returned, the gaggle of groupies had perched themselves back on the sofa, all but one didn’t want to look fazed by her. Cade kept her head up, as did Harley beside her. When they reached the sofa, Harley didn’t sit with her but ran toward Bruno. Cade didn’t move. She just watched Bruno bend down to let Harley whisper something in his ear, then stood and peered at Cade.
“Oh shit.” Cade’s heartbeat sped up. It was too late for her to do anything. She knew what Harley had done. Harley came back to sit on the sofa, with an angelic look on her face, while Zee and Bruno escorted the groupies out of the studio.
The band didn’t seem to care if they were present or not. Just like Cade, they had a purpose, and they were replaceable. Cade sat beside Harley and asked the kid what she had said.
Harley shrugged. “I told Bruno that they were secretly recording the rehearsal. That they were talking about it in the bathroom. They weren’t allowed.” There wasn’t a hint of remorse on her face.
“But that’s a lie, Har,” Cade said quietly.
The girl shrugged again. “I guess I learned a thing or two from Fiona.”
And those words terrified Cade more than anything.
Chapter Eight
Juliette caught Cade on the phone before she got some shuteye.
Harley decided she’d spend the night in her father’s suite. After rehearsals, the band had gone out for dinner at a restaurant with a six-month waiting list. Harley had wanted to join them but Cade knew she was knackered from the excitement during the day.
“So are they back now?” Juliette asked.
Cade pinched the bridge of her nose. These were times when she felt more like a sitter than a bodyguard. “No, they probably went to a bar or something. I overheard someone mention it before they left the studio.”
“And you’re stuck in your room?” Juliette wasn’t too pleased. She’d hoped that her friend would at least have some time to enjoy the LA nightlife.
“I’m in Jax’s suite. I have to stay here until he gets back.”
“What time will he be back?”
“I don’t know, Juliette. I tried to convince Harley to sleep in my room but she insisted on staying here. She wasn’t herself this afternoon. She heard some things and I think she’s having a hard time processing it.” The memory of the overheard conversation in the studio’s bathroom filled Cade’s mind. She’d contemplated talking to Jax about it, but she’d never found the right time to do so.
“What did she hear?” Cade pictured Juliette gripping her phone, eager for some hot gossip.
Cade waved her hand. “It’s nothing. I’m sure it will blow over in the morning. Oh wait…” She straightened upon hearing footfalls in the hallway. “I got to go. Bye.” She didn’t bother letting Juliette say a proper farewell. Cade stood at attention when the door to the suite swung open.
“Oh, you’re still here?” Tina’s nasally voice pierced the quiet room.
“Yeah,
Eventually, they filed out. She wanted to kick all their asses, but what would that say to Harley? How would that make her seem responsible? And if one of them complained, it would go straight to Zee and Mac. Not going to happen.
She heard the flush of the toilet, then the door to the last stall swung open. Harley went to the sink in her right and washed her hands.
“You should’ve kicked their butts.” Cade wished Harley hadn’t looked so serious when she said it. They locked gazes through the mirror. They laughed.
“Oh, Harley, if I had a penny every time I want to kick someone’s butt for the things they say, I’d be as rich as your dad!” They laughed again.
When they returned, the gaggle of groupies had perched themselves back on the sofa, all but one didn’t want to look fazed by her. Cade kept her head up, as did Harley beside her. When they reached the sofa, Harley didn’t sit with her but ran toward Bruno. Cade didn’t move. She just watched Bruno bend down to let Harley whisper something in his ear, then stood and peered at Cade.
“Oh shit.” Cade’s heartbeat sped up. It was too late for her to do anything. She knew what Harley had done. Harley came back to sit on the sofa, with an angelic look on her face, while Zee and Bruno escorted the groupies out of the studio.
The band didn’t seem to care if they were present or not. Just like Cade, they had a purpose, and they were replaceable. Cade sat beside Harley and asked the kid what she had said.
Harley shrugged. “I told Bruno that they were secretly recording the rehearsal. That they were talking about it in the bathroom. They weren’t allowed.” There wasn’t a hint of remorse on her face.
“But that’s a lie, Har,” Cade said quietly.
The girl shrugged again. “I guess I learned a thing or two from Fiona.”
And those words terrified Cade more than anything.
Chapter Eight
Juliette caught Cade on the phone before she got some shuteye.
Harley decided she’d spend the night in her father’s suite. After rehearsals, the band had gone out for dinner at a restaurant with a six-month waiting list. Harley had wanted to join them but Cade knew she was knackered from the excitement during the day.
“So are they back now?” Juliette asked.
Cade pinched the bridge of her nose. These were times when she felt more like a sitter than a bodyguard. “No, they probably went to a bar or something. I overheard someone mention it before they left the studio.”
“And you’re stuck in your room?” Juliette wasn’t too pleased. She’d hoped that her friend would at least have some time to enjoy the LA nightlife.
“I’m in Jax’s suite. I have to stay here until he gets back.”
“What time will he be back?”
“I don’t know, Juliette. I tried to convince Harley to sleep in my room but she insisted on staying here. She wasn’t herself this afternoon. She heard some things and I think she’s having a hard time processing it.” The memory of the overheard conversation in the studio’s bathroom filled Cade’s mind. She’d contemplated talking to Jax about it, but she’d never found the right time to do so.
“What did she hear?” Cade pictured Juliette gripping her phone, eager for some hot gossip.
Cade waved her hand. “It’s nothing. I’m sure it will blow over in the morning. Oh wait…” She straightened upon hearing footfalls in the hallway. “I got to go. Bye.” She didn’t bother letting Juliette say a proper farewell. Cade stood at attention when the door to the suite swung open.
“Oh, you’re still here?” Tina’s nasally voice pierced the quiet room.
“Yeah,
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