Alarmed, I jumped to my feet, intercepting them. “What? What happened?” I checked Michaela over, then my sister. “Are you hurt?”
Yael poked my chest. “Your fans are fucking insane. Your security fucking sucks. How do the people who work for you not know I’m your sister? Even if some lunatics who wanted you to eat their panties for dinner made themselves counterfeit passes, the people who work for you should know who I am—they should knowourpasses are the real deal. I’m so angry right now. You best believe heads are going to roll, brother.” Her eyes narrowed on Mac. “You get your minions in front of me. I’m going to tell you which ones are both garbage humans and garbage at their jobs.”
“Wha—?” I reached for Michaela’s hand, pulling her closer. “What happened? Are you okay?”
Her eyes flicked to mine, the rims red and shiny. “Your sister basically acted as my human shield. There are some scary-ass bitches out there.”
“Jesus.” Fear thumped with its very own pulse in my chest. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head. “No. I’m not, I promise.”
Yael’s hands went to her hips. “These huge ass dudes at the door put their hands on us. Thank god Clark walked by and saw what was happening. I probably would have ended up in jail tonight if he hadn’t.”
I clutched Michaela’s arms. “Someone touched you?”
“It was just security. I’m fine.”
“Fuck, baby.” I gathered her against me, battling the instinct to scream my head off. She didn’t need that. The baby didn’t need it either. I had to be her calm and steady. Yael would head into battle right now. “I’m sorry. This won’t happen again.”
Mac got on his radio to talk to his team, and Clark flew into the room to do damage control, but I was done. No more reporters or fans tonight. No way I could be polite.
Michaela was stiff as I finished my beer and ordered another, so I pulled her into a quiet corner and found her a chair. Kneeling in front of her, I rubbed my palms up and down her legs.
“You okay?” I asked.
“I’m really fine. I would have just left if Yael hadn’t insisted on getting back here. The whole thing was crazy and exactly why I—” She shook her head, gazing over my shoulder at the crowded room.
“Why what? Finish your sentence.”
Her eyes flicked back to mine. “It’s why I don’t do the musician thing. There’s always some crazy scene, and I’m too damn old for that.”
I felt her words like a bullet passing straight through my chest.
She cupped my jaw. “You were amazing up there. I loved watching you. You turned me on and made me want to climb on the stage and up your body. You’re insanely talented and put on one hell of a show. It’s the other stuff that comes with it I want nothing to do with. It’s notyou.”
Mac handed me a cold beer before moving a few feet away, giving us the illusion of privacy.
“I mean, it is me. You want me to quit my job?”
“No, Mo. Never. You love it. I just...I don’t want to be a part of it.”
“Mic.” My brow furrowed in frustration. “You’re killing me. All I wanted tonight was to see you and be with you again. And you’re telling me you don’t want to be a part of my life? There are a hundred women who’d give up everything to be in your shoes, but I don’t want those women.”
She tensed, her hand flying protectively to her belly. “Maybe you should.”
“Shit, I’m sorry I said that.” I kissed her hand, then her bump. “Let’s forget this. Let’s go dance and be stupid and wipe the bad stuff away.”
“I’m tired, Mo. I’m going home.”
“No, Mic, no. I need to see you. We can just go back to my place, have a few people over. It’ll be low-key.”
Her eyes roamed my face, and something inside her shifted. With the slump of her shoulders and a long exhale, she seemed resigned. “No. I’ll see you tomorrow at my appointment. I’m too exhausted to do anything but fall into bed.”
“But I want you with me. Jesus, can’t you see that?”
She looked me over again. “I see a lot, Moses. But I really need to listen to my body and go to bed.”
All out of arguments, I let her go. Mac escorted her out to the car driving her home—to her brother’s house—completely outside my reach.