TANTRIC (Book 3 of the Soundcrush Series)

Chapter 28: Hippie Chics Refuse To Negotiate

Okay. It's time to feel Ash. She's on a roller coaster in this chapter, thanks to Leed. This is an intense chapter.

The song...When the Party's Over by Billie Eilish. So appropriate from the title, all the way to the video. Listen to the lyrics, watch the video, and think about what Ashlynn reveals about her past in this chapter....it's very much Ashlynn in many of her relationships.

Ashlynn

As I try to peruse the gallery, my hand goes to my upswept hair for the hundredth time. I don't know why. When I'm nervous I play with my hair.

Mason is frowning slightly at me. His longish pale blonde locks fall forward as he bends toward me. "You seem nervous. Still. And we've been hanging out for two hours now."

Mason is absolutely right...I'm crawling out of my skin with anxiety, but it has nothing to do with him.

I can't find Leed and he hasn't been returning my texts. That is not like him. Something feels wrong.

When Trace and I spoke to him earlier, he seemed to get that what Kat overheard this morning was all just a big misunderstanding. He even texted a little later and said Kat was thinking straight on it, and they would see us at the show. Then all communication stopped. Did something change in his thinking? Did Kat somehow sway his opinion? Does he believe Trace and I were lying about the platonic state of our marriage?

Or is something else wrong?

It feels like something is going on behind the scenes at this event. Matt's limo left the rest of the caravan in the dust, and yet Matt, Trace and Street are nowhere to be seen. When we arrived, Marianne disappeared at once behind the door at the back of the gallery and hasn't returned. Most importantly, Kat is also MIA, and she should definitely be greeting the steady stream of swank patrons.

"Ashlynn?"

"Oh! I'm sorry, Mason. I'm not a very good company tonight..."

He smiles. "You're lovely and friendly, but you just seem..."

"Distracted," I sigh. "Look, the truth is..."

He grins good-naturedly, like he knows what's coming. "It's not me, it's you?"

The gallery doors swings open and the burning man who enters steals all the air in the room.

"More like...it's...him," I can't take my eyes off Leed. The man should never be allowed to wear a suit, he's causing an earthquake.

Oh wait. That's not the ground shaking. That's just my legs trembling.

His eyes meet mine. I smile.

He doesn't.

Instead, he swings around to Riley, who is following him through the door. To my surprise, they exchange what looks like tense words. Then he's making his way deliberately toward me, but getting apprehended by the official, sanctioned photographers. He stops automatically, giving them a photo op that will probably keep him crowned Sexiest Man Alive two years running, thanks to his smoldering look and tense jaw. After every couple of shots, his eyes flit to me. He's burning a hole straight through me with his consuming gaze, but he's not smiling.

Okay, I knew this wasn't going go smoothly. He's irritated that I'm here with Mason. Of course he is. This morning we told each other we loved each other and now I'm on a blind date. Which is the dumbest thing I've ever done.

And why, again? Because I'm too polite back out, or more accurately, too intimated by Matt to cancel?

This is stupid. So stupid. I should be here with Leed. I need to fix this, now, in the next half a second before he arrives. Because the man is on a mission. Namely me.