Manipulated: a Rockstar Romantic Comedy (Hammered Book 3) Read Free Page B

take in the room. I lifted a hand to wave at Wyatt. He tipped up a bottle of beer and gave me a salute. He didn’t put much effort into his outfit, opting to wear his old Formula 1 racing days.
    Didn’t stop the ladies from draping themselves all over him. Then again the ginger just had to walk in the room. He was usually a head taller than most. Now clad in white, red, and black with the top unzipped as if he’d just jumped out of his car, he was at the center of attention along the bar.
    “Looks like everyone’s getting along.”
    Hunter’s jaw flexed. “Mostly.”
    I sighed. I was hoping he’d missed that. “Saw Victoria, then?”
    Kenny laced her fingers with his. Hunter looked down at her and gave her a half smile. “Sorry.”
    “It’s fine. I saw her making a scene earlier. I don’t even know about what. A tray of glasses hit the tile though. Much green punch.”
    “Viper.”
    Hunter’s rueful smile tipped up into a flashing grin. “Good word.”
    “I saw Bats chasing her out the front.”
    “Good,” Hunter muttered. “Maybe he took her the hell home.”
    “I hope not.”
    We both raised our brows at Kenny. “Beg pardon?” I asked.
    “You guys have a photo op in front of the Houdini box. Our hour is at ten o’clock.” She nodded to the huge glass box replica of the one Houdini had used in one of his many illusions. Right now it was a flurry of green with bills flying around in an cyclone.
    A blonde that I vaguely recognized was standing on the top of the stairwell to drop in a wad of cash. She flashed a wide smile at the crowd as it was sucked in and added to the purple hued storm. Purple numbers spun like a Vegas slot machine. A cackling screech flooded out and the goal total went up by ten thousand dollars.
    “Who thought that up?” I asked.
    Kenny beamed. “Keys.”
    My stomach lurched. Of course it was Faith. She loved the dramatic way of making the donation into a fun game. One of the reasons I loved her. She got that ridiculous Game Show Network side of me.
    “Sounds like her.”
    “Your envelope is ready to drop in whenever you want.”
    “Is that right?” I relieved a pretty waitress dressed in all black with a skeleton printed on every luscious inch of her. I grinned at her in thanks and sipped the frothy purple punch as she spun and smiled invitingly at me.
    When I gathered my wits again, I laughed and shrugged at Kenny’s deadpan face. “What?”
    “Shameless.”
    I scratched my neck with my hook. “As if there was any doubt.”
    Kenny rolled her eyes. “So go up there and put it in would you?”
    “Must get my picture taken, right?” I frowned. “I donated with my banker, love.”
    Kenny’s smile widened again, obviously pleased with herself. “A little inventive Monopoly money. Can’t have that kind of cash available. At least not with Quinn around. He nearly had a heart attack when I wanted to use real money.”
    “He is a careful one.”
    “You say it like that’s a bad thing.”
    I swallowed down the green that had been flowing out my throat with too much whiskey and bubbles. “Someone has to keep us in line, right?”
    “Damn right.”
    I turned to the deep voice of the man in question. A red flush marched up his neck, but Quinn Alexander stared me down. I sucked back a guffaw of laughter. His eyes were smudged as if Nikki Sixx had taken a hand to his eyes. The bloody bastard could rock the leathers though.
    Fucker.
    He certainly had the surly rock god look down, though when it came to Quinn it was just his natural state of being. Surly that is. And honestly I just didn’t get it, because Keys was such a patch of sunshine.
    But then Quinn glanced down at her, and his face softened. He ran a proprietary hand down her back as she curled into him.
    And that was my cue. No way could I continue to watch that. A little too fresh on the personal pummeling thank you very little. I caught an angel in the crowd and let her lead me into the throng of