Page 14 of Heartbeat Girl

“Because we don’t want them to,” Liam said.

“And another thing.” I looked at the band members. “When you guys were on tour with Ruth, you had no bodyguards except the hired ones at each event.”

“We don’t want those either,” Liam said.

I raised my chin. “Absolutely not. I’m hiring someone.”

“We don’t need them,” Pete piped in.

I snorted. “You’re wrong. Even the biggest guys in showbiz have bodyguards during certain events.”

Liam muttered, “We’ll be fine.”

I arched a brow. “Well, I won’t be fine.” Lifting my arm, I poked at my tiny bicep. “See that? That’s what I got to work with—nothing.”

Pete and Steve started smiling and quickly lowered their heads while Liam became quiet. His eyes narrowed so much that I was a little scared.

“I’m delicate.” I pointed at the lack of muscles on my body before going to Pete and grabbing his forearm. Although his was bigger than mine, I held his skinny limb around for the other two to see. “You guys are fragile, pretty boys. We need someone macho to look after us.” I dropped his arm, noticing his skin was slightly chilled. I struggled with my feet and hands, always feeling like popsicles, too, but my arms didn’t really get that cold.

“Oh, brother.” Steve’s head drooped forward. A good sign of defeat if you asked me.

Suddenly, Liam stood. Steve moved his legs so Liam could slide out of the booth. There was a hush that fell over the other two as Liam stalked forward. When I realized Liam was coming for me, my smile waned and I backed up.

My heart fluttered right as he started talking. “Just because we don’t exert our strength over you, doesn’t mean that it’s not there.” Gripping my shoulders shockingly fast, he pressed me against the fridge and held me there. “Go ahead. Try to get away from me.” His jaws were tight, and his azure eyes burned so brightly against the darkened colors of the bus. I was paralyzed with fear. And something that I hated to admit.

“You’re offended,” I stated.

His fingers gripped my hair and tilted my head back. “Is that why you date the boneheads with the big arms. To make you feel safe?”

What?He didn’t know what type of men I dated. Why would he say that?

“Liam.” There was a warning in Steve’s voice.

Liam’s gaze went to his hand, then at my exposed neck. I panted, skin tingling. When those blues widened, his head jerked back. He froze as if realizing what he did. I didn’t push him away, either.

Why didn’t I?

“I didn’t mean to grab your hair.” Liam slowly released his hold on my ponytail, lowered his head a moment, and took a deep breath. When he looked up, he grabbed my shoulders again. “Go ahead. Try to get away.”

Oh.Suddenly,I remembered the point.

“This is ridiculous,” I said, and then tried to jerk away from him.

Nothing happened. He didn’t move an inch.Is this what pushing a brick wall is like?

Frowning, I wiggled around. He flashed his teeth. Mouth parting, I was enraptured, unable to look away from him. Something fierce swelled inside me. That’s when I really tried. The smug bastard. I went to knee him, but he blocked me with his leg. When I tried pushing Liam, the other two laughed. I huffed. Every attempt didn’t accomplish a thing. My back never left the fridge.

How did he cage me so easily? His grip on my skin was so light, feather soft.Bizarre.He should have had to use all his weight against me to hold me in place, enough force that it hurt. But it didn’t.

With a wail, I finally sagged and admitted defeat. “Let me go.”

He did, and I wobbled away, quickly putting distance between us. Only then did I breathe easier. If he thought that would make me agree with him, Liam had another thing coming. I smoothed out my shirt and skirt while Steve and Pete watched me.

“So, you held me there. What if you’re attacked? Held at gunpoint? Stabbed? Punched to death?” I held up my hand when Steve opened his mouth. “No buts, I’m hiring someone.”

“No one else is staying on this bus,” Liam warned.

“They don’t have to,” I grumbled. They should always be someone with The Oppressors on tour as a standard precaution. Ultimately, though, if there wasn’t some clause in the contract they signed with Black Hearts stating they had to keep a bodyguard, then they could refuse. The biggest issue would be groupies and fans. Wemightget through the summer without death threats.