Boom boom?

  Fucking sacrilege.

  Katrina leans forward in her chair. “This is you?”

  Harmony beams. “Sure is!”

  “You’ve heard this before, sis?” I ask.

  “Well…” She hesitates, my glare admittedly sharp. “I heard the tail end of it on the radio yesterday, but I didn’t catch the artist. The voice sounded familiar, though. Couldn’t place it until now, but… that’s Harmony.”

  “What did you think?” Harmony asks her, genuinely curious.

  “I… thought it was catchy.”

  “Catchy?” I spit.

  Katrina flinches beside me, then goes quiet as I scan the others. Jordan obviously agrees, her chin bobbing slightly to the beat. Jonah gives me a barely detectable nod while Addison scrolls through her phone. Bronson says nothing, but he gives no indication that his ears are bleeding.

  I scoff. “There’s no way this is real.”

  “It is,” Addison says, her eyes on her phone. “Harmonymania set to take over the summer as the singer’s debut video takes in five-million views in the first twenty-four hours,” she reads aloud before turning the phone, showing me the article. “Went live yesterday morning.”

  “Well, they such do wonderful things with bot farms these days, don’t they?” I say, sneering.

  Harmony doesn’t respond. She just grins.

  I turn away from her. “You want to send this on tour with us?” I ask.

  Mr. Monroe mutes the volume, but the video plays on. “Of course!” he says.

  “Why?” I point at the screen. “In what way does this trash say Criminal Records to you?”

  Someone subtlety kicks my leg beneath the table. I ignore it.

  “Lots of strange things go well together. Peanut butter and jelly. French fries dipped in ice cream. Knox Benton and Harmony Max,” he adds, hooking his index fingers together.

  I lean back. “Let me get this straight… you want to send a pop princess on the road with us and you want me to pretend to date her, too?”

  “People will love it!”

  “I won’t!”

  “Mr. Benton, you’re the lead singer of the hottest band in the country,” he says. As if I could forget. “People watch your every move, and if that move is our girl Harmony, well…” He smiles. “That’s views. That’s downloads. That’s money.”

  “And that’s clearly all that matters to you.”

  Another kick strikes my calf, this one hard enough to hurt.

  “Ow,” I grunt.

  Mr. Monroe’s smile never slips. “That might not matter to you right now, Mr. Benton, but if The Electrics pull ahead of you — as the numbers show they could any day now — well… then we might as well be sitting around this table talking about how you’re the lead singer of the second hottest band in the country.” He pauses for effect. And it works. “How do you like the sound of that?”

  I sulk. I really don’t like the sound of that.

  Not at all.

  I look at the others. They don’t like it, either.

  “Um…” Katrina raises her hand. “Pardon me.”

  “Yes, Ms. Benton! Speak up!” Mr. Monroe waves his arm. “I’d love to hear from all of you, please. We’re all in this together, right?”

  She straightens up in her chair. “We see your point, sir, and it’s a very interesting plan, but… after the way things ended between Knox and Harmony before, do we really think people will actually believe they’re dating again?”

  Excellent question, sister.

  “Sure, they will!” Mr. Monroe answers. “I have every confidence Knox and Harmony will make it look as real as possible. The rest of you, too!” He gestures at our side of the table. “The only people who know the truth are in this room right now. As long as everyone plays their role, I can’t think of a reason anyone wouldn’t believe it.”

  “I can,” I say, glaring at Harmony across the table. “Rock gods don’t date pop princesses.”

  She sticks her tongue out at me.

  “That’s exactly why this is going to work.” Mr. Monroe rises from his stupid fancy chair and extends his hands, one toward Harmony, the other toward me. “The pop princess and the rock god. Two niches working together, traveling side-by-side, on one tour. It’s weird and unreal, but not entirely unexpected given your prior history as a couple. Is it really that far of a stretch to imagine that the two of you ran into each other in this building today by chance and... rekindled a lost flame?”

  Harmony and I look at each other again. Now, her expression is blank. Unreadable.

  My stomach twists.

  Yeah, right.

  I pissed on the ashes of that flame a long time ago.

  “Suddenly, sparks are flying,” Mr. Monroe continues. “She tags along with you on your big summer tour. She goes to all of your shows. She waves at fans from the tour bus. You two will spend your off nights together, out on the towns with the people. Let her steal a few hearts! Before you know it, everyone is going to be talking about you two.” He grins at Harmony. “My little star will blow up, Criminal Records will be more popular than ever by association, and we’ll all leave these... Electrics behind in the hall of one-hit wonder wannabes where they belong. Now, how does that sound?”

  I look into Harmony’s big, golden eyes again and a wave of memories wash over me. Some good. Some bad. Okay, mostly bad. A lot of bad.

  But some are okay.

  “No,” I say, banishing the flush of heat in my core. “Sorry, Mr. Monroe, but this goes against everything Criminal Records stands for. We’re not going to let you turn our summer tour into a publicity stunt for clicks and views and...” I gesture at the music video still looping on the wall, “whatever the fuck this is. We’ll beat The Electrics the old-fashioned way: with our music. That’s what really matters.”

  Mr. Monroe nods, his eyes soft with thought. With respect. “And I suppose you all agree with him?” he asks our side of the table.

  It takes a moment, but we’re all together on this. Criminal Records is a team, first and foremost.

  “Yes, sir,” Jonah says.

  “Yeah,” Addison and Katrina say.

  Bronson just nods. Jordan, too, her clipboard arm hanging loosely by her side.

  Paul Monroe taps his phone again. The video stops and the lights come on. He puts it away and buttons his blazer. He clears his throat. He smiles.

  “Mr. Benton,” he says, angling toward the door. “Walk with me.”

  4

  KNOX

  Shit.

  I hesitate, briefly leaning back in my chair as I glance at the others. Jonah gives me a pat on the arm, prompting me to stand up. Bronson offers a thumbs up while Addison and Jordan give me smiles. Katrina shies away from eye contact, her timid nature zoning in on the awkwardness of the situation.

  Rounding the table, I stay as far away from Harmony as possible, but her scent still somehow invades my nostrils before I reach the door.

  Damn, she still smells good.

  Mr. Monroe waits for me to catch up. “Mr. Benton,” he says, his hand crushing my shoulder as we walk down the hall past Wally, still lingering outside the door. “Knox Benton.”

  “That’s what my parents named me,” I say.

  He chuckles, his strides short. “I understand that my dear stepdaughter can be... a bit of a handful.”

  I chortle. “Uh-huh.”

  “Which is why I want to make you a deal.” He performs another invasive shake of my shoulder. “See, my new bride and I have plans this summer. Big plans. Expensive plans. Private hotel rooms on private beaches. That sort of thing. You understand how it can be with newlyweds.”

  “Yeah,” I say, the image making me uncomfortable.

  “Obviously, we want our privacy. But we can’t get it as long as a certain somebody is there to ruin it. You get me, Mr. Benton?”

  “Not really, no.”

  “Harmony and her mother are quite close, as I’m sure you remember. Which is absolutely wonderful! In small doses. My point being: I don’t want that girl tagging along, interrupting the quality time I want to spend with my new bride. Is that clearer for you?”

  “... I guess.”

  “So, we have an understanding, then?” He shifts to stand in front of me. “You’ll take her with you on your tour, yes?”

  I blink. “Sir, are you saying you gave Harmony a record deal so you could bang her mom?”

  “Yes. Well, I signed her to make Laurie happy, that’s true. But I’m sending her away on tour to make me happy. And you...” He pokes my chest. “You are going to be the one who takes Harmony off my plate for the summer.”

  I roll my eyes. “No, I’m not.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “I’m a rock singer. Not a babysitter.”

  “You’re a rock singer who works for me.”

  “I very much do not.”

  “Mr. Benton, I find your badass, down with authority, leather jacket-wearing, Rebel of Rock persona just as adorable as everybody else, but you’re standing in my house right now and you’ll do as I say.”

  I cross my arms. “Or else what?”

  “Let me put it this way, Mr. Benton,” he says. “You take Harmony with you on your summer tour, use some of that stage charisma I hear so much about to launch her career... and I won’t drop you and your punk ass band from my label forever.”

  My chest clenches. “You can’t do that.”

  “Oh, yes. I can.”

  “We’re under contract!”

  “A minor hurdle, Mr. Benton.”

  “Stop saying my name like that, man. You’re not a Bond villain.”

  He laughs. “I like you, son. You’re very likable.”

  “Thanks.”

  “But don’t fuck with me, Knox.” He stands an inch taller. “With a stroke of my pen, I can make your life a living hell for the rest of your precious contract. You don’t want that, and I’m sure your band doesn’t, either. Think of them. Your friends. Your baby sister, Katrina.”

  I frown, his threat a little too real in his eyes. “You can keep my sister’s name out of your mouth, Paul.”

  He laughs, slapping my shoulder again as if I just told the best joke he’d ever heard. But I’m not laughing. “You wouldn’t want to let them down, would you?” he asks. “Do you really want to waltz back in that room and tell them their careers are over?”

  It’s my turn to laugh. “Dude, you’re threatening the wrong billionaire’s best friend.”

  “Oh, I’m sure Jonah is heir to his little Botsford kingdom back home. But this isn’t Las Vegas. This is San Francisco, and this kingdom answers to me.” He pauses, letting the threat sink in. “Jonah will be fine, obviously. But you? With your... how shall I put this? Humble beginnings?” His head tilts with doubt. “I get the feeling you need him a little more than he needs you. Isn’t that right?”

  I don’t reply; the dig, admittedly, striking a nerve.

  “We can avoid all manner of unpleasantness here, Mr. Benton,” he says, his voice chilly. “All you have to do is this one teeny tiny little favor for me.”

  I nod, seething inside. “Harmony.”

  “Harmony.” He pats my back again and nods. “Take her with you. Treat her right, show her a good time — but not too good, if you know what I mean. I am still her stepfather. I adore her dearly.”

  “I’m sure you do,” I murmur.

  “The last thing I want is for her to get her heart broken by some rock and roll punk like... well, like you.”

  I hum angrily.

  “But that won’t be a problem, right?” he says, his laugh returning. “It’s all just make-believe. Lights and cameras.”

  “Clicks and downloads.”

  “Exactly!” He steps back, his brow high and victorious. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have another meeting to poke my head into, but Gertrude will be in soon with the final paperwork for your tour. Get all that taken care of, and you’ll all be on your way! It was nice seeing you again, Mr. Benton.”

  I glare at his back. “You, too, Mr. Monroe,” I say through clenched teeth.

  He doesn’t look back. I hold steady, unwilling to let him see me take another breath before the elevator doors close on his stupid, grinning face.

  Once he’s gone, I exhale hard.

  “Fuck,” I whisper.

  5

  KNOX

  As far as threats go, it ain’t bad.

  Could Criminal Records survive without Midnite Music? Perhaps. But I’m hesitant to give up that kind of security. For me. For Katrina. She and I never had much. Now, we have everything.

  Humble beginnings, as Asshole McGee put it.

  Do I really want to put that at risk because of, well…

  Laughter draws my attention back to the boardroom. I return with a furrowed brow, glaring at the smiling faces of my bandmates.

  And hers.

  Harmony sits perched on the edge of the table, her auburn hair waving along her spine as she throws her head back. Whatever they are talking about, it’s obviously hilarious.

  Jonah is the first one to straighten up and smother his grin. “Hey, Knox,” he says.

  The rest of them do the same, killing their giggle fits as they notice my serious expression.

  “Hi,” I greet.

  Katrina clears her throat. “We were just... catching up with Harmony.”

  Harmony waves a hand. “I was telling them all about this crazy date I went on with one of my backup dancers. The first and only date,” she reiterates to the room, who responds with laughter again. “Never again! I swear!”

  I nod, the thought of her going on some wacky date hitting deeper than expected. “I know the feeling.”

  “So, what did Mr. Monroe say?” Jordan asks, now sitting at the table next to Bronson.

  “Yeah. Did you tell him off?” Addison asks.

  They don’t say a word, each one just as curious as the others. Each one of them expecting me to get them out of this mess.

  “Yes, I did,” I answer.

  “And?” Jonah asks.

  “And...” I look at Harmony. Her expectant little eyes. Her bright red cheeks. Pouty and... admittedly kissable lips. “We’re taking her with us.”

  They all go quiet, clearly hesitant to openly complain in front of Harmony.

  “The man wants buzz,” I say, shrugging. “Unless you guys have some better ideas…”

  Again, they say nothing.

  “Hey!” Harmony raises her hands in surrender. “Hey, I get it. I mean, I wouldn’t want to go back on the road with me after what happened last time. But I’m cool now.”

  “You’re cool?” Addison asks, her brow raised high.

  “As a cucumber! Sure, I did some admittedly stupid things before, but who doesn’t when they’re nineteen? I’m a professional now. I have a music video!” She gestures at the screen behind her. “Please, guys. Come on. Give me another chance. I’ll prove it. Day one! Day zero, even! My manager, Chrissy, is right down the hall. She’ll tell ya!”

  “Chrissy Earhart?” Jordan asks.

  “The one and only.”

  “Oh, wow! Been a minute since I’ve seen her.”

  “She’s been looking forward to seeing you, too, Jordan,” Harmony says. “Can’t stop talking about it.”

  Jordan brightens up. “Really?”

  Harmony nods.

  “Jordan,” Jonah says. “This Chrissy legit?”

  “As legit as they come,” she answers. “You guys have met her.”

  “We have?” I ask.

  “She used to manage Cobraville before they... well...”

  Jordan doesn’t say it, but we all know what happened.

  They broke up.

  It’s superstitious rock band stuff, but we never say those words out loud. If it happened to them, it could happen to us, too.

  “Midnite Music must really like Harmony if they’re pairing her with Cobraville’s old team,” Addison points out.

  Or the head executive just wants to get rid of her so he can get laid in peace.

  I bite down, smothering the words. As good as it would feel to drag Paul Monroe’s master plan through the mud here, there’s no telling how the bastard would retaliate. And I don’t know for sure if Harmony is aware of just how unwelcome she is around the house nowadays. Don’t exactly want to be the bearer of that news.

  The others nod in agreement with Addison.

  “It says a lot,” Katrina says.

  “They super believe in me, you guys,” Harmony says. “I mean, come on. You’re Criminal Records! Paul would never do this if he thought it would jeopardize you or your tour.”

  “Harmony’s right,” I say.

  The others stiffen.

  “I know,” I add. “It’s weird for me to say it, but... she’s right. We are Criminal Records.” I look at each of them, one-by-one. “We’re the number one rock band in the nation, and I want to keep it that way.”

  “Knox,” Katrina says, “I’m sure we all want to keep it that way, but you were right before. We don’t need publicity stunts to beat The Electrics.”

  “I don’t want to just beat them, Kat. I want to leave them in our dust. If this dumb tour stunt helps us do that, then I’m on board,” I say.

  I lie.

  I protect my band.

  Addison snorts. “How hard did you hit your head?” she quips.

  “Not hard enough that I can’t read between the lines,” I say. “Midnite Music wants Harmony to be the next big thing. If her tide lifts our boat, too, then I say we ride the wave.”

  “Well...” Addison shrugs, her walls always a bit more crumbly than everyone else’s. “I guess if Harmony promises to be cool...”

  Harmony raises a pinky. “Pinky promise.”

  “Knox.” Jonah looks hard at me. “What about the other part?”

  Oh, right.

  The other part.

  It’s not enough for us to just let her tag along. They want drama. They want tabloids and paparazzi and all that bullshit. And nothing gets the rumor mill chugging quite like an unlikely tour romance.