She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m going to be hurt if you tell me you don’t want me to come tonight. Not pissed. This is personal, between us. Because you want me there, I know you do, and I don’t want to see you cutting me from your life because we had some bad luck. That’s the difference between hooking up and being in a relationship. Boyfriend.”

He reached out and stroked her jaw, a hint of satisfaction flickering in his eyes. “Fine. We’ll do it your way.”

Suspicion tingled on her nape. The feeling that she’d just stepped into a trap came over her.

He moved to the door and opened it. Standing in the hallway was a lean-looking Asian man. He was dressed in a dark suit, with only a half inch of spiky hair on his head, and was at least six feet tall.

“Meet Yoon. Your bodyguard.”

Syon offered the guy a nod before he shut the door. Satisfaction was definitely glowing in his eyes now.

“Don’t be so pigheaded,” Kate argued. “I told you, I don’t need a bodyguard.”

“And we all agreed that making sure you’re taken care of is a better way to go than the lot of us getting thrown in jail.”

Well, she had to concede that point. “That’s a tad unfair.”

“So is the way we react to each other. I lose my head; you lose your head.”

“I just won’t drink,” she offered, “until the show is over.”

“That won’t solve the problem with the press.”

“I’m a little new to this lifestyle. I’ll get better at it,” she said. “It should be my choice.”

Syon shook his head. “No, it’s not. It’s mine, and the rest of the guys agree.”

He was halfway out of the door when she realized he had every intention of leaving her with her escort.

“You can’t just find me glorified pet sitters.”

Syon flipped around and stepped up so they were nose to nose when she raised her chin.

“I have to concentrate, Kate, and I can’t do that when I’m worried about you being in danger.” He caught her shoulders. “Don’t be difficult, or I swear I will promise him a fat bonus if he doesn’t lose you the entire night. He’ll stand outside the bathroom door.”

“That is insane,” she stated. “You’re insane.”

“Yeah, like I said, you make me insane.”

He pressed a hard kiss against her mouth, absorbing her protest and working his lips against hers until she melted and kissed him back.

Damn him.

She couldn’t think.

She never could when he touched her. The current was flowing between them, burning off everything else. Reality was just a puff of smoke.

He finished up with a last breath-stealing motion of his mouth before he was gone. Kate opened the door to go after him but ended up facing Yoon. He gave her a short, stiff bow. She slammed the door shut, feeling like she had just locked herself in a cage.

She cussed and went into the bedroom to get dressed.

* * *

Yoon stuck to her like a shadow. It was both eerie and impressive the way the guy was unshakable. He had one of the sharpest gazes she’d ever seen, and also had one of those pigtailed radio ear pieces. Kate gave a huff as she looked at her hair in the bathroom mirror.

You’re hiding.

Yeah, so what?

You’re hiding in the ladies’ room.

Pathetic, but still, so what?

Back in the performers’ room, Cid’s team of makeup artists and sound techs were busy. The band members were warming up. Ramsey stopped fingering his guitar when she showed up and offered her a drink. He poured it from a bottle sitting on a table behind him with a rather burly security guy standing over the makeshift bar. The security guy looked bored off his rocker, but he stood there in front of the bottles without moving.

“I think I’m going on the wagon for a bit.”

He nodded. “More for me.” He took a swig from the drink before setting it down and starting in on his guitar again.

A soft hand landed on her nape. She didn’t have to turn around to know it was Syon.

She knew his touch. Recognized it on a cellular level. He leaned close, setting off a ripple of awareness. “I’m glad you’re here.” It was a whisper, but one that eased some of the tension balled up inside her.

Her phone vibrated, and she looked at it out of habit. Seeing Percy’s number made her swipe the screen and take the call.

“Sweetie…”

“Don’t sweetie me, Percy.” The instruments slowly died away as the band members looked at her. “I don’t like ambushes.”

“I don’t like getting calls about you being taken to the emergency room,” her partner informed her.

“So you help get me a bodyguard?”

Percy made a soft sound. “You need one, honey. It’s not my fault you and those hunks were slow on the uptake. There are crazy people out there.”

“You’re helping make me one of them,” she groused.

“How much do you suffer with that man animal in your bed, darling?”

“Good night, Percy.”

Her partner laughed before she hung up. But that left her facing the smug looks of four band members. They’d won the round and knew it.

“Percy sends lots of kisses to you all,” she said sweetly.

Drake shuddered and took shelter behind his drums. Ramsey put his lips together and made kissing sounds.

“Does that mean you’re not too pissed at me?” Taz asked. “’Cause I’m getting a craving for sushi again.”

“We can do sushi,” Kate decided. “But I think Yoon is coming.”

Taz flashed her a smile.

Now two seats had reserved signs on them. Yoon parted the crowd easily and sat down next to her. It was an awkward moment, sitting there with the guy but not knowing him at all. They avoided each other’s gazes for a bit before she decided to try and break the ice.

“How’d Taz get you involved in this?”

Yoon offered her a hesitant smile. “I was born in Korea. Good jobs are hard to come by, because everyone has a nephew or cousin they can hire. This was a good opportunity. I get to see the world.” Anticipation edged his tone and shone in his eyes. “But don’t worry. I won’t let my guard down.”

“You’re likely going to do better than me,” she said. “I’ve never had a bodyguard before. So sorry in advance for anything.”

“You don’t look like that much trouble.” He eyed her. “I spent most of the plane flight over envisioning a Kardashian-type socialite.”

He reached up and drew his hand across his forehead and gave her a look of relief. Kate laughed softly.

“Um…you might want to think about losing the suit.”

He considered her for a moment. “My grandmother was proud I landed a job where I could wear a suit.”

“Maybe Taz can help you with that.”

“She was hoping I could talk some sense into him.”

“Well, this is an opportunity.”

Yoon grinned, looking ready to take on the world.

The stage lights started flashing, and the crowd roared. Over ten thousand people were screaming, but the members of the band still had the same problems as the rest of the world—pleasing their families.

It made her laugh.

But she also ached a little.

* * *

“You still mad at me?”

Kate forced her eyes open. “Depends.”

Syon chuckled from where he was sprawled on his back next to her. The bed was in shambles, the sheets and pillows half on the floor. She was pretty sure she couldn’t move. Her toes were still curled.

“On what?” Syon was merciless.

“I’m going to flat-out lie if you decide to prove anything else to me tonight.”

He laughed and rolled over. At least he gave her the courtesy of groaning just a tiny bit before he propped himself on his elbow next to her. “I like proving things to you. Especially when it requires fucking the hell out of you.”

He teased one of her nipples, stretching out his neck and catching it between his lips. “In fact, I think you should be mad at me at least twice a week.”

“It’s not funny, Syon. I think you’re overreacting with Yoon.”

He drew in a stiff breath. “I don’t want to think about you having to deal with pricks who ask you if I use you as a sex slave. Everyone knows you’re my girlfriend now. It’s only going to get worse. You’ll see. I’m going to have to get Yoon a partner, so there is a twenty-four-hour watch.”