The Rock Star Wants A Wife

Part 9

NINE

Paige left the office, muttering to herself, leaving Xan alone with Jay.

"Why?" Xan blurted out.

"Why what?" There was an edge to Jay's tone. A hostile one that told her not to pry.

Xan ignored it. "Why do you want a wife? From a reality TV show, of all things!"

Jay shrugged. "Nothing else has worked. Figured I'd try my luck. You never know." He jammed his lips shut.

"But a wife? Since I met you, you've been trying every trope in the book...no, the whole damn library, to find yourself a wife. What I don't understand is why."

Another shrug. "Angel, one of the girls in the band, is getting married. If she's doing it, then I figure it's time. The media seem to think so, too, after the way they jumped on the story Gaia fed them."

"And the reality TV angle?" Xan pressed.

"I'm used to being in the limelight. This should put paid to the rumours about me and Gaia. Figure this'll test the waters, too, see if the public's ready for me to make a comeback tour. Maybe see if they're ready to make me the rightful king of rock again." Jay's rueful grin didn't look particularly optimistic.

The strangest thought came into her head, and Xan burst out laughing. "You're on a quest!" she gasped out. "A quest to regain your throne, but first you're looking for the golden fleece!"

"I'm what?"

"Jason! Your given name is Jason, right? It's Jason and the Argonauts, with one hell of a modern spin. He climbed aboard the Argo with all his hero mates and headed off in search of the golden fleece to win back his throne." Xan snorted. "Bet you pick a blonde."

"I haven't read that one," Jay said. "Heard of it, yeah, but that's all. Did he get the throne, the fleece, and maybe a girl?"

Xan sobered. "Yes, but there were a few women along the way. More than one. Jason was a cheating bastard, but his wife was a witch, so she had her revenge."

Jay shivered. "Maybe it's a good thing I'm not him, then."

Now Xan had him talking, she figured she'd attempt to learn some more about her employer. "What's the deal with you and Paige?"

"We were together for a while, before Chaya made it big," Jay said curtly.

"Then you dumped her?" Xan guessed, disgust rising up the back of her throat.

"No." Jay's gaze dropped to his clenched fists. "She was the news anchor on my first interview, the one that went viral and started it all. The band's career launched that night, and afterwards, Paige and I...well, I wasn't a rock star then. We dated for a while, like normal people, but her social media just blew up. Death threats, hate mail...there was a whole group of arseholes who sent her hourly messages about how she should kill herself. Detailed messages. Pictures and descriptions and...fuck, it's no wonder she considered it." He glanced around. "You got anything to drink?"

Xan held out her half-drunk bottle of water.

Jay waved it away. "Nah, something stronger. I need a real drink."

"I have some rum at my house," Xan began reluctantly. She pressed her lips together before she invited him home. The last place she wanted Jay to get drunk was her tiny unit.

"Me, too. Meet you on the Penguin Jetty? I'll bring the bottle." Jay strode out the door without waiting for her response.

"And glasses!" Xan shouted after him.

Jay waved to acknowledge that he'd heard, but he didn't slow.