Devil with Angel Eyes

Nik Lee; one week later...LA

“So how does it feel to be the future Mrs. Bruce?” I ask Kendall as we walk to the set of my music video for Devil in Paradise.

“It doesn’t feel real yet.” She admits with a laugh. “I still feel like I’m on cloud nine. And I still can’t believe you knew about this.”

“I can’t believe Nik was able to keep a fucking secret.” Michelle laughs. “She has the biggest mouth out of all of us.”

“Hey, I kept my own engagement a secret for awhile.” I defend myself. “There are still people that have no idea Doug asked me to marry him. I don’t think our fans know that he proposed.”

“But seriously, thank you for allowing this to happen during your big night.” Kendall pulls me into a hug. “It really means a lot to me; to the both of us actually.”

“I love you guys, I’ll do anything for you.” I admit as I pull away. “But you guys owe me...big time. Because your engagement is the only thing people are talking about.”

“I’m sorry.” Kendall apologizes with a sheepish smile. “I’ll figure something out when it comes to repaying you.” Her eyes wander behind me and a smirk forms on her lips. “Like playing the best damn wingwoman ever.” I turn around and see Ben Hardy standing there in a black on black tuxedo. I can feel the butterflies in my stomach. This is the first time in awhile. I haven’t felt like this since I met Douglas. And honestly he was only in a t-shirt and sweatpants.

“He looks like he’ll be a bunch of fun between the sheets.” Michelle wiggles her eyebrows at me before elbows me in my ribs.

I roll my eyes. “He’s just in the music video. Nothing else. Yes he’s hot and he’s making the butterflies in my stomach reappear. But I can’t hurt him. I’m still in love with Doug. I can’t be in a relationship.”

“We’re not asking you to be in a relationship.” Kendall chuckles. “We’re saying that you should just get laid. You’re getting cranky. And I rather you fuck this sexy Brit and not any of the other Brits wanting to get in your panties.”

“James is asking around again, isn’t he?”

“Danny and Ben keep telling him it’s not going to happen but he never learns.”

“Doesn’t he know I don’t fuck or date drummers?” I chuckle. “Out of anyone in the band, the only one that I’m most likely to sleep with is Sam.”

“Yea, you and your bass players.” Michelle chuckles. “You really do have goddaddy issues.”

“Doesn’t Ben play a drummer in a movie?” Kendall asks.

“Yea, he played Roger Taylor in Bohemian Rhapsody.” I reply. “And that’s not why I don’t want to pursue anything with him.”

“To get over one guy, you’re gonna have to get under another guy.” Kendall bluntly states, blinking at what she just said. “Damn I got to stop hanging out with the guys. I’m starting to sound like them.”

“You should come on tour with me.” I suggest. “I could use a badass photographer.”

“I’ve got a wedding to plan.” She reminds me which causes me to give her the puppy dog eyes I know she can’t say no to. “But I’ll think about it. I’ll take with Ben tonight. I’ll let you know before you go out on tour.”

I squeal before tackling her into a hug. “Thank you! It’ll be amazing if you came along too.”

“You need more friends on that tour?” She laughs. “You have Colson. You’re gonna get enough trouble with just him.”

“She needs you to keep her out of trouble.” Michelle laughs. “You’ll bail her out without judgement. Unlike me.”

“You judge me all the damn time.” I point out. “You’re coming with me too right? I know it’s been awhile since we talked about it. I just assumed you’re still coming with me.”

“Fuck yea I’m going with you.” She laughs as she joins the group hug. “Tyler is going to be in the studio a lot. So I’ll have a ton of free time. Might as well tour the country with my best friend.”

“Fuck yea!” I yell as I part the hug. “Now let’s get sexy and shoot a music video!” The girls just laugh as they follow me to set. It’s time to get this music video made!

**

“Thank you so much for agreeing to this.” I tell Ben as we break for lunch. “It means a lot.”

“No problem.” He smiles. “I’m still not sure why you didn’t ask any of your close friends.”

“I was going to ask my friend Colson but it would have been a little weird.” I laugh, earning a look from Ben. “He’s close friends with my ex. But having you in my video didn’t go so well with my ex.”

“And who’s your ex?” He asks.

“Douglas Booth.” I reply. “I know you guys were in Mary Shelley together.”

“May I ask what went wrong between you two?”

“He kissed another girl and posted it on instagram.” I reply, causing Ben to wince. “Yea, that bad.”

“You’re an awesome girl. I can’t believe he would do that.”

“I was hoping he would be the one person that wouldn’t hurt me.”

“He’s a jackass.” Ben laughs. “But why doesn’t he want me in the video?”

“Because you’re attractive.” I shrug. “He’s afraid I’ll fall in love with you and completely forget about him.”

“But he cheated on you, why would he care if you move on?”

“I think both of us never truly moved on from each other.” I admit.

“How about I forget you admitted you still have feelings for him and I ask you out on a date tonight?” He smiles. “This is my last night in L.A for awhile. So what do you say? Go out for a few drinks and see where the night leads us.”

“I would say you are very dangerous, Mr. Hardy.” I smile. “But I accept. A few drinks with a handsome man is exactly what I need…”

Douglas

I watch from afar as Ben and Nikkole talk to each other. Ben is laying on the flirtation hard but Nikkole is harder to read. But soon the conversation is over with and Ben is making his way over to me with a smile on his face. The smile only grows when he gets near me.

“Did it work?” I ask him.

“You better not hurt this girl again.” He sternly tells me. “She’s a really cool girl. She doesn’t deserve to get her heart crushed by the same guy twice.”
“Trust me, it’ll never happen again.” I assure him. “I was an idiot. She might have been the best damn thing to have ever happened to me. I just realized that a little too late.”

“And you kissed Bel and plastered it on the internet.” He rolls his eyes. “I do hope your plan works. You deserve a second chance. And Nikkole is going to give it to you. She admitted to still loving you to me.”

I can’t help but to smile. “Thanks Ben. Thanks for agreeing to this.”

“No problem.” He nods. “Just don’t hurt her.

“Never again…”