Devil with Angel Eyes

“So am I officially on the same friendship level as Gunner?” Ashley asks me the next morning as I’m making breakfast. “I mean, you called me in the middle of the night asking for booze and a distraction. You usually only call Gunner for that.”

“No offense, but no one will ever be on the same level as Gunner Nicholas Sixx.” I chuckle as I flip the pancake in the frying pan. “That boy as been my rock since we were in diapers. I would say you are close second but Colson has been taking that title.”

“But you never dated Colson before.” He chuckles. “I should be a close second. We dated and now I’m in the friendzone like Gunner.”

“Ashes, you just got in the friendzone, you’re a close third which is higher than Andy, Ben and Danny.”

“Am I even higher than Michelle?”

“Michelle is different. She’s a Crue kid. She’s up there with Gunner but on the girl side of things.”

“So are you going to tell me why I came over with a bottle of Jameson and tacos last night?” He asks after a silence washes over us. “You only told me you were about to do something stupid. What could you have possibly been about to do?”

“You dated me, you should know.” I tell him. “Whenever I do something stupid, what is usually that stupid thing?”

“You hooking up with an ex?”

“Ding, ding we have a winner. Tell the man what he won…”

“I’m the only ex in Nashville.” He reminds me. “You wouldn’t have called me if you planned on hooking up with me.”

“Nikki gave Douglas my address.” I inform the bass player. “He stopped by last night and we talked. And then I kissed him and sent him away. I sent him away before I found myself guiding him to my bedroom.”

“Seriously, Nik?”

“God, you sound like Gunner whenever I told him I hooked up with you again.” I make a face. “He finally explained why he broke off the engagement.”

“What was his excuse for leaving the best damn girl ever?”

“Flattery will get you everywhere, Purdy.” I chuckle before quickly turning serious. “He thought he wasn’t good enough for me.”

“Well he was fucking right.” Ashley interrupts me. “You deserve the world.”

“That’s what he said too.” I sigh, running my fingers through my blonde hair; wincing when I catch a knot. “But he thought he wasn’t going to be good enough because of his work schedule. He thought him being away for months at a time wasn’t something I deserved.”

“He played your godfather in a movie, he knows this right?” Ashley questions. “Your father was constantly on tour while you were growing up. This was your life. This is something your used too.”

“Trust me I know this.”

“That’s not a good enough excuse, I’m sorry.”

“If it was just me, I would agree. But I have a feeling he was talking about future kids and shit like that. I think he was thinking I didn’t deserve to raise kids on my own. He didn’t want me to be stuck at home while he gets to be in different countries, filming movies and partying.”

“It’s 2019, you can go with him and be with him. He doesn’t have to have such archaic thinking.”

“Archaic?” I question the rockstar with a smirk on my lips. “That’s a big word. Is this the word of the day?”

“Bite me, Nik.” He rolls his eyes. “But seriously, he’s giving you bullshit reasons. Why are you drinking the kool aid he’s giving you? I thought you grew up and decided to no fall for an ex again?”

“He’s different.” I bite my lower lip and I turn off the stove burner. “He was the first boyfriend I had, since Gunner, I truly fell in love with. I gave him my whole fucking heart. With you, I knew your reputation. I knew not to fall so deep. But Doug didn’t have that reputation and…”

“And you allowed yourself to truly love someone.” Ashley sighs. “And look where that got you, Nik. That got your heart broken.”

“I don’t know what to do, Ashley.” I admit aloud. “I want to give him another chance. I loved him, fuck I still love him. I can still see a fucking future with that asshole. But I also don’t want to give in and run back to him. I’m done dating the same guy more than once. I’m done doing the safe thing.”

“What are you going to do at the premiere?” He asks. “He’s going to be there, dressed to the 9s. He’s going to be your own personal brand of Kryptonite.”

“The only thing I can do is bring a date.” I reply. “But who am I going to bring that’ll keep me in line and away from Douglas, while also potentially making Douglas jealous?”

“Danny.” Ashley replies. “He may not have wanted to admit it, but I’ve seen the way he looked at you and Danny when you guys goofed around. He was completely jealous.”

“Danny could work.” I muse as I pull out my phone and being to text Danny. “I’m sure he’ll be down to cause some hell.”

“That man will do anything you ask him.” Ashley laughs. “Him and Andy. And I know you won’t ask Andy.”

“Andy is like a brother to me. It’ll be weird.” I chuckle just as I get a response back from Danny. “Okay Worsnop is in. Now it’s time to find a badass outfit that’s going to turn major heads…”