My expression instantly hardened as the anger returned. Hailey blinked at seeing it. “No, I don’t want to meet him. Ever.” Her mouth popped open, and I shook my head. “I would like to know you…but not if it means knowing him too. I’d rather be strangers with you than meet that man.” Just saying it made me feel like I’d been kicked in the gut, but I wasn’t budging on this one. I would cut ties if she forced my hand. Don’t make me turn you away.

Hailey slumped a little, but then nodded. Pulling out her phone, she shrugged. “Could I have your number? So we can keep in touch?”

My expression softened as relief filled me. “Yeah, of course.” Handing her my phone, I said, “Here, put your number in. I don’t know how to do it.”

She lifted an eyebrow as she took it. “You don’t know how to program a phone number?”

Grin on my face, I shrugged at her. “Technology isn’t really my thing. Yes, I could figure it out…I just don’t want to.”

She laughed then shook her head and entered her number into my phone. Then she texted herself. “There, now I have yours.” Handing the phone back, she said, “It’s really quite simple.”

“I’m sure it is,” I laughed. “Want to sit?” I indicated a small couch that happened to be empty.

Hailey nodded, her smile bright and carefree. As she moved to sit, I noticed a couple of guys from the show checking her out. Paul’s interested gaze was particularly troublesome. It made a surge of something dark and protective flash through me, and I had to resist the urge to shield her from his view. Or walk over there and kick his ass. Weird. I’d only ever had that instinct around Kiera. Strange how I already felt responsible for this person I’d just met.

Hailey flopped down on the couch, her dark blue eyes bright as she looked around the casual chaos. “This is so cool,” she beamed. “I can’t believe my brother is a rock star.”

With a laugh, I sat beside her. “I don’t know if the term ‘rock star’ actually applies to me. We’re not signed, we don’t even have a recording for people to buy. We’re basically a glorified garage band.”

I shrugged again. Hailey shook her head. “You’re not seeing what I’m seeing.”

Smirking, I shook my head. She was just as ridiculous as Kiera. “So, tell me about yourself.”

She bit her plump lip as she tilted her head. Guys around us were still watching her, almost as much as the girls in the room were watching me. Guess we had something in common—we both unintentionally attracted people. “Well, I’m 20, almost 21…in college. Still live at home with Dad—”