That Voice

Chapter 19

Luke’s P.O.V

I couldn’t stop staring at Sage standing there nonchalantly with that good-looking 20-something year-old guy.  Does she seriously not see how much she owns me?  She is basically what makes me smile everyday.  How can she not know that?  Wait…how does she even meet someone so fast? Never mind, that doesn’t matter. 

While I was standing there, staring at the pair and fuming, the rest of the guys went to greet Sage and check out the new guy.  Calum went up to the guy first, giving him the handshake hug thing that all guys do and giving him a tentative smile, flicking a warning glance at me after pulling away.  

I took a deep breath.  He’s right.  I’m not going to win Sage over by acting like a jealous bastard.

Robotically, I walked up to the guy and gave him a terse handshake and a clipped hello.  I looked to the guys’ disapproving glances, but that was the best that I could manage with my little control on my emotions right now.  I felt like clocking the guy and smirking at him while holding onto my Sage and telling her exactly how much she controlled me.  I really couldn’t bring myself to care anymore what they thought of me, but I had to remain in control.  

I reluctantly swung my eyes to Sage’s and saw her looking at me with a sad confused look on her face.  I saw in her eyes that she wasn’t disappointed in me, but in herself because she was causing me pain.  I wanted to reach out and tell her that it wasn’t her fault, just me being overprotective, but I stayed rooted to my spot next to Ash with a blank look on my face.

Sage looked to me bewildered and hurt as she took in my blank stare, then turned back to the guy shaking her head.

Through this whole thing, the guy was smirking and looking at Sage expectantly.  Asshole.  She deserves to be treated better than he ever will.  He looked back to me, and seeing me glaring at him, raised his eyebrow and nudged Sage with his elbow.  What the hell?

Sage just grinned at him and nodded her head, answering his unasked question.  What’s going on? I looked around to the other guys who were oblivious to their exchange.  Suddenly, my world stopped and my heart started racing when I heard Sage laugh and say, “Guys, this is my brother, Elliot.”

I froze.  Wait. What?

The guy was watching my reaction carefully, but my anger and feeling of betrayal disappeared almost instantly when I heard that he was her brother.  I was so happy, that I could have shouted from the rooftops…but, I didn’t.  I allowed a small triumphant smile to grace my face and turned back to Elliot with new eyes.

I attempted an apologetic smile at him and he just shook his head and chuckled at me quietly.  I took a deep breath, relieved that at least he wasn’t her long lost befriend or anything.

We talked and got to know Elliot a little bit more, and before I knew it, someone knocked on our door urgently.  It was time to go on stage and introduce Sage to the world.