Now all I wanted to do was go home.
Have some time alone.
I was so fucking tired.
I collapsed into bed near dawn, feeling like I could finally sleep because the decision had been made, as difficult as it was.
As painful as this thing was gonna be.
It just had to be done.
When we got back to L.A., I’d sit Elle down. I’d ask Brody to set up a flight. Get me back to Vancouver by the end of the day. But before I left, I’d have to look her in the eye. I’d have to tell her.
We couldn’t drag this out anymore.
I just couldn’t do it another day.
When I woke, it was late morning and Jude had left a text. I’d missed our morning run.
There was a text from Elle, too. She wanted to talk. She said she was sorry.
As I stared at the words, a text came in from Dylan. He was hungry. As usual. He wanted to meet up for lunch.
I put the phone down. I felt groggy and over-tired. I’d slept five hours; it had been a heavy, dark, dreamless sleep, but as I gradually blinked my way to life, everything became so fucking clear.
I threw the curtains open. It was a blazing, gorgeous day. I looked down over the Strip. It was gonna be a killer fucking show tonight. I could feel it.
This band, the music, were my heart and my soul. And I loved my bandmates. I loved Elle.
But the hard truth was, I wasn’t in love with her. Not like she was in love with me.
And not like she deserved.
I knew it with certainty as I showered and got dressed.
Zane had texted by then. The band was heading to a restaurant. I’d meet up with them for lunch. I’d be damned sure no one suspected anything was off. I’d be civil with Elle. She wouldn’t push it.
She always knew I needed time to come back to center after a fight anyway. That was the advantage of a relationship with someone who knew you so well; they understood all your little flaws and weirdnesses.
Didn’t mean they had to like them.
I texted Jude to meet me in the lobby and threw up my hood as I headed out the door. Yeah, tonight’s show would be epic. I would never let what was happening with Elle and I overflow onto the band. I knew she wouldn’t, either.
We would stay together, play together, always.
Just not the way Elle wanted.
There just wasn’t enough chemistry between the two of us, in that way, to maintain that kind of bond, to get us past our differences through the highs and the lows of life, much less the life of a band on the road.
I needed something more.
Something else.
I didn’t know what it was yet.
I just knew that when I found it… I would know it was the real thing.
Books by Jaine Diamond
Swipe to the end of this book for sneak peeks of Jaine Diamond’s other books!
DIRTY SERIES
Dirty Like Me (Dirty #1)
Dirty Like Us (Dirty #0.5) - Free!
Dirty Like Brody (Dirty #2)
A Dirty Wedding Night (Dirty #2.5)
Dirty Like Seth (Dirty #3)
Dirty Like Dylan (Dirty #4)
... and more books in the Dirty series, coming soon!
DEEP SERIES
DEEP (DEEP #1)
DEEPER (DEEP #2)
Enjoy This Book?
First of all, a huge, rockin’ thank you to YOU for reading Dirty Like Us. Every book I write is a true labor of love, and the experience wouldn’t be complete without your part in it.
Reaching new readers is how I keep this writing passion of mine going, and as an independent author I really need your help to do this.
If you enjoy my books, the best thing you can do (besides buy my books!) is leave a review. When you tell other readers that you love my books, it encourages them to give my books a try, and ultimately that helps me continue to write more books!
If you’ve enjoyed Dirty Like Us, please consider leaving a review on Goodreads. The link below will take you directly there.
Dirty Like Us on Goodreads
With enormous gratitude,
Jaine
Playlist
Love music like Zane & Maggie do? Me too!
Some of the songs on the Dirty Like Us playlist are mentioned in the book; others are songs that captured the feel of a certain scene or that I listened to while writing the book.
Like the music in all the Dirty series books, this playlist features mostly rock—from classic rock to hard rock and everything in between—but it also includes other genres that I, and the characters in the book, enjoy as well.
Turn. It. Up!
Sample the songs on my website here,
or listen to the playlist on Spotify here.
Magic Carpet Ride — Steppenwolf
You’re Crazy — Guns N’ Roses
Let’s Get It On — Marvin Gaye
Woman — Wolfmother
Howlin’ For You — The Black Keys
40 Day Dream — Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Do You Want To — Franz Ferdinand
Strange Days (Thievery Corporation Remix) — The Doors*
Can’t Buy Me Love — The Beatles
Rebel Yell — Billy Idol
Whole Lotta Love — Led Zeppelin
Just One of Those Things (Brazilian Girls Remix) — Blossom Dearie
* This song is unfortunately missing from the playlist because I haven’t been able to find it on Spotify!
Acknowledgments
A massive, heartfelt thank you to all the reviewers and bloggers who have embraced Dirty Like Me (Dirty #1) and this new series right out of the gate. You ladies and your love of books really, seriously rock. The kind, welcoming, enthusiastic, supportive and sometimes hilarious messages I find in my inboxes throughout the day make my day. I could not do this without you.
Thank you to those of you who have already read and loved Dirty Like Me and wanted more of Zane and Maggie. It’s thrilling to me that Zane and Maggie made an impression on you in their brief appearances in the first Dirty novel.
Thank you, as always, to my best friend, Rena, for beta reading this book (and everything I write). Your
