Chapter 6
AUBREY
The bodyguard pulls the SUV into the back lot next to the Black Falcon bus. Lanie crawls out of the vehicle and then staggers away from the group. I watch as my friend zigs and zags her way inside the bus.
“She’s going to be sick. I’ve never seen her tipsy,” Noel says.
I laugh. “That’s because you missed her college years. Trust me, this is very mild.”
Noel frowns and instantly I feel bad. This man is crazy over her. Any sane human can see that by looking at him.
He rubs the back of his neck. “You think she’s all right?”
Noel’s concern is adorable.
I turn to Riff, taking Noel’s hint. “I better go check on her.”
He nods and then smacks my behind and I jump at the unexpected contact. “Hurry back.”
The two men behind me laugh as I walk through the parking lot.
I follow Lanie into the back bedroom of the bus as she fumbles through her clothes. Why is she changing? “Aren’t you going over to the hotel with the rest of the band?”
She shakes her head. “I can’t afford a room over there, and I’m tired. All I can think about is sleeping.”
Odd. I tilt my head and stare at her, trying to figure out why she’s fighting against Noel so hard. “Sleeping? After the way you were flirting with Noel tonight, you want to go to sleep?”
She shrugs like the little bit of P.D.A. tonight was no big deal. “Yes? What’s so wrong with that?”
I bite my lip to keep from telling her to wake up and see that Noel is still crazy in love with her. “You two have this whole connection thing vibing between you. Aren’t you the least big curious as to what it can turn into?”
“No. This is business, Aubrey. It can’t be anything more than that between us. You know that.”
I sigh. She likes to hold her grudges and stick to her guns. I’ve told her in the past that sometimes fighting against something so hard only delays the inevitable for a little while. This relationship between her and Noel is going to happen, even if she’s not ready to admit that to herself yet.
I wrap my arms around her to show she has my support no matter what because I know denying her feelings for Noel is killing her—I can see it in her face. But she won’t listen to anyone. She’ll only come around when she’s ready. This is a simple fact I know about my best friend. “I love you, Lanie, but sometimes you need to loosen up and say fuck the rules. A job isn’t everything. Live a little, you know.”
She laughs and tries to change the subject. “Like you are with Riff?”
My face heats up and I can tell it’s probably matching the red shade of my hair. “I can’t help it. I’ve always thought he was the cutest in the band. Gah! He’s a really good kisser, too.”
Lanie grins and then childishly plugs her ears. “I so don’t need to hear these details.”
I pull her hands down and laugh at her crazy drunk antics. “Trust me, by this time tomorrow I’ll have more details about Riff than how he kisses.”
She smacks my arm. “Go then, and slut around, if you must.”
I smile and then wink at her. “Oh, that’s a definite must.”
When I return to the parking lot, I find Noel and Riff talking in a hushed, seemingly heated discussion that quickly dissipates when I’m within earshot.
Noel looks down at me with his clear blue eyes. “She okay?”
I nod. “She’s fine. Just drunk and a little grumpy.”
Noel laughs. “Great. Catch you guys later.”
Once Noel heads in the direction of the bus, Riff grabs me around the waist and yanks me against his hard body. “What was that little stunt in the restaurant, huh?”
I give him my most wicked grin and try to portray confidence. “Just trying to get you excited.”
He bites his bottom lip and sucks in his lip ring. “All you have to do is look at me and I’m turned on like a fucking light switch.”
I run my hands up his sculpted chest and then allow my fingertips to linger on the exposed skin above the neckline of his t-shirt. I peer up at him and find his green eyes set on me. I lick my lips as nerves hit me a little. Back at the restaurant I’m not sure what possessed me to feel him up in public like that. The only thing that kept going through my mind is the need to stand out. I want this night together to be as memorable for him as it will be for me. I’m sure he’s done far worse with a woman and that wasn’t a big deal to him, but for me that was major. Being around him makes me do things I normally wouldn’t do.
I swallow and realize I’ve got him exactly where I want him—desperate to have me. It’s now or never. I’ve come this far. I can’t be nervous now. “How far away is the hotel?”
Riff growls as squeezes me against him. “Keep looking at me like that and we won’t be making it there before I have my way with you.”
My heart does a double skip in my chest and my knees grow weak. I’ve been with the bad boy type before, but Riff is like their king. He’s so straightforward and it’s unbelievably sexy.
“You guys need me to drive you over to the hotel?” Mike asks from behind me.
Riff tears his eyes away from my face long enough to shake his head and say, “No, man. We’re good. I’ve got my bike.”
“All right. Later,” Mike says before I hear his boots hitting the blacktop walking away from us.
I quirk an eyebrow. “A bike? You’re really the ultimate bad boy, aren’t you?”
He throws his head back and a deep laugh rumbles out of him. “Kitten, I’m the baddest, bad boy you’ll ever need. Come on.”
The roadies roll Riff’s motorcylce out of the back of one of the trailers that haul some of the band’s equipment around. He jumps on, allowing his strong thighs to hold it up while he hands me a helmet.
I take it and my eyes instantly search for another one. “Aren’t you going to wear one? Isn’t that a law or something?”
He shrugs. “I never do. I believe it’s called living dangerously. Besides, we’re in too many different states for me to keep track of each one’s laws.”
The engine roars to life after a couple seconds and I flinch. I’ve never been on a bike before, but I can’t let a little nerve stop me from fulfilling my last hurrah weekend.
I hop on behind him and grab his sides, allowing my legs to rest against his hips.
Riff shakes his head. “You have to hang on tighter, babe.”
He grabs both of my hands and wraps them around him. I open my mouth to ask why, but instantly snap it shut as he guns the motor and heads out onto the street. He roars through the city streets and the cars pass by at such a frightening speed I’m pretty sure my claws are raking his skin through his t-shirt. The only thing going through my brain is hoping we don’t wreck and die considering there’s absolutely nothing protecting us.
I try not to think about it as I attempt to bury my face into his back.
A couple minutes later we pull into the hotel parking lot. Riff parks the bike in the lot and cuts the engine. My entire body tingles and feels numb as I jump off as fast as humanly possible. I have to say that’s one thing on my bucket list I can do without ever doing again.
I yank the helmet off and my hand shakes as I hold it out to him.
He laughs as he takes it from me and tucks it under his arm. “Did you like that?”
I tip my chin up and fake my best smile so he doesn’t know that scared the shit out of me. I don’t want him to think I’m a total wuss. “It was awesome.”
Riff grins as he props his bike up on the kickstand before hoping off. “Good to know you’re a bad liar.”
I throw my hands on my hips. “I am not lying.”
He touches the tip of my nose with his index finger. “You’re sexy when you’re feisty. I hope you keep this attitude up in the room.” He holds out his hand. “Let’s go get checked in.”
The moment we step inside, I follow Riff’s gaze towards the hotel bar. Loud bouts of laughter echo through the blaring rock music around the lobby. A party is in full swing. A couple of women dressed in tight, short shirts and halter tops loiter near the entrance while they hang on the arms of a couple road-beaten roadies who look like they haven’t shaved in a month. Some women will apparently sleep with anyone associated a band to get to the talent. I bet the rest of the guests in this place love the idea that a bunch of rock stars are partying it up in here while they’re on a family vacation.
Riff wraps his arm around my shoulders and leans into my ear. “Head on over to the bar while I take care of stuff at the desk. Order me a beer, would you?”
I nod and he lets go of my hand and we part ways.
The crowd in the small room is amazing. It’s hard to believe that many people are working behind the scenes of this tour. Nearly every seat in the place is taken, sometimes even double occupied. The dim lights and sheer amount of bodies make it difficult to make my way to the bar. I shoulder past a few, mumbling my apologies as I finally step up to the bar.
I run my fingers through my wind-blown hair as I wait for the stocky, male bartender to make his way down to me.
“Can I buy you a drink?” a man’s voice asks to my right.
My head snaps in his direction and my eyes land on an incredibly handsome man. Blonde shaggy hair drifts over his brow and he shoves it back as he grins at me. His blue eyes drink me in slowly as he waits for my answer.
I return his smile with a polite one of my own. “Thank you, but I’m with someone.”
He leans in closer and completely blows off my refusal. “I’m Donovan. You might’ve heard of me?” He pauses for a brief second, but when I give him a blank stare he continues, “I’m the guitarist for Embrace the Darkness.”
I nod. “I’ve heard of you. You’re the opening act for Black Falcon, right?”
Donovan smirks. “Not for long. They’ll be opening for us soon enough.”
He turns, practically pushing his chest against my arm and I take a step away. “Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
He shrugs. “Why not? I’m great at what I do and my band kicks ass. What’s so wrong in taking pride in something you know you’re good at?” Suddenly, I feel his hand on my ass. “Why don’t you do yourself a favor and come upstairs with me?”
I yank his hand off my ass and shoot him the death stare. “Like I said, I’m with someone.”
He makes a big show of looking around me. “Oh, yeah? Where? I don’t see anyone. Chicks don’t come around places like this alone unless they’re looking for a good time. So tell me, where’s this mystery guy you’re here with?”
I open my mouth to tell him off, but before I get the chance Riff’s voice cuts through the loud bar music. “Right fucking here.”
I don’t know who tenses more, me or Donovan.
RIFF
I stand back as long as I can. I want to see the way Kitten reacts when other men approach her. I want to know if her hard to get act is genuine or if she’s just another groupie ready to slut it up with any rock star that moves.
Donovan creeps up on her and uses the same fucking lines I see him do night after night on the fans during the after-parties.
Sheer delight envelopes me when Kitten yanks his hand off her ass and tells him to beat it. That doesn’t sit well with Donovan. His chest instantly puffs up and his face twists. He’s not used to rejection, and girls like Aubrey throw us resident man-whores off our game.
The moment he raises his voice at her, testing to see if she’s really alone like she claims, I step in. I can’t help it. I don’t want him to get the idea he can put the moves on her or force her into something she doesn’t want to do.
This urge to protect what’s mine surges through me and before I know it my hands ball into fists and I say, “Right fucking here.”
Donovan’s eyes widen. “Sorry, dude. I didn’t know she was one of your hoes.”
Aubrey flinches beside him the moment the insult leaves his mouth. For some reason him referring to her as a piece of sexual garbage pisses me off. “Don’t ever fucking call her that.”
He raises his hands in surrender. “Easy, man. No need to get all swollen up in the chest. There’s plenty of tail to go around.”
My eyes narrow. “Then you better go find some elsewhere.”
We stare each other down for a long moment. My shoulders tense more each second we stand here. I haven’t had much problem with Donovan in the past, but the front man of his band, Striker has tried to get at Noel every chance he gets. It’s always some sort of pissing contest to see who has the bigger balls and the most fame. I think those two would fight over a penny if it came down to it.
Embrace the Darkness is a label built band, and all those douchebags care about is climbing their way to the top. They have no sense of camaraderie or brotherhood like we feel. Well, like we used to feel. Noel did a good job fucking that up for us.
Donovan smirks after he sees I’m not backing down. “This one’s too uptight anyhow. Enjoy your blue balls.”
I grit my teeth and fight back the urge to crush his face with my fist. The label’s already warned us about fighting, so I inhale deeply through my nose as Donovan shoulders past me. Noel and Striker threw down after our first couple shows together and the label threatened to disband the tour. We all knew those were idle threats because let’s face it, our shows make too much money for that shit.
Aubrey hands me a beer. “You didn’t have to do that, you know. I’m perfectly capable of handling myself when it comes to assholes.”
A small grin plays across my lips. “I don’t remember you fighting against me too hard when we first met.”
She shrugs and takes a sip of her drink. “You really didn’t give me much time to react, let alone launch a full-on war against you.”
I eye her over my bottle as I down half the beer. A blush creeps up her cheeks. The wall in her confident façade cracks a hair. I figured a girl like her wasn’t used to being a booty call, but she’s doing her best to fool me into thinking she’s been down this road before. I can see right through it. “It’s okay to admit the idea of fucking me turned you on. We both know you wouldn’t be here right now if it didn’t.”
I set my empty bottle on the bar and lean into her. I push her auburn strands away from her neck and allow my fingers to trace the delicate skin right before her ear. She stiffens at first and I can see her struggle internally before I feel the tension leave her.
Her shoulder pushes into my chest as I dip my head and trace her jaw with my nose. It’s such an intimate move to make inside this tight bar where there’s probably fifty eyes trained on us, but I don’t care. If I wait any longer to get close to her, I might explode.
When I reach her ear, my tongue darts out and I taste the flesh of her earlobe. She squeezes her eyes shut and her mouth drops open a bit. The smell of her fruity shampoo and perfume fills my nose and my cock jerks.
I lick my lips and reach around to play with the hem of her shirt. “I don’t think I can wait any more.”
She turns to face me, our noses nearly touching. “Then don’t. Tonight I’m yours, remember?”
“Mine?” I swallow at the sound of that word in my head. I’ve never tried to claim a woman before and I have no fucking clue why I told her she was mine earlier tonight. But it feels right, which is completely fucked up, because I know I don’t deserve anything good in my life. I ruin everything I touch. Every person that’s ever mattered in my life has told me that at one point or another, so I know a future with anyone is out of the question. God strike me down for wanting to get to know this girl. I’m no fucking good for her.
I take her beer from her and toss it into a nearby trashcan before taking her hand into mine. “Let’s go.”
I need to fuck her—the sooner the better. It’s the only way I know that’ll get her out of my system.