Leaving Indi wasn’t as hard as last time. It didn’t have the same final goodbye emotional detachment looming over our heads. We’re in a good place and we both knew nothing was going to tear us apart. Don’t get me wrong there were tears, and it was difficult to leave her knowing I wouldn’t see her for five months. But I knew I wouldn’t last that long and I would fly home to see her at some point during the tour. She knew it too and knowing that gave us a little bit of peace. But even still, I was entwined with her body way later than I should have been and now I’m running late to board the jet to Stockholm. I don’t care. However, I know the jet will wait for me, and making love with Indi one final time before I had to leave was entirely worth it. I rub my thumb across my swollen lips remembering her lips assaulting mine all night and morning as the car pulls up onto the tarmac. I look up at the Slayed tour jet and take a deep breath.

World Tour – Headline Act.

This. Is. It!

I grab my bag and slide out of the chauffeured car and run up the stairs and onto the jet. I’m out of breath as I rush inside and everyone is waiting.

“Sorry I’m late, but I’m here, don’t panic,” I say and everyone looks at me and laughs. I take a seat next to Chad as Rob walks on behind me.

Phew, I wasn’t the last one!

“Why are you late, dick? We were supposed to all be here like twenty minutes ago?” Chad asks and I smile and touch my lips again remembering Indi’s kiss.

“Umm…overslept. Sorry, but it’s all good Rob came on board late too.”

Chad chuckles. “Nah man, he was looking for you,” he says and I wince and duck as Rob walks past me frowning.

“Shit, sorry,” I say and Chad grins.

“Are you fully committed to this band, Caleb? Because if you’re not you should tell us now?” Chad teases and I roll my eyes and shake my head.

“Shut up! I was indisposed, okay?”

“Right, the mysterious girlfriend that we all know about, but no one knows about?” he says and I open my eyes wide in shock.

“What?”

“Oh c’mon Caleb, we all know you’re seeing someone. We just don’t know who. You’re only ever this happy when you’re with a girl and you’ve been ridiculously happy for ages now. I just have no idea why you’re keeping her a secret from us? We’re your mates, you know?” he says and I exhale and slump into the chair.

“Okay, well, I would tell you, but she wants her anonymity. And if I told you, I’d have to kill you. And let’s face it finding another drummer is hard work.”

“Especially one who can do this,” he says and twirls the drumstick in his hand and lifts his arse cheek in the air and farts at the same time. I laugh and shake my head.

“Yeah, right, that’s raw talent right there,” I say and he nods and smiles.

“I’m happy for you man, I just hope that one day I get to meet her.”

“I’m sure one day you will.”

Tamara closes the door of the jet and we prepare to take off for Stockholm.

 

***

 

Indi messaged me before I went on stage and told me she was watching the live video streaming from our concert in Stockholm. I’m so excited to think she’s watching and right now as we come back on stage for an encore, I sing the lyrics to our new song about love conquering all. I rub my thumb over my bottom lip as I look into the camera and hope that she sees it. I’m performing for her, and seeing Annie and Aston leaning against each other and Ella rocking out like she owns the stage, and Chad drumming like there’s no tomorrow, Staked are performing the best we ever have. And right now, I couldn’t be prouder of my band and my family.

The music is pumping through me causing all my hairs to stand on end like an electrical charge is flowing through me. The voltage of the melody flooding through me while I sing the best notes I’ve ever sung. My voice is carrying out over the crowd like a wave of pure emotion, and the crowd is enjoying the hardcore entertainment we’re throwing at them. The energy, the electricity, the pulse around the room is like static coursing through everyone’s veins. The crowd is amped, and so is the band as we play to our fullest extent. I live to be on stage, I live to perform, and I live to love Indi. So to perform on stage and perform for the camera to Indi, is something that gives me such a rush my atoms are exploding inside of me causing a current of ecstasy to wash through my blood. Being here right now, nothing could beat this moment.

I finish the last line of the song and Annie goes into her guitar solo at the end and the roar of the crowd is deafening. The smile crossing my face is one of pure and utter elation as I wipe the sweat from my brow and throw my hands into the air in celebration of the best performance of my life. I place the microphone on the stand and look over to Aston, who’s smiling just as widely as I am.

“Stockholm, thanks for a fucking great night! You have been Staked!” I say and then the crowd erupts cheering and stomping their feet as I walk off the stage and to the side sliding down the rails. I get to the floor and jump up and down as Danger comes over and slaps me on the arm.

“Holy shit, dude, you were on fire tonight!” he says.

“I know, this crowd is amazing!” I reply to him. He turns and watches Ella walk off stage and then runs up to her taking her in a bear hug then swirling her around.

I was weary when Ella suggested that Recoil be our backup band for this tour, but I guess Recoil are reasonably good and we know them well enough, so we all agreed. Well, most of us, Chad kept quiet about it, but what’s done now is done. I watch as Danger plants a giant kiss on Ella, and I raise an eyebrow at his public display of affection. I turn my head to see Chad smiling brightly as he walks off the stage twirling his sticks around in his fingers and I decide to distract him from seeing the Danger and Ella show unfolding right in front of me. I run up and grab Chad in a headlock. He chuckles and punches me in the ribs gently while I chuckle dragging him far enough away so he won’t see.

“What a fucking great night, hey?” I ask as I let him up. He stands and smacks me in the back of my head with a drumstick.

“Yeah, we were on fire tonight,” he says and then goes to look around.

“Hey, we should get a beer to celebrate? Green room?” I ask and he looks back at me and nods as I glance over at Danger and Ella, who are practically dry humping in the corner against the stage.

“Yeah, beer sounds great, mate,” he says and wraps his arm around my neck punching me in the ribs again, but harder this time.

“Hey, ease up, turbo.”

I drag him away and down to the green room.

“Sorry, forgot, you’re an old man of twenty-six now. You’re practically decaying as we speak.” I scruff his hair and he punches me again. “Hey, not the hair!”

I chuckle and look back at the stage where Ella and Danger have now separated seeing as Lia is there. I shake my head and take out my phone and message Indi.

 

Me: So what did you think?

 

I hit send and walk into the green room and over to the fridge opening it and grabbing two beers, handing one to Chad. Then I make my way to the lounge to sit down and have a brief chat with my girl.

 

Indi: Sorry, I missed it, I was washing my hair.

 

I open my eyes wide and frown and type a reply.

 

Me: Seriously? That sucks. :(

 

I hit reply. I’m a little annoyed that she would miss my first concert. My phone beeps quickly and I hesitate to read it because I’m pissed off, but I glance down anyway.

 

Indi: Only kidding. I saw the whole thing. :) Fuck I love watching you on stage, you’re so fucking sexy! I had to stop from touching myself like seven times. SEVEN TIMES! I kid you not, and I saw you touch your bottom lip, I nearly cried when I saw that. I wanted to jump through my computer and kiss you. You’re so sweet you know that? Are you having fun?

 

I try to hide my smile as I shake my head and try to stop my cock from twitching at the thought of her touching herself over me.

 

Me: You little minx! I’m so glad you liked it. I was performing for you, you know? Only because I knew you were watching. Next time, please do touch yourself and record it for me, will you. ;) I’d love to see that. Am I having fun? Hell yes, this is amazing baby. I just wish you were here, then it would be perfect. But just being able to talk to you is enough to get me by. I was going to go to the after-party but are you up for some Skype time?

 

I hit send and my cock twitches in my pants. I know it’s the first night of the world tour of our first headline act, but Indi mentioning touching herself has got me hot under the collar and I’d rather spend my night with her than watch Danger and Ella suck face.

 

Indi: I think I can arrange that. Are you sure you don’t want to go to your party and then Skype later?

Me: Nope, I can be back in the hotel room in fifteen minutes. Can you wear that red lace corset thing I bought you?

 

I hit send and smile as I stand up and rearrange my cock. I take a gulp of my beer and start to walk out of the green room.

“Where you going?” Chad calls out and I look back at him and raise an eyebrow.

“Back to the hotel,” I reply and he furrows his brow.

“Mate, the after-party?”

I shrug and shake my head taking another giant gulp of my beer. “I have a date,” I say and he raises his eyebrow. “Skype sex,” I clarify and he cracks up laughing and nods.

“Right, well, you have fun with that. I’m gonna go and get laid by some Stockholmian bird,” he says and I tilt me head to the side.

“Playing the field tonight?”

“I’m not stupid, I know when a fight is lost. I never could have won it to begin with, could I?”

I frown and slump my shoulders feeling sorry for him. “You don’t want to try?” I ask and he shakes his head.

“She isn’t interested in me, and I know what she’s doing with Danger. I can’t compete with a broody American. Plus, everyone loves the lead singers, no one goes for the fucking drummer.”

“If you love her, you should fight for her.”

“Sometimes, no matter how hard you fight, you just can’t win.”

“You’re actually giving up then?” I ask and he nods.

“Yeah, I never really tried. But there’s no point, she sees me as a brother, you can’t come back from that.”

“Yeah, the brother zone. That sucks, dude, I’m sorry.” I walk over to him and pull him in for a man hug and for once he doesn’t fight me off or tackle me in a play fight. He embraces me back and holds me tight seeking the comfort he needs right now. I slap his back and squeeze him hard.

“Hey, I’m always here if you need to chat, you know that right?”

He nods and exhales shaking his head like he’s trying to fight back emotions. “Right enough of that shit. Go to your girl have Skype sex, and I’m gonna find me a Stockholmian to lose myself in,” he says.

I nod and pull back from him and grip his shoulders. “You got this.”

“Yeah, I do,” he confirms and I nod and slap his shoulder turning and walking out.

I look down at my phone to see a message from Indi.

 

Indi: Getting changed now. I’ll Skype in fifteen, see you soon rock star. xoxo

 

I smile as I walk out of the green room and make my way to the back of the venue and out to the waiting chauffeured car. I tell the driver to take me to the Hyatt and within five minutes, I’m in my hotel suite, naked, on the bed with my iPad and waiting for a late night session with Indi.

 

***

 

The next day I’m tired from spending such a late night with Indi, but boy was it worth it. I heard a kerfuffle in the hallway earlier on this morning, but I was way too tired to care what was going on, and as it is I’m late getting to the venue for tonight’s concert.

I’m making my way through the long hallways to hear the sound check of Recoil as I make my way toward the stage. I haven’t talked to anyone today, I’m exhausted from the concert last night and from being up with Indi, and I know I need to take better care of myself seeing as this is only the start of the tour. I need to make sure I get the right amount of sleep. Otherwise, I’ll wear myself out and quickly.

I walk up to the side of the stage and no one else is here except for some sound guys and the sales people who are checking the supplies for the T-shirts that have recently come in. I smile at them and they all giggle like school girls apparently taken aback by the famous rock star smiling at them. I chuckle to myself as Recoil finish their sound check and Danger comes bounding off the stage like he’s angry and about to kill someone while the rest of the band pack up their stuff. He notices me and stops looking right at me, but says nothing like he’s assessing me.

“Hey Danger,” I say and he furrows his brows and shakes his head running his hand through his curly hair.

“I fucked, Ella,” he says.

I open my eyes wide in shock as he stands tall like he thinks I’m about to hit him.

“Okay,” I say and he relaxes slightly seeing I’m not angry, merely intrigued.

“Colt walked in,” he adds.

Oh, crap, my eyes almost bulge out of their sockets and I choke on thin air. “What the fuck? Like while you were actually fucking?” I ask and he nods and exhales looking around the room. “Shit when?” I ask and he slumps his body.

“This morning. He walked in, then dragged me out of the hotel room naked by my throat, had me in a choke hold against the hall wall, and…fuck, was it humiliating,” he says.

I shake my head, not knowing what to say. “Well shit, I didn’t even know Colt was here,” I say and he scoffs.

“Neither did I,” he adds and I try to hold back my smile because this is actually kind of funny.

“How did Ella take it?” I ask and he shakes his head.

“She was horrified. I mean her dad walked in on me fucking her. That’s not something you get over,” he says and I wince.

“Is she okay?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know, I kind of got out of there as soon as I could. I respect Colt, you know, and for him to see that, to see me doing that to his little girl, well, I’m sure he’ll hate me now,” he says.

I cringe thinking that poor Ella is left to herself in this. “Well Colt’s a big boy, I’m sure he’ll get over it. He takes a long time to warm up to boyfriends. He took ages to warm up to Aston with Annie. Sometimes I wonder if he secretly hates that he’s with his daughter. Not hates Aston, just hates that they’re together,” I say and Danger nods.

“Yeah, he only just figured out they were sleeping together today too. And they both got tattoos last night. It’s been a big day for Colt, so I don’t think we’re in his good books,” Danger says.

“Well, my advice is if you want to be in Ella’s life then you need to treat her right, and you will earn Colt’s respect.”

Danger nods. “I just wonder how it could possibly work though. I mean I live in the US and she lives in the UK?”

“Well, only you know if you think Ella is worth it. But just know that if you hurt her you’ll have Colt and me to deal with.”

He stares at me blankly and then walks off seemingly ending our conversation. I swallow hard and shake my head. He’s weird, and I hate that he left Ella when Colt found them. I hate that she’s going through this alone. I think I better check on her.