DANGER

 

It’s morning and I’m just lazing around in bed when I hear a gentle rapping at my door. Furrowing my brows, I figure it’s probably Ryan or one of the guys, so I get up in just my boxer briefs and answer the door. Pulling the door open, my eyes widen when I see Lunar standing there. I’m shocked but happy as I smile at her, she smirks looking me up and down licking her lips.

“See something you like?”

She scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Like I’ve never heard that line before.”

I shake my head and lead her over to the bed where we lay down, and she moves into the nook of my arm and cuddles into my chest playing with my nipple ring.

“So, I didn’t think I’d see you till the next gig.”

She looks up at me and grins. “‘Cause I only like you when you’re rocking it out and what not?” she asks.

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Pfft… you’re a twat. I like you, Danger. Not just ‘cause you make my knickers wet when you’re singing.”

I cuddle into her further. “Well, I’m glad I make your panties wet when I sing. And I like you, too.”

“Good, now that’s out of the way I want to talk to you about something,” she says with her serious voice on.

“Yep, shoot.”

She leans up on her elbow looking down over me, her pink hair framing her beautiful face perfectly. “If, and I mean if I were to distance myself from the club… do you have any ideas as to what kind of work I might be able to do?”

I chew on my bottom lip as my fingers trace up and down her arm. Taking in a deep breath, I think about what she could do that would keep her around me. “Well… Recoil will be performing more, so we’ll need to get some merchandise arranged.”

She furrows her brows and purses her lips in confusion. “I’m not following?”

“At the gigs, we’ll need someone very beautiful and sassy to sell all the merch.”

She opens her eyes as her mouth gapes open. “You want me to work… for you?”

I let out a puff of air through my nose and shake my head. “With me, Candy, not for me. You can help us pick out what kind of stuff we can sell, and our branding if you want. Work with me to get great looking gear so we can sell as much stuff as possible.”

She slowly nods her head and purses her lips looking upward like she’s thinking. “So, what kind of pay would I get?”

Shrugging, I tense up slightly. “That I’m not sure. I guess it depends on what kind of money we start to make from the gigs and from the sales of the merch. The problem is it wouldn’t be as much as you make from Strapless, of that I’m sure. But maybe we can think of something extra, something different in addition to the merch where we can increase sales.”

“Like a kissing booth. Come one… come all… kiss Danger, Matt, and Nate.”

I chuckle. “Not Ryan?” I ask.

She curls up her lips and wrinkles her nose. “Nah, I’m sure he’s gay, right?”

Bursting out laughing, I shake my head as she grins and lays back down cuddling into me completely. “I’m going to tell him you said that.”

“Do it, I’d love to see his reaction,” she says, and I shake my head, she’s such a tease. “Okay, so how ‘bout I try my hand at the merch and limit my shifts at Strapless to the nights you’re not doing gigs and see how it goes?”

“Sounds like you’re starting your new life, Candy.”

“And it’s all because of you.” She cuddles into me and I lean in kissing her hair.

 

TWO DAYS LATER

 

We’re at another bar setting up for a gig when Techie walks in with a guy who looks like your typical Aussie surfer. His hair is sweeping blond as it falls around his face in soft waves. His broad shoulders shows he’s fit, and I’m sure to the ladies he’d be pretty good looking, what with his strong jaw line and bright blue eyes. It’s intimidating the way he holds himself. He’s giving off that very sure of himself look and he oozes confidence. Wearing a crisp suit, the white shirt unbuttoned at the top with no tie, makes him look all business but cool at the same time.

I raise my eyebrow wondering who the hell this guy is. I’m pretty sure if he’s here with Techie, then he’s here for us. Lunar is here too, her pink and yellow locks grab my attention next, making my cock ache for her. She really is the most stunning woman in this place. Fuck, in the whole of Australia I’m sure. Shaking my head as I smile at her, she grins and I step down off the stage walking over to the threesome. Glancing at the new guy, I nod my head in a gesture of hello, but put my knuckles out to Techie, he pounds them and bumps into my side.

“Hey Danger, I’d like you to meet Luke. He’s coming onboard as your agent while you’re here in Oz.”

I look to the blond guy to Techie’s left and curtly smile. “Hey Luke, nice to meet you. Thanks for coming onboard.” Putting out my hand to shake, he takes it firmly and shakes once with a slight smile.

“Nice to meet you, too. Techie says only good things about your band, and from what I’ve heard your music is great. I can’t wait to hear you live tonight to make my final call.”

“Final call?” I ask.

He grins. “I’m not onboard just yet. I want to see you live, see you perform. I’m eighty percent in. Tonight’s show will either seal the deal or end it… no pressure.”

A knot forms in my stomach and I take in a deep breath. Having an agent opens a hell of a lot more doors. We need this. “Don’t worry, you’ll be on our side after the first song.”

“Let’s hope so. Right… go, and finish getting ready. You don’t need to waste your pre-show time on me. We can talk after,” he says.

“Thanks for coming, Luke. It means a lot.”

“Enjoy your show,” he says patting my arm in a comforting way.

I look to Lunar raising my eyebrows. She loops her arm with mine and we walk off back over to the stage.

“Did you know he was coming tonight?” I ask her.

She grins. “Only when Techie told me this afternoon. I was going to tell you, but then I thought it might make you nervous all day.”

“It would’ve, so thanks. You all set for the merch stand tonight?” I ask as we walk up to it.

“I’ll do great. I’m gonna sell the shit out of everything, just you wait and see!”

“That a girl.”

“Are you nervous?”

I curl up my lip deep in thought. I was, initially knowing Luke was here. But now not so much. “No, I know how to perform, it comes naturally. I’ll just be myself up there and rock like normal, I’m a pro at this.”

“Yeah, you are. Now go. The guys look like they’re waiting for you,” she says leaning in pressing her lips to mine quickly before tapping my ass lightly and turning me to face the stage where Ryan, Matt, and Nate are already set up. The lights are strobing and the crowd’s already here. No need to wait. Let’s get this party started.

I jog up the black stairs and onto the stage, my dark boots pounding hard on the floor. Ryan looks at me as I step up to the mic. A few of the girls in the crowd cheer, and I smile my panty dropping smile at them, winking at the overexcited blonde in the front row. She giggles and throws her hands in the air as I pick up my guitar and hurl the strap over my head. I’m still one of those weird guitarists that uses a pick. Ryan uses his fingers to play, says it’s easier to feel the strings, but I was taught with a pick and I’ve always carried on using one. It’s just how I roll. I grab the mic and look out into the sea of small faces. It might only be a medium sized bar full of people, but a crowd is a crowd, and feeling the buzz and energy coming from them is like a beast, it surges the animal inside of me and makes me feel alive.

“Hello, Adelaide. We’re Recoil, and we’re gonna rock your fucking world tonight. So hold on tight, shit’s about to get real,” I say and throw my hand in the air giving the signal to Nate to start playing the drum intro to Stir of Echoes. The song starts and the energy surges. The crowd begins to move as Matt’s bass kicks in, sending the floor into vibrations with the heavy droning. Ryan and I slam on our guitars. Ryan taking the lead, of course, as the heavy rock filters through the bar, resounding off the walls and filling the space with nothing but pure unadulterated sounds of exhilaration that run through me igniting my soul.

I live for this, breathe this, this is my life. Music is the pure center of my gravity, and I’ve lived without it for so long that I could never give this up again, not for anyone or anything. This is not just a part of me, it’s who I am. I open my mouth and the lyrics caress my tongue, flowing out effortlessly into the mic. My deep, gravelly voice reverberates around the bar making the women melt and the men entranced. My body moves with the rhythm, the beat matches my heart rate as I rock along to the music. This is my home, this is my heart, and nothing beats the rush of the music… nothing.

I love performing, even if it’s only to a small bar in downtown Adelaide. I know things are starting to turn for us, and with the help of Luke, an agent on our side, anything is possible!

 

***

 

Luke is smiling as I bound off the stage on a high. Performing is the best kind of drug in the word—ice, meth or marijuana could never compare to the kind of lift rocking out can give you. I smile at Lunar and give her a wink as she watches me walk past her while she’s busy selling our stuff to a bunch of girls. I grin knowing Lunar’s doing an awesome job and stroll over toward Techie and Luke. Luke looks me up and down shaking his head, and my heart leaps into my throat for a moment as I think he’s saying no to me. That is until a giant smile crosses his face as I reach him.

He reaches out grabbing my arm pulling me to his side, and wraps his arm around my sweaty shoulders. “Danger, you devil, your sound is exactly what I’m looking for. I’m in, I’m all in. I’m going to start looking at getting you guys an Australian tour lined up as quickly as possible, and getting your songs on the radio. I want Recoil to be the latest buzz, the latest hot sound in Australia.”

Grinning like the fucking Cheshire cat, I shake my head. “Shit! I don’t know what to say.”

“Well, a fucking thank you would be nice,” he teases with a dirty great big smile.

“Fuck! Sorry. Yeah. Thanks, Luke. You don’t know what this means to the band… to me.”

He nods. “No, I do know what it means. You guys deserve to make it, and I’m going to help make it happen, Danger. With some work from you guys and dedication from me, we will do this.”

“Yeah, we will.”

“Good, now go pack up.”

I smirk, he’s obviously going to be ordering us around a lot, so I figure I may as well start obeying him now.

“Sure, thanks again.” I walk back over by the stage to see Lunar at the merch desk selling the last item that we have available. I grin at her and she smiles nodding her head once at me.

“I think I’m good at this… selling shit stuff.”

I shake my head and half laugh. “Yeah, I think you are. Come here,” I say, and she moves out from behind the desk. I reach out grabbing and pulling Lunar to me pressing my lips to hers.

“Danger, can I get a photo?” someone calls out.

I break away from Lunar and wince. “Sorry babe, duty calls.”

She nods with half a smile and lets me go. I walk over to my new fans and get into the huddle to have a selfie taken with them.