Chapter 7
7
Silas
Two Months Later
Life had been a whirlwind since returning to LA after the holidays. Our busy schedule had started with the album drop, which included numerous interviews and industry parties. The whole thing had been exhausting but worth it because Neon Nights had become an instant success just like I’d thought it would.
I’d only had so much time to celebrate, though. As soon as things had begun to calm down after the release, we’d started preparing for our tour. Rehearsals left us little time for anything else, and it had felt like I was running on caffeine and other things most days. Still, I’d never complain about any of it. It was the dream the guys and I had been working toward since we were kids.
To shake off some of that stress and celebrate a little, tonight we were going out for some fun. Jesse’s younger brother Jasper had arrived earlier in the afternoon from Boston. He was a professional chef who had agreed to join us on tour after our original catering company fell through. On top of that, Savannah Skye, an up-and-coming pop star, would also be joining us on the road. She’d recorded a duet with Malachi for our album, and the record label had insisted she go on tour with us, so they could perform “Whispers in the Night” together at all of our stops.
After rehearsal, our manager, Rina, ordered two vehicles to drive our group to The Velvet Veil, a nightclub in West Hollywood. As soon as the SUVs’ doors opened in front of the club, the flashing lights from the paparazzi’s cameras nearly blinded me. When they saw Malachi and Savannah step out of the other vehicle together, all attention turned their way. It might have been shitty of me to be relieved, but I took advantage of the paps’ distraction to slip inside the club without having to answer any questions or pose for photos. Malachi was a lot better at that crap than I was, and I was quite happy to go unnoticed.
Inside, we followed Jesse to the VIP section, where a reserved table and a bottle of premium vodka were waiting for us. Once we were all seated, Jesse poured us shots, raised his glass, and said, “To having Jasper with us on tour.”
“To Jasper,” we echoed before clinking our glasses together and tossing back the drinks.
Jesse had been looking forward to his brother joining us, and watching them interact made me think of my sister. When we’d all left Boston, I’d expected to get a call from Britt demanding an explanation about what Cash had seen that last morning. But she and I hadn’t talked since, and I was grateful Cash appeared to have kept things between us.
Our group continued drinking as the night went on, but Jesse eventually ditched us to call Olivia, who hadn’t come out with us, while Elliott led Savannah out to the dance floor. I stayed behind with Malachi and Jasper, sipping a drink and watching the crowd.
When I spotted someone I recognized in the far corner of the club, I set my glass down and stood. “A friend of mine is here. I’ll catch you both later.”
Malachi gave me a nod, but I didn’t miss the tiny flicker of judgment in his eyes that seemed to be present any time we went out lately. Sometimes it felt as though all the guys were watching me like a hawk to make sure I didn’t do anything they thought might fuck up stuff for our band. I wished they’d back off a little and realize I had everything under control.
Choosing to ignore his disapproval, I made my way through the mass of people. As I pulled out my wallet to grab some cash, my fingers brushed against the business card that I’d shoved inside. I was unsure why I’d kept it when I had zero intention of ever calling Cash. I didn’t need a sober companion trying to talk to me about something that wasn’t even a real problem.
“Hey,” I said as I slid up beside Rob at the bar.
He glanced at me and smiled. “Silas, how’s it going, man?”
“Good, but busy,” I replied, trying to keep my voice low so only he could hear, but it was hard with the booming music. “You got anything on you?”
He shrugged. “Depends on what you’re looking for.”
“Same as usual.”
He reached into his pocket, and I slipped him some money at the same time he handed over a small bag.
“Pleasure doing business with you.” He tilted his bottle in my direction.
“Thanks.” I gave him a friendly squeeze on the shoulder and headed toward the bathroom.
Since there were a couple of guys inside, I locked myself in a stall. I pulled out the bag and poured a small amount of coke onto the back of my hand. Lifting it to my nose, I inhaled, and the familiar euphoria hit right away.
I wiped my nose and washed my hands at the sink before heading back into the club. Now, the night could really get started.
“Let’s take five,” Malachi announced as he hopped off the stage .
I set my sticks on the edge of my drum set and stretched my sore muscles before getting up to grab a water bottle.
Elliott wandered over, swiping a towel over his face. “You good?”
“Yeah. Just ready to start playing some actual shows rather than rehearsing in a warehouse.”
He chuckled. “I get that. Nothing beats the energy you get from a live crowd.”
“Exactly.” I drained nearly half my bottle of water. “So, you got any plans tonight? I was thinking about hitting up Pacific Coast.”
Pacific Coast was a bar known for showcasing bands on the edge of getting discovered, and I loved watching artists who were putting in the work to get their big shot. Besides, the drinks were good, and the clientele liked to have the same kind of fun I did.
He raised an eyebrow. “Haven’t you gone out almost every night this week?”
I shrugged. “Just having some fun before we’re stuck on a bus for months. One last hurrah, you know?”
He nodded slowly, but his expression didn’t change. “Look, I’m not trying to be a buzzkill, but don’t you think you should be taking it easy? We leave in a couple of days.”
I smirked. “Sorry, Dad . Didn’t know I needed your permission to go out.”
Elliott gave a half-smile but didn’t let it go. “I’m not saying you can’t have fun, but your idea of fun is a little … you know … more extreme than the rest of us.”
“Relax. Once we’re on the road, I’ll keep things chill. No partying, no distractions. All of my focus will be on the music.”
“Okay.” He nodded, but I wasn’t sure if he believed me.
I forced a grin. “Don’t worry, I’ve got everything under control.”
“Break’s over!” Malachi’s voice rang out from across the room. “Let’s go again from the top.”
I grabbed my drumsticks and sat behind my kit, determined to prove to everyone that they didn’ t need to worry.
A Couple of Weeks Later
The band, along with Olivia, Jasper, and Savannah, sat at a table in the bar of our hotel in Toronto. Our first concert was less than twenty-four hours away, and we were taking advantage of the free night to sit back and relax a bit.
“You all ready for your first show tomorrow?” Jasper asked.
Malachi grinned and took a sip of his rum and Coke. “For sure. Getting to headline our own tour has always been the dream. Sometimes I still can’t believe we get to do this for a living.”
He wasn’t the only one. Even after living in LA for the last few years, it still felt surreal that this was my life.
“It’s fucking awesome.” Jesse wrapped his arm around Olivia’s shoulders. “I’m just glad I get to share it with all of you and my favorite girl.”
They gave each other a quick kiss, and Olivia smiled. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“You two are adorable,” Savannah said, but I could hear a hint of something in her tone.
It wasn’t jealousy because I didn’t believe Savannah wanted Jesse. In fact, the label was making Savannah and Malachi pretend to be in a relationship because Stellar Records thought it would be good PR, and I was pretty sure she had a bit of a crush on Malachi anyway. But I understood why she might look at Jesse and Olivia with a bit of envy. Their relationship was proof that true love existed. Not that love was something I spent any time thinking about for myself. My casual hook up lifestyle was working just fine for me.
As the conversation carried on, I excused myself from the table. “I’ll be right back.”
I could feel the guys watching me as I walked toward the bathroom. I knew what they were thinking, but I wished they’d ease up a bit. Sometimes a guy just needed to piss.
I stepped inside, did what I needed to do, and went to wash my hands. As I looked at my reflection, my thoughts turned to the small bag I’d scored as soon as we’d landed in Toronto. One of our crew members had given me the name of a guy who he said I could trust. I’d wanted to have something on hand just in case I went out, but as I stared at myself, I wondered if I’d be able to have any fun at all since the guys were clearly watching my every move.
Back at the table, we ordered another round of drinks and chatted about the tour, including all the meals Jasper was planning to prepare for us on the road. Eventually, Jesse and Olivia called it a night, followed quickly by Elliott. After a few more minutes, I decided it was also time to say goodnight, leaving Malachi, Savannah, and Jasper to continue hanging out.
The hotel lobby was quieter than I expected, and I thought I might have a chance of getting back to my room without anyone recognizing me. The thought vanished when two women stepped through the front doors.
One of them spotted me and did a double take as she gripped her friend’s arm. “I think that’s Silas Hale.” I wasn’t sure if she meant for me to hear, but she didn’t seem to be making any effort to be quiet.
They were both hot, one with dark brown hair and the other with hair a gorgeous shade of red, and suddenly, I wasn’t so eager to get back to my room.
“How’s it going, ladies?” I gave them my most charming smile when they walked closer.
They exchanged wide-eyed glances before the redhead spoke. “Better now that we’re talking to you.”
I chuckled. “You here for the show tomorrow?”
“Yep. We drove from upstate New York,” the brunette answered.
“Nice,” I replied, not trying to hide that I was checking both of them out.
“I’m Lauren, and this is Alyssa,” the redhead said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “If you’re not ready to call it a night, you should come to our room and hang out with us.”
“It’ll be fun,” Alyssa added. “Promise.”
I slid my hands into my pockets and the bag of coke inside reminded me how easy it would be to keep the night going if I wanted to. Still, I hesitated momentarily, Elliott’s words from a couple of weeks ago playing through my mind. The band needed me to be focused tomorrow. I needed to be focused tomorrow.
But it wasn’t tomorrow yet.
“Guess it couldn’t hurt to hang out for a bit.” I winked and pressed the call button.
The elevator doors slid open, and I followed them inside. Maybe I just needed one more night to get the partying out of my system.