Chapter 11
eleven
ZACK
S he was ethereal to watch. I absolutely couldn’t take my eyes off her. And as Theo stood to my right in the VIP tent to the left of the main stage, I knew he felt the exact same.
Watching her in action was probably the hottest and coolest thing I would ever bear witness to in my entire existence, regardless of anything I had seen in my time on this planet yet. Even when Derek pointed his drumsticks at her—while a strike of jealousy should have smacked me in the face—I only smiled as I watched her laugh behind the camera.
I smiled even more when she stuck her middle finger out at him, though.
“She’s…something else,” Theo shouted over the music. Even with our fancy ear plugs blocking out some of the music, it was still a challenge to even hear yourself think, let alone someone else.
Just as I was about to shout a response to him though, my eyes widened as I watched Estrella shout to a security guard, only for him to shrug and offer his leg. Within seconds, she was climbing the man like a damned tree right in front of everyone before she straddled his shoulders. My stomach dropped for a split second as I watched her wobble and catch her balance—at least, until the man gripped her legs to stabilize her. Unlike me, though, she laughed wildly before grabbing her camera and continuing her efforts at capturing the performance at hand.
A nervous laugh mixed in with my words as I shouted back to Theo. “Yup. That’s our girl.”
Almost as if she could hear me herself—impossible, even if I liked to imagine otherwise—her French braided head swiveled until her gaze honed in on mine with a bright smile.
Hope bloomed in my chest as she raised the camera again and took the shot at us, rather than her assignment at hand.
I didn’t even know if I was smiling. But one thing I knew for sure?
I was as starstruck for her as our fans were for us.
And when she turned back to the stage with a shy blush, I couldn’t help the hope that festered in my soul.
Theo tapped my shoulder in a brotherly manner as he kept his gaze on her, too.
No words needed spoken.
While we should have paid attention to Neon Cherry, and especially given the fact that Estrella seemed to have a personal connection to the band that could lead to beneficial partnerships in the future, I merely shrugged the thought away.
I wasn’t looking away from my star ever again.
* * *
Anxiety thrummed through my entire existence as I waited for Estrella to come back from the security pit.
Only…she never came.
I looked down at my watch before peaking over at Theo. The show had ended nearly twenty minutes ago, and we had both watched her duck out as soon as the lights went down.
Where the hell was she?
“Does she always take so long? What’s going on?”
Theo rolled his eyes before meeting me with a deadpan stare. “You act like either of us know her schedule or order-of-operations. Why are you asking me?”
I glared at him. Oh, how I just loved my brother sometimes.
Another guy’s voice interrupted our sour stare-off. “Gentlemen. I’d say thanks for watching the show, but I have the suspicion that our music is definitely not why you’re backstage and waiting. Especially when you shouldn’t be here at all.”
I winced as I turned towards the voice’s accusation, but it was Theo’s voice that drew me up short. “Hey, Derek. Regardless of the reason, you all sounded fantastic. You know, we should schedule a meeting with your agent. See if a collaboration is ever in the future?”
Derek’s face lit up with a sarcastic smile. “Are you kissing my ass because I almost beat yours last night? Or so I don’t kick you out right now?”
“I absolutely am. And both.”
“Noted. I just wanted to let you all know that your girl texted me. I tried to get dinner with her, but she said that she’s going to go get dinner and then go back to her hotel room. That’s all I know, though.”
I blinked in offense before looking down at my phone. “Why didn’t she text us?”
Theo growled. “Probably because she doesn’t have our numbers, dumbass.”
Right.
Ouch.
Derek laughed. “Bro to bro, she only sent the text five minutes ago. You can probably still find her lingering around somewhere.” I was moving towards the exit instantly. Except, Derek gripped my bicep tightly as I tried to pass him. Somehow, he stood even taller over my 6’2 frame, and his beefy stature forced me to shrink back mildly. “Hey. Don’t hurt her again, alright? I may not know you. I may not even know her that well. But I am a broken man myself, and broken people recognize those who are hurting even more than others. She doesn’t deserve it.”
I swallowed roughly and nodded my head as he let go, only for him to turn to Theo next. “That girl is a fucking saint that neither of you deserve, regardless of whatever odd polyamorous shit you have going on. And believe me when I tell you—if she dropped you both on your asses tomorrow, I’d be another man in que, begging for even a lick of attention. Fix your shit before someone treats her better.”
Theo’s voice was soft. “We’re not gonna hurt her again.”
Derek nodded before wiping at his forehead and trekking towards his band mates. “Better not. I’ll kick your asses myself and let my daughter score it. I’ll let our agent know they’ll be hearing from you, though.”
* * *
Fucking finally.
Black and green split hair.
Standing in line at some random corn dog stand, right next to a Ferris wheel that illuminated itself brightly in the darkening sky.
Of all things to eat after an entire day of working on an empty stomach, she would be the girl to choose a damn corndog. I shook my head as Theo and I both jogged towards her, ignoring the murmurs around us entirely. We were probably fucking stupid for walking around the festival without any security guards, but at the same time, it certainly wasn’t the dumbest thing we had ever done, either.
Once next to her, I slung a heavy arm across her shoulders casually. She flinched at the contact and I was almost surprised she didn’t swing at me as I spoke. “Man, are you a hard one to find with your height. If it weren’t for this pretty hair, I never would have found you. Especially because I was looking for braids.”
Theo laughed as he showed up on her other side, forcing her to flinch yet again. I bit back a smile that time. “Seriously. I like it, though. Your natural curls have always suited you.”
She threw her head back against my arm exasperated. “Great. My men are stalkers. That’s just wonderful. How did you even know I left?”
We both ignored that question. We weren’t throwing Derek under the bus so soon. “Awe. We’re your men? That sounds so much more official when it’s coming from your lips instead of ours.”
Her eyes rolled. “I'll take it back. Can you both go find something to do? I’m tired, horny, and hungry. I just want my hotel room now. And the nap of a lifetime.”
My eyebrows quirked up immediately. “I mean, I can help with that, ya know.”
“Hey, now,” Theo said slyly. “Team effort, bro.”
Estrella scoffed and immediately shrugged her arm off me. “Ya know what? No. No, I’m not done being angry with either of you, actually. I was trying to be nice and offer an olive branch with being at least nice and flirty, but you just had to go gross caveman-y on me when I’m still processing what this even is.”
“Oh, c’mon! That was a test?” Theo exclaimed in a pout.
She whipped her head towards him in anger. I watched, expecting her to tell him off. Instead, I found myself shocked when she grabbed the neckline of his t-shirt, pulled him down roughly, and forced her mouth on his. His eyes went wide, looking at me for confirmation. When I merely tugged at my beard and shrugged, his eyes closed, and I watched as one of his hands went to cup her ass. Though, he hardly got to enjoy it for long before she was pulling away and tapping at his cheek with her hand. “Feel better?”
He swallowed, but kept his hand on her ass. “Not one bit.”
“Hah! Too fucking bad.” She turned her head back towards me then, while Theo stared at her dumbstruck. “Maybe I will keep this brother after all. You know my mom told me to do that on our wedding day? I should have listened.”
I shook my head as I stared at her, still tugging on my beard for some sort of grounding.
I should have been marginally upset that she had just condoned us to a PR stunt of the century. But I was far too concerned about keeping a boner down instead.
That was way too hot.
She watched me quizzically. “You’re not jealous?”
My face scrunched up in confusion then. “Uhm. No. Not over him, at least. Why would I be?”
She took a step back as if someone had shoved her. “Woooow. You actually meant it.”
I was utterly confused now. Theo’s expression matched my own, even as she still held onto his shirt. “Meant what? What are you talking about right now?”
She was whiplash incarnate.
A rolling mix of emotions ran across her face, consisting all the way from confusion, sadness, anger, and more. Her next words cut deep as she shoved Theo away, held onto the camera bag strap that was on her shoulder, and turned away, shaking her head. “Fuck you both for putting me through this like it’s fucking normal. I’m going back to my hotel room, and you’re not invited.”
I blinked.
Theo blinked.
The man running the food stand called for us to move up so he could take our order as we watched her walk away.
And then, her words from that morning echoed in my head.
Chase me.
For the first time since I had gotten that email from Sophie, anger filled my head. Blinding hot anger and rage.
I was fucking sick of her push and pull games already.
That girl was ours ready whether she was willing to comprehend it or not.
So, no. Absolutely not. I was not letting her walk away from me like that. I wasn’t letting her play games like that, even if we both deserved the torture. And I didn’t give a fuck if I was about to be hit with the restraining order of a lifetime by my own wife. I had been a coward for years—nearly an entire decade—and I was tired of it, once and for all.
If she wanted to play a push and pull game—then she could. But it would be with us, rather than against us.
I jogged after her. With my long legs, I caught up to her in no time. With Theo on my heels, I grabbed her by my waist and tossed her directly over my shoulder. She squealed before I felt her hand pound at my lower back. “Let me down, you idiot!”
I landed one firm, rough smack on her ass that had her gasping. Turning to Theo, I ignored her as I asked, “Where to?”
Phones pointed at us everywhere. Our actions and words would undoubtedly be on a magazine cover by daylight. Though, somehow, I didn’t give a fuck about the damage control we would have to face whatsoever.
My wife’s attitude needed to be corrected.
Theo looked around, gauging the scene with us, before he nodded towards the Ferris wheel. The line was quickly diminishing, and it was certainly a better place to have the chat I needed to have with Estrella—compared to anywhere else at a festival like a damned porta-potty—so it was better than nothing. And regardless of this little PR spectacle, I doubted our agent would be remotely thrilled with either of us if we shoved Estrella in an Uber for the hotel.
I could see the headline then.
From Stars to Evolution kidnaps girl?!
Fuck no.
I shrugged before trudging my way back towards it. The man running the corn dog stand watched us pass by in shock, yet returned back to making someone’s order when I waved and gave him a proper thumbs-up.
Theo giggled at my back before whispering. “My cabbages!”
I turned to him with a raised brow as I got behind a couple wanting to join the Ferris wheel in front of us. “Are you seriously quoting Avatar: The Last Airbender right now? Of all times?”
“What? I’m just a boy. Leave me alone.”
Estrella growled and hit my lower back again. I groaned that time. I was fit for my age, and carrying her was no burden to me at all, but my poor bones would snap if she kept that up. In an attempt to make her stop, I slapped her ass one more time and made sure it was hard enough to leave a sting. She whimpered against me, “God, you’re such a dick.”
I smirked as I met the attendee’s eyes when it was our time to get on the ride. She was a young girl, probably around the age of twenty or so, and they widened dramatically as they took in our situation. Theo dug in his back pocket for his wallet before he handed her a full-fledged one-hundred dollar bill. “Pretend that this thing gets stuck when we get to the top, yeah? I’ll give you another one if you make it last a solid twenty-minutes or so?”
She stuttered before taking it. “Uh-uhm. Su-sure. Okay!”
I nodded in thanks before gesturing for Theo to get in the carriage, where I immediately followed. I maneuvered the still-wiggling and growling Estrella before gently placing her in between us, right as Theo lowered the safety bar. It clicked in place, locking, and we both turned to her with a smirk.
Her face was red as a tomato as she seethed. “What the fuck?”
I tapped her jean-clad thigh before winking at the Ferris wheel attendee. “We’re gonna have a nice, good talk, mi Estrella .”
She shoved at my shoulder roughly. “Fuck you! I don’t want to. Did that ever cross your mind? That I may actually need time to process being shared?! That it’s not just a hoax?”
As the carriage began to go backwards in its motion to add any other riders, I turned to her and tugged at her hair roughly. Her head slanted at the motion, another gasp tearing out of her mouth, but I didn’t miss the desire that clouded her eyes from the rough motion.
She liked it.
It was my turn to growl as Theo twirled his own hand into her hair. “I don’t give a fuck anymore. You’re going to see how good it can be. How good we can both be. Together.”