15. Thomas
CHAPTER 15
Thomas
For whatever reason, Ash is in the middle aisle of the bus next to Holden, and Liana’s in the front beside the driver. Not sure why he’s along for the ride. The overpowering scent of barbecue rolls of Holden, who’s sat right in front of me. My stomach grumbles. Not only did I miss brunch, I missed whatever happened since.
But it was so fucking worth it.
“To continue our conversation from the bar, and for Mr Ashcroft’s benefit,” says Ash. Oh. Okay, he’s in lecture mode. THAT’S why he’s here.
“If you refuse to thank her in your set, Kai, I will personally stomp onto the stage and kick you in the nuts. My clients support each other, period. You don’t have to make out with her. You have to praise her music, her professionalism, and her involvement. She’s part of this tour and the time I’ve allowed for your shitty attitude has expired.”
“I haven’t said a goddamned word!” growls Kai, but softly.
Ash might not look like the Alpha that he is, but his intelligence, his cleverness, his resourcefulness, and his creativity are huge. He is not to be trifled with. And I’m betting he secretly knows some kung fu or some shit. He’s always struck me as the type. And since becoming a father, the I will sort your shit out approach has become much more intense.
“I don’t care if you’ve been mute, Thomas. Your feelings about it are as loud as Holden’s stomach,” Ash replies. “If you can’t get along with her, I will force you. Find a way to make it happen, to sell this tour as believable, because we don’t have time to swap her out.”
Silence.
He continues. “I don’t want her going anywhere. Last night was an anomaly. She’s never been known to miss a show, to flub a performance. She’s a dedicated, serious professional and this path means as much to her as it means to you four. Treat her as part of your band . Whatever you do, be fucking grown-ups. She deserves the chance this could bring her.”
I might hear a note of hesitation in Ash’s voice. He could be worried, but he’s doing a damn good job to gloss over it with strong-armed optimism. So I believe him when he says we don’t have time to swap her—and that maybe he wishes he could.
A protective wall rises up inside me. She does deserve to be here, and being an Omega in heat—and a person with a mental health condition she treats and keeps aware of—should do nothing to preclude her from her shot at this business.
I felt that before this morning. But it’s an even more insistent belief pulsing in my chest now. The problem is finding a way to communicate it to Ash that doesn’t set him against me. I need to understand what his real beef is with her.
If he really is as self-centered as this ordeal makes him look, maybe I’m in the wrong band.
I push this thought from my mind. This is my pack.
And then Ash carries on.
“This is business. This isn’t pleasure.”
Um. Well. I fucking beg to differ …
“You should be having fun—you could be having the time of your lives, if you would get over yourselves because supposedly all of you got into this business to do something you’re on fire about. So start acting like that’s the goal—not like her dreams somehow diminish yours. You each climbed your own ladders to get here. So get the fuck over it.”
I’ve never heard Ash speak like this, and a nervous sweat breaks out on my temples. I shift in my seat and lean a shoulder against the cool of the window, then turn to Nico, while Holden’s suggesting ways we could show more support on social media, and Ash argues it’s about us personally, not the social media team.
“At what point do we admit to Kai in front of Ash it’s not us that’s got a problem with her? Because I’m getting a little weirded out by the lectures,” I whisper.
Nico looks at me then leans over, comically twisting his lips to whisper back. “The point at which Kai suggests something really stupid that’s going to make us all look like patronizing arseholes.”
“I have an idea,” says Kai.
Nico and I groan.
“And no one’s going to like it.”
“Well, that sounds like a brilliant start then,” snaps Ash. “Come on, you lot. Please. Just thank her for her involvement, say something to praise her performance, and try to keep the peace. She doesn’t need any more anxiety than a first-time tourer already has, okay? And if you wreck her experience, I will not be signing on the dotted line for your next run of tours. Our contract is up for renewal after this tour, in case you’ve forgotten.”
I think he’s half-kidding. But he has a point. The best you can say about our interactions with her so far—apart from mine earlier today—is that we’ve give her the cold shoulder instead of treating her like an equal we can mentor, while also learn from.
Which, to be fair, is what we should’ve been doing on Ten to One.
Kai clears this throat then pops a lozenge in it, and says in an overly-casual manner, “What if we fake a romance?”
We all stare at him.
“If we plant rumors that she and I are sleeping together, it could up the interest,” he says, shrugging. “Fans could come out to see a glimpse of any chemistry.”
“Why,” starts Holden slowly, “on God’s own earth would you approve of that, given your feelings toward her? And what drugs are you taking that make you think she’d be okay with it?” He laughs as the bus pulls into the venue lot.
“Absolutely not,” says Ash. “Not a chance.”
“Not to say we come out publicly as a couple, but if we just drop some really vague hints without confirmation, it would drive both sets of fans crazy. It might drop some barriers between them. It’s happened before. And it could drum up sales for each other’s merch.”
“Or it could totally backfire,” I say softly, wondering how on earth we would break this to her. From the things she’s said to me today, when she pictures Kai’s face, she pictures a fucking bull’s eye dripping in blood.
And then, it hits me. I am a fucking idiot! How did I not consider it before?
Sweat rolls down the back of my neck and between my shoulder blades. It’s not warm by any means outside, but the heat’s cranked in here and after the morning’s activities, I feel about a million degrees. Because somehow, I’ve forgotten something critical here.
Kai’s not on heat suppressants, and Jez is in heat. He certainly knows this. But him scenting her isn’t a big deal—if he wants to help her through it, too, then of course he should. But I don’t imagine him wanting to.
The problem is, he’ll be able to smell her on me .
I showered but it’s not going to matter. Not with his powerful scenting ability.
I lower my eyes to the floor but Kai’s leaned his back against the door in his row so he can look out at the whole bus, and I feel the drill of his gaze on me. I look outside as the driver brings us right up to a back door at the venue, where security staff are waiting.
Liana hops out and bodies make their way off the bus and toward the venue. Kai and I stay still.
“I knew she was in heat,” Kai says once the others have gone. His green eyes narrow above a scowl. “What I didn’t know was that you’d be the first to break.” He pauses and I hold back a barrage of comments in my head. Before I can decide which one to let free, he adds a bit hesitantly, “Are you still on suppressants?”
“Of course. I’m not you.” My tone’s just cheeky enough for him to know I’m trying to be a playful arse, not a vindictive twat. But also that there’s some truth in there.
We stare at each other, neither moving. This could go so many ways. After all, we all agreed to stay away from Omegas on tour after Nyah. So the main way I can imagine is a soft, menacing growl. Get out of my band, you backstabbing piece of shit.
But I should know Kai still has the ability to surprise me, which has kept me on my psychoanalyzing toes all these years.
His eyes are still narrowed, but a wide smile spreads across his face. “I don’t know whether to congratulate you for the shrewd business move or to be insanely jealous.”
“How about neither? Because she may go into heat around you, and you won’t be able to resist her. Trust me. If she was going to break us, it would happen whether she was in heat or not. She’s a work of art and you know it.”
I hop out of the bus and walk into the venue without another word. I’m not angry at him. I just don’t understand him anymore.