12. Raleigh
Raleigh
12
The private jet touches down in LA, and as I step onto the tarmac, I have to remind myself to breathe. This is insane. Is this really how Axel was living for those last six years of his life? Getting the royal treatment everywhere he went?
The jet was mind-blowing. It’s luxury on a new scale, not to mention, it’s the only plane I’ve ever been on that’s offered free Wi-Fi and champagne just for existing.
If Lenny’s plan is to dazzle me with the good life so I have to accept his offer, it’s already working. Sure, I’d be on tour with a band I don’t know, but I’d be doing the work I spent all those years cramming for, and while I never completed college and officially got my degree, it would be a shame to waste all of that knowledge. Besides, I’d be put up in fancy hotels night after night with security and a constant paycheck at the end of every week. I could eat like a normal person and actually enjoy life.
It sure beats living out of my car and having to sleep with a knife to make sure I don’t get raped in the middle of the night. It’s a no-brainer. And on the plus side, if I’m careful with my paycheck, by the end of the tour, I might even have enough saved for a place of my own. You know, assuming Lenny meant it when he said they take care of their own. I mean, I sure as hell don’t feel like family to Louder Records, but if he insists, who am I to say no?
Assuming all goes well, this is an opportunity that could open doors. If the label likes my work and we have a successful tour, there’s every chance they could offer me another tour, maybe regular work in a proper office where I get to do what I love every day of the week, not just during tour.
The warm LA sun shines down on me, already beginning to thaw my cold heart, and without even trying, I sense peace pulsing through my veins. Maybe this is why Axel loved LA so much and made this place his home. I never had a chance to visit him here, never got to see his home or the world he’d built for himself, but I can only assume it was everything he ever wanted.
A driver waits for me, and I try not to get giddy at the sight of the limo. “Miss Stone,” he says, opening the back door and waving me in.
“Thank you,” I say, but the second my ass hits the expensive leather seat, I can’t hold on to the giddiness for another moment. A stupid grin rips across my face, and within seconds, I have my phone against my ear.
It rings twice before Madds whispers into the phone. “Girl, you know I’m working.” I hear the sound of her heels clicking down a hallway, probably after making some excuse about needing to pee so she could take the call. “Is everything okay?”
“Break out the fucking candles, Madds. You’ll never believe where I am right now.”
“I’m assuming your ass is at work where it’s supposed to be.”
“Nope,” I say, popping the p. “That call I had this morning, it was Lenny Davidson from Louder Records.”
“Wait. What?” she breathes. “That’s the label Demon’s Curse is under, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Shit,” she says with a heavy sigh. “Are you okay? Did he want to talk with you about Axel? I know it’s been two years, but I know how that shit tears you to pieces.”
“I mean, yeah. He brought up Axel a few too many times for comfort, but he was actually calling to offer me a job.”
“What?”
“That’s what I said, but apparently Ax was already putting things in motion before he died and had mentioned me enough that when they started to put a team together for a new band, my name was at the top of his list.”
“Holy fucking shit.”
“Yeah,” I say with disbelief. “That’s pretty much how I responded too.”
“So, it’s a marketing gig, then?”
“As far as I’m aware,” I say. “I have a meeting with him today to discuss all the ins and outs of the contract and hopefully have a chance to meet the band to see if I mesh well with them. Then assuming everything is as good as I think it will be, I’ll be going on tour with this band.”
There’s stunned silence on the other end of the phone, and by the time a slow smirk finally spreads across my face, Madds pulls herself together enough to respond. “That’s incredible,” she breathes. “Holy fuck. I’m struggling to wrap my head around everything. Okay, ummm . . . What about your current job?”
“It’s a piece of shit entry-level job that I’ll never really find growth in considering my lack of degree,” I lie, immediately feeling like a piece of shit for it. “It’s a no-brainer. And besides, if this doesn’t work out how I’m hoping, I’ll just head back home, claim I needed the day for a stomach virus, and be back at work first thing tomorrow.”
“Wait. Hold up,” she says. “What do you mean head back home? Where the hell are you?”
“Oh, haven’t I told you that part yet?” I ask with a laugh as the excitement begins to infect me, but hell, it’s the first time I’ve felt any kind of excitement in two long years. After college, Madds took a job in LA, and she’s been killing it ever since, so of course I’m going to find her while I’m here. But even if this job doesn’t work out for me, I needed this excitement more than I realized. I’ve only ever been in LA one time before, and that was for Axel’s show-stopping funeral, but this time, it’s for me. Maybe I could even visit his home and delve into the life he had here. Hell, I know Madds wouldn’t say no to accompanying me to the former home of Axel Stone. Hopefully it was left just as he always had it. Actually, I wonder what happened to all of his things. His home, cars, and expensive guitar collection. He had so many things he was so proud of, and now, they’re probably just sitting in some shitty Demon’s Curse memorial hall collecting dust.
“Uhhh no. Are you not in Michigan right now?”
“Not even close,” I say. “The label sent a private jet to come get me, and I’ve spent the last four hours sipping champagne and being waited on while I made the journey to LA!”
“L—FREAKING—A?” Madds squeals, probably way too loudly for her office building. “Holy fucking shit. Girl, why didn’t you start with that? We have to do something. How long are you going to be here?”
“I have no idea. If everything goes well with this meeting, I could be here indefinitely . . . I think. But if it doesn’t, then probably just the night.”
“Okay, well, for what it’s worth, I know you’re going to kill it at this meeting today. This is the most exciting thing ever, and you might even get to see Rock and Dylan and—” she cuts herself off before the name slips out of her mouth, and I’m grateful that she doesn’t linger on the almost slip. “Anyway, I think we should meet up tonight, you know, just in case walking in there is too much and you need time to chill afterward.”
“Absolutely.”
“What hotel are you staying at?”
“Is it bad I never actually asked?” I laugh. “Lenny said private jet, and I got in my car without a second thought.”
“Okay. Well text me when you know, and I can meet you there after work,” she says. “And Rae? You really are gonna kill this. You’re the best choice, and Lenny freaking Davidson would be a fool not to hire you on the spot.”
“Thanks, Madds.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she says, and I can practically hear the way she rolls her eyes. “I have to get back to work before you get my ass fired. I’ll see you tonight, okay? Love you.”
“Love you too,” and with that, the line goes dead.
It’s a short twenty-minute drive from LAX to the hotel, and when the driver pulls up out front, all I can do is gape at the massive building. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s the picture of luxury, exclusive to only the highest caliber people—the one percenters, billionaires, socialites, and celebrities. People like Ezra Knight.
The door opens for me, and someone else moves to grab my bags from the back. I’m almost embarrassed by my shitty canvas bag bought from the mall nearly ten years ago. I’m sure these guys are used to handling designer suitcases that cost more than I’ve made over the past two years, but nonetheless, I hold my head up high and allow the door opener to usher me inside the exclusive hotel.
Checking in takes all of two seconds, and before I know it, I’m escorted up to one of the executive suites. It’s not quite the penthouse, but it’s high enough that the man escorting me needs a special access card just to activate the elevator.
Getting into the room that’s bigger than my family home back in Michigan, I make my way right over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and stare out at the incredible view. The city below is gorgeous, and with the afternoon sun glistening off the other building, I find myself completely mesmerized.
A specially prepared meal is waiting for me on the table, and since I haven’t had the chance to eat like this since the last time I was with Axel, I don’t hesitate to dig in.
I have an hour before I’m due to meet with Lenny, so I take advantage of the time to pamper myself with an everything shower, using the expensive shampoo and conditioner as opposed to the cheap two-in-one shit I’ve been reduced to over the years.
Basking in the endless hot water, I finally have the motivation to shave, but it’s not for Lenny’s benefit of course. Looking my best means feeling my best, and as I stand in the bathroom wrapped in the expensive lush robe provided, I spend a few extra minutes hacking away at my brows.
I feel better than I have in so long, and it’s more refreshing than I could have known. As I pull on the best clean outfit from my bag, I feel as though I’m ready to conquer the world. My eyes hesitate in the mirror before leaving the bathroom, and even though I don’t have the wardrobe for this type of interview, I could walk in there wearing a garbage bag and still bring every bit of confidence. After all, isn’t that what they say? Confidence is key.
There’s a light knock at the door before a voice calls out. “Miss Stone, pardon the interruption, however, it is time to leave.”
Oooh. I wasn’t expecting such detailed service, but I’m down for it. “Coming,” I call back, grabbing my shitty little purse before thinking better of it and just taking my phone instead. I slip it into the back of my jeans, really wishing I had something nicer to wear, but it’s not as though there was time to go on some grand shopping spree with a credit card that doesn’t exist.
Fifteen minutes later, my driver pulls into a gated community, and my eyes widen as he pulls through the streets. “Holy shit,” I murmur to myself, taking in all the incredible mansions around me. It’s like a scene out of a movie and definitely not somewhere a girl like me should be. I thought the hotel was my “Not in Kansas anymore” moment, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
“Is something the matter, Miss Stone?” my driver asks.
“No. Not at all,” I say. “I just assumed I was meeting Lenny at the studio or the office, not a private residence.”
“Yes, that was the original plan,” he confirms. “However, one of the band members has a studio space built into their home, and with the band currently rehearsing every waking hour of the day, they prefer not to travel to a stuffy studio.”
“Oh, of course.”
“Yes, plus I believe Mr. Davidson thought it was prudent you meet with the band and see what you’ll be working with to ensure you can make the most informed decision moving forward.”
“And he will be there?” I ask. “Lenny, that is.”
“Of course, Miss Stone.”
I nod, and as I gaze out the window at the impressive properties, a thought occurs. “You, uhhh . . . wouldn’t happen to know where my brother lived? Axel Stone.”
“Yes, actually. I drove for him quite a bit. Such a shame what happened,” he says. “He actually lived in this neighborhood. I would be happy to show you after you’re done with your meeting if you wish.”
“Yeah, actually,” I say, a smile lingering on my lips, though I can’t tell if it’s because I’m in the presence of someone who knew my brother on a personal level, or just the thought of being so close to the place he called home. “I’d actually really like that. I never got the chance to visit him out here.”
“Oh, I know,” he says. “Your brother was quite fond of you. He would tell me about you all the time. Last I spoke to him, he was hoping to surprise you with a mid-tour visit.”
My smile lingers, and for once, it’s nice to think about Ax without the searing hot pain slicing me open. “I would have really liked that,” I murmur before letting out a heavy breath and trying to push the thoughts away. I need to keep focused, and I can’t do that if I’m lost in my grief.
The driver pulls up to a huge home that’s surrounded by large gates and hedges to offer the owner as much privacy as possible, though to be completely honest, something isn’t exactly lining up here. I thought Lenny said this band was still quite new. How are they able to afford properties like this? Unless Mommy and Daddy’s money bought them this property and their way into the label. After all, money talks, right? But I suppose it’s not my place to speculate. That’s not the job I’m here to do.
The driver pulls up to the gate and enters a code into the keypad, and I watch in awe as the massive iron gates inch open to reveal the incredible home within. It’s amazing, and my jaw pops open. Am I seriously about to spend time within this mansion? This is crazy. Even if I don’t get the job and everything goes to hell, at least just getting to experience this would make it all worth it. Happy birthday to me. All I need is a glass of champagne and a chance to dip into the hot tub . . . you know, assuming there is one. Who am I kidding? Of course there is.
My driver takes us right to the top of the circular driveway, bypassing the array of parked cars lingering out front, letting me know just how many bigwigs I’m probably about to meet. Then snapping out of my pampering mindset and into a business one, I open my own door, plant my feet on the ground, and keep my chin raised. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll allow this fancy world to continue pampering me after the meeting, but for now, I’m a boss bitch, and I’ve got shit to accomplish, just as Axel always said I could.
Making my way up the grand entrance, I situate myself right in front of the door, and just as I go to knock, someone opens it from within. A beautiful woman stares back at me with a beaming smile, wearing the most stunning pantsuit I’ve ever seen in my life. “You must be Raleigh,” she says, offering me her hand. “My name is Marley, I’m Lenny’s assistant. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Thank you,” I say, feeling more underdressed than ever before. “You too.”
“Come on in.”
Marley ushers me into the mega-mansion and sets off at a pace that has me breaking into a small jog just to keep up with her long legs. “Lenny is stuck on a conference call, but he should be wrapping it up shortly. In the meantime, would you like to check in with the band to get a feel for their music and see if this might be a good match for you?”
“Oh yeah. Of course. I would love to,” I tell her as she leads me through the exquisite mansion. “But also, in regard to Lenny’s call, please don’t let him rush on account of me. I have nowhere else to be.”
“Sure thing,” she says. “As you’re probably aware, the boys are in the middle of rehearsals, but judging from the lack of sound, they must be taking a quick break. I’m sure they’ll be back at it any moment now.”
Marley reaches the stairs and begins sailing down them like a beautiful swan while I’m left to grapple at the railing, trying not to trip over my own feet.
We reach the bottom step just as her phone begins to ring, and she glances down before sucking in a breath. “Oh shoot. I have to get this,” she rushes out. “Just head down the hall and to the right. They’re expecting you.”
“Okay, thanks,” I say with a smile as Marley quickly answers her call.
She scurries away with the phone to her ear, and before I know it, I’m left alone to meet the newest additions to Louder Records.
Making my way down the hall, I quickly find the studio, only as I walk into it, I come up short. The place is deserted, but it’s clear they were just in here . . . or have been at some point during the day. There are cups and take-out containers spread across the studio and hoodies thrown over the back of a couch. For just a moment, I feel like a teenager again, walking into the garage to see the boys fucking around as they practiced. That garage was their home just as Ezra’s arms were mine. Hell, it even smells the same in here. Or maybe that’s just the stench that comes along with boy bands.
A fondness rustles through my chest as I take a quick look around. There’s nothing in here that gives anything away about the new band. So, I walk deeper into the room to find the bass drum that would usually have the band’s name across the front, but the soft sound of laughter from deeper in the studio pulls my attention elsewhere.
Today is not the day to linger on thoughts of the past. Today, I get to move forward.
I follow the murmured voices across the studio to a private room. The door is open, but from where I’m standing, I can’t see in, and I’m assuming by the continued laughter inside, whoever is in there hasn’t noticed me yet.
Then, stepping right into the open doorway, I lift my hand to knock, only to come face-to-face with Ezra fucking Knight.
My heart stops, horror blasting through my system and leaving me momentarily paralyzed. He sits on a small couch with two women hovering over him. His shirt is nowhere to be seen, showing off a full chest of tattoos and three pendants hanging from loose chains around his neck that have me desperate to look closer, but I wouldn’t dare. The button of his jeans is undone as though he were just about to spend the rest of his day sinking into these two women . . . or maybe he already has. They look like dancers, but it’s not even the half-naked women breaking my heart, it’s the white powder he’s too busy snorting to even notice me here.
I’ve seen it in all the tabloids, splashed over the internet as though it were a personal attack, but to see him like this in the flesh . . . I’ve never felt so disgusted in my life. Is this really what he gave everything up for? He broke me so thoroughly just so he could be some fucking joke, living up the rockstar lifestyle and snorting coke in the basement of his fucking mansion with a bunch of half-naked women?
It becomes all too obvious that this magnificent home I’m in is his, and this job offer was nothing more than a scam just to get me through the door. But surely if he knew I was coming, this isn’t the way he’d greet me. No, this asshole doesn’t know a damn thing. He’s spiraling, and his label is making one final attempt to pull him out of the darkness, and they think they’re going to use me to do it. Well fuck that. I’m nobody’s pawn.
Happy fucking birthday to me. I knew it was too good to be real.
I suck in a gasp, and the girl draped over the lap that used to be mine glances up. “Oh, sorry,” she says, climbing off Ezra’s lap. “I didn’t see you there. You must be the new marketing chick.”
Ezra lazily lifts his gaze, starting at my feet and slowly working up my body. He’s indifferent, not giving a shit about the random woman standing before him. It’s as if he no longer cares about his career or the people on his team. As that dark, familiar gaze lifts to my face, his indifference morphs into nothing but pure horror.
His chest rises and falls, and he stares at me like a deer in headlights. “Rae,” he breathes, starting to get to his feet, but it’s too fucking late, I’ve seen more than enough. I turn on my heel and make a break for it. Sprinting out of the studio, I catch Dylan out of the corner of my eye.
“FUCK! Rae,” Dylan calls out after me.
I hear the telltale sounds of someone chasing after me, but I don’t dare look back as I break free from the studio and fly up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
What a fucking joke.
I should have known better.
Tears begin streaking down my face as I reach the front door, and before I know it, I’m hurrying down the stairs and toward the back door of the limo I only just stepped out of. It’s almost comical how confident I felt when I first walked up to that damn door. I thought my life was about to change. I thought I could actually make something of myself. Yet Ezra Knight is always right there to knock me back down.
A strong hand curls around my elbow, yanking me back, and I fall into a chest that’s somehow so familiar and yet completely unfamiliar at the same time. “Don’t you fucking run from me,” Ezra growls, not daring to release his grasp on my elbow. I have no choice but to shove my hands against his chest just to put a shred of space between us.
“Let go of me,” I demand, spitting the words through a clenched jaw.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Ask your fucking label,” I growl, not owing him any kind of explanation. “They’re the ones coming up with the bullshit lies to get me here.”
“What are you talking about?”
I yank my arm free and back up a step, hating how every piece of me crumbles under his stare. All I can do is scoff with disgust, noticing how he’s too fucking strung out to stand straight. “Look at you,” I say, shaking my head as I truly take him in. Remnants of the powder linger on his nose, and his cheeks look hollowed out as though he’s not eating properly. His eyes used to be so full of life, but now . . . They’re so empty now. “I thought I was the joke.”
“Rae, I . . . I didn’t know you were going to be here. Otherwise, I never would have—”
“Never would have what?” I challenge, backing up even more as I notice Lenny, Rock, and Dylan at the top of the stairs, hastily making their way toward us. “Turned into a man that not even you recognize anymore?”
“That’s not fair,” he demands as his chains move around on his exposed chest, all but demanding the attention I won’t give. “I lost everything.”
“AND I DIDN’T?” I throw back at him, hating how my traitorous body urges me to wrap my arms around him and hold him until all the pain is gone, but I don’t dare. He’s not mine anymore, and despite the way my soul so easily recognizes its other half right here in front of me, I focus on the hurt, more determined than ever to hate him.
“Woah, okay,” Lenny says as Dylan subtly moves between me and Ezra before taking my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Raleigh, I’m sorry. Why don’t you come inside, and we can talk everything through?”
“You’re kidding, right?” I say to the man who I should have known better than to trust. “You lied to me. You told me there was an opportunity here for me, one that could change everything for me, and you used Axel’s name to do it. So no, I’m not—”
“You did what?” Ezra demands, turning on Lenny.
“Get him out of here,” Lenny says to Rock before turning back to Ezra. “I’ll deal with you later. In the meantime, it’s in your best interest to sober up.”
Rock hesitantly steps into Ezra, grabbing his arm and pulling him away, but he fights it with every step, his broken gaze locked on mine, and the way he stares at me, it’s as though he’s looking at a ghost—someone he thought he was never going to see again.
Left with Dylan and Lenny, I focus my attention on them, not even knowing where to start, but damn it, I have a lot to say. “Just . . . hear us out,” Dylan says, cutting me off before I get a chance to let loose on them both. “Yes, lying to get you here was a shitty thing to do, and I take full responsibility for that. But Ezra . . . He’s drowning Rae.”
I shake my head. “He left me behind eight years ago and never looked back. He’s not my problem anymore.”
“Look, it doesn’t change the facts,” Lenny says. “Have as little or as much to do with Ezra as you’re comfortable with, it means nothing to me. I brought you here under the guise of a job in marketing for the boys’ upcoming tour, and when I told you that Axel believed in you to do this, I meant every word of it. He told me every chance he got that his little sister, Raleigh Stone, was going to work for me one day, and despite how this afternoon has played out, that offer still stands.”
“You told me this was for a new band,” I press.
“I know,” Lenny says, having the audacity to look ashamed of himself. “I had to get you here first. If I told you this was for Demon’s Curse, you never would have stepped onto that jet.”
“Exactly.”
Dylan creeps a little closer. “He needs you.”
“Don’t—”
“I’m sorry, Rae, but I have no choice,” Dylan says. “If there were another way, I’d do it, but everyone knows you’re his backbone. He’s so fucking lost, he doesn’t know how to pull himself out. He needs you, Rae. Just . . . Please, for mine, Rock’s, and Axel’s sake. Just consider it. We’re losing him, and while I know the two of you have gone to great lengths to avoid one another, I don’t think he can do this without you anymore. He’s slowly dying, and he doesn’t even see it.”
I shake my head. “I . . . I’m not his backbone,” I whisper, feeling the heaviness of his words. “I might have been once, but I’m not anymore.”
“You are, Rae. You always have been.”
My gaze falls away, but Dylan steps right into me, curling his strength around me and holding me the same way Axel used to. “We love you, Rae. You’re like a sister to us, and we don’t want to force you to do anything you’re not willing to do, but Ezra is also a brother to us, just like Axel was, and I can’t bear to see him like this anymore. Just tell me you’ll consider it.”
I swallow over the lump in my throat, and as Dylan releases me, I meet his haunted stare. “Is it really that bad?”
He nods, and I see the heaviness in his eyes. “It’s worse.”
“Okay,” I finally say. “I’ll think about it.”