Chapter 29
TWENTY-NINE
I’m firing off emails left and right, shifting from email thread to texting easily to let everyone know what the plan is.
We’re not stupid enough to go into this without security, but if we can give Mel some kind of peace before the crazy hits? I’m going to do everything I can to make sure she has it.
“Need any help?” Adam asks me softly, and I shake my head no. “When did you guys decide this?”
“When you guys were sleeping. We have a lot to catch you up on.”
“Yeah, I saw the escort for the stewardess. I assume that means you guys found something on the phone.” His voice drops even lower so there’s no chance that Mel overhears us. Kai and Reis seem to be keeping her occupied, pointing things out on either side of the car as we pass them.
She’s so excited; her head flipping from side to side quickly, leaning over either of them to get closer to the window. So adorable.
“We’ll talk at the restaurant,” I promise.
“Got it,” Adam says, nodding once as his face sets into an angry grimace. I see his hands clench into fists as he realizes what it means that I’m not telling him about the phone right now.
“Reis took care of it.” I say as softly as I can to give him that bit of relief at least, but Adam just nods.
The drive is quiet after that. I got the security detail sorted—plain clothes, clear ear pieces to not draw attention, and made sure that they’re bringing us hats and glasses. Add that to our backpacks and obvious travel clothes, hopefully people will just let us slide past.
“You’re going to have to wear your hood up, Adam. You’ve got too many neck tattoos that are recognizable.”
“Yeah, I figured. Thank god, it’s not the dead of summer,” he mumbles, pulling at his collar.
“Our driver will take our bags to the hotel. Then, we’ll meet Louis there while we shower and get ready before heading off to the venue. There will be dinner at the craft table I’m sure, if that’s what we want.”
“Are you kidding? If we’re going out, I want fish and chips. Stuff that we’re not allowed to eat via the stupid fucking food plan. If we only get a day in London with Mel, I’m not going to spend it eating meal-prepped catering when she should get the whole experience.”
I nod and a smile grows on my face. “Well said.”
It’s obvious we want to give her everything, and that started the moment we saw her again.
“Yes, the rest of your party is in the back. Follow me.” The hostess must have been told we were coming because she isn’t shocked, isn’t bubbling at the fact four of the biggest rockstars just walked into her pub, she just stays calm and professional. We all follow her to the back room.
There stands Louis. With a bag in his hand, and his tie pulled down from the knot.
“Boys,” he says warmly in greeting.
“Your waitress shall be with you shortly,” the hostess says, and immediately, Reis and Adam correct her.
“Waiter.”
We won’t be letting another Sarah situation happen. I nod, and Kai crosses his arms over his chest, looking wearily at Louis.
“Right. Forgive me. Your waiter shall be with you shortly.”
She closes the door behind her, and all our attention goes to the next threat in the room. Melody’s a badass and doesn’t bend under the tension, but I can tell she’s feeling a little out of her depth. She doesn’t quite know the hierarchy of our world, and doesn’t want to get us in trouble.
God, I fucking love her.
“Melody,” Louis snaps, no warmth at all. Fucker still thinks he can talk that way to her.
I’m not the only one who catches his tone either.
Reis stands a little straighter like he’s about to start a heavyweight fight, Kai clenches his teeth while his fists clench at his sides, Adam steps to the side to cover Mel, and me?
I grab her hand and pull her against me.
Showing Louis that she’s protected at all times, by all of us.
“Louis,” she greets him, her tone equally as deadpan, and I have to focus not to smirk. Louis chooses to ignore her, and that makes my jaw set to the side in anger.
“You guys are being so fucking stupid.” Louis shakes his head, moving from around the table to look right at Reis. “Going off—to the tourist traps at that—at midday when the public knows you have a concert tonight? Rookie move.” Louis brings his hand down roughly on the table.
“I think we know how we want to spend our free time. It’s really none of your fucking business, Louis.
We know how to make it safe for everyone, so I think I can speak for us all when I say, get the fuck out,” Kai growls, stepping forward to grab the bag of stuff to help us blend in.
While his words were blunt… they weren’t wrong.
Louis looks to Mel and his eyes narrow, his eyebrows pinching together and his hand on the table curling into a fist. He’s looking at her as if this is somehow her fault.
Like Kai disagreeing with him, all of us refusing to fall into line.
He’s looking at her as if it all stems from her.
I do not fucking like that. Louis opens his mouth to say something, but Reis interrupts him.
“What do you want, Louis?” Reis says with a sigh, stepping forward and pulling Louis' attention from Mel.
“I want you to think about this. Really fucking think about it. What would happen if word were to get out that you all are sharing her? The public wouldn’t understand.
Hell, I don’t understand why this whole thing went on more than a night,” he says exasperatedly.
“You all can have as many girls as you want, and I can make sure that nothing reaches the public. But this?” Louis gestures towards Melody, “This is career ruining.”
And before he can keep speaking, Reis shoves Louis back with a quiet kind of rage. He didn’t shove him hard enough to knock him down, but definitely hard enough to get Louis' head on straight.
“Watch your fucking mouth,” Reis bellows.
Melody shifts then, stepping behind me, and she tries to pull her hand from mine.
Like she wants to run.
“No, Echo,” Adam says quickly, taking a step back with her. My hand wraps around hers tighter. There’s no way I’m letting her go.
Not ever, but especially not now.
Not when she’s listening to this fucking bullshit and is scared.
“We already discussed this, Louis. Keep your opinions to yourself. We said we’re off for an hour and,” I look down at my watch, “forty-two minutes. We’ll still be there for stage check and to get ready.
Now, before you can insult us and our girl any further, please leave.
Or maybe we need to renegotiate your contract,” I say strongly.
I’m not usually one to handle the confrontations, but I’m not letting anything convince Mel that what we have, all five of us, isn’t right. Isn’t what’s been written in the fucking stars.
“You can’t.” Louis stands a little straighter like he’s won something, before he looks at Kai.
My eyes track the movement and I see Kai standing there, holding a knife, breathing heavily through his nostrils.
Melody pulls herself from my grasp and when I look at her, she’s locked in on Kai as well, so I let her go.
If anyone can bring him back without him committing a murder, it's her.
“Kai,” she says softly. “Kai, look at me.” Her hands go to his face as he twists the knife in his hand, still very focused on Louis.
“Kai, look at me,” she pulls him softly so his eyes lock onto hers. “It’s Sync, I’m here. I’m safe, I swear to you.”
“He…” Kai grumbles, but she shushes him softly.
“He’s a loud-mouth with an asshole opinion.” Melody waves it off, and my heart beats a little stronger in my chest.
“Excuse me?” Louis says exasperatedly, but Adam and Reis step forward aggressively as Louis metaphorically rolls over and shows his belly with his hands in the air and stepping back.
I walk over to Kai and Mel, standing right next to them to offer quiet support. And maybe pull him back if his other half takes over too much.
“It’s okay, Kai,” she says softly, trailing her fingers down his arm and slips her hand around the knife, pulling it from his grasp softly before moving his hand to hers.
“Get out of here Louis,” Kai says through gritted teeth, and I can tell we’re at the end of his restraint rope. It’s enough for me.
“Go on,” I gesture for Louis to go towards the door.
“Seriously, you guys. Think about this. Be smart about this. You’ve worked so fucking hard for this success and now you’re thinking of endangering it?” Louis says, but he moves. So he’s not completely stupid.
“Who we are, who we love, and how we choose to spend our lives—it’s no one’s business other than ours.” Adam opens the door, and holds his hand out aggressively. “We owe the world our music, not our lives. Get out.”
“Be at the fucking venue in an hour and a half. If you get spotted, I can’t help you. Or recover us from this.”
“Thanks for the warning,” Reis throws out. He closes the door before turning back to Melody. “Reverb, baby.” And even I can hear the apology in his voice.
“It’s fine,” Melody says stiffly, and I know we’ve just lost her a little bit. Fucking Louis. I step closer, like we all do, to reach out and bring her back to us.
We all know she’s been worrying about what would happen if it got out about the five of us, and at this point, I think I want to just tell the world so she doesn’t have to carry that fear any longer.
Kai’s closest and yanks her back to him. Growling so lowly in her ear I can’t hear what he’s saying. But even in the dim light, we can all see the blush that grows over her face.
“Who’s going first? I know we said one-on-one, but I’m thinking two of us go with her since Louis was a fucker and took up time,” Adam says quickly, looking at his watch.
“I’m going first.” Kai declares, holding Mel even closer to him, breathing her in. “Duke it out amongst yourselves who’s coming with us.”
“Flip a coin?” Adam asks, but I roll my eyes.
“No, you fuckers got to sleep on the plane with her. I’m going.” Reis points his finger aggressively at us both.
“Fair,” I shrug.
“Let’s go!” Melody claps excitedly. I’m going to have to ask Kai what he said to her because she looks relaxed again.
Kai reaches into the bag and pulls out a black hat, slipping it on his head before throwing a navy one at Reis. They pull out some aviator sunglasses from the bottom of the bag, and Kai pulls his hood up.
“You look like you’re going to rob a bank,” Adam says, deadpanned.
“Maybe I will.”
“Call Jerry, for security info and details. I’ll send you the info I received. Be back here in forty minutes.” I pull my phone out, tapping away to send the info to Reis.
“Who wants to go to Big Ben and who wants to go to The Eye?” Melody asks excitedly.
“We’ll do the Eye,” I hold my hand up between Adam and I. No reason for Kai to have to explain that ferris wheels or heights aren’t really his thing. Kai nods to me in thanks and says, “We’ve got Big Ben then. Let’s go.”
He grabs Mel’s hand, pulls her closer to the door. She stops, grabbing my shirt and giving me a quick kiss goodbye before doing the same to Adam. She waves back at us as Kai drags her and Reis out the door.
“Drink?” I ask Adam, sighing.
“It’s noon.”
“Not at home it isn’t.”