Chapter 4
Dylan
The car pulls up at the airport and I climb out, grabbing my overnight bag from the driver. I glance back inside the car at Ocean. She’s asleep in the back seat. I lean back in and gently shake her shoulder. She wakes with a snort, making me grin.
“We there?” she lifts her sunglasses and looks around.
I stare at her, still blown away by how gorgeous she is. Even tired as hell after a long night at the hospital. I was loath to do this to her, but the card from Alessa was very precise in its orders.
That was what they were, orders. I’m used to how abrupt my band mate can be, having known her for years. It is to do with her heritage rather than her demeanor.
Alessa isn’t always intentionally mean, nor does she want to make people feel like she doesn’t like them. Unless she does dislike them, then it’s real. She’s never lost that harsh tone.
I debated for a while over whether to wake Ocean and bring her along. When I did, she hopped up straight away and got a shower, too intrigued not to come.
No one has got hold of Alessa, her phone is switched off. No one else knows what’s going on either, the others got the same card, or invite, with no clue what to make of it.
Nick called after we got ourselves ready to let us know BreakNeck all got the same invite, so this is something Jordan and Alessa are up to. It won’t be the first time he’s thrown an impromptu party. Or invited us to go away for the weekend. Gambling in Vegas, or partying on a yacht in Monaco. All things Nash and I felt completely out-of-place doing. We thoroughly enjoyed them all the same.
Ocean climbs out of the car, her tiny frame wrapped in one of my hoodies. It isn’t cold, but she’s tired and feeling it more than me. We are at the private terminal at JFK and enter the lounge.
There are a few people already here. Ocean greets Tia with a hug. Archer and Brooke are sitting at a table, him on his phone, her on her laptop. From what little I know of Brooke, she’s a workaholic lawyer. Archer tips his chin at me as I make my way to Nash.
My brother is standing by the window watching planes taking off. I drop my bag with an attendant who is waiting to take it. Ocean sits with Tia, and they get themselves a coffee.
“What the hell?” I ask my brother.
“Hey,” he greets me with a one-armed hug and back slap. He looks troubled and tired.
“Any idea what this is about?” I ask, looking around.
A car pulls up and Nick and Elsa get out. She is almost skipping around to him, talking animatedly. Nick smiles at her as he passes off his bags and wraps his arm around her. For a private guy, he sure doesn’t mind the PDA his girlfriend lays on him.
“No clue,” he says.
His body language tells me he is tense as fuck. There isn’t much of an age difference between me and my brother. He more or less raised me when our parents got divorced and dad moved out of state. Our parents love us, and are always there for us, but Nash was my day to-day go to.
“I guess you haven’t seen the news this morning,” he says.
“What now?” My back straightens. The last few months have been difficult. Although everyone is happy the in-band drama is over, things haven’t been the same since Riley walked away.
“She’s doing an interview.”
“The fuck?” I turn to face him.
“She wants to tell everyone her side of the story.”
“What? That she’s a lying snake. Someone who cares more about money and attention than the people she is supposed to care about?”
Nash gives me a look. He doesn’t like me talking about her like that. I understand why. We grew up together, Riley and Nash were joined at the hip since they were about seven.
It didn’t excuse what she did, cheating on him, almost destroying the band. Then crawling back when it blew up in her face, trying to destroy Nash’s new relationship. And the cherry on top, walking out on the band.
“Can Declan stop it?”
Nash shrugs. “Probably not. We can try to get out ahead of it. I think it’s best to just let her get it off her chest.”
“Get it off her chest?” I say incredulously. “She’s gonna rag your reputation, you know that, right? Try to make you look like the bad guy.”
He shrugs again, but it’s bothering him. He glances across at Tia, she’s smiling at Elsa, who has joined their group. Nick makes his way over to Archer, who says something that has him bursting into laughter.
Sometimes, I got jealous of the way those guys are together. Yeah, Jordan can be a pain in the ass, he’s caused some shit over the years, but they’re as close as brothers. Nothing phases them. They’ve been in the business a lot longer than us and are rockstar royalty. It’s easier for them to brush shit off.
Not us though, we’re still tenuous. We’ve done one headlining tour and our next is already in the works. The first without her as a part of the band.
Riley fucking it up for us any further is not an option for me. Fucking with my brother, is even worse.
“We can sort it out after this,” Nash says, brushing his hair back off his forehead.
“When is this supposed side of her story happening?”
“Next week, it’s gonna air live on GtG.”
“That tells you everything. The bitch,” I grumble. Get the Goss is a trashy news site that everyone knows posts and airs bullshit stories. “Well, that gives us time to deal with it.”
“Leave it, Dyl.”
“No,” I tell him, loud enough that a few people look over. Tia especially lingers, watching us.
“I’ve thought about it from all angles. Whatever I do is gonna make me look like I’m trying to silence her. I’m not giving her that satisfaction.”
I stare at him, seeing beyond the words. It’s hurting him. He’ll never admit it, but this whole mess hurts him. They were friends for years, he’d planned to marry her, wanted a family with her. Yeah, he’s moved on and he’s happy with Tia.
There is that deep-seated regret and sadness over how it ended with Riley. I fucking hate her for making my brother feel like this.
“We should have fired her when it first happened,” I mutter.
“You can’t fire someone for breaking up with their boyfriend. Anyway, can’t change things now.”
There is no point discussing it further. I know my brother, he is going to brood over this. I head over to the bar for a beer. A few minutes later, Archer joins me and orders one for himself. It’s all complimentary, which I still get a kick out of.
“Any idea what this shit is about?” Archer asks me.
He’s BreakNeck’s lead guitarist and I fan boy’d like a dick when I first met him. I fell short of telling him I had his poster on my wall when I was a teenager. That shit would have been embarrassing. Being around him for the last few months, I’ve learned he is a cool guy.
“Not a clue. You get the same black card?”
He takes it out of his pocket and shows me. A quick scan tells me it’s the same one Alessa sent us.
“I’ve got my suspicions,” Arch says, taking his beer, thanking the bar tender. He turns to rest one elbow on the top of it, surveying everyone gathering.
Adam and Jenna arrive, and I think Archer is going to abandon me to greet his best friend, but he stays where he is.
“Brooke thinks they’re getting married, but I’ve known Jordan my whole life. He’s been adamantly against that institution.”
“Alessa too, it’s the perfect ruse though,” I say, drinking some of my beer.
“Jordan would go to Vegas and not invite anyone. He knows we would give him shit for the rest of his life.” Archer shakes his head. “It doesn’t say on the card where the fuck we’re headed.”
“What else could it be?”
“Knowing him, a naked orgy,” Archer laughs and my eyes widen.
Like fuck will I be letting Ocean near any of these men. Even though they’re all wife’d up. I’ve seen those books Nick reads. I don’t think he shares Elsa, but I could be wrong. Elsa is currently perched on his lap as she gossips with the girls. I doubt that happens, but I guess it’s always the quiet ones you have to look out for. Elsa is a real free spirit, all boho and spiritual. I can imagine her being down with an orgy.
“Relax kid, you think any of these pricks would let us see their women naked?”
“Not a chance in hell,” I grunt, and he laughs again, this time at my expense. He casts a quick look over at the girls. Ocean is smiling, but I can see the tiredness in her eyes.
“She okay?” Archer asks.
“She was on shift till six this morning.”
His brows lift. “How the hell is she awake? She’s a doctor, right?”
“Yeah, in the ER,” I say proudly.
Ocean pulled herself out of the slums to get to where she is. She never stopped believing in herself. Her family tried to make her believe she wasn't worth it. She spent most of her childhood alone, taking care of herself.
And her brother. Shit, I'm still not over what his actions triggered and how it affected Ocean. She may have forgiven him, but I damn well haven't. It's a good job he went where he did, so he never gets the chance to see her again.
“She’ll get some rest on the plane if you dicks can keep it down.”
“Hey, less of the dicks. Besides, we’re all old. Our rowdy, boozy party flights are a thing of the past,” he chuckles.
Adam walks over, a scowl on his face.
“Who pissed on your pancakes?” Arch asks with a bemused smile.
“Jordan,” Adam says, running his hands through his hair. He looks at Jenna. She’s sitting with a glass of water in her hand. “You get hold of him yet?”
“Nope. No one has. Presumably the same for Alessa.” Archer looks to me, which I confirm with a nod and sip my beer.
I don’t know who the fuck I think I’m kidding. I still feel awestruck in their presence. I know his real name is Adam, and that is how we all refer to him. But Aidan Gass is in front of me.
The man is a fucking legend. Their band has won so many awards, their albums have gone triple platinum over the years.
He’s also got solo writing awards under his belt for music he’s written for other artists. Despite his occasional surliness, he’s a decent guy. Fame hasn’t taken him over. In fact, he shies away from it as much as possible.
“What’s up with Jenna?” Archer breaks into my thoughts.
Adam’s head whips around to see his wife waving off Tia as she heads for the ladies’ room. He rushes after her without another word. Arch’s brows rise again.
“What’s that about?”
Archer keeps his eyes trained on the hallway and says nothing. I shrug, not really caring. I glance around the room again. Everyone is here, apart from Jordan and Alessa. And Ciro.
If anyone got the skinny on this thing, it’s Ciro. Him and Alessa shared an apartment when she first got to the US. They were in another band together before they auditioned for Red Alert.
I figure he knows what the deal is and I’m suspicious he isn’t here.
I excuse myself, and head back over to my brother. Jack, our drummer, is sitting with him now, a pair of sunglasses covering his eyes. He looks as if he’s wearing clothes he slept in.
I lean over and shout hello in his ear, scaring the shit out of him. Nash laughs when Jack almost falls out of his chair.
“Fuck face,” Jack croaks.
“What were you up to last night?” I laugh, sitting beside him.
“Party. I’ve barely had a couple hours of sleep. This asshole kept calling me and I woke up in a top model’s bed,” he gives me a wink.
I pull a face. Ciro and Jack are the only ones who haven’t settled down. I don’t think Jack will. He’s a lot like Jordan was, in his former life, before he met Alessa. He’s taking full advantage of the fame we’ve achieved.
He doesn’t do groupies, but he’s definitely enjoying the high life we’re walking in these days. Models, dancers, up-and-coming singers.
Declan’s warned him repeatedly not to fuck about with the other talent on the label. Not sure he’s listened.
“Don’t know if I got this infamous card. I haven’t been home.”
“You need it to get on the plane,” I say with a straight face.
“What?” he lifts his sunglasses up his forehead and peers at me. “You shittin’ me?”
“Yes, he’s shitting you,” Nash nudges me. “It doesn’t say that on the card.”
“Jerk,” I scowl at Nash for ruining my fun. “And we’ll soon find out.” I nod towards the doors where the attendants are coming in. They let us know we can board. “Anyone seen Ciro?”
Jack says he’ll call him, then lets out a belch that has Brooke looking over at him in disgust. He just smiles at her. Everyone gets up and I head over to Ocean.
I brush her dark hair back and look into her chocolate eyes. “You good?”
“Get me a seat at the back, an eye mask and a blanket and I’ll be fine,” she smiles.
Being an ER doctor, Ocean is more than used to sleeping in noisy environments, catching the z’s where she can when working the hours she does.
“Although I’m excited. I’ve never been on a plane before.”
Ocean lives and breathes her work and education and is laser focused on being the best she can. I’m glad she is getting to do this, even if we don’t know what’s happening.
Adam and Jenna return as we move out into the sunshine. His wife is fucking stunning and has no idea. She’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.
I whistle under my breath when I see the plane. BreakNeck is loaded and super famous, but still, it’s humbling and exciting to see a private jet waiting.
“One day,” Nash leans into me, squeezing my shoulder. Tia comes to his side to take his hand, and he smiles down at her.
“Definitely,” I say with a grin. “I guess we find out pretty soon what’s up.”
I’m only mildly surprised when we board the plane and find Ciro already sat there, a glass of amber liquid in his hand. None of us ask how he got here before us. He’s an anti-social fucker, tolerating us at the best of times. He’s not even paying us attention as we board, staring out of the window as he sips his drink.
I exchange a glance with Nash, but he shrugs and follows Tia down the aisle. I head to the back where Ocean has a window seat. Archer walks over to us and points to a door.
“There’s a bedroom back there if you need it.”
“No shit,” I gasp and feel my cheeks flush. Archer slaps my shoulder with a grin.
“No need to tell me twice,” she says, grabbing my hand.
“Just no funny business,” Nick calls. “We hear everything through that wall.”
“I’m too exhausted to even contemplate it,” Ocean tells him with a tired smile.
We head through the door and my eyes widen at the bed. A fucking bed on a plane.
“Close your mouth before something flies in there,” Ocean laughs.
She goes up on her tippy toes and kisses me. For like all of five seconds, I contemplate stripping her bare and fucking her. The mile high club and all that, but common sense takes over. She needs to sleep, and fuck knows what we’re heading towards.
We wait until after the plane takes off, buckling up like everyone else for that. Once we’re in the air, we head back to the bedroom. Ocean takes off her scrub pants and hops in the bed in her long hoodie and panties.
I groan, but what the hell, I’ll take advantage of this too. I climb in and snuggle up behind her.
“Love you,” she whispers.
“You too, Angel.” I kiss her neck and close my eyes. I don’t sleep though.
I lay there and think of all the ways I can ruin Riley, before she ruins Nash.