Chapter 28
Jodi Castle
Jodi gave the dressing room a hard pass after The Ghost Boys left the stage, staying instead to watch Black Halo put on a show.
Those guys knew how to rock. Xane had a way about him.
He’d glide across the stage in a floating, almost ethereal fashion then electrify the crowd with something mean and sinister, only to switch things up again.
His death growl eviscerated, while his clean vocals created the sort of frisson that painted goosebumps all over her body.
Ash and Spook were goddamned perfect, especially when they’d torment one another by duelling.
Luthor did an impressive job on drums, and while Ronnie was mostly confined to the keyboard, when they let him out to sing one of his solo numbers, multiple ladies in the front row swooned.
And then, there was Rock Giant. Larger than life.
Never content to fade into the background.
Besides, Black Halo’s recent stuff had scores of killer bass lines of the sort that underpinned the lead riffs and the lyrics and inked their notes into your soul.
Plus, it was hard not to be won over by that much raw sex appeal.
The man oozed charisma of an earthy grounded variety, not the vampiric mesmeric sort exuded by Xane.
“You were fantastic,” she spluttered, when he came off drenched in sweat and after an hour and a half of gothic-inspired metal mayhem, throwing her arms around his middle.
“You stayed for the whole show.” He floored her with a dazzling grin and hugged her back in an equally dramatic fashion. “Castle, careful, I’ll start believing you’re into me.”
She gave him a playful hip bump, and they wandered backstage. As they approached Black Halo’s dressing room, one of the Ghost Boys roadies popped his head out from behind a stack of cases he was shifting. “They’ve gone back to the hotel to clean up.”
“You mean they left without me? Buggers.”
Paul dropped a sweaty arm around her shoulder.
“It’s fine, you can hitch a ride with us.
Let me grab my stuff. They’re onto something.
The showers here are shit. Ash reckons there’s something up with the water pressure.
Plus, no waiting around to take turns at the hotel or the accompanying risk of standing in jizz. ”
Six sweaty guys and her piled into a chauffeur-driven people carrier. “Where are all the ladies tonight?”
“Allegra’s still working,” Spook said. That’s right, she was part of their tech team. Sound and lights, or something.
“Ginny fancied a quiet night, and I think Dani stayed with her.” Ash pulled his games device out and was instantly absorbed with the screen.
“New release,” Paul explained. “He’s addicted. The bottom wobble on this version is better than ever.” She never got the name of the game and didn’t ask.
Ronnie, who had been last to enter the vehicle, wedged himself into the space between her and Paul, snapped the strawberry lace necklace he was wearing and proceeded to suck it into his mouth. “Want some?” he asked, catching her watching.
Jodi shook her head. “I’m good.” She did not need to eat confectionery that Ronnie Bush had been sweating on for the last two hours, although, if she’d been any kind of entrepreneur, she’d have taken it and auctioned it.
There were definitely enough rabid Ronnie Bush fans out there who’d pay a fortune for sweated-on strawberry laces.
They were barely in the vehicle two minutes before they pulled up at the hotel entrance facing the plaza and lake she and Rock Giant had explored earlier.
“That’s us.” Paul pointed up to a span of balconies above their heads.
“Well, facing the other way. Fancied a sea view this visit. Where are you?”
“Not sure.” She’d have to text and find out.
Having pulled several items out of her bag and pushed aside several others she had no recollection of acquiring, she found her phone and a message from Brian with her room number.
Brian: Concierge are expecting you.
Xane got out first. He’d been riding up front. Within seconds of hitting the pavement screaming fans emerged from the hotel foyer and ran across the road full of traffic from the plaza to engulf him. “Fuck,” he muttered. “Hi, ladies. Yes, hello. Hello.”
“Where’s our goddamned security?” Spook asked no one in particular, before shouldering his way out of the vehicle and into the crowd.
“It’ll be okay,” Paul reassured her. He got out first, then offered her his hand, and used his body to block her from the press of people. Nevertheless, several members of the crowd shoved phones in her face and snapped pictures.
“Is that your girlfriend?”
“Paul, please,” she said, terrified that he’d say she was his wife. The last thing her relationship needed was the world press announcing her marriage to the wrong man.
Things weren’t any better inside the hotel, which was largely open plan, and had windows in seemingly every direction. They were chased into the lifts, with no opportunity for her to collect her key.
“You can go down later for it. Or we’ll send someone. Give security some time to calm things down.”
“Is it always like this?”
“It is if people know where we are. Someone’s let it slip. My money’s on one of your boys. Our lot know better.”
“It could have been someone from the hotel staff.”
“Doubtful. It’s bad for business.”
He took her up to his room. A king-sized twin with a separate sitting area, and a broad balcony surrounded by glass railings.
“I’m gonna shower. Make yourself comfortable.”
She pointed at the hanging egg chair.
“Go for it. I always figure they look more comfortable than they are.”
Jodi shot off some texts to Nash as she waited. The edge of the swing chair dug into the back of her legs despite its padding, and it wasn’t quite wide enough for her to curl up in comfortably. Maybe if she was as svelte as Mrs Ash, but she’d never been that. Even as a child she’d been chunky.
She kicked off her shoes and bent up her legs so that her feet rested on the basket edge. Better, except now she looked as if she was posed ready for a good railing. Was that the chair’s primary purpose? In a hotel room, that was a somewhat disturbing thought. She relocated to the sofa.
Nash: Yeah, it was mental when we got here too. Glad you’re safe. Gold star to RG, I guess. Sorry we abandoned you. All stinkified and in need of showers. Didn’t want to disturb. Brian said you were enjoying the show.
Jodi: Shall I come down and scrub your back?
Haven’t managed to grab my key yet.
Nash: Not in our room. With Balin and Jez atm.
Give me RGs number, and I’ll find you soon.
Jodi: OK.
She knocked on the bathroom door. “Is it okay if I send Nash your room number? Paul?
Maybe he couldn’t hear her over the noise of the water.
She’d give it a minute, preferring to gain his permission before handing his room number out, even if it was just to Nash.
It was unkind of her, but she could see her fiancé deliberately letting it slip to cause Rock Giant issues.
She was especially suspicious of the fact he hadn’t said anything negative about her being here.
Maybe he figured other people were present.
Or maybe he was too busy watching Balin fuck some random woman to give a shit what she was currently up to.
She knocked on the bathroom door again. “Paul?”
Maybe if she cracked it open, he’d hear her.
It wasn’t locked.
The shower had to have one of those waterfall heads, for it was certainly pounding the base of the enclosure with considerable force.
She hadn’t counted on the mirror, or the extractor fan ensuring it remained condensation free, or the particularly beautiful curve of Paul Reed’s arse being visible below the inked slope of his muscular back.
Cheeks, high and firm, the muscles hollowing as he clenched and relaxed.
Even as she watched he partially turned to rest one forearm against the tiles.
The view was hazed by the water running down the glass but still gave her enough of a view to cause her to near choke when it became apparent what he was doing. He was… Heat washed through her body.
“Castle?”
She pressed her knuckles to her mouth. Swallowed in a futile attempt to get a grip on herself. No sense in pretending she wasn’t here and attempting to close the door noiselessly. If she could see his reflection, odds were he could see hers.
“I know you’re there.”
She swallowed again. Croaked. “Just wondered…” Coughed and started over. “I just wondered if it was okay to give Nash your number… Your room number?”
“Yeah, if you give me your phone number.”
“Not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Do you want to debate what is and isn’t a good idea right now?”
“Not really.” She was sure she’d lose dramatically. He’d stopped stroking, but his hand was still around his cock, not merely hiding it from her vision.
“I’ve seen it before, you know.”
Why the fuck had she said that? Way to make it obvious that she was staring.
“Believe me, I know. I’m not sad about you seeing it now.
Just frustrated that you’ve vetoed doing anything more than looking.
” A grin crinkled his cheeks. “That is unless you want to glide over here and engage in some intentional voyeurism. I promise, I’ll put on a good show for you. ” He gave her a wink.
“Nash wouldn’t like it.”
That was her best defence?
“Castle.”
“What?”
He made a noise right in the back of his throat, which sounded like it’d wriggled its way up from his knees.
“You’re killing me.” His jaw clenched. Jodi’s heart started pounding inside her ears so loud it practically drowned out the water noises.
Droplets were clinging to his abs. Darker hairs at the tops of his legs were clumped together into wriggly strands.
If she followed the dragon’s tail to its end…
She startled. Shook her head and got a grip of herself.
“So, can I give him your room number?”
He huffed. “Do whatever you must.”
“Or?”