14. Riot
Riot
“You’re coming all the way to San Fran with us, right?” I ask the cute redhead under my arm as we exit the stadium into the parking garage underneath. Kelsey Peterson is going to see she doesn’t mean a fucking thing.
The redhead nods enthusiastically, her arm around my lower back. “I’ll go as far as you want me to.”
“Mm.” I rub my bottom lip as I contemplate the flirty double entendre and the height of her heels. “I like that.”
Rook moves ahead of us, his head on a swivel. He’s been like that since the stalker I had a couple of years back. They’d gone quiet not long before my brother’s wedding, but then that event had turned out to be somewhat of a nightmare shitshow.
Now our fame is at an unparalleled high.
We’re untouchable. And our security acts like it.
Bronx, Kodiak, and Golden follow behind. They decided against company on the bus tonight. Golden has a ritual on opening night, that doesn’t include female companionship.
But we’re all still riding high from the energy of the crowd. Underneath it we’re exhausted, but it’ll be a few hours before we’re not wired. Bronx and Kodiak are probably planning on spending those hours fighting over the bitch on the bus.
“You first, baby.” I usher the twenty-something honey in a tiny, strappy green dress and snakeskin heels onto the bus.
“Morgan.” She turns around and wraps her arms around my neck. I pick her up and kiss her while she winds her legs around my hips.
Jasper, who will travel with us, is already at the table in the front lounge. He shuffles a pack of cards, then lays them face down in rows. His gaze darts to bunk alley. She’s in there.
I sit down with my new girl on my lap. Golden collapses opposite Jasper at the table. He reaches over and steals the pack of cards out of the bodyguard’s hands. Kodiak stretches out on the long bench.
Bronx, his white tank drenched with sweat, grabs us all a bottle of water. He tosses one to each of us. Twisting the cap off his, he tips his head back and empties it in a couple of mouthfuls.
Crushing the bottle in his hand, he tosses it in the trash and stalks toward bunk alley. “I’m going to go take a shower.”
“Tell her to get out here on your way past,” I tell him.
“You’ve got company.” He flips me the bird at the threshold.
“Yeah, I do.” I steal another kiss from the lovely redhead. Lean in to whisper in her ear. “You’re going to look fucking good riding my cock, baby.”
And Kelsey... the look on her face last night when I was fucking the blonde keeps flooding my mind. That and the fact that I didn’t come, because once she went with fucking Kodiak, I lost my hard-on.
But that had nothing to do with it. I never can finish with a blonde. That won’t be a problem tonight.
The redhead giggles and rubs her hand over my cock. “Ooh.”
Bronx shakes his head as he disappears into bunk alley.
“I don’t know about you, but I could use a beer.” Kodiak takes over the distribution of beverages, his head swiveling to peer after Bronx. Did he really get up to see if Bronx would try to talk her into joining him in the shower? It sure looks like it.
He stays over on that side of the bus. Keeps looking down that corridor. As predicted, Bronx must have stopped to talk to her.
Fucking hell. My band mates have never been this pathetic.
“Toss me the peanut butter whiskey,” Golden tells Kodiak.
He reaches into a top shelf for that and the bourbon. Grabs a bunch of shot glasses too. He almost drops the whole lot along with his jaw. “Holy shit, Scary Girl. You’re damn hot.”
Seven hundred and thirty-one days after she ripped my heart clean out, the past fills my tour bus so vividly that it takes my breath away.
“Thanks.” Crossing her fishnet covered legs and spiked heels, she holds out the four-inch ruffle on her tiny black skirt and fakes a curtsy for him. Her tits almost spill out of her tightly laced corset. The smile she shoots his way is real.
Whether he notices the smile is debatable. I want to wipe it off her fucking face.
Her eyes widen then narrow on the girl on my lap. That smile presses itself into a thin line as our gazes clash. “Did you take it?”
“Take what?” I smirk.
“My fucking box.” Her small hands clench into fists at her side.
“I’m not interested in your fucking box.” I sneer at the juncture of her thighs. “Why don’t you ask Bronx, or Kodiak, or is it Golden’s turn?”
Kelsey glares at me.
“Settle, man.” Kodiak stares me down from under his bushy brows.
The redhead glances between the two of us. “Baby, isn’t that your ex?”
“Yeah.” I turn my attention to her.
Her lips purse, she looks concerned. “What is she doing here?”
“She’s just a groupie.” I kiss her. “One of those women who fuck everyone in the band.”
“Oh.” The redhead seems satisfied. “So... you’re not like back together?”
Kelsey gives a strangled laugh.
“Fuck no,” I say.
“He is all yours,” Kelsey tells the girl while Kodiak lines the shot glasses up on the table and fills them all to the brim with the peanut butter whiskey.
Bronx comes back in sweats and a clean shirt. He snags Kelsey around the waist and takes a seat with her on his lap. “How are you doing, Kells Bells?”
“Better now I have my clothes. Thanks to you and Kodiak.” She takes Kodiak’s hand and squeezes it as she smiles at Bronx. Kodiak sits down with them.
“See, I told you.” I put my mouth on the redhead’s neck. “She’ll sleep with anyone.”
“Fuck you.” Kelsey flips me the bird. “You’re the one who couldn’t keep it in your pants.”
What the hell? I never... “She was obsessed with me.”
Kelsey scoffs.
“Jealous. Irrational. Controlling.”
“Controlling?” Kelsey snaps, lunging out of Bronx’s lap. Only his arm around her middle keeps her in place.
“Come on, guys. Can we stop with the animosity? The tour has officially kicked off with the biggest concert we’ve ever performed.
It’s time for a shot.” Golden rolls his gaze at all of us.
He hands out the shot glasses to each of us.
Except Jasper who decides to take a seat outside our circle, where he can watch without participating.
Everyone downs their shot. I make a display of pouring my shot into the redhead’s mouth and taking it from her via a kiss. Then we share hers as well.
“Who wants to start the game?” Golden pours the next round of shots.
“What are we playing?” the redhead asks.
“Truth or Dare,” Kelsey says.
“It’s tradition,” Bronx says, his lips next to her ear. “We’ve been playing since our very first show.”
“I love it.” The redhead’s eyes light up and she bounces on my lap. “We are going to have so much fun.”
“Sure,” Kodiak says.
“I’ll go first,” Kelsey says coolly, pinning me with a stare. “Riot. Truth or Dare?”
“Truth,” I say.
“Did you take my shoebox?”
“Why would I have your stupid box?” As if I’m going to admit that I have her memento box before I’ve had a chance to dig through it and work out what I can use against her.
“You didn’t answer my question,” she seethes.
“No, I didn’t take your box.” Call me a liar. Go on. I dare you.
“Why did I expect any different from the biggest liar I’ve ever met?” She shakes her head as she leaves Bronx’s lap.
Only for Kodiak to hook an arm around her waist and put her on his. “Easy, Scary Girl. There is a time and a place.”
“Fine.” She glares at me, but she nods for him. “I’m going to go to bed.”
“No.” I don’t mean to say it out loud, but by the multiple people looking my way I did. “You don’t get to creep off after calling me a liar. You play the fucking game until we’re done.”
“Fine.” She crosses her arms. “Whose turn is it?”
“Can I?” The girl on my lap plucks at my shirt while giving me a flirty look.
“Sure.”
“Kelsey, I dare you to kiss…” She glances at each of us one by one. “One of the guys.”
Kodiak stiffens.
“Which one?” Kelsey asks.
“Whichever one you want to sleep with the most,” the girl says.
Bronx’s gaze locks with mine.
I shrug.
Golden stares at Kelsey like he’s never been kissed before. Hell, never met a woman before. Is he seriously hoping it’s him despite his ritual?
“Hmm.” Kelsey takes her time glancing between the three of them. Not once does she look my way. Eventually she settles on Kodiak. “Is it okay?”
“Yeah, Scary Girl.” He smiles encouragingly at her when she turns around and straddles him.
Bronx’s attention is glued to the two of them.
“This doesn’t actually mean I want to sleep with you.” She leans in and touches her lips to Kodiak’s. He opens his mouth for her to touch her tongue to his. His fingers tighten on her back as the kiss goes on and on.
There’s a roar in my ears and black spots dance in my vision. I want to humiliate her for looking like she’s enjoying it. God, she brings out the worst in me.
She breaks off the kiss with Kodiak.
“Too bad for Bronx. He really hoped you’d pick him. Why don’t you go ahead and kiss him too,” I suggest. “Or maybe you should get on your knees and suck his cock. After all he went down on you. Fair is fair.”
Her breath is a sharp, short burst accompanied by a withering gaze.
“Bro, seriously?” Bronx leans forward and snatches up the whiskey. He pours shots liberally; the booze ends up pooling on the table too.
Kelsey is still watching me. I shift the redhead’s weight and reach for another shot myself.
“It’s okay.” Kelsey leaves Kodiak’s lap.
She drops to her knees in front of Bronx who stares down at her, pupils dilating. His chest hitches, and he widens his knees, probably making room for a hard-on. “Kels…"
My heart starts to race as she reaches for his zipper. She tugs it down one agonizing click at a time.
I grit my teeth.
“Ouch.” The woman on my lap pushes my hand from her hip when I grab on too tight. “Riot?”
Kodiak and Golden are watching Kelsey intently.
Kelsey stares up at Bronx. Lips parted, she licks them. “Can I take it out?”
“Fucking hell.” Bronx groans. “Yes.”
I’m two seconds from walking out. One second from standing, wrapping my fist in her hair, and yanking her away from my drummer. But fuck it, my cock is hard as rock and my breath is caught in anticipation.
Bronx moans when she slides her hand inside his pants and wraps her fist around his cock. She takes him out in front of all of us. Her hand pumps up and down his length a couple of times.
That’s when she looks at me over her shoulder, animosity and spite on fire in her eyes.
I didn’t think she’d fucking do it.
Turning away from me she lowers her mouth until it’s above his cock.
My head spins as I stand abruptly. The redhead tumbles onto the spot next to the one I vacated. I thrust my hand into Kelsey’s hair and haul her to her feet, forcing her to let go of my drummer’s cock.
“Let me go.” She whirls on me, wincing as that pulls fine hairs from her scalp. She shoves her hands into my chest.
I grasp her elbows and address all three of my bandmates. “None of you fucking touch her. She’s not a groupie. She’s not a friend. She’s my goddamn muse. Her only job here is to inspire our next album. Got it?”
“Got it.” Bronx tucks himself back in.
Kodiak looks like he wants to take a swing at me. “Yeah.”
Golden nods.
“You don’t get to control me,” Kelsey snaps.
“No?” Has the brat in her forgotten how much fun I used to have with her?
There’s a dare in her forced gaze. “No.”
“You want to be on your knees. You can get on them for me.”
She couldn’t look more irritated. Her perfume—whatever crap she wears now—gets up my nose when she gets in my face. I can taste it on my tongue. Floral and exotic. Not her at fucking all.
She stares me down. Rolls her top lip between her teeth, making my cock twitch with nothing more than a look. “You. Fucking. Wish.”
Spinning around, she heads to bunk alley with her middle finger raised high.
Yeah, I don’t need to wish. I’m already putting those wheels into motion, baby.