Chapter Eight
MERCS
The Next Day
After not seeing Effa all day and spending another night on the crew room sofa, alone this time, I run a hand through my hair. She’s like a damn ray of sunshine in my messed-up life, and I went and screwed that up. She could have been something really good for me.
My thoughts drift to Kiera, my little sister. Just the thought of her makes my chest tighten. I wonder how she’s holding up. I’m doing this all for her, but money’s tight, and I’m not sure I’ll make the deadline for her procedure if I am not savvy.
“I’m sorry, Kiera,” I mutter, pacing the floor of the crew room.
“They say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness,” a deep voice calls from behind, laced with amusement.
Turning, I spot Tank in the doorway, his eyes gleaming with laughter.
I roll my eyes and shove my cell in my pocket as I head toward him. “I just might be going crazy, man,” I admit.
“Well, no better group to lose your mind with than this bunch of rockers. It’s easy to be nuts around them,” he jokes, and I crack a smile.
“But seriously…” he adds, “… anything I can help with?”
“Nah, thanks though. Just something I need to figure out on my own.”
Tank nods slowly, raising a brow. “Ahh, got it. Woman trouble. Don’t worry, mate, we get paid today. Go grab your girl something nice, make it up to her.”
That perks me up. “Seriously? Thanks, man. That’s great news.” I can finally send some money home to Gran. Every bit helps with Kiera’s treatment.
Tank chuckles. “I know, I’m a legend. But wait! You have a girl back home?”
I shake my head. “Nah. Kiera’s my sister—”
“Hold up,” he interrupts, wide-eyed. “You’re not into that Game of Thrones type of brother-sister relationship shit, are you?”
“Ugh, gross, dude. Come on—”
Tank bursts into loud laughter, putting up both hands in surrender as he doubles over, clutching his stomach. “Oh man, your face… fuckin’ priceless!”
I reach out and slap the back of his head, grumbling while he follows me out the door, still laughing.
“So… you stayed here again last night?” he asks.
I nod. It’s going to be weird seeing Effa again after not talking since the night before last.
“Why didn’t you come to the hotel with us? You know your room’s paid for, right?”
I blink, surprised. “What? That’s not usually how this works.”
Tank shrugs. “Yeah, well, these girls look after their people. They’ve got a whole floor rented out for both bands and crew. I’m pretty sure there’s a room with your name on it. Might have to share, but at least it’s got a real bed and…” he sniffs dramatically, “… a shower.”
He smirks as I glance down at myself and chuckle under my breath. Fair point. “Okay. Right.” I quickly sniff under my arms. “Is this something they do at every stop?”
“Yep. If they can’t rent an entire floor, they’ll get the penthouse and put us up in nearby rooms. These girls are something else. They really care about everyone on their team.”
“Yeah… I’m starting to see that.”
We enter the backstage area, and it’s already buzzing with crew getting things ready for tonight’s final show.
After this, we’re heading to Colorado for an intimate performance at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
I’ve had to rework the entire lighting dynamic just for that venue because it’s way smaller, the stage is barely half the size of their usual setup, and the crowd tops out at just over nine thousand.
No interactive effects. No waterfalls. Just light and atmosphere to highlight the girls and their sound.
From what I’ve seen online, it’s supposed to be magical.
A natural, acoustically perfect amphitheatre carved into the mountains, surrounded by plains and rock formations.
It’s one of a kind. Sting, U2, The Beatles—they have all played there.
Honestly, it seems like the kind of place Effa would pick herself.
Jay strolls up as we near the crew hub, grinning like a jackass. “Yo! Heard you crashed here again last night. You know that’s weird, right?”
Everyone nearby laughs.
“Okay, okay, I get it. Don’t worry. I’ll stay at the hotel with the rest of you tonight.”
A round of loud cheers erupts backstage, and I can’t help but laugh as they crowd around.
“Wow. Didn’t know you all liked me this much,” I tease.
“Shut up,” Tank replies. “We want the whole team together. Doesn’t feel right having a man down.”
Suddenly, a round of wolf-whistles rings out down the corridor. We all turn to see the girls approaching. They’re not in their stage outfits yet, but they’re looking stylish as hell.
Except Effa.
She’s barefoot, barefaced, hair down in extra waves, and wearing pants that look like a psychedelic dream. Her top is a shoelace-strapped thing that shows off her midriff and the fact that she’s not wearing a bra.
I swallow hard.
She looks like… Effa.
Totally effortless.
Totally her.
Anyone else in that outfit would look ridiculous. But on her? It’s sexy as hell. She’s so small, delicate almost, but I know better. There’s steel under that soft exterior.
“Cool it, guys,” Luke calls from behind them, and the moment between us shatters.
Effa walks past without a word, chatting with the girls.
But I catch the glance she tries to hide as she passes.
Alana shoots me a quick wince, and I sigh, dragging a hand over the back of my neck.
The weight in my chest tightens. I barely know Effa, so her being pissed at me shouldn’t matter, but it does.
It really fucking does.
Sometimes space is the best move.
Sometimes not trying is the only way to try.
At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.
Tank chuckles beside me. “Wow. I’ve never seen Effa ice someone out before. You’ve been here less than four days, and you’ve already pissed her off? What the hell did you do?”
“I was an asshole,” I admit. “She was nice… I was a dick. Luke got in my face, and I lashed out.”
Tank grunts. “Luke’s the protective big-brother type.
He only steps in when he sees potential.
If he jumped in over you and Effa, he saw something.
Don’t let him scare you off. If you’ve got a thing for her, and from the googly eyes I just saw, I’d say you do, then grow a pair, man.
” Then he pats my shoulder and wanders off to wrangle the crew.
I exhale, straighten my spine, and tell myself to stop being a coward. My feet move before I’ve even figured out what I’m going to say. All I know is I need to talk to Effa. Explain myself. Let her know the kiss, falling asleep with her… it meant something to me.
As I get closer, I spot Effa talking to Andi.
My steps falter as I catch her words.
“So then Jett said he’d wait for me after the show tonight—”
I freeze.
Alana sees me, and her eyes widen like she can’t believe I actually came over. Kristy giggles with the others.
“You and Jett are getting along so well,” she says.
Alana grabs Effa’s arm and shakes her lightly. “Mercs.”
“He said his piece the other morn—” Effa starts.
“No, behind you,” Alana says, cutting her off.
Effa spins and meets my gaze. “Mercs,” she says, her voice soft and smoky.
I clear my throat. “Look, I’m not one for drama. If you want to talk, I’ll find you at the after-party. Right now, I’ve got work to do.”
And with that, I walk away.
But all I really want to do is pin her against the wall and kiss the hell out of her.
What good would that do?