14. Maddox
FOURTEEN
Maddox
Shit, I miss my girl. We’ve been on the road for two weeks on this leg of the tour, but it feels like twenty.
I’m ready to be home. Funny how when I think of home now, I think of Jen. This must be what it feels like for Beck, since he and Glory got together. Not that I haven’t been entertained by them. I just would much rather be with Jen than sitting here, watching Silas, Tyson, and Huxley kick my ass at tonk.
I hate losing to these shitheads, not to mention the amount of money they’re each getting off of me tonight.
I toss my cards onto the table.“Fuck, this is not my night.”
“Ah, but it is mine.” Silas brags, and Huxley smirks. “Sore loser.”
“Fuck yeah, I am. I haven’t won a single hand tonight.”
I came to what these dipshits are now calling the “single and ready to mingle” suite since these three jokers are bunking down in the same room so they can party and do single-guy shit. Beck and I are off in the “pussy whipped” suite, as they affectionately call it.
Let’s make no mistake, for Jen, I am definitely pussy whipped and loving every second of it. What these guy’s see as pussy whipped; I see as taking care of my girl. Jen deserves the best, and now that I’ve got her, I’m not about to fuck it up. Tonight seems low-key, so I’m just hanging out, having a few drinks. Beck left about thirty minutes ago. He was going to be a guest on a drumming podcast, so he went back to our room to handle that.
As for me, I’m getting my ass handed to me.
“Are y’all cheating? How am I losing every hand?”
A knock sounds at the door, and Tyson stands to answer it but not before he gets in a jab.
“Bet it’s the pizza, and to answer your questions, no, we aren’t cheating. You’re losing because you suck at tonk.”
Silas and Huxley laugh. I swig my beer; pretty sure I’m wearing my annoyance all over my face.
“Looky here.” Huxley stands up from his seat at the table, and I turn to see several of our techs and roadies, along with a bevy of women coming in. And that’s my queue to fucking leave. Not that I can’t be trusted in a room full of groupies, but I know what’s about to go down in here, and it’s too much for me these days.
“All right, I’m going to head out.” I push myself up from the chair, take a drink of my beer, and when I turn, Tricia is there.
“Stay and have a drink with us.” She pouts, sticking out her bottom lip, holds up a bottle of my favorite scotch in one hand, and runs her fingers down the front of my chest with the other.
“Please, Madd, just one little drink.”
Tricia winks at me, and I have to admit this is sort of awkward that my best friend’s ex is hitting on me, but some people chase fame like a dog chases a rabbit, and Tricia is definitely a fame chaser.
“As tempting as that is, I’m going to have to pass. I’m heading out.” I grab Tricia’s hand and drop it once I pull it away from my shirt.
“Come on, old timer, have one drink with us, and then you can return to the pussy whipped suite,” Jacob, one of our newer roadies on this tour, says as he claps my shoulder.
Shit. I try to spend time with our team when I can. I like to get to know them. Once we hit the road, they become our responsibility. I like to ensure they’re happy with the gig and fitting in.
“One drink, and then I’m headed back to my room,” I say, even though it’s the last thing I want to do.
Everyone cheers, especially Tricia.
“Jacob, take care of my man and pour his drink quickly before he changes his mind.” Tyson laughs as he passes by me and grabs the bottle from Tricia to hand it to Jacob. I’m already regretting this decision, but one quick drink and I can get out of here.
Tyson makes his way to a brunette, grabbing her around the waist, then kisses her on the lips before he whispers something in her ear, and then they escape out the suite’s front door.
Fuck.
“Oh, yay! I’m so glad you’re staying! How are you, Madd?”
I turn my attention to Tricia, who is standing a little too close, and she keeps touching my arm while she talks like we’re old buddies.
We absofuckinglutely are not.
“I’m fine. Thanks.” I don’t ask how she is because I don’t really care, as harsh as that may seem. I liked her as a person at one point, but she cheated on my best friend several times during their relationship, and well, that makes her a shitty person in my book. I rub my tattooed hand over my beard. My patience is wearing thin.
“I love the tattoos on the sides of your head. Didn’t that hurt?”
“A bit.” I don’t want to be outright rude and tell Tricia to shut up and fuck off because my momma taught me better than that, but fucking shit, I want to do that very thing. Maybe if I just stand here and give her minimal answers, she’ll shut up and go away.
“I think they’re sexy. I love that you keep your hair short on the sides so they’re visible. I think it’s cool that you can grow your hair out, and no one can see them.”
“Yeah.” Jesus, help me.
Someone, come get her. I look around the room, but everyone else seems otherwise engaged. Huxley is making out with a leggy blonde in a short dress, and they barely make it to his room before her top is off. Silas is headed to his room with a woman under each arm and a drink in each hand.
“I think you’re hot. In fact,” she moves to stand closer to me, then lifts up on her tiptoes to whisper into my ear. Her tits graze my arm, and I cringe.
“I’ve always thought you are the sexiest one in the band. There’s just something about you. A mystique, a swagger. Men are jealous of you.”
Shit, where is that drink?
“Would you want to go to my room next door, where we can be alone?”
“Here you go, buddy.” Jacob extends a drink out to me, and I take it.
Thank you for answered prayers!
“You want to sit down and shoot the shit for a bit?” he asks, and I can’t say no to that.
“Yeah. That sounds good.” I haven’t gotten to know Jacob yet, so I will take this opportunity to hang out for a few minutes before heading to my room. I take a drink of my beer, walk over to the couch, and sit.
Damn, I feel fuzzy. I wonder if I’m coming down with something.
Jacob pulls his phone from his pocket and looks at it before he taps away on the screen. I look around, and it’s just us three, but why do I feel so heavy?
“I’ll be right back. Texas needs help.”
“Okay.” I hear myself say as Jacob walks away.Texas is our lead tech. I hope everything is okay. I should ask him what’s going on but I feel so tired and my body feels as if it weighs a ton.
Someone’s breath is on my cheek.
“Let me make you feel good.”
“I love…” Something? Someone? My vision is starting to fade to black around the edges.
What the hell?