Chapter 17 #2
“You got this, Nai.” She squeezed the other woman’s hand. “If I’ve learned anything in the short time we’ve known each other, it’s that you don’t let anything get in the way of something you want.”
Nai chuckled. “That’s a nice way of putting it.
I just wish my brother had the same philosophy.
He’s been trudging along, writing all these panty party songs instead of focusing on the type of music that he really wants to write …
and all because the label is full of assholes who want to box them into a corner. ”
Addie winced. “Yeah, Phoenix mentioned something about that.”
“Personally, I think both he and East are wasting their talents jumping all these hurdles … but I’ll never say that to them.
” At Addie’s inquisitive look, Nai added, “East loves teaching guitar to the neighborhood kids. It’s been his dream for a long time to open his own music school.
And Phoenix? He’s never really liked all the attention that comes with going up onstage.
He’s a good actor when he has to be but he’d—”
“Rather be the one making the music,” Addie finished.
“Exactly.” Nai nodded and sighed. “But it’s my job to be the supportive fiancée and sister, so whatever they think they need to do, I’ll support.”
Addie chewed on those words while the current band finished their last song. The emcee danced onto the stage and immediately plunged into a mini-monologue to keep the crowd pumped and excited while sets swapped out.
“Oh, I almost forgot!” Addie dug into her jeans pocket and pulled out a lacy red thong.
“What the hell?” Maxi and Bailey exclaimed simultaneously while Nai threw her head back and laughed.
“I need a picture of his reaction.” Phoenix’s sister whipped her phone from her back pocket, solidifying Addie’s decision to do it.
Were the panties hers?
Yes … technically.
She’d dug them out from the back of her drawer earlier that morning.
Had she ever worn them? Nope.
And she had no intention of putting something on that could floss her ass crack. Hence why she’d be flinging them at a certain sinfully sexy drummer.
The emcee introduced the Stone Talons and the guys ran onto the stage to a loud chorus of shouts and cheers. Nearby, two girls broke into sobbing tears, brimming with excitement as they screamed for Gavin to look their way.
Phoenix’s gaze landed on her as if he’d already known where she stood. Addie lost herself in the excitement, and lifting her red thong in the air, spun the swatch of lace around on her pointer finger.
Phoenix laughed and flashed her a wink as he climbed behind his drum set. Settled onto his seat, he crooked his finger in her direction.
Glad she’d picked the high-elasticity thong, Addie stretched the fabric between her fingers and sling-shot the undies onto the stage.
Phoenix stood and leaned over his drums, catching them on his extended drumstick.
His text message finally made sense.
Instead of a well-loved T-shirt, his gorgeously tattooed chest—and piercings—were on full shirtless display.
Her mouth damn near watered at the sight.
But she became momentarily distracted when a shirtless Phoenix perched her red thong on his head like a freaking headband, keeping his hair from dangling into his eyes.
Heat flooded Addie’s cheeks as she laughed, and the Stone Talons belted out their first song.
Addie, Nai, Bailey, and Max sang along with the chorus as they bounced to the steady beat.
More than once—or a dozen times—her gaze caught a smirking Phoenix looking ridiculous—and somehow still sexy—while wearing her underwear on his head.
They finished Flying Undies and dipped right into another song. Addie’s smile never left her face.
“Who are you and what have you done with my cousin bestie?” Bailey demanded, all smirk and humor.
“What?” Addie shrugged. “You’re right. It’s fun. I’m not saying it’s not a lot, and I’ll gladly hermit for about a month after this, but I’m having a good time.”
Bailey inspected her critically, eyeing every inch of her face through narrowed eyes.
“What?” Addie’s self-consciousness grew the longer they stared. “Do I have something on my face?”
“You have something, but it’s not just on your face.” Bailey shared a loaded look with Maxi.
“Yeah, I see it, too.” Her sister nodded.
“What are we seeing?” Nai leaned in for a closer look before breaking into a knowing smirk. “Oh yeah. Now I see it. Who would’ve thought?”
“I did,” Bailey answered. “But I thought it would take a little longer. Unless…”
“What the hell did the three of you smoke before we came here?” Addie demanded. “And what are you talking about? What would take a little longer?”
“I thought it would take longer for this fauxmance to start getting blurry.” Bailey smugly folded their arms over their chest. “Especially with your relationship track record and being the Anti-Aphrodite and all.”
Maxi nodded in agreement. “We said it would take a month, maybe two.”
“Unless there was a magical penis involved,” Bailey added.
At the mention—and insinuation—of Phoenix’s penis, Addie lost her train of thought …
and her words. It was all the ammunition they needed.
All three of them burst out with questions, demanding answers …
and in Bailey’s case, explicit details. When she’d fielded one question, someone blurted out another, and soon she didn’t know who was asking what, or even what answers she was giving.
“You like magical penises?” A broad palm landed on her ass—and squeezed—hard. “I have a magical penis right here I’d like to introduce you to.”
The grip tightened again, and Addie whirled around to find the asshole who’d bumped into her earlier. “Hands off the ass, buddy.”
He swayed on his feet, clearly inebriated and exuding some strong beer breath as he stepped way too far into her personal space. “Oh, come on. You like big cocks, yeah? It happens that I have a massive one, and it’s definitely capable of some magic tricks.”
He made a clumsy attempt to grab her again, and she knocked his hand away. “It would need to be magical if you got it up with how plastered you are. Why don’t you go find some coffee and contemplate ways to approach women that don’t involve groping them without consent?”
“What did you expect to happen with you wiggling that ass in front of me? And why act all prim and proper now? I saw you throw that thong onto the stage.”
The asshole’s friends, nearly as drunk as him, but with more sense, attempted to rein their buddy in. He shook them off and leered down at her. It was a clusterfuck with Maxi, Bailey, and Nai attempting to intervene, but they were thwarted by both the guy and the growing crowd.
“Come on, baby.” He grabbed himself through his pants. “What do you say about getting acquainted with my magic cock?”
Chaos broke out around them, bodies shifting, people shouting. Someone knocked into Addie from the left, and then a familiar tattooed body was stepping in front of her, blocking the drunk asshole’s advance.
“Touch her one more fucking time, and you’ll be acquainted with my magic right hook,” Phoenix warned, his voice a low, deadly growl.
Addie blinked, glancing at the stage—which was minus a Stone Talons drummer—and glanced back to the shirtless man in front of her. East stood on the edge of the stage barking orders at nearby security.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with you, drummer boy.” Mr. Grabby puffed out his barrel chest. “This is between me and the underwear-flinging bitch standing behind you.”
“Say that again, I dare you.” Phoenix stepped closer, fists balled at his side.
This was getting out of hand quickly.
“Just let it go.” Addie gripped Phoenix’s tightened bicep in a failed attempt to hold him back. “Phoenix. He’s drunk. It’s not worth it.”
“Yeah. Let it go, Phoenix,” the guy mocked. “That way I can show her how a magical cock really works.”
The guy reached around Phoenix and grabbed her wrist with a surprisingly tight grip. A surprised, pain-filled gasp escaped her lips.
Phoenix moved instantly, so fast he blurred. Someone shouted. Addie lost her balance. This time, there was no Bailey or Nai to prevent her fall. She tripped over someone’s feet and went down in the crowd, glancing up just in time to see Phoenix land a swift—and hard—punch to the asshole’s jaw.
Addie placed a hand on the ground as leverage to climb back to her feet, but someone stepped on it. Some people moved toward the brawl, and some shifted, trying to move away. A knee knocked into the side of her head and sent her right back onto her ass.
What felt like a million years later—or maybe only a split second—gentle hands slid down her arms. “Hey there, love. I need you to open those gorgeous eyes and look at me so I know you’re okay.”
Addie pried her eyes open—not even realizing she’d closed them, and immediately locked them onto Phoenix. Crouched down to her level, he studied every inch of her face before moving down her body, his jaw tightening as he reached her sore wrist. A vein pulsed at his temple.
There was a little more space around them than before, East, Xavier, and Gavin at some point having jumped off the stage, providing a muscle-barrier while security hauled away the drunk jerk and kept the rest of the crowd at bay.
“Addie?” Cupping her cheek, Phoenix gently eased her gaze up to his. “Talk to me, baby.” He glanced at someone over her shoulder and barked, “Where the hell are the medics?”
“I’m okay.” Her voice sounded scratchy even to her own ears.
“No offense, but you don’t look okay.” Phoenix tucked a stray hair behind her ear, and cursed. “Fuck it. The medics are taking too long. We’re going to them.”
“What do you mean—”
Her question was cut off as he slipped his arms around her back and beneath her legs, and lifted her into his arms from a crouch as if she weighed nothing more than a feather.
“Phoenix!” Addie’s eyes widened. “Put me down!”