Rock My World

by Lee Piper

I looked down, guilty. Between the whole fight, sex, fight, injury, and falling in love thing, I’d completely forgotten to call her.

  “Days, Grace,” she repeated.

  “All right, all right.” I glanced at her. “What do you want to know?”

  “Everything.”

  Now it was my turn to roll my eyes.

  “Let me refresh your memory then, the last time we spoke you had this ridiculous notion in your head that I liked Levi—”

  “Hey, that reminds me, who—”

  But she held up her hand, halting me. “And you guys just had an argument. Now, judging by the way you were locked at the lips earlier, I’m guessing it’s all been dealt with. But I still want to hear the whole story.” She sat back, arms crossed and expectant. “Spill.”

  “I’ve missed you.”

  Riley’s eyes softened. “Me too. Now talk.”

  I did. I told her as much as I could, from how Levi and I first connected at the gig twelve days ago, right through to when we kissed in Oblivion earlier. She listened to every word, enraptured. The only parts I glossed over were about Levi’s dad, my arm, and the truth behind Dylan leaving me for my sister. I mean, the former wasn’t my story to tell, there was no need for her to worry about a superficial cut, and if I was truly honest, I really liked the idea of Levi knowing me better than anyone else. It meant that what we shared was somehow more … special.

  By the end of it, she looked completely stunned. “So you’re telling me that after twelve days, you guys knew you were in love?”

  I nodded, raising one shoulder. “We knew after eleven actually.”

  Her face lit up like it was New Year's Eve. She squealed and pulled me into a tight hug which left me gasping for breath. “I knew it. I knew you’d be perfect for one another.” She paused, holding me at arm’s length. “And the sex?”

  “There are no words.”

  Riley squealed again, clapping her hands and bouncing up and down on the couch. However, she quickly quieted down after looking at her watch. “It’s getting late. I need an early night if I’m going to hit the gym tomorrow morning.”

  I rolled my eyes again.

  “And I don’t want to keep you from your next orgasm.”

  With that delicious possibility, I checked the time on my phone, it was past ten. Levi would start to wonder where I was if I didn’t get back soon. After all, he’d asked me to wait up for him, so it would be a bitch move if the guy arrived back and I wasn’t even there. I leaned forward, gave Riley a final hug and then left.

  As I exited the elevator and strolled down the corridor to our hotel room, a secret smile crept across my face. I couldn’t wait to see Levi, to hear all about his evening and tell him about mine. I couldn’t wait to lose myself in his arms and show him just how much he meant to me. I shook my head wryly. Man, I’d be singing fucking love songs soon enough. My smile grew wide as I stepped through the doorway and called his name. Though it immediately wavered when my own voice echoed back.

  The room was empty.

  I couldn’t help it, my mind instinctively flashed back to when I was five.

  I was searching for my doll. It had been a birthday present from Grandma before she fell sick and I loved to cuddle it. There was something about inhaling the scent of lavender from the hand-sewn fabric that always reminded me of her. I hadn’t seen the doll all morning, but knew Daddy would be able to find it. After all, he found my skipping rope and that had been hiding behind the washing machine since before Christmas.

  When I moved closer to the lounge room, I heard raised voices. Well, Daddy’s mostly, which was strange because he never yelled. “Don’t give me that story, Anne,” he shouted, “I know for a fact you weren’t with Dianna this afternoon.”

  “Are you calling me a liar, Peter? Is that what you’re saying? That you don’t trust me anymore?”

  “What I’m saying is that you weren’t with Dianna. Just after he hit a hole in one, Barry mentioned that she was taking Michael to the doctor at two o’clock.”

  Mum spun around to face the window. She flicked long brown hair over her shoulder and planted hands on her hips, agitatedly tapping one foot.

  “Who were you with?”

  There was silence.

  “Who were you with, Anne?”

  “I told you, Dianna.”

  Okay. So that memory didn’t help. Like, at all. I quickly changed into my Hitchcock t-shirt and climbed into bed. But as much as I wanted to refrain from jumping to stupid conclusions, my mind was all over the place. Time and time again, my head sprouted out the most unhelpful question in the history of the universe.

  Where the fuck was Levi?

  Chapter Sixteen

  Driving in a getaway car, imitating victory,

  Breathe fresh air, you’re unaware, fading into memory,

  Memory.

  -MONDEZ, “Chaos”

  I had a horrible sleep. I kept twisting and turning, entangling myself in the bed sheets. Levi didn’t come back. Even by four in the morning, as I was scrolling through our previous text messages like they somehow held the key to his whereabouts, he still hadn’t returned. At first I didn’t call him. I tried to play it cool. I mean, it was no big deal. I was so the bigger person for not letting his absence affect me.

  A fucking lie.

  Half an hour later, terrifying images of Levi crumpled in a backstreet alley, covered in his own blood and gasping his last breath, appeared before my sleep-deprived eyes. I couldn’t dial his number fast enough after that. Only his phone didn’t respond. There wasn’t even a dial tone. My cruel brain then filtered through even more images of Levi—now he’d been mugged before being left for dead in said back alley. So I slammed my phone back onto the side table, cursed out loud when my arm started hurting and angrily swapped pillows. His lingering scent calmed me instantly and I berated myself for not thinking of this idea earlier. At long last I fell into a troubled sleep.

  By morning refreshments Levi still hadn’t shown. Tension marred my every thought and movement which meant that even though my arm felt heaps better, once again I retained next to no information. It pissed me off. I was sick and tired of my continual inattention. I mean, how was I ever going to land the English coordinator role if I had nothing to show Serena? I gritted my teeth.

  Aemon stupidly tried to ask me about Levi during the break but my death stare was enough to stop that line of questioning dead in its tracks. As much as I enjoyed seeing him again, his persistence in trying to win me over was unbelievably annoying. He even tried pressing his leg against mine during the next session. Thankfully, it was only a Q&A, so taking notes wasn’t a requirement. Instead, trying not to stab him with my pen became the priority.

  I purposely sat adjacent to the aisle in the second to last row when I at last felt Levi sit behind me. The skin on the back of my neck suddenly tingled so I knew it was him. But if I needed further proof, the collective sharp intake of breath from the women next to him was a freakin’ strong indicator of his arrival. Aemon must have realized it too because he shifted even closer, if it was at all possible. I didn’t move away.

  As my body registered Levi’s spicy cologne, I couldn’t help but breathe it in. The fragrance immediately reminded me of what it was like to have my legs draped around him as he groaned into my open mouth. I internally kicked myself in the shins, reminding my quivering female parts that I was angry at the guy and not in any way, shape, or form, aroused. After all, Levi stood me up. All fucking night. And without a single word for God’s sake. As the anger slowly descended, like an old friend returning home from a long vacation, I started to feel more like my old self again.

  The phone in my lap suddenly vibrated.

  Levi: Tell that asshole to get the hell away from you or I’m gonna deck him. Oh & i’m sorry L

  I made no move to do what he’d asked.

  Levi: He’s actually gonna die. Look, it all ended up taking heaps longer than we thought & then my phone ran out of battery
<
br />   Still nothing.

  Levi: I’ll make it up to you, i promise. Just as soon as i’ve disposed of the body

  I sighed.

  Me: Where were you?

  Levi: The Ruby Room & then Katrina’s

  Breathe, Grace. Just breathe.

  Me: You slept at Katrina’s place?

  Levi: Grace, it’s not what you think

  I turned my phone off and then whispered something inane to Aemon. It wasn’t funny but he laughed anyway and I was glad. A twisted part of me just wanted to hurt Levi in the same way he’d hurt me. I could have sworn I heard his muttered oath from behind.

  When we broke for lunch, I told Aemon I needed some air and stormed out the conference room. Part way down the crowded hallway Levi grabbed my arm, stopping me. Turning around and ignoring the curious stares from the people pushing past, I glared up at him. “Let go of me.”

  “Not until we talk.”

  “There’s nothing to say. You asked me to wait up for you and instead spent the whole fucking night with Katrina.” I was panting with rage.

  He stared down at me, his face impassive. “Are we going to talk about this somewhere private or do I have to pick you up and carry you there myself?”

  I stepped closer. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Try me.”

  There was a steely determination in his eyes I didn’t trust, though my girly bits practically begged me to take him up on his threat. So I growled, nodded curtly and then stomped into an empty room off the main corridor.

  Levi shut the door behind him and turned to face me. I stalked over to a disused table and plonked myself on its edge, arms crossed in front of my chest. As much as I wanted to remain furious at him, the fact that we were both now alone and he was so temptingly close seriously messed with my ability to stand without support.

  Levi stood a few feet away. He looked tired and annoyed. “Look, I’m sorry, all right?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re going to have to do a heck of a lot better than that, Levi.”

  He took a deep breath, raked fingers through his hair and stepped closer. “I’m sorry.” His voice had softened. “Now I know this must look,” he paused, “bad.”

  I snorted.

  “But I swear to you, nothing happened.”

  I hmphed, while subconsciously loving the fact that he was moving closer still.

  Levi took another step until our feet were almost touching. “The whole night, I just wanted to get back to you. But Dom is so fucking picky about the equipment he uses. He took ages going through Katrina’s gear and then there was the issue with her foot pedal.” He broke away, rubbing fingers over fatigued eyes. “Anyway, by the time that got settled it was past one in the morning, my phone had died and Finn was already asleep on the couch. So we all just … crashed there.”

  He tucked some hair behind my ear and I let him. “I missed you,” he breathed, “and I fucking hated seeing you with that piece of shit in there. He was all over you.” Levi paused. “Why’d you let him?”

  I didn’t say anything. I just shut my eyes and basked in the feel of his touch.

  “Look at me.” My eyes popped open. “How’d you sleep?”

  “Terribly.”

  Levi wrapped me in his arms, face buried in my hair, breathing deeply. “Fuck, you smell good.”

  Clinging to him, I listened to the rhythmic beat of his heart as it reassured me of the truth in his words. After a few minutes, I disentangled myself from his embrace. “This whole trust thing is still new for me. I wasn’t exactly the product of a happy marriage and Dylan was… Well, to say he was a lying, cheating asshole doesn’t seem to really cover it.” I sighed. “Just be patient, okay?”

  He cupped my face with his hands, running a thumb over my bottom lip. “I’m not Dylan, love.” His face hardened. “And I meant what I said about that fucker, Aemon. I’ll beat his conniving ass if he ever touches you again.”

  Gazing up at him, I murmured, “I know.”

  We kissed then. Like always, it started off innocent enough but soon our breathing grew erratic and clothes, or the fact we were still wearing them, suddenly became an issue. Levi broke away and looked down at me, a wicked glint lighting his eyes. “Can I make it up to you now?”

  I glanced at the closed door and then back at the gorgeous man rubbing himself up against me. “What, here?”

  Levi smiled broadly. It was sinfully hot.

  “Someone might walk in on us.”

  “It’s worth the risk though, right?”

  I smiled devilishly up at him, unzipping his fly. “Hell yes.”

  ****

  I was still grinning like a loon by the time Riley and I walked into The Ruby Room later that night. Makeup sex with Levi at the convention center had been just as mind-blowing as the good luck sex we’d had in the shower. Even the you-spoke-a-word-with-a-vowel-in-it sex was awesome. So after those out of body experiences, I finally got dressed. For once I took minor pains with my appearance, meaning I applied a touch of mascara and lip gloss. I still refused to tame my hair, it was so much easier on both of us if I just let it be.

  Levi left for sound check a few hours before, so Riley and I were going to make our way in together. When I met her in the hotel lobby she looked me over and exclaimed far too loudly for the old couple standing behind her that orgasms suited me. I glanced at my complete outfit in one of the gilded mirrors. I took in the black heels, skinny black jeans and my naughty-but-nice red top. Just imagine a corset but with tiny lace-capped sleeves. Strangely, what appeared most striking was the light in my eyes. They shimmered a bright emerald green, for once not clouded with doubt, scorn or pithy anger. Not bad. However, never one to dwell on my own appearance for long, I then shrugged one shoulder, grabbed Riley by the hand and pulled her out front to catch a taxi.

  After we arrived at The Ruby Room, we grabbed some drinks and moved to a quieter section on one side of the music venue. The place itself was an old two-story theater built back in the twenties. It had a Promethean-style stage, red velvet curtains on either side, lighting set up on exposed rigging overhead and the walls had all been painted black. There was a huge cavernous space in the center of the room for patrons to mingle, dance or mosh, depending on the genre of music played. I guessed this was where countless rows of seating must have once stood. Farther back and on either side of the room stood high, round tables with metallic bar stools. And as Riley and I took a seat at one of those, the first band started.

  “Where are the guys?” she yelled over the thumping drumbeat.

  I scanned the room quickly but couldn’t see them anywhere, so looked back at her and shook my head. For the remainder of the first set we sat back and watched. The band was loud and easily managed to fill the space with sound. They also had a small, dedicated following who stood in solidarity, nodding their heads in time with the music just below the stage. It was too early in the night for the alcohol to have loosened people up enough to really start moving, so like us, most were content to hang back and observe.

  Two drinks later, the first band finished and the boys from Mondez walked out on stage. Riley and I quickly downed what was left in our glasses and moved to stand at the front with at least fifty other curious onlookers. When the opening bars of their first song started, I stood still and shut my eyes, breathing in the wave of heavy sound that hit and then surrounded me, slowly seeping through my pores. I opened my eyes and glanced across at Riley. She was smiling stupidly, staring up at the stage. She then looked across at me and shook her head in genuine bewilderment.

  I knew exactly what she meant.

  The music those guys created was phenomenal. It was unapologetically fierce, passionate, and yet soulfully beautiful. It was everything I never knew I needed until it was right there in front of me.

  Just like Levi.

  Sweet Lord in heaven.

  The way he shredded his electric guitar and alternated between crooning or screaming into the microphone ma
de me want to throw away my pill packet and have his babies.

  Seriously.

  The other boys were awesome too. Dom looked like the reincarnation of what every mother around the world warned her teenage daughters about. He played his instrument with a masculine sensuality that left no doubt about how truly skillful he was with those fingers, both on and off the stage. Finn’s heavily tattooed arms struck the drums with a force that quite literally shook me. His playing was tight, ruthless and the sheen of sweat on his skin served as a blatant reminder of how powerful those muscles underneath truly were. Tyler’s bass playing was equally as intense. He swayed forward and back, head bent down while staring past his strings as he rocked out deep, arcane chords. They left me craving more. Much, much more.

  Riley grabbed my arm, shaking me from my daze and we let loose. With each song Mondez played, the crowd around us grew larger and larger, as eager people joined the group of us at the front. By the end of their set, we were completely surrounded by a moving, heaving, sweaty crowd, all having the time of our lives. When the boys played their last song, waved to the crowd and moved off stage, we all screamed, cheered and stomped our feet in mad appreciation.

  “Drink?” I yelled across to Riley, wiping the perspiration off my face with my hand.

  “Drink,” she agreed, lifting her blonde hair off the back of her neck and fanning it with her fingers.

  We pushed our way through the throng of people excitedly talking about the hot new four piece from Geographe Bay and I couldn’t help but swell with pride. Eventually, Riley and I reached the bar. We quickly downed some water and then slowly sipped on our drinks, savoring the refreshing liquid when it slid down our throats. As I gazed across the rim of the glass, my eyes widened. There, striding purposefully towards me and with people instinctively moving out of his way like he was Moses parting the fucking seas or something, was an impossibly tall, ridiculously handsome man. His eyes were trained on me and the blue in them was dark, sultry, and full of promise.

  I finished my drink and placed the glass on the bar behind me just in time for Levi to lift me up by the waist. I crossed my ankles behind his hips and wrapped my arms around his neck, drawing him close.