by Mj Fields
Maddox walked past him and down the stairs. He grabbed Emma���s hand and walked out the door. He shut the door behind them.
���What did she say? I need to know what happened,��� Brody walked out the door, and Maddox squatted on the ground.
���She said you have been drinking a lot. She said she was sorry. She is blaming herself, Maddox. You need to leave her alone,��� Emma knelt in front of him, ���She is hurt, and so are you. Let it be.���
Maddox looked at her expressionless. He stood slowly and walked into the back garden and raised his hands in the air and screamed. Emma and Brody stood and watched him holding hands tightly as he crumbled before them.
CHAPTER NINE
Home
Harper sat on the plane with her ear buds firmly in place. She closed her eyes but could not erase the images of Maddox: on stage, or Maddox yelling at her, begging for her to tell him she hated him, or him coming into the guest room. She knew she would never forget Maddox holding her so tightly against him, or what he had said to her as he held her. And she would never be able to forget what happened after.
She thumbed through her music and wanted to scream. Every song reminded her of him. Everything did. She felt tears falling down her face and pulled her hood over her head and cinched it tightly so no one should see her crying. She opened her eyes as Blake was laying a blanket over her. She closed them, and he patted her shoulder and sat across the aisle from her.
She must have fallen asleep because she jumped when Matthew sat down next to her. He turned on the television, and an entertainment news program was showing clips of the concert. She heard Brody���s raspy voice and turned and looked. Matthew put his arm around her and pulled her head against his shoulder. The screen changed to Maddox on stage and of all songs it was Stained. His voice was deep like Brody���s, but it was not raspy. It was gentle, smooth, and sexy as hell. If you could touch his voice it would be smooth like ice, but warm. Harper felt her face heating up. As if anyone can hear my thoughts! She looked up at Matthew anyway just to be sure, and he kissed the top of her head and pulled her tighter. She glanced at Blake, and he was looking at her as if he could tell what she was thinking. He smiled slightly and sat back. And then that song started.
Harper stood up and started to walk towards the bathroom.
Blake grabbed her hand, ���Harper������
She pulled her hand away and walked into the bathroom, closed the door, and cried. Eventually the tears stopped. She was sure there were no more left.
There was a tap at the door, and Harper wiped her face and looked in the mirror. Looking like crap, Harper, she thought as she cupped water and splashed her face.
She opened the door and Blake was standing in the doorway, ���Matthew fell asleep, we should be landing soon.��� He didn���t move; he just looked at her.
She looked down away from him, and he still didn���t move, ���Blake, we should probably sit������
Blake grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into his arms and held her. Tears immediately fell; and he rubbed her back gently, ���I���m sorry I did this to you.��� Harper’s body shook, and he held her tighter, ���I am so������
Harper looked up at him, and she began laughing. He looked confused, and she laughed some more.
���I am SO sick of people saying that to me,��� she stepped back and looked up at him.
���I don���t understand,��� Blake was confused.
���You didn���t do this,��� Harper stopped laughing and looked up at him, ���It���s a stupid crush. We were stupid. Seriously, what was I thinking? We live in different countries, we are both so young, he is going to be seventeen, and I am eighteen.��� Harper twirled her hair in her fingers and looked up at him, ���How old are you Blake?���
���Twenty,��� he answered softly.
���How long have you and the girl from last night been together?��� Harper whispered back.
���It was a date; we have known each other for������
Harper stepped towards him and he stopped talking.
She looked up at him, ���Just a date, not a girlfriend?���
His mouth opened slightly, and he nodded his head slowly up and down.
���Good to know,��� Harper smiled, ���Excuse me.���
He let out a breath and stepped back.
She started to walk by, and he grabbed her hand, ���Harper, what the hell was that?���
���What?���
���That, I don���t know?��� he scowled.
���I am curious about dating and relationships and I really don���t want to talk about it,��� Harper walked away.
The plane landed, and CJ, Tessa and Collin met them on the airstrip. They had not planned on visiting the small community outside of Arlit in Niger West Africa, but it was necessary. Harper welcomed the work. Instead of spending the traditional two weeks at the Cape they would spend one week to end the summer before heading into her first year in college.
In February, the President of the United States sent one hundred troops into Niger���s capital Niamey, to set up a base which would house unarmed predator aircrafts to conduct surveillance in the surrounding areas. It was necessary after the neighboring country of Mali was overtaken by militants and terrorists. French and African troops re-took the northern cities of Timbuktu, Kidal and Goa making it safer in Arlit, but over two thousand militia and terrorists were now hiding in the Desert Mountains. The United States deployed soldiers to partner with the British, French, and African troops against the threats of suicide bombers and terrorist attacks on civilians.
Collin did not get wrapped up in politics. He was however, concerned that the community he built before being married and having a family, would crumble. Tomas had spent two weeks prior to their arrival in the community, just to ensure they would be safe. Collin and his family would be there to help ease the fears of the people they supported who had become self-reliant over the past twenty years. The drone planes flying overhead made them nervous. Collin���s concern was that they would somehow be swayed to join the militia and terrorist cells which would cause the people of the community to lose everything they worked so hard to achieve.
Harper stepped off the plane and pulled her sunglasses down standing still for a few moments, taking in the dry one hundred and eight degree temperature. She immediately missed the wet smell in England. The smell when the rain first hits the ground, and magnifies the green earth���s smell. The desert smelled of dust. Dust reminded her of death and death reminded her of endings. She tilted her head back basking in the heat and thought; this may be the perfect place to be at the perfect moment in time.
Tessa hugged her son and then Blake. They unloaded the cargo area under the private planes belly and loaded its contents into the Jeeps waiting to take them back to Altri. They waited for Harper to come down the stairs.
Tessa hugged her tightly, ���I love you.���
���I love you,��� Harper smiled when she pulled back, ���I have to talk to you about something.���
���Emma called, and I am ready to listen. Let���s get back to base.���
Tessa and Harper held hands as they walked to the Jeep.
PART TWO
CHAPTER TEN
One Year
Maddox walked onstage at O2. It was Burning Souls first headline show, of their European tour. ���How are you all doing tonight?���
Brody and Emma stood off the wing, smiling. It had been one hell of a year. It took Maddox three months, seven shattered phones, and a lot of time at the gym before he finally started acting like himself again. It took the entire European tour before it appeared he may ever let anyone in. And
three more months to see the excitement in the eyes of a battered boy who had never truly lived, who was now living the dream of millions, on auto-pilot.
Brody kissed Emma, ���Look at him.���
���What a change,��� Emma rubbed Brody���s back.
���Thank God,��� Brody laughed.
���This is good. I just hope he keeps pushing forward. There are times when he looks so happy, like when he and T are sitting at the waterfront������
���Trolling,��� Brody laughed.
���What does that mean?���
���Em, they���re checking out the ladies.���
Emma scowled, ���No they are not, he is������
���Remember the stages, Love? One man show������
���Yes I remember Brody, but he skipped that one,��� Emma laughed.
���Oh Em, you just can���t see it because you���re a Mommy,��� Brody laughed at her.
���So he,��� Emma stopped and looked up at him, ���He has had sex?���
���Pretty sure,��� Brody smiled proudly.
���That���s not okay!��� Emma snapped.
���He is almost eighteen and������
���So what! You should not be������
Brody put his hand over her mouth, ���Let me finish, Love,��� Emma bit his hand, and he let out a dark laugh, ���You ready for me to drag your ass to the dressing room, Em? You know what that does to me.���
Emma scowled at him, and he laughed, ���How will you feel when it���s London or Lexington?��� Brody���s jaw flexed, ���See!���
He grabbed her and pulled her tightly against him, ���Not the same.���
���Is so!��� Emma tried to push him away.
���They will never know what he has known, Emma,��� Emma looked up at him, and her expression changed, ���Do you see now? He is not disgusted by it anymore. I am absolutely thrilled that he has gotten through that. I am also pleased that he is no longer smashing phones to stop himself from calling or texting Harper. I was very concerned that he would be too possessive when it came to relationships and that he would crumble when he suffered each heartbreak. I am elated that he has bonded with T and Zach, building relationships. Not just that��� I caught him tossing off, or when I saw him getting a blowjob in Germany or������
���And you didn���t tell me?���
���He doesn���t know I know, or at least��� he isn���t sure I know.���
���Is he using protection?���
���I gave him condoms he told me he was not ready for that.���
���He said that?���
���Yep.���
���And you believe him?���
���Not one bit. But what can we do?���
���I don���t know maybe talk about it?���
���You mad at me, Em?���
���Actually, yes.���
He lifted her chin so that she was looking at him, ���How mad?���
���Enough that this���is not going to work.���
���That���s not what your eyes are saying, Love.���
���Knock it off, watch the show.���
Maddox, T and Zach walked off the stage sweating and smiling.
���That was unbelievable,��� T grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat off his head.
���Yeah it was! Di d you see those girls in the front?��� Maddox laughed.
���How could you miss them? They threw bras on the stage the first song. Every time you walked to the front of the stage they gave you a peep show,��� Zach laughed.
���Nice tits too,��� Maddox wiggled his eyebrows.
Brody and Emma walked up to them, ���Great job you guys did out there.���
���Yes, you did amazing.���
���You have to say that,��� Maddox laughed.
���When you���re ready to head back to the hotel we will be in in the car with the girls,��� Brody patted his back.
���Hey Dad, T and I were thinking about going out for a bit is that alright?��� Maddox grabbed a towel.
���There is a club next to the hotel,��� Emma said quickly, ���Come with us, shower and change?���
T smiled, and Maddox, ���Of course, that sounds great.���
���We have autographs to sign,��� T nodded to the group of fans waiting.
���We will wait, T,��� Emma smiled politely.
���Thanks Mrs. Hines,��� T hugged her.
Maddox and T walked into the dressing room, Zach bailed with this week���s girlfriend.
Surge was huge— six foot four, and completely ripped. T and Maddox often laughed about the fact that he even had muscles on his muscles. He was their body guard, one of the only reasons Brody and Emma gave them any privacy at all. ���Same thing tonight?���
���Same thing,��� Maddox smiled, ���Just give us ten minutes before you send anyone in.���
T grabbed a bowl out of his bag, and they both hit it several times. They opened the window and turned on the fan allowing the smoke to empty out of it.
���Beer?��� T offered.
���Please,��� Maddox flopped back on the couch and relaxed.
T handed him a beer and walked to the other side of the room and sat in a chair, ���I���m exhausted.���
���You���re high,��� Maddox chuckled.
���Yeah I am,��� T laughed as he dropped Visine into his eyes and then tossed it to Maddox, ���To think I never wanted to try this shit. You���re a bad influence, Hines.���
���Nobody twisted your arm, T.���
���I���m joking.���
Two by two fans entered the room, and Maddox and T signed autographs, took pictures, listened to how awesome they were and when Maddox tilted his head to the left Surge would tell them it was time to leave.
���Maddox, they were kind of hot,��� T complained.
���No, not really.���
���Why cause they weren���t blonde?���
���Shut up, T.���
The next two girls that walked in were both blonde and T laughed out loud. Maddox nodded right.
���Did you enjoy the show?��� Maddox gave a sexy, half smile.
They both answered yes.
���You two old enough for a drink?��� Maddox stood and looked at Surge who nodded, and Maddox handed them a drink.
���Guitar or drums?��� T asked leaning forward as he looked the shorter one up and down very slowly.
Maddox sat on the couch and drank his beer as the taller blonde sat next to him. Her hand was on his thigh and moving up, she leaned towards him to kiss him, and he smiled and slowly shook his head no. He smiled at her and leaned back. Her hand worked its way up, rubbing him through his jeans. He reached down and squeezed her breast through her shirt, and she moaned and released him from his jeans and stroked him as he leaned back and watched the back of her head as she took him in her mouth. Her hair was too wavy, not like Harper���s. He closed his eyes and leaned back and took another drink as she sucked harder and faster.
Maddox and T sat in the club���s VIP area, Surge stood in front of their corner table. They ordered drinks and sat back, still buzzing.
���We need to decide on a keyboard player, someone that will be part of our band,��� T took a drink.
���I know,��� Maddox looked out over the crowd.
���So what���s wrong with Robert?���
���Seems like a douche bag.���
���Care to elaborate?���
���The way he looks at the fans, the girls in particular.���
���So he would fit right in,��� T teased.
Maddox looked at T and shook his head, ���No, he looks like he would��� never mind.���
���Maddox, was that you and I back there getting blow jobs in your dressing room?���
���Yes. But they were of age and certainly not looking for anything lasting, or they would have been out.���
���So that���s how you choose?���
Maddox looked at T and rolled his eyes.
���What if I wanted to start dating one of the fans?���
���Go ahead, just watch your ass,��� Maddox smiled, ���You really think you want a girlfriend?���
���I don���t know, maybe someday. You don���t?���
���No,��� Maddox finished his drink, ���This is fine for now.���
���Blow jobs are enough?��� T asked.
���Is this shit going to get deep? Because I am tired.���
���You would not want to wake up to that chick in the morning?���
Maddox laughed, ���She wouldn���t do.���
���Why not?���
���She���s a Hoover.���
���A what?��� T laughed.
���Hoover���sucked hard and fast just to get the job done. Like she���s cleaning a carpet.���
T laughed, ���Okay this is an interesting conversation. What about the chick from Germany?���
���Yanker, I swear she was going to pull my dick off,��� Maddox took a drink and chuckled.
���Russia?���
���Women are starving up there. I was afraid she was going to suck my insides out. I was long done filling her mouth and she just kept sucking. I honestly had to say ���Thanks I���m done.��� And she didn���t understand a thing I was saying,��� Maddox and T laughed.