by L A Cotton
“Look, I did you a favor. The fans are chomping at the bit for news on Eva and the band. Now they have it.”
“We’ll see about that.” Alistair levelled her with a hard look. “You two, head back to the hotel with security. I’ll see you there later.”
“Good luck with the show tonight,” Kinney said around a thin smile. “And no hard feelings, yeah.”
I gave her a nod, and took Rafe’s hand, gently pulling him toward where Travis and Fenton were standing. He took control though, dragging me back and caging me against his chest. “You were incredible,” he whispered against my ear. “I’m sorry I lost my cool.”
“You did fine.” I twisted my face to look at him, but his lips were there, ready to brush over mine.
“Rafe,” I breathed. “There’s a lot of people here.”
“Let them look.” He smirked. “You’re mine now, Evangeline Star Walker, and the whole world knows it.”
Rafe
* * *
“How’d it go?” Damon asked the second we stepped into the suite.
“Eva rocked it,” Letty beat me to the punch, breezing past us.
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” She buried her face against my arm, but I pulled it away, slipping it around Eva’s shoulder.
“You were great.”
“I still can’t believe I did that.”
“Did what?” Hudson padded out of one of the bedrooms and made a beeline for the refrigerator.
“Nothin’, it doesn’t matter.” Eva blushed and I couldn’t resist leaning in and kissing her. It felt so fucking good not to have to worry about getting caught.
“Ugh, gross,” Hud grumbled. “That’s like watching you kiss my sister.”
“Oh, so you’re my brother now?” Eva shrugged me off and stepped toward Hudson.
“Damn straight. I’m your older, wiser, much cooler brother, and I’m still pissed with you, little lady.”
“Little lady?” She balked. “You did not just call me that.”
Damon and Letty snickered. “Oh shit, Hud, you’ve done it now.”
“I’m shakin’ in ma boots.” He put on his best southern drawl as he popped the cap on a beer and took a long pull.
“You’re such an ass.” Eva slipped passed me and joined Letty and Damon on the couch.
“What? That’s it? I’m disappointed, Country.” Hudson called.
“Knock it off.” I punched him in the shoulder.
“We need to be at the arena in an hour.” Letty looked up from her phone. “Levi is going to meet us there.”
Awkward silence fell over us.
“Well, let’s hope he shows because the label is going to be out for blood if he doesn’t.”
“He’ll show,” Eva said.
We still hadn’t talked about what happened last night when she went to see Levi. But we needed to. I needed to know what he'd said. It was going to eat me up inside if I didn’t.
“Can I get ten minutes with Eva?”
“That’s what the bedroom is for.” Hud smirked and I flipped him off.
“Don’t you have to take a shower or something?”
“Come on,” Damon stood up. “We should probably go over the set list.”
“The set list that is the same as it—”
“Hudson, let’s go.”
“Fine, fine. I need some alone time anyway.”
“Seriously, man?” Damon blew out an exasperated breath. “Do you think about anything other than your dick?”
“Hey, I think about other things.” He roped Damon around the neck, leading him to the door.
“I’ll make sure they don’t get into any trouble.” Letty threw me an apologetic glance. “But we do need to leave by three thirty, okay?”
I nodded. “It won’t take long.”
Letty trailed after the guys, the click of the door reverberating through me. “We need to talk,” I said, settling my gaze on Eva.
“I know.” She smiled sadly. “But are you sure you want to do this now? Before the show?”
I dropped my face into my hands.
“Rafe...”
“Just give me a minute.” I inhaled a ragged breath. I’d seen Levi hit rock bottom more times than I could count. Strung out on drugs, higher than a kite, lying in pools of his own vomit, and everything in between. And every time, I’d picked him up, cleaned him off, and helped him get his head on straight.
I’d carried Levi since we were two kids who didn’t know right from wrong.
“You know, I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t just the two of us. Even when I was just a child, I wanted to protect him.”
“You’re a good brother, Rafe.” Eva slipped her hand up my arm and coaxed me out of my sanctuary.
“Look at me,” she whispered, and I twisted my body to hers. “Levi is hurtin’. He’s angry and frustrated and he feels betrayed, and do you know what? He’s entitled to feel all of those things. But deep down, he loves you.”
“The things he said to me...”
“We’re all guilty of sayin’ things we don’t mean in the heat of the moment.”
“He blames me.”
“Because you’re the only person he has. He’s always goin’ to reflect his emotions back at you. You’re his person, Rafe.”
“Not anymore.” Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, but I swallowed them down. I didn’t cry, and I wasn’t about to start. Especially not in front of Eva.
“Give it time.”
“And until then? I’m just supposed to stand by and watch him lean on you? Because I want to do the right thing; but fuck, Eva, I’m not sure I can be that guy.”
She palmed my cheek. “You have to be.”
“What did he say to you? Did he say he’s going to be at the show?”
“He didn’t give me an answer, but I know he’ll do the right thing. Levi needs music, he needs the band.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I know how it feels to be so lost, you can’t see a way out.”
“Come here.” I pulled Eva into my arms.
There had been so many times when I’d cleaned up Levi, got him into bed, and sat watching my older brother sleep off his demons. So many times, I’d felt alone. When I’d sat crumbling, wishing things could be different. People thought I was the strong one. The one holding things together. But they always failed to realize one vital thing.
Who held me together?
Who held together the person trying his fucking hardest to keep things going?
Then Eva came along. My sweet and innocent Starshine. For the first time in my life, I had someone to lean on.
“I love you.” I angled her face to mine.
Eva smiled before kissing me. It would have been easy to lose myself in her, but if we were late getting to the Pepsi Center, I knew Alistair would blow his gasket.
“We should get ready.”
“Now?” Eva’s mouth curved against mine. “Now, you decide to grow a conscience?”
“Tonight, after the show.”
“We’ll be on the tour bus, or have you forgotten that?”
“Then you’ll need to be quiet.” I sucked Eva’s tongue into my mouth, kissing her. “Very.” Kiss. “Very.” Kiss. “Quiet.”
“Rafe...” She pressed her hand against my chest. For a second, I thought she was pushing me away, but then her fingers curled into my shirt.
“Ugh.” I dropped my head to her shoulder. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we really should stop.”
“Tonight,” she whispered.
“Tonight.” After I figured a way to make sure we ended up on the same tour bus.
Just then voices sounded in the hall and Hudson, Damon, and Letty appeared. “I hope you’re done because I do not need to see you and Eva doing that.” He was covering his eyes with his hand.
“Were you guys standing right outside?” I asked.
“We went to raid the vending machine in the lobby.” Letty held up a ba
g of chips.
“You could have just called room service.”
“But where’s the fun in that?”
“Damon and Hudson took some photos and signed some t-shirts. It’s good publicity. But we really do need to get moving. Alistair wants us to do a full sound check.”
“You’re shitting me?” Hudson groaned. “We know the set inside out.”
“Consider it part of your—”
“Punishment.” I finished, feeling my spine stiffen.
“So now we’re all being punished for Rafe’s bad decisions. That’s some fucking bullshit.”
“Don’t shoot the messenger, Hud. Alistair—”
“Yeah, yeah, save it. I’m going to take a shower.” Hudson stalked off, his bad mood lingering in the air like the aftermath of a storm.
“This is going to be fun,” Damon mumbled, giving me a serious look. He didn’t say anything else; he didn’t need to. Disappointment emanated from him.
“Come on, Eva.” Letty broke the thick silence. “I have a few things to go over with you.”
“Yeah, sure.” She looked at me and I nodded.
“Go. I’ll see you soon, okay?”
The girls disappeared, leaving me alone with Damon. “What?” I asked him, his heavy stare cutting me like tiny blades.
“I don’t blame you for going after her, I don’t. But...” He let out a heavy sigh. “Forget it, it doesn’t matter. We have a show to prepare for.”
Because that’s what we did—we put on a show. Time and time again, we pasted on fake smirks and sex appeal and played it up for the fans, fulfilling their fantasies of us. But it was growing old, becoming a burden too heavy to shoulder.
It had always been the four of us. The band. Black Hearts Still Beat. We were all the others had. Levi, Rafe, Hudson, and Damon. We had our fair share of fallings out and arguments, but we always found our way back together. It’s what we did. We fought and then we made up.
But I had Eva now.
Things were different.
I was different.
And I wasn’t sure where that left us.
“Fuck me, he actually came,” Hudson said through his teeth as we entered the arena. Levi was talking to Alistair and Riley while a dozen roadies pushed our kit into place, holding up wires, and rigging lighting. It was a well-oiled machine. One we were used to by now.
“Guys, Eva.” Ali beckoned us over. I glanced at Eva, but she wore an easy smile as she approached them.
“Country, looking good.” My brother smirked, making a bolt of anger zip up my spine. But then her hand was reaching for mine, grounding me.
“Levi,” she said smoothly. “We’re glad you’re here.”
“Where else would I be?” It was cocky and full of sarcasm.
“Okay, enough.” Ali rubbed his temples. “I know this isn’t... easy. But right now, you all need to focus on the show, nothing else. The label expects full cooperation. After the shitshow in Seattle and Salt Lake City, they want nothing but one-hundred and ten percent commitment. Am I clear?”
“Crystal, Ali boy.” Levi dragged his snake bite piercings between his teeth, letting them pop. “I can’t speak for the rest of the guys, but I’m ready to get out there and do my thing.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Damon shot me a wary look and I ran a hand down my face. “Shall we, then?”
“I can hardly wait.” Hudson cut through the middle of us and headed to the stage.
“Problems in paradise?” Levi asked me.
“He’s just pissed.”
“What did you expect, little brother? You dropped the band and took off after Eva.”
“Levi, this isn’t helping.” Alistair glanced between us.
He threw up his hands. “I’m just saying, you’ve got to wonder where Rafe’s allegiance lies. I’m all in. Damon and Hudson are all in. But Rafe... he’s got one foot in and the other pointed in Eva’s direction.”
“Levi...” Eva grimaced.
“It’s all good, Angel.” He moved closer, reaching for her. It took everything in me not to snatch his hand away as he brushed the hair from her face. “Ready to make some magic?”
“Fuck,” Damon hissed beneath his breath.
“Come on.” I slipped around them, needing to get away from Levi before I did something really fucking stupid.
Eva caught my eye, her soft expression silently asking if I was okay. I gave her a tight nod and kept on walking.
“Keep cool, yeah?” Damon fell into step beside me. “You know how he gets.”
“He’s baiting me.”
“He’s just wounded. Ignore him and keep your eye on the prize. If we can’t get our shit together, we’ll lose Masterpiece. And that doesn’t just affect us, it affects Eva too.”
Shit. He was right.
The endorsement deal with Masterpiece wasn’t only for Black Hearts, it was for Eva too. A deal like that wouldn’t only put her on the map, it could propel her career in ways nothing else would.
“You’re right,” I said as we climbed the stage ready to get into position.
“Of course I am. I’m the intelligent one of the group.”
“Heard that, fucker,” Hudson called out from behind his drum kit.
“Heard what?” Levi sauntered onto the stage as if he owned it. From his swagger and confidence, it was hard to believe that just two days ago we’d been fighting it out, trading insults and slinging fists.
“Damon fancies himself the intelligent one. I’m obviously the charming one.”
“Oh yeah,” my brother chuckled. “And Rafe’s obviously the traitor, so what does that make me?”
I bit the inside of my cheek to avoid any of the insults spilling off my tongue.
“Why, you’re our very own charismatic frontman.” Hudson offered.
“Damn right I am.” Levi locked eyes on mine. Things weren’t okay between us, maybe they never would be. But right now, on stage, the music ruled.
It always had.
He gave me a swift nod and grabbed the mic. “Time to rock.”
Eva
* * *
“Nervous?” Letty asked me as I watched Black Hearts from the wings. If it wasn’t for all the media speculation, you would never have guessed there was a rift between Levi and Rafe. They performed flawlessly, Rafe’s riffs and backing vocals blending with Levi’s gravelly voice in a way that bewitched you.
I was completely and utterly enamored, right along with the twenty-thousand strong audience.
“A little,” I sighed.
“You have that look.” Letty nudged my shoulder.
“What look?” My gaze slid to hers.
“The look of love.”
“I just keep pinching myself.” Rafe was mine. He’d sat next to me in an interview that had aired across the nation and declared me his.
“I’m glad you came back, Eva. It was the right decision.”
“Now you have that look.”
“What look?” She pressed her lips into a thin smile.
“Like there’s a 'but' coming...”
“I just hope you made the decision for you and not for Rafe.” Letty faced the stage again and my eyes followed.
I could watch the band perform every day for the rest of my life and never grow tired of it. Their sound check had been immense. All their frustration and aggression and pain poured into every lyric, every note. It was palpable, and you couldn’t help but be affected by it.
“They brought it tonight. The label will be pleased. The interview was a roaring success too. Now all we need is for Rafe and Levi to keep the peace.”
“You really think they’ll be able to do it?”
“If anyone can get the infamous Hunter brothers to kiss and make up, it’s you, Eva.”
“No pressure then.” I frowned.
Letty chuckled. “I’m just saying, you’re good for them. And I’m not just talking about Rafe and Levi. The whole band is better with you around. Hudson is less man w
hore. Damon smiles more. Even Alistair was less stressed with you around… until Vegas.”
I flinched. I wanted to move past what had happened, not be reminded of it every two minutes.
“Look, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, but you know you broke their trust when you left them, and I get why you did it. I do. But you’ve got to work to prove yourself again. I know you’ll do it though, because you have to know how good you are for them. They’re better with you around. You just need to show them you’re not leaving again.”
“You’re right.” I gave her a weak smile, “I’m just glad I have you in my corner.” I stared out at the band once more. We’d already decided I wouldn’t go on stage with them tonight. So when Levi looked over at us, a mischievous glint in his eye, and crooked his finger, I gasped.
“What is he doing?”
“Pulling a Levi Hunter, apparently.” Letty grumbled something else, but I couldn’t hear her over the roar of the crowd.
“Let me hear it, Denver. Who wants Miss Eva Walker to join us out on stage?”
The noise reverberated through me. Levi was grinning ear to ear, but Rafe looked murderous. Damon too. I couldn’t see Hudson from behind his kit, but I knew he’d probably be pissed.
“What do I do?” I clutched Letty’s arm. I’d performed with Levi before, but this felt different. It felt like he was putting me smack bang in the middle of his war with Rafe.
“You can’t not go now. It’ll look...” She trailed off as Levi called for me again.
“I think she needs a little encouragement. Eva, Eva, Eva.”
“I’m goin’ to kill him,” I murmured as I ran my hands down my thighs before stepping out on stage. The crowd went wild, cheering and clapping, setting off a band of wild horses in my chest.
“Here she is, Denver. The girl who stole my brother’s heart and did what no girl has ever managed to do before...”
My eyes widened with fear. Surely, he wasn’t about to out me to twenty thousand avid fans. Not after today’s interview.
He locked eyes on me, a flash of something there. He was going to do it; Levi was going to ruin everything... all because he was hurting and didn’t know how to handle his emotions.