“Yes, ma’am,” he grinned.
I hurried to our small refrigerator, removing the half bag of ice that was stored in the freezer. I made an ice pack for him and helped him get into a comfortable position on the couch, mounding up all of the pillows from my bunk. He didn’t protest or say anything as I rushed around, returning with pills that were safe for him to take.
“Stay?” he asked, closing his eyes.
“Always.”
I took a seat on the floor, leaning my back against the couch and smiling when he took my hand with his. It only took him a few minutes before his breathing evened out and he was fast asleep.
Chapter 22
Ace
Three days later, we arrived in Salt Lake City in the very early hours of the morning, but I didn’t give a fuck if we’d driven to the moon. I was in my bunk with Presley snuggled against my bare chest and she was sleeping contently. I’d kept her with me the night before because I wanted to keep an eye on her. After this show, we were heading to Denver.
Last night, she’d received a text from her father. It’d upset her, and I couldn’t blame her. Her father was nothing but a waste of fucking space. I’d had to keep my anger to myself around her, but when she’d gone on stage to perform, I had confided in Braxton, telling him everything. She’d been fighting the temptation to go to their home and finally end the cycle of abuse. From the scars she still bore, to the hateful texts she received on a weekly basis, Presley was fed up and had finally agreed to change her phone number soon, but she never promised not to go meet with her father face to face.
That fucking text had rattled around in my head ever since she had looked at me with wide eyes after her phone had chimed. I was standing by my bus when she’d been walking out of the venue. Our eyes met as soon as she’d looked up from her phone, and I knew exactly what had happened. As soon as I rushed across the lot, I had her in my arms. I took the phone from her hand and cursed at what I’d seen.
I hope you are not staying in this town long. We don’t want you whoring yourself around where people will know who you are.
I’d taken her onto my bus, holding her as close as possible. Anyone could tell that she’d been affected by her father’s words, but my girl was strong. She’d pushed away from me and straightened her spine. When I tried to reach for her again, her face took on a determined fierceness that I’d only seen in the reflection of a mirror once when I told myself I had stop the deathly spiral of drug abuse.
My heart had swelled with pride as she held her chin high and said, “As soon as we get to Denver, I need to have my phone number changed.”
Presley didn’t speak any more about the text, and I made sure to keep her mind off her past for the rest of that night. She’d finally fallen asleep about an hour into our drive. I didn’t press her to talk about it, and I think she was a little grateful.
“Ace,” she mumbled, nuzzling deeper into my hold. Her breathing evened out, letting me know she’d fallen back into a restful sleep. I’d been so lost in thought, her mumblings brought me back to the here and now.
I’d never thought holding something this beautiful in my arms would ever happen for me. Presley had turned my head from the moment she stepped on stage. I’d never met another woman who could capture my soul with her laughter… her music. Hell, everything about this woman made me ache to be a better man; to do everything in my power to make her happy every day for the rest of her life. If I had a definition of what love could be, I think it would have her name in the description.
The thought of having her as my own, to care for and to love, wasn’t as bad as I’d expected. Seeing Taylor and Coraline happy was at one time hard to watch, but now that I had something tangible in my arms, I understood Taylor’s need for the soul mate he found in Coraline Maddox.
One of the guys climbed from their bunk, quietly making their way to the front of the bus. I carefully extracted myself from Presley, tucking the blanket around her body so that she would hopefully sleep a little bit longer.
Braxton was standing in the small kitchen, making a pot of coffee. He mumbled a greeting, but otherwise ignored me as I took a seat at the small table. I pulled the curtain back to see the rear of the venue and the Witch’s Spawn bus parked next to ours. There was no movement, so I figured her band was still asleep. I checked my messages, finding a few emails that I would need to answer later.
“Coffee?” Braxton offered.
“Please,” I replied. He poured a cup and handed it over. I took a sip and continued to stare outside. It was cold out, snow blanketed just about everything except the lot and what little of the main road I could see from the window.
“What are you going to do after this tour is over?” Braxton asked, taking a seat across from me.
“I really don’t know yet,” I admitted.
“They can’t tour with us forever,” he said, shaking his head. “You need to claim her, my man… make her yours.”
“She is mine,” I snarled.
“Yeah, but does she know that? Have you told her how you feel?” he pried.
I threw my head back, closing my eyes against his questions. I was an idiot and he was right. This tour would be ending in a few weeks. We’d go back to Seattle and prepare to head out again with a new band. Our schedule was booked for the next five months; we only had a two week break at home to recuperate.
“No,” I said, finally leveling my gaze on his. “No, I haven’t.”
“You need to do it, and soon, my man,” he encouraged. “Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
“I know,” I answered, not saying any more as everyone started moving around and waking up for the day. Coraline bolted past us as she threw one of Taylor’s hoodies over her head. She skipped down the stairs and made quick work of entering the back of the building.
Braxton was right to toss out the big elephant in the room. I needed to figure out what the hell we were doing. I loved her, but I wanted to tell her when we were not surrounded by an entire crew of people and both of our bands. She deserved so much more than to be told she was loved while we were between gigs.
She had to get through Denver; and the last thing I wanted to do was put any pressure on her when her mind wasn’t in the right place. As strong as Presley Pittman was every night on that stage, a part of her was still that scared and helpless little girl that had never known real love.
I was going to do everything in my power to change that … as soon as we got her as far away from her father as possible.
Chapter 23
Presley
“How could you embarrass me like that!” my father snarled, weaving in and out of traffic. “Those people were my co-workers and you couldn’t even sit still for a few goddamn hours!”
“I’m sorry,” I cried, sitting in the backseat of our car.
We’d gone to dinner with his co-workers. He didn’t want me to go, but my mother insisted. I didn’t know why I couldn’t stay home alone. I was fourteen and didn’t have many friends. I would’ve just stayed in my room anyway, listening to music.
I’d needed to use the bathroom, and when I went to stand, he glared at me and told me politely to sit down, but I saw the anger in his eyes as he took another drink from his glass of amber liquid.
I wasn’t stupid. I knew it was the whiskey that he loved to drink when he was out with his rich friends. It wasn’t often that he drank that stuff, because mom always complained about how much it cost. Of course, he’d tell her it was none of her business since he made all of the money in the house and he could do as he pleased.
“I really think we should send her off to a military school to straighten her out.” My father cursed, honking his horn at another vehicle. In fact, it wasn’t the other guy’s fault. My father was intoxicated, and I prayed we’d make it home before something happened.
His little confession was music to my ears. I’d give anything to get out of that house, even if it meant going to a military school. At least there they would
n’t choke me and beat me when they were drunk.
My mother’s gasp was my only warning before the car we were in skidded sideways. My body lurched forward as we made contact with something I couldn’t see. Pain bloomed in my right side and glass shattered all around me.
Sirens wailed off in the distance, but I heard my father frantically talking to my mom.
“You’re fine,” he said in a rush. “You were driving and lost control of the car. Do you hear me? You were driving. Don’t you dare tell them otherwise.”
“Mom?” I tried to move, but my body was pinned against the backseat. My father had pushed her toward the driver’s seat, and then he climbed from the mangled car.
“Do as he says, Presley,” she cried.
“It hurts,” I whimpered. “I’m bleeding.”
“I know,” she replied, but her voice sounded tired.
I felt warmth trickle down the side of my face and I reached up to touch my head. I started crying when I felt all of the blood. I tried to talk to my mom, but I was so tired, just like she was. I yawned and closed my eyes.
I heard beeping and opened my eyes again, but I was in a hospital room. My parents were standing in the corner with a doctor. My mom’s arm was in a sling and my dad looked to be okay.
“She needs a blood transfusion, but you both don’t match. We have some on hand, but I need your signature to authorize it since she is a minor.”
“Do whatever you have to do,” my father said, touching my mother’s undamaged arm. “She’s going to be okay.” His concern was fake.
I closed my eyes before he turned toward me. I was just too tired to even think about what was going on.
A hand on my forearm woke me from a deep sleep. My mother stood on one side of my bed, looking like she was mad at something. Her eyes flickered over to the corner and I saw fear flash across her face before she schooled her features.
“She’s awake,” my father scoffed. “You’re lucky you are alive, you little bitch. If you hadn’t have been such a little brat at the party, none of this would’ve happened.”
“What?” I asked, my mind foggy from everything that had happened.
“You heard me,” he growled, coming closer to my bed. I cowered down when he dropped the railing on my bed and leaned over so that we were nose to nose. “I should’ve let you die in that car.”
“But…” I began, but was cut off when he spoke. He was always doing that, speaking over one of us.
“Shut up,” he snarled, poking at me with his finger. I yelped when he touched a sore spot on my chest. It felt like my entire body was one large bruise. “Just shut up!”
“Mom?” I called out, hoping she would show me some sort of affection. Her daughter was lying in a hospital bed, injured from her husband’s stupidity.
“Presley,” she warned, stepping away from my side and walking over to the door. She left me alone with him and I called her name again, but she didn’t respond.
I didn’t want to be left alone with him.
“Presley?”
“Presley?”
I gasped as my eyes flew open. My brain searched for something familiar, but the bedding in the bunk was all wrong. I tried to scramble out of the confined area, but strong hands enveloped me in a familiar warmth as Ace slid in beside me.
“Shh,” Ace said, stroking the sweaty hair back from my face. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”
“I’m sorry.” I shivered, shaking the visions from my mind. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t scare me,” he promised. “You were crying in your sleep.” I knew he was lying about not being scared, but I appreciated him not making a fuss like Garrison did whenever I would wake from a nightmare.
“I know,” I said, using my free hand to wipe away the wetness on my face. Fuck! The dreams were so real and so vivid, I thought I’d been back in that hospital bed. At least I didn’t relive the horrible few weeks that followed that accident. No, I wouldn’t think about that. “I’m sorry, Ace.”
“Nothing to be sorry for,” he whispered, pulling me against his chest. “Try to sleep. I won’t leave you again.”
“You can’t chase away my nightmares,” I mumbled against his chest.
“I know, but I can be here to hold you when you have them,” he said, running his hand down my side.
As much as I needed his touch, I knew it wouldn’t change anything. I’d still be the broken shell of a woman that had never truly gotten over her abuse. I hated it. I hated the fact that when I wasn’t on the stage, my past haunted me.
I wanted a future free of the bullshit.
“I need to get up,” I protested, lightly pushing Ace back from holding me any longer. I needed to breathe and being in the bunk was making me claustrophobic.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Please, Ace,” I begged. I needed to get up and off this bus.
Sliding out of his bunk, I turned for the front of the bus and almost plowed into Braxton, their drummer. He was blocking the way and only relaxed when he looked over my shoulder at what I assumed was Ace following behind me.
“Sit,” Braxton ordered. “I made coffee and you don’t need to be running off right now.”
I cursed and sat heavily on the black leather couch at the front of the bus. Ace hurriedly made a cup to my liking and handed it over. He took a seat next to me, but didn’t make a move to touch me, and for that I was thankful. Braxton sat on the couch opposite of ours and leaned forward.
“Do you want to cancel the show in Denver?” Braxton asked.
“No!” I gasped. “God, no. Why would you think that?”
“Do I really need to go there with you?” Braxton pushed, scowling. The usually quiet and brooding drummer honestly scared me. It wasn’t like him to delve into someone’s personal issues so seriously.
“Music and this band are my life, Braxton,” I answered, my eyes landing on both men. “I will not skip a date on this tour for fear of someone saying something to hurt my feelings.”
“We’re worried about you,” Ace spoke up. He finally rested his hand on my knee so that I would look at him. When I did, I felt all of the fight drain out of me, but I wasn’t going to let my father run me off from that town.
“I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be damned if I skip that show,” I replied, holding my head high.
“As long as you are okay,” Ace said. “That’s my only concern.”
“I’m going to be fine,” I promised, squeezing his hand. Both men looked down at my action and Braxton nodded before standing up from his seat. He excused himself and made his way toward the back of the bus.
Everything was going to be okay in Denver because I was determined to make it the best show on this tour. I wasn’t about to have a bad night so my father could see me fail.
No, I wouldn’t fail, because I knew what I had to do.
For the next few hours, we prepared for the show. Ace had invited us all over onto his bus for a meal he had catered in for the bands and crew. He watched me from the corner of his eye when he was talking to the other guys. I knew that I was quiet, but my mind was far away like it always was when I needed some space.
Music played in my head and I ended up writing lyrics again. I stood up from my seat and took my phone to the back of their bus where it was a little quieter. No one said anything to me as I left the front of the bus.
The hum of the bus’s generator lulled me into a zone where I tuned out everything around me. No outside sounds penetrated my little cocoon. If I closed my eyes, I could hear the imagined music playing in my mind; I could hear the unwritten words being sung by my own voice. I hummed quietly as I typed out the words that rattled around in my head. I tapped out a beat on the top of my knee and smiled when I liked what I’d created.
“Hey,” Ace interrupted, standing in the doorway.
“Sorry, I needed a moment to myself.” I smiled up at him, setting my phone aside.
“I know,�
�� he said, moving forward. “I wanted to find you to tell you that you had about an hour and a half before you needed to be inside.”
“Oh, thanks.” I frowned, reaching for my phone so I could check the time. I’d been back there for longer than I’d thought. “I guess I better go get dressed.”
“Want me to go with you?” he asked, holding out his hand so he could pull me up from the couch. I protested because I didn’t want to irritate his back, but he ignored me and gave a tug, pulling me against his chest.
“I’ll be back in a few,” I said, immediately feeling bad when I saw disappointment cross his features.
“I’ll meet you inside,” he said, releasing me after placing a soft kiss on my lips.
I hurried through my preparations for the show and made my way inside. As I turned left to head toward the stage, a door opened to my right and Ace reached out, pulling my hand so that I would follow him into an empty room.
“Ace!” I squeaked.
“It’s just me.” He smiled, shutting the door behind me and throwing the lock. “I need you.”
The room was empty except for a table pushed against the far wall. I didn’t have time to process much before he lifted me in his arms, his hands cupping my ass. My back was met the wall and I felt his cock press against my sex. His lips were hot against my neck as he kissed a path up and over my chin to the corner of my mouth.
“We can’t do this here,” I panted, but my body betrayed my words as I tightened my legs around his waist, pulling him closer to my aching core.
“We can,” he growled, cupping my breasts over the corset I had worn for the show. His fingers folded around the zipper, pulling it down fast. The material fell away from my body, a cold rush of air tightened my nipples to hardened points. Ace’s eyes heated a second before he dipped his head, taking one with his teeth.
His curls tickled my chest as he abused my breasts, one after the other. God, my body ached for this man. At no time did he let me go, holding me soundly against the wall. I used my back to help alleviate any extra weight I could be putting on his back.
Fatal Temptations (Fatal Cross Live! Book 2) Page 15