by Claire Adams
The guys went right into another song as the crowd surged and danced, and I could see some of them crowd surfing now. That was one thing I’d never surfed and always wondered about. I smiled and clapped as they finished up that song, watching the crowd erupt in cheers with me.
It was mind-blowing to see the connection the crowd had to the band and their music, as well as the energy running through the place. You could see it throughout the crowd as well as on each one of the guys’ faces. They sounded incredible. The crowd went crazy with each and every song, with every member of the audience seeming to know all the lyrics, and when the band finally hit the last song on their set list, the crowd was cheering their name madly for an encore.
The guys gave in to the crowd and decided to play them one more song, and I took that cue to start getting things together for them to head back to the hotel. The show was drawing to an end, but that didn't mean my work for the evening was anywhere near done. The bus was out back waiting for them, stocked with cold water and drinks. I’d already stationed the security guys ready to escort them out of the venue to the bus and ensure that they didn't get mobbed along the way. I signaled the stage crew to be ready to start packing up their gear as soon as the band came off stage so that the guys had nothing to worry about and could head straight back to the hotel to enjoy their after party.
By the time I returned to the side of the stage, the guys were bowing. Seconds later, they were running off stage, drenched in sweat from playing under the hot stage lights and jumping around. I held up a hand, hi-fiving them as they came flying by me, and shouted for them to head out back to get on the bus. There was a pressing crowd of fans back there waiting for them, but with the help of the security guys, I managed to hustle them through, although Talon, Jay, and Jeremiah all grabbed a few girls out of the crowd to join us on the bus. I shook my head and made a mental note to place condoms on the nightstands next to their beds at their rooms back at the hotel.
The bus was packed when I finally managed to sign off with the security crew. I then had to double check with the stage and road crew that all the gear had been securely packed back on the bus. I was feeling a little run down, but pumped nonetheless, when I finally managed to get through the crowd. Owen grabbed my arm and pulled me on with him, smiling big.
“You guys were amazing!” I shouted to him over the group of people on the bus. “Wow, I mean, seriously! I may not have known much about Bleeding Heart before, but I've just been converted! I'm a fan now! Like I said, you guys were just amazing up there on stage.”
He smiled, leaned in close, and kissed my cheek.
"As were you today. We couldn’t have done this without you. Come on, it’s time to celebrate!” He handed me a drink and grinned. The real party was just about to get started.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Owen
Nalia smiled and took a sip of the drink I’d handed her. She claimed she was just doing her job when I praised her for how smoothly everything had gone, but to be honest, it was way more than that.
She wasn't just doing her job well; she was doing everything above and beyond, really going the extra mile for us. There was no way we'd have been able to pull this all off so smoothly without everything she had taken on for us. I was hugely impressed with her dedication, enthusiasm, and efficiency. I could hardly believe how incredible she was. To hell with the after party. I wanted to spend the night celebrating with her, and her alone.
“Come here.” I took the drink from her hand and put it on a cup holder, grabbed her wrist, and tugged her toward the bathroom as the bus started to move. We pushed past the guys and the horde of groupies they had pulled onto the bus with them.
“What are you doing?” she giggled as I yanked the door open and tugged her inside with me.
“This.” I heaved her against me and kissed her firmly on the lips—something I had wanted to do ever since I had seen her step into the room backstage in the little miniskirt she was wearing. After the high performing for a sold-out crowd had given me, I wanted her even more. She’d done everything, and because of all her effort, the day had gone off completely without a hitch. The woman was amazing, and I wanted her desperately.
Her lips melted into mine, and I wrapped my arms around her waist, fondling her ass before she pulled back.
“You’re making out with me in the bathroom?”
“Yeah? So? I wanted to get you all to myself,” I admitted, still breathing heavily. She smiled and leaned forward to kiss me again when someone banged on the door.
“Dude! I gotta take a leak!” Nate yelled from the other side of the door. I frowned as Nalia laughed and shook her head.
“Come on,” she said as she dragged me out of the bathroom, an act that prompted several hoots from the other guys. “Besides, I still have a few more things to take care of, and you need to mingle, not be hiding out with me. You go do your job, and let me do mine. Remember what our priorities are here, Owen. We both agreed on certain things, and we need to stick to them.”
“But what if I want to hide out with you?” I grinned.
She shook her head at me and raised an eyebrow. “Go. Mingle. Do what everyone expects you to do.” She gave me a gentle pat on the butt, then disappeared toward the front of the bus.
I did as I was I was told and hung back with the guys, even though I didn’t really want to. Talon was already doing body shots off of the stomachs of two of the girls he’d brought on the bus. He certainly wasn't one to waste any time when it came to the ladies. I shook my head and grabbed a beer, sitting down next to Jeremiah.
“Good show tonight, man.” He clinked his bottle against mine. “Nalia is amazing, man, she really is. I'm glad you found a good assistant. She's taken a huge load off of your shoulders. All the guys have been talking about how they can tell you’re way more relaxed. I know it’s because of her.”
“Yeah, she’s pretty great,” I sighed.
Jeremiah raised an eyebrow at me. “You seem rather enamored with her, too. Funny. If I remember correctly, you were the one who made us all promise that we wouldn't get involved with her, no matter what?”
I shrugged and took a swig of beer. He knew me well enough that I didn't need to respond. We finished our beers in silence as the bus headed back to the hotel.
Once there, we all piled out of the bus and headed up to the penthouse in a couple of different elevators. I lost track of Nalia in all of the chaos, even though I was doing my best to keep an eye on her. When we walked into the penthouse, however, she was already there waiting, still wearing the Bleeding Heart tank top, but having changed out of her mini skirt into a pair of yoga pants.
“You changed,” I frowned, looking down at her outfit. “You are partying with us, aren't you?”
She shook her head. “Sorry, Owen, but I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to join in. I have a few things I need to take care of, and I thought maybe it would be a good idea to give you guys some time away from the mother hen’s watchful gaze. I was just going to head to my room and get some work done.”
My frown deepened. “You’re not staying in the penthouse with us?”
“Nah, with the extra people you guys brought and the road crew still coming to join in, I figured you guys could use the extra room. I'm sure you all want to cut loose, and the other guys already think I’m strict as hell. Actually, I think they're even a little scared of me now!” I laughed, thinking of how quickly they now conformed when she barked orders.
“No, I'm gonna leave you all to do your thing, while I just get some peace and quiet. I’ll just be down a floor, though, in room 217, so if there are any problems just head down and get me or give me a call.” She gave me a comforting smile, but I still didn’t want her to go.
“Stay,” I grabbed her hand, but it slipped from my grasp.
“If you need anything, you know where to find me,” she said before she kissed my cheek. “Now, go enjoy your party; you guys earned it.”
“Right,” I sigh
ed, walking her to the door. I wanted to go with her, but at the same time, I knew the guys and the rest of the crew would expect me to stay, at least for a little while. Nalia was right; I did have to stay and mingle and at least try to have a good time. As the leader of this band, it was pretty much expected of me, even if I wasn't really in the mood for it.
I watched her get onto the elevator before I headed back inside the penthouse, and couldn't deny there was a pang of sadness and disappointment that she wasn't going to be at the afterparty with me. Talon and Jay, meanwhile, had cranked up the stereo system and were pumping some party tunes, and people were starting to dance.
I made my way over to the bar where I got the attention of the bartender and ordered a couple of drinks, downing them quickly in an attempt to drown my disappointment before joining the others. Forty-five minutes later, the crew arrived, bringing a few more guests up with them. The penthouse quickly became packed with partygoers. The party was definitely on now, and I was starting to feel a slight buzz from the drinks.
“Great show tonight. Gonna be a good tour,” some of the crew members said in passing as they picked up drinks at the bar. I ended up hanging with several of the road crew guys on the sofas, bullshitting and laughing as I downed a few more drinks. I was having fun, but it didn’t feel quite right because Nalia wasn’t with me. I tried to shake the feeling, but for some unknown reason, I couldn’t.
I had a heavy buzz going when I got up and headed to the bar for another drink. Talon came over and slung an arm around my shoulder.
“Come on! Let’s do some shots!” he said, slurring a little bit.
“You sure you need to do any more shots?” I asked, unable to help smiling.
“Hell yes!” he snorted, then slapped the bar. “This party is only just getting started, bro! Four shots of fireball!”
The bartender came over and filled up four shot glasses and Talon beamed at me picking up one.
“To Bleeding Heart!” He clinked his glass on mine, and several hoots of agreement sounded around the room.
“To Bleeding Heart,” I agreed before taking the first shot and quickly following it with the second. If I had to mingle, I might as well get a bit drunk.
“A couple more?” Talon shot me a mischievous glance. I nodded. Why the hell not?
After two more shots, I was definitely in a more sociable mood. Still, something was missing with Nalia not being there, and I couldn't really get in the right mood for it, even with the alcohol flowing through my veins. I hung out for an hour or so more, then decided I’d had enough. I wanted to spend some time with her.
Since Talon and Jeremiah were busy chatting up girls, I excused myself with an Irish goodbye and headed into the hall for the elevator. I knew she was just one floor down, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember her room number. You drunken idiot, I thought as I stared at my swaying reflection on the mirrored elevator doors.
Ever stubborn, I stepped off the elevator onto her floor, looking up and down the hallway, hoping that seeing the room numbers might jog my memory. What the hell was her room number? 218? 216? I remembered it was in the teens but not which one. Was it an even or odd number? I could knock on half if I remembered and find her.
No, don't do that, I told myself. It was two in the morning. I doubted anyone sleeping in any of those rooms would appreciate me trying to guess which room she was in that way. I sighed and rested my forehead against the wall. Maybe those last few shots hadn't been my brightest idea.
A door opened, and I looked up, but it was just some old man in his bathrobe who gave me a weird look when I smiled at him. Damn. Like I’d be lucky enough to have her step out of her room with perfect timing like that. I stood in the hall a little longer, hoping that I’d either remember her room number or that she’d come out to pull me into her room, but neither happened.
The longer I stood there, in fact, the more I realized what a stupid idea this had been. As shitfaced as I was, I would probably make an ass out of myself trying to be smooth with her, anyway.
With a sigh, I turned toward the elevator and stumbled back in, pressing the button for the penthouse floor. When I walked back in, Jay and Nate were hanging with some girls on the couch, but instead of more partying, I headed straight for one of the rooms to crash, no longer interested in hanging out or mingling.
I threw myself on the empty bed, grumbling about not getting to see Nalia tonight and then humming a song I had stuck in my head but couldn’t remember where I knew it from. After a minute, it hit me: it was the song Nalia had been playing at the bar. Shit, she really was starting to get under my skin.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Nalia
I watched as Owen and the guys headed out into the conference room for their first press conference. Owen looked like a million bucks with a smile to match as he stepped in front of cheering fans and dozens of reporters. He fit the role of rock star so well. It was easy to see why all the girls loved him and why the band had such a huge following.
He was unfazed by all of the flashing cameras and screaming admirers as they walked out and took their seats. Instead, he simply stood calmly with a smile on his face, waiting to get going. Today, they were announcing the new album they’d be releasing, which they had finished recording before leaving for the tour.
I smiled as I watched them. I had never enjoyed a job so much, and I loved working with them. Some days, I still couldn't believe how lucky I was to have landed this job. Not to mention how amazing it was for my life to have totally turned around like it had. One minute I'd been almost penniless, unemployed with no hope for a decent job in sight, and now there I was, working with one of the biggest rock bands in the country and having a blast doing so. It still felt like a dream sometimes, as if it couldn't possibly be real.
It didn’t hurt that I was also working with one of the most gorgeous rock star billionaires around. And even if Owen and I hadn’t gotten any alone time the other night, he’d taken it in stride, and things were good.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I excused myself, heading to the back.
“Hey, Jackson,” I answered, smiling.
“How’s my little sis doing?” he asked, and I could almost hear his smile through the phone.
“Not bad, not bad.”
“Life on the road treating you okay?”
“Yes. The tour is off to a good start, thanks to yours truly.”
“Of course it is,” he laughed. “The reason I didn’t want you to take this job had nothing to do with me doubting you.”
“I know, I know.” He was still a little upset about me taking the job, but he obviously knew there wasn’t much he could do, especially from miles away and after the fact.
“You’re not falling for that asshole, Owen, are you?”
“I can’t make any promises, but I’m trying not to,” I joked. Jackson didn’t laugh.
“I’m serious.”
“So am I! I’m not trying to,” I laughed.
“Nalia, you know I worry about you,” he sighed.
“I know. And I’m using my head. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“Yeah, well, I’m still going to worry. It’s what I do. You’ll always be my baby sister.”
I smiled. “I know. And you’ll always be my big, overprotective older brother. I really appreciate it, you know I do, but you have got to realize I'm all grown up now and can take care of myself. I really can, I promise!”
We talked for a few more minutes, and he promised he’d be keeping tabs on me and making sure I was okay, even though I told him it wasn’t necessary. I hung up the call with Jackson and headed back inside to see the guys finishing up their press conference. Owen was just coming around the corner, looking for me.
“Sorry, had to take a phone call. How did it go?”
“Great! You ready to go get some lunch?” He smiled and put an arm around me.
“Yeah. I have us at an Italian restaurant downtown that is closed except for yo
u guys, so you don’t have to worry about a crowd,” I explained.
His smile widened. “You really do think of everything, don’t you?”
“It’s my job.”
“Come on, let’s head out.”
We made our way outside to the waiting limo and piled in with the others, heading to the restaurant. I went through a few emails about interviews and other tour publicity on the way. When we arrived, I followed them in, still answering emails that needed my attention.
It was hard to focus on anything else when there were so many details to take care of, and at this early stage of the tour, I still hadn't quite fallen into a rhythm yet. I was still finding my way and doing a pretty decent job of it so far.
What concerned me was the feeling that something was going to go wrong at some point. That was just the law of nature. Nothing could run this smoothly without any bumps in the road.
“I’m totally starving!” Talon announced as they took their seats in the middle of the empty restaurant. “I could eat a horse right now. And I'm not even joking, dudes. If there's horse on this menu, I'm ordering it!” The others grumbled in agreement, and Owen took a seat at the head of the table. I put my phone away to make sure the staff at the restaurant got everybody's drink and food orders and didn't leave anybody out.
“Nalia.”
“Yes?” I spun around to face Owen.
“What are you doing?” he asked, his forehead wrinkled together in concern.
“Just making sure you guys are being taken care of. That's my job, remember?” I smiled nervously, suddenly worried I’d done something wrong.
“Look, everything is perfect. We're here, we're relaxed, everything has been taken care of, we're all on schedule. There's nothing to worry about right now, nothing at all. Stop stressing out and come sit down and eat with us,” he insisted, pulling out a chair.