by Lexy Timms
Of course she wanted to be a permanent fixture in Logan’s life, and she knew how much Royale meant to him and how much he was counting on her to be there, for and with him, and she wasn’t about to let him down. “I’m not sure what my big dream is yet,” she muttered to herself, “but in the meantime, I see nothing wrong with helping him chase his.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Breaking Down
By Whisky Lullaby
I could say I’m sorry a thousand times,
but you wouldn’t believe me, at least not tonight.
I gave it everything, but it didn’t come out right.
So much for sorry, at least tonight.
I could say I’m sorry a thousand times,
but you wouldn’t believe me, at least not tonight.
I’ve lost your love, and I know how.
There’s a lot going on, and there’s no way ‘round.
I did what I did, and my sorrys are all worn out.
We’re breaking up, and I’m breaking down.
I knew better than to push you
in a wrong direction. I was a fool.
I’m doing my best to not hit the curve,
going too fast, and no way to swerve.
I’ve lost your love, and I know how.
There’s a lot going on, and there’s no way ‘round.
I did what I did, and my sorrys are all worn out.
We’re breaking up, and I’m breaking down.
I hit the wall. There’re no safety belts.
Have to work it out, ’cause there’s nobody else.
I want to be with you. You’re the one,
but I crashed it up before it’s even begun.
I’ve lost your love, and I know how.
There’s a lot going on, and there’s no way ‘round.
I did what I did, and my sorrys are all worn out.
We’re breaking up, and I’m breaking down.
I’ve lost your love, and I know how.
There’s a lot going on, and there’s no way ‘round.
I did what I did and my sorrys are all worn out.
We’re breaking up, and I’m breaking down.
***
“So does this mean you’re here to sing?” Logan asked hesitantly when Ashley walked backstage.
“Of course,” she said, darting her eyes around to the others. “I mean, as long as the band will still have me.” She really did wonder, since she’d basically quit and left them hanging; it wasn’t as if any of them had signed a contract or anything.
Charlie gave her a bland look, and Zip busied himself with something else so he wouldn’t have to look at her at all.
“Um…guys…”
Logan grinned. “Of course we’ll have you. What would make you think otherwise?”
There were lots of reasons, but she decided not to mention them.
Logan caught her by the arm. “Hey, I need to talk to you a minute.”
She instantly panicked, certain she was about to be kicked out of the band in private.
He steered her out of the dressing room and into a small storage room just beyond it. He closed the door tightly and looked at her, and the expression on his face told her all she needed to know.
“Look,” she whispered, “I know we need to talk this out, but we don’t have time right now.”
“I know,” he said, nervously rubbing the back of his neck as the noise of the crowded venue filled both their ears.
Ashley knew it was neither the time nor the place, but she wanted him, maybe more than she had ever wanted him before. Her eyes locked on his gorgeous face, and her nipples instantly stiffened, straining against the cotton of her t-shirt. The dressing room was steps away, and there were people everywhere, but she couldn’t help staring at him hungrily. “Hey, I asked if the band will have me,” she said, “but how about you? You wanna have me, Logan?”
“Huh? Now?” he asked, shocked.
“I mean, I’ve missed you, and I just want—”
She didn’t even have time to finish the thought before he collided with her, slamming her against the wall with a round of passionate kisses that dizzied her. She whimpered as her tongue found his, teasing it into a dance that made them both lose their breath. Her toes dug into his calves as she climbed up the lean length of his body. Her legs wrapped around his narrow waist, and he turned to head for the dressing room, nearly toppling them both to the floor once in his haste to get there. She’d completely forgotten what she was going to say to him.
As soon as they stepped inside the dressing room, her fingers found his buttons. The satiny texture of his skin and the hard flex of muscles below sent her into a dizzying spin of desire and need. In an instant, he filled her palm, all hot throbbing flesh and thickness. She lowered herself to her knees. His masculine scent filled her nose, and she inhaled it deeply, allowing herself a moment.
Heavy veins wrapped around his shaft, pulsing visibly. His head was purple, engorged and excited by her touch and the anticipation of what she was going to do next. Fluid had gathered at the very tip, and she took him into her mouth, her tongue swiping across that silken skin to taste those clear little droplets of his pleasure.
Her hand cupped his balls as she drew him down her throat. His groan was low and guttural, and his ass rocked back and forth, making his hips move in a perfect dance. His member slid farther down her throat, and she tightened her lips around him, applying pressure as her fingers caressed the heavy weight of his sac.
Logan moaned and dug his hands in her hair, then yanked hard before his fingers released the silken strands and cupped the back of her head instead. He pulled out of her mouth with a wet popping noise, then dragged her to her feet before his mouth met hers again. The backs of her knees met the edge of a loveseat, and she went down, sprawled haphazardly onto the floor.
Her legs parted, and her knees drew up and back as he clambered on top of her. Every motion and movement brought his body into contact with hers, and each time their flesh met, little flares of need rocketed through her body. Her need intensified with every second, with every caress. His mouth met her neck, then her breasts, his teeth and tongue teasing her erect nipples into even stiffer points.
His hand delved into the wetness between her legs, and then he slid his fingers inside her, pressing down hard on her clit with his thumb. The need for release was strong, so very strong that she almost came just from that pressure alone. The friction and heat created by his fingers so deep inside her snug passageway sent her into a frenzy she almost couldn’t control.
Logan positioned himself above her and pulled a condom from his wallet. He tore open the foil wrapper with his teeth and unrolled it hastily.
Her hips arched upward as he thrust into her, taking all of her body captive. Her eyes closed as he freed one hand and found the high-standing ridge of her clit again, massaging it firmly. Waves of pleasure spiked and rolled through Ashley’s reawakened body. Her eyes flashed open, then closed again, and she panted heavily as she strained toward that high peak and the climax just beyond it. She soon reached that precipice, then quickly toppled over it. Moments later, she felt the thick throbs of his climax deep within her walls.
He strained for a moment, his entire body tight with the force of his passion, and then he slowly relaxed. He rained little kisses down on her face and neck, and she let her body go limp as his weight met hers and settled down atop her body. He kissed her again, deeply and passionately, like a decadent dessert to finish off a divine entrée.
She stirred beneath him. “Have you noticed we’ve been having a lot of sex after we fight?”
“Nothing wrong with fighting then.” He stood carefully and helped her to her feet. He dropped the condom in a half-full mop bucket, and it actually sank into the dingy water.
She giggled, holding her hand to her lips. “Um…”
“I know, but what do you want from me?”
“Everything.” She pressed against him.
He sm
iled and held her close for a moment, then hugged her again. “Everything, huh? Gee, you don’t ask much.”
She stepped back and smiled at him. “Okay, well, we’d better get back in there before they decide we’ve both quit the band.”
“Right. The show isn’t over till the hot lady sings,” he said with a wink, then took her by the hand and led her out.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The lights were low. The merchandise was piled in boxes, ready to be opened and sold to their adoring fans. All of them were nervous, but no one was more keyed up than Logan.
In spite of their dressing room interlude, he was sure Ashley as still somewhat pissed at him for even accusing her of wanting Charlie. He darted his eyes over at his stepbrother. Charlie looked relaxed enough, with his bass slung low and a half-bored expression on his face. Logan knew that expression all too well; underneath his cool, calm, and collected exterior, their re-hired bassist was just as nervous and hyped up as the rest of them. Fortunately Charlie was a fast study, and even though he’d only had a few days to get the bass lines down, he’d managed to do pretty well in their hasty rehearsals.
The tiny back rooms were cordoned off so each band had time to practice without bothering the other bands. Charlie adjusted a few controls and nodded, then ran through the opening lines of the first song, keeping in the key and not adding any fast little riffs or flashy runs. That was a plus, but it was a struggle for him to do so; Charlie was the consummate showoff, and everyone knew that the first chance he got, he would grab a solo and run with it.
“I can’t warm up anymore. I just…can’t,” Ashley said, her nerves evident.
Logan took a long breath and looked at his band, wondering how he could calm them all down. They needed the adrenaline, but they had to purge their nerves. After an equally long exhale, he said, “C’mon. We can stand in the wings and watch a few sets or something.”
“Yeah, we might as well size up the competition,” Charlie agreed, offering a snide grin. Logan had been an asshole to him, and they both knew it, and now his smile said it all.
The first band had just taken the stage, and Whisky Lullaby stood off to the side to listen in.
“Who the heck is that?” Ashley asked, pointing.
Logan looked at the stunning young woman wielding a gorgeous axe. She was short, not a centimeter over five feet. Her half-blonde, half-black hair hung down to her narrow shoulders in choppy but carefully styled layers. Her slender, petite body was contained in a thin tank-top that barely reached the curve of her bottom. Torn fishnet stockings, attached to garters, jutted out from her knee-high boots, completing her rocker-girl ensemble.
“I’ve got no idea who she is,” Logan said, “but she looks like serious competition.”
“I don’t know either,” Charlie said, his mouth practically watering as he stared at her, “but I’d sure as hell like to.”
Ashley pursed her lips, and Logan prayed she wouldn’t say something ugly, no matter how well deserved it was; now was simply not the time.
The young woman held up one finger and asked into her mic, “Who’s ready to rock?”
The crowd exploded.
“Uh-oh,” Logan said. He knew they were in trouble the minute the woman lifted her guitar over her head in a flashy little motion and hit a riff so badass that the crowd immediately lost their minds.
Meanwhile, Ashley’s little gasp of exclamation perfectly summed up everything he felt.
Whoever the young woman was, her band was really, really good. She was spectacular on the guitar, and she had a great vibrato, a unique way of mixing power chords with long strings of melody that impressed even Ashley. Her voice wasn’t the greatest, but it was really good, all growl and punch—a thick, chesty tone that cut right through the mix and went over the top at all the right moments. The whole band was into what they were playing, and that translated to the audience really getting into it too. They ended songs with style, and their between-song banter was witty; it worked like a charm to hype the crowd up even more.
Logan looked over at Charlie, who was still staring at the lead singer like he’d just found a life preserver in a rough sea. He poked him in the ribs. “Dude, we gotta go back to the dressing room.”
Zip was the first to say something. “Man, I know we’re good, and we knew everybody here would be, but that’s the opener? I mean, the producers put us last and all, but…shit.”
Mike looked really worried. He paced the floor for a few minutes and said, “If that’s the act with the least chance of winning, I don’t even know what to say. I know we’re good, but did you hear her playing? Why they landed on the bottom is anyone’s guess, unless we got it wrong and they really did just use a random lineup.”
Charlie leaned against a wall, angling one of his hips against it for support. “Dude, I think it was pretty stupid to take for granted that being last in the lineup had anything to do with any-damn-thing. I said that before. This isn’t just a show. It’s a contest, and they don’t line the bands up based on who’s best. It has nothing to do with who the producers consider headliners. I wanted to tell you all before that I figured doing some of the older covers would be a stupid move, but y’all were so positive you were on top, simply because they put you at the bottom of the schedule. I guess now’s as good a time as any to say it.”
“If we don’t do something fast, we’re all screwed,” Mike said, nodding. “We gotta fix that set list.”
Zip’s head fell into his hands in frustration. “Man, you guys are right. Shit. How could we have been so cocky?”
Ashley shifted from foot to foot. “Is there any way we can do more new songs?”
Logan gnawed his lip. “Most are still being written, or we don’t know them as a group.”
Silence fell. The three weeks leading up to Rock Star Royale had been hectic and fraught with personal tension. They’d lost sight of their goal in the process, as they were all more focused on everything else. Now, seeing the opening band had hit home the reality that Whisky Lullaby had simply been arrogant, naïve, and stupid, and they’d squandered away all those practice hours because of it.
Charlie said, “Well, I’m a quick learner. If we do just enough flash over the songs, just a little bang for the buck, maybe we can squeeze a few of the new ones in there. At the very least, we need to dump two covers and bust our asses to get into the next round.”
Logan felt paralyzed, wondering how he could possibly have let his beloved band down so much. He knew it was because he was so distracted with relationships, particularly with Ashley and Charlie, but those issues had to be sorted out before the band could be glued back together anyway. He’d done the best he could to cement the people back together, and a truce was the best he could pull off. In the process of all those reparations, though, he’d let too much go with the band and the music, and now they were on the front lines with little in their arsenal. He rubbed his temples with two fingers. “Okay, listen up. This is the first round. The best acts go forward. We need to be in that lineup. We’ll have time to work on stuff while other bands are up, so that’s what we’re gonna do. We have to pull it together. Ashley, where’re those lyrics you were working on?”
She looked down at her feet. “In my head.”
He hadn’t seen them yet, but he knew they would be dynamite, coming from her. “Good, then let’s go with two new songs. We’ll use one set of my lyrics and one set of yours. We’ll mix ’em into the four-song first round set with the two new ones we played at The Cave.”
“Man, are you high?” Zip asked, looking at him in astonishment. “We can’t possibly write and learn two new songs in less than an hour.”
Logan glared at him. “We don’t have a choice. Let’s focus and get to work. Like Charlie said, we’ll keep it simple. We’ll just fill in a few gaps with a little flash and rock it out as best we can. Our covers just aren’t good enough to get us through. My lyrics are simple, and we can toss them together with an easy but good-sounding fing
er-picked melody, so let’s start there.” He hurried over to his case and dug out the lyrics he’d scribbled down, then passed them around to the group. “I’ll sing the melody, and we’ll start filling in from there. As long as we all stay on key, we can make it work.”
“What key?” Charlie asked as he strapped on his bass. He seemed willing to play along, even if no one else was.
“Just sing the melody, and we’ll work it out as to what key and all,” Ashley offered.
The others nodded, and everyone tried to work together, but tension quickly filled the room. The mistakes were clear, as was their only recourse. They couldn’t go onstage with just a few originals sprinkled in amongst some covers. The first act had shown them, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that everyone there was hungry to win that battle of the bands, and for the moment their best was not good enough.
Logan blamed only himself. It was up to him to lead the band, and he hadn’t done that. He feared it might be too late to rectify the situation, but he had to try. They deserved better from him, and all he could do now was give them his best.
CHAPTER NINTEEN
Ashley was pretty sure Logan had lost his mind, even though she knew what was driving that insanity. They’d all been stupid and just assumed they’d automatically tumble into the second round based on where they fell in the lineup. They had gotten cocky and arrogant, letting that rule their emotions, and now they had no idea if they even had a real chance.
Whisky Lullaby did rule the stages they’d been playing on, but this was not their usual stage. Also, the bands who were competing against them had done their share of stage-ruling, too. Everyone was there to win, and the others had obviously not been busy fighting and breaking up and all the other stuff they’d been busy doing instead of actually working on their music.