by Liz Crowe
I shove away from him and run around the coffee table. “Oh no… We can do something other than that tonight, Mr. Cole.”
He shakes his head then leaps over the coffee table grabbing me by the waist. I giggle loudly when Gray turns us so that I fall onto him as he lands on the sofa. “Mrs. Cole, I don’t care what we do. I wanna do it naked,” he purrs into my ear.
“How the hell am I supposed to argue with that?”
“You’re not.” Gray lifts the hooded sweatshirt up exposing my belly. His tongue runs along my tattoo slowly. “This would be easier if we were naked,” he tosses out while kissing down the stem to the edge of my waistband. “See, some of it hides under there so I can’t tend to it properly.”
The door busts open making me jump. Aiden stands there, his face a broken shell. Tears streaming down his face then he drops to his knees. I jump off of Gray, fumbling across the room to him where he sits staring off into space. What the fuck happened? Falling to my knees, just as Gray gets to us, I grab Aiden’s shoulders shaking him. “Aiden? Aiden! What the hell?” I scream into his face when he doesn’t look at me. “Gray, what’s wrong with him?” I ask, looking down at his blood covered knuckles.
Gray runs across the hall. I can hear him screaming for Cam as he shoves shit around in the rooms. I turn looking at Aiden again, “Where’s Cam, Aiden? What happened?” I plead shaking him again. “Please, talk to me.” Tears are streaming down my face while all sorts of images flow through my head of what happened over there when he saw her.
“She isn’t here. She left me, Daisy; Camaron doesn’t want me. Nobody ever did,” he says without any emotion before crumpling into me then he breaks down sobbing like a baby.
Gray stands bracing his hands on the door just nodding in agreement. Gone. Camaron just packed up her shit just like that. She told me she was going to leave. I should have seen it coming but I hoped she would change her mind. With how much she loves Aiden I never thought she could go through with it.
Aiden hangs on to me for dear life while sobs rack his entire body. My eyes fixed on Gray as he just watches us in disbelief. Aiden, who is always so calm, is now falling apart on the floor of our hotel room. Right now I am hurting for him just as I hurt for Camaron, knowing how hard it was for her to go. It doesn’t change how badly I want to shake some sense into her though. I want her to see him like this so she knows it’s her who holds him together. She doesn’t think she has any power over him. Cam thinks that she gives the power all to him; but, right now, I think that Aiden gave her everything a long time ago. She just didn’t see it or didn’t believe she was worthy of it.
I sit listening to Gray talking on the phone to Henry; his voice carrying from our bedroom. “Big Man? It’s bad. It’s the worst I’ve seen. Yeah, we got him. No she’s gone. He trashed the suite. Yep get on that shit. We got this for now. Later.”
Chapter Twenty
A Violent Shove in the Right Direction
Hunter and Henry came to take Aiden to their suite, but he refuses to leave in case Cam comes back. I think he forgot that he totally demolished the room. We call Tad, who assures us that he will take care of it; none of us believe the slimy bastard, so Henry makes a few calls himself.
Hunter paces the room while Aiden lies sleeping face down on the fold out. His shirt is covered in his own blood from punching the walls; so we had to cut it off of him. He also shattered all mirrors, along with throwing anything that wasn’t nailed down. The room is a total loss, which I’m sure the hotel manager is really happy about.
I sit beside Aiden getting the first good look at the tattoo on his back. He has a set of angel wings that span his entire back even dipping into the waist band of his jeans. They look almost like iron and wire framed in feathers. The feathers are tattered and worn, looking partially shredded. It’s almost like he barely made it out of a battle of some kind. It’s dark, very gothic looking. “They’re so he can always escape the pain he carries inside of him,” Hunter says as he slams a beer cap on the bar. “Our sperm donor was a piece of shit. Aiden always wanted to just fly away and escape it all.”
“You mean?” I start to ask but choke on my words.
“I mean it was a shit ass way to grow up. I protected him. Our mother is a worthless whore who couldn’t say no to the mother fucker. So every time he asked to come back she let him.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper because what else do you say to that shit?
“Nothing to be sorry about, Daisy.” Walking over Hunter sits beside me. “So our childhood sucked ass. It could’ve been worse,” he shrugs. “Could’ve been a helluva lot better but it could’ve been worse; he rarely got to Aiden.” The look on his face is cold and serious, telling me all I need to know.
“You’re a good guy, asshole,” I say, kissing his cheek.
He chuckles. “I’m really not. I thought you were gonna cause all kinds of problems on this tour. I told Landon to fuck off. Told him no regular pussy on the bus but I’m glad you’re here, Daisy. You came through for my brother tonight when I wasn’t here. One last thing to do though, we gotta get that bitch back.”
Grabbing my phone I head into the bedroom thumbing in a text to Cam:
Why Cam?
Her reply is instant:
I had to.
Taking a deep breath, I pace the room as I type my reply.
Meet me. I need to know u r okay.
After assuring her that I will come alone, I get an address of a restaurant that she will be at in half an hour. Quickly, I grab my bag, throw on my shoes then walk back up the hall. “Hunter, I gotta go see a bitch about a drummer,” I blurt heading for the door.
“Whoa there Wildflower. Not alone you don’t,” he says grabbing my hand on the knob.
I look at our hands then at his face. “I told Cam I’d come alone. So I’ll go alone,” I say jerking the door open, meeting Gray’s steel gaze.
“Going somewhere, baby?”
“I need to go see Cam. I told her I’d meet her in thirty minutes, time is ticking,” I answer, silently pleading for him to just move.
“Henry go with her but give them space. Maybe she can talk some sense into Cam,” Gray says pulling me flush against him. “You. I couldn’t love you more right now if I tried.”
I brush my lips over his softly. “I love you too. Be back soon,” I say taking Henry’s arm as he walks me to the elevator.
*****
“What the fuck is it with all of us and these damn diners? Can’t we go to a coffee shop or get pizza?” I say slumping into the booth across from Cam. She looks horrible. Her hair is pulled up in a bun, her face splotchy and swollen from crying. Her eyes are the same emotionless horror as Aiden’s. Can’t she see what she is doing to them?
“How is he?” she asks, staring into her coffee mug unable to meet my eyes.
“He needs you,” I say simply. Cam huffs out a laugh. “He does, Cam. I’ve never seen anything like it. He wrecked the room, total fuckin’ loss man. Aiden kicked our door in, fell to the ground, then cried like a goddamn baby until he passed out. He was covered in blood. Fuck, Cam, I don’t know how to help him. He’s so lost. Hunter says you push back the bad shit in his life. You keep him grounded. Now you’re not with him and he’s not grounded. He’s shattered, and from the looks of it, so are you. Why would you willingly put the both of you through this, Cam?”
“I know that Aiden has his shit. His past is dark, I know that. He hasn’t shared any more than I have about mine but we all have our shit to deal with. I can’t be what he needs in the long run when the band makes it big; hell, I can’t deal with it now. I can’t give myself over to him that way then have him hurt me because I’ll never recover from that, Daisy. Fuck, I’m ruined now after just a few months. I’ll never love anyone the way I love Aiden. I just can’t go on like this, only to have us both hurt in the end. Our relationship isn’t one of permanence, as much as we both may have wanted it to be. He’ll move on. Aiden has the guys, and now you, to help him.�
�� Turning, she wipes her eyes.
“But it should be you, Cam. You could fix everything just by coming with me now,” I say gesturing to the door.
“For how long, Daisy, huh? How long before I end up being pushed aside for someone better? Someone who is made for the spotlight Aiden belongs in? It was great while it lasted. I’ll love him for the rest of my life, but I can’t.” She shakes her head then stands. Tears falling freely down her face as I stand to stop her from leaving.
“Cam, please just think this through,” I plead.
“I have. Don’t let it come between us, Sweets. Let me know how he’s doing? I need to know that he moves on,” she says hugging me tight. Then I watch as Camaron walks out of the diner and disappears from view.
This entire day has pissed me off to no end. First, Landon and Tad storming our room, now poor Aiden broken, just as much as Cam is, with no one wanting to do fuck all about it. Looks like I’ll just have to take matters into my own hands. A violent shove in the right direction is what they need. Although, a padlocked room along with some duct tape would probably work too. I stomp over to Henry, grabbing his arm. “Take me back to the guys, Big Man, I’ve got shit to do.”
*****
Henry opens the door for me to the hotel suite I share with Gray. I have steamed the entire ride back to the hotel. I am so angry with Camaron that I can’t see straight. Aiden too! They are letting everything get in the way of what they want; to be together. Cam thinks she can’t be what Aiden needs, but it looks like she is all she needs. Well, it’s time. Walking in, I look over at Aiden and Hunter sprawled across the fold out. Gray is propped up in a chair watching a movie. “Well, how’d it go?” he asks, patting his lap expecting me to come sit with him. Sorry Gray, I have bigger fish to fry.
I shake my head as I kick off my shoes. Walking over, I step up onto the fold out rolling Aiden to his back. “Wake up, Aiden! If you want Cam back you gotta get your shit straight,” he groans, trying to open his eyes. “Henry, will you make some coffee?” Looking over I smile at him sweetly. Henry just nods heading straight for the kitchen.
“Daisy, leave me alone,” Aiden whines pulling the pillow over his head.
“No!” I shout. Yanking the pillow, I smack him with it. “I’m sick and tired of you two telling me to leave you alone. Or to drop it. For the best my happy ass!” I scream kicking him in the hip. “Fuck the both of you and your goddamn high horses. Trying to do what’s best. Get your ass up and take a shower so you can be sober when I tell you how the fuck you’re going to knock some sense into Cam. She needs a reality jolt to her heart in a bad way. I’m gonna make sure you give it to her.”
His eyes meet mine at the mention of her name. “Where is she?” Aiden asks desperately.
“I don’t know where she is right now,” I reply honestly, then sit beside him. “I talked to her. I know her reasons so I’m going to help you Aiden; but she’s my girl. You gotta tell me she’s it for you. She’s hurtin’ really bad thinkin’ that this is best for you both. From what I’ve seen of you two together, I don’t believe that and I’m thinking you don’t either. We gotta make her see it if that’s what you want.”
Aiden sits up, grabbing both my hands in his squeezing almost painfully. I watch his face contort in pain. My eyes glued to his bandaged hands. We still don’t even know if he can play tomorrow night after the number he did on them. It took us an hour to get all the broken glass and wood splinters out while he just laid there. I force my eyes up to meet his encouraging him for his answer. “Daisy, Camaron is my constant, she’s my bass line. It doesn’t matter if I’m behind my kit or not, it’s her that keeps me in time with the rhythm of her heart. At times, it feels like mine beats in time with hers. Like we’re one and the same. There are times when I can’t tell where she ends or where I begin. I’m broken without that. You might as well take it all because it means nothing without her. After these last few months, Cam made me forget how dark things can be. She is it for me. Other than the people in this room, she’s the only good thing I’ve ever had. I can’t lose her and I won’t give her up.”
“Good,” I say on an exhale. “Now, go shower. After we chug some coffee, the planning begins.”
“Can someone please tell me why I just had to listen to my brother become pussy whipped by our best friend’s fuckin’ wife without you showin’ us your tits? Seriously, isn’t there a rule book Gray?” Hunter groans rolling toward me.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve already dealt with your love life, or lack of, I should say,” I giggle. “I can get a message to Chase for ya if you want.” Hunter just shakes his head. “Aw, Cunter, I know you better than you think. Just admit you like her. Say that you wish she was a boomerang, not a Frisbee, and I’ll call her for you, honey.”
“I don’t need her Daisy. There’s fresh pussy in every town just waitin’ for me,” he says but lacks his usual confidence.
“We’ll see,” I say, shoving off of the fold out strutting into the kitchen with a huge smile on my face. I can feel another bet coming on. This time I’ll get shoes out of it or some shit.
Twenty minutes later, Aiden sits at the table with all of us. “So, what’s the plan?” he asks as Henry hands him a mug.
I look around at all of us sitting around the table and giggle. “I call this meeting to order,” I stutter through my laugh. “Do we need rings or a bat signal? Knights of the Shaft table assemble!” I bury my face in my hands laughing uncontrollably.
“You’re a fuckin’ riot,” Hunter says sarcastically. “Get on with it.”
I take a deep breath trying to gather my thoughts. Then when I’m sure the giggles have passed, I look at Aiden. “Cam doesn’t think she’s good enough for you. She has it in her head that you’ll replace her with someone else.”
“That’s bullshit!” he roars slamming his injured hands on the table.
“Aiden, calm the hell down, man,” Hunter warns, glaring at him from across the table.
“I didn’t say that any one agrees with her but that’s how she sees it. She also told me that she’ll love no one like she loves you, Aiden. That’s how I know this will work. She made me promise that I would help you move on. That I’d let her know that you do,” I say with a grin.
“What the hell is wrong with bitches?” Hunter asks shaking his head. “If I ever found a piece that was worth another go, I’d for sure not let some other fucker get at it.”
Turning, I point my finger at him. “I’ll deal with you later, pretty boy.” Looking back at Aiden I lay it out. “You’re goin’ to move on, Aiden; at least, Cam will think you have. She’s so far gone over you I think she will blow a gasket when she sees you with anyone else.”
“I can’t just be with someone else, Daisy,” Aiden’s voice cracks as he scrubs a hand over his stubble.
“You won’t have to, Aiden. We just have to make it appear to be something it isn’t. You let me worry about that. What I need from you is a plan to deal with slimy ass Tad. That isn’t what it appears either, I think.”
“You’re right. I need proof, though. I’ll get what I need in Minnesota but there’s shit in their room now; if I could just get in there,” he says grabbing his phone, thumbing away. “See, Daisy?” He starts showing me figures he’s added up. “The numbers are way off.” I look at the rest of the guys, giving them a wink. Aiden’s back. Gray looks at me with a big smile; of course, Hunter looks at me like he just wants to kiss me, but I don’t think bleaching your mouth is healthy so I’ll pass.
Henry sits his mug down on the table with a thud, “There is always someone in that room unless it’s just before a show. They meet with you guys after sound check then go back to their room for the night with some groupies.” Glancing at me he frowns, “Sorry, Daisy.”
I just shake my head as Gray squeezes my hand, “So, if I were to sneak in before I go to the show tomorrow, I could find what we need? They’d be with you.”
“Fuck no. Not happening,” Gray growls.
&nb
sp; “You can text me when they leave then I have ten minutes, or more, to get out, right? This could work, Gray. I can get Cam to help me then bring her to the show after. It’s perfect for both plans Gray,” I argue.
“She’s right, man. It could work,” Hunter pipes up.
“No.” Gray snaps, “How the fuck would she even get in?”
“Let me deal with that,” Henry volunteers. “I have to escort them to their car before I drive you guys over. You know, with their safety being threatened and all.” He shakes his head. “Those pussy motherfuckers are scared of you assholes but order me around like the pool boy.”
“They should be afraid of your big ass, bro,” Aiden says with a grin. “You’d fuck ‘em up.”
“I’m not gettin’ any closer to them than I have to. Cunter is one thing man, but the bitches they bang leave trails behind them that even Ajax won’t clean up. Be a bit more choosy when ya tap that floozy,” he busts out making us all laugh.
“Well, since this is settled, you guys can get the fuck out. Have a nice night,” Gray bites out. “Tip your waitress, exit stage left; oh, and don’t let the door slam on that ass when you go!”
“Go on tell us how you really feel man.” Hunter holds his chest. “It’s like you choose the pussy over me, man. Breaks my heart but makes me horny. I’ll just sit here quietly; unless, you need corrections. I’m great at problem solving.”
Gray just shoves them toward the door making me laugh. Locking the door behind them, he turns, facing me, leaning back against the door. “I remember, earlier, before things went to shit I wanted to do a few things naked,” he says, pushing off the door heading for me.
“I remember something about that,” I mutter when his arms circle me. I can feel the heat of Gray’s skin through my sweatshirt. Everything that went wrong today fades away when he kisses me. The way my hands already know to pull through his black hair, how my body knows to melt against his is all consuming. My nipples harden as he pulls me flush against him.