by Nora Flite
I said, “Sure. Sounds good.” I was smiling again. I couldn't keep my exuberance in check. “And thanks, Sean.”
He walked backwards, wiggling his fingers. “For what?”
For being there for me, for pushing me. “Just... everything.” He rolled his eyes before hurrying away.
Brenda grabbed her hips, hair bouncing. “Afterparties, about that. You guys better be ready to climb on the bus tomorrow morning.”
“I'll be fine,” Porter said, elbowing me firmly. “Can't speak for the newbie, though.”
I gave the bigger man a light shove, laughing. “And I told you, this isn't my first afterparty.”
“With us, it is.” The drummer hooked his arm in mine, while Porter pushed me forward. The two of them had no trouble forcing me towards a back exit. “Come on! Our driver will take us to the club, it's supposed to be awesome!”
Drezden was following, a bloodhound who had my scent. “Wait,” I said. I dug my heels in, the floor screeching under me. “Wait, wait! We're not going to the same place as Sean and the rest of his band?”
They let me go, none of them meeting my eyes. All the fun had evaporated. “He might show up,” Porter mumbled. "Who knows?"
“Might?” Wrinkles crawled over the bridge of my nose. “They're not allowed into this club, are they?” I didn't wait for anyone to speak, their eyes were darting around, gliding off of me like I was made of oil. “If he or any of his band show up, they better be let inside.”
A hand clapped onto the top of my head; Drezden. “Calm down. I'll let the security know they can get in. Sound fair, kid?”
Kid. My heart swelled at the name he'd stopped calling me so quickly. I told him not to, that's why. I said I wasn't a damn kid. Pin-pricks crawled up my arms. Then he asked me... he asked me what I was doing to him. Every inch of me heated up, reliving the memory of being in the tub.
Unable to handle his nearness, I pushed away. I kept going, being the first to step out into the open air. The world was full of screams, flashing lights, and men in black holding an army at bay. These were the fans of Four and a Half Headstones.
My fans, I thought in wonderment. Looking over my shoulder, I challenged the rest of the band with my eyes. “You guys said you wanted to show me a 'real' afterparty. Then come on, show me what it means to be a member of Four and a Half Headstones.”
****
Inside the club, there was no air. It was a place built from human heat and purple lights. No one cared; everyone was eager to suffocate if it meant they could be near the stars.
Near us.
Near me.
Thumping music pumped into my muscle fibers. It made me dance, but the alcohol was what made me feel free. No one cared I was underage, they didn't dare turn me away. I'd told the guys I'd been to afterparties before. It galled me how right they'd been, though.
This was nothing like the parties Barbed Fire ended up at.
Packed to capacity, the club was sweltering. Bodies without faces ground against me, turned me to hamburger with their rough motions. Tossing back my third—fourth? —rum and coke, I closed my eyes and rolled into the sea.
Thump. Thump. Thump. The rhythm rocked my heart.
It was fun to have time eaten away like this, I didn't need to think about Drezden and how his presence was making me fall apart. My temples were expanding with pressure from the noise. Alcohol, I've had too much alcohol. Something bumped me; a hip or a thigh. I should stop, get some air. I need to breathe!
Foreign fingers hooked around my waist. I didn't know him, his face was an amethyst in the glow of the lights. “Hey,” he croaked, dark bruises under his eyes. “I know you, you're Lola.”
I said, “Yup.” With one hand trapped by my drink, I tried to use the other to pry myself free. The guy, whoever the fuck he was, wouldn't have it.
Yanking me close, his sour breath invaded my nose. “You were amazing up there.” His nose touched my forehead, sniffed my hair. “Come on, let's dance, babe.” Too fast, his hands ran up my ribs like giant spiders.
No way, not letting this happen. This asshole was sporting a giant grin. Wrenching back my arm, I erased it with a blast of ice and rum. I dropped the glass, the plastic 'clonk' not reaching me over the music.
In disbelief, he wiped his face; his eyes were furious. “You fucking bitch!”
There was a part of me that wanted him to try something. My brain was full of disgust for the other night, when the guards had thrown me down so easily. I wasn't a victim; those days were in my past. I could fight and I would fight, if someone gave me a reason.
Let this fucker give me a reason.
It would relieve so much poisonous energy if I could let loose and just go crazy.
The stranger gritted his teeth, but he didn't take a step towards me. His eyes shot up, over my shoulder. In the funny lighting of the club, Drezden was a purple demon. I'd have called him an angel, but I didn't need saving, and there was nothing angelic about him.
“There a problem?” He was looking at me while clearly talking to the guy soaked in my drink. The nameless shithead had to know who my 'hero' was. If he'd recognized me, Drezden Halifax was a given.
The stranger scrubbed his cheek, barely talking over the music. “No problem. Forget it.” He faded into the crowd, become another writhing body.
Drezden stared after the man longer than I did. Facing him, I noticed how people had given us some space. No one wanted to accidentally upset this beast of a man by bumping into him. Through my alcohol cloud, I noticed how serious he seemed. “I didn't start that,” I said, expecting him to be snippy. “And I could have handled it myself.”
“The drink stain on his shirt says you did handle it.” Cocking his head like a hawk, a smile tugged at one side of his lips. “If I get too close, will you do the same thing to me?”
Tobacco and salt filled my nose, replacing the sourness of the stranger. I honestly didn't know what I would do if Drez got too close. “Get me a new drink and let's find out.”
He threw back his head, laughing. His green eyes became black smoke. “What if I tell you I don't want to get you a drink?”
“You think I've had too much already.” It was a flat statement. I was halfway to drunk, but not there yet. Things were fuzzy and fun and my head could have floated away. But I wasn't smashed.
I ran my eyes over his torso in that tight fitted ribbed top, a clean replacement after our show. He was gorgeous; he knew it, everyone knew it.
I definitely knew it.
The singer was quiet. We stood there in the middle of a war, fists and knees punching all around us. Magically, we were untouched. He and I managed to escape into a bubble no one dared to break. What did others sense around us? What kept them at bay?
His fingers glided up the outside of my left wrist before I thought to stop him. By then, it was too late. “It's not that," he said. "You can drink as much as you want. It's just hard to dance with a glass in your hand.”
Heat twinkled like stars in his face. I wanted to gaze on him forever and vanish into his galaxy. It was so easy to just fall into him. If I tumbled headfirst, I'd float forever and never return. “You want to dance with me when every crazy-hot girl here is clawing her eyes out to get your attention?”
“Why would that matter?” He tugged my arm, forcing me closer to his chest. “I want to spend more time with you.”
More? The music rolled in my belly, coaxing me to give in. “We spent the last two days trapped on a bus together. There's not much time that we missed.”
“It wasn't enough.” Drezden's hands dug into me. It was a beautiful pain, begging me to crush myself against him. “I need more, and I'll find any way to get it. Even if that means not sleeping... or not breathing. I want to devote every second I have to you, Lola."
Fear warned me not to get closer; if we touched our bodies, we'd both burn up. But would it be the worst way to go? I looked for my tongue, tried to make it wet my dry mouth. Nothing was in my control anymore
. All my pieces wanted to obey the ache Drezden was creating between my thighs. “Suffocating over me sounds ridiculous.” When did my hips start rocking to the beat? “Normal people just cut out activities they can afford to stop.”
He made a path up to my shoulders, tracing the outside edge of my sleeves. “Advise me.”
Boldly, I reached for his ass. His nostrils flared wide. The spike of pleasure I got from surprising him was... thrilling. Especially when I squeezed his back pocket; the empty pack of cigarettes crinkled under my grip.
“This,” I said softly. We were close enough that the music didn't blur me out. “How about you try smoking less? Earlier today, all the time you wasted when you stormed off to—”
Drezden's expression darkened. “I know.” His palm closed over my fingers, trapping my hand against his lower back. “It's just something I do when I'm stressed.”
“Why not just quit?”
His thumb squeezed, I worried he'd leave his fingerprints on my flesh. “Withdrawal is soul sucking.” In his pause, there was something unsaid. Watching me with a dangerously vivid hunger, he bent down. His whisper clenched around my lungs. “When did you become my drug?”
There were so many words I wanted to say.
Too bad he'd stolen them all.
I keep trying to tell him no. My mouth says one thing, while the rest of me gets hot and wet. My brother had told me to get closer to Drezden. There was no way he meant I should get this close to him.
Together we started to weave. I didn't struggle; when he released my hand, I kept it on his ass. There was a pulsing in me, in us. It went beyond the rapid music.
We didn't dance like strangers. I expected more mistakes, more fumbles. Drezden held my spine, coaxing me to roll my hips. Before, I'd been lacking air. Now, I was a balloon, waiting for Drezden to pop me.
How could my fragile existence stand up to his sharp appetite?
Taking my waist, he brushed his pelvis—himself—against me. The stiff resistance of his hard-on brought a whimper from my lips. My knees melted like ice cream on the summer pavement. I felt the dampness of my pussy ruining my panties and worried my jeans would be next.
I leaned my weight on him, rubbing over every single fucking muscle he had... and he had a lot of them. What remained of my resistance was flying away. I was up against an enemy I'd never faced. Here I was, falling apart at the hands of a man I'd glorified over the years as I listened to his music late into the night. He was dancing with me, he wanted me.
I couldn't recall why I'd been rejecting him.
His lips came for mine. I beat him there, linking my arms around his thick neck to keep him in place. I tasted the sweetness of rum, but his flavor was stronger in the end. It left hooks in my brain, implanting a gluttony for him.
Nothing would ever be the same between us.
When had I stopped caring?
****
The elevator dinged.
Drezden pressed me on the mirror, holding my chin so he could take his time with my throat. I didn't remember getting into the hotel, there was just a vague fog made from purple lights, crisp air and the crunching of tires. A part of me knew we'd climbed into a taxi, ignoring the personal car. The rest was all teeth and seeking tongues.
He kissed better than anyone could have—should have—been able to. The last time we'd been in this elevator had been this morning. Then, when he'd shoved me on the wall and tried to convince me to give him a chance... I'd almost done it.
Performing in front of thousands had filled me with courage. Was that what had changed? Was I no longer scared? I'm unbreakable. Nothing can ruin this. I'm a rock star.
The world had welcomed me. I wanted to swallow it whole.
The elevator doors started to close, the machine having no clue that we'd reached our floor, but had decided to stay inside and keep making out. I put out a foot, stopping the doors, yanking Drezden out into the hall and towards my room.
He stopped us and banged his keycard on the door next to mine; the one that belonged to him. Together we fell through the doorway, the lights automatically flicking on when they sensed our movement.
Behind me, the door crashed shut heavily. Drez was kissing me, as if he couldn't stop. Through my fluttering lashes, I caught glimpses of his room. It was big, wide—a copy of mine with its white walls and large screen TV.
A ripple of fear surfaced at the sight of his bed.
Wait. What am I doing?
His hands pushed my hair off my neck from behind. My worries went with it. “I can't believe you're here.” He grazed the curve of my jaw with his teeth. Hard fingertips moved down my back, tugging the hem of my shirt up.
Swallowing didn't help me find a response. I tried again, but only a quick gasp escaped. He'd discovered my skin, exploring my spine. Drezden bumped my bra strap; without asking, he unclasped it.
The black lingerie whispered when it hit the floor; he was too fast. On reflex, I crossed my arms over my chest. Drez spun me, eyes eagerly raking over my pale flesh. Nerves were erasing my confidence. I reached for the light; his body blocked me. “No,” he growled, scooping up my chin. I froze under the need in his stare. “I want to see you, all of you.”
It's too much. This is too much. I'd forgotten who he really was. Drezden Halifax had let me see some of the darkness inside of him before. But now, I'd walked into his lair.
In private, he could be himself. He could let go. I'd stumbled into a whirlpool when I'd thought it was a basic jacuzzi. He kissed me violently, tugging my lower lip with his teeth.
I felt myself falling, thought it was vertigo until I actually hit the bed. Drezden went down with me. He pounced, tangling fingers in my hair.
He's going to destroy me.
And yet, the more he touched me, the less I fucking cared. His warmth settled over me on the mattress, shadows cloaking his eyes. Leaning away, he flashed me a quick smirk. It stole more of my resistance.
Palms dragged down, scratching my ribs. I wriggled, openly whining as he explored me. Drezden was skirting around my breasts. I was initially thankful, terrified to let him touch me there when I was already losing my mind in less tender places.
Soon enough, the throbbing in my lower belly grew disappointed. The smirk he'd given me made sense. The bastard, he's teasing me. How can he have the strength to tease when he acts like he wants me so badly?
He looked down, green eyes contaminated with lust. “Something wrong, Lola?”
My poor lower lip was getting chewed up. “Why are you—why go so slow?”
His index finger brushed down my middle, just between my breasts. “You want me to speed up?”
Narrowing my eyes, I tried to look fierce. A gentle caress from his hand near my hip changed that. “I just... no. Fine. Do what you want.”
There, a flash of the rabid animal living in his soul. “I plan to.”
The muscles in my legs squeezed, toes pointing in my boots. A hollowness was forming in my pussy. Drezden made me want things I couldn't say out loud.
Inch by inch, he twirled his fingers closer to my chest. I was breathing heavily, my cheeks pure fire as my breasts shook with my strain. It was impossible to hold anything back. With him sitting on me, knees on either side of my thighs, I was trapped. I knew he felt every tiny twitch of my hips grinding.
I willed my body to calm down. I wasn't surprised it didn't listen. At this rate, my brain will just crumple like tissue paper.
Looking over him, the light behind his head made his features sharp as daggers. The indents along his bare shoulders hinted at his strength, his complete restraint in being patient with me.
Drezden flinched as I gripped his shirt, trying to lift it over his head. I thought he'd help me; his hands imprisoned my wrists. “No,” he said sternly. “It stays on.”
“That's not fair.” I want to see you, too. Trying again was futile, he just crushed my wrists until I squeaked.
Shoving my arms down onto the mattress, he pressed his nose to m
ine. The gold flecks I'd loved in his eyes now reminded me of jagged glass. “You want to see more of me? You're so sure?”
My voice was a mere croak. “Of course I'm sure.” I think I am, I think...
Considering me for a long minute, Drezden let my hands go. He straightened up, then stepped off the bed. I was paralyzed as he unbuckled his belt. The leather fell to the floor, my heart jumping.
“I'll show you more.” His meaning had a razor edge. He wasn't removing his shirt, he was unbuttoning his jeans. The sound of the zipper reverberated in my atoms.
In spite of my uneasiness, I sat up on my elbows. I was transfixed on his thumbs guiding his pants downwards. Drezden kicked his shoes off, they joined his jeans in a forgotten pile.
He was clad in tight, charcoal grey briefs. The material left little to my imagination. The shape of his cock was obvious as day, tenting out from his stomach and making my pussy throb.
When I finally lifted my eyes away from it, I found Drezden grinning. “I guess you did want to see, then.”
Blushing redder than ever, I looked at the ceiling. My escape was too brief; he climbed back over me. Expecting him to say something, to maybe kiss me, I cried out as he buried his hands on my breasts.
His erection bumped my thigh, driving tremors to my swelling clit. How the hell could I have prepared for this? I couldn't have. I don't think anyone could be ready for someone like Drezden.
His mouth secured mine. In the dizzying heat of his lips, I lost track of time. Fingers wrapped my hardening nipples, tugging them gently. Each pull woke more of me, prodded at my own inner animal.
Sliding down, the singer kissed my nipples, one at a time. Then he licked his fingers, the sight scalding my blood. Staring right at me, Drez teased one rosebud. Simultaneously, he suckled the other.
Colors bloomed in my mind. I was blind and deaf and made of nothing. When I came back, I honed in on the ball of slippery pleasure growing between my thighs. I wanted—no, needed—Drezden to fuck me.
It wasn't something I could voice.