Rock Gods: Baden

by Brandy Munroe

  Tonight I was going to take a long bubble bath to relax. Being with Baden was incredible, but my body was not used to his size. The length and girth of his cock was not something I have had the pleasure of before him.

  It was a challenge to take him the way I had. He thought I was teasing him. I was embarrassed to tell him that I was giving my body time to adjust to his size before letting him fuck me into submission.

  I lay back in the tub and let the bubbles surround me. Aromatherapy was understated as far as I was concerned. Nothing turned my mind off like the comforting scent of my strawberry essential oils.

  “I love the way you smell and taste. Sweet like strawberries. I fucking love strawberries.” I remembered his words from the first time we came together. The low caveman growls had turned me on.

  My fun time was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Come in.” The knock came from Jade’s side of the door. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out it was her. We would forget to lock the bathroom door between our rooms when we were using it. We decided knocking before entering was a good habit to form.

  She peeked around the door, where I was immersed in a tub full of bubbles. That was nothing new for us. She brushed her teeth once while I was in the bath. We were going to be living on a bus where there was little privacy. Might as well get used to seeing each other in our natural habitat.

  “Hey,” she came in, lowered the toilet seat and sat down. “Are you okay?” I guess she didn’t buy my line that it was just sex during today’s inquisition.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s not like Baden took my virginity. I don’t need coddling,” I bitched. I wanted this day to be over so I could go back to pretending that none of this mattered. I had to stay focused on my career. I didn’t need someone like Baden complicating things.

  “Okay,” Jade conceded.

  “I know everyone says opposites attract,” Jade told me as she was exiting the bathroom. “But if opposites attract, then maybe being alike equals combustion. Think about that before you make any rash decisions.” She softly closed the door behind her.

  Combustion.

  That was the perfect way to describe what happened between myself and Baden.

  How did I keep that combustion from blowing my world apart?

  Chapter 13

  Baden

  The week was a blur of studio time, more tracks, more sound mixing.

  What there wasn’t more of was sex with Crystal.

  The days were long with recording, rehearsing, rinse and repeat.

  Tonight, the girls were performing. It was Divine Chrysalis’ live debut. Arriving at the club early, I verified that everything was on track. The girls came by and did their sound check. Everything was going according to plan.

  Everything except for when I tried to initiate time alone with Crystal. I couldn’t tell if she was deliberately avoiding me, or if she was overworked to the point of exhaustion. The band was enticed to spend another afternoon at the McMansion relaxing by the pool.

  It worked on all of them, except Crystal. She claimed that if they had an afternoon off, she was going to take the opportunity to visit her parents. How was I supposed to call her on that? Her father was very forthcoming about how close-knit a family they were. It had been weeks since she, Amber and Ashley had any time to do the hour-long drive into the city to visit.

  Tonight, after the show, the interviews, the meet and greets, I had plans for a grand seduction. Patience might be a virtue, but mine was running low.

  The sweet strawberry scent she had transferred to my pillow had dissipated. I was restless without it, and I wanted more. More of her scent, her feel, her taste.

  More of her.

  All of her.

  Thinking about what I’d planned for our private after-party had me hard.

  I adjusted myself before heading towards the table where David had Emily comfortably situated.

  Anita, Theo’s sister and PR representative for Jackson’s firm, joined our table. The girls’ performance was going to be live-streamed on as many social media platforms as Anita could access. The girl knew her stuff. We were lucky to have her on our team.

  Emily was no longer the band’s keyboardist. That didn’t stop her from contributing where necessary. Along with her songwriting skills, she dedicated herself to being the band’s stylist.

  She said that if she learned anything from her time with Ruby, it was how you present yourself to the public could impact your career. Show up in comfortable ripped jeans and a t-shirt, and your fan might think you don’t care enough about appearance. Too much bling, you were showing off. She claimed it was a fine line.

  Theo agreed and gave the girls an expense account to find their own style. The men were forbidden to participate in girls’ day. I was anxious to see how the band perceived themselves.

  I hoped they chose according to each of their unique personalities and not try to do what Ruby did and have them dress to match. Too many bands out there did that. There was no need to dress like clones. When you were on stage, the fans understood you were a group. You didn’t have to club them over the head with the obvious.

  I headed to the bar and ordered a Jack and Coke. I’d nurse it. I wouldn’t be over indulging. It was as much my debut as the girls—a culmination of the long hours and hard work.

  The bartender handed me my drink, making sure to flash me her ample cleavage on full display. It was a tactic many used to get better tips. I tossed a twenty on the bar and carried my drink to the table where David and Emily continued discussing strategies with Anita.

  I took a seat, happy to know my part for tonight was to sit back and enjoy the show quietly. It was all up to the girls now. Tonight was to get them past any jitters and work on their stage presence as a cohesive group.

  Working in the studio was a great start, but nothing compared to the energy of a live crowd.

  The place was not opened to the public for another hour. That gave Theo a chance to arrive and set up for the VIPs he invited. Local music bloggers, DJs, radio personalities. The people who would be contributing to the success or failure of Divine Chrysalis.

  These were the same people who would be invited back to the green room to conduct interviews after the show.

  That group took up half of the VIP tickets. The other half was distributed through a variety of contests. Anita and Emily spent the day posting pictures of themselves at obscure locations. The first fan who could identify the location got a set of VIP tickets.

  They Photoshopped themselves having lunch in front of the Eiffel Tower, eating a taco in front of a Mayan temple, taking a gondola ride. The one picture that got the most hits was the one of Emily holding her stomach in front of an ice cream parlor. Beside her was Anita holding out a jar of pickles.

  The social media event took off like wildfire with the band's fan site getting thousands of hits. For all Theo’s scowling about his little sister not being corrupted by the lifestyle, she excelled at her job.

  Besides, from what I’d heard, she had some weird obsession with a violinist. Theo should not be wasting his time worrying about Anita. His little sister had no interest in rowdy rock stars.

  The norm was for performing bands to hang out in the green room before a show, doing whatever ritual they needed to do to alleviate pre-show stress.

  Theo decided to shake things up. The girls would be picked up in a limo and dropped off five minutes before the show. Everything was kept on the down-low. I was not even privy to how Divine Chrysalis was going to make their grand entrance.

  Fuck, I needed a smoke. I headed out the back alley through the service exit. Smoking was a bad habit that reared its ugly head when I partied. When was the last time I got drunk? Not a few drinks, not a beer by the pool, but falling down, stupid drunk? It had to be the night we celebrated finishing the new album.

  That was months ago.

  I shook my head. Music, drinking, fucking. That was the life, or so I thought. My priorities were changi
ng. I couldn’t pinpoint when exactly.

  Was it after Theo's accident that had him reuniting with Sabrina? Partially.

  More so when I realized Maddox would no longer be my wingman now that he was in a committed relationship with Kitt. The girl who lived across the street from us when we were kids.

  Then again maybe, just maybe, it was when a certain vixen walked out of my bedroom without so much as a backward glance.

  From this angle, I could see the line of people snake around the side of the building. It looked like we were going to have a full house. I could hear the giggles of the waiting fans.

  I leaned against the brick wall on the back of the building to avoid getting spotted. How many of the people in line were there to see Divine Chrysalis and how many were hoping to get a glimpse of Bentley Records’ top-shelf talent?

  It had happened in the past. Theo encouraged all his musicians to come out and support one another. The boys from Brackish were already causing a ruckus in one of the private areas wanting to know when the strippers were arriving.

  Fuck, I remember being that young and acting stupid. The boys would learn their place. It came with experience and guidance. The kind Theo was offering. Something we were never awarded when we started in this business.

  I spotted the limo as it passed the alleyway. I took one last drag and snuffed the cigarette out under my boot. Showtime. I entered through the service door and made my way down the hallway leading into the club.

  I removed my vintage leather jacket and hung it off the back of my chair. I didn’t need to dress for success. However, I did dress for seduction. I paired a nicely pressed grey button-down shirt with my relaxed fit, bootcut denim. I wasn’t a skinny jeans type of guy. I liked my boys to have plenty of room. I finished the look by putting a coat of polish on my scuffed motorcycle boots.

  The club was filling up quickly. I checked my watch. The girls should be making their entrance any minute. The room went silent when Theo jumped up on the stage.

  “Divine Chrysalis,” he announced, then jumped off the stage. No fanfare. No building up the crowd. Direct, simple, keeping the hype off him and on the band’s entrance. Theo knew how to be a showman without having to show off. It was one of the things that made him a great musician and an even better mentor.

  The girls came in through the front with Jade in the lead. She was wearing what I would describe as a sports bra and very short bicycle shorts. It made sense. As a drummer, Theo often lost his shirt before the end of our first set. The exertion of pounding on the drums combined with the heat coming off the stage lights had him dripping in sweat. Jade would not have the luxury of going topless, no matter how hidden she was behind the drum kit. The sports bra and shorts were as close to being undressed without being undressed.

  She strutted down the runway that was created when the crowd parted to let the girls through. She twirled her drumsticks like batons. There was no doubt what instrument she played. As she got closer to the front, I noticed her top was bedazzled in bright green rhinestone; DRUMMERS DO IT WITH A BANG.

  Now that was an entrance.

  Behind her was Sapphire, Fender slung across her back, hand in the air, making the classic rock gesture. She was wearing red leather pants that hugged all her curves. They didn’t go unnoticed if the cheers from the men in the crowd were any indication. She paired it with grey ankle boots.

  Her black tank top had also been bedazzled. It read I LEAD.

  Immediately following were Ashley and Amber. Each had their receptive instrument in hand. They had chosen a simple pair of skinny black jeans. I was not surprised to see the girls decided to adorn their pink Chucks as their preferred footwear. They also had simple black tank tops like the one Sapphire was wearing.

  Each of theirs adorned with pink jewels. I was sensing a pattern. Ashley’s said I GOT RHYTHM, and Ambers read, ALL ABOUT THAT BASS.

  As the girls made their way through the crowd, the roadies were setting up their amps, foot pedals and any other gear they would require for their performance.

  Merely seconds behind the rest of the others, Crystal stood in the entry.

  My jaw hit the floor. What the fuck?

  Chapter 14

  Crystal

  Emily had the bright idea of bedazzling everyone’s tank for our first show. It wasn’t like our fans were going to mistake our drummer for our bass player, for Christ's sake. The others found it hilarious, and I was outnumbered.

  I conceded that they could wear whatever they wanted. I was not going to let someone stick rhinestones on my already ample chest, drawing more attention to my double-d’s than necessary.

  I stood at the back of the room and waited for my turn. Theo suggested we enter in accordance with our place on the stage.

  Jade first, since she had to get to the back of the stage and would not have to go around the rest of us. Next Sapphire, our lead guitarist. She stood on the right of Jade. Ashley on rhythm guitar: her place was behind me and in front of Jade. Amber on bass was stage left.

  That left me: front and center.

  I racked my brain while we were out shopping. I’d been in the industry long enough to know the image was as much a part of the band as the music.

  I didn’t have to like it.

  If I wanted people to see me as a rock star, I had to look the part. Watching the girls find their groove was entertaining. I had no doubt Jade would find something practical. The exertion needed to pummel the drums under the unforgiving heat of the stage light was a huge factor in what she chose.

  She admitted this was what she usually wore on stage. The fact that she had a dresser full already did not stop her from picking out a few more for future endeavors. All on Theo’s tab, of course.

  Years of growing up with my cousins Ashley and Amber, I instantly knew they would go for practical and straightforward as well. You could never go wrong with skinny black jeans. Emily tried to convince them to add height to their lean frame with cute little ankle boots. The girls were dead set on wearing their pink Chucks. I couldn’t recall a time when they wore anything else.

  At least they let her bedazzle their black tanks with pink jewels to match the footwear.

  Sapphire was the easiest to please. Having a stage wardrobe at her disposal from her days with Ruby Red, she opted to use her red leather skin-tight pants. She had no problem with wearing the black tank Emily had embellished for her.

  Should I have taken the easy route with black skinny jeans, boots and a t-shirt?

  Probably.

  It wasn’t like I had never performed in front of an audience before. I, like Sapphire, had a closet full of useful clothes that would suit our situation.

  I understood what Emily and Theo were trying to accomplish. How we presented ourselves at our first performance would set a tone for concerts to come.

  I was the only one who had not decided as we finished our shopping spree. In the car on the way home, I inserted my earphones and swiped my playlist, tuning everyone else out, not in the mood to listen to their disappointment in my lack of vision.

  Their vision.

  One of my favorite female rock influences sounded through my earpiece. That was who I wanted to be. A badass, hot female rocker. Not some pop princess clone. I was a hard rock chick through and through.

  I knew what I needed to do.

  I called Theo and asked for his opinion.

  I explained my inspiration. The first question every one of those reporters, bloggers and fan posts would ask would be about our influences. This way, I would be announcing it loud and proud.

  The girls made their entrance with style and flair, with each taking their place on the stage.

  Making my way down the aisle, I made eye contact with Baden. The look on his face was priceless. His mouth agape, his cheeks flushed, his grey eyes molten with lust.

  It had been a week since our last encounter. Every molecular cell in my body buzzed when I was around Baden. I had done a great job of avoiding being alone wi
th him.

  I was confused and thought the time away from him would kill any residual feeling that remained after the last time we were together. Seeing him every day, and working alongside him getting ready for the show, it took every bit of willpower I had not to pull him into a closet and jump his bones.

  With the number of fans, groupies and no doubt past conquests milling about, I had no delusions that Baden would be leaving the after-party alone.

  With the way he was watching me, I had to wonder if he had already decided if I was who he planned on seducing.

  I didn’t know if I could handle being in Baden Dogger’s arms again.

  My girly parts were screaming yes.

  My head was screaming no.

  I wish I knew what the hell my heart was screaming.

  Chapter 15

  Baden

  What the ever-loving fuck?

  I had to pick my jaw off the floor and wipe the drool from my chin as I watched Crystal float down the aisle. I remained sitting to hide the hard-on sprouting as she made eye contact.

  She chose not to tone down her hair. No hair chalk to mask its natural beauty. It was pure Crystal.

  We had discussed the effects the stage lights might have on her sensitive eyes.

  Having experience performing in clubs, Crystal informed me she had colored contacts that were specially designed to filter the harsh glare while on stage. She did not tell me which color she was going to use tonight. As she got closer, and our eyes met, I saw she chose blue.

  How appropriate, considering the outfit she was wearing.

  A perfectly fitted cobalt blue leather jumpsuit. A replica of the one Suzi Quatro wore on her Rock Hard album cover. It was sexy, hot and one hundred percent rock and roll. It accentuated her long, lean frame without putting her enormous tits on display.

  That was a bone of contention she had throughout this process. The girls had suggested she wear a tight corset. Crystal insisted the only thing that would accomplish was to tell the world look at my big boobs, who cares if I can sing.