An extra SUV sat in the driveway with what looked like several security teams standing outside it. My gaze darted up to Christian in worry as the guys stopped in front of the men, and Ace stepped forward to talk quietly with one of them.
“Christian?” I asked. “Why do you guys have bodyguards?”
Christian simply shrugged. “Kai’s famous, remember?”
I looked over at Ace as he spoke to the men, and he raised his brows at me. Humor filled his face, but all he asked was, “Is there a problem?”
“Umm…” Nervously, I watched as the security team gathered closer to us. “I don’t think so.”
Whitney was already hauling Hunter into the far backseat of a vehicle, and I chuckled under my breath as some tension died away.
He was going to be squished.
Oliver followed the two of them into the back before Christian herded me forward into the middle row of the first SUV and climbed in after me. Parker slipped inside the car using the other door, leaving me to sit in the middle of the two of them.
The security members climbed into the driver and passenger seats of their SUV as Ace and Kai hopped into the front of ours.
Ace took the wheel while Kai set up his navigation system to direct us to the music hall.
Noting the security guards following behind us, I couldn’t hold back anymore and twisted in my seat to face Christian. “Okay, just who are you guys?”
He grinned playfully, lifting a hand to trace across my cheek. “I guess you’ll have to wait to find out.”
CHAPTER 18
I raised my eyebrows at Christian, but he simply turned toward the window and didn't say more.
Shaking my head, I nudged Christian's arm. “Why aren’t we using your GPS?”
The two men in the front visibly flinched, and Parker chuckled.
Confused, I frowned at them. “What?”
“They don’t appreciate my taste,” Christian grumbled, though amusement colored his voice.
“Really?” I turned to Parker, and he rolled his eyes.
“If you were stuck on long road trips listening to ‘Argh! Fasten yer anchors!’ and ‘Ye, swashbucklin’ fools! Ye missed yer dock!’ then you’d understand.” Parker shuddered.
Chuckling softly, I secretly agreed with him. It would probably get a little old listening to it for hours on end. Then a sobering thought struck.
“Then you guys must travel a lot,” I said softly.
I didn’t like the thought that they would leave soon. Unless one of them was really my soul mate, I might not see them again.
Parker shrugged but didn’t say more on the subject.
“So, tell me about yourself, Parker,” I said, needing to change the subject before it soured my mood.
“What do you wanna know?” he asked cautiously.
“I guess anything you wanna tell me,” I said. Out of all the guys, I probably knew the least about him. “What about your family?”
He scratched behind his ear. “Well, I have a younger sister. She’s in her first year of college at the University of Illinois. My mom and dad live back in Duluth.”
“Where’s that?” I asked.
“Minnesota.” He smiled, and his eyes took on a deep look. “I haven’t been back since I graduated high school.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Lots of reasons. The biggest probably being I just wanted some independence.” His tone was almost bitter. He swallowed and continued. “I thought I’d live in California, but I haven’t stopped moving since I left Duluth.”
“It would be hard to have to move around so much,” I agreed. “But at least you get to explore so many different places and cultures.”
“That’s true. I have been pretty lucky to spend my time working with my friends and traveling with them,” he conceded.
“And what do you like to do for fun?” I asked as the car made a right turn, and I spotted the music hall down the street. Crowds had formed, and a long line filed down the street as concertgoers waited to go inside.
“I’m really into science and music.” He blushed shyly and peeked at me out of the corner of his eyes.
I smiled at him, remembering he said he was a musician. Maybe that was why the guys got so dressed up for these concerts. Because they genuinely loved music.
“That’s neat,” I said sincerely. Personally, I had always loved science and math in school.
Christian groaned from my side. “He’s more than a little into them. Try obsessed.”
I elbowed Christian because I didn’t see a problem with having a deep passion for something. “I didn’t take any music classes, but I like music all the same. I think it’s awesome you found what you love.”
“And what do you love?” Parker asked softly, his cheeks tinted beneath the makeup Oliver had put on him.
“Hmm, I love to read, hike, and paint.” My mother had taught me how to paint with crushed gemstones, and I loved using the glittering stones. I wasn't very good, but it was a great stress reliever.
My eyes glazed over as I tried to remember the last time I’d pulled out my paints and brushes. It had to have been at least a few years.
“Are you in school?” I asked him, trying to get the attention off of me.
Parker shook his head. “No, I already graduated with a degree in computer science.”
That surprised me because he appeared my age. He must have been very intelligent if he already had his degree.
“What about you, Tessa? Are you in school?”
“Nope.”
He cocked his head. “Do you want to be?”
I glanced quickly at Whitney.
Parker seemed to get the hint this was a touchy subject and asked, “How did you start working at the café?”
“It was my first job,” I said with a smile. “Samantha hired me on the spot.”
“And how old are you?” he asked slowly, fishing.
I heard the worry in his tone and smirked at him. “I’m almost eighteen.”
Both Oliver and Ace flinched while I howled with mirth. “I’m just pulling your legs, you guys. I’m twenty-three.”
Parker’s shoulders sagged in relief, and in his seat next to me, Christian relaxed.
“Thank God,” Parker said.
We pulled around the back of the music hall, and his words vaguely registered as crowds of people stood behind some barriers, screaming at our cars as they waved their arms frantically about. I blinked, panic going through me as our SUV stopped at the curb by some back doors leading to the music hall.
“Why are we going this way?” I asked.
Christian pointed to the tickets in my hands. “Those are VIP tickets. You have to enter through this way.”
I scowled. That was weird.
Ace opened the door on Christian’s side and motioned us out of the car. I followed Christian out, and instantly all of the guys surrounded Whitney and me, making us unable to see past their bodies as well as the security teams who flanked them. Whitney tucked herself into my side, and I held her close to my body as we handed over our tickets to a security guard perched outside the back doors.
Once we were cleared, he motioned us inside. The moment the door closed, my shoulders sagged.
A man with flame-red hair and blue eyes came over to us, holding a clipboard. He noticed Whitney and me standing amongst the group and smiled.
“I’m guessing you’re Tessa and Whitney?” he asked, and we nodded. “Hi and welcome. I’m Arthur.”
He motioned for a security guard to come over. “Hey, Randy? Can you show them the way to their section?”
Randy nodded and checked out our tickets. “Yeah, sure. Follow me.”
I started following after him when I noticed the guys were speaking with Arthur in hushed tones.
“Aren’t you guys coming?” I asked in confusion.
“We’ll see you two in a little bit. We need to talk to Arthur about something,” Ace said, but I found it a bit suspicious when he
sent the others a wink.
So far, I had two suspicions: one, they knew the band and that was why they dressed up and received such great seats, or two… no, I wasn't ready to go there.
Whitney tugged on my hand. “Sissy, come on.”
“Okay, I’m coming, I’m coming,” I promised, giving the guys one last glance. They weren’t going to ditch us, were they?
Girls and guys screamed from the beyond the curtain before I could even see them. My heartbeat thudded unevenly in my ears, trying to compete with the noises of the crowd as we made our way around the side of the stage and exited into the auditorium.
The guys were right. These tickets really were nice.
The security guard led us to a front section directly in front of the stage. Railed barriers blocked it off to act as a deterrent to those who would try to climb onto the stage during performances. There were already plenty of women—and yes, some men—in the section.
They were busy taking selfies with their friends and didn’t pay Whitney and myself any attention as we came to stand beside them.
Glancing over my shoulder, I saw how ridiculously full the auditorium was.
Crowds of concert-goers filled the room, and the flash of cameras went off occasionally as people snapped pictures. I patted Whitney’s head, grateful once more for our VIP tickets. Otherwise, she might have been too short to see above the crowd.
“I don’t know where the guys are.” I checked my phone for any messages from them. Still nothing.
“Maybe they’re getting snacks,” Whitney suggested, her eyes shining from the lights above our heads as she took in the stage.
“Maybe,” I said noncommittally. They wouldn’t have left us, right? I didn’t think they would. Samantha and Daniel would seek revenge if they did. Taking in the raging crowd, I figured it wouldn’t be difficult to get lost, so they probably just couldn’t find us.
But deep down, I knew that was a lie. I wasn't completely stupid.
The lights dimmed even more, signaling the performance was about to start, and I sighed while I stuffed my phone back into my purse. They would just have to miss the start of the performance, I guessed.
The opening band stepped onto the stage, and the audience roared to life. If I’d thought they were loud before, it was nothing compared to now. Screams and shouts shot around the auditorium as Tripping Blind made an introductory speech about being in Salt Lake and how grateful they were for this opportunity. Blah blah blah.
I held Whitney’s hand firmly in my grip to make sure she didn’t get lost in the crowd. With so many people around us, it was almost suffocating.
As the band began, I watched the lead singer rasp out a few verses of an upbeat song I hadn’t heard before. Then again, they were just starting out, so I hadn’t expected to.
Their female guitarist swayed next to the singer, strumming her fingers professionally over the instrument’s strings. The beat was hypnotic, and soon I found myself forgetting about the guys and dancing to the songs with Whitney. I didn’t need them around to enjoy my time with her.
Her shirt lit up like a disco ball, reflecting the colorful lights with a vengeance that bordered obnoxious. But she was having fun, so I pushed past the burning in my eyes every time the lights reflected into them, temporarily blinding me.
We stood right at the front to make it easy for her to see the stage. Once the opening band sang their last song, I started to get annoyed.
Where were the guys?
During a short intermission, I tried calling the guys, but none were answering their phones. Whitney wanted snacks, so we left the safety of the VIP section and stood in the long line for some popcorn and Twizzlers. All the while, I tried to hide my frustrations with the guys. Why would they ignore all my calls?
We made it back to our section just as the lights dimmed once more.
Lights outlined six shadows on the stage, and the crowd’s noise level skyrocketed once again to something akin to banshees. They roared, and girls chanted, “Origami Meltdown.”
I reached up to shove away a teenage girl screaming right into my ear when the light display began.
“Are you prepared for your journey...”
The voice was familiar, and I quickly found myself freezing among the almost-violent crowd.
“To travel the land and the sea... A nomad searching to be free... From life’s cruel touch and destiny...”
My mind raced as the lights finally illuminated the six figures on the stage.
Those stupid motherfu—
“The lost will gather on this road... To pay what they have reaped and sowed...”
Oliver sang the lyrics, his voice a seductive rasp. His sharp, green eyes scanned the crowd, and a sly smile curled the corners of his lips when he found us.
Whitney tugged on my hand, bouncing up and down on her feet with an energy I wished she’d share. “Sissy! Sissy, look!”
I nodded, my voice lost for words. Why didn’t they just tell us?
Six sets of eyes fell on us as Origami Meltdown charged to the front of the colorfully lit stage. My heart pounded to the frantic chants and cheers coming from the edges of the stage as the fans’ excitement increased. Whitney beamed up at me, and I cast her a nervous smile. I didn’t know why I was nervous, though. It wasn’t me up on stage.
“Hello, Salt Lake City! How’s everyone doing tonight?” Oliver called into the crowd, and they cheered appreciatively. He smiled and ran a hand through his hair as he thanked them for coming out and watching them perform tonight. “I don’t know about any of you, but I always feel a little homesick when I’m gone for too long.”
Kai stood beside a shiny, red drum set, two drumsticks spinning in his talented fingers. My eyes strayed to the others and found Parker in front of a black-and-white keyboard, a set of shiny, gray headphones hugging his neck, while Oliver and Ace strapped guitars to themselves. Oliver’s acoustic guitar had subtle accents of green while Ace’s electric guitar was painted a soft powder-blue color.
Hunter and Christian tightened and loosened certain tuning keys on their bass guitars. Both bass guitars were opposites, like yin and yang, Hunter’s black while Christian held a creamy white one. Besides the microphone Oliver currently possessed, five other ones were set up around the stage.
Kai squatted down at the edge of the stage on the other side from us and shook hands with the squealing girls in the crowd.
A surge of jealousy settled like a rotten pit in my chest, and I struggled to hide the grimace from my face. Kai wasn’t mine. Probably. Yes, he’d kissed me, but he wasn’t exclusively attached to me. The jealousy was something that shouldn’t have surprised me but did nonetheless.
He smiled at something a girl said, and I fought back the irrational flare of pain in my chest. Rising, he waved at the crowd before taking up his position behind his drums once more. A microphone and stand were placed in front of him, and I remembered he’d said the drummer for the band was sexy.
Well, he was, but I wasn’t going to say it out loud.
Oliver’s eyes closed briefly as he began singing a cappella in a slow, rich voice. The crowd quieted until all you could hear were his soft words. “Are you prepared for your journey? To travel the land and the sea...”
His eyes opened, the green bright and excited. He extended his fingers forward past the stage and met some of the fan’s reaching hands. “A nomad searching to be free... From life’s cruel touch and destiny...”
Kai beat a steady rhythm on the drums then, his head bouncing to his tempo. The lights shone all around him, casting brightly colored highlights and shadows on his bare skin. He'd wrapped the leather jacket around his waist, and I didn't blame him since it was so warm in here. Ace remained slightly behind Oliver, strumming slowly on the strings of his blue electric guitar.
“The lost will gather on this road,” Oliver’s voice sang softly into the microphone. His eyes were full of some untold emotion I couldn’t distinguish as he continued. “To pay what t
hey have reaped and sowed... So, if you want to go home now... Just hit the brakes and turn around...”
He grabbed his microphone as the rest of the band took over for an instrumental break and started to roam the stage. Christian stepped forward, the muscles in his arms flexing as he played. He caught his bottom lip between his teeth as he concentrated on the strings beneath his proficient fingertips. Hunter took a couple steps closer to him, playing a harmonious duet to Christian’s bass. Back-to-back, they matched each other until it became impossible to tell who played which notes.
Parker’s fingers skimmed quickly over his instrument, setting loose a fire on his keys as he matched the intensity building in the song. The stage’s flashing lights lit up the black-and-white keys, playing a colorful dance on the keyboard. His eyes were closed as he tapped keys, almost like he was resting. But no, he was feeling the music, and it helped the overall tone of the music flow more naturally.
Ace moved over to Oliver, and I watched as the two of them sang into the microphone together.
“This is the road for the homesick ... A refuge for the afflicted...” They sang, and the rich contrasts of their voices struck me. Where Oliver’s voice was husky and deep, Ace’s was silky and honey-sweet. “It’s here that your journey begins... Because here, it’s not where you’ve been...”
Everyone paused, the stage becoming quiet for the briefest moment, before the two of them chorused again together.
“But where you’ll go...”
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The energy coursing from them was electric and contagious, causing the crowd to react in chaotic cheers. My fingers fluttered to the hollow of my throat, wrapping around the necklace Ace had given me earlier, as I watched them from the crowd.
And for the briefest moment, I wished I could join them. They made performing appear so fun and easy even though I knew that it wasn’t. But I couldn’t stop the thoughts of how enticing it would be to sing with them from crossing my mind.
Oliver stormed forward until he stood center stage again. He sang alone now, his voice coming out stronger and more fervently as he strummed his acoustic guitar. “My head is full of congestion... All my thoughts are full of questions... My mind’s racing in the fast lane... It won’t stop through the wind or rain...”
Lonely Lullaby: Ballad of a Broken Soul Series | Book 1 Page 13