Page 55 of Strike A Chord

I was surprised as shit when Reagan told me he was closing the bar on Saturday night. They made bank on the weekends and that would be a hit to their bottom line. But he and his entire staff wanted to go to the show, so Easton hooked them up with tickets and backstage passes. Man, how my life had changed, but I was proud of myself for sticking it out and fighting the battle, and I’d finally won over those I’d wronged so long ago. Now, I was lucky enough to call them friends and that made the tough road I’d tread more than worth it.

Chaotic Abyss opened the show tonight to the largest crowd we’d played to date. “Holy shit!” Those words had been said more times as of late than I’d used in the entirety of my life. Masterson was a go big or go home company and holy shit fit perfectly with each surprise they threw our way. I might suggest they add it to the company logo as their tag line.

“Hey, guys, huddle up.” Jason called Marley, Nigel and I to center stage before we took our places. The crowd behind us were already riled up and ready to rock, even with the curtain down. “I’m so glad this journey called life brought our paths together and I’m proud to call you brothers.”

“That’s one hell of a fucking way to start the show,” Marley laughed. “But damn, I can’t think of any others I’d rather take this ride with than you three.”

“Here, here!” Was all Niles had to give and coming from him, that said a lot.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Thanks for taking a chance on this old dog, my brothers.” In a giant tangle of limbs, we hugged, then broke free as the curtain opened and started the show.

“Are you ready to rock, Seattle!!!” As soon as Jason’s voice rang out, the chairs filled. With Social Sinners, Maiden Voyage, Embrace the Fear, and Chaotic Abyss in the house, anything could happen and likely would. Some of my band brothers were crazy fuckers, especially Stoli and Diamond. You never knew when or where those fuckers would pop out and start jamming with you.

By the time we finished our set, I unplugged to walk off stage when a familiar pair of boots appeared in my downward gaze and shoved my guitar back at me. I could hardly hear him over the roar of the crowd, but I knew shit was about to go down. “Ryder.” I took my baby from him and waited for his next move.

“Plug in and let’s settle this score.”

Gulp!

“What’re we playing?”

“You know exactly which fucking song we’re playing.”

So much for swearing to never play that song again.

All five minutes and thirty-two seconds of it

Plus, two guitar solos.

Against the fucking man who wrote it.

Fuck.

“Fuck,” I muttered as I plugged in. “Let’s roll.” Derek, Shadow, and Jaxson joined us on stage as Ryder and I battled it out through “Her Embrace.” Fingers flew across the strings as we did our best to outdo the other. I’d never heard a crowd so fucking loud in my life and I’d sat through tons of sold-out Maiden shows.

So perfectly polished

So full of grace

The way her neck feels in my embrace

Nothing calms me more then she

How the world seems to slip away with the first key

Every tug, every twist, every flick of my wrist

With each magical note we play

She never fails to take my breath away

Her mahogany skin against pale flesh

My fingers gracefully glide across her chest

Chorus:

Her embrace, takes my breath away

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