Page 13 of The Omega Verse

She looks at me, and I catch my breath at her expression. There are layers of pain there that go back years. And for the first time since Steven died, I’m glad he’s not around to witness what he left behind.

But she gives me a tentative smile. “When did you join The Sundowners, River? I looked into the band when I found out about Steven, but there wasn’t much online about you. Lots of pictures, but not much about your life.”

That comes from having controlling parents with deep pockets, and then hyper-protective bandmates. “I joined about three years ago. I was twenty-two, but it was my first band.”

She nods. “We’re the same age then.”

I’d already worked that out, and we share a small smile. I know it’s dangerous to let these little threads of camaraderie bind us together, but I don’t have the heart to stop them.

“You also both smell sweet as fuck,” Silva says as he licks the last bit of froth from the side of his cup. “Just saying.”

She snorts, looking pointedly back at the bathroom. “You’re kidding, right?”

But Silva just shrugs, his shoulder brushing hers. “We’re rockstars, sugar. A little puke is hardly going to put us off.”

“You’re crazy,” she says, but her eyes are happy, and my heart pinches at the way her dimples pop. I don’t know if I want to keep her smiling or beg her to stop. But at least that numb cavern in my chest is filling up with something other than crushing emptiness.

“Just so you know, I told the driver to detour towards the nearest big town,” I tell her, determined to get this conversation back on track. She’s here to learn a bit about Steven, nothing more. And as much as she looks like him, they weren’t close. Holding onto her isn’t going to bring him back. “We can get you a cab to the city, if you like. I’ve got some photos of Steven I can email you, and if you think up any questions, I’ll do my best to answer them.”

“Really? That would be amazing.” Like a switch has been flicked, her eyes go comically wide, her hand slamming against her chest. “Oh, fuck. I forgot to call Tom.”

She’s suddenly scrambling in her seat and Silva slides out of her way. “What is it? You got somewhere you have to be?”

“No, but crap… I never called him. I bet he knows I didn’t use his hotel room. Shit. Shit. And that Rockstar Barbie bitch stole my stuff, including my phone.” She looks like she’s about to have a panic attack, and I quickly pull my phone out and slide it her way. “Is Tom your boyfriend?”

“No, but he’s going to be freaking out.” She quickly plugs the number in from memory, biting her lip as she taps her foot and hugs her elbow. It’s quiet enough I can hear the explosion at the other end when the mysterious Tom picks up. “Who the fuck is this and what have you done to Cass?”

Holy shit. The alpha power that punches into me with every word tears a whimper from my throat, and Silva doesn’t look much better. He balls his fists and reaches for Cass like he’s trying to shield her from an invisible blow. But Cass just sighs into the phone. “Calm down, Tom. For God’s sake, I’m fine. I’m sorry I didn’t call, but I got my stuff stolen…”

“Put the phone on speaker, Cass.”

The command in his voice has me rocking over my knees, but Cass just shakes her head and whisper-hisses at him. “Don’t blow this out of proportion, Tom. I’m fine, and I’m with the band.”

“Not helping,” he growls back. “Either put me on speaker, or hand me over to one of them.”

“Jesus,” she mutters, slamming her thumb down on the speaker button. “Okay, but don’t lose your shit…”

“Listen up, motherfuckers,” he growls, the pure menace in his voice sending a shiver down my spine. “If you hurt Cass in any way, I will find you and fuck you up beyond recognition.”

Jett chooses that moment to stroll into the kitchen, a bottle of Jack Daniels under his arm and a sleep mask dangling around his neck. “Don’t promise a good time you can’t deliver,” he drawls. I widen my eyes at him, but he just snatches the phone out of Cass’ hand. “Who the fuck am I speaking to?”

“Cass, drop a pin.” Tom sounds like he’s breathing fire through his teeth. “Right now, Cass. I’m coming to get you.”

She puts her hand out for the phone, but Jett spins away, striding over to the window. “Good luck with that since we’re in a moving vehicle.”

There’s a tense silence and then Tom says, “Cass, do you know where you’re headed?”

She looks at me and I mouth our destination, her eyes going wide. “Uh, Broome.”

“You’re on a plane?” A fair question since it’s two thousand kilometres away.

“No, we’re on the tour bus. They’re on R&R.”

There’s another of those sticky, weighted silences and then he says, “Take me off speaker.”

She sighs, and when Jett tosses her the phone, disappears back into the bathroom. I shoot Jett a frown, but he just gives me one of his cheeky grins. “What?” he asks, sliding into the booth and tossing an arm behind me. “No one gets to bitch at me on my own bus except for you.”

I’d roll my eyes at him, except I’m too off-balance to play his games right now. I knew there was something going on with Cass, but it’s only hearing her over-protective alpha growl down the phone that I realised what it was.

---