We all took our seats at a row of tables, ready to sign whatever came our way. And I did mean whatever, but I personally drew the line at dicks, butts, and boobs. Nobody needed my signature in those spots. Tristan was in the first seat, followed by me, then Jax, and Bash at the end. Had to save the best—according to the fans—for last, of course.
“Oh my god, Charlie. You are so fucking awesome. Totally killed it up there,” a woman gushed as she stopped in front of me.
“Thank you. I really appreciate that. Glad you enjoyed the show,” I said with complete sincerity.
The woman continued, raving about her favorite songs of the night.
Yep, fucking surreal. And I was never going to take it for granted.
Chapter 2
JOSH
Igrabbedabottleof sparkling water and sat on one of the stools next to the makeshift bar set up in the meet and greet room. Booze was always flowing during any VIP events, but we’d started requesting the liquor be light at ours. Bash had been doing great in the last year, his eyes clear and his breath never laced with whiskey, only having a random beer here and there, from what I could tell.
The guys didn’t even keep anything harder than beer on the bus anymore.
I knew a huge part of that was Cassie’s doing. She’d helped get the band back together, whether she truly understood that or not. As Jamie’s sister, she could’ve pushed for the band to dissolve, but it wasn’t her style. And now that Bash had removed his head from his ass and cleaned up, it was clear that Cassie was the best thing for him, which in turn, was the best thing for the band.
I watched my guys interact with their fans, smiling at everyone and always up for pictures with their guests. I made sure to catch a few shows during the tours, but I hadn’t been officially on tour in years. It was something I honestly missed. Even Mr. Dramatic was never a diva with his fans. Only with the guys—and me.
Fucking stupid candies.
Then there was Charlie. She wasn’t one of the guys, but it would do me a benefit to lump her in with them. She was a bandmate. They were all the same. That was how I needed to think of her, at least, even as her laugh twisted my gut in all the best ways. My father would fucking love my reaction to Charlie.
Dammit. I needed to get laid. That was all. It’d been a few months since I’d last hooked up with Adriana, a gorgeous brunette model I’d known for a while. We’d been each other’s “whenever the mood struck” fuck for the past year, but she’d left to go to Milan for a fashion shoot a month ago and then I’d been wrapped up in getting the tour ready.
That dry spell explained why my cock seemed to have a mind of its own; one only focused on the beautiful blonde drummer across the room with her hair loose around her shoulders and her smile bright as she talked to a gushing female fan.
I wanted to taste her.
Fucking hell. I needed something stronger than water. I leaned over the bar and grabbed a beer, popping the top and letting the cool liquid flow down my throat. I had to rein in these thoughts about Charlie. They were going to get me nowhere but frustrated, and we were going to be in very close proximity for the next few months.
I rolled my shoulders, trying to relieve some of the tension in my body before taking another sip of my beer.
“What the fuck, man?” Jax’s voice rang out.
I turned away from the bar, sliding from my stool immediately. Jax was on his feet, leaning over the table and glaring at some guy standing in front of Charlie.
I was next to the man in an instant.
“Leave it, Jax,” Charlie gritted out.
“What the hell is going on over here?” I asked, trying to keep it professional as I watched more than one fan turn their phones toward Charlie. There seriously wasn’t a moment that wasn’t captured by someone when it came to the band.
“This asshat needs to go. Brian. Brad. Chad. Whatever the fuck your name is, you’re done,” Jax spat out.
“Give me a break. It’s a logical question. She’s decent on drums, but Jamie was better,” the man said.
“Would someone please tell me what is going on?” I interjected.
“It’s nothing. Jax overreacted and this idiot needs to move along.” Charlie’s voice was calm, but I felt the rage simmering under her tone.
“I don’t appreciate ourfansinsinuating that Charlie fucked her way into the band. She fucking rocks it on that kit and that’s all that fucking matters,” Jax growled.
“It’s fine, Jax. It’s not the first time and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Let it go, that’s what I’ve learned to do,” she said.
“She didn’t deny it,” gloated the asshole.