Page 37 of Under the Ink

That didn’t sound small to her.

Of course, looking at the coliseums they’d already played this week, she knew they could easily play to ten or more times that amount of people. What she liked here was how tangible the mood was.

She could almostfeelthe energy of the audience. It hadn’t been that way at the larger venues. How could Sage not like that better?

Well…it probably affected the paycheck, she imagined.

But two songs later she knew that this audience would buy the merchandise and tell everyone they knew what a great concert this had been—and when they came back to California later in the summer, no doubt every show would be sold out.

Not that they’d had a problem with that.

When the band started the next song, it began with a softer, gentler sound and a less harsh, less angry feel, and it made her really pay attention to the words.

Come,my pretty little one,

Sit and stay a while.

Eat with me. Drink with me.

Don’t look behind my smile.

The music began building,picking up tempo—meaning the gentle beginning felt like a false start. It added to the drama and what she discovered was the underlying anger of the song. When it began in earnest with heavy drums, deep bass, intense guitars, and angry screaming, Naomi still focused on the words.

What you don’t know can killyou,

Maim you, scar you for life.

Your mother couldn’t always protect you,

No matter how hard she tried.

The lyrics were hittinga little too close to home, although Naomi would never say that out loud. She had no idea what they were supposed to mean, but they felt quite personal. And she was so wrapped up in the words that she didn’t notice Andy’s hands at first. At some point, he’d stood up and moved behind her, and now he was massaging her shoulders.

What the hell?

Had she not made it clear she didn’t want him touching her? Twisting her body a bit, she tried finagling herself away from his fingers to no avail.

Meaning she would have to say something. Loud enough to be heard over the nearby music, she said, “Hey, Andy. Uuh…thanks for thinking of me, but can you not rub my shoulders?”

“Don’t that feel good, darlin’?”

Could this guy not take a hint?

“It’s distracting.”

The band started playing an even harder song after the applause died down—and that one was angry, full of rage.

And yet it felt so good. Naomi could imagine herself screaming along with Kiefer and the rest of the band when they joined him on the chorus. The only words she could understand were the first line of the chorus:Touch me again, motherfucker. I dare you.

It was catchy. Contagious. And she wanted to know all the lyrics.

But Andy started with the backrub again, so Naomi stood up quickly, perhaps a little too violently. “I’m leaving.”

“Wait. What’s goin’ on?”

But she wasn’t about to turn around to tell Andy again to keep his damn hands off her. He had no idea what that did to her—and, at this rate, she wouldn’t even be able to sleep tonight.

The problem was she didn’t know if she should say anything or just leave it alone.

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