Page 48 of Rock Star

Finally, we arrived at the end of the set.

I stepped forward with the guys to bow.

But I couldn’t do it.

A fork of lightning lit up the sky.

I turned and ran.

Ran as if the hounds of hell were at my heels.

Behind a black drape strong arms grabbed me.

Axel.

“It’s okay, baby, I’ve got you.”

He held me against his rock-hard chest.

I lifted my face.

He crashed his mouth down on mine and kissed me.

Kissed away my fear.

“Fucking hell,” Jake’s voice interrupted us.

We sprang apart.

Shock wheeled through me and I yelped.

The band had appeared.

They were standing glaring at us, legs planted wide.

“Kept your dick in your pants, did you, bro’?” Foxy growled.

Axel gave a bellow and launched himself at him.

I bit back a scream.

Rhys and Zach pulled them apart.

This was all my fault.

My stupid fault.

Muttering something under his breath, Jake put his arm around me and led me away.22Jake took me to my tent. I was shaking so much I was finding it hard to breathe. Oh, God, I’d freaking ripped the band apart.

Me and my stupid storm phobia.

I shrugged his arm off me, struggling to keep my tears at bay. “You’ve gotta stop the fight.”

He barked out a laugh. “They won’t kill each other. Just throw a few punches. Happens all the time…”

I stared at him, stared at this preppy dude who’d been nannying us every second of the tour. “You’re gonna leave them to it?!” I’d sounded incredulous and I was.

He shrugged. “Only way for them to get it out of their systems. When they’re coked-up, they often fight. Joe and Mike will step in before it gets out of hand.” Jake rubbed his forehead. “I should have kept a closer eye on the boys but I had business to attend to. ChiMera isn’t just a band but a record label. My bad. Glastonbury is rife with white powder…”

My head spun with the revelation. Shock ricocheted around my brain and I let out a gasp. “Do you have any evidence Axel has used?”

Camila said she’d seen it with her own eyes.

Jake blew out a breath. “I know him. Know the signs.”

I clutched my stomach, my palms sweaty and my fingers twitchy. “Well, I’m gonna ask him outright.” My voice had come out harsh because I hadn’t cooled it down yet “Camila told me before the concert that she’d noticed something at Wembley which made her believe the guys were using.”

Jake whirled around, his jaw dropping. “She did what?”

“She decided to enlighten me about Axel. Apparently, she’d seen him leave my suite early the other morning. I think she wanted to warn me off him.” My cheeks burned. “She also told me she knew Ella had been shooting up.”

“Bloody hell.” His face had turned ashen. “Why the fuck didn’t she tell us?”

“You need to talk to her, just like I need to talk to Axel.”

I still wanted to believe he was clean.

So. Fucking. Much.

Jake shook his head. “He lied to us about you. Said you were only his muse. What makes you think he’ll tell the truth now?”

“We love each other.”

It sounded so dumb.

Like it was that simple.

“I’m going to his dressing room,” I said with determination.

Jake looked me up and down. “Yes, you do that. I’ll go look for Camila.”

My confidence faltered.

I left the tent my insides quivering.

But, I pressed my lips tight.

Act like the mythical bird in Axel’s song, I told myself.

But I felt more like Icarus.

My firebird wings had melted because I’d flown too close to the sun.AxelMike pulled me away from the guys and led me to my dressing room. “Don’t tell me you’re snorting coke again,” he said, lifting his chin.

The air was heavy between us, heavy with words unsaid. His eyes met mine, and they were so sad.

“Just the once.” I averted my gaze, pulling off my wet t-shirt. “I’ve got it under control.”

“Yeah, sure.” He shook his head, his expression stony. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Believe it.” I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. “I was on edge before the interview. So, I snorted a couple of lines with the guys.”

He clicked open the first aid kit on the table in my tent, extracted a wad of cotton wool and poured antiseptic onto it. “They got the powder here, I presume?”

I nodded. “There’s none left. You can search their tent, if you like.”

“I’ll do that.” He wiped the cut on my cheek I’d gotten when Foxy had punched me, and the sting made me flinch. “The copter will be here soon to take us to Bristol airport for the flight home, remember,” he said.

“I want to go find Phoenix.” I reached for a sweatshirt and swiped a hand through my hair. “See if she’s okay.”

“No need for that,” Mike grimaced, indicating toward the tent flap. “She’s here.”

My eyes snapped to where his gaze had landed.

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