Page 7 of In the Shadows

“What the fuck is going on in here?” Diamond yelled, and they froze.

The rest of us entered behind him, striking the most threatening poses we could. Arms crossed, biceps flexing, jaws tightly clenched.

Sean was the first one to smart off, “It’s our fucking ’bago man, we can do whatever the fuck we want.”

Diamond was on him before he had a chance to move, picking him up by the front of his shirt and lifting him off the ground. “It’s our fucking business when you’re on our fucking tour and you’re not listening to a fucking word Easton is saying. Keep in mind, his dad runs this show and if you do anything to fuck this up we’ll make damn sure nobody else books you for their tours.” He tossed him back down on the couch, landing with a bounce while hovering over him like a bear ready to attack. Diamond may not be as tall as Joey or me, but what he lacks in height, he more than makes up for in muscular girth. One punch and Sean would have been down for the count.

Jamie reached over, turning off the radio. “Sorry, guys, we’ll shut it down.”

“Well guess what, since Easton’s staying here tonight, now so am I,” Diamond informed the group before plopping down in the captain’s chair up front.

“Seriously, dude, we’re chill now,” Noel said. “Plus there’s no room for Easton let alone a mammoth of your epic proportions.”

I caught the sideways glance and grin Diamond sported with that compliment. Easton walked over to him, putting his hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay, Ethan, I’ve got this.”

Ethan, no one calls him that anymore.I cocked a brow at Joey who shrugged in typical Joey fashion.

“Ethan?” Dex questioned, once again drawing Diamond’s unwanted attention.

“Yeah, my name is Ethan, but only one person is allowed to call me that and that person isn’t you.”

Dex put his hands up in defense. “Sorry, man.”

“I’ve got a better idea,” I stepped in, “Diamond and Easton will stay here with Noel and Sean. Jamie and Dex, grab what you need for the night because you’re crashing on our couches for tonight.”

“Fuck man, what gives?” Jamie bitched.

“What gives is that you guys could have gotten us kicked out of the KOA and we’ve got a long road trip ahead of us and you don’t have a fucking bus driver to cover your miles for you. So now, we have to fucking babysit your dumb asses and help keep you in line. Got it?” I told them in my pissed off Papa Stoli voice.

They both grabbed their pillows and sleeping bags and stormed off outside. “Diamond, Easton – do you guys need us to bring you anything before we turn in?”

“I brought my stuff already,” Easton replied.

“Nah, I’ll be fine. I’ll just take one of these shithead’s pillows if I need to.” He eyed Sean and Noel, daring them to argue with him, but it seemed his earlier outburst had put them in their place as they wisely chose to remain silent.

I snickered, shutting the door behind me before following the rest of the yahoos back to our bus. This was turning out to be one long ass night.

After we got inside, I woke Rob from where he’d crashed on one of the sofas and sent him back to my bunk. “You two, take the couches,” I directed them before the rest of us went back to the bunk area.

Morning came way too early for my liking with Rob whispering my name outside of the curtain. “Stoli, you up?”

“I am now, what’s up?” I asked while trying not to wake up Joey, who was snoring soundly beside me.

“Is Diamond or Easton driving BOD’s rig?” he asked, “Because we need to get on the road. Sal texted me that our next show was rescheduled so now we’re heading straight to Albuquerque. He booked us hotel rooms there, but we’ll be stuck in the busses until then.”

“Ugh,” I ran my hands through my hair, “let me get ahold of him.” I grabbed my cell calling Diamond. “Yo.”

“Sup,” he answered rather groggily.

“Rob says we need to get on the road. Looks like we have a schedule change and are now going to Albuquerque instead. You driving that rig for them?” I heard him ask Easton that same question for which he told him they might want to, at least for today.

“Yeah, I’ll drive. Let me run over and grab my wallet.”

A few minutes later, I heard him come in. “Hey Rob, are we KOA-ing it tonight?” he asked.

“Yes, Sal texted me the info so we’ll head there. It’s a ten hour drive so have Easton text me if you need to take a break or change drivers.”

“Sounds like a plan. Hey Stoli,” he asked as he entered the bunk room.

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