Page 35 of Dangerous Encore
He steps back withanod.
He motions to the other guys on thecouch.
Logan waves hello to me and pats the spot on the couch next to him. "Don't tell me I missed thefight."
"A Strong brothers hug without a fight first. Shocking stuff,"Joelsays.
Logan winks at Mal. "Where'smymuse?"
Mal shoots him apleaselook.
"He's harder to bait than that." Kitchuckles.
Mal stays standing. He takes a long look around the crowded dining room. "What are you trying to prove with thisplace?"
"That kinda thinking is above my pay grade. I liked the pool." Logan motions to said pool. "Free for skinny dipping for anyone, but that's no fun when it's mostlydudeshere."
Joel laughs. "This place is ridiculous, Kingston. I thought I was rich,butdamn—"
"Your dad's place is bigger than this,"Kitsays.
"But that's tech money, not music money. Totally different." Joel turns to me. "Fuck, I left Vi's penis lollipop in the car. You're gonna have to make that uptoher."
"I'm still waiting for you to kick his ass,"Malsays.
"I still say guitarists hit for shit." Joel winksatme.
"I can always fill in, Ethan." Logan holds up his fists. "Only need my hands for one thing and it doesn't happen onstage."
"Hell no. I don't fight stand-ins. We can dance anytime you want, Strong," Joelteases.
I laugh. "I'mgood."
"Me too,"Joelsays.
"When did you four get so calm?" Logan shakes his head. "Your tour bus used to be screaming twenty-four seven and not thefunkind."
"A lot of the fun kind,"Joelsays.
"Fifty-fifty,"Kitsays.
"Ninety-ten," Logan argues. He leans back on the couch and stares at the ceiling. His voice gets far away. "I know you're all enjoying this fab pad, but rich isn't all it's cracked up to be. Dangerous Noise still has artistic integrity.WickedBeat…"
"You had it once? I don't remember that," Joelteases.
Logan laughs, but he doesn't sell it. He shrugs, but he doesn't sell that either. "I just liketosing."
A knock on the door grabs myattention.
"Fuck, tell me those aren't strippers." Joel shakes his head. "You know I'm not intothatshit."
Logan shrugs. He motions to the door. "Gofindout."
Joel shoots Logan an incredulous look. He pushes himself off the couch then makes his way across the huge foyer tothedoor.
It takes thirty fucking seconds just for the man to walk across the room. That's how huge—and crowded—thisplaceis.
He pulls open the door. "Notstrippers."
