Page 44 of Half Notes and Highlights
Tyler saw Ethan’s jaw tighten, but they both ignored the remark. “Let’s go,” he said, taking Ethan’s hand and boldly marching forward.
Outside, there was a straight path, like a catwalk, leading directly to the tour bus with tons of fans held safely behind metal barricades on either side. Ethan smiled and waved as a flurry of screams erupted, then it quieted a bit and gasps could be heard, followed by a barrage of questions and remarks shouted from the crowd.
“Why is that guy here?”
“What the fuck?”
“Go home!”
Ethan scowled and kept his head down, ignoring the questions shouted by the fans. He walked faster, pulling Tyler by the hand. But Tyler couldn’t ignore them. His head spun in every direction, catching multiple sets of eyes glaring at him with venom and hatred. Suddenly, a guy rushed to the front of the railing, pointed at Tyler and shouted, “Leave Ethan alone!” and threw a shoe directly at his head.
With lightning speed he didn’t know he possessed, Tyler raised a fist and thwarted the shoe, which bounced off his wrist and landed on the ground. He inhaled a horrified gasp, but the initial fear of the attack quickly turned to anger. How dare someone throw a shoe at him?
Security was trying to hurry everyone along to the bus, since they all stopped dead in their tracks when the shoe came hurling at Tyler, but Tyler was too outraged to move, and his feet were glued to the ground. He glanced down and, seeing the shoe, picked it up and waved it at the culprit. “Fuck you, you heathen! It’s not even a designer shoe!” Then he threw the shoe back at the guy.
He had no idea if the shoe connected with the intended target because, at that point, more security rushed at them and literally pushed them down the catwalk and onto the bus.
Tyler was still fuming, and he could feel the heat on his cheeks. “What the fuck kind of fans do you have that assault someone?” he ranted, hands waving wildly.
“They don’t like you,” Wolf stated.
“They don’t even know me!”
“I’m so sorry.” Ethan looked mortified. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Ethan wrapped his arms around Tyler in a tight, protective hug. “I never expected them to throw something at you.”
Tyler’s outrage at the incident diminished, and he let go of his anger. “It was a sneaker, and I barely felt it. I hope I hit him right between the eyes when I threw it back at him.”
“That guy is damn fucking lucky you didn’t get hurt!” Ethan pulled his phone from his pocket and started tapping on it furiously. “I’m going to post a message on my Insta right now and tell them to knock it off, and that I’m fucking pissed.”
“Be careful,” Harris warned. “Don’t say the wrong thing or Ruby will be on your ass.”
“I don’t give a fuck. They went too far. I want that guy caught and arrested.”
Tyler started shaking his head because he didn’t want to cause any trouble. He loved that Ethan was sticking up for him and wanted everyone to know that they were together, but not at the cost of getting in trouble with his management. “It’s OK.” He put his hand over Ethan’s to stop him from posting a message. “Don’t say anything. Just let it slide and blow over.”
“No—”
“He’s right,” Marshall cut in. “Let Ruby issue a statement.”
“No fucking way.” Ethan pulled his phone free of Tyler’s hand and continued typing. He paused to read it, then tapped on his phone one more time. “There.”
“What did you write?” Tyler asked.
Ethan lifted his phone and read the post. “To the person who threw the shoe as we left the venue in St. Louis tonight, you’re lucky no one got hurt. I’m mad as hell. If we find out who you are, we will be pressing charges and banning you from all future shows and events. Violence will not be tolerated.” He dropped the phone to his side. “I’m going to tell Ruby to issue a formal warning as well.”
The post was short and direct. It might have been nice if Ethan had mentioned that they were together as a couple, but it was clear that Ethan was pissed, and that’s all Tyler needed in order to feel vindicated.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“How was your weekend with the rock star?” Iris asked, pushing into Tyler’s apartment with two cups of her fancy coffee and handing one to him. “Was it amazing?”
Tyler didn’t know where to begin and let out a laugh while shaking his head. “Where do I start? With the shoe that was chucked at my head when we were leaving the concert or with being propositioned for a threesome by Wolf Wheeler?”
Iris’ eyes opened incredibly wide, and she let out a gasp that turned into a booming laugh. “What the hell happened? Start at the beginning. No.” She waved her hand in the air, excitedly, almost spilling her coffee. “Tell me about the threesome.”
