Page 68 of Cadence
She’s in pain. And pissed off.
Exhaling, she yanks out her earbuds, slamming them onto the table. “I’m gonna go nap in the back.”
“You okay?” I ask before I can stop myself.
Halfway out of the booth, she pauses, scowling at me. “I’m fine.”
“You sure? Because you’ve been in a mood recently, and…” I trail off because that wasnotthe right thing to say.
“Seriously, Maddox?” she snarls, each step forward like a lion cornering a mouse. “Don’t mess with me. I’m hormonal. I’ve got cramps that feel like they’re trying to kill me from the inside, the water pressure in the shower sucks, we’ve been on this bus for sixteen hours…” She glares up at me, breathing in deep. “And I’ve run out of fucking tampons. So forgive me if I’ve been in amood.”
Storming past me, she bumps her shoulder into mine, knocking me out of the way as she heads down the hall, toward the back room. Pausing, she turns to glower over her shoulder. “Ifwe stop at a service station, wake me up. I need to go in.”
“Sure.”
“I mean it,” she snarls, and I hold up my hands disarmingly before she disappears into the room, slamming the door.
I let out a breath and sag against the counter, holding my protein shake limply in my grasp. What the fuck just happened?
Slowly, I head to the living space, lowering onto the sofa next to Beau.
“Dude,” Eli says, eyes wide as he glances at the door. “Not gonna lie, I was a little bit scared for you there.”
“Shut up, man,” Beau mutters, his eyes on the TV. “Anyone with half a brain could tell she’s on her period.”
Eli’s head turns, his lips pursed. “How the hell do you know?”
Rolling his eyes, Beau picks up the remote and turns up the volume. “I’m not a dumbass. Plus, I’ve had girlfriends before.”
Eli blinks at me for a beat before turning back to the screen. The show is ridiculous, with over-the-top acting and just the right level of mindlessness with exactly zero plot that I can let my brain chill.
Stretching out my legs, I lean back, grabbing a handful of the popcorn sitting on Beau’s knee, listening to his commentary on every scene like he was the damn director, letting myself enjoy the moment of stillness. My boys, the wide-open road, and for the first time in days, I sink into it, the gentle sway of the bus, the soft glow from the TV, the low buzz of dubbed laughter…content in a way I haven’t felt in years.
I can feel myself drifting off to sleep by the lulling movements and the familiar voices around me. We’ve played three shows in four nights, and my body’s running on fumes. My fingers are sore, my throat’s raw, and I’ve never been this exhausted…or this fucking alive.
Touring with Reign is like a shot of adrenaline straight to my veins. Sold-out crowds, the high of performing every night, the pressure looming in the wings that each time we step out onto that stage, it’s a chance to show anyone who’s watching just what we’re made of.
It’s everything I’ve ever wanted and everything I didn’t realize I’d kill for until now.
The bus shifts slightly as we start to slow, and I jerk upward, my gaze flashing toward the window.
“Where are we?” I ask, craning my neck to speak to the driver. “Are we stopping soon?”
“No, the next service station isn’t for miles,” he replies, turning down an off-ramp. “Why? Do you need me to pull over?”
I pause as I glance at the door at the far end of the bus. “Is there a Target or something close by?”
Eli looks up, his thumbs hovering over one of those stupid games he’s always playing. “You ran out of clean underwear?”
“Nah.” I laugh and get to my feet. “Just figured we could stretch our legs.”
Beau squints at me, his eyes narrowing as watches me pocket my wallet, the bus easing to a stop in the parking lot. “You waking Paige?”
I look at the door again and shake my head. “Let her sleep.”
He studies me, his grey eyes assessing, like he’s trying to read every micro-expression on my face.
“Okay, let’s go.”
