Page 150 of Of Heartbreak and Harmony
It’s so intense that I want to laugh at myself from five years ago. The version of myself who thought he knew what love felt like. That fucker was clueless. How I feel for Callie pales in comparison to how I’ve ever felt about anyone else. I ache for her. I wake up and go to bed with her in the forefront of my mind. I even have a running list in my phone’s notes app of random ideas that will make her happy. Gifts, trips, gestures. I’m fucking gone for this woman, and there’s no coming back from this.
I rest my cheek on the top of her head as we step into the elevator and Mabel hits the button. We head to the lobby, then we cross the lobby to the private elevator for the penthouse suite.
As with all other shows, we have rooms reserved at a hotel whilewe’re in town. Like Mabel said, it serves as a home base. We’ll start here before heading to the venue. We’ll end here when the show is over. But unlike in other cities, tonight we’ll have the option to sleep at the hotel or head back to our own places. I already know what I’m doing, and the thought of getting Callie back in my bed sends a surge of heat straight to my dick. I’m fighting off an erection when the elevator pops open and we step into the private hallway outside the suite we’ve rented.
Walton stands outside the elevator and focuses on Callie the moment she comes into view, his shoulders loosening slightly. Poor guy. He didn’t like when I told him I’d drive her, but the fact that he takes her safety so seriously makes me respect him more.
“Walton,” I greet with a nod, which he returns.
“Mr. King.”
Callie snorts a laugh at the formality, and I narrow my eyes playfully at her as I lead her into the hotel suite. Jonah is sprawled out on a chair with his headphones on, and Mabel skips off toward one of the bedrooms, probably to get dressed, but I’m stopped by Hammond immediately.
“You’re late.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes at him. “I was in the garage early. You track my phone, so you know it’s true.”
He huffs, and I flick my eyes to Sav snickering behind him. She’s dressed for the show already in a pair of ripped black jeans, black fishnet tights, and black combat boots, but when I see the band on her shirt, I bark out a laugh. Callie looks to see what I’m laughing at, then she gasps.
“Oh my god! Where did you find that?”
Sav smirks and gestures to the Caveat Lover tank top she’s wearing. “Oh, you mean this super cool vintage band tee? Online.”
“Damn, that’s years old. Likepre-Black Widow old.”
“I had to pay like two hundred bucks for it, too, so the buzz is buzzing about your band.”
Callie shakes her head. “That’s crazy. I could have gotten you one for free. Pretty sure Rock still has stacks of them in his mom’s garage.”
“Keep ‘em,” Sav says with a wink. “Maybe we’ll use ‘em.”
I leave Callie with Sav to talk record label things—they have ameeting set up with the rest of Caveat Lover before Thursday’s show—and I seek out Damon.
He called me last night and told me there was nothing helpful on the hotel security footage. He even went to the florist, but it was a dead end. I didn’t tell Callie, but this second bouquet has my anxiety spiraling. Something is just fucking off, and I don’t like it.
“You’re still good to stay with her?” I ask the moment I’m in front of him.
“I won’t leave her side.”
“You and Walton both.”
“Yes, sir.”
My body relaxes knowing Callie will have them both with her tonight in the VIP tent. I went back and forth over whether to ask her to stay out of the crowd, but I can see her clearly when she’s in the VIP tent. When she watches from backstage or in a private club box, I can’t. I want her to stay where I can see her.
I know it’s probably nothing. I’m probably being overprotective, and the bouquet is likely just from an adoring fan.
But I love Callie James, and I won’t take risks with the woman I love.
The rest of the afternoon goes on like usual. We eat together. We ride to the venue together. We go through soundcheck. We fall into routine, and by the time the opening band is finishing their set, my earlier concerns have been dampened by the pre-show adrenaline rush.
I kiss Callie one more time before Walton leads her to the VIP tent, and then I post up with Sav, Mabel and Jonah, readying to play the first of three make-up shows in Los Angeles. The energy before this show is especially heightened because it killed us to cancel the original shows a few months ago, and we pushed hard to reschedule those shows as soon as possible. You can actually feel the excitement humming throughout the arena, not just from the fans, but from us as well.
The lights dim, the crowd starts to cheer, and just as Mabel takes her first step toward the stage, Red throws himself in front of her.
“Stop. We have to get to the cars.”
Before any of us can even ask what’s happening, the lights in the arena turn on, the whole crowd groaning from the shock of the lights. I can barely make out an announcement asking attendees to calmly findthe nearest exit before we’re being shoved down a hallway and herded by Sav, Mabel, and Jonah’s security details.
