Page 50 of Pretty Black

“Iris? Caspian?” Lowe called, and we jumped apart.

“Out here,” Caspian answered, holding back a laugh.

“The tech guys are looking for you,” he called back.

“Okay, we’re coming.” He dropped his voice. “We need to tell them before they catch us. Lowe will never forgive me.”

“I don’t think River will either.”

“You look like shit,” Alexander said as he approached where we stood side stage getting our gear on.

“Thanks,” I said, wondering how bad it really was.

“I’ll let your stylist know. She’ll take care of it.” He narrowed his eyes, looking closer. “Are the sleeping pills not working? I can get the doctor in to change them or something…”

“I can’t take them. They make it impossible to wake up and make me tired all the time. I can’t get on stage like that. I’d rather be tired.” I let the tech help me put my guitar strap over my neck, using the excuse to turn away from Alexander.

“It’s not better you looking like this.” He muttered something about ‘what will the fans think,’ then said, “Let me talk to the doctor. See what he thinks.”

“Okay.”

We ate and hung out at the venue until it was time to get into makeup. They dressed us and styled and primed us all while I half dozed, careful not to mess up the work they’d done on my face.

“Iris.”

“Yes,” I said without opening my eyes.

“Take this. I just got it from the doctor.” Alexander put a pill in my hand.

“What is it?”

“A stimulant to help with the drowsiness.”

I popped it into my mouth and swallowed it with some water, too tired. A strange euphoria overtook me before we went on stage. I could focus, and I was calm. My anxiety dissipated, and I felt better than I had in a long time.

We stood in the dark waiting for our cue, and when it was signaled, I held back and grabbed Caspian.

The rest of the guys ran up the stairs, taking the stage, as Caspian turned to me, mouthing, “What?”

I kissed him, hard and fast, grabbing his cock while our tongues twisted. “I need you.”

“What has gotten into you?” he asked.

I smirked, jacking him through his pants. “You.”

“Mmmm. Goddamn you. Now that’s all I’m going to be thinking about.”

“Good,” I pulled away, gripping myself, letting him see how hard I was as I walked up the stairs backward.

He shook his head, lip caught between his teeth.

“Come on, we have a show to do.”

“Mean.” His eyes glinted with desire, but he followed.

Caspian appeared out of nowhere the second we were off stage, pinning me to a wall in my dressing room. “I’m not waiting.”

“Not even for me to shower?” I asked, excitement ringing in my ears.

---