Page 96 of Sky Full of Stars

Adam’s voice echoes around the arena. “Hey London, how you doing tonight? You guys ready to rock with us?”

I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face, despite once again catching Erica’s eye. As the music starts up I focus on the stage watching Adam pick up a guitar and slip the strap over his shoulder. A second later, Dex counts in on his drumsticks and they all start playing. It is loud but amazing and Adam will be proud of me recognising the song. When he starts to sing though, my heart and my thighs clench. He is like every woman’s dream in his tight pants and thin black t-shirt clinging to his muscled arms and chest. I love knowing he just had me up against a door worshiping me, the way the crowd are now worshipping him.

“They’re so good!” Elle leans in and shouts. “I’m so glad we got to do this, thank you so much, Jenna!”

I nod because it’s so loud, I barely hear what she says, I squeeze her hand and we smile at each other. I got swept up in dancing and singing along with the man I am totally falling for.

A very sweaty, high on adrenalin and excitement, incredibly sexy Adam grabs and rubs up against me, laughing as I recoil slightly from how wet he is.

“What did you think?” he asks, looking genuinely as if what I say means everything to him. How he thought I could say anything other than absolutely amazing was beyond me. The entire band were incredible. They’d gone back out for two encores, the crowd unwilling to let them leave the stage. Adam is an incredible front man, playing up to the crowd, joking on stage, whipping off his t-shirt and throwing it at some extremely excited and lucky young ladies in the front row. He looks high but it’s on what he just did, and how much he loves doing it.

“You were perfect,” I tell him, leaning close to his ear. “Everything was amazing.”

He gives me a beautiful smile but as Nick passes by, it slips a little and he looks after his friend with concern.

“Do you need to go after him?” I ask.

He glances down at me and smiles. “You’re always thinking about others.”

I shrug, a little embarrassed. “He’s your friend and he looks like he’s hurting.”

Adam nods, blowing out a long sigh. “He said he’s heading back to the hotel straight after the meet and greet.”

“Should someone go with him?”

“Yeah one of the roadies he’s friends with. I doubt I’ll hang around too long anyway, just show my face. I’ve got somewhere else to be.”

“Adam, you don’t have to leave because of me.”

He chuckles. “It’s not just because of you, I’m tired, and clearly I need a shower. Although I do want to spend some time taking care of you.” Someone barges into him and he stumbles, almost knocking me down. He turns around and tells whoever it is to watch where the fuck they’re going. The woman Erica was talking to earlier is apologising to him, saying she tripped and it was an accident. Adam relents saying it’s okay thinking the bump hadn’t been intentional. I wasn’t so sure.

“Are you coming to the party?” the woman asks. “I hear Jordan is throwing a big get together in his room at the hotel.”

Adam gives her a vague ‘sure’ and head nod then turns back to me. I didn’t know if he was aware the woman is a friend of Erica’s but when he doesn’t turn back to her, she slinks away.

“He’s been here literally one day and he’s arranging a party at the hotel,” Adam rolls his eyes, but there is no real anger. “He came over when he heard about the robbery, he’s spent the day with Nick making sure he’s okay.” He takes my hand to lead me into a quieter area and glances to where a queue is forming into another room. “I have to go do the meet and greet, some photos, autographs and shit. Won’t be too long, hopefully.” As he spoke I saw his manager and a couple of other backstage people approaching, clearly looking for him and the rest of the guys. I tell him it’s fine and once we find Elle, Kevin and, at Adam’s insistence, Stone, he leaves to get ready for the fans.

After around forty minutes, Stone arranges for a car to take Elle and Kevin back to their hotel. He hangs out with me talking about some of the things he’s seen and been a part of over the years working in security. Things quieten down a bit outside the dressing room, everyone either headed off for the party or home. It is amazing how fast arenas empty out. I am beginning to wonder if I should have gone with the others when the door is pushed open and Bianca, Adam’s manager comes in.

“The guys have headed out to a car, he wants you to get Jenna back to the hotel,” she addresses Stone.

I sit up a little. “They left?” I ask.

“Security issue, we needed them to go and it wasn’t a good idea to hang around waiting.”

Waiting for me she meant, I look away from her. She isn’t overly friendly. Adam told me she was a hard ass, so I’m not going to let her attitude worry me. I’ve dealt with worse people in my time. But it doesn’t stop me feeling let down.

“Come on,” Stone says holding out his hand. “Sometimes this happens. He’s probably gonna call you.”

But he didn’t. We left the arena and got into a car with blacked out windows. I sat up front with Stone. I wasn’t sure how I felt. On the one hand, I could understand if something threatened the bands security, they needed to go, but at the same time, I’d been left for nearly two hours. I decide against calling or texting Adam, he is probably in the middle of sorting things out.

Back at the hotel, Stone comes with me to the floor where Jordan is hosting his party. He won’t leave until I’ve been escorted in, as per Adam’s instructions so I walk into the suite and watch Stone take out his phone, probably to let someone know his job here is done then he headed back to the elevator.

The music pumping through the sound system is loud. God help the guests on the floor, and beneath, the noise was so loud. I glance around but don’t see anyone I know. It’s almost as large as the room Adam and I are in, similarly themed with chandeliers and expensive furniture, which look like it will be trashed before morning.

There are people dancing and drinking everywhere. A loud cheer goes up further in the room, after a short crash that sounds like glass breaking, people are gathering to see what is going on. I head to the bar and a guy acting as bartender opens a bottle of beer and hands it to me but is immediately distracted by a group of scantily clad women wanting cocktails. I slip back and lean against the wall, totally out of my element. I glance at my phone to see if there are any messages but nothing, except a selfie of Brooke pulling a sad face. I laugh at that. I quickly text Adam to let him know I’m looking for him. After ten minutes, trying to spot someone I at least recognise, I decide it will be best to go back to the room. I don’t want to wander through here searching for him. Adam may be at the room, although I’m sure he would have called if that was the case.

I send him another message, telling him my plan and slip away to the elevator. Adam’s room is a couple of floors above this one. It’s dark inside when I get there, so he clearly isn’t here. This really isn’t what I expected to happen and I don’t know what to think. I don’t think Adam ditched me, maybe assumed I would come and find him? My old insecurities about whether I can fit into his way of life rear back up. Our first attempt at something that is a major part of his life and it has gone to shit.

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