TAT Box Set

by Emjay Soren

  “It should because it’s gonna happen to you, it has happened to you.” Her smile was sad and it bothered me trying to figure out exactly what she was getting at. “He has already done to you what he did to me. He was in Olympia for a show, slept with a fangirl and got her pregnant. You know the show right? No you don’t because Noah didn’t want you to know anything of what they are like. He fucked me three nights ago and didn’t mention you until after his conscience banged on the door, or in your case, Noah. Ask your brother Carrie and see what he says. I may not be pregnant but I was definitely with him, scratching his back and ruining the one thing that mattered to him, just like he ruined me.”

  Trisha walked past me then and left me shocked and hurt, Candy standing there shocked stupid beside me. “Please tell me that skank didn’t just try and say Chad cheated on you?” Candy was furious and definitely ready to battle beside me and defend my honor but I was too busy trying to catch my breath and keep my tears at bay. Could Chad have cheated? Yes absolutely. Was I being a fool by giving him the benefit of the doubt? Most likely. Would Noah let Chad cheat on me and do nothing? I highly doubted it. Jesus fuck! The scratches were new and I knew they were but had overlooked it…Chad in bed earlier begging me to never leave… oh God we had sex without a condom.

  Before I could process my next thought, my stomach turned and emptied right there in the middle of the meet and greet room.

  *

  By the time I was able to take a deep breath and speak, Candy had Noah by the balls and in the women’s bathroom just outside the room I vomited in. I had splashed my face with water and was now trying not to cry the ugly cry. Once I saw Noah I knew it would be harder than anything to keep my mouth shut and let him have his moment in front of all Seattle.

  “What the fuck Candy? Damn!” Noah snarled as she pulled him into the room, her hand literally gripping his nuts in her tiny hand. The minute Noah saw me, though in pain from her tight grip, he forgot everything and gently pulled Candy from his junk so he could get to me. He looked between us both, fear and anger a heartbeat in his eyes. “Is dad here?”

  God, I hated that he worried so much for me. There was no way that Chad would cheat on me and Noah would know and do nothing about it. “Nothing happened.” I whispered and looked at Candy pleading with her to not say a word.

  “Candy gripped me by the balls in front of everyone and forced me out of the room telling me you had a bone to pick with me. Now my bone won’t work again thanks to super strength over here.” Candy rolled her eyes but gave me a look that said she hadn’t told him anything about what Trisha accused.

  “I got a little sick in the meet and greet room and was scared to tell you guys because it’s embarrassing so Candy over reacted so that only you would know.”

  I felt like shit for lying but I was not doing this tonight, not when he was about to play Seattle. I would confront this head on tomorrow but tonight I was business as usual. I felt even shittier when Noah went from irritated to concern.

  “Sick? What happened?”

  “Nerves I guess. I’m so excited for you guys and worried at the same time.” I shrug and force my voice to stay even.

  “Well don’t worry about the puke sissy. I’ll tell Ben on my way out to get a cleaner in there and I’ll blame it on a fan.” He kissed the top of my forehead and then went to Candy, his demeanor changed entirely. Now he was prowling and I immediately looked away. “You on the other hand will be kissing my blue balls better tonight.”

  He didn’t wait for her reply when he unlocked the door and left like he hadn’t grossed me out completely with his demand.

  “Little does he know I don’t mind sucking his nuts.” Candy stated without a hint of shame or embarrassment. “That’s beside the point though. What the hell are you doing keeping quiet for?”

  “Because Noah will lose his shit either way. If Trisha is lying he will make it a point to humiliate her and if she’s telling the truth it’s bound to get seriously ugly between us. I want tonight for Noah and the guys, even Chad. They deserve this show Candy and I am not gonna cost them even a moments discomfort.”

  “And if you find out that Chad did sleep with her? You think it won’t eat at you all night until you know for sure?” She had a point, I knew this was going to drive me crazy all night but I owed Noah more than that, let alone if Trisha was lying I definitely owed Chad more than that.

  “It’s not just them I need to think about here Candy. Chad and Noah aren’t a two man band, this would affect Cal and Shame too. I don’t think Chad could focus as strong as he needs to if I went and confronted him with this now. I can wait the show out.”

  I could see her concern and it was warranted but I wasn’t budging on this. “I hope you’re not deferring this Carrie because of fear. Your day has been shit all day and I get that but protect your heart right now.”

  “You think he did it don’t you?” I know her answer but I ask anyway.

  “I don’t think she would lie so elaborately by involving Noah or admitting that she did it on purpose to hurt Chad and not you.” Her eyes didn’t leave mine as she spoke and I felt my tears well and threaten to fall. “I’m sorry Cares but yeah, I think she was telling the truth.”

  I cannot imagine my brother lying for him, protecting him. Just earlier he told me Chad needed the truth and to be let in. Why would he want me with someone who would betray me so bad? “I’ll talk about it with him later. I know you guys had plans with ball sucking but I need to ask him after the show.”

  “Oh honey there will be no sucking or fucking if I find out he covered for Chad.”

  “Candy don’t you let this come between you and Noah. You guys are finally in a good place, don’t let it get between you.”

  “Carrie if Noah knew about this and covered for Chad, it means he would have no issues doing the same to me. This will become a major character flaw one that I have issues with big time.”

  If I don’t leave now I know the tears will come and then I will lose control. I look to Candy who looks just as thrown as I do and hook my arm through hers. “Well let’s go test our acting skills and pretend we are dying to be here.”

  “You got it babycakes.” She plants a loud puckered kiss against my cheek and squeezes me tightly as we walk toward the back of the stage and find Ben who plants us at the side of the stage with a few minutes to spare.

  By the time they take the stage, the stadium is in a roar of thunderous cheers, cell phone lights illuminating by the thousands in front of the stage. This was a stadium full of twenty thousand some odd fans all screaming right this second for Thick as Thieves to start the show.

  Chad looks to the side of the stage spotting me and he smiles and I want to scream at him for making me doubt him. I smile back and blow him a kiss, one he catches and I think I might hate him a little for even playing along. Before I ruin my plan and charge the stage kicking and screaming I hear the baseline of my brothers guitar and the moment passes.

  Chad drops his rockstar mask in place and faces the crowd, radiating sex and promise to every single screaming fangirl. He says nothing but looks out over the crowd with a slight chuckle, throaty and smooth and the screams get louder. “Fuckin’ A Seattle! It’s damn good to finally be here!”

  The crowd erupts in a fit of cheers and the entire band jumps in behind Noah and my tears fall without shame. No matter what happens after this show, they made it. They made it and there was no turning back now. The fans were screaming and begging for more, more of TAT and more of Chad. I was glad I got to witness the beginning of their success but it was all bittersweet.

  A beginning for them.

  An ending for us.

  I guess I answered my own question.

  Yes I believed Trisha.

  God Dammit!

  You broke my heart, it’s all I know

  Doubts now my truth and all I know

  Don’t hold my hand and whisper me lies

  Because lies are still lies when you open your e
yes

  Forget my name theres nothing to say

  All between us was only a game

  Kiss me goodbye with your sad smile

  Our memories will repeat for a very long while

  Thick as Thieves

  Chapter Twenty

  Lights were blaring from overhead and it was insane inside the venue. They guys had seven songs and were just finishing their first. By the look of the crowd and the excitement it was obvious there was no way TAT wasn’t meant to go big.

  I didn’t want to watch as the song ended and Chad ran fingers through his hair causing wails of promises scream out from the crows. More than a few ‘I love you’s’ were shouted and Chad and the guys yelled their devotion back.

  “So it’s good to be here let me tell ya.” Chad spoke to the crowd like he did everyone. His confidence was a gift the way his voice alone could hold the attention of twenty thousand people. “I need to introduce ourselves to you. This is home to us, anywhere in Washington we have the luck of being known, but for those of you who have never rocked with TAT, well… it’s nice to fuckin’ meet’cha!”

  The use of ‘fuck’ had everyone screaming again, it was unreal how easily the melted into his hand. “I’m Chad, I rock on vocals and rhythm guitar.” He plays a line on the guitar showing them what he was made of, and it was just a taste.

  Girls were screaming how sexy he was, how they wanted him and he smiled and crouched down at the front of the stage. One woman particularly interested in his closeness tried to grab him when he tsk’ed her. “Uh,Uh,Uh. No touching beautiful.”

  You could hear her voice through his closeness as it carried over his microphone. “Then touch me!” She begged and the roar of the crowd became hoots and hollers.

  “Sorry, these hands are for one girl only.” He looked to me and gave a wink, his face growing hard when he saw the scowl on my face. He seemed confused but didn’t let the crowd know that.

  He stood and turned to Cal who was to his right, Noah on his left and Shamus on a stage all his own in the back, lights in white and blue shining down on him. “How about we play you some sex instead?”

  Before the crowd could cheer the drums started pounding out a fast heavy rhythm as Shamus lead the guys into a pretty graphic sex song. Candy was beside me singing along line after line and I didn’t even know the name of the song.

  I watched Chad and how he handled himself. He would take the words in the song, twist them and look out over the crowd with a talent to make you think the song was written for you, his need to get you beneath him. There was no question if he knew how to work them and own them. He bent them to his every whim, had them screaming for more and they were two songs in.

  The next song was slow like a moving storm that creeps in and robs you of everything you had only moments before. I wasn’t prepared for what was about to happen on that stage in front of thousands. It was right then in that moment that I learned Chad had secrets of his own. Secrets that were easily cementing the fact I was falling for Trisha’s shit.

  His voice was smooth as expensive whiskey, his eyes dropping on every fangirl in the front of the stage. This song was slow, deep in the rhythm and I knew before there were any words, that the song would gut me and leave me broken.

  You want me to show you

  What you look like through my eyes

  I can make you see it

  But I don’t think you'll survive

  This vision that you ask for

  It’s nothing new to me

  I get inside where you can’t hide

  And show you what I see

  Moan my name

  But you won’t tame

  The man I'm meant to be

  I ride you just the way you ask

  Until I’ll hear you scream

  His words were sang so perfect, so on pitch and meant to break a woman down in heartache. This was the Chad that I knew long before we dated. This guy singing was the man I thought I had tames, thought loved me… then I saw her. Trisha took a microphone and the stage alongside Chad. Her voice like the perfect counterpart to him she joined in and her words were gutting me.

  Say my name and I’ll say yours

  First things first, don’t walk out the door

  Get lost in me with your deepest stare

  Take my body baby and handle with care.

  It was like a song intended for me to learn my lesson and crushed I couldn’t look away from the former lovers and their tragic tale on stage. Chad was looking out at the crowd but his words were intended for me even if he didn’t think they were. I was the Trisha in this song, the fool who hopelessly loved a man who would never see the pain he caused.

  You ask for things that I can’t give

  You’ve seen my moves and how I live

  Handle with care is not my style.

  What is, is making you scream my name for a while.

  But when I’m done and out your door,

  You will see I was never meant for more

  I live this way and keep it real

  I don’t know your name or how you feel

  And leave you guessing if I was real.

  Cal is in the middle of them now and the fans are going crazy. Trisha is taking the song to a whole new level as she storms toward Noah and leans beside him as he follows his bass perfect. Chad looks back over the crowd, the song slower and just carried by his rhythm guitar now the bridge having come to an end.

  A warm body beside me to keep me warm

  I’m a hurricane, a tornado and a mighty storm

  It’s over now, don’t be so blue.

  I’ll do the same thing to the next girl too.

  The crowd went crazy as the band came back in and Chad focused all his attention on his guitar refusing to look at Trisha as she finished her part of the song.

  You broke my heart, it’s all I know

  Doubts now my truth and all I know

  Don’t hold my hand and whisper me lies

  Because lies are still lies when you open your eyes

  Forget my name there’s nothing to say

  All between us was only a game

  Kiss me goodbye with your sad smile

  Our memories will repeat for a very long while

  His hands were on his guitar stroking the strings with the same enthusiasm he carried through the song. He was intense and strong and so fucking talented. His voice echoed as deep as his words and I knew the truth behind them. Visions of him inside of me earlier, begging me never to leave him flashing like lightening in my mind. I could hear his pained voice, telling me I was his, to license his roving hands. I wanted to be sick. I felt like a fool and now when I looked at him, I saw how easily he played me, just as easily as he is playing the crowd before him with her at his side. This song is the Chad Blake I never met.

  I thought I would be stronger by the time she left the stage but by the fifth song I was crying, unable to think of anything but the reality crashing around me. I looked to Candy who was watching and dancing enthralled by the show and I envied her joy. Just hours before the bomb that Trisha dropped, I would have been dancing along with her. Now I was running away from everyone, letting the truth fall where it may.

  I told Candy I was running to the bathroom when in reality I was running home to lick my wounds and hide. I made my way out of the stadium and called for a cab when Ben arrived with a polite grin. “Miss Beckett, Miss True told me to follow if you were leaving and Mr. Blake and Mr. Beckett would fire me if I let you leave alone.” I should have known that Candy wouldn’t be fooled. She suspected I would run and she probably knew she was right. Ben placed his hand on my lower back and guided me toward a sleek black sedan and opened the back door for me. “Mr. Corbin said the use of the car was for anyone on the tour Miss Beckett and that includes you. Monte is your driver and he will see to it that you arrive safely wherever you wish to go.”

  Once he had me in the car he strode off talking into his mouthpiece. The car was ridiculously awesome. A
full wet bar to my right, and a sound system with television combined straight ahead of me where a partition separated me from the driver. The lead singer of the Sinners, Ryan Corbin, clearly liked his guests feeling his extravagance even when he wasn’t around.

  I appreciated the ride, but I would have taken a bus if it meant getting away from my heartache while he played songs and made love to thousands of screaming women. It hadn’t bothered me before tonight, perhaps it was Trisha’s words, words I was desperately hoping were lies, or the fact that he was as I always thought he was and that was out of my league.

  *

  By the time I made it home to Gig Harbor, the day’s events had come back and I was admittedly scared to go inside. After a ten minute pep talk with myself and Monte the driver assuming I was insane, I stepped from the car with a promise to call Uncle Seth to come get me if he could. It was after midnight, but we had learned at a young age to fear our dad and never give him the benefit of the doubt. Asleep or not I was making Uncle Seth come and get me.

  I grabbed my clutch and reached inside for my keys and cell phone, giving a quick wave and smile to Monte who left once I made it to the door. “Seth it’s Carrie.” I stated when my uncle’s tired voice answered the phone.

  “What’s going on Carrie? It’s almost midnight?” Seth was on alert immediately.

  I decided to gently lie and explain my arrival back home. “I got in a fight with Chad and got a ride back home. I was mad and hurting and didn’t think about the fact dad had texted me after watching me. I’m nervous being here but didn’t want my ride to have to drive me to another place. Can you come get me and let me-“ The phone went flying from my hand the instant I shut the door behind me. Burning pain assailed me and I knew, knew who fucking hit me. No one hit like dear old dad.

  I tried to follow the light from the phone, my immediate response to scream to Seth and hope like hell he could hear me, not sure if the phone hung up when it went flying. All the same I screamed for help, crawling toward the light coming from my phone. I could hear his footsteps charging toward me before I felt the hard kick to my ribs, my stomach and one to the back of my head before seeing the light on my phone go out.