by Nikki Wild
“Deal.”
I left the door ajar against that brick and started wandering back in, but something finally occurred to me.
Pushing the door back open, I caught him in the middle of reaching for another cigarette. “You said you joined after they had their second single hit it big, right?”
“Yeah,” he replied, trying to slip the pack back into his pocket. “Why do you ask?”
“How did they meet you?”
Jeremy paused, lifting an eyebrow. “You mean, you don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“Trevor,” he grinned stupidly, shaking his head. “Did you really not know that that little shit is my kid brother?”
I shook my head with a smile.
What else was right in front of me that I just couldn’t see?
Aiden
One Week Later
Things couldn’t have been going smoother.
California had been good to us so far. We’d already played a couple of shows here in SoCal after knocking out shows along the great American Southwest.
Funnily enough, I was becoming grateful for the nights without after parties.
That was a thought to get used to. But it made total sense. That not only meant I could take a goddamn shower and rinse off the sweat, but it kept the pressure off me while Phoenix was around.
And I was up to my eyeballs in desire.
I was in desperate need of relief.
That little trick I’d pulled on Dylan with the after-party chick had been too easy. It dinged him some points with Phoenix and set me as the front-runner in our little competition.
Not that I’m implying I really considered him competition in the first place.
The predictable bastard got what he deserved for trying to pull a fast one on me. He must think I’m so stupid, trying so hard to get me to fall for a trap with that groupie chick. It had been too easy to convince her to play along. I signed her shirt and she was happy as a fucking clam.
Poor sweet Dylan ate my story up with a fork.
The damage didn’t last long. Dylan and Phoenix were talking again the next morning, which meant I had more work to do. She wasn’t as cozy with him as before, which was a good sign.
As for the band itself, things were still strong. No major infighting yet. Trevor and Carter were keeping each other busy and giving me a wide berth.
Phoenix was taking to the road a little differently. She liked to sneak away to read. My brother and I had an unspoken arrangement to not bother her too much when she was tits-deep into that kindle of hers.
But when she was out of that room, Phoenix Flynn was fair game.
This unspoken rivalry between Dylan and I was starting to heat up. The two of us had never battled for the attention of the same girl before.
But that was okay.
I was going to win this thing.
Phoenix was starting to buckle under the sexual tension. It wasn’t going to be long before I finally had her writhing in my bed, and I fully intended for Dylan to be caught on the sidelines for that.
As much as I hated to admit it, there were more important things to worry about than putting the final nail in that coffin. The tour was taking its toll on us.
Even Jeremy seemed a bit weary. He was always trying to convince us to do these weird little videos, just filming funny stuff that happened on the bus on our phones.
That wasn’t my style.
What was my style was smugly watching Phoenix try to avoid my gaze while we practiced our sets together.
Or quietly brushing past her on the bus and feeling her tremble against my touch.
Or finding any excuse I could to be put Dylan down while he hawkishly followed her, unable to see that he was smothering her with his attention…
That last one was my favorite.
“You know, I can have a word with him if you want,” I murmured to her while she was making herself a snack in the bus kitchen.
“I’m a big girl. I don’t need you to do anything,” she snapped a little too harshly.
Good. I’m getting to her.
“Just an offer…”
I began to wander off, but she paused me with a word.
“Wait.”
Slowly, I turned to face her, keenly aware that we had a moment of isolation. Dylan was busy in the shower, and I didn’t honestly care what the others were doing.
Phoenix bit her lip lightly. “I want both of you to back off.”
The words were genuine, but it was the hesitant, sheepish way she spoke them that did nothing to dissuade me. Instead, I drew closer, a widening grin on my face.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
I ignored her question. “If you really wanted either of us to back off, you’d just say the words…”
She trembled. “But… I just did…”
“And you’d have to mean them…”
Phoenix turned away from me, putting her palms down on the countertop in clear frustration. Seeing an opportunity, I slunk up behind her and pressed my chest to her back, putting my hands down on either side.
She was trapped.
And she was quivering in anticipation.
“Aiden…”
“I haven’t forgotten our little moment from before,” I murmured seductively into her ear. Phoenix had been making herself a quick sandwich, and I continued where she left off, keeping her right where I wanted her.
Now, this could be perfect if only I could get rid of her pesky clothes…
She took in a quick breath of air as I whipped her little snack together, reaching for a knife in the drawer. As luck would have it, she was resting against the compartment I needed. I didn’t move as she pushed backwards into my hips to let me reach for a plastic butter knife.
My cock sprung to life, pressing against her round, amazing ass in those jeans.
She involuntarily whimpered.
Yessss, I hissed inwardly. That’s right, Phoenix. Whimper for me. Let me know with that pretty little voice of yours how much you enjoy the feeling of my cock against you…
“I could fuck you right here,” I breathed. “I could tear those panties off and make you beg me to do it.”
I slathered a dollop of the mustard she had chosen onto a slice of bread, then ran the edge of the knife across to even it out. Pulling a crisp leaf of lettuce off the head, I carefully constructed the sandwich, my arms brushing against hers as I felt her slowly giving in…
“What’s going on in here?”
A voice very close to my own spoke out in an accusing tone. A growl left my lips into Phoenix’s ear just before she pulled free and took the completed sandwich with her, staring at Dylan like a deer caught in headlights.
“Just a little friendly fun,” I smirked.
He looked at her forlornly, but turned to me with growing disdain. “Yeah? Looked a little intimate for that.”
Phoenix shook her head. “It was nothing. I asked him to leave me alone, just like I’m asking you. I need a little space.”
Just like that, she pushed past him and closed doors behind herself, disappearing back towards the bunks again.
“Great,” I scowled at him. “I was this close to finally having her…”
“As if I’m going to give up that easily,” he crossed his arms. “Aiden, you’re a real piece of fucking work. You know that, right?”
My lips curled into a grin.
“Maybe a little bit. But rest assured, when she finally clears her head and realizes that it’s me she wants to fuck, you’re going to have to resort to the groupies again.”
“Resort to them?” Dylan groaned. “Dude, why is it that women are so damn fucking expendable to you?”
“Because they are. They all know the deal when they climb aboard this ride,” I chuckled darkly, motioning towards my own hips with both hands.
He narrowed his eyes. “Does she?”
I paused.
“Phoenix? Maybe I don’t want her to be like the other girls,” I told him
defiantly. “Maybe I’ll take my sweet time with her. Slowly peeling those clothes off of her sweet skin night after night…”
“You say that now, but she’s just another goddamn notch in your belt to you, and we both know it,” Dylan insisted.
“What, like you’re any better?”
“Of course,” he told me proudly. “I’ll take care of her. I’m not going to burn through her and cast her aside like you always do.”
“Which is why your relationships always last so long,” I lifted a menacing eyebrow.
He glared at me. “I can’t help it that I’m always left fixing the ones you’ve broken to pieces.”
“Oh, don’t even get me started on that little complex of yours,” I laughed. “It is completely your fault that they get tired of you. The pedestal thing doesn’t really excite many girls out there.”
“I don’t put girls on pedestals. I just take care of them.”
My hand clasped down onto his shoulder as I wandered past him. “Sure, buddy. Keep telling yourself that. Maybe if you showed them you’re not a goddamned pushover they’d respect you more.”
He snapped away. “Don’t touch me.”
The sly smile dropped from my face as I paused mid-step, considering whether or not to turn around and give him a piece of my fucking mind.
Nah, I thought to myself.
Not worth it this time.
“Yeah, that’s what I fucking thought,” I heard him mumble under his breath when he thought I was too far away to hear it.
I kept walking for the front of the bus.
Pick your battles, Aiden.
And I already had one in mind…
Phoenix
Three Days Later
The afternoon when everything finally exploded started off innocent as any other.
We were rocking our hearts out five, sometimes six nights a week. The fans came out in full force every night, and our shows were pushing closer and closer to selling out.
It was all almost enough to distract me from how badly I wanted those insufferable goddamn Carpenter twins. How much I hated seeing in their eyes that they both considered me their willing property…
And how much that turned me on.
But after countless nights of constant adrenaline from playing hard sets with the growing sexual tension… The setup for what came next was perfect.
Jeremy was taking another phone call to the label, working on some kind of social media pitch to sell more tickets.
Meanwhile, Trevor and Carter – finally tired of constantly scavenging for snacks – were out grabbing some grub to fill the kitchen coffers.
This left the Carpenter twins with me.
Alone.
The sounds of arguing filtered in through the closed door, and I could barely focus on my book.
Frustrated, I set my kindle down.
I hadn’t even gotten to a sexy part yet.
Throwing the door open, I stormed towards the practice area and put my hands on my hips. “I’m trying to read, guys! What the hell are you two bickering about?”
Aiden and Dylan glanced over at me.
I felt myself tremble between my thighs with how much I hated yet craved their combined, undivided attention.
“We’re having what you might call a conflict of opinion,” Aiden replied coolly.
“He’s being stupid,” Dylan snapped.
I pinched the bridge of my nose with annoyance. “Okay. What’s going on?”
Aiden spoke first. “I thought it was about time that we have a little change-up in our live performances.”
Involuntarily, I swallowed.
“What… kind of change?”
Dylan snorted furiously. “It’s another one of his goddamn power trips. Aiden wants us to totally redo where everyone performs onstage.”
I crossed my arms. “Okay. So, what do you have in mind?”
“Pretend that this is the stage,” Aiden began, leading us over to a nearby amp and pointing at the rectangular top. He then waved in front. “This over here? That’s the audience.”
“Right,” I nodded.
He planted a fingertip front-and-center. “I sing, so I need to be here. For the moment, we have you here, Dylan here, Trevor here, and Carter back here…”
With each name, Aiden pointed out our positions on top.
“But what I’m thinking is that we change the shape. Instead of me out in front as a centerpiece with you guys in a row behind me, I want a straight line, with Carter in back. I’d put Trevor here, Dylan here, me here, you here, and we keep Carter where he is.”
It made sense.
But it also put my spot next to Aiden and threw Dylan onto his other side, effectively separating us.
“Why the change in positions?” I asked.
“Doesn’t Dylan deserve some spotlight too?” Aiden asked, turning to his twin. Whatever goodwill could be taken from his words was stripped with that conceited tone.
“Of course I do,” Dylan snapped.
“Then, I don’t see what the matter is,” Aiden smugly replied. “You can take center with me, up on the front row. Trevor to your side, Phoenix to mine, and Carter rounds out the back – lifted up with that drum kit like usual. It makes thematic sense.”
“Does it matter which side Phoenix goes on?” Dylan asked, almost desperately.
“Of course it does,” Aiden answered.
It was time I stepped in. “Devil’s advocate here, why does it matter? Why not switch it up every so often – maybe every other show? Keep it fresh for the fans?”
“Because we’ll have the two electric guitarists side by side. That will help with the soundscape. With both players handling that instrument focused on each other, they can work on better cues together. We can work more impressive layers if you aren’t across the stage from each other.”
It was a convincing argument.
“How about we put it to a vote?” I asked.
“No vote,” Dylan snapped. “It works fine the way that we have it.” He turned to
Aiden. “You’re just trying to be intentionally difficult. There’s no reason to change anything. And what did you say – that it would help with the soundscape? Does that even mean anything?”
“Of course it does,” Aiden countered. “I’ve been reading up on this stuff.”
“Bullshit,” Dylan declared.
Aiden remained calm as ever. “We can ask Trevor what he thinks. I’m sure he’d like to be closer to the audience instead of a row back, don’t you think? And Carter would probably agree that we should present a unified front line for the band…”
“There isn’t a single decision you’ve tried to make for this band that hasn’t benefitted you,” Dylan scoffed. “You can swing this as trying to look out for the others all you want, but we both know what you really want.”
And there was his mistake.
“What would that be?” Aiden growled, accepting the challenge. “Go on. Tell Phoenix what you think I expect to get out of this. I try to put the rest of the band first, knock myself down a peg and accept some humility, and this is the recognition I get? Fucking typical.”
The tension in the room was stifling. But for the first time, it wasn’t sexual tension…
“Don’t be a prick,” Dylan warned him. “I’ve stood back and let you have everything that you’ve wanted. Don’t push me here.”
“I don’t see what the big deal is,” Aiden spoke, polishing his words with a sadistic smile. “Odd that you would be so goddamn butt-hurt over a simple staging change…”
“Don’t,” Dylan repeated.
Instinctively, I took a quiet step back. The crackling tension in the air was about to hit a fever pitch…
“I thought that you were willing to put the band first,” Aiden chuckled darkly. “But you’re just as selfish as me, aren’t you? You just don’t have the balls to do anything with it. So, suck it up again while I–”
The movement was so fast that it was a blur. Dylan s
ocked Aiden square in the cheek, sending the brothers reeling over the instruments and against a wall.
“Stop!” I shouted frantically at them.
Wrapped up in their scuffle, the twins paid me no heed. Aiden and Dylan tussled against the wall, neither able to land a direct punch on the other.
“You’re better than this!” I snarled at them, stomping forward to try and separate them. “It’s just a stupid fucking lineup! It doesn’t matter where you guys put everyone onstage!”
But I knew what was really going on.
This wasn’t about stage positions.
It was about me.
That’s the whole reason they’d even brought it up in the first place. Neither of them was willing to admit around me that they wanted dominance over me in front of those live crowds. Under the guise of improving their shows, Aidan and Dylan were taking their sibling rivalry to the next level – and that meant trading blows.
The time for civility was over.
It was war.
Like two great, clashing Greek gods, the twins brawled with their powerful bodies. They were evenly matched, neither having an advantage over the other. Part of me was aroused that they were fighting over me, but that part remained thankfully quiet.
I paused mid-step. Of course, I was being stupid to even try and break this crap up.
They were too wrapped up in their own bullshit; neither of them would notice me in the mix until I took a blow.
I had to do something…
But the awful truth stared me in the eyes.
“I can’t choose,” I muttered to myself. “I just can’t pick between either of them. I want them both…”
Still, I couldn’t watch them beat the ever-living crap out of each other like this.
Aiden and Dylan were on the floor now, their movements more erratic. Finesse was out the window. They were shouting and exchanging blows, neither able to separate from the other.
I didn’t think.
I just acted.
They paused in mid-fight as they realized what had happened. The two of them simmered down in an instance, exchanging a confused glance before looking at me.
I held Aiden’s strong hand grasped over my left breast, while I kept Dylan’s gentle palm around my right one.
