by Anna Edwards
Two pilots make their way over to us. They both nod before one of them says, “Hello, I’m Jim, and this is Steve. We’ll be looking after you today. I’ll need you to divide yourselves between the helicopters. Would it be possible to have one lady in each, please?”
Yivi looks a little disappointed.
I take her hand. “Don’t worry you can sit in the back with me.”
She smiles warmly.
“Er…” Jim’s voice is full of caution. “If it’s all right with you, sir, I’d like the lady to sit in the front. It makes it easier to flatten out the weight distribution within the helicopter.
I look at Yivi, and she’s nods her agreement.
“That’s fine,” I confirm to the pilot.
I help Yivi into the helicopter and then take my own place in the back next to Austin. I can see the logic behind balancing the aircraft. Austin and I aren’t exactly small men. At six foot three, I’m taller than him, but we’re both powerfully built. My arms are especially muscular from playing the drums.
“You’ve got headsets. If you put them on, you’ll be able to talk to each other throughout the flight. The trip to the canyon is about forty-five minutes. We’ll fly around for about half an hour. Make sure you’ve got your cameras ready.”
“Thank you,” I acknowledge the pilot’s words.
The helicopter takes off, and we all fall silent as we make our way out of Las Vegas and toward the Grand Canyon. All my attention is focused on the sights out of the window, and it seems impossible to believe forty-five minutes have passed when the pilot announces we’re at the outer rim.
I’m mesmerized as I see the ancient rock formations come into sight. We follow the Colorado river upstream beyond where the dark green waters change to the pale blue of the Little Colorado river. I’ve never seen anything like it before in my life. It really looks as if it belongs on the surface of Mars or some other far-flung planet.
“What do you think?” I speak into the headset I’m wearing.
“It’s cool,” Austin replies first.
Yivi turns her head to face me, and I see tears in her eyes. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
We fly over the Marble Canyon with its contrasting bright oranges and whites, reminding me of the shapes of the skateparks back in Seattle. When we reach the Northern Rim, we land for a few moments and take some photos before heading back through the widest and deepest part of the canyon, the Dragon’s Corridor. The rugged canyon walls here are more graduated in color with whites and deep reds.
I reach forward and place my hand on Yivi’s shoulder. I’m not sure why I do—it just feels right. I don’t know anything about the woman in front of me, but something inside encourages me to try and find out more. It seems she’s got the soul of a beautiful woman who’s overwhelmed by the stunning scenery around us. There’s a fragility to her, but underneath I’m already discovering her thirst for knowledge about the world. All of this I’ve learned, and I’ve not even known her for twenty-four hours.
I find myself feeling sad when the pilot announces we’re turning back to the airport. I don’t want the experience to end. I know this won’t be my only time here. One day, I want to explore a bit more on foot or even by boat down the Colorado river.
During the forty-five minute trip back, I doze—the tiredness from the previous evening’s events finally catching up with me. I don’t want to be exhausted for the concert tonight. Every now and then, we catch a little bit of turbulence, and when I wake, my thoughts instantly go to Yivi. She spends the return journey looking out of the window and taking everything in.
When we land, I wait for the helicopter blades to stop rotating before jumping out and helping Yivi from her seat.
“That was the most amazing experience of my life. I’m coming back here and exploring farther as soon as I get the chance,” I tell her.
“It was stunning. I can’t even imagine how it all came about. I need to read as much as I can. I wish I could have taken some photos. I’m pretty certain the colors and cliffs are ingrained into my memory now, though.”
“Why didn’t you take any pictures?” I question dumbly.
“I didn’t have anything to take them with.” Yivi nibbles nervously on her lip.
“You should have brought your phone with you. Give me your number, and I’ll send you the ones I’ve taken,” I reply, shocked she forgot to bring such a vital item with her. I never leave home without my phone. It’s permanently attached to me.
Yivi pulls away from me and starts to make her way back to the car without replying to me. I jog along after her.
“Did I say something wrong?” I ask.
“No,” she replies and walks a little quicker.
I grab her hand and pull her to a halt. “Talk to me.”
The rest of my bandmates look on from where they’re standing beside the limousine waiting to take us back to the hotel.
“I don’t have a phone.”
I remember her bag and what little was in it.
Shit! I’m an idiot.
“It’s okay. I’ll get someone to print out my pictures for you and put them in an album.”
Yivi smiles. “Thank you.”
While my bandmates get into the car, I stay back with Yivi. I’ve still got hold of her hand in mine, and I’m desperate to ask her a question, but I’m nervous. I don’t get nervous. I’m Liam Romero, hot drummer for one of the best rock bands in the world.
Just say it you idiot!
“Look, the guys and I have our first concert tonight in Las Vegas. It’s going to be a pretty big one, and I’d like you to be there. You can see what I do for a living. I can set you up with a backstage pass like the one Zoey has, so you can be with us at all times except when we’re on stage. Would you like that?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been to a concert before. Where I lived, we sang together. Songs…” She falls silent.
“Please,” I plead with her.
She nods. “Thank you, I’d love to.”
Chapter 4
Yivi
#IShouldLeaveThisPlaceRightNowButICant
“Darkness knows darkness—
They bleed together,
Bonding under each other’s skin,
Like serpents twisted around a tree,
She’s mine, I know it, so does she,
But the pull will bring us both down.”
The words the lead singer of Saving Tate is belting out on stage are haunting. The entire performance I’m watching is surreal—the music’s so vibrant in my mind, and the words bring forth visions of a couple embracing with a snake coiled around them.
Darkness does know darkness, and somehow I feel Tate and Zoey have managed to escape it. The thought gives me hope. Not that I think Liam has a dark bone in his body. He’s too relaxed and happy—he’s a gentleman, even if we did get married and the soreness between my thighs confirms he took my virginity and I can’t remember it.
“What do you think?” Zoey appears next to me.
She’s dressed in tight leather pants and a purple glittery top. Her lips are colored bright red, and her heavy-duty eye shadow matches her top. She looks every inch a rock star’s fiancée. I look dowdy next to her in borrowed skinny jeans, high heels I can barely walk in, and a band t-shirt that proclaims me as Saving Tate’s number one fan.
I smile over at her, a genuine look of fondness for the pretty blonde. She’s been nothing but kind to me.
“I’m loving it so far,” I tell her. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I don’t know how they have the energy. I’m sure Liam hasn’t stopped moving. He must fall asleep the second he gets off stage.”
I nod toward where Liam has launched into an energetic drum solo. His muscular arms flying in every direction with his sticks in hand. The tempo of my heart speeds up to beat in rhythm with his hits. It leaves me light-headed and flushed.
“He’s good, isn’t he?” Zoey smiles at me.
“He’s stunning
.” I realize the vehemence of my words is probably a little bit too much after I’ve said them. “I’m sorry. I probably sound very creepy. I’ve never seen anything like this before. We have music where I come from, but it’s just singing. I’ve got chills over my skin. The words mean so much, and they aren’t telling anyone what to do.”
“The place you come from doesn’t sound normal,” Zoey observes.
“It’s different,” I reply.
I don’t want to talk about it, so I turn my head to watch Liam again as he finishes his solo, and Tate comes back singing. The audience are going mad. It’s a sea of people out there, screaming and shouting their names. I’ve stepped into the twilight zone of a different world, one I’ve been sheltered from, and it’s exciting me. I get the strangest feeling this is where I belong, not as a servant to the men who ruled my life previously.
Zoey coughs next to me. “Liam is like a brother to me. I’ve only known him a short time, but I’ve got a lot of affection for him. I don’t think you will, but I have to warn you. Hurt him, and you’ll see a side of me I don’t think has ever come out before.”
I turn to Zoey. The music around us fading into the background.
“I’ve no plans to hurt him. I can see they’re famous, and what’s happened seems suspicious, but I’ve got no ill intentions. Liam and I were stupid to get drunk and married, and we’ll sort it out. I’ll walk away with exactly what I came into the marriage with—nothing. I won’t hurt him, Zoey. I’ll leave him forever when this is all over. I’ll take with me a few wonderful memories of things I’ll never experience again, but I have confidence I’ll be able to look after myself, and hurting Liam is the furthest thing from my mind. I’m not that sort of person.”
Zoey nods. “You don’t have to walk away with nothing. I know what that’s like. My mother and I…well, my mother, she had issues when I was growing up. I was the mother in our relationship. I provided everything for us with hard work and determination. I can help you. We won’t leave you abandoned on the streets.”
The band’s music slows down, and I shut my eyes as I listen to the soft beat Liam plays. Tate’s gravelly tone interjects in between the rhythm of Liam’s drums.
“I come from a place so dark no one will believe it. A world vastly different to this. I had no freedom and no control over my life. I was told what to do and how to behave. I’m never going to go back to that place, but it’ll haunt me forever. I should leave here now. I don’t want to bring you all into my past. It’ll lead to everyone’s downfall.”
Zoey smirks and wraps her arm around me to pull me closer to her. “Believe me, we’ve been through so much already. We’ll survive whatever baggage you come with because we’ll do it together. That’s what Saving Tate is all about.”
“Thank you.” I allow her warmth and the prospect of her friendship to give me hope as we both stand in silence and watch the rest of the concert. My first experience of rock music, and I hope not my last.
“Right, there’s something I need to talk to you about.” Zoey pulls away from me with a nervous grin on her face as the band takes a final encore at the end of the concert. “We need to discuss what happens after a concert. How are you about seeing lots of bouncing breasts and men’s dicks?”
I open my mouth to respond but shut it quickly when I realize I have absolutely no answer to what she’s just asked me. I have a feeling I’m about to discover another brand new experience.
Chapter 5
Liam
#WereABunchOfKidsAtHeart
“Catch.” Tate throws the miniature football at me, and I almost fall off the chair backward trying to catch it.
It’s been a few hours since the end of our sellout first night in Las Vegas, and the guys have been consuming the drinks left in Zoey and Tate’s suite. I’ve only had a couple beers as I think a repeat of last night’s excess is not what I need right now.
Zoey and Yivi have been sitting off to the side, chatting. Zoey’s been showing Yivi her highly decorated planner. It’s covered with a thousand stickers of motivational sayings as well as drawings of flowers and hearts with her and Tate’s initials inside them. I dread to think what their wedding planner’s going to look like if that’s just a regular one.
Tate and I have been playing on Austin’s game console while the normally computer obsessed bassist is with Cameron, entertaining three women they brought back to the room after the meet and greet. Cameron’s kissing and playing with one girl’s tits while another sucks him off. Austin and his partner are engaged in a hot and heavy petting session. One of them tried it on with me, but given I’ve got a wife in the room, I didn’t think it was appropriate to consider taking up the offer.
The memory of Yivi’s virgin blood on the sheets haunts me. It should’ve been her greatest gift to give to someone, and I can’t remember taking it. I’m also pretty sure she doesn’t remember losing it since neither of us can recall getting married beforehand.
I grip the ball with my fingers and throw it toward Zoey and Yivi. “Heads up.”
Both of them look up at me in shock as the ball zooms past them and lands in the middle of the pile of stickers and Post-it notes surrounding Zoey’s planner.
Shit!
Paper flies everywhere.
“Liam!” Zoey shrieks.
Tate chuckles next to me. “You’re in big trouble now.”
“Sorry.” I jump to my feet and start trying to collect together all Zoey’s planning stuff that’s now fluttering around the room and landing on the carpeted floor.
“If any of these stickers are creased, you are so getting extra toilet cleaning duties when we’re back on the bus, Liam. Tate only bought them for me last week. They’re my favorite. My first Erin Condren ones.”
“I’m sorry,” I apologize again, but I see the little smirk that crosses Zoey’s face.
She’s not really angry. I give the puppy dog look too well. In contrast, when I glance over at Yivi, I see a look of panic on her face. She’s frantically trying to gather up and straighten out all the stickers. She picks up a broken Post-it notebook from the floor and tries to put it back together again.
“It’s okay,” I reassure her. “I’m a clutz most of the time. Zoey’s not really angry at me.”
“They’re all so pretty.” Yivi sighs as she admits defeat with the Post-it notes and places them back down on the table.
“I’ll replace them tomorrow,” I tell her.
Zoey collects all her belongings together. “Honestly, it’s not a problem, Yivi. You should have seen the state of the first rota I did for them on the tour bus. It was a complete mess after a few hours. They all got hold of my coloring pens and white out and changed everything. It ended up with me doing all the horrible chores and them doing whatever they felt like. I’m pretty certain it was Tate who wrote in my favorite metallic gold pen that I had to spend half an hour each day worshiping and kissing his feet,” Zoey sneers at her love, who innocently holds his hands up. “He spent the next week on toilet duty as a result. That’s the first thing you’ll learn about these guys. They’re all pussycats and won’t hurt a fly.”
“I hope you’re only referring to Tate, Miss Danson. I’m a wild tiger,” Cameron pipes up. “No one will ever control me.”
“I’m going to enjoy the day you are tamed, Cameron.” Zoey laughs and puts all her planner stuff back into a bag.
“The day Cameron gets his ball and chain, I think the entire world will explode. It’s going to be one of those Armageddon moments.” Tate signifies an explosion with his hands.
“Fuck you all.” Cameron salutes his best friend with his middle finger. All the while, he’s still got a girl bobbing up and down on his dick. Normally, I’d have one on mine. It feels strange sitting back and watching our lead guitarist get head with Yivi and Zoey standing next to me.
“Speaking of fucking…” The other woman with Cameron licks her lips with anticipation.
“Soon. I think we should play a game first.�
�� Cameron grunts and shuts his eyes while he comes down the throat of the girl sucking his dick.
“Did he just…” Yivi exclaims in shock behind me. I turn around to face her. Her eyes are wide open, and her cheeks bright red. It’s endearing.
“You’ll get used to it.” Zoey shakes her head and hands Yivi a small glass of wine. She drinks the contents down quickly.
“But isn’t it a waste?” She motions with her hands, and I’m not sure what she means. Zoey looks just as confused. “I mean, his semen. Isn’t he wasting it, surely he should save it to procreate?”
Yivi’s cheeks redden even more.
I can’t help thinking it’s a strange comment. I open my mouth to speak, but Cameron is up on his feet, the woman discarded onto the couch. He’s doing his pants up while heading toward us.
“Don’t worry, Yivi. I’ve got plenty to go around. And I don’t plan on creating little Camerons anytime soon.”
I glare at Cameron to shut his fucking mouth. The protective streak I’m developing toward Yivi, coming out again.
He snorts a laugh and grabs the now empty bottle of wine from the table by Zoey and Yivi. I know Zoey has drunk most of it by the lust filled way she keeps eyeing up Tate. I’m surprised they haven’t disappeared to their bedroom yet.
“I think we should play spin the bottle.” Cameron holds the wine bottle up in the air.
Austin and the three groupies applaud the suggestion.
“What are we, five?” I roll my eyes.
“Were you an early starter, Liam?” Austin nods my way. “I was at least eight before I had my first kiss.”
I flip him off.
“Come on, it’ll be fun.” Cameron moves a small coffee table out of the way and sits down on the floor in the center of the room.
“I’m up for it.” Austin joins him. The groupie girls excitedly sit down next to them.
