“I don’t care,” I said. “Neon lights. Women. Drinks. I’ve got something stirring up inside me.”
“Let me make some calls then,” Toby said. “This could be a good way to forget about your little pirate episode.”
“See? We don’t need someone to rewrite stories. Let anyone say what they want about me. Secretly, they love it. The suits in there? They fucking love it.”
“Everything they said was right though,” Toby said.
“And if they don’t want to toss us a deal, we’ll figure it out. We always do.”
“Maybe I want mine this time, Nash. A piece of the pie.”
“I let you have black hair,” I said with a wink.
“Who’s that?” Jay asked.
“Oh, you should have seen her,” I said to Jay. “Jet black hair. Little curves. So perky and bouncy. Only one tit pierced though. Half the job done.”
“You finish it?” Reed asked.
“Tried,” I said. I smashed my teeth together and growled.
Dex and Sab laughed.
“Get on the fucking bus,” Toby growled under his breath.
I looked forward and saw a woman walking down the hall. She looked right at me then looked away really fast.
Her hand went to the boardroom door where we had just been.
“Got a name for that?” I whispered to Toby.
He turned his head and let out a quick HA! sound. “That’s your savior, Nash. Your angel.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“She’s the one who wrote the story about you,” Toby said. “The spun story.”
I eyed her for a quick second as she went into the boardroom.
I saw her right arm, right leg, a little of the swell of her right breast, and the curve of her ass.
Did I need more to fall in love?
Nope.
I slammed a hand down to Toby’s shoulder. “You know, on second thought, this might work…”
“Nash…”
“Let me go introduce myself to the woman who’s going to save me from myself.”
* * *
“I think the entire thing is insane,” Dale said with fists to the table. “Complete fucking insanity.”
“Then make a call and get me the deal I want.”
She was bold. Her hair was a dark blonde color and pulled back in a messy way. She looked at me twice and each time all I saw was the sparkling color of a blue ocean off an island where nobody would find us.
Us.
That’s how it went.
When I was hooked, the conquest was on. The adventure was beginning right now. I’d lick her innocence away, make her cry into a glass of whiskey, and forget her name before we crossed the state line to the next show.
But right now, she was the most important woman in my life.
And I didn’t give a shit that I stared at her the way I did. So obvious. My dick throbbing and slithering around inside my jeans like a hungry snake.
“You read what she wrote,” Toby said.
It was the only fucking line he had apparently.
“Make the call?” Dale asked. “How impulsive of you, Olivia.”
“Olivia,” I whispered.
Her head whipped around and those sparkling blue eyes locked onto mine. I bet she tasted like rose petals dipped in honey. And my breath was gasoline and my tongue the fucking match to spark…
I gritted my teeth.
“You know what then, forget it,” Olivia said. She threw her hands up. “I can’t win no matter what I do. If I want to be a writer - a real writer - that’s not good enough. You’ve been telling me to get involved in the business and here I am. I can do this for you. For them.”
She nodded at us.
“You’re willing to do this?” Dale asked.
“If I get to write, sure,” she said. “And I want my deal at the end of this. How long do you need me for?”
One amazing fucking night, babe…
“Just through the last of the current tour and whatever comes after,” Toby said. “All depends on the offer on the table.”
“But you better keep yourself out of trouble,” Dale said to me. “I don’t want anyone in serious trouble.”
“Us?” I asked. “Serious trouble? When does that happen?”
“You sank a car into a lake,” Dale yelled.
“I swerved and missed a squirrel,” I said. “Remember?”
I winked at Olivia and her cheeks turned bright red.
“Olivia, I want you to leave here right now,” Dale said. “I’ll finish talking and we’ll all go from there.”
“Wait a second,” Toby said. “Tonight. They’re playing at Wissy’s. Surprise show. Let her write about the show and get that moving before anyone else does. The show will squash the story about the pirate thing.”
Dale looked around the table and slowly nodded. “Fine. That much I can agree with.”
“We’ll have someone pick you up, babe,” I said to Olivia.
She was already at the door. She looked back at me. Sky blue eyes with a curvy devil dancing deep inside them.
“No, thanks,” she said. “I know how to get around this city on my own.”
Olivia left the room and I licked my lips.
“Eyes over here,” Dale said.
I slowly moved my eyes to his. His eyes were nothing like Olivia’s. Which meant she must have taken after her momma. Which meant there was an older version of Olivia probably sitting poolside right now. Soaking up the sun. No idea what the real world was like. Aged skin beautifully tanned. Curves that still had plenty of story left to tell. Lonely housewife… dirty fucking rock star…
A mother daughter combo.
Fucking-a-right, Nash.
“Not a chance in hell,” Dale said.
“What?” I asked.
“I’m doing this for her,” he said. “To bring her into what I do. To make sure she grows up a little. So she doesn’t end up like her mother. Chasing dreams that aren’t really there.”
“You sound so supportive,” I said. “You know little girls who have broken hearts from their daddy’s are the best to-”
“Do not finish that sentence,” Toby said. “Jesus Christ, Nash.”
“I’ll keep it simple then,” Dale said. He took out a pen and wrote down a number. “That’s our number. Take notice of the commas. And you’ll have complete control of everything you want to do. In the studio. On tour. You’ll have our full support. Nobody can offer you this. And the conditions are simple. Stay out of trouble…”
“Which will happen,” Toby said. “Or the story will be spun that way.”
Dale wasn’t impressed.
His eyes were still on me.
“… and number two, you stay away from Olivia. And I mean you stay far away from her.”
I laughed.
“I’m not fucking around,” Dale said. He punched the table. “She writes her stories. Gets her experience. You get your deal. And we all make a ton of money. Keep your dick for the groupies.”
“The Line Whores,” Jay said.
“What?” Dale asked.
“That’s what we call them,” Dex said. “Line Whores. They’re the best.”
“Good,” Dale said.
He pointed to the number on the paper again and walked out of the boardroom.
Toby looked at us. “Big number. Freedom. Anything you’ve ever wanted to do. None of the bullshit you deal with now.”
“I think we can make it work,” Reed said.
“There’s plenty of ass out there to have,” Dex said.
“Or right here in this office,” Jay said.
“With the exception of one,” I said with a grin.
“And that’s going to stay like that,” Toby warned.
“Guess we better figure out a set list for tonight,” I said. “And something crazy to do.”
“Crazy like what?” Toby asked.
I gently slapped his chunky face and his cheeks jiggled.
>
“Come on, man, if she’s going to be writing about me… I better make it worth her effort.”
4
OLIVIA
“I can see your bra through that top,” I said to Zoe as she trotted from her Uber toward me.
“That’s the whole point,” she said as she threw her arms around me.
She smelled like a gallon of high school perfume.
“It’s been so long since we all hung out,” Christy said as she flicked at her cigarette.
She always had this bad ass way of smoking that made me want to do it too. But nobody could be like her. She was one of a kind. Waitress. Bartender. Bouncer. Half sleeve of ink on her left arm and an attitude that matched it all.
“Are you sure about this tonight?” Sky asked. “Filthy Line is playing here?”
“Do you know who my father is?” I asked.
Ugh, I hate using that line…
“True,” Sky said. “But they’re just so… big.”
“I bet they are,” Zoe said. “Maybe we can get close enough to the stage and check out their bulges.”
“You need to get laid, girlfriend,” Christy said.
“Me?” Zoe asked. “This one does.”
She thumbed at me.
“Why are you dragging me into this?” I asked.
“It’s true,” Zoe said.
“What happened to Owen?” Sky asked. “He was your personal sex toy.”
“No, he wasn’t,” I said.
“That’s what you told us,” Christy said.
“I never used those words. He just offered… himself…”
“For fun,” Zoe said. “No strings attached.”
“Because that’s so rare for a guy to do,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“You’re the writer,” Sky said. “Control the story.”
“That’s why I’m here,” I said. “I’m going to be writing stuff about Filthy Line.”
“What?” Zoe asked, grabbing my arms. “Do you get to hang out with them?”
I grinned.
Zoe’s jaw dropped.
“It’s not like that,” I said. “I’m going to make sure Nash looks like a saint in front of everyone. And then I’m going to get a book deal and get out of here.”
“Where are you going?” Christy asked.
“Other side of the country,” I said. “On my own. For good.”
“Wait,” Zoe said. “The band…”
“Let it go, Zoe,” I said with a laugh. “We’re here to watch the concert. I’m going to write something about it. Keep everyone happy. But I know my end game here.”
“Ohgod, my end game… Nash could have my end game, if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, and I need to get laid,” I said, pulling away from Zoe.
The doors to the club opened and it was a flood of people. Of course, the news of Filthy Line spread across social media like crazy. There was no way everyone was going to get inside. The police had already shown up and barricaded the street so fans could stand outside and listen.
That was how big the band really was.
Of course, SLECK RECORDS wanted in on it. To them, the band was nothing but walking and talking dollar signs. The ability to spit, piss, and shit cash. Gross? Sure. But it was the truth.
And fuck it… I was going to get mine too.
I could spin anything Nash did into gold and then walk away knowing I did something for my father. Use his connections to get to New York City and write books for the rest of my life.
That’s why I wasn’t worried about the show. Or the band.
And definitely not Nash.
He could be as rock star smooth as he wanted, but when my ass was across the country, that would be that.
Plus, with the amount of half-naked women - and probably fully naked by the end of the show - he would be distracted in no time.
I took the girls to a side door where Toby was waiting.
I couldn’t believe he was the guy I ran into in the lobby of the building.
“You can go anywhere you want, sweetie,” Toby said as he slipped his pudgy hand around my shoulder. “And don’t worry about a thing. The warning has been given to Nash.”
“Warning?” I called out over the music blaring from the speakers.
“That you’re untouchable,” he said. “Made it very clear that if he tries anything at all, the deal is off the table. And I will personally cut his dick off. And I’m sure the rest of the band will go along with it.”
“Right,” I said.
My heart started to race.
The walls felt like they were already closing in.
Being near the band - and Nash - was one thing.
Now being labeled untouchable?
It was almost like… virginal.
And since when did guys like Nash ever follow the rules?
* * *
Nash walked across the stage like he was twenty feet tall. He was in the same clothes as when I saw him before. Only now he had a long red bandana tied to one of the belt loops on his jeans. His wrists full of bracelets. Rings on his fingers. Carrying an acoustic guitar with such commanding poise.
At the mic, he ran a hand through his sweaty hair and flicked it into the crowd.
All the ladies screamed and wiped their faces, ready to cry because Nash’s sweat was on them.
I shook my head.
That kind of stuff I didn’t quite understand.
“Take your shirt off!” someone screamed in a quick moment of silence.
Nash looked at Jay and handed him the acoustic guitar.
With one hand, Nash peeled his shirt off his body.
His low-cut jeans showed a V cut that made me turn my head for a second.
Zoe’s eyes were lit up. Her bottom lip moving as though she were talking.
When I put my eyes back to the stage, Nash was shirtless.
He leaned forward and dropped the shirt into the crowd.
That ensued a fight between two women which ended when the shirt ripped in half. As quick as they were to punch each other they were that quick to hug and become friends because they each got a piece of Nash’s shirt.
He stood there, shirtless, muscles cut from his shoulders down to his jeans. Tattoos carefully gracing his body, each one probably with its own wild story.
When he reached for the guitar from Jay, muscles flexed.
“So. Fucking. Hot.” Zoe’s voice battered my eardrum.
I lifted my shoulder to knock her away.
“Okay, babe,” Nash said as though he were talking to one person. “This is called You Only Cry.”
The entire place erupted.
I knew the song by heart.
Damn me for that.
Now I was getting to see it live.
Nash slowly strumming the chords to the song. Jay playing quiet, echo filled backing notes. Dex strumming along with Nash. Reed playing bass gently to not overpower the song. And Sab behind the drum kit, hitting the cymbals with precision.
I took your hand, one last time tonight
Your eyes were empty, in this cold dark fight
I never meant, to really walk away
We gave it a shot, not knowing what to say
And now I see you, standing so tall
Pushing away the world, pushing it all…
You only cry when you’re alone
You only cry when I’m not at home
You only cry when you’re feeling pain
You only cry… because of me again…
The lyrics slipped through my mind the same as the drink in my hand. It was whatever crap fruity drink Zoe had ordered for herself. She got one for Sky too. Christy was typical Christy with a beer bottle in her hand, foot up against the wall, nodding along to the song.
“You only cry! Because of me again!” Zoe yelled-slash-sang into my ear.
She grabbed my hand and jumped up and down.
“Hey, babe, you sing the next part,” Nash said.
He stepped bac
k from the mic and waved everyone on.
I stole that love, the one you said
You’d never give, the one you meant
To save for someone, not like me
For someone, who could just be
And now I see you, running away
Looking back once, and for all didn’t you say…
You only cry when you’re alone
You only cry when I’m not at home
You only cry when you’re feeling pain
You only cry… because of me again…
Zoe pulled herself closer to me and let out a scream as Jay started to play the famous guitar solo. Nash and Dex faced each other, strumming their guitars, nodding along as Jay casually walked along the edge of the stage, hitting each note perfectly.
At the last note of the solo, he threw his head back and bent back, holding the note as Nash walked back to the mic to sing again.
There was no denying the power of Filthy Line.
How good they were.
How sexy they were.
Even at a show for less than a thousand fans, it was like they were playing for an arena.
When the show ended, Nash pulled the entire front row of women onto the stage. It was the five band members mixed in with the women.
Jay grabbed a mic and said, “Let’s hear it for tonight’s Line Whores…”
They all started laughing and jumping as the crowd cheered.
Then on Nash’s command, they all lifted their shirts. A few even decided to lift their bras along with them.
Fucking rock stars…
I had no desire to stare at another woman’s bare breasts so I made a line for the side door.
Christy, Zoe, and Sky were right there with me.
“That was amazing,” Zoe yelled.
“What now?” Christy asked.
“Split a ride and get a drink?” Sky offered.
Before I could agree, I heard a whistle.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Toby standing not too far away, smiling.
“I think that’s my cue,” I said. “You all go. I’m going to head home anyway so I can write something up. Get this over with.”
“If you meet Nash…,” Zoe wagged a finger in my face.
“Easy, girlfriend,” Christy said.
A FILTHY Rock Star: a filthy line novel Page 3
