This scrawny kid was the one who’d turned him down for an audition just last week? Surely if it’d had been Alex, she would have given him a chance. Maybe this was better though, the opportunity to join them now and solve their problems. He was about to offer himself up when Alex spoke again.
“Which is why I’m so relieved that Benji called yesterday. Guy and I met with him last night, and he’s just awesome.”
Guy nodded. “He was our missing link. Now we are gonna rock. Plus he’s got some really awesome contacts. Getting gigs is gonna be a breeze.”
“He is pretty perfect,” Alex added, throwing a wink across the room to Chloe.
What was that supposed to mean?
Before she could explain, there was a knock at the door, and she pulled it open. “Hi, Benji!” She gave him a hug.
“Hey, Alex.”
Josh blinked, an overwhelming urge pulling him to either kneel at the guy’s feet or strangle him, he wasn’t sure which was stronger. Thick, jet-black hair adorned Benji’s head, spiked out in all directions. He had huge eyes and perfect teeth, reminiscent of an anime character, and was topped off with a physique like Cam’s. Muscles bulged through his shirt as if he was a cover boy for some clothing store that prided themselves in shirtless male models. Josh glanced at his sister whose eyes were wide while her smile beamed brighter than ever.
“Hi,” Chloe said, shaking Benji’s hand. “Welcome to the band.”
“Are you in it?” he asked her with a confused glance at Alex.
Before she could answer, Chloe chimed in again. “I’m Alex’s roommate. But I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.” She gave him another winning smile.
“You ready to go practice?” Alex asked Benji, ignoring Chloe’s fan-girl enthusiasm.
“Nice meeting you guys,” Benji said, nodding at Josh and Chloe.
After Alex and her band left, Josh settled down on the sofa. “Where do they practice?”
“It’s in a warehouse or something. That’s where Alex keeps her drums.”
“Why didn’t you tell me she was in a band?”
“I don’t know. It didn’t come up.”
“Chloe. I play guitar. They were looking for a guitarist. You could’ve put in a good word for me.”
“You…join their band?”
“Why is that such a crazy idea?”
She shrugged. “I had no idea you wanted to join a band.”
“What?”
“You’re so antisocial. I just figured you were into your solo thing.”
“I—” he sighed. “Never mind.” It was too late now anyway, and there was no point in starting a fight with her.
“So. Bring on the games!” Chloe said, rubbing her hands together. “Ready to get schooled by your little sister?”
“We’ll see about that.”
After several levels, Chloe disappeared into the restroom, and Josh went to the kitchen for a soda. On the way back, he stopped by Chloe’s room, glanced through the open doorway and on a whim, did what only a totally insane older brother with a death wish would—he decided to snoop around.
Scattered around was all of Chloe’s girly paraphernalia—clothes, shoes, purses, hair products, and jewelry. Her room followed the typical Chloe organizational standard, which was a foreign language to him. Not like Spanish—he’d taken some of that in high school. More like Japanese…or Hebrew. Wan’t that one written backwards?
He walked over to the desk, examining her school books. Titles like Beginning Sewing and Today’s Fashions were scattered around. Josh noticed a stack of photos lying nearby and picked it up. He flipped through them quickly, giving each a brief glance. Josh doing that stupid pseudo-emo pose, as Chloe called it. Cam with his hands in front of his face. Alex and Chloe hugging. They were all from that day at the movies. Then he found one that made his heart stop.
It was of Alex tossing her head back and laughing, her mouth frozen wide open. Josh couldn’t help but admire the picture. Maybe it was the way the light highlighted her smile. Maybe it was the look of pure joy frozen on her face. Maybe it was something radiant shining from within. She was stunning.
Not that it mattered. He didn’t have a chance with her—or with the band, for that matter. Nothing ever seemed to work out for him.
He heard the water running in the bathroom and quickly ran back to the living room, shoving the photo into his pocket. He didn’t think Chloe would miss it.
He plopped back onto the couch. “Ready for more?” he asked when she reappeared.
“You bet.” She grinned. “I’m totally gonna tear you apart.”
~
After practicing for an hour and a half, Vicarious Jalapenos took a break. Their first practice with the entire band was going well, Alex thought. They were grooving together already, and at this rate it wouldn’t take long for them to get really tight. She had hoped to recreate the band she’d been a part of in high school, but this was already way better. What else could they ask for? Maybe a keyboard player, but they could always find someone later, and in the meantime, they’d be fine as just a three piece.
Benji wiped his brow and set his guitar on a stand. Alex had to admire the way his biceps pulled against the sleeves of his shirt. Chloe had every reason to gawk.
“Good call on that key change,” Guy said. “That sounds a lot better.”
“Definitely,” Benji said. Then he turned to Alex. “Man, you’re really something else. I’ve never seen anyone get after it like that.”
She shrugged. “Thanks. I just love to play.”
He walked up to the kit and gave her a fist-pound.
“Well, nice chops,” he said.
“Yeah,” Guy agreed, slapping her on the shoulder. “That’s some tight playing. When this whole thing comes together, we’re going to rock so hard.”
Alex smiled. She’d always gotten along with guys more easily, and Elei Solomon had been her sole female friend in high school. With guys Alex could be herself. She didn’t have to worry about hurting anyone’s feelings or deal with drama. Drama was what her parents had provided when they’d been together, and she’d had gotten enough of that in her first thirteen years. Her mom had been a basket case, and Alex wanted nothing to do with that. She was a lot more like her dad, and proud of it.
“So,” Guy said. “Chloe’s pretty hot. Why didn’t you mention that, Alex?”
“Yeah, she’s a looker,” Benji said, nodding.
Alex tugged on the hem of her t-shirt, painfully aware of her own lack of curves, but kept the smile on her face. This was the only problem with being “one of the guys.” She could never be date potential—which was fine until you caught yourself falling for one of them and had to deal with it going absolutely nowhere.
“So, are we going to finish practicing or what?” Guy asked.
“Got a hot date?” Benji asked.
“I have to catch up on Doctor Who.”
Benji rolled his eyes. “I can’t stand Doctor Who. That’s, like, an old people show.”
“No, it isn’t,” Guy said, his tone sharpening.
“Well, it’s all my dad watches, and I can’t stand it. That’s part of the reason I moved out when I was seventeen.”
“Seriously?” Alex asked.
“Seriously.”
Guy gritted his teeth but didn’t answer. Alex bit her lip, trying not to smile. She enjoyed an episode of Doctor Who now and then, but she wasn’t getting in any arguments over it.
“So, you guys ready to try the song I was telling you about?” Benji asked.
“Definitely. It’s so cool that you write your own stuff,” Alex said.
As they played, the song pulled Alex back to her past. Benji’s playing style was a lot like Ferno’s. She’d been really close to all the members, but especially him. He’d even come over several nights a week to work on lyrics with her. His Roman nose was adorable under his shaggy black hair, and his dark eyes had melted her heart the first time they’d me
t. She could have sworn that he felt something, too. The way he looked right into her eyes. The way he’d wrap his arms around her waist and give her giant bear hugs, practically knocking her off her feet. The amount of time he dedicated to the band—and to her. But Ferno was just another example of the impossible friendship boundary.
After practice the guys packed away their guitars, and Alex threw a sheet over her drums. She was very particular about keeping her special kit in tip top condition—no dust for those babies.
Benji strode up to her, shoving his hands in his pockets and giving her a one-eyebrow-nod. Her heart skipped a beat when he neared her. He was just something else. Perfect hair, perfect smile, perfect body… She wasn’t usually uncomfortable around men, but he was in another league altogether. She still couldn’t quite believe they’d gotten him to join their little band.
“Thanks for coming,” she said. “It was great to play with you tonight.”
“No problem. I enjoyed it.” He sure was standing close to her. She felt a little light-headed for a minute.
Guy walked up, throwing an arm around each of their shoulders. “Nice playing, guys. This was a blast. I’m outta here, but I’ll see you next time. Wednesday—right?”
“Yep,” Alex said.
Benji frowned. “I can’t do Wednesday. My other band practices that night.”
“How about Thursday?” Alex asked, looking from Benji to Guy.
Guy shrugged. “Works for me.”
“That should work. I may have a solo gig though.”
She arched a brow at Benji.
“Beans and Booze sometimes books me for Thursday evenings. I’ll have to let you know.”
“Okay,” Alex said.
“See you guys later.” Guy gave her a pat on the back and headed out of the building.
“So, I think I have a few potential gigs,” Benji said to Alex.
“Really? Already?”
“Yeah. I know a few places, and I might be able to land us a regular gig.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, I figure we get a handful of local venues to each book us monthly, then we can land a show at least once a week and voila—we’re bankin’.”
“That would be awesome!” A thrill rolled over her. She wanted to tackle him with a hug, but she resisted the urge.
“I think we all want this to go somewhere, right? I mean, who wants to be in some lame band where we never do anything?” He shook his head. “Like back in high school.”
She nodded. “Exactly.”
He grabbed his guitar case and thumped her on the arm. “Take care of yourself, Alex.”
“Okay. See ya.” Who was this incredible guy? He was almost too good to be true.
~
Slap!
Nic staggered back. Mrs. Brody’s bejeweled, wrinkled hand was a lot stronger than it looked.
“Get outta here, you creep! Leave me alone!” She jerked her purse away.
What the…? He rubbed his face and stepped backward, still reeling from the shock. Hunchbacked and bony, she packed quite the punch for her size. She threw him a string of curses and hobbled away.
His mind buzzed, raw from the pain. He’d never met anyone who could resist his power other than blind people. Something was wrong.
Dazed, he clumsily made his way down the street. He needed to find someone else to test his power on. He entered the nearest bar and scanned the interior.
His eye fell on a woman standing with one hand draped along the counter in front of her, the other holding a nearly-finished beer. An empty bottle sat next to her.
Nic strutted in with his most confident poise. He knew his looks weren’t enough to impress on their own, but he didn’t need looks. Not with these eyes. These babies made him friends with everyone, because everyone trusted him. His eyes hadn’t always been magic, but ever since the upgrade, they worked like a charm. Every. Single. Time.
He sauntered up to the woman, rested an elbow on the bar, and leaned over to her. The counter was pretty high, and she was at least six inches taller than him, so he had to look up to meet her eyes. It didn’t matter.
When she glanced over at him he sent her his characteristic piercing stare. He counted to three, allowing his lip to curl into a smile. Might as well use the trademark line no woman in her right mind would ever fall for. “How you doin’?”
She glared at him, and he wondered if he’d counted too fast. He waited a beat for her expression to change to that dazed look they all got under his spell. It didn’t.
“Let me buy you another drink.” He gestured at her beer and gave her another smile, though his brain was going into overdrive, and he could feel the vein in his neck beginning to pulse.
Eye to eye, she stared him down. “Get lost.”
Nic blinked and stumbled back for the second time that night, this time in surprise. Two women, two strikes. What was going on?
Surprise turned to rage. Fury hit him like a tidal wave. How dare she? He grabbed the half-finished beer bottle and crashed it down hard on the bar, sending shards and splatters flying all over. The woman screamed and slunk back.
“That’s right, you should be afraid, you little—”
The other patrons were staring at him now. He grabbed another bottle and shook it above his head. “Think you’re too good for me? I’ll show you all—”
Two brutish looking men grabbed Nic by the wrists before he could act. Nic swore and tried to wriggle out of their grasp. His slight build wasn’t helping him this time.
“Come on, outta here,” one of the security guys said. They dragged him out of the bar and hurled him onto the street. “Come back and we’ll call the cops.”
He picked himself up and stormed away. He wanted—needed—to hurt someone. He squeezed his eyes shut and placed his palms on his eyelids. His hands were trembling. My precious eyes…
He thought back to the week before when his power had worked. It was right before…That stupid, pepper-spraying, little—
She was a witch, that’s what she was. She’d flaunted her own magic and destroyed his.
The street was nearly deserted, and there was no one around. He grabbed the knife that never left his person—the elegant Architech Damascus crafted from fifteen layers of Nickel—and flipped open its razor-sharp blade. A shiny new Mercedes Benz sat next to a meter. With the knife, he gouged the car in an irregular zig-zag pattern with several angry strides. But that was only the beginning of the terror he would unleash. He needed a brick. And a window. Now.
As Nic strode down the street, three flyers taped to a diner window flapped in the wind. He stopped, considering this instance of the number that called to him. The first was an ad for replacement windshields, the second was a notice for a band looking for musicians, and the third was an announcement for an art exhibition at the local college. The third one hooked Nic’s memory. He thought of the earlier conversation between the pepper spray girl and her blonde friend at the theater—besides the talk about her rich daddy, they’d also mentioned something about college. The details hadn’t seemed important at the time, but now he strained to pick out anything that might help him locate her. Then he remembered—they were students at Denver University.
With this information, it shouldn’t be all that hard to find her. He would show her that no one messed with Nicodemus Zachau.
Thursday after class, Alex sat cross-legged on the floor of her room, keeping time to the music with her sticks and her practice drum pad. A few hours earlier Guy had announced that his boss was making him work overtime and that he wouldn’t make it to practice. Benji had suggested they meet anyway and work on whatever they could without their bassist, so here he was sitting on the edge of her bed, playing one of her favorite songs. Her favorite as of Monday, when he’d first introduced the band to the original tune. He was like a rock star when he belted out the lyrics—just pre-discovery. He had something…an essence of coolness and confidence.
The song was nearing the end when he
broke a string. There was a quiet ping and the music came to a screeching stop. A trail of curses escaped Benji’s mouth. He grabbed a nearby pillow and chunked it across the room, then angrily dug through his guitar case for a new one.
“Why are you so upset?” Alex asked. “It’s just a broken string.”
“I can’t take anything that ruins my groove.” Lines creased his temples and mouth in an ugly frown.
“Um, okay. But I think you need to chill out a little.”
“Don’t tell me when I need to chill out. When I get my guitar fixed I’ll be fine.” He yanked the old string off the guitar and went to work on the new one.
“But—”
“Just shut it, okay? I’m trying to focus on this.”
Alex was too stunned to speak. She went to the kitchen to give him some space—and so she wouldn’t bite his head off with a well-deserved retort. She grabbed a soda from the fridge and cracked it open, taking a few sips to calm her own frustrations. After a few minutes, she headed back, passing the bathroom on her way through the hall and noticing the open door.
Benji was standing at the sink. She halted just before she got to the door, taking a quick step back. Peeking through the opening, she watched him, wondering if his outburst had blown over and if he was back to normal. He touched his curly dark locks, toying with his already-perfect hair for several long minutes. He opened one of Chloe’s bottles of product and rubbed it into his scalp.
Alex inched back out of sight. After he’d finished arranging his hair, he washed and dried his hands. She braced herself to dash out of the hall, assuming he was finished. Instead, he made a face in the mirror, clenching his eyes shut like he did when he played. His mouth opened wide like he was mimicking singing. Then he cracked a lid to peek at himself in the mirror. He puffed up his chest, turned to the side, and sent a sexy wink to his reflection.
Alex had seen enough. She returned to her room to wait for him.
Benji came back with a grin on his face. Apparently his mirror time had adjusted his attitude. Either that or his mask was back in place. Either way, when he threw her a sultry wink, it didn’t have the effect on her that it might have earlier.
Outsider: The Flawed Series Book Two Page 6
