“I was happy for you,” Kate said promptly, sincerely. “There wasn’t a day that I didn’t think you deserved it – all of it. No matter what may have happened or the things I said, I always wished you well, Gage.”
His lips tilted in a crooked smile as he placed his glass on the nearby bar. “I believe you,” he said quietly. “In a way, I owe you some thanks. This all became possible because of you.” He waved his hands expansively.
“What…what do you mean?” Kate asked in a voice hushed with confusion.
“After you left me,” he said with a shrug, his tone bland. “It was like I was lost in a black hole. And during those dark weeks afterwards came my greatest inspiration. I wrote a whole bunch of songs that would later become my best selling debut album.”
Kate felt realization dawn as she remembered that very first album that had gone on to win Gage countless awards for album of the year and song of the year and new artist of the year.
The songs had been gritty and heart-felt, filled with depth and melodic agony. At least, that was what the reviewers had said. She remembered reading an article where Gage had confessed that a personal trauma had got him writing those songs with so much emotions running high in them.
Well, those ‘emotions’ had sat well with the public and Gage’s songs became the top downloaded and sold songs for two years running, breaking the major charts around the world.
“My success story is hinged on you walking out that door, Kate,” Gage said with a mild twist to his smile. “I always promised myself that if I ever saw you again, I’d thank you for being so instrumental to the success you never believed me capable of in my music career.”
Kate wasn’t sure what to say. ‘You’re welcome’ just didn’t seem appropriate, and he’d only made her feel worse, not better, with his confession.
She’d never believed she’d truly hurt him when she’d left. They’d been together barely a year, after all. She’d been so sure he’d forgotten all about her almost the minute she’d walked away. And then, seeing him in all those magazines with a different beauty every time, had shown her that with his fame came the choice that he could have any woman he wanted. No woman would ever think of walking away from Gage Stevens now.
Not when he’d become the groupie king; with girls throwing their underwear at him and flashing their tits at him at concerts. He had a massive following in all the social media. He even had his own “fan base” known as “Gagers” who were the equivalent of the “Beliebers” and “Directioners” of this world. Anytime there was an awards show, or whenever a new single or video of his came out, his “Gagers” always came out full force to give him support and spread the word.
This meant, of course, that Gage was hardly out of the media whether on the web or on TV and print. Anything he did drew a news crew’s presence. Kate began to feel that everywhere she looked; there was something about Gage even up to what he did in his private life. From who he had on his arm at the last red carpet event; to his latest tattoo.
There were even rumors of him getting his very own reality show, and Kate just knew it would be another money spinner for him too.
He had houses in numerous choice parts of the country and the world. Had his own private jet and ultra-fitted tour bus. A single two-hour performance on any major stage earned him more money than Kate could hope to earn in five years. It was staggering to think of. Gage Stevens was a rockstar god. And he used to be hers.
“It was you, Kate,” Gage was saying plainly, his eyes pinned to hers. “No one knows till today the inspiration behind my breakout album. How does it feel knowing you broke my heart and gave me so many demons that drive me and haunt me till this day?”
Kate’s heart was thumping; she felt like it was literally cracking to pieces. The anger, the pain in his eyes was so raw it cut through her like a blade. She believed him. Believed now that he must have truly cared and she had truly hurt him. He didn’t hide the profound torment from his expression and just holding his gaze made everything around them fade out like background pieces. No music, no voices, no presence. Just their long-buried awareness creeping up from the cracks and shrouding them in tempestuous sails.
“Gage, I…”
Kate didn’t get the chance to complete her sentence, as one of the girls swayed up to them and then practically stumbled into Gage, who caught her deftly. The willowy brunette was dressed in a slip of a frock and knee-high black boots with four inch heels. She was holding a half-drunk bottle of whiskey and grinning foolishly up at Gage.
“Hey, sexy. Are you two going to be standing about yakking all night?” the young woman said in a breathy, come-on voice. “I’ve been waiting forever for a piece of your time, Gage. And if your friend insists on staying, then I don’t mind sharing. She’s pretty. I like redheads.” The girl turned and winked at Kate, who exhaled with suppressed annoyance.
“Amanda, not now. This is a reporter from Stardom magazine. We’re trying to hold an interview here.” His voice was gruff and Kate could see his fingers biting into the girl’s slender arms as he held her back from his lips.
“Reporter, huh? Is that what they call it now? I saw the way you two were looking at each other,” Amanda muttered while wagging a clumsy, reprimanding finger in Gage’s face. “I just had to come over here before someone ripped someone else’s clothes off.”
“Amanda…”
“Excuse me,” Kate mumbled, suddenly dumping her glass on the bar and spinning off to find the bathroom.
She didn’t look left or right as she stumbled through the doors to the en suite bathroom. It was no surprise that it was as luxuriously fitted as the rest of the suite. There was a shower enclosure that had the latest spray technology with multiple showerheads above and at the sides of the walls. A huge whirlpool tub still couldn’t dwarf the immense spaciousness of the bathroom. Designer toiletries were arranged in stylish cabinets and all the fittings were well crafted and eye-catching. Kate sank unto the closed toilet seat and covered her face in her hands.
What had made her think she could do this? Treat Gage like a normal stranger when they had a past, though brief, between them? And then just minutes ago, he’d made her believe that though brief, her time with him had impacted him in ways that made their break-up such a traumatic experience for him. She recalled every song in that first album and how Gage had been drawn listeners around the world with his ‘tortured artist’ persona, laying himself bare and singing songs that hearts out there could relate to.
And now he was saying it had been all about her. Or at least, about her leaving him. He’d just made the guilt she’d felt before now ten times worse.
Suddenly realizing she’d spent way too much time holed up in the bathroom, Kate rose from the seat, checked out her reflection, and pinched her pale cheeks. If she could, she’d walk out, right out of the suite and not look back. Walk away from Gage and his rock band pals and his blonde floosy or whoever that chick was that had been crawling all over him back there.
She walked back into the room, only just realizing that the tone of music had changed to one of Gage’s more sonorous songs, filling the suite with strains of string guitars and smoky, restless Gage singing through the speakers.
She stared in amazement at the now empty room. “What happened? Where is everyone?”
“Gone. I made them leave,” Gage said softly, turning form whatever he was fiddling with at the sound system. He viewed her with critical eyes. “Are you okay? Want to start the interview now?”
“I don’t think…”
“It’s late, and we’ve both had a long night,” he said mildly, “So I’ll be cooperative as possible. Ask me whatever you like. Go on, sit down,” he said, indicating an easy chair close to where he sat on the couch opposite.
Drawing in a deep breath, Kate finally made up her mind to see this through. A few questions were required for the two-page feature. In a half hour, tops, she could wrap this up and leave without making a fool of herself and giving in
to the urge to lunge in Gage’s direction and simply ravish him with kisses. She could just see herself straddling his thighs as she kissed him, her knees digging into the couch as she ground her panty-covered pussy over his erection sheathed beneath his pants.
Gathering up every professional bone in her body, Kate finally started the interview. The questions seemed so mundane now that she had him alone, sitting there calmly and also keeping his own level of correctness and formality.
She asked him about a lot of things; about his glamorous lifestyle and whether it was all about play. He told her that yes, it was fun getting to travel around the world, play the best parties and shows, stay in the finest hotels and eat at the top restaurants. Hong Kong tonight, Korea tomorrow…playing to several hundred thousand or to just a thousand people…Different settings brought a different energy.
Sure, Gage confessed, it did feel great but it was also tough. Of course he worked hard, he assured her. Day and night, in the studio, or on the road. And now, doing an interview at ten to one a.m. in the morning. He grinned suddenly at that and Kate couldn’t help smiling back, inwardly glad they could relate without the poison of the past inching into the conversation.
“You’ve had four studio albums; cross-over collaborations with artistes like Katy Perry, Kanye West, Coldplay. How do you think your music has evolved?” Kate asked.
A grin slanted over Gage’s curved lips. “I’ve always believed that the older I become, the tastier and more refined I get – like a bottle of wine. I’m very spontaneous and it shows in my music. I don’t let anything hold me back and that’s why my fans can feel all of me in my music.”
At that, Kate had to bring up his fans; his 20 million Facebook friends, three million Twitter followers and then his videos on YouTube all getting countless views and subscribers.
“I believe the social media is a fabulous tool. I get to interact with my fans differently from when I’m on stage and they’re in the crowd,” Gage said thoughtfully.
“So…you have the lifestyle people only dream of. You travel in your private jet, you hang out with the rich and famous, and get to live like a king, adored by your teeming fans. How does that make you feel?” asked Kate.
“I’m happy to be making so much money doing what I love – and yet I know I’ll still be doing it even if I was making less than one percent of what I make now,” he said, and Kate bit on her lip as she realized it was true; even when Gage and his band had zero funds and sometimes had to play for free at shows, Gage had always been glad to just play, to share his music.
“Besides,” he went on with a shrug, “I have the best management who find great opportunities for me business-wise. So I’m all about the music but I still think of other ways to make my money. I’m a part of numerous endorsements but only those I feel suit my personality. I’d never endorse what I didn’t believe in, no matter the rewards.”
Kate nodded understandingly. “So, just what do you spend your money on anyway?” she half-teased. “Cars, yachts? An island or two?”
He grinned at that. “Yeah, I heard about that rumor where a tabloid claimed I’d bought up some tiny island off Fiji. Not true. I really don’t have that much time to spend money since I’m always busy working. Sure, I could rent an expensive yacht because it’s easier. And I do enjoy buying up houses – don’t even know how many of those I have. I should count them though,” he mused carelessly, and Kate shook her head with humor.
“Yes, you should,” she said wryly. “With the money and fame...did drugs ever become part of your life?”
She could tell the question had surprised him. Kate had never known him to even smoke but who knew what else had changed about him? He’d never seemed the womanizer type but now he was always in the news along with some latest conquest crying her eyes out for not being able to hold on to the rock star god Gage Stevens.
“Drugs have never been my thing,” Gage said seriously, folding his arms as he sat back in the couch. “And I think many new age rock stars focus on their career and stay clean. I certainly can’t afford to do drugs on stage. I tell myself I have one chance and one chance only – can’t detriment that with drugs. I find other ways to enjoy life and garner that high that drugs provide for other people.”
“And what other ways are those?” Kate couldn’t help asking.
“Well, for one thing, there’s sex,” he said, tongue in cheek. Kate’s face flushed. “Hot, hours-long sex helps ramp up the adrenal edge for me. That’s my mojo.”
Kate squirmed in her seat. That little tidbit certainly wasn’t going into the final feature, she decided, even as she asked, “You’ve dated some beautiful women; do you think you’d settle down any time soon?”
He shoved his hair back. “Sure, I’ve dated, but I don’t have much of a social life – or private life for that matter. It’s hard to have one when I’m focused so much on my career. A lot of my friends are married and have kids, and it’s got me hoping that in the future, I can have a private life. Like everyone out there, I’d love to fall in love, get married and have beautiful children,” he said deeply.
Kate nodded, but inwardly didn’t like to think how much it wrenched her heart to imagine Gage falling in love or marrying anyone else, and having undoubtedly gorgeous kids with the lucky woman. Ground down by an acute sense of loss, Kate decided to round up the interview by asking what advice he had for upcoming rock artists like him.
“Fight for every chance you get,” Gage said simply. “It’s all about a lot of hard work, a bit of talent, the right music – and a great mindset. I believe so much in fighting for your dreams, and that’s why I try to support any new acts I can by letting them open up for me at gigs. I’ve also got various charities focused on young adults and kids. So though I might be living a life of glamour, whether playing with hip-hop’s Kanye West at a private party or meeting supermodel Kate Upton at a beach show, I’m more than my lifestyle.”
“I think your fans know that,” Kate said sincerely, before finally switching off the recorder. He nodded, acknowledging her words with a small smile as he rose to go over to the bar. He mixed some drinks and brought a glass over to her but she shook her head.
“Any more alcohol and I’ll be falling asleep where I am. And I need to get going – it’s almost two am.”
“It’s a non-alcoholic cocktail – or a mocktail as it’s called,” he said drily, holding it out to her with a compelling look. “Drink.”
Kate sighed and then obediently took a gulp. It had a refreshing taste of the Mojito without the alcohol. Realizing she really was thirsty, she took more sips, glad she could relax even if for a few more minutes before she had to go. She rose from her chair to pace over to the picture window. For the first time, she took in the view and saw how beautiful the city looked from here. She thought of going back to her dreary though homely apartment – her overall dreary life. But wanting to stay, she knew, would be the biggest mistake.
“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Gage asked from behind her. She didn’t turn around though she felt him standing just inches away. “It was in a hotel suite like this one that I wrote my latest album. Recorded all twelve songs holed up in a hotel in Brussels within a month. It was crazy.” He chuckled.
Kate had remembered reading about that. She also knew that his newest album was also his most successful to date. People couldn’t seem to have enough of Gage Stevens. Not that she could blame them…
She turned slightly when she felt his arm reach round to take her empty glass. Seconds later, his hands were on her shoulders, the fingers digging into her flesh. Kate closed her eyes, and inhaled…exhaled.
“It’s late. Why don’t you stay. With me.”
His famously raspy voice sent a rush of sensation over her nape and made her whole body tingle with the want. It had been so long for her…months even. She hadn’t met anyone lately that she was interested in dating, and she definitely wasn’t into one-night stands with strangers or hook-ups.
But here
, with Gage, it wouldn’t be so bad, would it? At least they’d know the score. At least, she’d know that she was simply taking the place of which ever groupie or groupies who would have been the ones lucky to be alone with Gage right now.
“You mean, stay and share your bed, right?” Kate asked with a trace of bitterness.
“If not for old times’ sake…then because it’s the right place and time,” he said huskily. “And because you want to. It’s all you’ve wanted since we kissed in my dressing room; I know. It’s certainly all I’ve wanted since you walked in the fucking door.”
Kate gasped as his hand now closed around her throat in a possessive grasp, his lips close to her ear.
“You look the same…you even smell the same,” he whispered, his sweet breath teasing her nostrils. “Now I’m dying to find out if you feel the same, too.”
There was a buzzing in Kate’s every nerve cell as she felt Gage’s tongue tease her lobe while his fingers deftly unbuttoned her blouse. In seconds, he was pushing down the cups of her bra and letting her bouncy tits spill into his hands. He groaned deep in his throat and Kate couldn’t hold back her whimper of pleasure even as she said his name in protest.
He merely squeezed harder, pushing her tits together as he massaged the full flesh. His breath had quickened and for a few moments, Kate let herself savor the sensation of Gage’s hands on her; his lips pressing to the sensitive skin beneath her ear. The feelings made her tremble.
“Do you know what it does to a man? To feel these beautifully heavy breasts in my palm…to inhale the sweet scent of cinnamon and rose oil in your hair…Your sensuous perfume…Unforgettable, comforting – and yet maddening all at once. I swore I would never feel this way…not for you, Kate. I never believed I could ever want you again. Like this – like I could rip your clothes off and fuck you where you stand. Just back you up against the wall, wrap your legs around me and…”
Rock Hard Page 3
