Backstage

by A. m Madden

Could another reverend from Utah, convicted of murder, and named Barton have died in prison? My gut was telling me that the man who fathered me had a heart attack in prison and died.

  If true, I wasn’t sure what I felt over it. Relief? Was I relieved?

  Immediately after our rehearsal I did confirm it was my father who did indeed die in prison. With time, I felt a touch more optimistic. I guess I felt relieved. The constant thought of that prick finding me no longer cluttered my head. Many other thoughts still consumed me, but at least that one was now dead and buried...literally. Now I could concentrate on keeping Trestan Barton dead and buried. I’ve dodged some bullets. When we got back from our first tour after Leila joined us, fame was coming faster than ever. With all the blog sites and websites buzzing from Leila’s attempted kidnapping and Jack’s ex carrying his baby, people were very curious about Devil’s Lair. I managed fame by remaining the mysterious one in the group. Even when Rolling Stone wrote a feature article on our success, my portion consisted of a few lines of pure fluff. The article focused on DL as a whole with a strong backstory on Jack and Leila’s love story.

  Leila’s snooping snaps me back to the present. I watch amused as she continues to open compartments and touch buttons all wide-eyed and open-mouthed. I settle into my seat across from Mr. and Mrs. Gag-Me-Because-They-Are-Nauseatingly-In-love. Sometimes their love-fest is hard to take. Case in point, Jack sits watching his wife with his normal pussy-whipped smile plastered on his face.

  A slim part of me can’t blame her for being in awe. Even I have to admit this plane that the studio is flying us to L.A. in is fucking impressive.

  “Whatcha lookin’ at, Taylor?” she asks when she notices me eyeing her.

  “It’s just a plane, Little Lair.”

  The plane is noisy with the rest of our crew yapping annoyingly, because like Leila they are also in awe. Hunter and Scott are sitting with the new guys. We’re starting our second tour with Cliffhangers. You can say we are paying it forward. Just as MACE gave us the opportunity of a lifetime, we are giving the same to Cliffhangers. They are the band Leila came from before she joined us. They’re good. They’re cool, except the lead singer, Matt. He hates my guts because I banged his girlfriend, Lori, who also happens to be their manager. They weren’t a couple then, but he wanted them to be. I remember the first time I saw her. She was hanging all over Jack at a party he and Hunter threw. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. She’s stunning. Once Leila introduced us, she was mine for the taking.

  That redhead was the best fuck I’ve ever had. She adds a new definition to the word “kinky.” Just thinking of her beneath me, submitting completely makes me hard. She had an obsession with my cock. She loved the way it felt in her mouth. I had an obsession with her taste. Lori was the first chick I devoured since Taylor. I don’t eat pussy, too much work and no one I fucked was worthy of it. Lori single-handedly changed that. She’s a female version of me. She just wants to have a good time. I was more than happy to oblige.

  Could it ever have been more? I didn’t give myself a chance to find out. When I found myself missing her, wanting her, needing her, my warning bells went off and I ended it.

  Leila finally settles in her seat when the announcement comes that we are about to take off. She buckles herself in and narrows her eyes at me. “You aren’t impressed at all?”

  “Nope.”

  “You’re full of crap.”

  “No, I’m not…it’s just stuff. I’d rather check out that piece of ass.” I point to a leggy blonde who is serving drinks to the rest of our gang.

  Leila flips her head and gives me a scowl. “Really? We are still on the tarmac and you’re already acting like a man whore?” She shakes her head and adds, “What about Trini?”

  “What about Trini?”

  “Don’t be an ass, Trey.”

  “I ended it with Trini,” I admit.

  She gawks at my admission. I don’t owe Mrs. Lair an explanation. It had to be done. That chick was talking marriage. She’s lucky I didn’t leave her with her pussy hanging out in the back room of Granite. She was on a break, and we were going at it in the back. She slipped that comment in just as I was sliding into her. Fuck, I was having a good time. I always liked Trini. Even when Jack was fucking her before Leila came along. I would imagine what her tiny, tight ass would look like as I pounded into her. I assumed because of her wild hair, tats, piercings, and reputation, fun was all she desired as well. Nope. She proved to be another chick looking for a man to commit to eternal love.

  It’s happening all around me. Mr. and Mrs. Gag-Me, Hunter and his chick Mandi, Scott and his girl Patti, even Lori and her dick boyfriend Matt are all pledging eternal love.

  Eternal love can go fuck itself.

  Jack raises his eyebrows in surprise at my admission. “You did not, man,” he says in protective mode. He and Trini have this “friendship” thing going that I’ll never understand. Chicks aren’t meant to be friends.

  “Uh, yeah…I did,” I admit, annoyed I need to explain myself to these two.

  Leila looks like I just announced that I committed a horrific crime. “Why?”

  “It’s for the best.”

  “For who?”

  “For both of us,” I throw her an arrogant smirk just as the blonde makes her way over to us.

  “What can I get you, sir?” She leans over Jack and Leila stiffens beside him.

  “I’ll have a beer. Babe, what do you want?” Jack reaches for Leila’s hand and she smiles shyly at him.

  “I’m fine, thanks,” she tells the blonde. Sparks fly between Mr. and Mrs. Lair, and the blonde switches her focus to me.

  When she does, I raise my shades. “I’ll also have a beer and a private tour.” I move my head until I’m inches away from her gorgeous tits and read her tag, “Chrissy.”

  Chrissy smiles wide and offers, “Once we are safely cruising at the captain’s intended altitude, I’d be happy to.”

  She turns and shakes her ass as she walks away, knowing damn well I’m watching.

  “You’re a fucking dog,” Jack says while shaking his head.

  He’s one to talk. Before Leila whipped his ass, he’d have been all over that hot piece of ass. I shrug and respond, “It’s a long flight.”

  With an arrogant smirk on my face, I lean back in my seat to try and relax. I’m a little nervous about L.A. Going back there is making me feel that lack of control I hate. I’ve managed to escape anyone I know the past two times we were there. They say third times a charm, but even I’m not dumb enough to think I’m that lucky. I’m also horny as fuck. It’s been several days since I got laid. In hindsight, I should have waited a few more days to dump Trini.

  My thoughts are disrupted, once again, from Leila glaring at me.

  “I see you looking at me. Can I help you?”

  “What’s your deal?” she asks.

  “My deal?”

  “Yeah, your deal.”

  “What you see is what you get. I’m an open book.”

  She laughs out loud. “An open book? That’s hilarious. I’ve known you now for two years, and your book is definitely closed tight. Tell me about yourself, I’m curious.”

  “Babe, it won’t work,” Jack shakes his head, trying to stop her from going down this road. When I turn my focus to him, he asks, “What? Man, I’ve known you for almost ten years, and I know nothing about you. Hunt is convinced you were an axe murderer in your previous life.”

  Hunter gets up and walks over when he hears Jack saying his name. Chrissy spots him and reprimands, “Sir, please remain seated.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m sitting.” He takes the seat next to me and looks around. “What are we talking about?”

  “I just asked Trey to tell me about himself. He says there’s nothing to tell.”

  Hunter shakes his head at Leila and says, “It’s not gonna happen. He’s an asshole, who apparently was spawned by some immaculate conception.”

  I laugh out loud at Hunter’s com
ment. “Definitely not immaculate.” Fuck, if they only knew who spawned me…the devil incarnate and his evil wife.

  “Didn’t you guys do a background check on him when you hired him?” Leila asks the question I often asked myself. They didn’t. They never asked for any sort of identification when they found me.

  “Of course not. He could play a wicked bass, that’s all we needed to know,” Hunter brags.

  “Well, that explains Danny,” she mumbles, and Jack throws her a look.

  “Not funny.”

  She looks up and pouts, “Sorry.” They kiss annoyingly while Hunter and I exchange an eye roll.

  “Trey, were you born in California?” she resumes her interrogation after her husband releases her mouth.

  “No clue.”

  “You don’t know where you were born?” she asks incredulously.

  “Infants don’t retain that kind of info.”

  She folds her arms and raises her eyebrows.

  I mimic.

  “Hunt, it looks like my wife is getting a lesson in Trey Taylor 101.”

  Hunter nods and adds, “Yeah, I could use some popcorn right about now.”

  “Trey!”

  “What do you want, woman? There’s nothing to tell.” Normally I’d be annoyed at this line of questioning. I’ve told so many lies over the past ten years that I’m starting to forget what I’ve said. The less I say, the better. Vagueness has become my superpower.

  When I openly mock Leila, her own superhero immediately goes into Batman mode. “Taylor, knock it off or I’ll hurt you.”

  “Big Bad Papa Lair is protecting Little Lair…I’m shaking in my boots.”

  “Prick.”

  While she pouts because I won’t play her game, I tease her by asking, “Hey, Little Lair. Wanna hear a joke?”

  “No.”

  I love doing this to her. I love the way she blushes when I tell the punch line. “What should I do if my girl starts smoking?”

  “I know I’m going to regret this. What?”

  “I should slow down and possibly use a lubricant.”

  Hunter starts laughing and fist bumps me. Leila tries to keep her cool, but a smile creeps over her lips, betraying her. “That was stupid,” she whines.

  “No lubricant needed for you two, huh? Congrats.”

  Here comes the blush I’ve been waiting for. Her cheeks tinge pink, and she shifts in her seat uncomfortably.

  “You get great pleasure from embarrassing me, don’t you?”

  “Come on, that one was tame. Here’s another. Why did God give men penises?” She sighs and rolls her eyes without responding. “Men needed one way to shut women up.”

  “Are you insinuating I need to shut up?”

  “Well Babe, I’m flattered, but your hubby may not go for that.”

  “I’m seriously going to hurt you,” Jack threatens me again.

  I laugh at them, giving Leila one of my rare smiles. She cracks and smiles back. “You know that I heavily like your Little Lair, Papa.”

  “You love me?” she asks, now grinning from ear to ear.

  “Heavily like, like a brother and his annoying, irritating, whiny baby sister.”

  She launches her uneaten apple at my head and I catch it one handed. “So annoying,” I confirm. Chrissy appears asking if we are ready for our meals. She serves them first, saving mine for last. I shake my head. “Not hungry…yet. Can you direct me to the restroom?”

  “Sure, sir. Follow me.”

  “I’ll be back.” It’s time to release my stress and emotions through my cock, and with luck, Chrissy will help me do that.

  When we arrived in L.A. everyone scattered. Jack and Leila went to their room. The rest of the gang took off to see the sights. Hunter was puking up Fruit Loops because of the asinine drink he concocted in the limo, which won me fifty bucks. There was no need for me to explore, I know it like the back of my hand. I was bored. Besides joining Leila and the guys at the beach one day, the only other times I ventured out were for rehearsals or when everyone hung out together at a studio-sponsored event. I’m keeping to myself on downtimes. They all assumed it’s because I was doing my thing and shacking up with random chicks.

  Hunter received some VIP passes for The Men’s Club. They were delivered to his room at the hotel. There are plenty of strip joints in L.A. I felt it wasn’t a coincidence that he received these passes from the same strip joint that Kate worked in.

  Hunt organized a party at the club one night to properly welcome Evan, Matt, Logan and Joe to our tour in style. Jack refused to go, even when Leila urged him to. Hunt called him a pussy, but let him off the hook. When I said I had plans, the bastard wouldn’t let me off the hook that easily. He said Trey Taylor skipping a night with hot strippers could only mean that the world was coming to an end.

  Asshole.

  The next day at rehearsal, Hunter’s statement held some truth. I listened as Joe, the only single one in our group besides me, bragged about the chicks at the club. The guys got him a private dance, and he stepped in shit when the stripper he ended up with was a huge DL fan. He said she went on and on about how she couldn’t wait to see us in concert, but couldn’t afford the tickets.

  Joe said she was a redhead named Ginger. After he offered her tickets to the show, she became very generous with her private dance. By the end of their interlude, she was holding four tickets to the show and invites to the meet and greet. Ginger was thrilled, announcing that she would bring her best friend Mystic. The mention of Mystic sent my heart sinking to the pit of my stomach. Ginger played Joe perfectly.

  She found me.

  I wondered if she was still stripping. She wanted to be an actress. Her desire to see me could mean she’s desperate for fame. For all I know she’ll try to use me to get it. Or, she could simply want to rekindle what she tried to start so many years ago. With the way we left things off, I have no idea how this will go down.

  Jen arranged this meet and greet for us prior to the show. I hate these damn things on a normal day. I’m not interested in meeting the fans. The other times we had one of these stupid things it was informal and more like a party. I was able to mull around and avoid. If a groupie approached, it was usually because they were interested in more than an autograph. If I disappeared for an extended chunk of time, it was assumed I was doing said groupie.

  This time it’s an orchestrated event where the fans are shuffled around the room as we stand on display like animals in the zoo. Avoiding them will be impossible. Of course, no one will know my inner turmoil. On the outside, I’m a cocky rocker who answers to no one and loves life. On the inside, I’m a fucked up man who wants to crawl into a hole and never wake up.

  We all stand in a semi-circle, spanning the room. The fans will first see Cliffhangers and then DL. I stand quietly, watching as the newbies all buzz with excitement, nervous over their first fan encounters. Leila tries to calm her brother, Evan, down. To my left, my guys stand a bit more rock star like, amused by the new guys. They must have forgotten how they acted when we were just starting out. From behind my shades, I watch Hunter and Scott try to act cool, but their grins give them away. Jack is probably the only one in this room as anxious as I am. He hates these things probably as much as I do. He stands guard beside his wife with a look on his face that warns, “You fucking touch her…you die.”

  My heart beats frantically as Jen announces the greet will begin. I just have no clue what she’ll pull. Joe gave Ginger four tickets. For all I know they’d bring Zane with them. There’s plenty of security around if that were to happen.

  I watch the door carefully for the blonde who betrayed me ten years ago. A few girls come through the door first, giddy and distracting everyone around me. The next girl through the door is a very familiar redhead.

  I see Ginger first. She looks exactly the same. Her eyes scan the line of rock stars and lock on my face. She turns to someone behind her. Kate moves to the right, just enough to look directly at me. I feel like I’v
e been cornered by a hunter and his shotgun is aimed right at my head.

  Her facial expression remains one of an excited groupie. She doesn’t acknowledge that she knows me, in any way. Either her acting skills have improved, or she’s afraid of how I am going to react to seeing her, perhaps throwing her out. If it didn’t draw attention to me, I would.

  They have two others with them. One’s a petite brunette with a huge rack that I’ve never seen before. They move around our semi-circle with the brunette in the lead. When she gets to Evan, the brunette starts a scene. She wants Evan to sign her tits. Joe is so preoccupied with the girl flashing her boobs in their faces that he doesn’t see Ginger or Mystic (aka Kate) sidestep them to get to me.

  “Trey Taylor,” Kate announces enthusiastically. “I love you, you’re my favorite. Can I get a picture?”

  Ginger smiles cunningly as Kate moves to my side. She wraps an arm around my back and presses her body against mine.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask beneath my breath.

  “I needed to see you again. I don’t like how things ended.”

  “You don’t know me, got it? Or I’ll have you thrown out.” I murmur in a threatening tone. I tighten my fingers around her waist to further convey my threat.

  She nods and whispers, “Can we have a drink after your show? I have a lot to tell you.”

  “Nope. I have nothing to say to you.”

  “Okay. I needed to try, though. I’m very happy for you, Trey. I’m glad things are working out for you in New York.” Her statement tells me she’s done her homework. She knows where I’m living.

  Jen walks past, waving her hand to move them along.

  “I’m heading to New York in a few months,” Kate throws out casually. “Maybe we can have our drink then.” She smiles wide at Ginger, and she leans up to kiss my neck as Ginger captures the last shot.

  The noise in the room is loud enough for no one to have heard us, but I still quickly glance at Scott to my immediate left, just to be certain he didn’t. He is preoccupied with his own fans, as is everyone else. The brief time limit that Jen has given the fans with each of us has been strictly enforced. It was my insurance policy that our interlude would not have lasted long. It was long enough to have me worrying what her next move will be. She wants something, and my suspicions say it’s me she wants.