“You guys are having too much fun.” She laughed when she noticed Millie’s decorated arm. “What is that?”
“Middy has pretties on his arm. So I put pretties on mine.” Millie proudly showed off her intricate art work of ladybugs, flowers, hearts, rainbows, stars, fishes, and the words rock star.
“Wow. How did you sit still for all of that tattooing? Didn’t the needles hurt?”
Millie laughed. “No silly, they are put on with water, no shots.”
Jimmy leaned forward and plucked Millie from Midian. “Hey, beautiful. Looks like you had fun while I was napping.”
“That’s what they call it?” He heard the mumble from Garrick and rolled his eyes. “I want you to meet someone else. This is Sameera. When I’m on stage tonight you’ll get to sit with Sam and Carlie, okay?”
“I wanna watch you play. Thems been playing for me all afternoon. Middy called me his little flower in Turkeyish. ” She hugged onto him.
“Ciçeğim, it’s Turkish, not Turkey like the bird we eat on Thanksgiving.” He ruffled her hair and turned to Jimmy.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Why not let her stay on the bus with Carlie and Jacob.”
“Garrick, I don’t want her to have a meltdown out here. You’re all new to her like I am and we haven’t had a fit yet. Jacob can protect her inside. She can stand where we can see, there’s no VIP tonight, so security should be a tight ship.”
“I don’t like it.”
“I don’t either but what is the alternative. We can’t keep her on a bus for two full weeks, she’s going to get bored with that. It’ll be late, she may fall asleep before we play and if she does, Carlie and Jacob can take her back to the bus.”
“I can help, Jimmy.” Sameera didn’t like feeling excluded from taking care or helping to care for Millie.
“There’s just so much I need to learn. I don’t know how to bathe a kid, or do her hair. I watched a few YouTube videos but that wasn’t very helpful.”
“You have Carlie and I right now, J.J. We girls know how to do hair. We can help get her ready for bed if you don’t feel comfortable, but there’s nothing wrong with an uncle slash father to take care of a little girl. I hope you know that.”
Jimmy kissed Millie on the head and sat her down. “Are you ready to eat?”
“Yep. Major is making me mac and cheese and peanut butter and jelly.”
“I don’t even know if that’s healthy,” Jimmy mumbled.
Sameera and Carlie laughed. “It’s fine. That’s what she asked for tonight. We have barbeque platters.”
Everyone sat down at the table to eat. Millie sat on a booster seat, munching quietly. Sameera took the time to look at the new extended family. How endearing seeing everyone come together to help with the newest addition, without complaint, without attitude, her heart warmed. Jimmy may feel like he tackled sudden parenting all alone, but she saw the wealth of instant support waiting for him.
She slipped her hand on his leg and squeezed and was flashed the killer smile he rarely showed. Everything would work out.
Garrick brought over a book and set it in front of Jimmy. “What to expect out of toddler years.”
“Where’d you get this?”
“Neveah is making me read all kinds of preparation books. I’ve already been tested on what to expect in the first year. She made index cards with answers and has been grilling me whenever she has time. It’s driving me crazy, but now, I’m not alone. You too will be getting index card tests.”
“There’s like six hundred pages here.”
“Happy reading.” Garrick saluted and downed a beer.
Sameera watched Jimmy flick a fry at Garrick’s forehead and laugh. Thankfully, Millie’s preoccupation with her food meant she’d missed seeing the edible missile launch. “Carlie, thanks so much for setting all of this up. It looks amazing in here.”
“It was fun. I was sad thinking I’d have to wait forever for the twins, but now we have a new little person to spoil. My mom can’t wait to meet her. Speaking of…Jimmy?”
Jimmy swallowed the bite of brisket sandwich and rubbed the sauce from the corner of his mouth. Sameera wanted to jump over and lick it off his skin and found herself caught red handed. He winked at her and wiped his lip with his finger.
“My mother is not to have any interaction with Millie. So if she decides to fly out here on tour to try to get in, not happening. I tolerate my mother but her inability to show compassion or admit to her wrongdoings mean there’s no way in hell, I will allow this little girl to be manipulated or emotionally mind-fucked by her grandma.”
“You said bad word.”
Jimmy pulled a stack of bills out of his pocket and handed them to Carlie. “I’m sure I’ll say more before the week is out.”
“Yes, yes, you will. All of you boys will. So make sure you have singles or I will take the largest bill and give back no change,” Carlie warned.
“Just want to make sure we are all on the same page when it comes to my mother. If you see her, find me. If I’m on stage call security to escort her away. They should know better of course but you never know. She is out of the country right now so we’re safe. Wouldn’t leave things to chance though.”
“Millie, did you have fun today?” Jimmy dunked a fry in ketchup and devoured it.
“Umhm. Gawrik took me to see the stage in my princess costume. I want a guitar.”
Sameera grinned. “Who wants to bet that before the tour is over, she’s going to have a custom made guitar.”
“I don’t bet on losing odds. One of these knuckleheads will no doubt buy her one or two guitars.” Carlie laughed and nudged Jackson who pulled up an app on the computer.
Sameera shook her head. “What are we going to do to ensure she isn’t given absolutely everything she asks for?”
“She’s lost both her parents. I will buy here whatever she wants if it makes her happy and not sad.” Jimmy finished his food. “Beautiful girl, I’m glad you enjoyed the stage. I love playing on stage in front of thousands of people.”
Sameera watched the man she loved take on that don’t fuck with me expression and smiled. She knew he still hadn’t really processed everything, but it would wait. That he spoke the words even when he didn’t fully believe them, showed her how much he cared about their connection. She’d been so afraid she’d destroyed any future with him. In her heart, she knew Millie’s presence was a major factor in his change of heart. That little girl came as a blessing, a time of healing for him. All she wanted was for him to be okay, with or without her. One thing she wished for was that he would see how capable he was, his capacity to show love and to love in spite of what he’d lived through continued to amaze her. Her thoughts consumed her until show time.
In no time it was show time. She put on her game face and headed to the stage with her band, ready for night two. An hour later, sweat poured down her face. Allentown, Pennsylvania was a fantastic crowd to play for. As she finished Perfect Storm, her gaze collided with Jimmy’s. The dark desire promised her untold pleasure almost made her falter. Yeah, the man knew how to make her forget what she was doing. She winked at him and Millie and turned her attention back to the crowd for the last song. After Midian showboated with a wicked cadence of beats to end their show, she waved bye and exited the stage.
“Pretty girl, I have to set up. Why don’t you hang with Sam so you can watch.”
“Ohh guitar time!” Millie wiggled from his hold and attached herself to Sam. “Sam, I wanna see everything.”
* * * *
Sam lost her grip on Millie, who wanted to be on stage with her uncle. The little girl ran out over to him before she could grab an arm, or a leg. Sam bit her lip as Jimmy looked down at his niece. Their darling four-year-old reached up to Jimmy clearly wanting something. He kept pointing for her to return to the back stage. Millie didn’t budge.
“What’s going on?” Trish asked.
“A battle of O’Riley stubbornness.” Enthralled,
Sam watched Jimmy bend down to talk to Millie, the two firmly locked in conversation. When he stood, he looked frazzled as he took the kid’s hand, walked her over to Garrick and handed her the microphone. After Jimmy finished whispering to Garrick, he nodded, then ran back to the crew and pointed at the plasma screen with Crimson Rage on it. The men’s eyebrows raised, but they agreed to do whatever Garrick said. Sameera wished she knew what was going on.
“This is going to be good publicity. I love unplanned things.”
Millie stood on stage in her Crimson Rage Princess T-shirt, sparkly jeans and boots with the microphone in her hand. Jimmy knelt beside her, whispered in her ear and she nodded before kissing his cheek.
What happened next blew Sameera’s mind, literally.
Millie opened up her mouth and the most beautiful sound came out. Like a little angel, she began singing, Let it Go. The one plasma screen displayed Millie, the other displayed animated snowflakes on a dark blue sky with icicles. On drums and guitar, the guys followed her lead, playing low enough so her sweet voice came out clearly. Sam felt tears well in her eyes. How someone so tiny could walk out on a stage with fifteen plus thousand people in the audience and demand her time to share her voice astounded her. When her gaze strayed to Jimmy, she noticed the emotions, pride, sadness, happiness. Millie finished the song strong with what God blessed her with. She wasn’t done though. Millie lowered the microphone but raised it back up and looked at Jimmy. “Mama, I hope the angels heard me sing the song you sang with me. Sing it to Daddy. He can sing with you up in Heaven so I can hear you down here. I love you and it’s okay that you’re not coming back. I got Uncle Jimmy now.”
Like a soldier, Millie handed the microphone off to Garrick and waved at the emotional crowd who’d gone silent. Sameera rushed out to take her by the hand, but the little girl tugged free and ran to her uncle. “I loves you, Uncle Jimmy.” She then ran back and took her hand to be led off stage.
“How do we compete with that?” Garrick joked into the mic. “That was angelic, and we need some angels in this godforsaken land.” Shea beat his drum while Jackson whistled.
“My niece, Millicent Antoinette O’Riley is amazing.” Jimmy stepped up to the mic. “I promised her after she sang to her mama and my brother, I’d rock this stage out. I aim to keep my promises. Ya’ll ready to get rocked, Allentown?” He took out the dog tags, kissed them, then held them up in the sky.
“Why you sad, Sam?” Millie wiped tears from her face she didn’t realize were there. “Don’t be sad.”
“Oh Millie, that was so pretty, what you did, and brave.” Sam laughed as Millie turned to watch Crimson Rage, jumping and dancing next to her. Halfway through the set, their girl fizzled out. “Why don’t you blow Jimmy a kiss so we can go back to the bus and get ready for bed.”
“Sam, I don’t wanna go to bed. I wanna watch,” Millie fussed and Sameera sighed.
“Baby, you can see them play later. You’re sleepy.”
“Hey there, sleepy girl. You over here giving Sam a hard time?”
“Middy, I’m not sleepy. I wanna stay.” Millie frowned.
“Tell you what, if you stand there you can watch, no one’s gonna carry you, got me, lil girl?”
“Yeah.” Millie wiggled down to stand between them. Every few seconds, she’d weave and yawn, then leaned on Sam’s leg for support.
“She’s going to conk out in a few seconds, look at her face, she’s not even watching them anymore, she’s trying to stay standing up.” Midian laughed. “God, she is like her damn uncle. Stubborn and feisty already.” Midian scooped her up. “Time for bed, sleepy girl.” Sameera trailed behind the two as they made their way to the bling bling bus.
“How did you know I’d have a hard time getting her to leave?” Sam asked. She knew he had a huge family, but had never been over when they got together.
“I have five nephews and two nieces, not mention all the cousins. Being the oldest, I have more practice than any of you.” He grinned. “Plus, I just love kids. One day I’ll have a dozen of my own.”
“A dozen? You better get rich first.” Sameera took over once they got in the bus. Midian unlocked the special bunk rail while she pulled out pajamas and disrobed the sleeping child. “She is out like a light.”
“They crash fast.” Midian propped up the rail, a safety measure Jimmy requested to ensure she didn’t roll out onto the aisle if the bus made a sharp turn.
“How did she do that? Go out on stage like that out of nowhere? And how the hell did the guys know how to play that song?”
Midian laughed. “Frozen is the most popular kids’ movie right now. Even adults are watching it. Kids do the damndest things. You never know what they have up their sleeve. I think she wanted to give her mama a message and what better way to do that than to sing outside on a stage under the open sky.”
“You and Jimmy okay?”
Sameera walked over to the microwave to make some hot tea. “Yeah, I think so.”
“So there’s nothin’ between you and that security guard outside this bus?”
“He’s a good kisser, but that’s about the extent of my something with Jacob.” The way Midian looked at her made her squirm in her skin. “Quit trying to read me. I just wanted to rile Jimmy that night. Let him know I had other options if I chose to.” The microwave dinged and Sameera took out her cup and dropped the teabag in.
Midian pulled out a bottle of water. “I forgot no alcohol on this bus.” He chuckled. “The dry bus. That’s what I’m gonna call this bedazzled glittery contraption of hell.”
“Aw, is it gonna kill you to suck down a bottle of water?”
“Jimmy could’ve totally hid a few single bottles behind everything,” Midian grumbled, picking out a juice pouch instead and returning the water to the shelf.
“So you need to tell the guard to back off. He keeps watching you like he owns you. His behavior is making me and the guys want to take him down a peg. I don’t like him being tasked to see to your safety. I’m not sure he’s the one that’s safe around you. ”
“You, Major and Vin always, always overreact. I’ve never lied about my relationship with the O’Rileys. It’s insane and I wanted to keep professional and personal separate. I was a fool to think that was remotely possible.”
“We thought we were being selfish to sign on, but damn, I really like the guys.”
“Even Jimmy?”
“Yeah, he takes a bit to grow on ya but, he’s not bad. I just want to make sure you’re ready for this new road. Parenting is a huge responsibility. When we first thought about the tour you know it was just the team with theirs. You both have a strong foundation but it’s rocky and the stress of having a child is going to multiply small things that can blow up into major issues.”
“Just think of all the make-up sex we’ll have.” Midian wasn’t saying anything she hadn’t thought about herself. So what if they started their family earlier than she planned.
“Smart-ass.”
“That’ll be a dollar. Please deposit it in the glass jar.”
Midian slurped the rest of his juice pouch and stood. “I hear ya.” He strode to the trash, dropped it in and shoved a five dollar bill in the jar.
“Smart man.”
Sameera tucked her hands in her pocket and strode to the front of the bus. She opened the door and stepped out. “Jacob, got a second?”
“For you, I have all the time in the world.” He stepped way into her personal space, forcing her to take a step back. Something about the way he smiled at her creeped her out.
“How are you liking working for us?” Maybe starting off with something neutral would ease her into what she needed to say.
“It’s good. Can’t say traveling with the others is easy. I’d be more comfortable if I was on the bus with you.” He trailed a finger down her arm.
“Please don’t do touch me like we’re intimate. We’re not.” She stepped back again and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Jacob. I appreciate how
you requested this job, but you’re making me and my band uncomfortable. I think you’re amazing at your job but, not for my band. After tonight, I think it’s best if you look for another assignment, not tied to me or my band.”
“You’re firing me?” He grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him.
“Let me go.” Sameera’s stomach dropped. His grip tightened and the rage pouring out of him scared her. Jacob hauled her against his chest and covered up her mouth, drawing her further into the shadows. Sameera kicked and bit his hand, to no avail.
“I’m not going to hurt you if you stay still. I just want to talk without your team of testosterone,” he growled in her ear. In the distance she heard the concert wrapping up, but the crowds were too loud for her to even make a dent in the raucous noise if she let out a scream.
She nodded her head and wished she’d listened to Midian when he’d first objected after Trish’s announcement. Finding herself pinned against a wall, far away from the safety of the busses freaked her out. “What do you want from me?”
“A shot at dating you. You’re so wrapped up with that asshole in Crimson Rage you can’t see I’d treat you better, like the queen you are. I’d worship the ground you walked on and make sure you knew you were number one.”
Are you kidding me? How can he possibly think he has any other option than being cast out after grabbing my arm and dragging me away with his hand over my mouth? Sameera crossed her arms over her body. “I’m sorry but I’m committed to Jimmy. I shouldn’t have kissed you at the club that night. If I led you on it wasn’t on purpose.”
Jacob closed in on her, reaching out to finger a strand of her hair. Sameera held her breath.
“Sameera?” Major’s voice rang out in the darkness.
Blessed be.
“Major, over here.” Jacob dropped his hand from her as Major came into view.
“What are you doing over here in the dark? Midian is worried sick.” Major took a hold of her arm and she flinched in response. His eyes grew hard as his gaze passed from her to Jacob and back to her again.
“The fuck?” Jimmy shouted stalking toward them with an air of danger. She couldn’t breathe through all the tension rolling in the air.
Kiss Me Deadly Page 16
