I looked up just as he was walking back to my side of the stage, sending me a flirtatious wink in the process. Damn, he was so handsome…beautiful even.
The stage darkened and the lights flashed red as the hiss from the fog machine sounded beside me. The fog would roll in from the side of the stage and the red lights would catch it, making it look like the fog had turned to blood. This next song was dark, twisted almost. To some, the lyrics would make you believe it was about some supernatural force, but I knew it was about the horrors of drug addiction. This song was one of their number one hits off of the last album.
The mic at my shoulder crackled, Liam calling out for my help at the merchandise booth. “Cora, I need your help. They’ve wiped me out of large shirts. Can you be a dear and bring a box?”
I clicked the button to open the line and laughed, “The show’s not even over yet and you’ve run out?”
“You don’t even know, girl,” he chuckled. “Get your butt back here.”
“On my way,” I replied, casting one last glance over my shoulder at the sexy guitarist.
I pushed the doors open and exited the backstage area, pressing myself against the wall. Bodies were packed tight, and I couldn’t move as fast as I wanted to with everyone stepping on my feet. If I was a little taller, I probably wouldn’t be having to fight my way through the crowd. It’d been a long time since I had dealt with the smaller venues that Kane’s band used to play, and I’d forgotten how tightly packed the fans would be during the concert.
“Took you long enough,” Liam teased, winking in my direction as he handed over a shirt to a guy in line.
“Thank God I’m wearing steel toed boots,” I smirked, pointing toward my feet. “Or I’d be in a world of hurt right now.”
By the time I arrived at the table, there was a line of people piling up to grab shirts, even though the show was in full force. I directed the line to break into two rows and got down to selling shirts and CD’s, laughing and cutting up with the fans. The overseas crowds always showed up en masse. I’d noticed several people in the crowd with some older Fatal Cross shirts from the tour a few years ago. That was the one they’d been on right before entering rehab and getting their shit together.
The music stopped and I looked up at the stage. Ace was talking to the people in the audience and Taylor was standing at his place behind the mic, looking out across the crowd, a worried expression marring his brow. He glanced over his shoulder at Braxton, who was behind the drum kit, downing a bottle of water. Something was said between the two and the quiet drummer motioned toward my direction. I saw Taylor squint to look out past the lights that were illuminating the band. I raised my hand to catch his eye, and when he relaxed, I knew that I’d been seen. My heart also skipped a beat at the knowledge that Taylor Vaughn was looking out for me.
The lines died down enough that Liam took a quick break to grab a drink and a smoke. I laughed with a few guys who’d come over to buy some shirts. They’d been to every Fatal Cross concert that’d come through London and they told me about how much they enjoyed this one the most.
Liam returned and I was able to sneak away just as the band had begun their last song in the set. I found myself watching them again. Ace, with his wild curls now draped completely in sweat, and Cash, with his long blonde hair, worked the stage alongside Taylor. He’d just turned his head to sing his portion of the backup vocals when he noticed I was standing to his right. I was so close that I could see his beautiful eyes sparkle as he sang directly to me, instead of the crowd. I didn’t even hear what the lyrics were as I found myself lost in his eyes.
Before I knew it, the show ended and the guys were coming off stage. I handed each of them towels to dry off their hair and faces. I held out my hand for their ear pieces, and Josh had just stepped up to take the guys’ guitars when Taylor wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close for a chaste kiss to the lips.
“Get changed,” I said, pushing Taylor away gently. “You have a ton of people out there. How long do you want to sign autographs before I pull you away?”
“Give us an hour,” Cash said, pulling his hair up into a sloppy ponytail. “Then get us out.”
“Gotcha,” I grinned. “I’ll go set up while you guys wind down for a few minutes. I’ll give you twenty before I come back to escort you out.”
“Thanks, Cora,” everyone sang out, making me smile. This was my job, and one I took great pride in.
Fans were pushed back behind barriers, and Kevin had just moved two long tables around so that the band could come straight from the backstage area to their seats without being mauled. When I looked into the crowd of waiting fans, I chuckled to myself. It was going to take longer than an hour to get everyone through the line.
I got the attention of the crowd by standing on one of the folding chairs. I was small and it was the only way to get people to see me. I’d been doing this for a long time.
“Alright,” I yelled, getting everyone’s attention. What I lacked in height, my voice made up for the difference. “Are you guys ready to meet Fatal Cross?” I laughed loudly when the crowd roared with excitement. “I ask that you keep to the line and do not take too long with each band member. Photos are welcomed and they will sign anything you want. Thank you!”
With that, I climbed down and grabbed Liam, leaving Josh and Kevin to stand guard at the table, one on each end. One of the female bartenders dropped a bucket of ice water on the bar as I passed, nodding as I said my thanks. I grabbed the handle and made my way to the private room in the back.
“Ready?” Taylor asked, coming up to my side. He’d changed out of his sweaty clothes and now wore a pair of black jeans and a gray cotton shirt that stretched tight across his massive chest. The little barbells in his nipples were outlined in the material. Damn, I really need to stop looking at him while I worked.
“Let’s go,” Braxton said, holding the door open for everyone to pass through.
As we approached the table, the crowd cheered for the guys, flashes of light causing my eyes to blink rapidly to keep from going blind. A woman called out Ace’s name and I smiled when he looked at the woman, giving her a saucy wink.
Josh laid out markers for the guys, and before the line started moving, Taylor grasped my hand, pulling me down so he could whisper in my ear, “Don’t move from my side.”
“Okay,” I replied, watching his features closely. He didn’t like the fact that I was so tiny in such a big crowd. He’d said that the first time they’d toured with my cousin’s band. Kane and the guys had told him that I could hold my own, but Taylor still didn’t like me being in a situation that could cause me to get harmed.
Braxton was on my left at the end of the table, while Taylor was on my right. Cash was on the other side of Taylor, and Ace brought up the end so that he was the first to meet the fans. It was easier that way, because the singer was always the most popular.
The guys worked the crowd of around fifty people. They’d paid good money to hang around after the show to meet the band. I ended up being the one to take the photographs as fans handed me their phones.
Taylor kept an eye on me during their meet and greet, moving his body to shield me as two guys checked me out a little creepily. They meant no harm, but I was beginning to notice Taylor was a tad more protective since we’d made love on the bus earlier.
He’d told me that I was his, and I would be lying if I said that it bothered me, because it didn’t. I wanted to be his, because he was mine. I’d fought this for too damn long, and being without him…well, let’s just say it didn’t work. When I was with him, I felt whole…I felt more like myself. I needed him in my life, even though things started out on the wrong foot.
“Sorry,” a fan said, bumping into my side. They guy was drunk, but at least he was polite. I heard Taylor growl as he rushed forward.
“I’m okay,” I reassured him, placing a calming hand on his forearm. When I looked into his eyes, they’d darkened as he glared at the fan who�
�d continued on his way out of the building along with several of his buddies.
“Are you sure?” he inquired as he checked me over, rubbing his hands up and down my arms, but still glaring at the door as if he thought the fan would make another appearance.
“Taylor,” I said forcefully, squeezing his arm to get his attention. “Taylor! Look at me.”
“Sorry,” he muttered, finally making eye contact. “What is it, baby?”
“I’m okay,” I told him gently, glancing at the remaining fans who were not paying attention to us, because Cash and Ace were keeping them occupied until Taylor could get back to his seat.
“I don’t like seeing you hurt,” he smiled, taking my chin with his thumb and forefinger, giving it a slight lift so that I’d look up into his eyes.
“I’m fine,” I grinned back. “Now, get to work.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he winked, before swooping down to place a soft kiss to my lips. A few people in the crowd clapped loudly when they saw our exchange. Taylor returned to his seat, but held his hand out behind him, reaching out for my touch. When our fingers connected, I felt like I was coming home.
As the crowd finished talking with the band, Liam and Josh pushed everyone back so that I could escort the guys toward the back of the stage and out to the bus. “I’m going back in to break everything down. You guys relax. Is there anything you need from me before I go?”
“No, Cora, but thank you,” Cash responded. He’d put his long hair up into a sloppy man ponytail, groaned, and took a seat on the black leather couch. “Are you sure we can’t steal you away from your cousin?”
“That would not go over very well,” I frowned, seeing hurt flash across Taylor’s face. I knew this would happen. I was only doing this temporarily and he knew that, but what was going to happen after this tour? I was not going to be leaving Glory Days to work with Fatal Cross. It just wasn’t going to happen.
“Go finish up so we can get out of here,” Taylor said, squeezing my hand as he walked toward the back of the bus. I couldn’t deal with the future right now. I had work to do.
We finished fairly quickly, and the crew and Taylor stayed inside to use the shower provided by the venue while I ran out to the bus to grab my bag for when they were done. When I walked on the bus, Braxton, Ace, and Cash were already lounging around since they’d showered while I was loading up their equipment.
“I’m going in to shower before we head out,” I announced, pulling my bag out of my bunk. “Everything is wrapped up with the venue, so I’ll tell the driver to be ready to go in thirty minutes.”
“Thanks, Cora,” everyone chimed in. I smiled and left the bus, hurrying inside so that I could shower and be in the bunk as soon as the wheels started turning on the bus. I was still suffering from jetlag, and we had a long drive to our next destination.
Once I was showered and everyone was either on their computers or already asleep in their bunks, I slid the curtain back on my bunk and gasped in shock. I had to cover my mouth to stifle the giggle that came next when Taylor wrapped a muscular arm around my waist and hauled me across his chest.
“Shh, I’m kidnapping you,” he cooed, kissing the spot just below my earlobe. I shivered from the contact and he noticed. “Are you cold, baby?”
“A little,” I lied. Damn, he smelled amazing, and all I wanted to do was get lost in his touch, but not with six other people on the bus besides us…seven if you counted the driver.
“Sleep,” he ordered, tucking me into his side and pulling the blanket up over our bodies. I wrapped my arm around his chest and tangled my leg over his. I placed a kiss to his warm skin and fell asleep in the arms of the only man I ever wanted to hold me close.
Chapter 16
Taylor
We’d been back in the States for twenty-four hours, and I’d had practically no time at all alone with Coraline. She’d been too busy to take any time off to spend alone with me. Kicking off our tour, we’d arrived in New York earlier in the day, and were rushed to the radio station for interviews. I was itching to get back to the bus so that I could check on her. She’d been dragging ass by the time we landed and said that she would sleep after the show tonight.
Several fans stood around as we exited the building, screaming our names as we piled into the SUV the station let us use to get to the interview. Ace stopped and signed several autographs while we piled in the back. The driver waited patiently for him to be done.
“Damn,” Ace laughed, climbing into his seat. “We really need to think about getting better security. This is blowing up in our faces, boys.”
“Number one on the charts,” Cash cheered. It was true. Our first single had knocked our friends, Glory Days, out of the top spot for the past two weeks and our lives were quickly changing. We’d been contacted to pick up a few festivals in the spring, and the interview requests were pouring in for the cities on this tour. Ticket sales have skyrocketed.
“It’s what we deserve,” I declared. “We’ve worked hard for this.”
“Yes we have,” Braxton agreed. The normally quiet one of the bunch gave us a rare smile before schooling his features back into the hardened mask.
“Has anyone heard from Witch’s Spawn?” Ace grumbled. “I’ve left messages and still…nothing. They’re supposed to be at the venue already.”
“Let me text Cora,” I offered, pulling out my phone. After a quick message, she responded immediately that the opening band was already there and that they were unloading as we spoke.
“She said they are there and are doing their load in,” I announced. Ace was a ball of nerves with this new band. Apparently, the lead singer was a friend of friend, and since we’d never met beforehand, he was more than nervous about the new lineup. We had another smaller band to round out the three bands on the bill, but they were local, and this would be their first show. After tonight, they’d pack up their RV and follow us for the next ten cities, where we’d pick up another new band.
The drive to the venue took well over half an hour, and by the time we arrived, Cora was just paying the pizza delivery man for our meal. She was trying to balance several boxes of pizza and two plastic bags weighted down with bottled sodas.
“Give me those,” I said, pulling the boxes out of her hand.
“I don’t see how the hell you could see over those boxes to even walk,” Braxton laughed, taking the bags from the tips of her tiny fingers.
“What is this? Pick on Coraline day?” she frowned. “I didn’t need help.”
“Sure,” Braxton teased, jumping out of the way when she tried to slap his arm. It was nice to see Braxton opening up to her. It made me feel like my family was accepting her. Well, my band family. My blood family will undoubtedly love her, I’m sure. We’ll find that out in a few weeks when we stop in Kansas City for our show. It was my home town, before Seattle, and my parents still live there with my baby sister. She is married and expecting her first child. She and her husband will also be coming to the show.
As we entered the green room, Witch’s Spawn was already sitting around, waiting for us to arrive. Their lead singer was a woman, and a friend of Kane’s wife. As I looked over at Ace, I saw our fearless leader stuck in a heated stare with the lead singer. I tossed Cora a knowing look and she just shook her head and stepped forward to make introductions.
Presley Pittman smiled and shook everyone’s hand, but lingered on Ace’s introduction with a slight blush to her cheeks. The woman seemed to catch herself and harden her features, before introducing the rest of her band. All three guys, Brian, Drake, and Garrison, stood up to shake our hands. Brian was their drummer, and immediately struck up a conversation with Braxton. Drake was their guitarist, and Garrison was their bassist.
And I wanted to rip his fucking hands off and beat his eyes with them.
The man must’ve already known Cora, because he pulled her into a hug that was far from brotherly. When he buried his face into her neck, I made my move. That was my neck he was touching and m
y woman he was eye fucking with no shame.
“Taylor,” Cora warned, but disguised it as an introduction, “this is Garrison Hale.”
“Taylor Vaughn,” I grunted out, wrapping a possessive arm over Cora’s shoulder. The guy was quick witted, stepping back when he noticed my hold on my girl. He shook my hand and moved away to meet the other guys.
“That was just mean,” she scolded.
“No,” I scoffed. “That was me not killing him.”
After introductions, I grabbed Cora’s hand and slipped outside to the bus. The guys knew where the hell I was going, and it was imperative I had some one on one time with my girl.
“Taylor,” she protested slightly as I picked her up, wrapping her legs around my waist. I pressed my hand to her lower back and then slipped the other into the short hair at the back of her head. My kiss was nothing but possessive. The feral need to claim her and mark her as my own stunned even me.
My boots pounded heavily on the path leading up the stairs of the bus and down the aisle, toward the back room. I bypassed the bunks and took her to the lounging area where I could close and lock the door. The snick of the lock signified more than us needing privacy; it was me closing out the world. I needed her. I couldn’t play the good guy any longer.
Coraline Maddox was mine!
Grasping the black tank top with my hands, it didn’t take much to tear the material, ripping it down the front. Her gasp of alarm was short lived when I buried my face between her tits. My tongue snaked out and traced the swell of each breast while my fingers flicked the front closure, allowing the cups to fall open. I didn’t even bother pushing the straps off of her shoulders.
“Taylor,” she pleaded, grasping the hair on the top of my head. “Please…”
“You don’t have to beg, baby,” I panted. “Never beg me for anything.”
Fatal Desires (Fatal Cross Live! Book 1) Page 10
