by Anna Paige
Fucking figured.
Kane's charms were the stuff of legends, while I was more famous for being a hard-ass. Spine of steel; that was me. Heart of gold; that was Kane.
Watching her look at him that way, so easy and effortless in the way she smiled… it made me wish I had been able to hang onto his throat just a little longer before the guys pulled me off.
"Now, on to damage control." She returned her attention to the laptop in front of her. "I see there's a gap in the schedule next weekend. That's perfect for what I have planned. We need to get you back in the good graces of the label, right?” She didn’t bother to wait for a response. “Well, several of their top execs are going to be at a graduation party for the CMO’s daughter next weekend, and I’m going to send them an offer to have the band play the event as a good will gesture. They aren't likely to be fans of your music themselves, just the money it makes them—which is fine—but I’m betting the graduate and some of her friends are fans. The execs don't have to be dazzled by the music anyway, since you five will be so charismatic and well-behaved that they will be calling you all ‘son’ and inviting you over for Christmas dinner by the end of the night. Right, guys?" She sat back a little and pointedly looked around the room.
"You want us to crash some label party and brown nose the execs to save face? To echo what Ethan said earlier, you can't be serious." Lennox was starting to look as pissed as I was.
She huffed out an exasperated breath. "I'm deadly serious. You have to dig your way out of this shithole you've gotten yourselves into. One steaming shovelful at a time. Starting with appeasing the execs, then the media, then the fans. I have it all laid out, and if all goes well, within a month we will have erased this whole mess from the memories of your followers."
"I'm not kissing anyone's ass, lady. Ever." Lenn was fuming now.
"I agree with Lennox." Jared looked to me, trying to figure out why I wasn't leading the charge. I just nodded briefly.
All in due time.
"And how do you expect to handle the media? We have radio spots coming up. What do you suggest we do? Refuse to talk?" Ethan was boarding the rage train now, too.
"I'll be canceling those. No one speaks to the media yet." She shrugged it off like it was nothing.
I finally chimed in, barely keeping my voice level. "How will canceling help our reputation at this point? Flaking on an interview that has been planned for months will make us look like cowards. We need to keep our promises to people or they'll lose faith. The station who invited us to co-host their weekly countdown? They are one of the first big stations to ever play our music, they promoted us before we made a name for ourselves, and we are not going to shit on them now." I crossed my arms over my chest, not caring what she said. "Make it work. We're going."
She glared at me for a minute before turning to stare at her computer screen. "While your attitude leaves a lot to be desired, you may actually have a point. I remember seeing that countdown show on the calendar for the middle of next week. There are no other interviews scheduled in the next two weeks, right?” She tapped on the screen a moment before glancing around the room. We all shrugged. We barely knew what we were doing the next day much less two weeks out. Only personal stuff was ever on our radar, the rest we left to the label to schedule. “If so, I can keep that one on the books, a week and a half should be enough time to arrange some damage control.”
She didn’t fight too hard for that one, which kind of disappointed me. I’d been looking forward to arguing a while longer. For some reason, it pleased me to annoy her, payback for being such a buzz kill.
Which reminded me…
"This party you mentioned, it’s next weekend?" I asked to be sure.
"Yep. Saturday afternoon." She kept typing.
"Can't do it. We're otherwise engaged."
Her eyes darted to mine. "It's not negotiable."
"You're right, it's not. We. Are. Not. Going." I measured my words slowly and with clear emphasis on the 'not'. "We have plans."
She snorted and closed her laptop. "Jetting off to Vegas for your favorite stripper's birthday?"
"I don't do strip clubs. No need to when I can just step on stage and have thousands of girls flashing me." I gave her a bored expression. "This is not up for debate, and it's not your goddamn business. We're busy and that's all you need to know, Aubrey."
"Wrong, Kade. I'm to be with the band at all times until the label is satisfied that the media crisis is over. That means next weekend, too."
My jaw clenched painfully. If I wasn't careful, I was going to crack a tooth. "Fine. If you have to tag along, there's nothing I can do about it. But you'll just have to deal with not knowing our plans until we decide to tell you. It's non-negotiable and personal, though the label doesn't seem to think we have lives outside their fucking contract." I stood and glared down at her. "Pardon us, but we have a sound check to get to. Don't want the label slapping our asses with another ball and chain."
I could feel her eyes drilling into my back as I left the bus, closely followed by the rest of the band.
We didn't extend an invitation for her to watch the show, but we also didn't invite her here in the first place, so she could do whatever the fuck she wanted.
I just wanted her gone.
Chapter Two
Aubrey
"Yep. All settled in." I lied as I started unpacking my things and carefully placing them in the tiny dresser drawers beside the overpoweringly large bed. Maybe if these guys required less room for their trysts, the dresser would be big enough for my meager wardrobe. Seriously, where did they store their stuff?
"Aubrey?" My supervisor’s annoyingly sweet voice cut through my musings. She was far from sweet. And I knew she would thoroughly enjoy how uncomfortable I was, if I were stupid enough to admit it. Yeah, I wasn't about to tell her anything.
"Sorry. Was setting up my laptop." Another lie but she didn't need to know that I had a hand full of panties and bras, looking for somewhere to put the damn things so that the guys didn't stumble across them.
"I asked what you thought of the band." Her impatience was starting to show.
"About what I expected. They were welcoming, for the most part. It's not like I anticipated a party to celebrate my arrival but they managed to be cordial." Well, except Kade, but I'd known from the start I would have a hard time with him. Luckily, I had no intention of backing down, and he had no choice except to deal with me.
"So, typical reaction to being scolded. What about you?"
I wrinkled my brow and looked at the phone, perched on the tiny bedside table. "What about me?"
She snorted softly, and not in a pleasant way. "You can't tell me you had no reaction to being up close and personal with all five members of the hottest band on the planet."
"Annoyance is the only thing that springs to mind." I glared at the phone, knowing exactly what she was insinuating. "How else would I react to being thrust into the midst of this shit storm and having to play conscience opposite a bunch of grown men who should know better but don't seem to care?"
"Testy tonight, are we?" Her condescending voice grated on my nerves. My outburst told her all she needed to know. I was having a shitty day, which she thrived on.
"Look, Trish, it's been a long day and I'm tired. I'll keep you updated every few days, okay?" I didn't have to fake the fatigue in my voice. Talking to this woman always zapped my energy… and sometimes my will to live.
"Fine." A soft laugh escaped her. "You probably need all the rest you can get. I have a feeling these guys are going to be a handful." All pretense of civility dissolved as she said, "If you fuck this up, Aubrey, I can personally guarantee your termination. Your office will be cleaned out before you even make it back to town. Are we clear?"
"Crystal." I reached over and ended the call before I lost my cool, adding, "you abominable bitch" under my breath.
Lately, it had taken everything I had not to cuss her out like she so richly deserved. No one would
blame me, no one who’d had the misfortune of meeting her, anyway. But every time I pulled in one of those long breaths and geared up to let her have it, I could hear my father’s voice in my mind. ‘Always take the high road, Bree Bree. You might not get as far as fast as the cut-throats and cons, but every step up the ladder will have been earned, and that’s the true measure of success. Don’t let them drag you to their level. Besides, life is supposed to be an adventure, not a rat race. Don’t chase a title or a status. Chase what makes your heart flutter, those things that thrill and terrify you in equal amounts. Those are the things worth having because they take you from just living to being truly alive.’
God, I wanted to hear his voice so much. He’d know exactly how I should handle everything: Trish, my career, this assignment, and even Kade. He always knew the right thing to say. My chin started to tremble.
There’s not even enough room in here to pace, dammit.
I tossed the rest of my clothes on the bed and went exploring, needing room to breathe now that the supervisor from hell had my teeth on edge. God, I hated that woman. She was a pit viper in Chanel lipstick, one of the cutthroats my dad used to warn me about. She never laughed or even smiled all that much. Never playful or happy, perpetually on the hunt for her next opportunity to prey on someone she saw as weaker. But what she saw as weakness, I attributed to basic human decency and capacity for empathy; both of which were foreign concepts to someone like her.
It almost made me sad for her.
Almost.
I needed a distraction, a few minutes to get my head together, so I decided to focus on checking out my temporary home.
The bus was actually kind of cool, if I was being totally honest. Not that anyone had asked my opinion. They hadn’t even bothered to show me around. Kade had just gestured vaguely down the narrow hall and grunted like a damn caveman. Kane was just as quiet but not radiating hostility like his twin.
I found it odd how they could look so much alike but not appear at all similar in personality. Of course, I was just going by my first impression of them—barely five full minutes of interaction—and the dossier’s I’d been handed when the assignment fell into my lap.
Not much to work with if I wanted their cooperation. I’d have to spend some time around them, figure them out. So far, all I knew was what I’d read and what they all looked like—their photos were certainly not airbrushed, of that I was certain. Seriously, how did five drop-dead gorgeous musicians manage to find each other and form the most successful band in decades?
I pondered that as I walked around the living area, letting my hand trail over the back of the couch as I remembered those first moments after my arrival. They really were unbelievably hot, every last one of them.
Hot, built, and talented. It’s a wonder they’ve kept out of trouble this long with credentials like those.
Kade and Kane were around six and a half feet tall, with shoulder-length blond hair and smoky gray eyes. Lennox was the next tallest, definitely over six feet, with spiky platinum hair, dark eyes, and lots of tattoos. Jared was slightly shorter than Lennox by my estimation and was definitely the least ‘rocker’ looking of the bunch with light brown hair and green eyes. If he had ink, I hadn’t noticed. Ethan certainly did have ink, though, along with a mop of unruly dark hair that nearly brushed his collar and some startling bright blue eyes. He was the shortest—if you could consider five-eleven short. All of them had at least five or six inches on my five-foot-six frame, Kade and Kane probably had closer to a foot.
I was definitely going to end up with a crick in my neck from looking up at them all.
I sighed to myself and moved to the kitchen, opening random cabinets, not finding much in the way of food unless it was instant macaroni and cheese or some form of potato chip.
God, they eat like twelve-year-olds.
A quick look in the fridge revealed lots of beer and a variety of condiments but little else. Apparently, they did a lot of eating out.
I cringed at my choice of words.
Yeah, they probably did a lot of that, too.
Mind in the gutter much?
Despite the lack of proper nutrition on board, I was impressed with how clean and organized the space was. I imagined it would have to be. Even the smallest of messes would make a place this size look like a total disaster area. They wouldn’t be providing any culinary delicacies but whatever we did dine on could—theoretically—be eaten right off the immaculate floors.
For some reason, I’d expected a lot worse. I’d had this image in my mind of a disgusting locker room on wheels, complete with gym sock smell. I was more than a little relieved to be wrong.
And maybe what I’d expected of them was wrong, too. I had come in with my guns blazing, looking to take charge. I kind of regretted that tactic. I’d put them on the defensive instead of securing their cooperation.
Yes, I needed them to know I was the boss right now, but maybe I could find a better way to go about it; less cut-throat and more class. None of them—with the possible exception of Kade—had time to decide they hated me yet, so I could still turn things around with most of them.
The surly singer on the other hand, I might need to retain a firm grip on the reins with that one. I’d seen the challenge in his eyes, and I wasn’t about to let him win.
No matter how hot he made me.
I nodded to myself and headed back to the bedroom, giving up on my explorations. It wasn’t like there was much to see anyway, and I had plenty of time ahead of me to uncover what little I hadn’t already.
I had a feeling I would be discovering a lot of new things in the coming weeks.
•••
It was after midnight before anyone else boarded the bus. I'd spent an obscene amount of time folding and refolding my clothes, cleaning out my makeup bag, organizing my purse, and anything else I could think to do aside from leaving the claustrophobic room. I didn't want to be caught unaware by Kade's reappearance. I needed to be in a defensive position, so to speak. What better way to let him know who was in charge than to make him meekly knock on the door to gain my attention.
Yeah, that was what I was doing. I was standing my ground, making him come to me.
I wasn't hiding.
Hiding would indicate fear.
And I wasn't the least bit scared of Kade Edenfield. Not at all.
I sat with my back to the hard, uncomfortable headboard, my legs crossed at the ankles and my arms resting casually on my lap. A queen waiting to greet her audience.
Right.
There was a soft tap on the door. "Aubrey? You awake?"
Was that Kade or Kane? I couldn't tell since he was whispering. "Who is it?" I managed to sound like my heart wasn't galloping in my chest, but only just.
"It's me, Kane. Are you decent?"
I let my shoulders relax a little, grateful it was the less surly of the two brothers, glancing down at the yoga pants and cotton T-shirt I was wearing. Not my usual business attire, obviously, but it was modest and comfortable. "Yes."
He waited a moment before clearing his throat awkwardly. "So, can I come in for a sec?"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry." I chuckled. Why would he have asked if I was decent if he didn't want to come in? My nerves were getting the better of me.
The door cracked open and Kane stepped in, hair damp and hanging around his face. In his hand was a large quilt, which he offered to me. "Kade keeps it cold as shit around here. I figured you might need this." I nodded my thanks and he placed it on the end of the bed. "I’ve been bitching for years about the AC but he just shrugs it off and reminds me that he runs hot, whatever that means.” His eyes roved around the room, his expression uncomfortable. “Well, I guess I'll let you get some sleep…" he trailed off, looking to me for his cues.
He didn't seem to be flirting but he definitely came in here for more than blanket delivery. "Kade not back yet?" I asked.
"Nah. He and Ethan had their heads together working out some lyrics they've been fiddlin
g with for weeks. It wouldn't surprise me if he stayed on their bus tonight. Though, I swear they’d have better luck working here instead. The other rig is kind of the party bus, where everyone gathers to hang out after the shows. It’s noisy as hell over there right now but they are both oblivious to it."
I fought back the urge to comment on the party bus issue, mostly because I was too focused on the fact that Kade was choosing to be there working amid the chaos rather than come here where it was quiet.
Because of me.
Kane didn’t come out and say it, but he had to be thinking it too.
Would Kade really spend the night there to avoid me? That seemed a little extreme. "Is there even room for him to sleep there?" I assumed the two bus thing was because of space issues. Five big guys wouldn't fit comfortably on any tour bus I'd ever seen. I couldn't imagine four would be much better.
He shrugged. "One couch is about the same as the next, I guess. He'll figure something out. He always does." His eyes shifted around the room, landing on the photo collage.
I watched him for a second, giving in to my curiosity. "So, how is it that Kade ended up with the bedroom while you ride the couch?"
He snickered, shaking his head at whatever he'd just thought. "When he's determined to have something, it always ends up his." He nodded to the end of the bed asking for permission to sit, taking a seat a moment after I gave him the okay. "I knew the first time we looked at this bus that he'd get the damn bedroom. There was never any question. The only thing I didn't know was how he was going to go about getting it." His voice was full of humor.
"How did he get it?"
"At first we shared. I got it one week, he got it the next. That lasted all of three weeks, until right around the time it was supposed to revert back to me for the fourth week." His smile was contagious.
I chuckled to myself, wondering what was coming next. "And…"
"He got me drunk off my ass and decided we should play poker."
