by T. S. Ryder
Brent did all that he could before he dropped a few bills onto the kitchen counter and packed his clothes in a hurry. There was a crowd outside, but he hung his head low as Declan and Riley flanked him out of habit. They managed to make it to the elevator alone, and Brent glanced at the paper with the room number in his hand as he pushed the down button. “They’re sticking me in a regular room.”
“I’m shocked,” Riley told him, and he saw a small smile cross her face. “You won’t do as much damage that way.”
It was obviously meant as a joke, but Brent felt something like shame flood his veins. Brent hadn’t felt guilt or at least admitted that he felt it through most of the past scandals. There were the destroyed hotel rooms and condos, a few pregnancy reports that thankfully didn’t lead to anything, the many women that he’d been photographed with and countless rumors of what had happened with all of them.
If his mom was still around, Brent knew that she’d be furious with him. But that was the catalyst to this behavior…her death to ovarian cancer when he was just twelve years old. He’d had nothing tangible for a dad since he’d split early, and while the Kellers were amazing as step-in parents, he still slipped.
It had been school bands back then and local gigs in Oregon. Nothing big. Somehow, even while he was having trouble with things, Brent had formed Nothing Lasts with a few guys, and they had taken off. By the time he was twenty-four, they had appeared to be going places. Brent started to make real money and tour in better vehicles as he watched a few things disappear from his life. Brent only knew to fill the void, and he thought about that as he opened the door to his new room on the first floor. It was small and basic and located close to the lobby. His friends followed him into the room and snickered as they looked around. “It’s a bed, right?” Declan said, as Brent dropped his duffel bag onto the small table and looked around.
Was that even a king sized bed?
He was lucky to still be here at all, but Kenzie was a great talker when she needed to be. It might be the band’s last time here, though. He slipped his phone out of his pocket and looked down at the screen. He sent a group text to the band apologizing for the mess and, after a few minutes, only his good friend Gary responded with something along the lines of it being okay. Even Brent could see through that, and he sighed as he stuck the phone back into his shorts.
“So do you want to go out and see some of the city? We have all day and night,” Declan was telling Riley, as Brent focused on them instead of his band’s disappointment.
“Sure, I’ve heard it’s gorgeous here. I have a camera that I’d love to break in,” Riley said, as her eyes lit up. She was an excellent photographer and Brent was vaguely surprised that she hadn’t gone into that for a living.
“Want to go?” Declan asked Brent, looking at his friend. “You seem to be doing better.” Brent usually snapped back after some coffee and breakfast, and he nodded as he glanced around the tiny room.
He pulled on a baseball cap and some sunglasses before they left and went to Declan’s suite so he could shower. Brent sat at the table with Riley as the other roadie looked at them from across the room where he was working on his laptop. Rumors moved fast, particularly with anyone related to the band and their inner workings. Brent ignored him and tossed the sunglasses onto the wood between them before he glanced up at Riley. “So I like the red.” She was a natural brunette like her siblings, but this bright auburn suited her and made her eyes practically glow as she smiled at him. It was cut into a shorter bob and fell over her pale cheeks.
“Thanks. My best friend at school wanted to do it.” A dark look crossed her face, and she stared at the table. “Hers is purple.”
“I’m sorry about school, Ri. I know that Dec will find a way for you to go.” Brent said as she gave him an angry look with shimmering blue eyes.
“Dec has himself and Mel to take care of, Brent.” A tear slid down her smooth skin, and he reached for her hand.
“Fuck it, Ri. I’ll pay for you to go to school. You’re brilliant.” She tried to smile as he clasped her hand with his and gave her a soft look.
“Yeah, right.”
Declan came back in a new pair of shorts and shirt, and Riley used the bathroom before they headed out. Brent went back into his disguise, and they walked out of the main lobby and headed into the French Quarter as he let out his breath. He’d figure this out somehow and make things right again. Brent watched as Riley managed to find every perfect and odd angle before she lifted her camera to her face and shot it with such focus. Brent was jealous that she had that focus even with things going south with school for her, and he mulled over the idea of paying for it. He only had an apartment back in New York, and he could swing it.
“I have an idea,” Declan said, as they watched her take another picture of a cobblestone street together.
Chapter Three
“What’s that?” Brent asked as he glanced at Declan for a second before taking in the redhead again.
“You need a cover.” Brent looked at him again. “You’ve done rehab, and since you’re not an addict, that didn’t help. Your problem is just coping better, and I think you need to try a new cover to get out of this one.”
Brent knew that the band still wasn’t getting back to him, and he reluctantly nodded as Declan looked over at Riley. “Look, I mean this just as a cover, because there’s no way in hell I’d suggest you do it for real, but Riley would make a great cover.”
“Your sister?” Brent asked in shock since he’d been thinking the things he had since seeing her.
“You guys have known each other forever, so you’re comfortable. It would just be a few pictures and sightings, but nothing more. Kenzie would know what to do with it,” Declan said, as Brent rolled his eyes.
“She won’t want me anywhere near Riley.”
“You don’t see her that way, Brent. She’s a good girl with a great reputation and nothing scandalous in her background. She could clean up your image,” Declan urged him, as Brent looked at her. Dressed in her black jeans and a purple shirt that hung down in front of her, he had to admit that his friend was right. Riley was a good girl and would do him well, but what about the way he was feeling towards her? They couldn’t go past the front they were putting up, and Brent knew that would be hard.
“We could talk to Kenzie, I guess.” Brent tried to sound casual, and Declan nodded before giving him a warning glance.
“This is just for a cover. She’s beyond being too good for you and I don’t want you to lay a hand on her.” Brent had heard that Riley was a virgin a few times in the last few years, though looking at her now, it was hard to imagine. “You just need to lay off the groupies and play it out right.”
“Of course, D. I hear you.”
Riley walked back over, and he took her in and shook his head slowly. They continued to walk around and see everything, and the guys chatted between photos. Brent tossed around the idea over and over. It was crazy.
They stopped in a bar for a quick drink and took a table in the back corner so Brent could remove his sunglasses. Declan was sending messages on his phone, and he looked at Brent as his phone rang. Brent saw that it was Kenzie and answered as his best friend walked over to the bar to get them some drinks. “Hey. How was the graduation?”
“She’s growing up too fast,” his publicist sniffled before she went into her business tone. “So Dec sent me a crazy idea.”
“He mentioned it to me,” Brent said, and she sighed.
“I think that it’s a bit risky, but Riley would be perfect for a cover. She’s young enough to be realistic, doesn’t have anything they can trash her for on her record and would do this for you as a friend,” Kenzie told him. Brent acknowledged that she was right with a nod that she couldn’t see. Riley, in all of her disappointment in him, would still help him out because she believed in him. “Just don’t take this too far, if she happens to go for it. She’s my baby sister, Brent.”
“I’m aware,” he said.
He looked up at Riley as she pointed her camera at him to snap a picture.
“You’re so photogenic,” she gushed, as he ended the call and set the phone on the table. Her phone rang, and she answered it easily with a smile. Riley frowned and stood up to go outside as Brent clenched his fists under the table. That had to be Kenzie with the idea, and a part of him wanted to stand up and put a stop to the entire thing for a moment.
Declan came back with two beers and a red drink. “Where’s Ri?”
“I think she’s talking to your sister,” Brent replied, as Declan raised an eyebrow and sat down. “She seemed to think it was a decent idea.”
“It is,” Declan agreed, as he slid one of the beers towards his friend. “I mean, she’s here, and you guys could just fall into this. It’s almost too easy.”
They looked up at Riley, who walked back in and slipped into the booth. She took a long drink of the bloody Mary and looked between the guys. Her gaze lingered longer on Brent, and her cheeks flushed and she looked at the table. “That was Kenzie.” She looked at her brother. “You know about her idea?”
“We both do,” Brent told her, and she stared back at him.
“What? Oh.” She flushed again, and Brent leaned forward.
“This is just a front, Ri. Nothing more. The band’s pissed at me, and we’re on this big tour. It would get the chatter quieted down quickly, and it wouldn’t be anything to worry about,” Brent assured her. Then he thought of something else. “Hell, Ri. I’ll pay for school for the year if you do this.” He was scared that this was going to affect them and his future, and he felt himself start to sweat. “I can’t mess up with the guys.”
She stared at him, and Declan looked at him with surprise on his face. “It’s worth that?”
“Yes,” Brent said. “Besides, you can’t drop out of school. You’re so good at what you do.”
“Just like you can’t leave the band because you’re so good at what you do,” Riley said, as she smiled at him and looked down at the table. “I mean, it can’t hurt things. It’s a few pictures and sightings, right?”
“Right,” Declan told her. “Do this for school. You know that Mom and Brad don’t have the cash to send you to Parson’s, and this is easy.” She’d already waited to go, to begin with, while their dad considered sending her after their parents had split up seven years ago.
“Ugh, okay. I guess I will. How do we start this?” Riley asked, and Brent found himself wanting to smile at her. He held it in and nodded.
“Brent will be noticed, and you’ll be with him. That’s a good start. After that, the more he’s seen with you, the more people will speculate. Maybe it’ll get their minds off of last night,” Declan suggested, and Riley looked at Brent.
He could still see the kid in her, but there was so much maturity in those eyes, so much intelligence. She was something, and he smiled at her and nodded. “Yeah. Even today. I’ll take off the sunglasses and see who notices me.”
“Sounds good.” They enjoyed their drinks as they chatted and when they left, Brent slid the sunglasses back on. He still hated bright sunlight and, looking at Riley, he wanted to give her a little peace before she was dragged into his world. Come to think of it, he was enjoying being anonymous after last night and this morning as well.
They wandered around a bit more and found a swamp tour that was leaving in a few moments. Riley then noticed all of the old cemeteries and looked at the guys with pleading eyes. “The pictures that I could take!”
“Fine,” Brent said, as Declan mock threw up his hands. They did that for the next couple of hours and found a place for dinner with the band since Gary had sent a message to find out what they were up to. The group was meeting at BB Kings for some grub and music, and Brent approached his band mates with a curious look on his face.
“We good?” Brent asked. Chad, the guitarist, glanced at the other guys before he turned to Brent.
“You need to get your shit together. I know you’ve been through stuff, but this? This is our future.” Chad gestured to the group of five with his hand, and Brent looked all of them in the face as he passed his gaze over them for a long moment.
“I swear I will.” He didn’t only need to do it for himself, but now to send Riley to school. Brent had plenty of money, but he used a lot of it up acting irresponsibly. He would have to be more careful.
He took a seat at the table, right next to Riley and across from the band. His glasses were off and the whole band was together, so this was their moment of truth.
Chapter Four
The group ordered a lot of food and drinks and settled in for a fun night. It wasn’t long before they were recognized by a few people, including the house band. They asked Brent to sing with them on a song, and he nodded and agreed, feeling Riley watching him through the entire conversation.
The food was passed around the table so everyone could try what they wanted and Brent sipped the same beer the entire night. Riley ordered a few of the bright green drinks that she was having, but there was no doubt that she was safe with this group. Judging from the way Chad was looking at her, it was safe to say that he wanted to protect her all on his own. Brent scooted a bit closer to her, and Riley gave him a curious glance as he slung an arm over her shoulder.
The dinner led to more drinks and Brent’s debut on the stage as he joined in for a classic jazz song. He grinned when he saw Riley in the front shaking her hips to the beat and singing along, and he held out his hand to her as she laughed and reached out for him.
The heat was searing, and they froze and looked at each other as her smile faded. He threw his all into the next note and the crowd cheered and clapped as he held up a hand in the air. He finished the song and clapped the guys on the back to thank them before he dropped down to the dance floor. A young woman stepped up to sing a Billie Holiday song. Brent looked at Riley before he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his body. “Let the games begin,” Brent told her, as she slipped her arms around his neck and swayed with him in the crowd. He could see that she was feeling the alcohol, but Riley was never one to let herself lose too much control. “Having fun?” Brent asked her, as he leaned down and looked into her endless eyes.
“This is great. Just what I needed,” she told him, as she moved closer and he caught a whiff of her sweet scent. It reminded him of flowers and fruit, and he sniffed as he dropped his head down.
“What is it that you are wearing? You smell like a garden,” Brent murmured to her, as he looked into her eyes to see them widen.
“It’s a new perfume I found. This one is cherry blossom, but I have several of her scents.”
“It’s amazing, Ri.” They danced the song through, and neither moved for the next one. Riley tightened her arms around him. Brent managed to tear his eyes away from her to see the table had taken notice of them as well as some of the crowd. He wasn’t stupid, and he knew that stories about last night had gotten around, but Brent only hoped that they were vague. He was aware that there had been three women in his bedroom at some point and, holding Riley like this, he just felt cheap for it.
Even if this wasn’t real, Brent could stop his reckless behavior. Brent knew that he would enjoy these moments, no matter how rare or planned they were, and he kissed the top of Riley’s head. They both stopped dancing when the song ended and looked each other before she blushed and giggled. As Riley moved towards the table, Brent slipped his hand down her arm to wrap his palm around hers.
They got to the table and sat back down as dessert was brought over. Brent shook his head and realized he’d have to run the following day, which reminded him that she used to go out in the mornings. “Do you still run?” Brent asked Riley, as his hand slipped around her back.
“As often as I can.”
“Your ass is mine tomorrow. Six or seven?” Brent asked her. She laughed and raised an eyebrow at him.
“Six. I am going to leave you in the dust.” Riley did some working out, based on her tight leg
s and perfect ass, as well as that waist that she was hiding tonight. “We leave tomorrow, don’t we?”
“Yeah, at ten or so. We need to be at the hotel in Texas for the three shows there. Back to back. No tourist activity for a while, unless you want to go out.” Riley loved seeing the local sights anywhere she was, and he remembered how much fun he’d had watching her at the cemetery. There were all kinds of tales about hauntings here in New Orleans, and he had certainly felt a creepy vibe a time or two today.
“We’ll see. It was fun today with you guys,” Riley told him, as she took a small bite of the bourbon pecan pie. “We’re running a lot tomorrow.” Brent smiled as she dug her fork into it again and offered him some.
“Delicious. Five miles?”
They all ended the night in a couple of hours and headed back to the hotel in a group. It wasn’t all that far, and they’d been drinking, so nobody was willing to risk driving. Brent walked beside Declan and Riley, only focused on her warmth beside him.
They were a bit behind the group and his best friend leaned in. “Great job tonight, guys. Everybody noticed you two. See? I told you it would help that you already know each other.” Riley and Brent looked at each other as they nodded and laughed, but Brent sensed something in her gaze before she looked down. The group headed to their individual rooms and Brent swallowed as he watched Riley look from him to her brother. She whispered something to Declan and walked towards Brent as he smiled and headed to his room. “Sorry it’s not so glamorous,” he apologized, as he unlocked the door and opened it.
“I’m not staying. I just wanted to keep the ruse going.” She smiled and sat on the bed as she looked around.
“I could’ve done something out there to do that,” Brent said, as he stepped over to the table and dropped the keys onto the surface.
“What would you want to do?” Riley asked as Brent looked over at her on the bed. He knew that he’d just been with a few women the night before, but there was a need filling him that he’d never experienced before. There was an emotion that he was scared to recognize, and he licked his lips.
