Finding the Rhythm

by Leigh Louden

  I laughed. When I was alone, I had taken a quick look on Twitter to see what the response was like to me joining the band. Most of the tweets were very supportive of me and the boys. They were sorry to hear about Jason’s problems, and glad he was getting help. They thought I was a great drummer and would be fab in the band in Jason’s absence. Hell, even a few had said how I shouldn’t be his stand in, I should just join the band and that should be that. But then there were the die-hard fans who were so much in adoration of the band that it was almost delusional. I was a whore and a trollop. How dare I get involved with their boys? There had even been a few comments about Devon being right to trade me in and cheat, and how they would have too.

  “I’m not sure everyone thinks of it that way.” I smiled.

  Vinny glared. “You’ve been on Twitter, haven’t you?” Damn, this man was too fucking good at reading me.

  “Maybe,” I admitted guiltily.

  Ethan laughed. “Jesus, Ally. Are you a glutton for punishment? Why would you torture yourself like that? I mean, I love our fans, but fucking hell, have you read what they say on social media? Some of them need some serious psychiatric help!”

  Vinny burst out in a hearty belly laugh. “Christ, do you remember that one in Seattle? She’d been messaging the page on Facebook every day for two months beforehand, and then when we didn’t recognise her at the concert, she had a total meltdown?”

  Ethan looked at my horrified expression. “No, no. She didn’t actually meet us. She was on the balcony, about 100 metres back from the stage, and got so pissed that we hadn’t spotted her and acknowledged that she was there.”

  My horror changed to shock. How the hell did these guys deal with this level of dedication and adoration from fans? I mean, DA3 had their hardcore supporters, but nothing that went to that level.

  “You’re in the big leagues now, Allycat. You’ll have to get used to the utter insanity of some people who buy our records.” Vinny laughed.

  I shook my head. “Guys, I’m not sure I could ever get used to that level of crazy.”

  Ethan looked at me sincerely, and I felt my fears ease. His hand found its way over mine on my lap. “Well, you’re not going anywhere. You’re one of us now. So, you had just better get used to it.” He gave my hand a squeeze. I felt Vinny’s eyes taking in what Ethan was doing to my hand. A slight eyebrow raise graced his features and then it disappeared, Ethan pulled his hand back, and I smiled, admitting I would have to give it a go and thanking him for making me feel so welcome.

  Just to let you know, I've moved back into the house while you're on tour. I didn't think you'd mind xx

  I stared at my phone in complete disbelief. He honestly thought he could move into my house again after everything he'd done, and I would be okay about it? Devon's level of insanity in the aftermath of our break up was borderline psychotic.

  I could feel Vinny's eyes on me. "What's wrong?" he asked.

  I pursed my lips and started to hammer out an angry reply to Devon. "My fucking ex has decided to move back into my house while we're on tour."

  What the fuck do you mean you've moved back in to MY house Devon?!? You have no right, even if I'm not fucking there!!

  I hit send and locked the phone again, looking up at Vinny.

  "Not too bright that fucker, is he, love?" Vinny asked. "I mean, first he gives you up, and now he's doing his best to piss you off."

  "Yeah. Pissing me off is something he's incredibly good at."

  Just then, Smith stood up and announced that we had arrived at The Caledonia, Edinburgh's Waldorf Astoria. Right then, all I needed to do was find the bar. I was the first up and out of my seat. I was ready to get off and get my shit into my room then find the bar and stay there. My blood was boiling. How fucking dare Devon think he would be welcome to just camp out in my house when I wasn't there? Least of all because it was MY house. I owned it lock stock and barrel, and most of all, because we had broken up. The lying cheating bastard had some fucking big brass balls, I'll give him that.

  Vinny followed me closely as I stormed into the hotel. "Ally. Wait up!" he called after me. I paused and allowed him to draw level with me. "Are you going to be okay?" he asked softly.

  I nodded. "I just need to check in and find the bar." I sighed, feeling my phone vibrate in my hip pocket.

  I really don't know why you need to be like this after everything Ally. I mean I thought you would appreciate me keeping the house safe for you.

  I fumed at the screen. He really had lost his ever-loving mind. Vinny took one look at me and took a step back. I hit call instead of send message and waited for Devon to answer. He picked up after a few rings.

  "What the actual fuck is wrong with you?" I seethed down the phone.

  He actually had the cheek to laugh at me. "Lovely to hear from you too, Ally."

  "Devon, I'm calling my brother. If you are not out of my house by the time he gets there, I'm calling the fucking police and having you arrested for breaking and entering and trespassing. Am I making myself clear enough for you, you utter dickhead?"

  "Now, there's no need for name calling, Allison."

  "Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. My. House!" I raged through gritted teeth and hung up the phone. I quickly dialled my brother's number. "Tim, that fucker is in my house. Can you go over there?" I pleaded.

  "Are you serious?" Tim questioned. "Have you made it to Edinburgh yet?"

  "I just arrived. I can't deal with this shit, Tim. I told him I was sending you over, and if he was still there, you’d be phoning the police."

  "I'm on it, kid. I'll be round at yours in the next ten minutes, and if he's still there, I'll take care of him for you. Don't worry about it. I got this," Tim told me, trying to lend what support he could from so far away.

  "Love you, Tim." I smiled down the phone.

  "Back at you, little sis," Tim said, his smile evident in his voice.

  When I looked up, I could see Vinny still watching my every move. "Did you get everything sorted?" he enquired cautiously.

  "As best it can be. My older brother is going to head over to my house now and deal with him for me."

  Vinny smiled and moved back towards me. "Look, the bar is right over there." He pointed. "I'll make sure you're all checked in and I'll get back to you with your room key once it's all sorted, okay? You go and get yourself a drink and calm down. Let your brother deal with your cunt ex."

  I smiled back at him. "Thanks, Vinny. I really appreciate that." Vinny winked at me and went back towards the bus, and I turned and headed straight for the bar.

  It wasn't the time for such thoughts, but, damn, she was sexy when she was angry. I couldn't lie though; her ex was really starting to get on my nerves. When I spoke to Allison, there were times when there were some very obvious traces of her ex's put-downs, and her just not feeling like the gorgeous creature that I knew she was. I headed back out to the bus to grab her bags for her and help her out.

  "Is she okay?" Ethan asked, coming over to help me lift some of the bags from under the coach.

  "Her ex needs someone to teach him some fucking manners," I told him. "But she's handling it for now. She's in the bar, forgetting her worries."

  Ethan nodded. "I've noticed how she talks about herself, and him. He better hope I never meet him, because I'll have great pleasure in telling him just what I think of him!"

  "Easy tiger." I smirked. "She's got her brother going to deal with him. He only moved back into her house after she left for the tour."

  "Is there something wrong with him?" Smith asked from over my shoulder.

  "Fucking sounds like it," Ethan replied.

  I grabbed her bag and looked at my bandmates. "Well, if he comes near her, she'll have us, won't she? Manners in how to deal with a woman will be his first lesson." Smith and Ethan agreed, and I carried our bags into the hotel.

  I stood beside Don at reception and smiled. "I've got your room key, and Allison's. Where is she?"

  I gestured in the directi
on of the bar. "Ex trouble," I informed him. "Hand her key over. I said I would get her bags into her room for her."

  Don glared. "That man is a menace." He handed over her room key card and mine. "Can you be trusted with this, Vinny? No shenanigans?"

  I feigned being offended. "Donovan, what are you trying to say about me? Seriously, Don. She's a bandmate, and she's off limits. I couldn't even if I wanted to."

  Don eyed me suspiciously. I just nodded and walked towards the lift to head up to find our rooms.

  I arrived on the floor we had taken over in the hotel and glanced down at the two key cards in my hand. Allison's room just happened to be right beside mine. Shit.

  I put Ally's card into the reader and opened the door. I dumped her bag on to the bed, pulled the curtains, turned on the small bedside lamps instead of the large overhead lights, and gave thought to opening her case and unpacking for her. But the thought of rummaging through her underwear struck me as a step over the line.

  I rubbed my hand over my crotch. I really needed to get such thoughts of her out of my head or there would be no way I could resist her sometime in the future. Once I was sure her room was as ready for her as it could be, I lifted the card from the slot on the wall and left for my room next door.

  I repeated my routine in my room too, adjusted the lights, pulled the curtains, and unpacked my own bag. I was feeling grubby from the trip up, and I figured I would have a shower before heading downstairs to the bar, grabbing some food, and letting Ally know where she could find her room.

  I let the hot spray rain down on me as I stood there, my head swimming with thoughts of how much I was attracted to Ally, how much I wanted to protect her, and show her what a fool her ex was. My hard cock throbbed as it jutted out from my body. I knew it was a mistake to give in to such thoughts, even for this, but I managed to talk myself into how it wasn't that bad since she wasn't really there.

  I grabbed my prick in my hand and let the shower gel make my movements more slippery. I thought about Allycat's smile. I thought about the curve of her arse, and the contour of her deliciously full breasts. I thought about her laugh and pumped myself faster, wishing I could see more of her. Wishing I could find myself between her thighs.

  "FUUUCKK!" echoed around the bathroom as my cum erupted from my cock in a jet. I let go, placed both arms on the wall in front of me, closed my eyes, and let my heart rate settle back down. In my head, Ally smiled at me, and I felt a blush cross my face.

  Sweet Christ, what was I, a fourteen-year-old girl? Blushing because I'd been thinking about my crush. That was just enough to snap me out of my daydream and bring me back to my senses.

  I finished my shower, dried my hair off a bit, dressed, and headed down to the bar to find her.

  About an hour and a half had passed by the time I got down to the bar and found her. Man, that girl could drink. She was on her third shot of tequila when I arrived, but apparently, she’d started with a beer and whiskey chaser, then her first shot, then another whiskey, and now she was back on the tequila.

  “Hello, you,” I greeted her when the bartender had finished telling me how much she’d had.

  “Vinny!” She grinned at me. Damn, even drunk she was kinda sexy. “Come… come and sit here, beside…” She attempted to tap on the empty bar stool beside her and missed, pausing to concentrate harder on making her target next time. “Sit beside me,” she finished when her hand finally connected with the leather.

  “Allycat, you are wasted.” I grinned when I got into the seat beside her. “Did you eat first?”

  She turned to face me. “Nope, just went straight to the alcohol,” she admitted, draping herself over my shoulder. “Are you going to join me?” Her booze-fume breath wafted over me as she put her head on my shoulder.

  I laughed. “On one condition, love. We eat something first.”

  Ally rolled her eyes, sighed, and moved herself off my shoulder. I smiled at her, but I instantly also felt a pang of regret at the loss of her closeness to my body.

  I waved at the guy behind the bar and asked him for the pizza, onion rings, and fries from their limited menu. The Caley Bar was all about the many different varieties of whiskey that Scotland had to offer, not the bar snacks.

  “Okay, so food is ordered, now let’s drink!” She grinned at me again, pushing a shot glass in my direction. I downed the shot in one and let the tequila burn me as it sank into my stomach, reminding myself I made a deal, and gentlemen did not take advantage of the drunk girl they picked up at the bar.

  She downed her own shot and looked at me. I knew that look on her face. I had seen it in women’s eyes endless times, right after I told them I wouldn’t be seeing them again. Vinny Richards didn’t double dip, not when there was so much other pussy in the world still undiscovered.

  “Do you know what he called me?” she said as she started poking her finger into my bicep to punctuate her sentence. “He said I had a brass pussy, and why did he need that when she was some platinum pussy!” Her finger kept poking, and my arm tensed, but that had more to do with the fist I wanted to ram down Devon Montgomery’s throat than the ‘assault’ from my lovely bandmate.

  “He’s a wanker, Allycat,” I replied. “Don’t give him a second thought. He’s not worth it!”

  “Do you think I have a brass pussy?” she asked, her eyes turning suddenly softer, pleading for me to confirm or deny her worst fears, that she wasn’t enough. Damn. She was gorgeous, and her pussy was solid gold as far as I was concerned, and I hadn’t even sampled it yet.

  Yet?

  “I think his head is made of brass and echoes from being empty for cheating on a beautiful woman like you,” I replied honestly.

  She smiled and her head hit my shoulder again. “Aww, Vinny. You’re the best!” she slurred, wrapping her arms around my arm, hugging it, probably to keep herself upright more than anything, but for the briefest of moments, I revelled in her attention. I patted my large hand over her smaller ones and gave in to a moment of temptation, kissing the top of her head.

  Doe eyes looked up at me when I did, and I felt that pull towards her. I looked at her lips, plump and begging to be kissed; all I needed to do was lean forward, but I was saved by the food arriving. The barman set the pizza and other delights out and I was forced to look away. Shitting hell.

  We ate, and she seemed to sober up a little as the food started to soak up the bellyful of alcohol she’d had. She would still probably have a killer headache in the morning. But at least it wouldn’t be as bad as it could have been.

  “You have a bit of ketchup on your face,” she said, waggling her finger vaguely in my direction.

  I wiped my hand down my cheek. “Did I get it?”

  “No.” She laughed. “It’s still there.” She waggled her finger at my face again.

  I wiped over my chin. “Better now?”

  She sighed and lifted her hand to my face. Her fingertip traced over my bottom lip. Without thinking, I grabbed her wrist, stuck her ketchup-covered finger in my mouth, and licked it clean. Big mistake, Vinny. My cock stirred in my jeans, and all I could think about was her and the things I wanted to do to her in a much more intimate setting.

  She saw that look in my eyes and blushed, pulled her finger from between my lips, and excused herself, stumbling as she got off her stool, and headed straight for the ladies’ restroom.

  When she appeared about fifteen minutes later, her face was flushed, and she looked a bit pissed off. “You okay?” I asked.

  “Tim phoned. That wanker was still in my house, strutting around in his underpants. He had to call the police, and that fucking moron punched him!”

  “He smacked your brother?” I clarified.

  “That motherfucker sucker punched my brother when the cops came!”

  “Tell me he was arrested!”

  “Oh, yes! Arrested and taken the fuck out of my house!” Ally grinned. “It’s your round, Vinny. This needs a celebration!”

  I smirked, called o
ver the barman, and ordered more whiskey.

  Three whiskeys later, both Ally and I were feeling the effects of the alcohol, food or no food.

  “I think we need another!” Ally announced.

  “I think we need to go to bed.”

  “Yours or mine?” She grinned at me.

  “Oh, you tempting little minx!” I grinned back. “You in yours and me in mine. Before I get too pissed to fight you off.”

  She looked at me with almost hurt. “You would fight me off?” she asked, rejection in her eyes, and a pained look on her face.

  “You’re our drummer. Gorgeous and fuckable or not, I would have to,” I answered candidly.

  “You think I’m gorgeous and fuckable?” she asked in surprise.

  Too late, I realised my mistake. Fuck it, she needed to know. It wouldn’t do any harm to give her confidence a boost after everything Devon had told her.

  “You are the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. Don’t ever forget that, no matter what your asshole ex has said.” I smiled at her. She sat back against the back of her stool and grinned, letting everything I said wash over her. “Now, come on. We have an early rehearsal in the morning, and I have a feeling it’s not going to be fun on the amount of booze we’ve had.”

  I hopped off my stool, wobbled for a moment, and when I was sure the room was a little steadier, I held out my arm to her. “May I escort you to your room, m’lady?” I asked.

  She giggled, put her arm in mine, and stumbled as her feet dropped to the floor.

  “Lead on, good sir!” She leaned heavily on my arm as we headed for the lift, and she giggled happily to whatever thought she had in her gorgeous head.

  “Have you ever had sex in a lift?” she asked as we were half way to our floor.