by K E Osborn
“Keep playing,” someone yells out.
“Yeah, we want more,” someone else yells out. I laugh as the crowd cheer and start slow clapping for us to continue. I look at Mase and he smiles brightly. It’s always nice to know the audience appreciates our sound.
“Well, thanks so much guys, we’d love to stay and play some more, but that’s all we have time for this evening. Thanks for coming out tonight, though,” I say and they boo again and someone throws their empty glass on stage. It smashes at my feet, I jump backward as shards of broken glass slide along the black stage glistening in the stage lights with the dampness of the liquid it previously held.
“Shit,” I murmur to myself. Then someone else throws a water bottle right at me, but I duck and it flies straight past me and with a loud thud it smacks Cooper in the head. He falls back off his stool and his hi-hat cymbal crashes to the ground with an almighty clang.
“Fucking hell! Coops, you okay?” Jayce calls out as Cooper puts his hand in the air to signal he is, in fact, okay. But as I turn back around to look at the audience they all start to turn on each other and it’s all out madness and chaos. The room fills with echoes of yelling and screaming as barstools are being thrown and people’s fists are connecting with jaws. Women are pulling each other’s hair. I tense up as a man starts to crawl up on the stage, like a scene from the movie The Grudge. His eyebrow is bleeding and he looks completely wasted. I scream as Mason pulls his guitar off over his head and puts it down racing over to me just as the guy grabs my ankle. His hand clenches around my skin and he tightens, his flesh is like fire to my ankle and I scream as he looks up at me smirking. I kick my foot trying to shake him off me as the chaos continues all around us. My heart is racing hard and I’m sweating all over. My chest is tight, and my throat is closing up as my head pounds with every beat of my heart while I kick trying to rid the man from my leg. Mase bends down and punches the guy as Brax reaches up grabbing me off the stage. I squeal as Brax pulls me into his arms. The spark is there, but I’m too scared to take any notice. He cradles me to his chest as the crowd fight against him. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on tight as I bury my head into his chest hiding my face from the crowd. I feel random hands pulling at me, but Brax is moving at a lightning pace and he carries me through the front door. I have no idea what’s happening with Hunter and the others, I just hope they make it through the mob of maniacs as well.
“Hunter, open the bus,” Brax calls out as we rush out the front with people still surrounding us. This is crazy, my heart is going to burst, I’m sure of it.
We come to a stop and Brax’s arms around me tighten as I am pushed against a metal object. I don’t look up, but I know he’s trapping me between him and the object so no one can get to me.
“Fuck off, you fucking lunatics,” I hear Hunter yell and I’m so grateful to hear his voice right now. I wish I knew where Mase and the guys were.
“Brax, get her inside,” Hunter calls out and we start moving again and then we’re heading upstairs and I realise we’re inside the bus. I slowly pull my head from Brax’s chest to see we’re safe and no one has followed us. My breathing is erratic as I cling to him for dear life.
“Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” he asks placing me down on a seat and wiping my hair away from my face and cupping my cheeks.
I swallow hard and shake my head. “No, I’m okay, I think. Are you okay?” I ask and he smirks and nods.
“I’m fine. Just wanted to get you out of there,” he says still caressing my cheeks. I break our gaze and look outside the bus through the window and down to the crowd surrounding it. I notice Hunter and Mase fighting their way through.
“Shit the boys,” I say and move to stand up.
“They’ll be okay, you can’t go back out there Amber. It’s not safe,” he says and my bottom lip trembles as I watch Hunter fend off a few drunken idiots.
“Just go help them, please?” I ask and he smiles and nods.
He stands finally taking his hands away from my face and walks to the bus door. He opens it, the noise from the yelling crowd increases instantly and a couple of idiots fight to get on board. He pushes them away and reaches forward for Hunter grabbing him and yanking him into the bus. My feet move faster than I do as I lunge at Hunter as he rushes down the bus with a ripped shirt and his hair all tussled.
“Jesus, Hunt,” I call out as I reach him. He wraps his arms around me and smothers me with his love completely. I relax slightly in his arms just letting my brother hold me.
“Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” he asks rushing his hands all over me.
“No, I’m fine, I’m more worried about you and the boys,” I say and he shakes his head running his hand through his hair.
“I should go back out there and get Mase,” he says.
I tense up thinking about my best friend out there with those savages.
“Oh God, Hunter. Why are they doing this?” I ask and he shakes his head.
“Because they’re shitfaced drunk. This is insane,” he says and I look toward the door as Brax pushes Mase up the stairs. I rush forward as he shakes his head rubbing his shoulder.
“Mase, are you okay?” I ask grabbing him forcefully and hugging him tightly. He wraps his arms around me and nuzzles into my hair.
“I’m fine, sweet pea, just a sore shoulder from being pulled around. This crowd is wacky ridiculous. Brax is getting the guys,” he advises then kisses my hair and leans back looking over me. “You all good?” I nod and pull him back to me for another hug. I don’t know what I would have done if he’d gotten hurt.
Jayce and Cooper come running onto the bus laughing and cheering with their shirts ripped. Jayce has a bleeding lip and they both have messed hair.
“Jesus Christ Jayce, are you okay?” I inquire letting go of Mase and rushing to him as Brax comes in and closes the door behind him with a loud thud.
“I’m great, that’s the best fun I’ve had in ages,” he responds and I furrow my brows at him.
“Dude, your lip is bleeding? How is that fun?”
He laughs. “Don’t know, just this bouncing around in the crowd and stuff it’s so awesome,” he retorts and we all shake our heads. He might be the youngest of us at the age of twenty, but I seriously think he has a screw loose in his head sometimes.
“You’re weird,” I say and Cooper slaps him on the back of his head as the crowd all gather around our bus. I tense up and grab hold of Brax as he steps up next to me.
“Hunter, I think we better get out of here,” Brax states and I nod emphatically.
“I agree, let’s go.” Hunter nods and walks down the aisle and through to the driving area.
We all look out the tinted windows to the crowd banging on the side of the bus and yelling. Brax wraps his arm around my shoulders for comfort, and I cuddle into his side as we start to slowly drive off leaving our instruments and our pay cheque behind. We don’t need the money that badly. Hunter and I were left a hefty sum when Mum died, and the other boys all come from wealthy backgrounds too, but I guess that’s not the point. We worked for that money tonight, but it’s not worth being trampled for. As for the guys instruments, they’re their prized possessions and I have no idea what state they’ll be in when we come back to pick them up, probably tomorrow morning.
Brax pulls me to sit down in the nearest seat as everyone settles down from the craziness. He’s still looking over me to make sure I’m okay and his hands are running up my arms checking for marks as we drive off. His hands moving all over me is making my heart race even harder, and I’m not sure I can stop it from exploding if he doesn’t stop touching me soon. So I slap his hands away from me feeling overly agitated by this whole situation.
“Will you stop touching me,” I demand. His hands moving over me, caressing me like that is very distracting.
He pulls his hands off me and sits back in the chair. “Of course, sorry, just making sure they didn’t harm you.”
I scoff annoyed a
t this whole situation. “Didn’t harm me? Didn’t harm me? That’s an understatement. Those freaks are savages. I could’ve had a glass thrown at my head. I have a twelve-month-old to think about, I can’t be getting mauled by apocalyptic zombies,” I chide and he nods and sits back in his seat and huffs.
“Why do you think I got you out of there?” he asks and I furrow my brows.
“What are you expecting…a thank you?” I ask and his lips crease in the corner into a crooked smile.
“That would’ve been nice, yes,” he says agitating me even further.
“It’s your fucking job, Hicks. You did what you were meant to do.”
He frowns and shakes his head. “You’re welcome. And why the hell are you calling me, Hicks?” he asks sarcastically folding his arms over his chest as Cooper and Jayce look at the standoff between Brax and me while Mason is grinning widely.
“Because you’re a pain in my side that keeps cramping my style for no real reason at all,” I say and he furrows his brows.
“What does that even mean?” he asks.
“Braxton Hicks, fake labour pains, that’s what you are. A fake pain in my side that’s really annoying. That’s why I called you Hicks. It’s a good nickname, I think it will stick,” I say and Brax shakes his head and scoffs.
“You’re just a spoiled little—”
“Stop behaving like children and let’s get the fuck out of here,” Hunter interrupts from the front.
I slide into the soft plushness of the seat annoyed at the audacity that Brax thinks I should thank him, like some knight in shining armor who rode in on his white steed and rescued me. He was there doing a paid job, and if he wants a thank you every time he protects me then he has another think coming. I’m overly angry and I’m not really sure why I’m taking it out on Brax. I guess because he’s the one closest to me. I’m frustrated, and I was scared, not only for myself but for these guys around me, and now my emotions are all over the place.
I lean back into the seat and huff folding my arms over my chest in annoyance all the way back like a spoiled brat. When we arrive at the hotel, we head back to my room. As I go to walk through the door, Brax tries to walk through at the same time and we get stuck shoulder to shoulder in the doorway. I groan as my body reacts to him in a multitude of ways. My skin prickles in goose bumps and my heart races, but my brain fires off in angry annoyance that he’s so close to me yet again and taking up my space. Brax takes a step back breaking our contact to let me through, and I can’t help myself as I turn around in my overzealous anger and point right in his face.
“You’re always so damned close to me, every step I take you’re one step behind. I couldn’t even go out for fresh air tonight without you stalking me. You’re invading my space,” I yell at him and he rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
“Amber, that’s my job! And if you remember, not only a few minutes ago, if I weren't in your space I couldn’t have taken you off the stage and onto the bus away from the ridiculous crowd tonight. You seemed pretty happy for me to be there when you were clinging onto me for dear life,” he says and I scoff and place my hands on my hips.
“Well, excuse me for being caught in the moment. I was scared, so yes I was grateful for you being there, but I don’t need you crawling up my arsehole while I’m walking into my bedroom, thank you very much.”
He exhales and rubs the back of his neck. “I’m just doing what your brother pays me for Amber, I’m here to protect you at all times.”
I throw my hands in the air and turn around exasperated. “God you’re such a fucking—”
“Will you keep your voices down please, you’ll wake Charli,” Clara interrupts rushing out and standing with her hand on her hip and her posture tilted to the side.
I look at Brax and huff, even though the electricity is there and sizzling. Just looking into his eyes right now is making me want to jump on him and kiss him. I’m too angry, so I ignore my racing heart, the quick pace of my breath, and the goose bumps on my skin. I ignore the butterflies in my tummy from looking at his gorgeous face, and the urge to reach out and touch him. I definitely ignore the urge to lean in and press my lips to his, because everything in me is telling me that that is what I want to do. But I break my gaze from his luminous green eyes and turn walking into my bedroom and leaving him behind without saying another word.
I look back over my shoulder when I get to the bed to see Brax walking out of my room obviously heading for his. I can’t help but think to myself that I’m overreacting with Brax and it’s probably in compensation for my attraction to him. I don’t want anyone to know that I’m captivated by him, so in my weird twisted way I act uppity to put them all off the trail. I just don’t know if I’m fooling myself along with everyone else. I shake my head as Clara closes the door, it clicks with a thump like the pace of my heart and I notice Hunter watching me watch Brax.
“Why are you so angry?” Hunter asks and I flop down onto the mattress and sink into the plushness wishing it would swallow me whole.
“He’s invading my personal bubble, you know I hate that,” I say.
“He has to do that to keep you safe Amber. If Brax wasn’t there after the show who knows what injuries you could have copped tonight. We need him around Amber, we need you safe for the sake of Charli. And I can’t lose you. I can’t lose the only family I have left, okay? So I know you hate him being around and it’s an adjustment, but please just try and adjust quickly because he isn’t going anywhere,” Hunter says.
I purse my lips and close my eyes resting my forearm over my eyes. “Okay fine, but I’m going to whine and complain about it the whole time,” I tease knowing I really don’t mind him being around me at all.
Hunter laughs and I smile. “As long as he’s by your side as you’re complaining, I don’t care.”
Rolling onto my side facing him, he sits on the two-seater, white lounge suite.
“Do you think Mum would be proud of us? Like, I know she would hate that I had a one night stand and got knocked up, but do you think she’d be happy that I had Charli?” I ask and Hunter furrows his brows and stands up walking over to my bed, the mattress shifts slightly as he sits.
“Amber, Mum would be so proud of the mother you’ve become. You’re just like she was. So loving and caring. She’d be proud, Amber. I’m proud too.”
My eyes mist up a little. “I miss her, I wish Charli could have met her,” I say and the tears in my eyes build up and start to fall down my cheek.
Hunter half smiles and wipes away my tears. “I know, but she’s watching us every day. Try not to dwell on it, I don’t want you having a panic attack.” Hunter caresses my shoulder. “I love you, little lamb.”
“Love you too, piglet,” I say as we use the nicknames our mum gave us when we went to a petting zoo when we were little. I was infatuated with the baby lamb and Hunter was captivated by the piglets, so our nicknames stuck and when we’re feeling particularly vulnerable we call each other by our nicknames.
“Get some sleep, tomorrow is a new day,” Hunter says. I nod as he stands up and walks out the door to go to his room.
“I’ll leave you to get some rest, have a good sleep. And Amber?” Clara says.
“Yeah?”
“Cut the new guy some slack. He’s just looking out for you. Stop fighting what you’re feeling too that will make things easier.”
I exhale and nod. “Thanks for watching, Charli.”
She smiles and blows me a kiss and when I hear the gentle click of my door closing, I’m left alone with my thoughts of Brax being so good for me it’s bad, and memories of my mother making me miserable. Mix that all with the emotions of what happened at the gig, and it’s going to be a very long night.
After a restless sleep, I’m back on the tour bus and we’re all headed back to the pub to collect our instruments, and hopefully our pay cheque. Brax is still by me, but his distance has backed off some and he hasn’t said a word to me yet. Not even good morning and I’m a
little taken aback. I’m not sure how to feel around Brax. He’s off limits I know that, so why is everything inside of me screaming for me to jump him?
I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, and he’s not even looking at me as Mase and Cooper talk about how they expect our stuff to be trashed. I exhale as we pull up at the pub and Hunter parks the bus, it groans and hisses as it stops.
“They better not have trashed my guitar, it was the first one I ever owned,” Mase says as we stand up and exit the bus. The pub’s much quieter but my stomach is in knots just being here again. Remembering what it was like last night, is no fun at all.
“C’mon let’s get our stuff, get our money and get the fuck out of here,” Hunter says and I nod as we all walk through the tattered front door.
The barman looks across at us as we enter and our gear is still up on the stage from last night, but it certainly doesn’t look in good condition. I chew on my bottom lip as Mase groans and Cooper moves quickly to the stage to assess the damage.
Hunter walks up to the bar searching for the owner, while the rest of us make our way to the stage. There're only a couple of people around just casually eating lunch, it’s nothing like the crazy kerfuffle that was last night.
“Oh man, my bass is wrecked,” Jayce says as he steps up on stage to see all the strings on his bass are snapped.
I wince and look over to the bass drum skin to see a giant hole, where it looks like someone has kicked right through it. “Coops your bass drum’s not doing too good,” I say and he runs his hands through his hair and just stands looking at his drum kit with practically every skin broken.
I turn and look at Mase and he’s sitting on the edge of the stage holding his guitar and it’s in two pieces, snapped at the neck like a lifeless rag doll. Gasping I race over to him and sit down by his side. I wrap my arm around his shoulders as he looks down at the broken guitar in horror. “It was my first guitar, Amber, it’s irreplaceable.”
I swallow hard and tighten my grip on his shoulders. “I know, I’m so sorry, Mase,” I reply not knowing what else to say. I look up to see Brax watching me with Mase, and I can’t help but think I see jealousy spark in his eyes. His brows are furrowed and he’s gnawing on his bottom lip and his fists are slightly clenched. When he spots me watching, he quickly looks away. My insides jump slightly at the thought of Brax jealous over Mase and me.
