by Rachel Ryan
From up on the stage, tonight’s crowd looks bigger than the last one. The floor is full of bodies between the stage and the bar, but the person I really want to see isn’t here. I guess after the last show she decided to give this one a miss. That’s probably a good thing. I don’t want to see her standing there watching Brody with so much adoration on her face anyway. I want her to be staring at me that way. The way she used to.
Halfway through the show we have a break and I make my way through the crowd of drunk, groping women and stop at the bar. After tossing back another few shots of Vodka I push through the crowd and back onto the stage again. As the band starts the intro for the next song, my song, the one that Ava rightfully thinks I wrote about her, I introduce the song to the crowd.
“Ladies and Assholes, this next song is one that is straight from my heart. It’s about being betrayed by the people you are close to. The people you call your family.” Glaring over at Brody I continue. “The people who swore they would always have your back, but as soon as a sexy little pussy comes on the scene, none of that fucking matters. Isn’t that right, Coops?”
Grinning I wait for Brody’s reaction.
Brody
I can’t believe he would go that low. Well, maybe I can. The blood coursing through my veins is hot and I’m holding back the rage that wants to escape. I expect the anger and cruel words towards me, but for him to talk about Ava that way in front of all these people, that’s what is stirring up the anger inside of me. I really need to get off this stage before I do something that I know I will regret.
As I lift the guitar strap over my head, Hunter stops spinning his stick around his fingers and watches me as I unplug my guitar.
“What the fuck are you doing, Brody?”
“That’s it. I’m done. I need to get the fuck out of here before I break my bass over his head.”
When Jeremy turns and notices the commotion I hear him laugh into the microphone.
“What’s wrong, Bro? Can’t handle hearing the truth?”
Ignoring him I mumble a sorry to Hunter and Luke as I place my guitar in the case and climb down off the stage.
Weaving through the crowd of shocked faces I leave the bar and strap my guitar case on my back before climbing onto my bike, starting it up and tearing off into the night.
A little while later, I find myself standing outside of Ava’s apartment. I’m thankful she had work to do and wasn’t able to come to tonight’s show. She throws open the door with a confused look on her face.
“Brody? What are you doing here? Is the show over already?”
Walking in I pull her into my arms and bury my nose into her long wavy hair, breathing in her delicious scent.
“I walked off the stage.”
She pushes me back as she tries to look into my eyes.
“What do you mean you walked off the stage? Why?”
Shaking my head, I walk past her into her living room and place my guitar case on the floor.
“Jeremy started talking shit when we were about to play his new song. I just couldn’t stand there and listen to it anymore”
Falling down onto the couch, I rub my hands over my face trying to relieve the ache in my forehead; obviously stress related.
Ava sits down beside me and takes my hand in hers.
“Brody, this has to stop. You can’t let him get to you like that. You can’t let the band fall apart over me. Maybe I should have just stayed in Australia. If I hadn’t come into your life, you guys could be the next big thing. I really hate that I have done this to you and Jeremy.”
Looking over at her I see a lone tear rolling down her cheek. Leaning in I kiss her gently and wipe her tear away.
“Ava, we were meant to meet in that elevator. You were meant to be in my life. You were made for me. Everyone can see that, but Jeremy. He’s too hung up on not getting his own way for once. The whole time we’ve been friends it’s always been the same. If he wants something he gets it, it’s who he is. For the first time in his life he can’t have what he wants and he thinks I’m to blame. In a way I think that’s what his whole attraction to you is. Of course, I believe that he wants you for the same reasons I want you; your mind, your compassion, your beauty and your soul, but he wants you more because he knows he can’t have you.”
She nods her head once and looks down at our clasped hands.
“I understand that, but he is your friend, your brother. You two have been friends for so long and I hate that I have destroyed that bond.”
“Ava, you haven’t destroyed anything, he’s doing that on his own. All we can do is hope that he will come to his senses soon.”
The next day Travis calls me and is pissed off. He threatens legal action for breach of contract and I just apologize and promise that I’ll be at the next show. I have no idea when that will be, but I really have no intentions to be part of the band again until Jeremy wakes up to himself and stops acting like a tool.
Just after I end the call with Travis I get another call. Looking down at my phone I see it’s an unknown number. I’m curious as I accept the call.
Holding the phone up to my ear I say “Hello?”
“Brody?”
The voice is one that I haven’t heard for a long time, but it’s not one that I will forget anytime soon.
“How did you get this number?”
She laughs nervously. “Oh that nice manager of yours gave it to me. It took me a few calls to get it out of him, but in the end, he gave it to me and said that maybe I could talk some sense into you. I don’t know what he meant by that, though.”
“So, what do you want? Why are you calling me?”
“Brody, I realize that I’ve made so many mistakes when it comes to you, but I’m hoping that we can meet up. I miss you. I want to see you.”
I can’t believe the nerve, does she think I will just forget about all the shit and forgive her?
“No. I’m sorry, I can’t”
Ending the call I tuck my phone into my pocket and grab a beer out of the fridge. What the fuck just happened? Why would Travis give her my number? He knows I don’t want to have anything to do with those people. And why the fuck would she just be calling me out of the blue? I try to forget about her as I sip on my beer.
Pulling my phone back out of my pocket, I scroll through and find Ava’s work number.
When she picks up the sound of her voice calms me.
“Hey, Baby.”
“Brody, what’s wrong?”
“I just had a really strange phone call. I just needed to talk to you about it.”
“Who was it?”
“Ava, it was my Mother.”
Ava
“Your mother? Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“What did she want?”
“She wanted to meet up with me. But that’s not going to happen.”
“Wait, I thought you didn’t talk to her anymore?”
“I haven’t in about five or six years.”
“So how did she get your number?”
I hear Brody sigh, he sounds really off. This phone call has thrown him off a lot more than he is admitting I think.
“Travis.”
“What? He can’t do that Brody. He should not be giving out your personal phone number at all. What if it wasn’t your mum but some crazy stalker?”
I lower my voice; I’m still at work and I don’t need everybody else overhearing this conversation. Jen found out about my relationship with Brody and wants to do an article about Brody finding love. I’m trying to hold her off for a while until the whole thing with Jeremy dies down. I won’t let her find out about Brody’s past, I won’t allow that to become public knowledge. Brody’s voice brings me out of my thoughts.
“I’m going to deal with that when I get off the phone to you.”
“So are you going to meet up with her?”
“No way, Ava. She was a shit mother then and I bet nothing has changed.”
“So you�
�re not going to give her a chance? What if she has changed?”
“She is a junkie, Ava; I came home every day after school to find them either high or passed out drunk. There was never any food in the house. I had to get a job to pay the bills and buy food because they wouldn’t. I dropped out of school to become a mechanic because their money went on their crack.”
“Babe.”
“No Ava. Sammy died because of them. I will never forgive them.”
“Brody, I never asked you to. Look I finish work in an hour, come around to my place and I’ll cook you something for dinner and we can talk about it there. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Brody hangs up and I sigh, I wonder what she wants. You don’t just show up out of the blue for no particular reason. I wonder if Brody being in the public eye now has anything to do with it or if she really has changed for the better.
Brody
As I walk into Travis’ office he looks a little surprised to see me. He’s on the phone but as soon as he sees my face, he ends the call. He must sense that I’m not happy.
“Brody, what are you doing here? Did we have a meeting scheduled? Have a seat.”
I ignore his offer and remain standing just inside the door. My hands are clenched into fists and I take a deep breath trying to keep my composure.
“I just want to know, Travis, what makes you think you have the right to give out my personal number?”
His eyes widen and he suddenly starts to fidget, brushing his hair off of his forehead and then straightening items on his desk.
“She has called me five times over the last two weeks and I finally gave in. I really think you should talk to her. Hear what she has to say.”
“Travis, I don’t care what she has to say. That woman has never been a mother to me, why should I let her try to start now?”
Travis shrugs.
My voice rises as I try to contain my anger. “You had no right to give her my number.”
“Sometimes people make mistakes. Sometimes they deserve a second chance.”
Travis knows a little about what happened with my parents and my brother, but he doesn’t know all of the details.
“These people don’t deserve a second chance. They let my baby brother die in his bed while they were busy shooting up in the next room. People like that don’t deserve a second chance. People like that deserve to rot in fucking hell.”
“I’m sorry, Brody. I didn’t know that. I knew you had some troubles with them when you were younger so you no longer communicate with them but it’s been years, you should give them a chance…”
I can’t hold in the anger anymore, I walk forward to his desk and slam my hand down on top of it.
“They killed my fucking brother! I can’t just get over that.”
I don’t even wait for a response from Travis; I turn around and storm out of his office slamming the door behind me.
As I head toward Ava’s apartment on my bike, I feel the anger starting to dissipate, but I am still tense. When I arrive she opens the door and wraps her arms around me. I lift her in my arms and carry her to her bedroom. The build-up of tension inside my body needs to be released and at the moment this is the most enjoyable and effective way I can think of. I place her on her feet in front of me and fumble with the buttons on her work blouse. Giving up, I just rip the blouse from her body, sending buttons flying across the room. She grins at me as she wraps one hand around the back of my neck and pulls my mouth to hers. She tastes so good; like chocolate. As I drag my mouth away from hers and glance down at the lacy pink bra covering her gorgeous breasts, my dick stirs. Pulling the cups down, I lean down and kiss one of her taut, rosy nipples as my other hand releases the zipper on the side of her black skirt, causing it to pool around her feet. She is wearing pink panties that match the bra. They are lacy and see through revealing a small strip of hair.
“Fuck you turn me on, Ava.”
She moans and I run my lips over her breast and up her neck, capturing her lips in mine. The kiss is rough, desperate; full of passion and need. As our tongues tumble together she lifts my shirt over my head and runs her fingernails down my back. I shiver as I reach behind her and unclasp her bra. I cup her generous breasts in my hands and they are soft and heavy. Perfection. Spinning her around in my arms I pull her panties down roughly. She steps out of them and they get caught on the heel of her black stilettos. She bends down to remove her shoes but I stop her.
“Leave them on, Ava.”
She sighs as I place a kiss on the side of her neck, sucking on the sensitive area just above her collar bone. She trembles in my arms and I place one hand around her waist and the other on her upper back, gently pushing her down so that she is bent at the waist and resting her hands on the bed. Stepping back I glance down at her tight, round, firm butt as I drop my jeans to the floor and toss them aside. Ava glances back at me with so much desire, I can’t wait any longer; I need to be deep inside of her.
Grasping one of her hips I use my other hand to rub my cock over her opening. She throws her head back in pleasure and moans. Thrusting hard I go as deep as I can and stay there for a few seconds. I love the feeling of her tight muscles around me; clenching. She feels so fucking good. Slowly, I pull out and then thrust back in hard and quick. I do this for a few minutes and she is pushing back into me trying to take me deeper, turning me on even more. Taking both of her hips in my hands I pull her to me as I build up speed, thrusting harder and deeper. She is moaning in pleasure and I feel my release getting closer.
Reaching around her I rub her swollen clit and this sends her over the edge. She is panting and calling my name as she comes, her muscles gripping me even tighter. I follow straight after her and the waves of pleasure take over my whole body, making me weak in the knees. We fall onto the bed and I wrap her in my arms as I place soft kisses all over her back.
When her breathing slows she turns and kisses me.
“Brody, that was so fucking hot.”
Chuckling I shift so that she is underneath me and I kiss her softly as I brush the strands of hair from her face.
“You’re so fucking hot. I mean it, Ava. The things you do to me; the way you make me feel. Sometimes I can’t believe you’re actually mine.”
She pulls me down to her and whispers.
“Are you ready for round two?”
Reaching over to the nightstand, I check the time on my phone and see it’s almost two in the morning. Ava has been sleeping peacefully beside me for the last two hours, but my mind just can’t relax. I’ve been trying to think of a reason why my mother would possibly be trying to get in touch with me now. It’s been years, almost eleven years since Sammy died and almost six years since I had last seen my parents. I was fifteen when Sammy died and as soon as I turned eighteen, I got the fuck out of that house.
I was twelve when my parents started taking drugs. My father had worked in Sales and Marketing for Jeremy’s father’s music company. He and my mother started hanging out with some guy that my Dad met through work and they would stay out until all hours of the night leaving me at home on my own. I later found out that he was their supplier. I didn’t mind being alone. But then they started throwing wild parties in our house, I would lock myself in my room trying to drown out the noise by playing my guitar. I met Jeremy when I was thirteen and we hit it off straight away. We had a lot in common, especially our passion for music. After Sammy died, Jeremy introduced me to Luke and Hunter and we started on getting our band together. It was a good distraction for me and it meant that I spent a lot of time at Jeremy’s house. Jeremy’s parents were okay with me staying at their place almost every night as they knew what was happening at home. Once my Dad started on the heavy drugs, he stopped turning up to work and Jeremy’s Dad fired him. When I was seventeen I found a job as a mechanic with a guy that had been friends with my parents and as soon as I turned eighteen I found a place to live so I didn’t have to live with my parents anymore. I doubt they woul
d have noticed I was gone anyway. All I took was my guitar and some clothes and didn’t even bother saying goodbye. As far as I was concerned they were dead to me.
Ava stirs in my arms and I nuzzle my nose into her hair, inhaling her sweet smell. I’m so grateful for her. Even though we’ve only known each other a short time, she has become so important to me. My life has meaning now that she is in it. I silently make a promise to myself to always make her happy and keep her safe, no matter what.
Chapter 5
Jeremy
Staring down at my phone, my thumb hovers over the send button. I haven’t seen or spoken to Jo since the dinner at Brody’s, and I’m sure she’s still pissed at me, but I feel like I need to make things right between us. She may very well ignore this text asking her to meet up with me, but I need to try to reach out to her and apologize.
I send the message and wait nervously for a reply. Two nervous minutes later my phone beeps. Opening the message, I see one word - ‘okay’. I text back the name of a small bar down the road from Brody’s and tell her to meet me there in an hour.
I’m sitting at the bar when I see her walk through the door. She spots me instantly, walks over and sits on the stool beside me. The bartender glances up at her and she orders a drink. I watch her, waiting for her to look at me. The bartender places her drink on the bar in front of her and she takes a big gulp before putting it back down and turning to face me. She doesn’t say a word, she just stares at me blankly and I know she is waiting for me to say something.
“Jo, I’m sorry I acted like an ass and I’m sorry I took my anger out on you. There are no excuses for the way I treated you, it was just really hard watching them together that night.”
