“Shit Jay! That was amazing! Just fuckin’ amazing! Whose song is that? I don’t know it but I want it for Storm Front. Fuck we could do a shit hot version of it with you and Trace on vocals. Who wrote it? Where can we get the rights to perform and record it? Come on woman talk to me!” He didn’t stop talking until Jay laughingly put her hand over his mouth to shut him up.
“That’s one of my own and if you guys ask me nicely I might just let you record it.” She teased as she shifted on the piano bench to face him.
“You wrote that?” RJ stepped back and sank down in one of the big chairs and just stared at her.
“Yeah, I wrote it a few years ago.” She looked down at Tag before she continued. “I wrote it for a special man in my life that I lost a long time ago.”
“Hell sorry man, but it’s a great song though. So what else have you written?” He shifted to get comfortable and waved her back to the piano. “Play something that you’ve written recently. I’m just going to sit here quietly and listen.”
Jay grinned. “When have you ever been able to sit quietly?” She teased as she turned back to run her fingers over the keys.
A haunting melody filled the lounge and RJ watched her disappear into the music, apparently the song had no lyrics because she wasn’t singing. Hell there wasn’t a problem with the lyrics because he could almost see them scrolling through his head. There was a pad and pen on top of the piano and he rose leant against the piano and started writing while she played. It was only when he glanced up to run the words silently through his mind and staring at Tank in the corner of the lounge that he had an idea. Putting his hand on Jay’s he stopped her playing.
“I need my guitar. If you don’t mind I’ve got an idea I want to run by you.”
“I’m okay with it RJ, actually I’ve been telling myself that I need another muso to listen to some of what I’ve written to give me an opinion. Go get your guitar I’ll be here when you get back.” Jay grinned as he shot past and virtually ran out the door.
RJ couldn’t remember when last he had been this revved about a song. Their album kicked ass and he was proud of the work they had done but this was different, it was quieter more soul than hard rock but just as powerful. Coming out of his room with his guitar case in his hand and a pad and pen clasped under his arm he ran into Givens saying goodbye to his fan girl, he waited until she was in the lift and gone before he said anything.
“Jay and I are working in the small lounge on some of her songs. She’s a fuckin’ amazing singer and composer Giv! Get your shit and come join us, I guarantee you won’t regret it.”
“We’re doing it acoustic?”
“Yeah, piano and acoustic guitars for now.”
“Sweet, give me five to shower and I’ll be there.”
RJ didn’t wait around but made his way back down. She was playing something else, something more hard core and he grinned. Fuck this was going to be so great!
The three of them were jamming one of Storm Front’s songs when Trace wandered in and sank down in a chair. Tank nodded at him and Tag just lifted and eyebrow where he lay on the floor as he quietly slid down in the chair and listened. But that didn’t last long, he shot upright as Jay started to sing. Holy Fuck! The woman could sing the shit out of a song! He couldn’t help himself and started to harmonise with her and the three just grinned at him and continued playing. As the song came to an end he clapped with a wide grin.
“That was shit hot! Fuck babe! Why didn’t you tell us you sing like a fuckin’ angel?” Trace was so excited the swear words were just tripping off his tongue.
“That was nothing brother, you should hear the shit she’s been writing, its fuckin’ great!” Givens gushed like a bloody girl.
“He’s not lying Trace. This woman is so freaking talented it’s not even funny.” RJ grinned at Jay’s grimace. “Let’s play the song we’ve been working on so he can hear what we’ve been doing.” RJ leant over and passed the pad to Trace. “I’ve written some lyrics down, we’ll play it through once to give you an idea as to the melody. You come in once you’re sure you’ve got it.”
Excitement ran through him as he listened, he just knew they had to play this song, he had to sing it. As they started again Trace started singing, belting the lyrics out and making notations as he sang, he almost stopped singing as Jay fell in and sang with him. They each took a verse then sang the chorus together. It was fucking magic! There was deathly quiet once they finished and then there was clapping and whistling! Only then did they realise that the lounge had silently been filling up with some of the crew and that Jimmy had joined them at some stage.
RJ grinned at all of them. “Aren’t you happy I couldn’t sleep tonight guys? If I had gone the way of Giv and Jimmy we wouldn’t be here now having a music orgasm that I’m classing as a force ten for fuckin’ certain!”
“Holy shit that was great!” Jimmy laughed. “I was on my way back up when I heard you guys. You have to wait for me to get my guitar. I have to play.” With that he raced out of the lounge.
Jay grinned as Trace plonked himself down next to her on the piano bench flung his arm around her and kissed her temple.
“Girl we are going to write the greatest album ever together.”
Jay’s eyes opened wide with shock. “What?”
“Babe if you think I’m going to let you walk away with this you are fuckin' crazy. I’ve been paging through what you have been working on and I want in. I want in so badly I can taste it on my tongue.” He grinned at her raised eyebrows. “Okay I admit it sounds like sex talk but music is like that to me, sexual.”
He paged to a song Jay had written about Diego and she cringed, it was a sort of love song but more a song about wanting to walk away but being unable to do it.
“I want to sing this. It’s soft but strong, a ballad but not a ballad. Let’s do it next.”
RJ took the pad and hummed the melody with Giv looking over his shoulder. Giv stood back and picked out a bass line as RJ hummed the melody. They were joined by Jimmy and pretty soon they knew what they wanted to do. RJ set his phone to record and put it on top of the pad in the centre of the piano. They all stood around Jay and she counted them in. Trace sat next to her and as they got to the chorus he nodded to Jay and she added her voice to his.
Watching you walk away
I waste my time
Wishing and wanting
Falling for you again
Every time you smile
My heart breaks wide open
I waste my time
Wishing and wanting
Falling for you again
At some stage Tag had moved from the floor to a chair and Jay-Jay grinned at him as they played. He grinned back at her and as she turned to the guys he quickly texted.
Get your ass down to the small lounge.
He relaxed back in his chair and waited. It was about fuckin’ time Delgado heard what he had been throwing away because of his stupid sense of honour. Tag knew for a fact that Val would have approved, he would have wanted Jay-Jay to move on with her life and if it included Diego that would be okay. He gave a small smile as Diego quietly sat down next to him. The shock on his face was priceless!
“Is this their new stuff they’re trying out?” Diego asked softly.
“No it’s Jay-Jay’s stuff.” Tag whispered back.
“Jade wrote this?”
“Yeah, she’s been battling with insomnia for the last couple of weeks and when she can’t sleep she works on this stuff.” Tag murmured as the song came to an end.
Diego watched as RJ bent over and kissed Jade on the cheek and rage lit inside his chest like an inferno. It took everything to not show his ravening jealousy by punching the fucker out. He breathed in nice an easy forcing himself to calm and listen to what they were saying.
“You’ve written a lot of music but not lyrics so much. Why’s that?” Jimmy leant against the piano his guitar swung around onto his back.
“I don’t have a spec
ific formula or anything for writing I just feel it and then I write whichever comes to me first.”
“I want to play ‘Wishing and Wanting’ again but this time we rock it hard.” Trace stood and prowled around the piano. “Fuck I wish we were in the studio back home with all our shit around us!”
“Why don’t you ask the resident band if you can use their stuff in the pub downstairs?” Steve their crew boss threw out from the back. “They sure as fuck won’t complain.”
“I’m on it!” Jimmy grinned and raced out of the lounge.
“Where the hell is he going to find them at this time of the morning?” Jade shook her head at the madness that had erupted around her.
“He’s most probably convincing the night manager to give them a call. Jimmy is very convincing when he wants something. Let’s go through one of the other songs while we wait for Jimmy.” Trace growled as he paged through the pad. “We need a fuckin’ folder for this.” He muttered as he ripped the pages off the pad and set them out on top of the piano.
Jade leant over and riffled through the pages he had sorted. “Why don’t we try something more upbeat? RJ and I worked on this one before Giv joined us. It starts of slow but builds up and rocks it.”
As she looked up her eyes met those of Diego and for the first time in weeks she didn’t feel the disappointment and anger that had made her avoid him. Before she could restrain herself she grinned at him and winked, reverting to the person she had been with him before she had seen him with the slut. The relief and flat out heat in his eyes nearly floored her as he grinned and returned the wink. Holy shit but the man was hot! Flustered she glanced back down at the music and tried to ignore the racing of her heart.
“I got it!” Jimmy shouted as he raced into the lounge. “The guys in the band live here at the hotel and they are happy to let us use their equipment. We’ve all got our favourite guitars with us so we can just plug into their system and the drummer is fuckin’ psyched that Jay is going to use his kit. They’re opening the pub for us as we speak. Let’s move people, I want to play!”
There was controlled chaos as the crew disappeared downstairs and the band all raced upstairs to get their gear.
Twenty minutes was all it took for them to get their stuff and congregate on the little stage in the pub. He made sure he walked down with Jade, hoping the smile meant he had a chance to right some wrongs. He suppressed a grin as he saw Jade frown as she moved her ass around to try and get comfortable on the strange drum chair. His girl had been spoiled playing in studios and with Storm Front where her every whim was catered to. This was how he remembered her starting out, playing pubs and clubs and small gigs. The rest of the band didn’t do any better but pretty soon they were ready and as Jade counted them in they fell in seamlessly, playing the song as if they had been doing it since the start of the tour.
As Trace had wanted they belted it out and as they finished Jade shook her head and laughed. “I never thought it would sound like that when I was writing it, but hell I like it!” Trace grinned at her and flipped the pages on the music stand in front of him.
“I’ve got my voice warm now so let’s do ‘Wishing and Wanting’ again but let’s step it up a little, make it more up tempo and less of a ballad.”
“How about this?” Jade tapped out a beat and Diego could see the joy in her eyes as she worked with the guys.
“Great! Count us in and let’s hit it.” Trace unconsciously slipped into the stance he always took on in front of the mic cracking his neck from side to side as Jade counted them in.
The song ripped his guts out. He knew it was about him because his brother had never walked away from this woman, he had chased her relentlessly. Realisation hit him in the solar plexus as if he’d been hit by a sucker punch. This was his woman, had been his for a while and he’d hurt her by fuckin’ around with what ever easy pussy was available. But no more, fuck no! He was claiming her, making her his as soon as fuckin’ possible and RJ and all the other fuckers trying for her can go and fuck themselves!
The song came to an end and Trace turned to Jade with a grin. “We’re going into the studio the minute we walk off stage in San Diego sweet thing. We’re recording this with you and I won’t take no for an answer.”
“Pushy aren’t you?” Jade teased with a grin. “You could ask nicely you know.”
With one of his shit eating grins Trace sank onto his knees in front of the drum kit. “I’m on my knees sweet thing please say you’ll do it. Tell me you’ll record this with us.”
Jade sliced a look his way before she nodded. “Okay fine, I’ll record this one with you but I’m back in the studio with Killing Fields almost immediately after we finish this leg of the tour. We might have some scheduling clashes and if that happens you know I have to honour my commitment to them first.”
“Yeah I know but we’ll work around it.” Trace grumbled.
“Let’s play this one next.” Givens found the one he wanted and handed it to Trace.
“Cool, count us in sweet thing and let’s hit it.” Trace grinned as Jade pulled a face and counted them in.
They played two more songs that Jade and RJ had worked on and even Diego could hear that they made an incredibly dynamic song writing duo. He knew that if he left it they would play until the sun rose. But his girl was tired and she needed to get some sleep.
“Hey guys do you realise that it is now 4.30 in the am and that we have a full day scheduled today?” Diego asked quietly.
“Shit! Really? I lost track of time completely I was having so much fun!” RJ grinned.
“Me too.” Givens and Jimmy said almost at the same time while Trace just glared at him.
Diego grinned and turned to Jade. “Baby you need to get to bed and get some sleep otherwise you’re going to have one hell of a tough time tonight. Let’s get your stuff and I’ll take you upstairs while Tank and Tag help the guys to lock this down.”
He hid a smile as she just nodded and scooted out behind the drums picking up her small stick bag and then reaching for the music on the stand.
“Oh no you don’t! I’m keeping this safe with me. I’m going to get some music sheets tomorrow, actually today, and score it properly then make copies for all of us.” Trace growled as he clasped the papers to his chest.
“Lord but you’re paranoid. Do you think I’ll run off with it?” Jade smirked at him.
“No, but I have a safe in my room where this will live until we can work on it again.” He grumbled.
“You moron, we all have safes in our rooms.” Givens laughed and jumped out of the way as Trace threatened to hit him.
“Guys thank you so much for this, I had a great time. I’m wiped so I’m going to take Diego up on his offer and see you lot later today.” Jade jumped from the small stage and Diego took her small stick bag from her and clasped her hand in his. He waited as she thanked the resident band for the use of their equipment and autographed some t-shirts for them.
“See you later guys.” He called as he drew Jade out of the pub and walked over to the lifts. He kept a hold of her hand as he pushed the button. As they waited he let go of her hand only to curve an arm over her shoulders and drawing her closer to him. She felt so damn good against his side that he was hard pressed not to just pull her hard into him.
He walked them into the lift as it opened dropped his arm from around her and pressed their floor button, standing silently next to her as they rode up. He glanced once at the silently watching eye high up in the corner and then ignored it. He was not going to do anything that would get some asshole’s attention in hotel security who’d then sell the footage to some scummy tabloid. Jade had enough shit on her plate as it was.
When they reached her room he took her key card from her and opened the door, leaving her standing just inside the door he checked the room out before he would let her move into the room completely. He closed and locked it behind her and then turned to face the woman he had loved for a very long time to begin the proces
s of healing the breach he had caused in their relationship and to take them to where he wanted them to be.
“We need to talk baby.” He said softly as he took her hands in his and his heart skipped a beat as he saw the softness and acceptance in her eyes.
“I know, I was going to come to you but now that you’re here it makes it easier.”
Diego shook his head as he drew her towards the bed and sat her down. “You are so tired you can scarcely keep your head up baby. I want you to get into bed and sleep and later today we are going to sit down, just the two of us, and talk.”
Diego slid his hands up her arms into her neck and onto the sides of her face, cupping it and lifting it up to him. He bent down and kissed her softly, just the softest touch of his lips before he pulled away. “I fucked up baby. I hurt you but I promise you it will never happen again, I won’t ever hurt you like that again.” He whispered as his lips touched her forehead.
“I believe you Diego but we have a lot to talk about and you might not be very happy with some of the stuff I have to tell you.” She murmured as she stared up into his eyes.
“Whatever it is we’ll get through it together. Together baby, as we should have been for a very long time. You go to sleep now and later today we’ll sort all the shit out and go on from there.” He bent and kissed her softly again and stepped away from her. He put her key card on the bedside table before he walked to the door turning to wink at her before he unlocked it and walked out.
Hard Rock Unrehearsed Page 7
