by Ivy M. Jones
"You have to be fucking kidding me! You lying son of a bitch!"
Turning around, I was stuck in place, unable to see anything until a woman with a red ponytail marched past our table and tried to hike herself up onto the stage, glaring at Zach the whole way. I was sure he'd call for security, but instead I watched him haul her into his arms and start kissing her.
The way they were devouring each other, I thought I was about to get charged for pay-per-view. Luckily, someone from the club ushered them offstage through the same door they'd come in from. Cy, Griffin and Justin glanced back and forth at each other before Justin re-took the mic.
"So, uhhh... Zach's had something come up," he quipped.
The room responded with chuckles and laughter and Justin moved to the side of the stage to grab a barstool, hauling it back to plant it in front of the mic.
"As I understand, that was last call just now. Dean, one more then and we'll call it a night?"
The man who had helped Zach and the red-haired girl off of the stage was standing guard at the door they'd gone through. He nodded at the band, chuckling. Justin replaced the mic and walked back to the others, huddling around the drum set, obviously convening on what to play.
When Justin broke off and moved back to the mic, there were more snickers and whispers about Zach from the audience, but Justin ignored them.
"So, we're trying a cover tonight and you guys will be the first to hear our take on it. And not only have we never done this particular cover for an audience, we’ve never done this without Zach before, so this will be..." he grimaced and looked back at Griffin and Cy. "...different." He looked back at Griffin as though to signal him to start, but then quickly mouthed into the mic, "This could very well suck." His eyes flew off the stage to where Zach and his red-haired attachment had left. "Speaking of which..."
There was more laughter and then the music started, shutting everyone up.
Their rendition of You're the Inspiration was amazing, and I wished like crazy that I could stand and dance like everyone else, until I looked at Justin and realized he was singing to me. They had switched it from a slower, almost-country eighties ballad to more of an alternative rock song, leaving just enough of the crooned melody to make me feel weak with want.
Justin's dark eyes caught mine, locking them in place, and a lightheaded dizziness washed over me. There was no one else in the room. Just me and Justin.
Until the song was over and the band started moving off backstage.
It felt like the crowd was wild and clapping for over an hour. Our drinks were empty long before we could scoot our chairs back far enough to stand up. I was still dizzy from hyperventilating like a dog in heat during the last song. And being stuck in my seat for hours, my legs had started going to sleep. So it was a little while longer before Nicki grabbed my arm with a hurried "Come on!" and yanked me toward a door labeled Employees Only.
She knocked some odd rhythm, like a secret knock, and the door opened a crack. I saw Cy smile as he registered Nicki and he hauled both of us in before pushing the door closed.
Inside were couches with members of the band sprawled out over them. An older man I didn't recognize leaned against a wall. And oddly, Zach was there too, though without his redhead. Of course, everyone was staring at him, waiting for an explanation.
When I silently gestured to the older man, Nicki whispered that he was the band's agent, William Martin. I surreptitiously noted the man's deep gray tailored suit coat, matched with a pair of jeans and Converse sneakers. He looked hip enough to blend with the band, but old enough to know his way around the industry. Which I guess was true. The band had exploded in popularity in the last four years.
Props to Mr. Martin and all that.
Zach interrupted my silent musings on Mr. Martin by clearing his throat and diving in.
"My name isn't Zachary Moore. It's Zachary Miles Coffield. I grew up in Lakemont, Pennsylvania. I came to New York City to disappear."
Everyone stayed silent, waiting for some further explanation.
"That was my girl from The Night of Dreams. But I never got a chance to go back for her like I wrote in the song."
I looked around at the others in the room. Cy was staring at the ceiling, his hands clasped behind his head, his elbows bent and aimed up so that I couldn't see his face behind the blockade of his elbows.
Nicki had her hand over her mouth, as if caught mid-gasp, like a proper lady. Justin waited patiently, his forearms resting on his knees, his hands clasped, looking very much like a father waiting for an explanation from his son.
Mr. Martin had his lips pursed, though the emotion behind it wasn't discernible.
And then I spotted Griffin. From the look on his face, he was trying to avoid being noticed.
"You knew," I said, gesturing to Griffin.
Everyone else turned from Zach to look with confusion at Griffin.
"We were drunk. We got to talking about how this celebrity life doesn't seem real..." Griffin gestured vaguely as if to blow it off. "He mentioned that his life never seemed real and then he's telling me all this shit about how everyone thought he stole a bunch of money from his hometown, so he got ghost."
Griff ran a hand over his face and then through his hair. "Shit, I don't know, guys. I was pretty hammered. I never really gave it much thought," he said, defensively.
"Seriously?" Nicki looked pissed. "You don't think maybe it was important enough to tell us that our friend might be in trouble?" Her fists perched on her hips and she glared at Griffin.
I couldn't tell for sure, but it almost seemed like she was angrier at Griffin for keeping it a secret, than she was about Zach's secret to begin with.
"Look," he challenged, standing up and getting in her face. "Some shit was said in confidence that had NO bearing on how the band would function. And it wasn't gonna change who my friends are or who I care about," Griffin growled.
"So, you don't care that the cops could have hauled him away from us at any time over the last few years?" Nicki poked Griffin in the chest.
"I care, Nicki. Don’t fucking accuse me of being that big of an asshole. The only reason I didn’t say anything was because it wasn't my secret to tell. And secrets go both ways. We both had things to get off our chest," Griff tossed back, glaring at Nicki's finger still trying to bruise his pectoral. His tone turned warning. "I'll finish arguing about this with you later, Nicki. But right now, we have some other shit to deal with."
Griffin took a step back then, and Nicki's finger fell from his chest. Neither looked away until Zach piped up.
"I didn’t do it, but the statute of limitations has expired on the theft I was wanted for anyway. So if you decide to turn me in, you should know that there's no point." He shrugged. "Everything else you know about me is the truth," he continued. "So I'm hoping it means something now when I tell you guys that I need your help."
Over an hour later, I finally stood, desperately trying to get the blood to flow into my poor limbs. During the previous hour, Justin had swapped with Nicki to sit on the couch with me, sending Nicki to sit next to Griffin. She gave me a look at the time that read, I'm taking one for Team Vagina here. I expect compensation later. I simply nodded and gave her a weak smile. By the end of the impromptu meeting however, Nicki and Griffin were giving each other looks which seemed suspiciously lusty.
At one point, there was movement from the edge of my vision and I looked up in time to see Nicki swatting Griffin's hand away from her thigh. He didn't look chastised though and she didn't look upset with him. More like she was making him wait for a more appropriate time.
I kept my comments to myself. Team Vagina and all. Besides, Nicki was a big girl. I didn't need to rat her out to her cousin. With as obvious as Griff had been, I doubted it would go on long without everyone noticing soon anyway. Everyone being Justin.
Justin helped me to my feet and we all helped load the gear into the vehicles the guys had brought while a couple of photographers huddled in t
he cold, snapping random shots of the band. Since the venue was a secret, it had taken them awhile to show up. Griffin posed, flexing his muscles as he moved an amp, letting one of the guys get a shot, then dropping his smile to mumble under his breath about sex selling papers. The photographers dispersed a minute later, happy to have something to sell.
Lourdes was only loaded with Justin's bass guitar and I caught Nicki's attention and nodded to the rear door about to close. "Not much stuffed in there tonight," I whispered. Again, we both broke into laughter which earned us odd looks from everyone else. Instead of explaining ourselves, we just hugged and said our goodbyes. As she walked to her car, I noticed Griffin watching her ass as she moved. I made a mental note to question Nicki further when I had her alone.
Justin helped me into Lourdes and carefully shut the door before walking around to the driver's side and getting settled himself. He was humming You're the Inspiration and I was reminded of how he sang to me.
"I loved your cover," I said, smiling at him.
"Thanks. Didn't sound like it usually does, but it was tight. Having Zach out changed a few parts, but I'm hoping we get that kind of reaction when it's released." Justin had backed out and was sitting at the parking lot exit, waiting. "Is it left or right?"
Nicki had picked me up and brought me to The Tap, because as much as Justin wanted me there during sound checks and prep, he explained that he wouldn't have any time to spend with me. Besides, he'd promised to take me home and I was really looking forward to that.
"Left," I answered, giddiness flooding my system. To bring my hormones back under control, I tried to focus on something else. "So what's the deal with Griffin and Nicolette?"
Justin practically growled when he answered, "There IS NO deal."
"Really? They had this weird adversarial thing this evening about Zach- which I'm still trying to wrap my head around by the way- and I was just wondering if they'd always been like that or if it was because of some falling out."
"I think Nicki gets pissed off at Griff because of the way he goes through women. Like it's some sort of personal affront. But I'm not aware of any falling out they've had. They've kind of always been like that," Justin explained, shrugging.
Wow. He was completely unaware of the sexual tension between Griffin and Nicki?
I mentally smacked Justin upside the head. Of course every other chick Griffin hooked up with was a personal insult to Nicki. She had a thing for him and if I wasn't too far off my mark, he had a thing for her, too. Why they were holding back on it, I had no idea...
Oh... Wait...
"I guess it's a good bet they'll never end up in a relationship then," I mused out loud, waiting for a reaction.
"Fuck no. Over my dead body."
Bingo.
I mumbled vaguely, effectively ending the conversation, and continued giving Justin directions to my place. Not too much later, he was pulling into the parking lot of my apartment.
"Just pull into number 35. Right now it's not rented, but that one's supposed to be mine."
"You don't have a car here?"
"No. You sound upset," I returned, quirking a brow at the odd reaction.
"How do you get to work?" He had parked and turned off the car and was pulling the keys from the ignition when he asked.
"On the bus mostly. Sometimes the subway if I miss my transfer. You know... Public transportation?" I asked when he gave me a shocked look. "Just like everyone else in the city, Justin. I'm lucky I can rent out my parking space."
"I don't like the idea of you on a bus when you're pregnant. Something could happen." He looked genuinely worried.
"You understand that women ride the bus all the time, pregnant or not, without anything happening to them, right?" I laughed a little to try to lighten the mood.
"Yes, but something could happen."
"Something could happen while I'm making toast in my apartment too, Justin. You can't worry about the possibilities of every situation or you'll go crazy," I chuckled before I saw his face blanch. "Oh no... You just stop," I said, my voice taking on a slight edge. "I'm not living in a plastic bubble for the next seven months, so you can just stop worrying right now. I've survived the first two just fine and I'll live through the next bunch without issue, too."
"But you didn't..." He sounded lost.
"Didn't what?"
"You didn't survive just fine on your own. You nearly lost your job and apartment, you were dehydrated... You could have ended up in some serious shit, and you were alone." His hand shot out and grabbed mine.
We were sitting in the parked car, the overhead light angled so that I could see the look of terror on his face, the rest of the car in shadow.
"Come stay with me. Please. I'll sleep on the couch, I swear. I just don't want you here alone where something could happen to you," he begged.
For a moment, the worry and pain I heard coming through in his voice had me willing to say yes before I had even thought about it. This wonderful man wanted to look after me until the baby was born? It sounded perfect.
But then what?
"I'm not sure, Justin... I don't want to lose my apartment. I like my stuff. And when the baby is born, you're not going to want that kind of disruption in your apartment and I'm not going to be able to move out right away."
"You're right," he sighed. I knew I could make him see reason.
"I guess you'll just have to marry me and move in permanently," he continued, smiling. "I don't like the idea of you on your own after the baby is born, either."
Okay, there went that plan.
"You're still not going to give up on that, are you?" I smiled, shaking my head and looking down at where he'd taken my hand in his.
"Not really. No." He released my hand, and I felt momentarily bereft. Here he was talking about marrying me and he drops my hand?
He was quickly out of the car and opening my door. Then he dropped to his knee and took both of my hands back into his warm hold.
"Guess what," he asked, quirking a grin.
"What?" I was breathless and confused.
"I'm still not going to give up on it. Marry me”. It wasn't a question.
"Can you maybe do better than proposing in a parking lot?" I laughed when he looked around, as if suddenly aware of his surroundings.
"That's what you want?" He looked up at me through his choppy dark bangs and I nodded.
"That would be a start," I qualified.
"Alright then." He helped me out of the car, not saying another word as he followed me up the stairs and down the hall to my door, waiting patiently as I fit the key in the lock.
Once through, he spun me around, caging me against the door with his hands and body.
"Marry me," he begged.
"Seriously?" I almost laughed. He’d made sure to follow my wishes, it was true- we weren't in the parking lot anymore.
Instead of answering, he took my lips with his for a scorching kiss that had my knees weak in seconds. I was clinging to him, my head spinning. A fog of desire was making me lose focus, but I still noticed when he shrugged out of his jacket. Next I felt him pulling mine down my arms. I felt him wiggle a little, kicking off his shoes.
Our lips never separated until he was tugging my shirt over my head. And then I was pulling his shirt up and we parted so he could lean forward and let me finish pulling it over his head. It caught on his chin, but he simply used his hands to rip at it, popping the button off in his haste.
His naked torso pressed against me and his lips came back to devour my own, leaving me breathless and dizzy with need. The feel of his hot skin made my palms itch with want. I wanted to touch. I wanted to drag my nails against his skin so that he knew how much I wanted him. I wanted to kiss the scratches all better and use my tongue when I did so...
All that wanting, and I suddenly remembered... I could. There was nothing holding me back. No guilt over a tragic death I didn't have anything to do with.
His mouth moved against mine, down
my jaw and neck, up to my ear.
I tried to focus. Tried to remember why this wasn't a good idea.
It wasn't a good idea, was it?
It certainly didn't seem like a bad idea. And I was having a hard time remembering my own name, let alone a reason not to touch and taste and enjoy the hot rock god pressing his hard length against me.
With a sigh, I gripped his shoulders and surrendered.
Justin
I felt her relax, heard her sigh. Then her nails were raking down my back, the bite of those nails sending surges of pleasure through me. I had to have more.
I certainly hadn't planned on more when I'd started kissing her. I'd been trying to demonstrate how serious I was about my marriage proposal. I was still serious. But the way she'd kissed me back had me crazy and hard so fast, I lost sight of the point I'd been trying to make.
Now I was all about making her scream my name. I wanted to see her fall apart in my arms and there was nothing in the whole world more important than that. If she'd asked me to give up Dark Fire and make her come, I would have made a phone call to my agent with a smile, then dropped to my knees to get to work on it without a second thought.
She'd been holding back. But either my amazing mad skills had convinced her to let go, or she'd made up her mind about something, because she had been holding back, and now... She wasn't.
I needed her naked. Now. I wanted to be inside of her, making her writhe as she came again and again. But I could do better than a fuck against her front door. Prying my mouth from her neck, I tried to focus.
"Bedroom?"
Without a word, she gestured down a short hall to one of the two doors. We were still kissing, still touching everywhere we could reach as we started moving in that direction. I felt her hands at my waist, twisting and pulling to get my belt loose. I helped, flicking the belt off in a quick motion before I heard the heavy buckle clunk against the hallway wall.
