Dex (Kinky Shine #1)

by Stephanie Witter

  “I don’t think the fans will care either way as long as we post some dumb things,’’ Otis muttered and sighed after putting his phone back in his pants. “All done, teach. Can I be dismissed now?’’

  “Give me your handle and you can go. We’ll have a meeting tomorrow to see what and how we’re going to do this.’’ She typed on her phone, probably opening the app and focused back on Otis, waiting.

  “@OtisPartyingPatel.’’

  “Good. I just followed you. Do the same with me whenever you can.’’

  He nodded, patted each of our shoulders, put on his sunglasses and left, a hand in his pocket and the other rubbing at his head. I shook my head. The guy would never learn from all the hangovers he had had.

  “@BeckettCoffee. What time tomorrow?’’ He stood up and took his empty coffee mug.

  Without looking up from her phone she mumbled about meeting in one of the Four Seasons hotel board room for brunch.

  Beckett and Maxen bumped fists and Beckett and I nodded at each other as he walked out.

  “Did you pick something?’’ Maxen asked me, trying to have a look at my screen.

  I shook my head. I was drawing a fucking blank here. I could write songs—granted these days I couldn’t write a single thing, but still—but I couldn’t pick a fucking dumb Twitter handle.

  He patted my shoulder and stood up. “Mine’s @theHotMaxen. I can’t wait to post some selfies.’’ He wiggled his eyebrows at Harley who chuckled at him. Apparently Maxen, the womanizer and openly sexually offensive man didn’t offend her. But I did.

  “Make sure you hide your junk, then!’’

  He barked out his trademark laugh and toyed with his piercing. “Nah, I’ll wait for your briefing tomorrow. After that, though, all bets are off.’’ He turned to me and punched the back of my head lightly before heading off.

  And we were only two. Earlier today when it happened it didn’t go that well and I was the one to blame. I should apologize and all that shit, but I didn’t. She was here to stay and to force us into doing something we hated. I had never been skilled at hiding how mad I was.

  “So? Are you done?’’

  I put my phone on the table and pushed it toward her. It glided over the perfectly smooth surface and landed right by her hands still on her phone. She eyed it as if it was poisonous. “Pick something. I don’t give a fuck what it is.’’

  “Are you sure? What if I picked something like @DextheJerk?’’

  I smirked at her. “Do you really think I’d care?’’

  We locked eyes and didn’t move. For a second, I forgot why she annoyed me so much or what I was doing in that fucking board room. I didn’t think, didn’t feel anything. But then she jerked away and quickly grabbed my phone to type something before she pushed it back toward me.

  “Here you go. From now on you’ll be @TheDexMystery. It fits perfectly how you’re perceived.’’ She stood up and gathered her purse and phone with nervous movements. I couldn’t remember the last time a woman had wanted to leave a room in which I or the guys were.

  “Wait, Harley.’’ My voice was lower than usual and a lump grew in my throat. I hated this. “Hm, listen.’’ I scratched my beard. “About earlier…’’

  “I don’t want you to apologize if it’s not heartfelt. Think of us as colleagues. We don’t need to like each other to work together.’’ She nodded at me stiffly and walked out. I followed her with my eyes until she passed the threshold of the door. But my eyes weren’t on the back of her head or on her thin shoulders so tense they barely moved when she took each step. No, instead my eyes were glued to her ass covered by her conservative black skirt and down her legs, perfectly shaped like a woman with some tantalizing curves.

  I abruptly turned back around and groaned loudly before I let my head hit the top of the table, right next to my phone which buzzed with a Twitter notification.

  @HarleyOneTrack is now following you.

  HARLEY

  I put the lasagna plate in the oven and walked back to my spot at one of the bar stools at the kitchen island. I had missed cooking with my mother. It was something we used to do often on the weekends when I had still been living in LA.

  “I don’t know what’s going on, but you’re awfully quiet over there.’’ My mother’s voice brought me out of my daze and I watched her clean the utensils we used for the lasagna.

  My mother was still a beautiful woman in an understated sort of way. Much like I was, really. Her hair was lighter than mine, but now I knew she dyed it to make sure no gray hair would show since she’s not getting any younger. She was wearing high-waisted dark blue jeans paired with a nice flowery top and she was going barefoot as her usual when home.

  “It was a bad day.’’

  She turned off the water and dried her hands on a nearby cloth. Her thin eyebrows lowered over her light brown eyes. “Really? Your father didn’t say anything on the phone.’’

  I waved it off and sighed. “There’s nothing to say. The band isn’t that thrilled I’m here. I knew they wouldn’t be but…’’

  “You hoped they would be more gracious?’’ She laughed quietly and came to sit next to me. “I’m not surprised. Their songs are so…’’ She trailed off, probably unsure which word to use to describe Kinky Shine’s music.

  “Gritty? Naughty? Dirty?’’

  She pursed her lips and nodded. “I don’t get why you or your father love that sort of music.’’

  “Yeah well, it’s just music.’’

  “What happened?’’

  Dex’s voice was still in my head and before meeting him it was because I had been listening to one of the band’s songs. It had been more agreeable than this. I cringed. “Dex Bowers is an asshole. That’s what happened.’’

  “Honey, language.’’

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m twenty-three and I don’t even live here anymore. The label booked me a room at the hotel, remember?’’

  “But you’re in my house right now. My rules.’’

  “Alright, sorry.’’ I rubbed at my forehead, probably messing my hair pretty bad, but it wasn’t important. “He’s just so…argh!’’ I made a motion with my hands as if to strangle him and then dropped them back on top of the granite countertop.

  “That bad?’’

  I nodded. “You have no idea. His mysterious thing? It’s all BS, Mom. He probably thinks he’s too good to answer any questions.’’

  “And the other men in the band? How are they?’’

  “They’re fine, I guess. Maxen is exactly how he’s portrayed in interviews. He’s a flirt, obviously very sure of himself and he has an easy laugh. I think he has another side to him he doesn’t let people see often, though. Then you have Otis who had a hangover so I can’t really say how he really is and Beckett seems very cautious and in control of himself. And the coffee addiction thing? It looked real.’’

  “Overall it doesn’t sound so bad then.’’

  I tilted my head and thought for a second. I had been so peeved by Dex and raging mad since I had a one-on-one with him that I hadn’t been able to see past it. But now, yes I could say it hadn’t been a complete fail. “I suppose. It’s just Dex that…’’ I failed to finish that sentence.

  “Oh, honey.’’ She laughed at me and patted my shoulder, a big smile on her face as she went to the cabinet that had the plates in it.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?’’

  “Nothing. Nothing at all.’’ She chuckled again and set down three plates on the island. “Just be careful with him.’’

  I frowned again, deeper this time. “Huh?“

  Her only answer was a smile at me. There was something in her light brown eyes and I couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

  “Alright, I need to call Del real quick. I told her I’d give her a run down on how it went today. Do you mind?’’ I grabbed my phone and went to leave the kitchen.

  “Of course not,’’ my mother replied and shooed me away with her hand and a laughing smile
on her lips. I still didn’t see the humor in my situation.

  With pursed lips I dialed my best friend and as is normal, it didn’t ring more than once before she answered.

  “Tell me one of those eye candies hit on you.’’

  “God, Del. Seriously? We’re adult women, we don’t need guys to feel good.’’

  She sighed in the phone, the sound loud in my ear. “It doesn’t mean they can’t make us feel real good, Harley. How did it go?’’

  “With Maxen, Otis, and Beckett it was fine considering I’m an intruder pushed upon them.’’

  “Basically three-fourths good, one-fourth bad. To me it looks promising.’’

  Her excitement was so potent it made me cringe. There was nothing like someone excited by something when that same something brought only annoyance to me. I couldn’t get Dex’s offensive question out of my head. It was like an annoying soundtrack I couldn’t escape, stoking my burning anger.

  “Dex Bowers is not just brooding, Del. I’m telling you, he’s a jerk. No, actually jerk is too nice of a word. I should say asshole or bastard or… argh!’’

  “Whoa. That bad? I mean, you’re used to difficult musicians.’’

  I flopped on the couch and released a deep sigh, trying my best to expel the tension from inside me. “He thought I was doing someone to get an interview with him. I mean, who says things like that to someone they don’t even know?’’

  “Are you serious?’’

  “Yes! So you get it don’t you?’’

  “What? That you’re pissed because he insulted you? Of course.’’ She chuckled then and I narrowed my eyes on the black screen of the TV as if it was my best friend’s face. “Although, you sound awfully like you want to commit murder and it’s a bit extreme.’’

  “Extreme.’’ I pursed my lips and gnashed my teeth. “He—‘’

  “I got it the first time around. I’m just saying you should calm down. He’s an ass, so what? At least he’s really nice to look at. There are worse work environments.’’

  “You’re supposed to empathize as my best friend.’’

  “Maybe I’m just jealous of you right now.’’ She laughed and the sound made me crack a small smile. Del had always been upbeat and trying to see things in a good light instead of letting bad things dampen her spirit. She’s gone through some tough stuff and yet she’s one of the most positive people I have ever met. “Harley, these guys are rock gods. They’re not like our average Joe.’’

  “Doesn’t mean they can treat people badly,’’ I mumbled and toyed distractedly with the hem of my shirt. My anger was now on a simmer, not ready to explode in an ugly geyser like a few minutes ago.

  “No, but it means they probably aren’t treated like normal people on a daily basis either. And remember what I told you. If there’s an opening with one of these musicians, just go for it.’’

  “As if it’ll happen. I mean, come on. With the way Dex—‘’

  “And we’re back to him? Oh, girl…’’ she trailed off and started laughing like a hyena. It’s so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear.

  “What is it? Del!’’

  “Nothing,’’ she said after a few more seconds of her mocking laugh. She sounded breathless and all too happy. “Just, be careful.’’

  “What does that even mean? You sound just like my mom.’’

  “Well, maybe she’s onto something. Listen, I have to go, I have a date with that guy I told you about from the HR department.’’

  “This guy sounds boring.’’

  “He’s cute, though. And a real gentleman.’’

  “Okay, have fun even if you’re not being a nice friend.’’

  She chuckled and bid me goodbye in a sing-song voice that made me roll my eyes. She enjoyed this a bit too much in my opinion.

  I put my phone back in my pocket and sighed again. I didn’t get why my mother and Del told me to be careful with Dex. It’s not like I wouldn’t be wary of him from now on. The guy was on my shit-list now so it was without saying I would be keeping an extra close eye on him from now on.

  *

  DEX

  I walked in the hotel meeting room reserved for the band. I didn’t take off my aviator sunglasses while looking around the simple room lent by the Four Seasons hotel. In the middle of the room, a table set for five was ready for the brunch. And it looked like I was the first one.

  “Fuck that shit.’’

  “Good, now I know you’re this agreeable with everybody and for just about anything. I can breathe easier knowing it’s not reserved for me alone.’’

  I jumped around and faced Harley, standing tall and proud even though she was a foot shorter than me. Her hair was held up on top of her head in a mess of locks, some strands falling around her face. Her bangs weren’t as neatly brushed as yesterday and yet I found it oddly…hot. Hot? Fuck, what was going on with me?

  I blinked behind my aviator glasses and cleared my throat. “Hm, yeah. Sorry for that. I thought I had the wrong time.’’

  She brushed past me without another glance and her sweet smell hit me. Vanilla and something else. I looked down at her clothes and arched an eyebrow at seeing her in cutoffs shorts showing off her legs I knew Maxen would drool over. These legs were a sin. On her feet, she had flat sandals made of brown leather and her top was a simple dark gray tank top with my band’s logo on the front. And it didn’t look like a new top either. Interesting.

  I walked to the table and took the chair opposite her at the round table. I took off my sunglasses and put them on the table and then fished my cellphone out of my distressed jeans.

  “I followed you on Twitter.’’

  She looked up from her big as fuck purse and nodded. “I know. I saw the notification. The other guys did too.’’ And she went back to rummaging in her big brown leather purse looking for who knew what. Women.

  “What now?’’

  She sighed and finally put down her purse with her phone in hand. “Now we wait for your bandmates and then we eat and strategize.’’

  She was so fucking cold and barely looked at me when talking to me. Actually, I was pretty sure she was fixing the space above my shoulder right now. I crossed my arms over my chest and took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. That woman had the uncanny ability to drive me up the fucking wall.

  “Beckett should be here soon, but Maxen and Otis will be late.’’

  “How do you know? Did they call you?’’

  Now she was looking at me. “I called them to remind them of the meeting. Beckett is more responsible but he’s stuck in traffic, Maxen and Otis weren’t awake when I called.’’

  “Wow. I didn’t think I’d see the perfect rockstar cliché.’’ She pursed her lips and glanced at the covered plates in front of us. “I knew I should have eaten something earlier.’’

  “Dig in.’’ I tilted my chin at the covered plate. “You won’t offend them. They should have been on time.’’

  “Coming from you, that’s funny. You were twenty-five minutes late yesterday.’’

  “I’m sorry, okay,’’ I said with a tired sigh. Fuck, the tension with her was trying. I scratched my cheeks. I hadn’t shaved this morning. “I messed up. I’m not like this usually.’’

  “I have a hard time believing that.’’

  “Fair enough.’’ I nodded and looked away and back down to my forearms still crossed. I couldn’t see the scars with my tattoos and most of the times it was easy to forget them. But these last few months, with my writer’s block, it had become harder to ignore some things. Maxen knew this and often kept an eye on me. A closer eye, that was.

  “Listen, Dex,’’ she said and at hearing my name coming from her mouth, something squeezed in my chest. I tensed. “I understand if you’re not comfortable. After all, the label is paying me to intrude into the band’s dynamic and I don’t think I’d be in a good disposition in your shoes either. But I’m not a doormat and I’m not a groupie who’s going to take whatever scraps s
he can get and be happy with that.’’

  “I get it.’’ I bit down on my tongue, making sure I wasn’t going to say something asshole-ish again. She easily woke up that side of me. “But I’m not good with this.’’

  “With what? Human interactions?’’

  “Fuck,’’ I mumbled and looked up at the high ceiling. “Not really. It’s…It’s…’’

  “You’re good with a crowd. During your concerts, you interact well with the fans.’’

  “That’s different.’’ I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation with her. Only the band and Floyd knew about this. I tensed and scowled. “And how do you know how I interact with a crowd? Did you buy the 2014 tour DVD?’’

  “No.’’ She scoffed. “I was at the concert that year at the MetLife Stadium. It was insane and you seemed completely at ease.’’

  I felt my usual smirk taking over my face. I tried pushing it away, but it seemed like my mouth had a mind of its own. Fuck, she really did like our music. It wasn’t a way of kissing our asses then. A warm feeling invaded my chest. It was a foreign sensation. “Is that where you got this?’’ I pointed at her chest and upon seeing it I quickly put my hand back on my bouncing knee under the table.

  She glanced down and nodded. “Yes. I always get something after a concert.’’ She fixed a look at me again and smiled at me sweetly. It was barely there, but I saw her lush lips stretching a bit upward. And it reached her eyes, those big green eyes impossible to miss. They looked a lot like her father’s now that I knew who she was. But her father’s didn’t make me feel this…thing. Restless and wild could describe it well.

  “I think I know what’s the issue.’’ She tilted her head to one side and my eyes trailed down her thin and elegant neck and to her collarbone.

  “With a five minute chat? Don’t tell me, you have a minor degree in psychology too?’’ I took a deep breath and tried to regain my composure. My tone was harsh, but she didn’t bat an eye. That woman had balls of steel. I wasn’t the most threatening man these days, but I knew my anger and volatile temper could frighten most.