He smiled, pulling her closer. “That sounds just perfect to me.”
“Good.” She smiled back, letting go of him and walking over to the fridge. “You go and get changed and I’ll fix us something to eat.” She turned round and looked at him again, still smiling. “Something quick. Because I’ve missed you, Daniel. And I really need that early night.”
And Daniel wasn’t going to argue.
CHAPTER FIVE
Black Rock Diamond was last on the bill on the final day of the festival. The headlining act. The last day or so had seen an influx of their fans hit the island, with rockers and their music now mixing with the clubbers and the hippies and the families that usually frequented San Antonio. The rock vibe had definitely taken over and the whole atmosphere around the festival site itself was electric.
Stevie had spent a lot of the day with some of the guys from the crew, just hanging out and talking to the fans, and it was evident that many had come to Ibiza just to see Black Rock Diamond. A pre-cursor to their much anticipated stadium tour. The band had to put out a good performance here because people were watching, and not just the fans. They’d proved a lot over the years but the hard work wasn’t over. If they couldn’t pull off these forthcoming stadium gigs then all that hard work would have been for nothing, and they knew that.
Standing at the side of the stage, one of the best places to be at gigs like this for sheer atmosphere and a kick-ass adrenilin rush, Stevie watched an Australian band she’d once worked with a few years ago hold the crowd in the palm of their hand. They were good, they were getting the crowd going, the atmosphere was incredible, and Stevie smiled as the band’s front man threw her a big grin from the stage. They’d once had a bit of a thing going, nothing serious but enough to have given her some happy memories. He wasn’t Mark though. Nobody came close to Mark Cassidy. And that was the problem.
“You forgiven me yet?”
Stevie didn’t take her eyes off the stage even though she knew he was standing right beside her. “Forgiven you for what, Mark?”
“For being an idiot.”
“It’d be difficult to forgive you for that when you spend your entire life acting like one.”
She felt him touch her waist, his fingers sliding up under her t-shirt, his breath warm on the back of her neck but still she didn’t look at him.
“Focus, Mark.”
He started kissing her neck and she tried not to flinch but they hadn’t had sex for days now and it was getting harder to say no to him. Especially when she didn’t really want to.
She turned round and leaned against the wall, smiling as she looked at him. God, he was sexy. He was so bloody sexy in his trademark black t-shirt that showed off his tattoos, jeans and army boots, his dark hair all messed up, giving him that ‘just got out of bed’ look that made him so hot. Because he was hot. Mark Cassidy was incredibly hot, and she wanted him. Right now.
“I meant, focus on the gig, Mark.”
“We’re always together the night before a gig, Stevie. Always. And you pushed me away last night.”
“Because you were acting like a prick, Mark. I deserve a bit of respect.”
He was so close to her now and she could feel herself giving in to him. No matter what he did, no matter what either of them did they’d always gravitate back to each other eventually. It was almost a given.
“I’ve said I’m sorry, honey. I can’t say anymore.”
She put her hand on his face, stroking his rough chin, the sound of the heavy guitar music turning her on as she looked into the eyes of her on-off rock star boyfriend.
“Yeah, well, maybe I don’t want you to say anything else. Maybe it’s time you kept your mouth shut.”
He smiled, moving himself even closer to her. “Y’know, there are one or two other things I could do with this mouth that might just make you change your mind about me.”
She couldn’t help smiling too, knowing exactly what he meant, and it made her want him even more. “And then will you focus? This is a big night, Mark. You need to go out there and give it your best, and I mean that.”
He put his hand in the small of her back and pulled her against him, kissing her slowly and she felt her stomach dip with every movement of his mouth on hers.
“Promise me, Mark.”
“I promise.”
He let go of her as he threw her that killer smile, and she watched as he walked off, knowing he was going to his trailer and knowing she was going to follow him.
“You not going with him?” Johnny asked, suddenly appearing at her side.
“Of course I’m going with him.”
She looked over at Colin, one of the band’s guitar technicians, and he nodded, smiling at her. The guys in the crew knew more than anyone else what she was like around Mark, and she just wished she could be stronger. But he was the one thing she couldn’t say no to. Not all the time. Not when she needed him like she did now.
She looked at Johnny as he lit a cigarette, taking a long, deep draw on it.
“Why do you do it, Stevie?”
“Do what?”
“Put yourself through all that shit with Mark.”
“It’s not shit all the time, Johnny. But you know what he’s like before a gig. It’s his way of calming down.”
“It’s his way of getting you to do exactly what he wants you to.”
He handed her the cigarette and she took a draw on it, handing it back to him.
“I need him, Johnny. Simple as that.” She tightened the bandana that was covering her white blonde hair and kissed Johnny quickly. “I won’t be long.”
“Just get him on stage on time will you?”
She smiled at him as she ran off, knowing they didn’t have long but knowing she had to have him, no matter what. Mark Cassidy got in the way, he tainted everything she did, he infringed on every aspect of her life but she wanted him like nothing else. She always would. Always.
***
Johnny sat down on the steps of the ridiculously large trailer the band had been given and lit up another cigarette, leaning back and blowing smoke into the air. It was almost 9pm, the sun was just about to go down for the night and they had around half an hour before Black Rock Diamond was due to hit the stage. The temperature was still too warm, the humidity too high, something Johnny wished he was himself. High. He wasn’t really having a great day, even though everything was going like a dream for him and the guys. He needed something to take the edge off things.
He sat up and rested his elbows on his open knees as he looked at everything going on around him. The noise, the people, the sound of the crowd and the pounding of the music, this was where he’d always dreamed of being, amongst all of this, with everything that came with it. This was his life now. But sometimes he felt as though something was missing. He just couldn’t work out what.
He’d been a bit hard on Stevie too. She knew what Mark was like and she didn’t need him acting like he had done with her. He wasn’t her keeper, she could look after herself. He just didn’t like to see Mark treating her the way he did sometimes. Stevie didn’t deserve it. But then, she could give as good as she got when she wanted to. Everyone was more than aware of that.
He could hear her and Mark inside the trailer now, laughing, talking, having the frantic sex they always seemed to have, and while part of him wanted to move away and avoid listening to the familiar game play out in front of him yet again, he couldn’t be bothered.
“Something to deaden the nerves,” Jack smirked, throwing a bottle of whisky at Johnny and sitting down next to him on the trailer steps, lighting up a joint. “Want one?”
Johnny took a long drink of the whisky straight from the bottle before putting it down on the step beside his feet. “Give it here.”
Jack handed over the just-rolled joint and Johnny sat back again as he took a long drag on it, closing his eyes as that familiar mellow feeling flooded his body. This is what he’d needed. He didn’t even know why he felt like he did, but
it was probably just too many days of partying, drinking and not enough sleep. Dave, their manager, had tried to get them to slow down and Johnny was beginning to wish he’d listened to him.
“Where’s Billy?” Johnny asked, handing the joint back to Jack.
“He’s with the missus. Her getting pregnant right when we’re in the middle of this tour wasn’t the best timing and now he won’t leave her alone.”
Johnny couldn’t help smiling. Jack wasn’t particularly tolerant of partners joining them on tour, especially on the tour bus. But Ava, Billy’s interior designer wife, was now pregnant, and Billy had threatened to pull out of the tour altogether if she didn’t come with them. Johnny didn’t particularly mind, although he had noticed the look of intermittent shock that sometimes crossed her face at the occasional goings on around her. Especially those of Mark and Stevie. They didn’t care what they did or who they did it in front of and whilst everyone else around them was used to it, those on the outside could be forgiven for thinking their behaviour was a little out there. It wasn’t what Ava was used to.
“I mean, is he going to want to bring her and the kid on the road once she’s had it?” Jack went on, taking a swig from the bottle of whisky.
“Cut him some slack, Jack. This is their first baby, he’s bound to want her with him. And anyway, Stevie’s with Mark, isn’t she? You don’t mind her being around.”
“Stevie’s one of us, man. She’s one of the guys. Besides, with her and Mark around you can save a fortune on the porn channels and just watch those two. Jesus, that girl’s got one hot body!”
“Ok, that’s enough, Jack,” Johnny said, getting up and stubbing out his cigarette, pushing his hands through his hair.
Jack looked at him, taking another long drag on the joint. “Hit a nerve there, mate, have I?”
Johnny ignored him, an unusual tense feeling knotting up his stomach. “It’s time we were making a move, come on.”
Jack was still looking at him. “I have, haven’t I? Have you got the hots for our girl, Johnny? Not enough to just fuck her anymore when she’s sick of Cassidy, huh?”
“Leave it, Jack!”
But Jack never left anything. It wasn’t what he did. “You know, we’d all like a piece of her too. Who wouldn’t? A roadie who looks like a ‘Playboy’ centrefold and you get to bang her on a regular basis, you lucky bastard...”
“Fucking leave it, Jack! I’m warning you!” Johnny knew he had to walk away before he did something he’d regret, and now really wasn’t the time to start an in-house fight. They’d had plenty of those, but not just before an important gig, and Johnny was sensible enough to know he had to get out of there.
Jack held his hands up in surrender and stood up too, bringing the whisky with him. “Ok. Ok, chill out. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
They both turned to look at the trailer as the sound of Stevie screaming out loud came from the open window. Jack smirked, throwing the almost-smoked joint onto the ground and crushing it underneath his heavy black boots.
“Looks like our leader’s getting the pleasure of her company right now though. She must have a thing for you Yanks.”
“Move it, Jack, come on. Let’s go find Billy. Stevie can sort out Mark.”
“Sounds like she’s sorting him out quite nicely there already, mate.”
Johnny grabbed the bottle from Jack and unscrewed the cap, knocking back another mouthful, feeling the hot liquid burn the back of his throat but the sensation was everything he needed. It felt good.
“That nerve’s well and truly been hit, John,” Jack said, watching him as he downed the drink. “I’d keep a check on that if I were you.”
“Well you’re not, so quit worrying about it. We’ve got a gig to play so let’s just concentrate on that, ok?”
But deep down Johnny wondered if Jack really had hit the nail on the head. And it was something he didn’t really want to think about.
***
Stevie knelt up on the bed, tying her bandana back around her head - the only item of clothing she was still wearing. Mark lay watching her, one hand behind his head as he smoked a cigarette.
He was watching every move she made, not wanting to take his eyes off her. She had the body of an angel, the mind of a whore and a mouth that could talk dirtier than any woman he’d ever slept with, and he couldn’t get enough of her.
“You’re staring,” Stevie said, tightening the knot in the bandana.
He blew smoke into the air and smiled that smile, saying nothing.
“Come on, Mark. You promised me you’d focus now, and I promised I’d have you back out there as soon as we were done.”
He raised an eyebrow as he continued to look at her. “Are we done?”
“Well, I’m quite happy, yeah.” She looked down, pulling the covers away from his naked, perfectly toned body. “Jesus, Mark. Can you get a fucking hard-on at will?”
He sat up and quickly grabbed her before she had a chance to get free, pushing her back onto the bed, pinning her down by her wrists, parting her legs with his knee.
“You’re such a bastard, Mark Cassidy.”
“And you wouldn’t have me any other way.”
She looked up at him. Handsome as hell and unpredictable to the end but he was right. She wouldn’t have him any other way. The craziness and uncertainty was a major turn on, it made their relationship what it was. It kept it alive.
His fingers tightened around her wrists and she closed her eyes as he started to kiss her neck and she knew they were going again. Round and round, the same old story, time and time again, it never changed. And yet she didn’t think she’d ever tire of him. He may go off and sleep with other women when he needed his ego feeding, because that was one thing Stevie wouldn’t do. And Mark Cassidy needed to be loved and adored and know that he was the famous rock star he’d always wanted to be. But she’d never go down that route with him because when he was done with the groupies and the fans who just wanted a piece of the fame that Mark Cassidy represented, when he was finished with all of that, he always came back to her. He always needed her. More than he needed anything he needed her, and deep down inside he knew that. Did she want him completely? No. She didn’t. She didn’t want anyone completely. She’d been down that road before, before all of this, and she was in no hurry to go back to what she’d left behind. It only brought back unhappy memories and a pain she didn’t want to re-live. A pain she’d never talked about. A pain she didn’t want anyone in this life to ever find out about. It was where it should be now. Hidden away but never forgotten.
“You ok?” Mark asked, loosening his grasp of her wrists slightly.
She just smiled, closing her legs around him and letting him in, letting him back inside. “Just fuck me, Mark.”
And who was he to argue?
***
The sound of the crowd was incredible, the atmosphere intense and heady as they waited for Black Rock Diamond to take to the stage.
Stevie and the crew had taken just a few quick minutes to set everything up for the band but that short amount of time out there had felt electric. She always got a buzz running out onto the stage when the crowd were there, listening to the barrage of noise that never failed to make her heart skip a beat. The rush was something she almost craved, and if she felt like that just setting up amps and guitars then God knows what Johnny and the guys must feel when they stepped out onto the stage.
As she set up Mark’s microphone she took a quick look out at the mass of people that seemed to stretch way into the distance for miles, all of them anticipating the set that the guys were about to play. It was an amazing sight, like an almost never-ending sea of people. This was where she definitely belonged and she couldn’t think of anywhere else she’d rather be. Mark and the band, the guys in the crew, they were her family now, and this world was her life.
She checked the microphone was in place and took a quick look off to the side of the stage. Mark and the guys were arriving in the wings; Johnny’s
guitar slung over his shoulder, Billy’s drumsticks stuck in the back pocket of his jeans, Jack smoking one last cigarette, another unlit one shoved behind his ear. And Mark, well, Mark just looked like the sexy, full-of-attitude rock star that he was. Back in his black t-shirt and jeans, his hair still ruffled from the crazy sex they’d had not half an hour ago, she wondered who’s heart he was going to break tonight. Because he’d be pumped full of adrenalin after this, on a high that only having his ego massaged was going to help him cope with. And she wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t tell him how amazing he was and how incredible he looked, she’d never do that. So he wouldn’t be looking for her tonight. Someone else was going to get Mark Cassidy, and she’d sleep in the arms of her best friend, as she always did when this happened.
She ran off the stage, more shouts and screams erupting from the crowd as people caught glimpses of the guys, the noise level rising considerably.
Mark grabbed her hand as she ran past him, pushing her back against the wall in one swift movement, kissing her hard and fast before pulling away and walking off onto the stage, and all she could do was watch him, out there where he belonged in front of his adulating audience. The crowd went crazy the second he walked out there and from that moment on he was in the zone, out in the one place he wanted to be and Stevie couldn’t help but find it an incredible turn on. Even though she knew she wouldn’t get near him tonight.
Johnny caught her eye as he followed Mark out, walking backwards as he smiled at her, that knowing look passing between them. They both knew the drill for tonight. They both knew the way things would play out. And it was good to know he was going to be there, because she was going to need him.
She hugged Billy as he made his way out onto the stage, not missing the look his wife Ava threw in her direction but that wasn’t even worth giving a second thought to. Billy wasn’t interested in her nor her in him. He was the family man of the band, the daddy of the group, and she loved him like a brother, nothing more, nothing less.
See You at the Show Page 3
