“About?”
“Where we’re hanging tonight. Might be a little hectic. Better hold my hand tight, sweetie.”
Security guards were lined up from the side doors of a nightclub down to the limo. Fans were all around, cheering for Ven and for the band. Women were crying at the sight of Ven.
“To answer your question, I know what I know,” Ven said to me. He held my hand tight. “I keep my focus on what’s going down. Through a friend of a friend I heard that FAKE ASS LINE was hitting the studio for a big project. And that they were bringing in singers. So I had to do my research. And here we are.”
“So what are your intentions, Ven?” I asked. “You want me to dig up dirt on the band?”
“My intentions are simple,” he said. He stopped walking and pulled me closer to me. His mouth lowered to my ear. “I’m going to fuck all the memories of that other band out of you tonight. You’re going to wake up to tomorrow feeling so fucking raunchy…”
I pushed my elbow into his side.
Someone screamed for Ven to fuck them.
He turned and walked over to the woman to sign an autograph.
The crowd swelled and began to shift.
Security tried to keep up with it but a few people broke through.
Ven started to get mobbed and he backed off.
He hurried toward the door of the club with me following him.
Someone grabbed Ven’s shoulder and all hell broke loose.
He wasted no time in throwing punches.
The crowd started to break up a little. Everyone was in a hurry to get their phones out and record the madness.
I stepped back and bumped into a security guard.
He wrapped his arms around me and turned, tossing me aside.
That same guy then went for Ven.
Ven threw an elbow and hit him in the mouth.
The door to the club busted open and out ran the rest of RAUNCHY RECKS.
Neo, Brendan, Conor, and Declan came to Ven’s aid.
I had no idea who was fighting who and why it was happening.
When Ven popped away from the crowd, he ran a hand through his hair and waved his middle fingers around at everyone.
Everyone cheered for him.
He reached down and picked up his sunglasses, which were broken and cracked.
He flung them toward the crowd and women started clawing at each other to get to Ven’s sunglasses.
“We’re out of here!” Neo yelled. “Fuck this place! Fuck all of you!”
The crowd cheered some more.
Ven looked around and locked eyes with me.
He grinned and winked.
He reached his hand out for me to take.
“We’re moving the party somewhere else,” Ven said to me. “Somewhere a little more private and exclusive. Got it?”
I reached my hand out and just as my fingertips touched Ven’s, a hand broke us apart.
I looked to my left and gasped.
It was Reed.
17
REED
I didn’t want to do the nightclub thing.
Toby suggested it to the band.
To have a night out and get seen a little.
It was rare for Toby to want us in the spotlight, but this was all because of the new song. That meant the record company probably set this bullshit thing up. That meant there would be cameras everywhere, fans everywhere, anything to create an event that wasn’t actually a real thing.
Nash brought Liv.
She wore a dress that I knew was going to drive Nash crazy because of everyone looking at her.
Candice was attached to Dex’s arm. She played the whole fake engagement thing so well with Dex before, but was still getting used to this wild lifestyle.
As for me, Jay, and Sab, we were free to do whatever the fuck we wanted to do.
Jay had himself between two women.
Sab sat at the bar in a mood again.
He kept looking at his phone and I knew that was nothing but bad news.
If there was a reason to not let your heart get involved with a woman, Sab was the perfect case of that.
I ended up wandering around, tired of the music, lights, and the random blogger coming up to me to ask a question so he could quote me on his social media for a handful of hearts, likes, or hand-jobs or whatever they wanted online.
It was simple.
The song was different, amazing, and FILTHY LINE was the best band in the fucking world.
The club was divided into sections and when I got word that those assholes from RAUNCHY RECKS were showing up, I had to stir up some trouble. I wouldn’t have put this past the record companies to put us together at the same time on the same night just to see what would happen.
A bunch of rock stars fighting over fame, women, and drugs was always a juicy story to share.
There was a lot of security so I went out a different door.
A crowd waited and when a limo pulled up and I saw it was Ven, I shook my head.
What I didn’t expect to see was Abby getting out of the car too.
I froze in place.
I laughed.
I had to fucking laugh.
I wasn’t sure how it happened, but she managed to get tied up with Ven.
Jealousy hit me but I threw that aside.
I wasn’t going to be jealous of Abby with Ven.
If that’s what she wanted, then good for her.
She was playing the game, just like before.
She got the gig with FILTHY LINE and let me fuck her as a thank you.
Now she was working Ven.
The crowd started to get loud and pushy.
The fans were something else.
There was a giant group of fans that loved both bands. There was a time when both FILTHY LINE and RAUNCHY RECKS were going to go on a massive tour. That fell apart. As far as the music went, the fans got the best of both bands. We fought on the charts. We fought for bigger crowds at our shows. And we fought in real life.
I couldn’t fully see what was happening but the crowd pushed even harder.
Then I heard some yells.
Next thing I knew, fists were being thrown.
My guess was that Ven lost his cool.
Which didn’t take much to do.
He was known for being a hothead. For fighting security, male fans, executives… even his own band.
All I could picture was something happening to Abby.
I barreled into the crowd and pushed my way through with my head down.
A few people called my name but I just kept moving.
When I could finally see Abby again, the scene was crazy.
A security guard picked her up and moved her.
That security guard went after Ven.
Ven hit the guy.
The rest of RAUNCHY RECKS came out of the club and got into the mix.
The fight cooled off, but no matter what Ven or the band did or yelled to the fans, they ate it up.
Ven was waving his middle fingers and everyone cheered him on.
Then came the moment he reached for Abby’s hand.
She reached for his hand and I should have just let her go.
Let her make her own decision and live her life.
My heart decided to throw images of Abby sitting on the side of the road the night I booted her ass off the tour bus.
It was the wrong thing to do then.
I knew that.
My reasons felt right. The actions were wrong.
I jumped forward and knocked Ven’s hand out of the way.
Abby looked at me and let out a gasp.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Ven asked.
“Don’t touch her,” I said.
Ven clapped his hands together and then waved his hands at me, calling for a fight.
“Let’s give them a show, brother,” Ven said. “You and me.”
I looked at Neo. “Can you control your pet?”
“Where’s th
e rest of your bitches?” Brendan asked.
“Crying over a piano,” Conor said. He pretended to play a piano and sobbed. “I’m a pussy. I’m a sellout. I can’t write a decent song anymore…”
They all started to laugh.
The crowd cheered for both bands.
Security was pushing everyone out of the way.
“Let’s bolt,” Ven said. “Fuck this shit.”
Abby took a step and I touched her arm. “Really?”
“What?” she snapped at me.
“That’s what you want?”
“It’s none of your business, Reed,” she said. “You got what you wanted from me.”
“And what’s that, honey?”
Abby broke away from me. “We’re even. I sing. You fuck. End of story.”
I moved toward her.
Two women broke away from the security guards and were suddenly all over me.
One kissed my cheek.
The other had her phone out, taking pictures.
I reached for Abby but couldn’t get to her.
I was desperate.
If she got into that limo with Ven…
Fuck.
Abby didn’t turn around.
She just slowly backed up.
Staring at me.
I carefully broke away from the two fans.
But there were more.
Security wasn’t able to contain everyone.
Neo climbed up on the back of the limo.
“Who’s ready to fucking get raunchy?” he screamed.
I broke away again and ran to Abby.
My hands touched her cheeks.
And I said the first thing that came to mind.
“I’m sorry.”
* * *
The words hurt to say, but they were there.
I moved my hands and I leaned down and kissed her cheek.
Then I turned and ran toward the door where RAUNCHY RECKS had exited from.
As I ripped open the door and heard the blaring sound of one of the band’s shitty songs, I paused and gritted my teeth.
I told myself not to look over my shoulder at her.
Saying sorry was hard enough as it was.
If I went inside the club and left Abby outside, it was about the same as when I left her on the side of the road. She was trapped in a crowd of fans and security. She had no way out of there. And who knew what would happen to her. Fans could end up mauling her to get her phone to get Ven’s number.
Does she have Ven’s number in her phone? If so, how the fuck did that happen?
The jealousy raged inside me.
And I did look back.
I couldn’t find Abby.
“Shit,” I whispered.
If she was gone, that means she took off on her own.
Fuck it. Right?
I let the door go and it shut.
Not hearing the bullshit music from RAUNCHY RECKS was good for my ears.
And honestly… not seeing Abby was good for my heart.
Whatever she was doing or wherever she was going… just go, honey. Just fucking go.
I could cut her a check by morning that would fix everything for her.
“Reed!”
“Hey, Reed!”
“Look here, Reed!”
“Someone flash him!”
I blinked twice and the crowd outside was slowly turning toward me.
A few wild - and fun - fans had no problem in lifting their shirts.
Not that I was ever going to be against seeing a pair of tits… even if they were hidden by a RAUCHY RECKS shirt.
Tonight my focus was on Abby.
I put my hands together and smiled at everyone.
“Listen, sweetie,” I called out. “I have to get going. Next time, wear a real shirt. Not this garbage. Okay?”
That got a few laughs.
I hurried down the sidewalk.
A few of the security workers were kind enough to make sure I could sneak through without getting attacked.
I crossed the street and saw Abby hurrying toward the corner.
That meant she was okay. She had a phone. She could call for a ride.
Back off, Reed. Let her go. This is what you both want. Right?
I shook my head and started to run after her.
This wasn’t what we both wanted.
We both wanted to have that one conversation we’d been avoiding for years.
I caught up to Abby and touched her arm.
“Hey, listen to-”
Abby let out a scream and spun around, slapping me in the face. She curled her fingers just enough to scratch me too.
I jumped back and grabbed for my face.
“Reed?” she yelled. “I thought you were… are you okay?”
I moved my hands from my face. “Holy shit, honey.”
“I thought you were attacking me,” she said. “I don’t know where I am. I’m scared.”
I touched the corner of my eye. “Fuck. You got me good.”
“Let me see,” she said.
She turned on the flashlight on her cell phone and shined it at my face.
She moved to her toes and was an inch from me.
Her right hand held the phone. Her left hand touched my shirt for balance.
I could smell her.
“I cut you,” she said. “Shit. Reed…”
“We’re good,” I said.
I put my hands to her hips to move her away from me.
Except I didn’t move her away.
I held her steady.
Her flashlight shining in my eyes.
“Can you turn that fucking thing off, honey?” I asked.
“Sure,” she said.
The flashlight turned off.
We stared at each other.
“You need a ride out of here?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she said.
“If we go back to my place…”
“I know,” she said.
“What the fuck were you doing with Ven?” I asked.
I knew I was showing myself to Abby. A rock star like me suddenly looking just a little bit vulnerable.
Abby touched my face where she slapped and clawed me. “Jealous?”
I pulled her against my body. “What if I am?”
Abby gasped.
She wasn’t expecting that answer.
Neither was I.
* * *
We made it into the house and then it was… time.
I spun Abby around.
There were two choices.
Talk to her about what happened all those years ago on the side of the road.
Or fuck her.
The thing was… with Abby… it wasn’t just fucking her. It had deeper meaning. It was like cutting into my own heart. Just for fun. Just to feel pain. Just to feel good before the pain. Just to…
I lowered my mouth down to hers.
She jumped up into my arms and it was on like before.
The connection between us so undeniable. We couldn’t contain ourselves when we were too close for too long.
Just like before.
There was only so much fun teasing that could happen before things exploded.
Even when we argued and got pissed at each other, it would just end. We’d be in the middle of a really good argument and we would just start kissing. And fucking each other.
I skipped walking toward the bedroom.
I had a better idea instead.
I walked Abby through the house to the back.
Kissing her was the only logical way to keep both of us from talking.
Outside, I walked her to the edge of my pool.
The air was comfortable.
The pool was probably warmer than the air.
I broke the kiss and tasted her breaths as she gasped for air.
My hands cupped under her ass.
I held her against my throbbing cock, knowing she could feel it through my jeans.
“We’re at the edge of the water, h
oney,” I said.
“Reed…”
“I’m going to throw you in the water unless you answer my questions,” I said.
“Fuck you.”
“That’s soon.”
Abby started to wiggle out of my arms.
I dropped her a few inches and she grabbed my shoulders and screamed.
I put her on her feet but I kept her blocked in, right against the edge of the pool.
“What did you do with him?” I asked.
“What? This is about Ven still?”
“Yeah it is. How did that happen?”
“That’s my personal life,” she said. “You don’t like who I’m spending time with? That’s pretty ironic, Reed. How many women do you have in your bed at one time?”
“Right now my bed is empty.”
“And right now nobody is touching me,” she said. “We’re even.”
“We’re not fucking even,” I growled.
“You’re that jealous of Ven? I don’t think I like this look on you. It’s kind of… weak…”
She was teasing me.
Fucking with my head.
Which she knew how to do perfectly.
My blood was boiling. My cock was still rock hard.
She looked fucking beautiful.
I grabbed her hips and pushed.
She screamed again but I didn’t throw her into the water.
I was going to get her soaked in a different way.
I turned her away from the pool and walked her back a few steps.
“I’ll be right back, honey,” I said.
“Where are you going?” she asked. “Need a minute to cool off because you can’t stop thinking of Ven and I together?”
Together? What the fuck did that mean…
I walked around the pool and went to the recording studio.
Inside, I collected a bunch of blankets, two pillows, and hooked my fingers into two sleeping bags.
The idea of Abby anywhere near Ven made me want to scream.
The idea of Abby being with anyone else made me want to scream.
The idea of Abby being with me…
I wasn’t sure.
But my heart told me it was the right thing.
18
ABBY
He made us a bed outside.
Next to the pool.
Under the stars.
I casually slipped out of my shoes and hugged myself, watching him set everything up.
A FILTHY Enemy: a filthy line novel Page 16
