Rock Gods: Baden

by Brandy Munroe

  Theo and I agreed with her.

  I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Neither could anyone else.

  “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” she purred into the mic. Her low sultry rasp was gaining the attention of the whispering crowd. “We are Divine Chrysalis, and we are here to rock you hard.”

  Jade tapped out the count. Sapphire led in with the first rifts of Suzi Quatro’s Rock Hard. I shouldn't have been surprised. Ashley and Amber joined her.

  Crystal placed both hands on the mic stand, planted her feet, decked in black motorcycle boots, squarely in front, so it appeared as if she were straddling the long rod and began belting out the hard rock tune as if she owned it.

  The crowd went wild.

  I couldn’t help but sing along like everyone else as the band belted out the song made famous by the glycerine queen.

  The girls decided they would start with a cover song. Something well known and mainstream to get the crowd invested. It was a method that was commonly used with a lot of up and coming bands.

  We did it all the time when Get Bent was touring. Classic rock ballads were timeless. Everyone knew them, no matter which country you were touring or what language the audience spoke.

  I had heard the girls play around with this one in the studio. I had no idea this was what they were going to lead with.

  Crystal commanded the stage. Her presence was unequivocal. No one had ever mesmerized a crowd from the get-go. It usually took a couple of songs before the audience warmed up to a new band.

  The girls themselves as individuals were not new to the scene. We were aware that they would have some die-hard fans from their previous work follow them. But the enormity of the response from this crowd blew me away.

  Maybe it was the vision on the stage with her skin-tight outfit, smoky. sultry voice, and piercing eyes that had me enthralled.

  I was drawn out of my daydream when Theo slapped me on the back.

  “You did a great job preparing them, Baden. You should be proud of yourself and them.” He took a seat at our table. “Sabrina’s going to be pissed she missed this,” he laughed. “She fucking loves Suzi Quatro.”

  “What’s not to love about a hot rocker chick in a skin-tight leather jumpsuit?” I smiled manically. It wasn’t like Crystal and I hid the fact we had sex. We hadn’t gone around advertising it, either. No point in putting off my intention any longer. Theo was not only my friend and former bandmate; he was our boss.

  “I like her Theo, Crystal. I really like her.” I paid close attention to his reaction to two of his most significant assets potentially causing problems for our upcoming tour.

  “Like I warned Maddox and Kitt, keep it professional at the studio. What you do on your own time is none of my business.” His words and smiles were genuine. “Besides, if things go south, it’s not like you will be sharing a bus.” Now that was the type of advice I’d come to expect from T-Bent.

  The girls were well into their set when I was nursing my second Jack and Coke. Crystal stood at the microphone and in her sexy as fuck voice announced, “We’re going to do one more song for you before we take a short break.”

  Then she shouted, “Are you ready to have some fun?”

  Crystal retreated and strapped on her neon pink Strat. Sapphire stepped forward, removed her black Gibson, and handed it off to one of the stagehands. Jade counted them in, followed by a hard bassline courtesy of Amber.

  “I don’t recognize this song,” I shouted across the table to Emily.

  “You won’t,” she shouted back through gritted teeth. “It was something we played around with at the house. You know, for fun,” she growled, unamused.

  I was sure there was a story to be told. I’d wait for another time; I didn’t want to miss what was happening on stage.

  As soon as Crystal and Ashley joined the intro, Sapphire’s smooth voice boomed through the mic.

  “Don’t look into his whiskey eyes

  They’ll mesmerize and hypnotize

  That cunning smile sweet as candy

  That smoky voice smooth as silk

  Smothering kisses from chocolate lips

  Deceptive loving touches from fingertips

  He’ll take what he wants

  And then move on

  All in the name of fun.”

  I notice Emily looking as if she wanted to crawl under the table. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out Emily must have written this when she believed David had deceived her.

  I sat back and continued to watch the performance on stage. Sapphire was good. The audience was responding favorably to the change. Her experience was shining through. What a shame Ruby never had the insight to cultivate all the talent that surrounded her. Her loss was our gain.

  “The devil wears a pretty mask

  To hide his true intentions

  You won’t know where it all went wrong

  The road to hell your destination

  He’ll convince your heart to take the plunge

  It’s what he does, it’s what he’s done

  He’ll take what he wants

  And then move on

  All in the name of fun”

  Sapphire motioned for her Gibson, strapped it on and she and Crystal went toe to toe with a kick-ass duel.

  The fans were eating it up. I’d hadn’t seen this at the studio. Emily mentioned it was something they practiced at the house. It wasn’t recorded, which meant it wasn’t on the album.

  It should have been.

  I’d have to talk to Emily. Besides the obvious of her not wanting David to hear it, maybe there was a deeper reason she chose not to include it with the rest of her songs.

  I watched as the two guitarists played to the crowd.

  Both Sapphire and Crystal made their way to center stage. At some point, they put on hands-free mics. Standing back to back, they belted the last verse of Fun:

  Don’t let him win

  Don’t run and hide

  Unmask the devil

  Take back your pride

  He’s had his fun

  and then moved on

  You’ll learn from this

  Let it make you strong

  One day it will be his turn

  He’ll find someone who’s played the game

  His own heart will take the plunge

  And splatter when it hits the ground

  It will be his turn to feel the pain

  of the true meaning in his claim

  It was all in the name of fun.

  There was a three-second delay that felt like an eternity before the audience erupted, shouting, fun, fun, fun!

  The girls had a number one hit on their hands this entire time and never knew it. I didn’t care what it took, Fun was going to be added to the album.

  Anita barreled through the crowd holding her tablet to her chest. She arrived at our table with the girls. Theo had bottles of water waiting for them. Crystal grabbed one and downed it. I remembered how much sweat was expelled during a set. Replenishing it was crucial.

  “Holy fuck.” Everyone’s head snapped in Anita’s direction. The girl was the epitome of class and good breeding. I didn't think that word had ever left her mouth before today. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Ladies, that was incredible. From start to finish. The live feeds are off the charts, and the fan website is getting thousands of hits.”

  “Oh, sweetie,” Sapphire laughed, “we haven’t finished, we’ve just begun. If you enjoyed Fun, wait until you hear Burn.” Her cocky smirk held a secret. It was obvious she was enjoying watching David squirm.

  “I think the girls were holding out on us,” Theo cut in, frowning. “Why wasn’t that song part of the original lineup?” Guess I wouldn’t have to play the bad guy and give them shit for holding out. Theo was doing a bang-up job on his own.

  Emily’s eyes shifted around the table before settling on David’s.

  Sapphire placed a gentle hand on Emily’s shoulder before explaining. S
he shrugged and lasered a glare at Theo. “Maybe Emily wasn’t ready to have her pain exploited to sell a few records.”

  She continued, “Em, honey, it’s time to rip the fucking bandage off. To hell, if you hurt David’s feelings. Fun was phenomenal. We need to use it.” She pointed a well-manicured finger in David’s chest. “Besides, payback’s a bitch.”

  “So much for burying the hatchet,” David’s arms crossed his chest in mock indignation.

  Sapphire leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “We’re family now; better get used to the ribbing or you won’t last.”

  The table broke out in laughter. Emily visibly relaxed against David. It looked like we were going to get her to agree with letting the girls record and release Fun. Now I was anxious to hear Burn.

  The busty bartender showed up with another Jack and Coke that I hadn’t ordered. She placed it down in front of me, giving me an excellent view of her assets. She also placed a separate napkin beside the drink.

  “I get off at one,” she made a point to announce loud enough for the table to hear, throwing a wink at me before walking away.

  “I need to change before our next set.” Crystal pointed to Emily. “You have to get me out of this before I drown in boob sweat.”

  I choked on my drink as Crystal grabbed Emily’s hand and wandered off towards the dressing room.

  Was she avoiding me? She didn’t appear jealous of the bartender when she slipped me her number. Did she assume I would take her up on her offer?

  It wasn’t like I told her of my plans for us.

  What if she made plans for a hookup of her own?

  Have I let too much time pass and missed my opportunity to see where this thing with Crystal and I could lead us?

  I fingered the napkin, then slipped it in my pocket.

  Chapter 16

  Crystal

  My entire body was buzzing from the energy expelled by the fans. The excitement I was feeling was payment for all the hard work. The tour could not arrive soon enough for me.

  I peeled off the leather jumpsuit, letting it hit the floor with a thud. I had not exaggerated the amount of sweat that poured off my body.

  “Do I have time for a quick rinse?” I begged Emily.

  “You’re the fucking star, take the time,” she giggled while arranging the clothing I would wear for the second half of the show.

  The other girls had decided they were okay with doing the entire show in one outfit. I knew there was no way I was going to last without passing out from heatstroke if I didn’t change.

  My second outfit was a boot cut, hip-hugging dark blue denim. It was paired off with a midnight blue modified corset. There was no way I was putting the girls on full display. Emily added silk and lace, essentially toning down my ample breasts.

  Like the others, I had intended to not come off like a diva wasting time on costume changes. Like now.

  When David arrived with a replica of the famous jumpsuit, I didn’t dare ask what kind of favors I would owe. Or to whom.

  We knew he had connections because of his last name. After he turned his back on his father’s company and denounced the way they conducted business, everyone assumed he would be blackballed from the industry.

  It had the opposite effect. Theo was not the only one tired of the way the more prominent labels operated. Shady deals, uncompromising contracts, backroom favors. Those days were quickly coming to an end.

  After drying off, I stood starfished and let Emily dress me like I was a doll. It was quicker than me trying to do up all the clasps, buttons and ribbon that made up the corset.

  “All done, take a look,” Emily turned me towards the floor-length mirror.

  The dark denim draped down my long legs. The wider bootcut meant I could continue the show in my comfortable black motorcycle boots. The rise landed on the broader part of my slim hips.

  The bottom of the corset skimmed the waistband of my jeans. I was showing a sliver of skin. The cinched waist added to the illusion that I had hips. The silk and lace that had extended the top would keep the girls under wraps while I pranced around on stage.

  If I thought Baden’s expression when he saw me in the jumpsuit was priceless, fuck, this was going to have him coming in his loose-fitting jeans.

  Yeah, I noticed the bulge he was trying to hide when I stepped off the stage. I made it a point to look when I grabbed the bottle of water.

  I decided then and there to seduce him when we were given the all-clear.

  Once the show was over, we had the press junket, then the meet and greet. Not to mention the after-party invitations that would come our way.

  The only party I was interested in was a party for two.

  I no longer cared about fighting a losing battle that was happening with the sexual tension between us. It crackled like electricity during a lightning storm.

  When we were extended a second invitation to spend an afternoon lazing around the pool, my lady bits clenched, remembering what happened the last time we accepted that invitation.

  Unfortunately, I had promised my father I would visit when we had an afternoon off. That was precisely what I had done. It was a pleasant afternoon, and I was able to give them exclusive VIP tickets to the tour's opening weekend.

  Theo arranged a weekend festival with all the proceeds going for cancer research. His friends from his days at the uber-expensive private school Brentwood Academy had inspired him.

  They each had their story of how the disease affected someone they loved.

  It gave Theo the perfect platform to introduce Bentley Records and its talent to the world. The PR firm Theo hired was owned by his good friend Jackson Naile, of Naile Communications, one of his Brentwood buddies. The very same firm where Theo’s sister Anita worked.

  The entire event was going to be televised on every social media platform out there. Much the same as she was doing tonight with our first live performance.

  I allowed Emily to apply one last coat of matte red lipstick on me before heading back out for the second half of our show.

  The girls were already taking their place on stage when I emerged from the back.

  I sidled up to the microphone stand, straddling it much as I did in my first performance. Lowering my voice, I purred into the mic, “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming out to support us.”

  I took this time to introduce the members of the band and what instruments they played. I thanked Theo and Bentley Records. Then it was time to give the audience what they came for.

  “The ladies and I are thrilled that you enjoyed Fun.” I turned my gaze to Baden before screaming, “Are you ready to feel the Burn?”

  Applause and cheers rose up from the crowd. Mission accomplished. This was Jade’s cue to count us in.

  Where Fun was heavy on the guitar riffs and upbeat, Burn was all about the hard pounding beat of the drums and sharp pitch of the bass. Darker, heartbreaking.

  That was why we were starting our second set with it. You always wanted your last song to leave the audience happy and wanting more. Not depressed and crying. The cover song we decided to use was going to bring the house down.

  I waited for Jade to finish the intro. Amber hit her mark, followed by Sapphire. Ashley held back. She would join us on the chorus, adding a layer of haunting sadness with her Boss FDR-1 reverb pedal.

  We wanted the audience to feel the emotions of the writer.

  I prepared myself to bare it all.

  “I gave you too much, the first time around

  There’s no way on Earth, I’d let you hurt me now

  I can’t forget, the scars still remain

  Of loving you darling and touching that flame.”

  I took a step back and let Ashley’s fingers do her magic before I wailed into the chorus.

  “First time burned, shame on you

  Second time burned, I’d be the fool

  You’re just an old lover trying to fan the flames

  You’d do anything fo
r me

  To love you again.”

  The light softened; so did my voice.

  “The changes I made were never enough

  To satisfy you and keep you in love

  So do not touch me now

  Don’t even try

  And don’t look at me with lust and fire in your eyes

  First time burned, shame on you

  Second time burned, I’d be the fool

  You’re just an old lover trying to fan the flames

  Promising love, fortune, and fame

  To make me love you again.”

  The stage went dark except for a spotlight on Jade. She let loose and proved to everyone why she was one of the best drummers on the scene. With her last name being Summers, she had to prove herself more than most.

  Her father was a drummer for a world-renowned band in the seventies. Currently, her cousin was touring with his own prosperous rock band. Yes, she was related to those Summers. That only made her more determined to prove she advanced in the industry because of her talent. Not her famous last name.

  When the stage lights returned, we all took our places.

  With a lower octave and only the lonely beat of Jade’s drum, I held back the dam this provoked in me and repeated the chorus.

  “First time burned, shame on you

  Second time burned, I’d be the fool

  You’re just an old lover

  Trying to fan the flames

  You’d do anything for me

  To love you again.”

  As soon as the song ended, we didn’t miss a beat and jumped into our next song.

  The progression of each song was masterfully planned to lead up to a big finish. And what better way to finish then with Joan Jett’s, I Love Rock and Roll.

  That was one of my favorites to play. It didn’t matter who, when, or where, audience participation was guaranteed. Done right, it was upbeat and sexual. You better believe we were going to do it right.

  We had to finish on a high note. There would be no encores. Each act was given strict timings, and we had maxed ours with the addition of Fun and Burn.

  The stagehands barely cleared our equipment when the DJ who was headlining took it over.