Indulgence (75 page)

Henry waves us in with a wink, showing us the way down the
hall to the staging area. “You ladies look beautiful,” he says, opening the
door for us.

“Thank you, Henry,” we both say in unison.

All of the air is sucked out of the room when I meet Gray’s
eyes from where he is sitting on the couch. His gaze starts at my toes then
moves seductively up to my face. He spins his fingers in a circle so I turn for
him, making him growl in approval. I watch as he stands to his feet, taking him
in. He’s wearing his tight black jeans with a plain white t-shirt. The sexy
tattoos that I love so much are flirting with me through the thin fabric, as I
make my way over to him.

“You look so fuckin’ edible it should be a crime.” His voice
oozes sex with every word, making me stumble as I reach him.

“Why, Sex and Sin, you don’t look so bad yourself,” I tease,
sliding my hands up his arms.

“Sex and Sin, huh?” Hunter asks, from the couch looking Gray
over carefully. “You’ve obviously never had real sex or sin if that’s what you
call him.”

My eyes meet his over Gray’s shoulder. “So, Cunter, how’d it
go after we left last night?”

His eyes light up. “I made four hundred bucks. Then I blew
every damned cent on a hotel room, some good booze and a red-headed bitch named
Chase. That crazy bitch stole my fuckin’ balls when she left me sleepin’ in the
bed.”

“You paid her?” I ask biting my lip to keep from laughing.

Hunter laughs, “Fuck no. I paid to get her drunk then I
fucked that pussy so hard I think we broke some records. I told her to call
Guinness but she passed out after she came on my face.”

Gray turns us so that he can look at Hunter, “What the
hell?”

“Bitch will never forget my name. I’d bet anything. Too bad
I’ll never see her again,” he says, scratching his chin.

Gray nuzzles my neck. The feel of his stubble, all rough and
scratchy against my skin makes my legs wobble. Aiden and Cam are lost in their
own little world in the corner. Aiden’s forgotten chicken wings sitting on the
table in front of them while he mauls her face.

“Hunter…” I mumble. “If we ever run into Chase again, I’ll
bet you she’d say you weren’t that memorable,” I say taunting him. “I bet you
she won’t even remember you.”

“Oh, you got a bet, baby. Name your terms,” he says,
standing to his feet tossing a beer bottle into the trash can.

I wink at Gray, “Alright then. Hunter, if I win this you
have to wear a dress the next time we go to a diner.”

Hunter doubles over in laughter, “Okay, babe. If you win, you
can even put makeup on me if that gets you off.” Straightening, he meets my
eyes, his face completely serious. “If I win I get a kiss.”

Gray’s eyes snap to his, “The fuck if you do. That mouth is
not goin’ anywhere near yours, asshole.”

Hunter grin spreads wickedly, “Who said anything about
kissin’ her mouth?”

“Fuck you!” Gray roars, making Hunter jump back and hold up
his hands in surrender.

“Just playin’, dude. Chill the fuck out.”

“Hunter, if you win I will stock the bus with a week’s worth
of bacon. That I will cook for you,” I blurt.

Hunter’s eyes go wide, “As much as I can eat?” he asks. I
just nod. He jumps up and down like a little kid with a huge smile. “I never
tell bitches I love them, but I fuckin’ love you.” Grabbing me from Gray, he
swings me in his arms. “Go buy that pig, Daisy. I have a Tiger Lily to find.”

“Not now you don’t, dickhead,” Aiden says as his phone
dings. “We have to go give Vegas the Shaft.”

As usual, Henry escorts Cam and I to left stage, where we
take our places on our stools. I haven’t heard anything from Landon, which
makes me think that he is going to dodge me. I glance out onto the stage as I
listen to the crowd chant for Shaft. This is the biggest venue they have
played, but they aren’t nervous at all. I watch as the three guys charge the
stage as if they owned it; although in this moment they do. Hunter’s voice
surrounds us all as he sings. The crowd goes absolutely wild when Aiden throws
his shirt then dives into a drum solo.

“Aiden motherfuckin’ Chesterfield thumpin’ the skins for you
Las Vegas!” Hunter yells into the mic. “Now bend over and grab your knees,
babe, you’re about to get Shafted!”

We scream along with the audience as they rock the hell out
of the show, song after song. Grayson is flawless with every chord. Every time
his eyes meet mine he winks at me, grinding against his guitar. Memories from
the first night I watched him play flood my mind. I mean, it’s only been almost
two weeks! So much has happened since then that I almost don’t feel like the
same person. I feel my old life slipping away, almost like I am escaping into
this new life I could have. I feel like I can almost grab either one. I can go
back to the safe, secure life I had before. I could go home right now but what
would I be leaving behind? Do I want to go back to that or do I want the crazy,
fast paced life that I can have with Gray? My feelings for him are growing into
things that I never expected. I keep pushing it out of my head but it keeps
creeping back up on me more powerful each time.

I watch as Gray steps up to the mic. This time, Hunter and
Aiden stay where they are instead of leaving him alone to perform. “Alright,
here’s a special treat just for you Vegas,” Gray purrs into the mic. His voice
curls around me as if he were speaking only to me. The audience is going
absolutely nuts, loving the special attention they are getting. “Now, usually I
play alone when I do a cover but the guys want to help me out tonight.”

Gray shreds into an intro as Aiden thumps the beat, his leg
slamming the pedal so hard I worry it will go through the floor. Gray’s voice
comes in just as Hunter carries the bass line. The words to ‘
Lifeline
by
Papa Roach’
hitting me head on, as I sit on the stool pinned by Gray’s eyes
as he sings. The emotion pouring from his voice about how he pushed out the
ones he loved never letting anyone in. How I got to him when he didn’t expect
it, shattering all his defenses.

Cam grabs my hand, “He’s singing to you!” she says, jumping
to her feet, pulling me along with her.

Letting go, I scream along with her and the thousands of
fans in the audience as they end the song. “Thank you Vegas, you fuckin’ rock!
Now that we have you all primed ‘n ready how about you give it up for No
Approval!”

Walking over, Aiden grabs his shirt then throws it along
with his sticks into the crowd. Cam leaps onto Aiden making him wobble back
into the wall as she kisses him hard. My phone vibrates in my boot as Gray
wraps his arms around me from behind. Leaning down, I rub against him as I slip
it from the zipper.

30 minutes

@ hotel

Room 6732

Gray reads the text over my shoulder as he rolls his hips
against me. “You ready then?” he asks, grabbing my hand. “The sooner this shit
is talked out…the sooner we get back to my plan for the week.” Of course I know
that he is right. I need closure but the fact that Landon and I will be face to
face for the first time in days has my stomach churning. I wasn’t very nice to
him the last time we were together. I mean, yeah, he deserved it but I threw my
ring at him, hugged him then told him that he wasn’t welcome in my bed. I can
only hope he plans to be civil with me like I hope to be with him.

Gray and I are silent the entire ride back to the hotel.
Henry talks with Hunter about plans for later while Cam and Aiden are attacking
each other in the backseat. After we part ways in the lobby, Gray takes the
elevator with me to the thirteenth floor where according to the front desk room
6732 is located. Is it a coincidence that it’s the same floor as our room? “She
said it’s down at the end of the hall on the left,” Gray says, entwining our
fingers as we walk.

At the end of the hall there is an enormous window
overlooking the strip with a bench. “Go have a seat. This shouldn’t take long,”
I say kissing his cheek.

He eyes the room where the door stands cracked. “Are you
sure you wanna do this alone, baby? I’ll go in with you. I won’t say a word.”

I shake my head. “No. I can do this. I’ll leave the door
open too.”

He slumps to the bench as I walk over and tap on the door. I
hear a noise, Landon left the door open for me; so I walk in. “Landon?” I call
out from the living room of the suite. I hear a groan from the other side of
the door which must be the bedroom. Is Landon drunk? I hear something slam to
the floor jarring me to action. I fling open the door to my own personal naked
clusterfuck nightmare.

Landon is tied to the bed as some blonde is riding him like
the damn rodeo clown her makeup suggests that she is. I watch in horror as
Tad’s eyes meet mine. His smile meets his eyes as he thrusts into her ass
making her scream. “See Landon, Daisy can’t give you what I can. She doesn’t
want anything to do with our relationship does she? She couldn’t be a part of
this.”

“No I can’t,” I shout from the door making everyone jump
except Tad. “Landon you bastard! Why did you even ask me to come here?” I
scream. “Haven’t you proven your point? Luckily, my heart can’t be broken by
you.”

Landon’s eyes fly open in shock as he sees me. The woman’s
hands are running along his chest as he stares at me. “Daisy! No. This isn’t
what you think?” he shouts, yanking at his restraints, the headboard rattles as
he tries to get free from underneath them. Tad doesn’t stop, he just slams into
her again. She loses her balance falling into Landon’s face. “Fuck! Let me up,
damn it! Tad!”

“Go straight to hell, Landon. I never want to see you
again,” I shout forcing myself not to be sick at the sight of yet another
betrayal. I slam the door behind me as Landon screams for me to stop. Running
up the hall my rage blurring my vision. I just need to get away from here. Away
from them. I don’t even see Grayson when I crash into his chest so hard that I
nearly fall.

“What the fuck did he say to you? I’ll kill that son of a
bitch,” Gray roars sounding murderous.

“Get me out of here,” I manage to stutter through my tears
just as the woman screams out Landon’s name.

Gray’s eyes blaze as he eyes the door. The blonde is
bringing it home matched by male grunts. Gray releases me once I am steady then
starts down the hall toward the bedroom. There is no doubt in my mind what he
plans to do. I yank his hand, pulling him back to me. “Please Gray. Take me out
of here. I don’t want a fight. It’s over. It didn’t take a conversation with
him to get my closure.” I tuck into his side as Gray walks me out of the suite.

Exploits of the Drunk and Shameless

I go into complete robotic mode. In the elevator I nod when
he asks if I am okay; nodding again when he asks if I want to go eat. I walk
into the restaurant downstairs on a mission. I slide into the booth immediately
ordering a screwdriver. “Make it a double,” I shout as the waitress walks away.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Gray asks sliding in next to
me.

The silence is deafening. Gray sits there holding my hand
waiting for me to speak. “Nope. I do not want to talk about walking in on my ex
tied to a bed with some goddamn whore on his dick. I also do not want to talk
about the fact that while she is riding my ex, Tad was fuckin’ her in the ass,”
I say just as the waitress sits my drink in front of me. I grab the glass,
sucking down half of it in one swallow. “Go ahead and bring me another one of
these please,” I huff as the liquor heats my entire body.

“Why the fuck would he ask you to come speak to him just to
have you walk in on that?” Gray asks furiously. I watch his face contort, his
mouth a hard line, his eyes hard and angry. He clenches his fist in his lap. I
know he wants to rip him apart, so do I; but what good would that do? Besides
make me feel better for a minute but I’d rather beat Tad’s ass instead. The
thought of this all going on behind my back, all this time, is making me a
complete wreck. I am pissed off. Disgusted at the fact that he wants to keep
flaunting it in my face; but, surprisingly, I’m relieved that I know it is
over. I was worried he would beg me to come back. Something that I didn’t know
how to answer because I couldn’t have lived the way Tad and Landon wanted. I
also know that I can’t just walk away from Gray either. It never would have
worked with Landon. I can’t be what he needs me to be. I won’t be that woman.

“To try to hurt me I guess. I told him he couldn’t break my
heart. Said he couldn’t hurt me… Maybe it’s his way of showing me that I’ll
never be enough for him? I honestly don’t know, Gray. I also just decided that
I don’t fucking care,” I mutter into my glass, then down the last of it.

“They’re both fired. Aiden drafted up letters of dismissal
this afternoon. Henry delivered them while we were practicing. It’s done.”

I nod, waving my hand in the air vaguely acknowledging him.
The waitress exchanges my empty glass with a filled one. I smile, promising her
a huge tip if she keeps a full glass in my hand. She nods then winks at Gray.
Of course this shit makes me see red. “Bitch, I hope it’s worth it because I’ll
fuck you up if you even try,” I bite out not even meeting her eyes.

Gray laughs, “Don’t take offense she’s had a rough night,”
he says, handing her a few bills. Pulling me to my feet he walks me out to the
street. “We need to get your mind off of Landon and back where it belongs. That
shit’s over. New plan, new list remember? Tell me, what do you want to do right
now? Anything you want Wildflower you name it.”

Turning, I pull him against me in the middle of the crowded
sidewalk. People are shoving around us as I stare into his eyes, my lips just
brushing his as I tell him exactly what I want. “Gray, all I want is to get
drunk and fuck you until we can’t walk. It’s a good thing that you have three
days until your next show. You’ll spend it recovering.”