Strings (18 page)

I drop a pick and bend over to get it,
baring my thronged little ass to God and everybody and shimmying
slowly back to a vertical position. The whistles become deafening.
Jinx smiles at me. Mutual respect passes between us. Damn, I love
that chick.

Wearing a trench coat with his hair slicked
back, Shades watches from the sidelines, arms folded over his
chest, brow raised, grinning from ear to ear. Rax and Toombs flank
him with similar expressions. Jillian gives us a thumbs up.

Meanwhile, Kate stands to the side in her
ripped jeans and T-shirt, studying her fingernails. Whatever.

“
Let’s rock!” I shout into
the mic. The music kicks. I shake, sing, and scream. The crowd
roars. The world disappears.

At the end of our set, I tell the fans, “If
you wanna see more of us”—I heft my star-spangled boobs—“go give
our fan page a like. I made a deal with Killer Dixon that if we get
more fans than they have, I’ll take off the skirt at tomorrow
night’s show.”

The guys in the front lift their beers up
high. “Yeah, baby! Fuck, yeah!”

I prance off stage behind Kate and Jinx like
I own the fucking universe. I brush Shades’s chest as I leave, and
he swipes the back of my thigh.

“
Lookin’ good,” he
mumbles.

“
Thanks for the duds,” I
say as I mosey past him. “Can’t wait to see yours.” It sucks that I
can’t kiss him or at least grab his ass.

He, Rax, and Toombs gawk as we greet a few
fans backstage. Kate signs some autographs, then disappears while
the crew help Jinx break down her kit. Typical of the selfish bitch
to leave Jinx hanging. Fine. I start to join Jinx, but Jillian
grabs my arm.

“
You sold out,” she says.
“Both shows.”

“
Rock on.”

“
Not bad, Letty.” She pats
my shoulder and smiles.

“
What can I say? Tits and
ass sell.”

“
We both know that’s only
part of it. Your fans are here for the music.”

“
Is there anything else?”
I laugh and head over to help with the drums, intentionally
flashing the crowd here and there. It’s fun to get a rise out of
the guys.

When Killer Dixon hits the stage, the noise
level jumps again, and it’s my turn to stalk Shades.

The boys walk out wearing long trench coats,
and stop in the center of the platform. At once they don ugly-ass
glasses with tape on the bridges of the noses, snap open their
coats like strippers, and toss them to the floor.

Shades has on plaid pants pulled halfway up
his chest that flood so badly, they show off at least three inches
of his red and black argyle socks and holey black loafers. Wide
brown suspenders keep his short-sleeved button-down shirt—complete
with pens in pocket—under wraps. Tattoos down his forearms totally
ruin the outfit in the best way possible. But the bright red bow
tie? Fucking priceless.

Rax and Toombs are dressed similarly with
clashing colors. The geek squad has arrived.

Oh my God, I nearly shit myself
laughing.

Kate appears at my side, scowling as usual.
How can she not find the humor in this scene?

Shades slings his bass strap across his
shoulder and grabs the mic. “How about Cherry Buzz Float, huh? They
make me wanna stick my dick in a wall socket.” He makes an
exaggerated adjustment in the crotch area. I smile.

The fans cheer. I would too, if Kate weren’t
around.

Glancing our way, Rax says into his mic, “I
only wish we coulda seen what Kate had going on under those jeans.
I’ll bet that pussy can get a cat purring, no?”

Oh shit. What’s that asshole doing? Besides
making my life hell?

Kate’s nostrils flare, and her lips press
together tightly. She stomps off in a fury as Killer Dixon launches
into their first song. Great. Fucking great.

I stay side stage for the entire set
because: 1) I’m not interested in running damage control when Kate
loses her shit; and 2) I can’t resist watching Shades. The guy has
a gorgeous, rough voice that gives me cooter quivers. And the way
he moves—so casual. He’s the physical embodiment of a living,
breathing swagger. Even in his ridiculous outfit, looking like a
total fucking imbecile, I want to do him all night long. He’s proof
that clothes do not make the man. His music does.

And just as he knows how to work me from top
to bottom, he works his crowd like a pro. He senses the highs and
the lulls, and improvises to give the fans what they crave. He’s
pure rock star. Pure perfection.

I know I promised myself not to get
attached, but I’ve changed my mind about him.

I want him all over me, every minute,
twenty-four/seven. I want to be tied up in his strings forever and
a day. I want Todd Armstrong.

Pissing Dudes and Rogue
Ejaculators

The guys insist on hitting the strip club
after the show. Rax knows the owner, so they get in free. I’ll bet
they get free drinks all night too.

Cherry Buzz Float isn’t invited.

I’m pouty. I could use some liquor, and I
want to know what’s going on inside. I don’t like the thought of
strippers—or anyone else—touching Shades. Since crashing Killer
Dixon’s party isn’t an option, I’m outside with Jinx and Jillian in
the freezing cold, still wearing my too-short skirt, flirting with
guys as they go in.

At least I’m getting some work done.

Jillian got the brilliant idea to have some
cheap cards printed up with info about Cherry Buzz Float and links
to our website and fan page. I know she did this as a special
favor, so I’m showing my appreciation by playing the cool rock
chick and making nice with the locals. But my attention keeps
wandering to that imposing door. Maybe Shades will come up with an
excuse to go back to the bus early, and I’ll have him to myself for
a few minutes.

But the night wears on. No sign of him.
After an hour of chatting with guys in the cold and giving away all
our swag, Jillian has had it.

“
I’m going in to get
them,” she declares, her breath mingling with wisps of cigarette
smoke rising from her hand. “It’s almost 1 a.m.”

Perfect opportunity for me to jump in. “I’ll
go. I have to pee anyway.”

“
Fine. But if you’re not
back in five minutes, we’re leaving. The parking lot is about to
close, and we have to move the bus.”

“
I gotta pee too,” Jinx
says.

Jillian rolls her eyes. “Make it
snappy.”

I high-five Jinx, and we break for the door.
The bouncer has been talking to us all night, and he lets us in
without paying cover. Thank God.

The place is dark, and the music’s loud. I
sift through the haze until a familiar, loud voice catches my
attention. Rax. Drunk. And singing.

The members of Killer Dixon are parked in a
rounded leather banquette in the sectioned-off VIP area at the back
of the joint. Six strippers surround them. Jinx and I walk
over.

Make that seven strippers. One of them is in
Shades’s lap with his arm around her hip. His hand rests on her
naked thigh.

I inhale a deep breath to calm a sudden bout
of rage-induced hypothermia.

A raven-haired beauty twirls her way down
their personal pole to the tune of Rax singing, “Lo-lo-lo-la-Lola,
you got my cock so swoll-ah…You swing on your pole-ah…Can I shove
my meat in your hidey-hole-ah?” He cracks himself up laughing and
tips over onto Toombs’s shoulder. The gyrating stripper smiles as
she makes her way to him. He lifts his head and stares like an acid
tripper enthralled by a fucking disco ball.

Waiting to be noticed, I lay my hands on my
hips and try to be cool. When no one looks at me, I say, “Jillian
says it’s time to roll, guys.”

Shades’s head snaps up, but I can’t read his
expression. Damn sunglasses. I stare at him for several
seconds.

Why am I so pissed about him being with
another chick? Because this growing attraction makes me vulnerable.
I’m not a fan of weakness.

I freak. I can’t take seeing him with
someone else. I bolt and leave Jinx standing there alone.

“
Piss break,” Rax says
behind me.

Fuck. I gotta get to the bus. I don’t want
to be jealous, but I can’t help my feelings. I’ve never been
possessive about guys before. It’s not me. I’m a free-spirit. A
go-with-the-flow girl. A kite sailing on the breeze—

“
Hey.” A hand lands on my
arm and stops me. Rax. Shit, I so don’t want to deal with him right
now.

I toss his hand off and face him. “What? And
don’t say you want to do it again. That was a one-time thing,
man.”

He herds me to the wall with his body but
doesn’t touch.

I lean in as if to kiss him. “If you tell
anyone what happened, I’ll rip your balls off with my teeth and
spit them up your asshole.”

“
I won’t tell if you
don’t. Our little secret.” His words are sloppy slurs. Alcohol
pours off his breath and slaps me in the face. Goddamn
tease.

Secret? I thought for sure he was going to
spill—

Understanding flares a series of connections
in my brain, and equations add up. Rax’s motivation is no longer an
enigma. I dish a lopsided grin. “You don’t want Toombs to find out
about us.”

His dull eyes flash for a split second. In
his drunken state, he probably didn’t mean to give up that little
tidbit of info, but I’m so glad he did.

“
You and Toombs have some
kinda bromance thing brewing between you, and you don’t want your
lover boy to get jealous.” I poke his chest.

The fact that he doesn’t deny my accusation
proves I’m right.

He inches in, and now we’re so close, we
might as well kiss and get it over with. Except kissing isn’t on
the agenda. I have no more interest in Rax than he has in me.

Yeah, this closeness is testosterone-driven,
all right, but protectiveness is number one on the agenda, not
sex.

“
Toombs doesn’t do well
with being left out,” he mumbles, lids drooping to
half-mast.

“
I see. Take my advice and
stay away from me and Jinx. And stop antagonizing Kate. No more
repeats of your antics on stage tonight.”

“
Kate’s a fucking bitch
and deserves whatever she gets. She stole that song from
me
, not the other way
around.” His volume and wildly flailing arms draw attention from a
couple walking by.

I conjure my best Cheshire cat smile and pat
his cheek. “If clinging to lies gets you through the day, you keep
on believing them. But the next time you get Kate worked up, I’m
gonna seriously consider investing in a truth-dishing session with
your lover Toombs.”

“
He’s not my
lover.”

I don’t believe him. “No?
What do
you
call
it, then?”

“
He’s my tag-team buddy.”
He awkwardly tweaks my nipple.

I bat his hand away.
“Well, your
buddy
has eyes for Jinx, and that shit needs to stop.”

He leans back with a loose, brain-addled
grin. “Jinx is a big girl. Or at least, she will be when Toombs and
I finish with her.”

Nobody messes with Jinx while I’m around. I
grab him by the nuts and drag him back within kissing distance. “I
strongly urge you to reconsider,” I whisper against his mouth.

His lips part, and for a second, I’m sure
he’s diving in. But he doesn’t. “Looks like we got us a stalemate,
Squirt.”

“
Indeed we do.” We
visually throw down in silence for ten solid seconds before he
backs off and stumbles toward the table, arms swinging and feet
tripping.

Fucking asshole. I trudge in the direction
of the door, but a leather blockade stops my paces. Shades. He
grabs my wrist, ushers me around the corner, and pushes me against
the wall with his lips.

I promptly dissolve into the wood.

Wait a minute. I’m supposed to be mad at him
for flirting with other women. I reach up to shove him away, but my
traitorous hands wind around his shoulders instead. The metal nub
in his tongue tickles me. I caress it, and a flood of cooch juice
pours out the freshly opened dam. I swear I’m gonna start believing
in that pheromone shit. Every time this guy comes around, my pussy
leaks. Lucky for me, he’s the worst plumber in town.

He interrupts the delicious kissing with
mumbles into my lips. “Stay away from Rax.”

“
Fuck you,” I mumble back.
Normally I’d resent a man telling me what to do, especially where
other guys are concerned, but Shades’s apparent jealousy trips my
pride trigger. “I’ll do whatever the fuck I want with Rax. Just
like you do with your strippers.”

He pulls away and nails me with a stare.
“Strippers bore me.”

“
Yeah? You didn’t look
very bored at the table.”

“
Are you
jealous?”

“
Not at all,” I
lie.

He shoots a glance left, then right. He
presses his cock against my hip. “Well, I am. And if I see you
alone with Rax again, I’m gonna beat the living hell out of him.
You don’t want me to resort to violence, do you?” His rugged voice
gets my uterus on her feet and dancing, but his words circulate
warmth through my heart.

“
Don’t tell me who I can
or can’t be with.” Evil twin Letty speaks with my mouth. I sure as
shit wasn’t thinking those words. Quite the opposite.

He dips closer and brushes my mouth with
his. “How about if I ask real nice?”

“
How about you give me a
reason not to be with Rax? Or anybody else, for that
matter.”