Too Many Rock Stars (Access All Areas #1) (17 page)

Violet might think she was all about Razer but that was just a passing fancy because she’d thought she lost him. That thing between them wouldn't last. I'd make sure of that. I had a few tricks up my sleeve and I never admit defeat.

I sat in the bar waiting for them to announce the results of competition. It had been my idea. I wanted to win and I wanted to do it publicly. Anyway, the people had gotten behind this competition and they were invested in the result.

"I don't think you're going to win," said Carlie, pouring me another drink.

"Well, you think wrong." Even though I sounded confident, I had my fingers clasped around the lucky coin in my pocket. I didn't believe in that kind of thing but it never hurt either. I crossed my legs and waited for the action to start.

Most people milled around the stage. The crowd would be all about Razer. If they were my fans, they'd have stayed at home and not given him extra numbers. But that didn't matter. If I won, I won.

Finally, Sally got up and walked to the stage. She had a smile on her face but that could mean anything. She mucked around with the microphone like people who aren't used to being on stage do, making it feedback and trying to adjust it.

"Hello..." she said.

People cheered.

"Tell us the results," someone yelled.

I grasped the coin tighter. This had to be my moment. I ran my finger around the grooves on the edge.

"Okay, thanks for coming out tonight and last week to support Alex."

The crowd cheered again.

Dazza came over to join me. He shot me a smile. It was easy for him. Either way, he was on the winning team.

In the lead up to the gigs, I'd tried to bribe him to poach some support for us but he insisted on being even-handed.

Violet and Razer stood on the other side of the room. She had her hand on his arm, trying to drag him off. She obviously didn't have much confidence that he'd win and wanted to spare him the pain. But there'd be even more pain in store for him when I won. She could say the deal didn't mean anything but I had enough charm that the date with me would change her mind. We were so much alike and he... he was a meathead. That's all you could say about him.

"It's been a very close competition, pants wettingly close, you might say. Both bands are incredibly talented and played their guts out. It's not about about who's best though, it's about who's the most popular."

She could just get on with it.

"In fact, there was just one person the difference. So, if you're not happy with the result, blame yourself. You could've dragged your friends along or something. One person, that’s something amazing."

"She needs a drumroll," Dazza said. "I should be up there to do it for her."

Finally, she took a deep breath and got ready for the announcement, letting the silence fill the room before she let it drop.

"So, I guess you want to know the result. The best band, the winning band, is Zero. Alex, it's all yours."

I let myself grin, just a little.

I'd done it. Only one person though. That was almost like losing.

"Damn," said Dazza. "I knew I shoulda got my mum and dad to come along. That'd have made us win. Damn, damn."

"When you say 'us' you mean Razer?"

Dazza looked at me. It took a moment of processing for him to realise what he’d said.

"I mean," I added, "you didn't get your mum and dad to see me play? If you'd been even, then it would've made no difference."

"Yeah, but..."

"But?"

"Well, Razer's my mate. We're friends. I play in your band but that's just for money, isn't it. We're not a team. We're not friends. If you found a better drummer, you'd kick me out on my butt without thinking about it."

Dazza mightn't be bright but he had that right. That's business.

He wandered off while I basked in my bittersweet victory.

The crowd screamed for me to get up on stage so I obliged them. Even though the prize I should’ve been accepting up there was walking out the door. I watched them from the stage. I could let her go for now. I had something more than a lucky coin in my pocket. I’d been in negotiations with Chuck for the past week. Trouble, and everything in it, now belonged to me.

"Why did you turn up?" I asked Razer as we walked to the bar. “I was on a date! You don’t go on other people’s dates with them. What kind of manners do you have?”

But Razer just laughed and slipped his arm around me.

“Whoa, steady on there. This date isn’t over.”

"I told you, I don't want you spending one minute with that sleaze without me there to protect you. He's bad news. Why else would he hide stuff about himself?"

To be honest, I'd thought the same about Alex. But what did I care. If he wanted to hide his past, that was his issue. I had no interest. I only had an interest in more sex. With Razer, without Alex.

Still, it wasn’t very nice for Razer to say that with Alex right beside him.

We paused outside the doors to Trouble.

“Dates over here,” said Razer. “Once we walk in those doors, you have no more claim on her. I don’t care if you’re her boss or any other bullshit. You had your date like you wanted. Enough’s enough.”

Razer folded his arms while Alex glared back.

“It was meant to be a date with just the two of us. Not with you tagging along.” Alex leaned back against the wall, trying to play it cool. “How the fuck did you even know where we were going? And how did you afford that place?”

Razer laughed.

“It was that blockhead, Dazza, wasn’t it? He overheard me making reservations on the phone. He ran straight to you with the information.”

Razer didn’t confirm it but he didn’t need to. Of course it was Dazza. Razer had found out and made a reservation himself. I’d known nothing about it and had gone on the date with Alex to shut him up. It’d keep to the letter of the agreement if not the spirit. It wasn’t a date for me, it was eating dinner in the same place as someone else. Until Razer came in and sat at the table behind Alex.

“You forgot something. Part of the deal was a goodnight kiss.”

Holy shit, I’d forgotten that. I’d rather kiss a dead tuna than Alex. It would be weird and uncomfortable. Especially with Razer hovering over us.

“That’s not going to happen,” Razer said.

We moved for a group of people to go inside.

“Seriously, Alex, do you want me to kiss you when I’m not interested? That’s just creepy and wrong.”

He ignored me and turned to Razer. “It was part of the deal. Do you have any honour or not?”

The emotions played out over Razer’s face. Honour was a big deal to him. Honour and loyalty and being true to your people. That was one of the most adorable things about him. On the other hand, no guy is going to stand by and watch another dude kiss his girlfriend.

"Promise me that you won’t enjoy it. If you swear you have no interest in him, then I'll rest easy." Razer looked miserable as he said that.

"I wouldn't be with you if I had any interest in him. You're the one that I chose. Even though you are annoying and you tickle my feet and sometimes you aren't real punctual and you make weird noises in your sleep. It’s for life, there’s no escape for you."

Razer grinned, obviously not concerned about being trapped with me for life.

My head swam, not being able to focus on this. I knew I should have some kind of freak out but I kept looking in Razer's eyes and nothing else would fit in my head.

“Even if you’re okay with it, I’m not. It’s my mouth we’re talking about here.” I was not going to kiss Alex, no way.

Before we could say any more, Alex walked into the club.

“Should we go in?” Razer asked.

“Nah, let’s go home. I’m not wasting the rest of my night off.”

He took my hand in his and we walked away from Trouble.

A noise woke me from my nap. Damn people disturbing my sleep. I needed to nap at work because didn't get much sleep at home nowadays. I couldn't help myself. With that temptation dangling there, how could I resist?

At least Alex hadn't been around much. They were still in the handover process, waiting for all the legal stuff to go through, so Chuck didn't give a shit about anything anymore and Alex had no power yet.

I had a feeling that would change. In the meantime, I got my sleep when I could.

There was definitely someone coming into my office though.

"It's only me, don't throw things at me," said Razer.

I jumped up off the sofa and threw my arms around him. He'd been so busy rehearsing that I'd not seen him during the day. After the competition gig, he'd had a few important industry people sniffing around, showing interest. That meant hours of rehearsal.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Trying to catch you napping in those skimpy shorts," he said, his fingers running down my belly to the waistband.

I slapped his hand away.

"Not here. Anyone could walk in."

"Not if we put that sofa in front of the door."

I thought about it for a minute but did he even know these people I worked with? Razer and I in my office with a locked door – they'd be outside listening. Maybe even recording. The mushy stuff could wait for home. Even if it killed me.

"Let's go into the bar," I said.

The look on Razer's face almost made me reconsider. Damn it, he was a hard man to resist.

"We can go back to your place for a quickie," I told him and that made him grin.

"Will you leave the shorts on?"

I rolled my eyes but slipped my skirt on over them. I sure as hell was not going out into the bar in just those shorts.

As we walked out the door, I noticed Mark mopping the store room, very close to my office door.

"Since when do you mop?" I asked him. "That's Drew's job."

Drew might be a bit simple but he wouldn't even think of spying on me, unlike Mark.

We went into the bar.

"Should we stop for a drink?" I asked, jokingly.

We exchanged glances, both of us urgently needing to be alone.

"Whoa, off for some sexy times?" Carlie called out from behind the bar. Then she looked at the doorway as though she'd seen a ghost.

A guy stood there. As tall as Razer and with long hair. He walked in as though he owned the place, his gaze on the bar. That man looked like he had a mighty powerful thirst. A thirst that would take a long time to quench.

Carlie had been restocking the bar. When she saw that guy approach the bar, the bottles fell from her hands.

"Fuck, no," she whispered. "Fuck."

Her gaze darted around as though looking for an escape route.

"Do you want me to stay?" I asked, rushing to her side.

She shook her head and looked up at the stranger approaching the bar.

"Get the fuck out here, Holden, or I’ll have to kill you."

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Too Many Rock Stars
. I hope you enjoyed it. The next book in the Access All Areas series is – Rock Star Returns which follows Carlie’s story.

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