“Hey, I gotta go.I’m heading in for practice.Give everyone my love.Talk to you later.”
And I punched the end call button before my mom could give me any more bad news.
I don’t think I could’ve taken another blow at the moment.
More than anything, I wanted the empty euphoria only drugs could give me.
But I was sober now.
Dammit.
Needless to say, I was in a mood when I arrived at the Haven Arena.
Jittery.
Hungry.
Craving something I wasn’t ever able to have again.
And then my eyes fell on Alice sitting behind my drum set, wailing on the skins.
She was mesmerizing.
Intoxicating.
My dick hardened, and I let myself fantasize briefly about having her on her knees in front of me, holding all that luscious hair in one hand as she bent toward me.Those sweet, plump lips opening over me.
As she brought her sticks down one more time, her eyes flicked over the stage then rested on me.Her hands stopped and all the noise fell away.
Even from here, I could see the way her eyes narrowed and her mouth pursed in annoyance.
Which reminded me of that storage room in Dublin and the way she sold me out.I thought of it almost every time I saw her.“Having fun?”I drawled as I walked onto the stage.
Lark and a mystery blonde shifted until they stood between Alice and me.Alice stood up, her sticks clenched in her left hand.
“You’re early.”Each word was bitten out, her annoyance as obvious as the frown on her face.“Church doesn’t start for forty-five minutes.We’re not set up yet.”
“That’s not what it sounded like to me.”I raised my eyebrows as I took in the kit all in place, the guitar in the blonde’s hands, and the keyboard in front of Lark.“Showing off for your friends?”
If it were possible, Alice’s scowl grew darker.It would’ve been intimidating if she didn’t look like an angry pixie missing her wings.“No.We’re setting up your instruments.Because that’s my job.”
My eyes drifted over the mystery blonde again.Something about her felt vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place her.Clearly she was a friend of Alice’s, but why would I recognize her?My gaze flicked over Lark who was pushing the keyboard toward the back of the stage where it belonged.“I don’t remember setting up being a part of Lark’s duties, and”—I turned to the blonde—“I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you, darlin’.”
The blonde snorted.“Well, that’s insulting.”
Before I had a chance to unravel that weird reply, Lark bounced back in front of my drum set.“You done, Alice?”
“Yup.”Alice stood up, dropping her sticks on the snare.
“Oh no.”I laughed, raising my hand.“I don’t think so.No way in hell is that seat set for me.I’m about a foot taller than you.You’re not leaving until the job is done.”
The blonde threw me a disgusted look over her shoulder that would’ve been confusing if I didn’t know she was Alice’s friend.
With a huff, Alice bent in front of me, her hands twisting at the metal base of the stool, but all I could look at was the way her plump lips pursed with her concentration.The little grunt she made as she twisted the stubborn threading had me biting my lip to keep my pained groan inside.
Fuck.Why’d she have to be so hot?I never should’ve agreed to taking on a female drum tech.
“There.”Alice stepped back with an annoyed huff.“Does the throne meet your highness’ expectations?”
