Interlude (Rockstar #4) (21 page)

How was your drive
in? Is he kidding me? How the fuck does he think my drive in was? It sucked. It sucked hard. Everything about my life sucks. What the hell kind of question is that? I mean, seriously. The dude sits there playing a guitar that is worth more than everything I own in the world—tripled—and he asks me how my drive in was.

"Oh, it was great. Jeeves opened the door to the stretch limo and made sure I had everything I needed before he set off to Rockstar-Land," I think to myself. Is he serious right now?

"What just happened?" Meggie asks.

Yeah, Lucy didn't need to introduce me to the band members. I know who they all are. I follow them and love their music. It's how I knew about the Blush Baby campaign.

They think I don't know why they chose me, but I'm not stupid. They picked me out of pity. Poor sick girl in foster care. Boo hoo. I knew they'd eat that up and I played it for all it was worth. I mean, why not? It was my one shot to get the hell out of the group home. Sure, I could've waited out the six months until I turned eighteen, but then what? I'm broke as a joke.

So, it might be shitty of me but, yeah, I played on their sympathies in hopes to land this gig. With the money I'll be making, I'll only have to work part-time while I go to college to get my degree. Everything paid in full. No debt when I graduate and a really great chance of landing a high-paying position right after graduation. Computer programming and IT shit is where the money is, and an added bonus is I love computers and puzzles. I'll sit there all night until I figure out just what the hell is wrong and when I finally do, I find the solution and implement it. I may be a foster kid but I'm no dummy. Something these people will likely learn for themselves.

"What just happened," Ben says with a frown, "is Xander asked a stupid question."

"It wasn't stupid," Xander defends. "Hell, I was just trying to make polite conversation."

"Dude," Kennedy says. "You forget what it's like."

"Mostly because you didn't live it," Ethan adds.

"What the ever-loving fuck? How is my asking how her drive in was, a bad thing? I was being courteous," Xander bites out.

Cage nods. "Sure, and that'd be good with someone who wasn't shuffled around like a piece of mail. But someone who grew up in the system? Brought here by her case worker? You can bet that case worker has zero money and is scraping by in life." He looks at me. "I'm sorry, Nicole. We should have sent a car for you. I just knew your case worker had to be here when you arrived. I didn't think past that."

I shrug. "It's cool." I look away, down, anywhere but at those gorgeous blue eyes assessing me. Ben Kingston. I take a breath. He's more beautiful in person than he is on the pages of the magazines. And, holy Hannah, he's staring at me in a way I've never been looked at before—in a way that makes me tingle all over—in a way that makes me want to tear both of our clothes off and get horizontal.

Wow. This, from the girl who's barely been felt up. I've touched myself but no one else has, and never did I ever imagine I'd want to be touched in the way I'm thinking right now—by anyone. Ever. I saw what sex and love do to people. It destroys them and I'm smarter than that.

I squeeze my thighs together. I may be smarter than that but my hormones aren't.

"Are you all right?" Meggie asks. "You're looking a bit flushed."

I just bet I am. Blame it on that tall hunk of a man over there, I think to myself.

"Just a little warm is all," I reply, pulling my thin sweater off. I'm just folding the sweater and setting it by my bag when he bellows.

"What the fuck?" Ben shouts.

I jump and look around.

"What's going on?" Sera asks.

Ben points at me, at my bare arms and the bruises covering them. Ah.

"It's part of the illness. I bruise easily. I can bump into a cotton ball and get a bruise."

He scoffs. "That is completely unacceptable."

I lift a brow. "Pardon?"

"There has to be something they can do for that. I mean, a pill or something," Ben motions with his hands.

I shrug. "Not that I'm aware of and I've been getting pretty good treatment."

Ben stands up. "Pretty good isn't good enough."

"Then it's a good thing we've got our own doctor now, isn't it?" Sera asks.

What's his deal? Why does he care if I have a few bruises. It's not new. I've lived with this affliction for as long as I can remember. It's just part of my everyday life now.

"You owe a quarter," I tell him, hoping to change the subject.

"What?" Ben asks, confused.

"You owe a quarter. You said the F word."

He mumbles under his breath but he puts the quarter in the jar.

"That sucker's filling up fast," Meggie says with a bounce. She's so beautiful and perky—way too perky.

"What do you plan to do with the, uh, 'donations'?" I ask.

"We'll give them to one of the homeless shelters we sponsor," Lucy tells me.

"That's cool." Maybe they aren't the rich snobs I imagined them to be. Only time will tell.

“Who is that guy?” Jesse asks, looking out the bus window.

Lucy shifts nervously in her seat. “Um, that’s Dr. Donovan.”

He pauses, looking down at their joined hands resting between them.

He looks up. “And who is Dr. Donovan?”

“I told you, baby. He was my doctor in the ER the night I broke my hand.” I watch as she holds her breath. I don't get why she's nervous. Sure the doc is hot, but anyone can see no one can hold a candle to her husband.

“Did you steal another employee from someone?” he asks her with a smirk as he twists the wedding rings on her finger.

She raises a brow and lifts her chin. “I might have.”

Cage walks up. “I’m just really glad it wasn’t another one of mine.”

"Oh," Sera breathes, "the hot doctor with the sexified voice."

"What the hell?" Jesse mutters and frowns, then stands and looks out the window again.

Xander looks out the window and whistles. "Yep that's him, all right."

Jesse looks at Lucy, who fidgets.

Xander snickers. "Looks like Lucy's got some 'splaining to do."

I can't help it, as much as this guy rubs me the wrong way, that shit was funny. I laugh and don't bother trying to hide it.

Jesse crosses his arms. "She sure does, doesn't she?"

"Oh get over yourself," Sera mutters and pushes Jesse to the side. "Mmm, mmm, mmm. That is one fine looking Irishman. Holy smokes! Is that his brother?"

Cage gives her a bland look but nods.

"Let me see," Meggie shouts, shoving Sera to the side. "Oh yeah, baby. He is all kinds of fine."

"Wait til you hear the voice," Sera mutters with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" Meggie asks her and Lucy snorts.

"The brogue. He's got this gorgeous lilt and… yeah. It's hot," she tells her.

Meggie bounces some more. "Bitches better get in line."

"Um, aren't you with Trace?" I ask.

She winks at me then looks over at the heavily muscled drummer. She shrugs and I swear steam comes out of his ears. She turns and winks at me again. Holy Hannah. She's playing with fire.

"Woman, do I need to remind you who you're with?" Trace asks, walking up to Meggie.

"Huh?" she asks, playing stupid.

He growls. Yep, growls. Wow. Then he bends down at his waist and lifts her into a fireman's carry before heading down the stairs of the bus.

He smacks her ass. "Woman, let me enlighten you," he says, heading for another bus.

I sit there, mouth hanging open and everyone else just smirks. Well then.

"Is, uh, this kind of thing normal around here?" I ask.

Kennedy looks up from where he's strumming. "You ain't seen nothing yet, sweets."

Holy Hannah. The next few months are going to be interesting.

Be sure to catch Ben's story in

Ballad (Rockstar #5) coming September 2015

Huge thanks goes out to Janelle Schindler, my amazing PA. Without her I would be lost. No lie.

Many thanks to my amazing editor, Nicole Bailey. You are entirely too good to me.

To the readers- Thank you for taking a chance on me. Every day I'm thankful for you.

To the bloggers – Thank you for EVERYTHING you do… it doesn't go unnoticed by me. I appreciate you more than words can say for your selflessness.

To my street team – Janelle Schindler, Mandi Wathey, Cindy Carlson, Melissa Steps, KarriLynn Le Blanc, Dawn Stanton, Kelly Emery, Tera Chastain, Lisa Sylva, Heather Wish, and Heather Brimeyer – Without you I couldn't function. You are my helpers and my promoters and my strongest supporters. I love you guys.

To Sara Eirew – Photographer and cover designer extraordinaire – You are amazing. Thank you for putting up with my quirkiness and pickiness. Thank you, too, for keeping me happy with David pictures.

To Cassy Roop – Thank you for taking the time to squeeze in my stuff last minute and give me such beautiful documents.

To Milo Ventimiglia for always being so gracious and kind. I will never forget our meeting. You're an incredible person.

To M. Shadows and Avenged Sevenfold – Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world. Your music inspires and motivates me and for that I'll always be grateful because without you, there would be no Rockstar series.

Spotify

Bark at the Moon - Ozzy Osbourne

Burning for You - Blue Oyster Cult

Epic - Faith No More

Where The River Flows - Collective Soul

Zombie - The Cranberries

Shake Me - Cinderella

Modern Day Cowboy - Tesla

You’re In Love - Ratt

Mental Health (Bang Your Head) - Quiet Riot

Dr. Feelgood - Mötley Crüe

Still Of The Night - Whitesnake

No One Like You - Scorpions

Back In the Saddle - Aerosmith

Enter Sandman - Metallica

Angry Again - Megadeth

Walk - Pantera

Welcome To The Family - Avenged Sevenfold

Love-Hate-Sex-Pain - Godsmack

Bodies - Drowning Pool

Down With The Sickness - Disturbed

Breakdown - Seether

Superstar - Saliva

Last Resort - Papa Roach

This Means War - Avenged Sevenfold

When Worlds Collide - Powerman 5000

Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle) - Limp Bizkit

Rebel Yell - Dope

Thunder Kiss ’65 - White Zombie

Blue Monday - Orgy

The Beautiful People - Marilyn Manson

Shock The Monkey - Coal Chamber

Boom – 2006 Remastered Version - P.O.D.

Killing In The Name - Remastered - Rage Against The Machine

Shepherd of Fire - Avenged Sevenfold

Lovelist Thing - Jaymes Reunion

Snuff - Slipknot

Through Glass - Stone Sour

Panic Switch - Silversun Pickups

Ex’s and Oh’s - Atreyu

Happy? - Mudvayne

Roswell’s Spell - Chevelle

Still Counting - Volbeat

A Warrior’s Call - Volbeat

Lola Montez - Volbeat

The Red - Chevelle

Deep Six - Marilyn Manson

Y’all Want A Single - Korn

Dead Memories - Slipknot

Runnin’ With The Devil - Van Halen

Footsteps - Pop Evil

Spotify

Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen

Heartache Tonight - Eagles

You Got Lucky - Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Hurts So Good - John Mellencamp

Here Comes My Girl - Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Do You - Spoon

Don’t You Evah - Spoon

Time of Our Lives - Pitbull, Ne-yo

Clarity - Zedd, Foxes

No More Tears - Ozzy Osbourne

Beast Of Burden – Remastered - The Rolling Stones

Zombie - The Cranberries

Perfect - Flyleaf

Born To Be My Baby - Bon Jovi

Alive - Adelitas Way

Mississippi Moonshine - Saving Abel

Lie To Me - 12 Stones

Get Lucky - Halestorm

Stray - The Exies

Stupid Girl - Cold

Can’t Get Enough (Remastered Album Version) - Bad Company

Moving On - Asking Alexandria

The Crimson - Atreyu

Moth - HELLYEAH

I Only Wanna Be With You - Volbeat

Turn It Up - Shaman’s Harvest

Poundcake - Van Halen

Same Damn Life - Seether

The Older I Get - Skillet

Angels Fall - Breaking Benjamin

Y’all Want A Single - Korn

Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran

Footsteps - Pop Evil