heartbeat, and a cold, calculated
menace comes over them.
“I’m sorry,” I say with as big a smile as I can manage, “I
didn’t catch your names.”
“I’m Helena,” says the blonde.
“I’m Jackie,” says the raven-haired woman.
“I’m Ruby,” says the woman with brown curls.
“And you’re the Supremes?” I joke. They’re not the least bit
amused. Why am I not surprised?
“So, Slade thought he’d give you a little taste of the high
life to repay you for not accidentally killing him in the hospital?” Helena
says meanly.
“Something like that,” I say, “Though accidental killings
aren’t really my specialty.”
“No, just shutting out Slade’s closest friends in his hour
of need,” Ruby says, glaring at me.
“His closest friends...meaning you?” I ask, cocking my
eyebrow.
“That’s right,” Jackie says, tossing her black hair over her
shoulder, “We’re essential to the band. They wouldn’t be able to function
without us.”
“I see,” I said, “And what function do you all serve,
exactly?”
“Give you one guess,” Helena smiled.
“Ah,” I said, “That is essential.”
“You should just know,” Jackie said, “That just because
you’re here for one night, doesn’t mean that you belong. Slade’s just being
charitable, bringing you along. There’s no more room for another girl.”
“No, it looks like you three have that under control,” I
say, “Don’t worry. I’m not really the sex slave type, in the end.”
“I should say not,” Ruby sniffs.
“I’m just here to see the show,” I tell them, “Trust me.
Groupie duty is all yours. I have a little more dignity than that.”
“Dignity is an illusion,” Helena assures me, nonsensically.
“‘Kay,” I say, rolling my eyes, “You all enjoy the show,
then.”
“We enjoy the post-show more,” Ruby says, winking. The three
of them slink away into the darkness together, glaring daggers over their
perfectly sculpted shoulders. I let out a long sigh. I should have known this
whole thing would get complicated fast. It was pretty clear, the arrangement
these women had with the band. There were three men in Flagrant Disregard, and
three attendant groupies. One for each. And recalling Helena’s hysteria in the
waiting room, it wasn’t hard to guess which of the guys was “hers”. I look down
at my thrown-together ensemble, with my curvy hips and my protruding chest, and
wonder how I’m supposed to compete with the stick figure goddess that just
walked away from me.
But Slade invited me here for a reason. He came and found me
after being discharged for a reason. He brought me back to see where he had
come from, and he had given me a searing kiss before saying goodbye. I have to
have faith that he isn’t just going to leave me by the roadside when the band
leaves for their big tour.
Though I’ve only known him a few days, I have to trust
Slade.
Trust the infamous partier and keeper of beautiful
groupies...Right. No problem.
I look past the curtain, out into the gaping arena. The
space is jam packed, now—not a square foot left that I can see. All these
people are here to see Slade and the band...but not the Slade I’ve just come
from seeing. It’s a whole other person, a whole separate identity that I’ve
never even met before. I hope I like Slade the rock star as much as I like
Slade the man.
The lights in the house of the arena suddenly shut off, and
the entire space is plunged into darkness. A deafening roar goes up from the
crowd, washing over me like a rogue wave. They’re stomping and screaming and
shoving each other out there, jostling for a better view of the stage. For a
long moment, the entire world is dark. Then, with a fiery blaze, a dozen panels
of stage lights flare up to full blast. I’m blinded by the sudden glow, and
stagger back under the intensity of the sudden lights and sound. It’s utterly
overwhelming—and the show hasn’t even started yet.
The crowd’s mania
menace comes over them.
“I’m sorry,” I say with as big a smile as I can manage, “I
didn’t catch your names.”
“I’m Helena,” says the blonde.
“I’m Jackie,” says the raven-haired woman.
“I’m Ruby,” says the woman with brown curls.
“And you’re the Supremes?” I joke. They’re not the least bit
amused. Why am I not surprised?
“So, Slade thought he’d give you a little taste of the high
life to repay you for not accidentally killing him in the hospital?” Helena
says meanly.
“Something like that,” I say, “Though accidental killings
aren’t really my specialty.”
“No, just shutting out Slade’s closest friends in his hour
of need,” Ruby says, glaring at me.
“His closest friends...meaning you?” I ask, cocking my
eyebrow.
“That’s right,” Jackie says, tossing her black hair over her
shoulder, “We’re essential to the band. They wouldn’t be able to function
without us.”
“I see,” I said, “And what function do you all serve,
exactly?”
“Give you one guess,” Helena smiled.
“Ah,” I said, “That is essential.”
“You should just know,” Jackie said, “That just because
you’re here for one night, doesn’t mean that you belong. Slade’s just being
charitable, bringing you along. There’s no more room for another girl.”
“No, it looks like you three have that under control,” I
say, “Don’t worry. I’m not really the sex slave type, in the end.”
“I should say not,” Ruby sniffs.
“I’m just here to see the show,” I tell them, “Trust me.
Groupie duty is all yours. I have a little more dignity than that.”
“Dignity is an illusion,” Helena assures me, nonsensically.
“‘Kay,” I say, rolling my eyes, “You all enjoy the show,
then.”
“We enjoy the post-show more,” Ruby says, winking. The three
of them slink away into the darkness together, glaring daggers over their
perfectly sculpted shoulders. I let out a long sigh. I should have known this
whole thing would get complicated fast. It was pretty clear, the arrangement
these women had with the band. There were three men in Flagrant Disregard, and
three attendant groupies. One for each. And recalling Helena’s hysteria in the
waiting room, it wasn’t hard to guess which of the guys was “hers”. I look down
at my thrown-together ensemble, with my curvy hips and my protruding chest, and
wonder how I’m supposed to compete with the stick figure goddess that just
walked away from me.
But Slade invited me here for a reason. He came and found me
after being discharged for a reason. He brought me back to see where he had
come from, and he had given me a searing kiss before saying goodbye. I have to
have faith that he isn’t just going to leave me by the roadside when the band
leaves for their big tour.
Though I’ve only known him a few days, I have to trust
Slade.
Trust the infamous partier and keeper of beautiful
groupies...Right. No problem.
I look past the curtain, out into the gaping arena. The
space is jam packed, now—not a square foot left that I can see. All these
people are here to see Slade and the band...but not the Slade I’ve just come
from seeing. It’s a whole other person, a whole separate identity that I’ve
never even met before. I hope I like Slade the rock star as much as I like
Slade the man.
The lights in the house of the arena suddenly shut off, and
the entire space is plunged into darkness. A deafening roar goes up from the
crowd, washing over me like a rogue wave. They’re stomping and screaming and
shoving each other out there, jostling for a better view of the stage. For a
long moment, the entire world is dark. Then, with a fiery blaze, a dozen panels
of stage lights flare up to full blast. I’m blinded by the sudden glow, and
stagger back under the intensity of the sudden lights and sound. It’s utterly
overwhelming—and the show hasn’t even started yet.
The crowd’s mania
Similar Books
