Chapter 9
Raleigh
DALTON AND HIS SMALL team barged their way in without so much as a conversation. The transition has almost sent me over the edge. It’s not just Mae, the band, and me anymore. Now, I have a whole new group of men to communicate with and all with a leader who seems to want me to bow down in thanks for offering to protect Mae and me, which of course probably came with a lovely pay increase. He probably doesn’t even like me as much as he’s been hinting at. That’s fine, I don’t have time to be likable.
Mae has encouraged me to take a break, or to distance myself from the new members in our circle. It’s clear she’s moved on from our scare quicker than I have. The fact of the matter is, she doesn’t have to worry about much of anything when she has Trenton, me, and now three more men to guide her.
Despite all the negatives that came out of that night in the parking lot, Mae and Trenton seem better than ever. It’s hard forme to believe that it will stick, but I haven’t seen any red flags the last couple of days besides maybe a bit of overprotection. Even now, as we sit in a green room preparing for tonight’s show, he’s doting on her.
The two sit huddled together in a corner, completely lost in their own world. Knowing that there’s nothing left for me to do here before the show, I silently excuse myself from the room and slip out into the backstage alleyway. It’s a newer, bigger venue, and there’s nothing cozy about any of the backstage areas. It’s complete with polished concrete and industrial doors. Suddenly, I miss the comfort of a small venue, along with the soft velvet and sharpied walls that usually accompany it.
Trenton and Mae are taking on the main set together tonight, so there’s an opener and he’s about to go on. The crowd is aflutter, even as he takes the stage. I wince at the disrespect. That is something I won’t miss about Mae being under the radar, opening sets only to play to talkative crowds who couldn’t care less.
I have to block it out or else I’d be liable to run on stage and tell the crowd to shut the hell up and listen to the artist. Ugh, when did I become so grumpy? It has to be the stress that’s been piling on since the incident. I haven’t been sleeping the best, and even with the security detail now following us, I’ve been watching over my shoulder since the news of our perpetrator’s expected release. I shake my arms, down at my sides, trying to get rid of the ridiculous nerves. I need a quick fix to get me through the show.
A drink.
I need a drink.
Holding myself together just long enough to get through the line at the bar, I get my bottle and slink off to an empty corner. It’s outside the actual auditorium but I can still hear the opener from back here. I let myself get lost in my thoughts. Whenever Ihave these manic moments, it always calms me down to go back a few years. Back when my life was just a guitar and a dream. Honestly, it gets more pathetic with each stride I take next to Mae. How did I ever think I could do what she does?
Grant, that’s how. My fist curls around the base of my drink and my calming thoughts fog when the shaggy haired love of my youth enters my safe space. He had the audacity to call me the other day and slip in a “love you,” after not speaking to me for months. He’d meant well, and I hadn’t meant anything romantic by my answer. It was natural, a routine to answer him that way.
“Tough night?” My focus recenters on the world around me, the thump of the drums returns and with it, my vision. Dalton stands right in front of me, curiosity etched across his features. He’s the last person I want to talk to, but maybe he can at least be a distraction.
I take a swig of my drink and then cross my arms. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” I ask, harsher than he deserves.
“My guys got it covered,” he answers flatly. I expect him to leave like he had the other day in my office when I’d been rude, but he stays planted. He’d been eavesdropping on me so I’d had an excuse to be rude then. What’s my excuse now? “Are you okay? You seem more on edge than usual, and that’s saying a lot.”
“I’m fine,” I tout. I make a point of checking my watch to make sure he knows I’m bored. He doesn’t seem to care.
“It’s 8:30. They don’t go on for another 30 minutes.”
“Exactly,” I say, pushing past him.
“You’ve got time, Raleigh,” he says gently. “You’ve got a whole team behind you now, it’s okay to relax for just a few minutes. Let Trenton and Mae’s glam team be with her now.”
I whirl around on him. I’m always with her before her stage call, but of course he wouldn’t know that. It was nice to knowthat others were here in her corner, that I wouldn’t have to fight on the front line by myself if called.
“Okay, fine, you’re right,” I concede, huffing out a labored breath.
“Good,” he says. I hate that he’s right and knows it. “I’m going to grab a drink and then maybe we could enjoy some of the show.”
Any inkling of trust he’d just garnered with me melts away. “You’re working!”
“So are you,” he counters, motioning to the bottle in my hand.
“I’m not the one in charge of security,” I say, haphazardly throwing my bottle into the nearest bin.
“If you think that I’m not taking this seriously—”
“Idothink that,” I huff. I don’t necessarily think that it’s true, but he needs to understand how important his role is to me. If we have to have security with us at all times, he will darn well do his job at all times.
“I am taking it seriously,” he answers, straightening his shoulders and standing a little bit taller. He was already a mountain, now I have to tilt my head back just to look him in the eye. “Just because you’re too busy with Mae throughout the day and don’t see what my team’s up to doesn’t mean we aren’t working.”
“Are you?” I ask, raising my eyebrows in challenge. “I don’t think you understand how important she is—”
“To you?” Somehow he’s seen right through me, but I continue with where I was headed.
