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I looked up at the stage and saw all three of the guys staring right at me. My body went through a whirlwind of emotion as I felt fury at them for embarrassing me but also lust over the way they’d been watching and paying attention to me, enough to notice such a small interaction from across the bar.
The crowd was looking around, trying to see what was happening while the guy who’d approached me disappeared into that same crowd. I looked up at Nick and then up at the guys. Frustration got the best of me and I stood up to leave. I could handle myself. I didn’t need them stopping the entire show I’d worked hard to make sure went off without a hitch to keep men away from me.
“Sit back down and enjoy the rest of the show, sweetheart.” Jones winked at me and the crowd cheered as they started playing again. He was still watching me so I flipped him off.
“I’m ready to go.” I looked at Nick and saw him grinning. “Don’t encourage them. And don’t make me dislike you.”
He led me away from the bar and didn’t try to hide that he was still grinning like an idiot. “I’m sorry! I can’t help it, though. I’ve never seen them so possessive.”
I grunted. “It’s gross.”
He opened the back door and looked around before letting me follow him out. “Why don’t I think you actually find it gross? I’ve been talking to my wife about this and she’s got theories.”
“Oh, god. Nick, no.” I could only imagine what he’d told her. “Keep it to yourself.”
“Fine. The only thing I’ll say is that she’s a romance writer and she has hope for you.” He laughed at my reaction. “I’ll shut up now.”
I said goodnight to him at the bus and went straight to the fridge to get a yogurt bar and a bottle of water. I was going to grab my earbuds from my bunk and call Grandma before I went back to hiding but when I turned towards the hallway, I nearly peed on myself out of fear when I saw a woman at the end of the hallway. A naked woman.
I gasped and clutched my yogurt bar so hard that it squeezed out all over my hand. I still wasn’t concerned about it as I had a stare down with the woman. “Who the hell are you?”
She cocked her hip to the side and I noticed that she had much smaller hips than I did. She also had small perky boobs and a flat stomach that looked defined. She was also beautiful. Of course, she was beautiful. “I’m an old friend of the band. Who are you?”
A lump formed in my throat but I didn’t dare acknowledge it. Instead, I nodded like her being naked made perfect sense. “I’m their tour manager. I sleep in that bunk right there.”
She nodded back at me. “Cool. Is it okay if I stay? This is kind of a tradition with the guys and me. I don’t know if they mentioned it. I always sneak on the bus and wait for them. It’s a good time. They’ve never had a tour manager staying on the bus before, though.”
That lump got bigger. “It’s fine. You just scared me. I’m going to take a shower and then get in bed, so I won’t be in your way. Go wild.”
She looked embarrassed. “Do you have earbuds or anything? I’m…loud with them. They’re just really, really good. I can’t help it. God, I’m so nervous and excited. This is my favorite day of the year, every year.”
Yogurt was dripping from my hand to the floor, but I couldn’t stop thinking about her screams filling the bus. “Um…yeah. I have earbuds. I’ll put them in.”
“Thank you! I’m not normally like this, but when you get a chance like this, you take it. You know?” She grinned suddenly and stepped back into the bedroom. A moment later she was right in front of me, still naked, but holding a band t-shirt up. Not just any band t-shirt, though. It was one of my parents. Only she’d cut the bottom off of it and when she pulled it on, it only covered half of her boobs. “What do you think? I found one of their shirts in the bathroom and knew they wouldn’t mind. Not when they find me like this. They’re men after all. Right?”
I was going to be sick. Or I was going to cry, which was worse in my book. I was staring at one of the only things I had left from my parents and it was riding up on the nipples of a woman who’d snuck into my temporary home for her yearly fuck session with the guys. It was too late to do anything for the shirt so I just walked to the sink and washed my hands, trying to tell myself that leaving wasn’t the answer.
“Shirt or naked? I can’t decide.”
I turned back to her and knew that I couldn’t stay. I couldn’t be in the same bus while they pulled that shirt off of her perfect body. “Um… I don’t know. Whatever makes you feel more comfortable, I guess. I just remembered that I’m supposed to be somewhere… You’ll have the bus to yourself tonight. Be as loud as you want.”
She pulled me into a hug and squeezed me. “You’re so nice! Thank you! That bedroom gets kind of stuffy so we normally end up with me over the counter anyway. I’ll feel much better knowing I won’t scar you if you walk out to get a drink. Don’t worry, though. I’ll clean up after myself.”
I grabbed my purse and a change of clothes without even looking at what I was grabbing and stumbled back towards the front of the bus. I just had to go. I didn’t care where.
“Have a good night wherever you’re going! Nice to meet you!” The woman hugged me again and then stepped back and pulled the shirt over her head. “Naked is better. I’ll just wear the shirt after so they get the vibe still.”
I waved goodbye and nearly fell out of the bus in my hurry to leave. I looked towards the second bus and saw that Nick wasn’t there. Sending a small thanks his way, even though I knew he wouldn’t appreciate it, I took off down the street. It was dark and I wasn’t a huge fan of the setting, but anything was better than being in that bus.
I walked a few blocks before I stopped and ordered a car to take me to the closest motel. It arrived fast and the driver was silent the entire drive, thankfully. The roadside motel had vacancies and I checked in without a problem. It’d taken less than half an hour to get away from the bus and into a safe space where there were no naked women waiting to have loud and wild sex with the guys. On the counter, the same way they’d fucked me. While she possibly wore one of my parents’ shirts.
I made sure I was locked in tight, turned out all the lights so I didn’t have to see the state of the motel bedding while I curled up on top of it, and then I sent a text to Nick. I told him I was safe but I’d needed to get some JAX free air for the night and that I’d be back first thing in the morning. Then I turned my phone on airplane mode and went to my same old playlist.
Only I didn’t fall asleep right away. I didn’t feel as safe as I always did on the bus so I kept one earbud out to listen to the night sounds. More than that, though, I stared at the clock and played the scenario out in my head. I knew when they’d finish their set and what time they’d finally reach the bus. I knew what time they’d step onto the bus and see the naked woman. My stomach turned because I didn’t know if they’d take the time to make sure I wasn’t there or if they’d just drag her to the bedroom and have their way with her. I knew the way they’d smell and how they’d look when they held themselves over her. It was torture.
I wanted to scream to stop the images in my head but I knew it wouldn’t help. Just like I knew sewing the bottom of that shirt back on wouldn’t help. It would never be the same and I’d never touch it again. I’d lost a piece of my parents and that was the thought that had me dialing Jagger’s number.
“Are you drunk or in danger?” Jagger didn’t sound like he’d been sleeping when he answered. “Are you okay?”
