Brooklyn & Beale (20 page)

Reid looked around the group, noticing their wide smiles and relaxed demeanors. They were happy and having fun. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed all of them. Shaking his head, he moved next to Greer.

“No way, man.” Reid smirked when Greer’s expression morphed to indignation. Not giving Greer a chance to speak, Reid grabbed the shot as well as the bottle of hot sauce. Using his thumb to spin the cap off the bottle, he lifted it toward Greer in cheers. “I did take too long. I won’t let you suffer alone.” With a deep breath, he downed the shot then chased it with a shot of hot sauce. Gasps of surprise and cheers erupted from the group as Reid choked on the fire sliding down his throat. With watery eyes, he slammed the empty glass on the table and coughed. “Fuck, that was awful.”

Greer laughed and slapped him on the back. “Welcome back, bro,” he whispered before handing him a bottle of water.

Reid coughed. “Thanks,” he croaked before narrowing his eyes, his expression clouded with mischief. “I think now would be a good time for one of those team-building exercises we always hear people talking about.”

Greer matched his expression as a look of understanding crossed his face. “Now you’re talking.”

Reid looked around the group, his smirk growing as he saw Chloe’s and Inky’s eyes widen. “What do you say, ladies? Let’s team build and shit.”

“I could use a nice big dose of team-building,” Tom said, grabbing a bottle of vodka off the table and taking a long pull. “Who’s in?”

To Reid’s surprise, as the bus weaved through the streets of Rome at one in the afternoon, the band passed around bottles of vodka and tequila, taking shots, laughing, and getting shit-faced. It was exactly what they needed and everything that had been missing since they had arrived in Paris.

When they took the stage later that night, even though they were buzzed, sluggish, and worn out, they put on one of their best show of the tour. Chloe and Reid fell in sync, their chemistry resurfacing with fervor, the sheer force of it rolling over the crowd like an aphrodisiac. They played an hour longer than any previous show. No one wanted to leave. No one wanted the night to end, but none more so than Reid.

After Rome, the weeks rolled by. Reid’s nightmares and stress had slowly begun to lessen, but the absence of his words and his cravings for things he shouldn’t have, both living and not, pricked at his resolve with relentless tenacity. He tried to focus on the positive. Like the fact Chloe had made arrangements to rent Josie’s newly vacated house. She was really moving to LA, but for some reason it just wasn’t enough.

When they arrived in Devon, England on his birthday, the last thing he wanted to do was celebrate. In three days, they would head back to the States. In three days, he would wake up and Chloe wouldn’t be there. The pit of his stomach twisted and his chest tightened. She wasn’t even gone, and he missed her already. Just the thought of being away from her, even though she was sitting right next to him, hurt more than Jess being on the other side of the world. It was the first time Reid truly began to realize just how far he’d fallen.

Reid pulled his hat down low to shadow his face as he weaved his way through the mob of people. The venue was small, but everyone seemed too engrossed in the band on stage to pay him any notice. With Tom and Drew flanking his sides, they made their way to a table in the back of the room. Once they’d settled in their seats, Reid scanned the room.

“Why are we here again?”

“To hang out. Relax with the gang,” Tom answered.

Reid’s mouth twisted into a frown. “It seems like we’re missing a few people.” Jealousy and guilt knotted his stomach. He hated how much it bothered him that Chloe and Greer were off somewhere together. Alone. He didn’t have a right to be jealous, but he was.

“Aww, did you miss me?”

Reid looked up in surprise, his eyes moving between Greer and Inky as they crowded around the table.

“What are you doing here?”

“Relaxing with the gang,” Greer drawled, his expression deadpan.

Reid ignored his sarcasm and tilted his head to see behind Greer. “Where’s Chloe?”

Greer shrugged and passed Reid a beer. “She’s around. Apparently a band she toured with a few years ago is in town. I left them when the conversation turned to girl shit.”

“I didn’t know that,” Reid mumbled, taking a pull from his beer. He wouldn’t admit it, but it stung that Chloe didn’t mention having friends in town.

“You’ll see why,” Tom said, leaning in close to Reid so that no one else heard. Reid’s brow furrowed, but before he could ask any questions, the lights dimmed and cheers erupted.

A petite girl with short pink hair walked onto the stage, a guitar strapped over her shoulder. “How’s everybody doing tonight?”

The crowd responded with cheers, whistles, and beer salutes as two more girls joined her on stage. Reid studied the faces of the bass guitarist and drummer as they took their places. “What’s the name of this band?”

“The Pessimistics.”

Reid’s heart beat a little faster as the pieces started to come together. “Is that the same band Chloe toured with a few years ago?”

“That’s the one,” Inky said. “I love these girls. It’s a shame they haven’t made it big.”

Reid turned his attention to the stage, his eyes focused on the side curtain as the lead singer addressed the crowd again. “We’re so happy to be back in Devon. It’s been too long.” She adjusted the mic and shifted her stance as the drummer started playing. When she began to sing, Reid’s anticipation turned to confusion. He scanned the room again, attempting to remain discreet as he searched for Chloe.

A half hour into the show, Reid’s unease peaked. Chloe was still a no-show, and he couldn’t help but wonder if something was wrong. He picked at the label on his beer bottle and cut his eyes to Tom. He’d assumed from Tom’s comment earlier that Chloe was going to play with the band, but now he wasn’t so sure. Just as he was about to ask, the music stopped midsong.

“I’m sorry, guys.” The lead singer sighed and dropped her eyes to the floor. “This just doesn’t feel right. You see, the last time we played this song here, I didn’t sing it.” Murmurs started to rise. “Do any of you remember?” She lifted her chin and flashed a mischievous smile. “Y’all remember. I know you do. What would you think if I had her come sing it again?” The crowd’s murmurs transformed into a dull roar as the high-pitched sound of an electric violin flooded the room.

When Chloe stepped out of the shadows, Reid stopped breathing. The only thing familiar about her appearance was her knee-high combat boots. Her short, pleated skirt, suspenders, and crop top, exposing ink Reid only saw in his dreams, were all new. Her normally wavy hair was completely straight, the ends almost reaching the top of her skirt.

“Jesus,” he gasped, pulling in a lungful of air.

“So fucked,” Inky mumbled just loud enough for Reid to hear. He didn’t bother looking at her. Nothing in the world could have forced his eyes away from Chloe. He was mesmerized.

Chloe flashed a bright smile and moved next to the lead singer. The two grinned at one another before Chloe spoke. “Three years ago, my good friend, Lizzy, nearly passed out on this very stage. But unlike most people, she didn’t quit. She’s too stubborn for that. Instead, she told me to take over for a song and pushed me in front of the mic.”

“Best idea I’ve ever had,” Lizzy added. “When I found out Chloe was in town for the Somersault Festival, playing alongside an artist named Reid Ryder . . .” Lizzy smirked as the screams turned manic. “I had to ask her to play with us again. So how about it? You guys ready?”

Over the screams, Chloe began to sing. Reid sat stone-still as her voice filled the room. It was the first time he’d heard her sing, but he knew it would not be the last. Goose bumps crawled over his body. Her voice saturated his skin. It sank into his bones and wrapped him in warmth. He felt weightless, a drugless high.

When their eyes locked, something inside Reid shifted. His vision blurred, but for the first time in years, everything was perfectly clear. She’d done it again. She’d taken a sledgehammer to his wall. Just like she promised. Only, this time, he wasn’t just adding layers to someone else’s music. A wave of emotions rolled over him as melodies and lyrics flooded his mind. He wanted to climb across the table and pull her from the stage. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and feel her breath across his skin. He wanted to breathe her in, inhale her exhales, pull her very essence inside his chest. The image caused his breaths to quicken and his heartbeat to pound in his ears. He grabbed his beer and drank until the bottle was empty.

“Holy shit.” Inky looked around the table in awe. “I had no idea Chloe could sing. Why the hell isn’t she in a recording studio blowing up?”

“Because she’s in Brooklyn and not LA,” Tom answered, his expression a little dazed. Reid knew the look on his face; he’d seen a similar look from a guy years ago in a bar in Memphis.

“Not for long,” Reid whispered to himself. Tom and the others still didn’t know he’d convinced Chloe to move to LA. While most of the group would just be happy, he knew some would question his motives.

For the remainder of the song, Reid focused only on Chloe. He was captivated by her stage presence. The experience of watching her from the crowd was completely different than playing next to her. It was a whole new perspective of her as an artist. The crowd didn’t love her just because she was attractive, and it wasn’t just about her killer talent—it was the whole package. She was a living, breathing addiction. When the song ended, the applause from their table could be heard over everything else.

“Thank you,” Chloe gasped into the mic, her face split in a wide smile. “I have one more song before I turn things back over to Lizzy if that’s okay?” The crowd cheered her on, their approval clear. Reid’s breath stilled when Chloe looked in his direction and cleared her throat. “This song is by one of the greatest bands to ever play. I’m dedicating it to a very special friend of mine, who turned a year older today, as a reminder that sometimes you’ve just gotta let others help you carry the weight.”

“Chloe,” Reid whispered, his voice constricted with emotion as she began to play the opening chord of “The Weight” by The Band.

“Holy shit! She didn’t tell me she was going to do this,” Tom said, distracting Reid from his inner turmoil.

“You knew about this?”

“Of course I did. She came to me when her friend Lizzy called. She wanted to play with them, but she needed to make sure doing so wouldn’t violate her contract. I told her it was fine. She suggested we all come see the show but asked us not tell you until we got here. I see why now. Are you still going to pretend there’s nothing going on between you two?”

“There’s not,” Reid hissed, his eyes darting around the table. “We’ve had this conversation.”

Tom exhaled and passed Reid a fresh beer. “You can lie to me however long you choose, but eventually you’re going to have to be honest with yourself. If you don’t, this entire thing is going to blow up in your face.”

Stubborn and petulant, Reid ignored Tom and turned his attention back to the stage. He smiled and sang along with the others. When the song ended, he shot to his feet and let out a piercing whistle. He didn’t care if people recognized him. He wanted Chloe to realize how much what she’d done meant to him.

Chloe dashed off the stage, disappearing through the side curtain and into the shadows. “Holy shit,” she exhaled. Wiping sweat from her forehead, she pulled in a shaky breath. Her heart pounded like a hammer and her body vibrated with adrenaline as she dashed toward the dressing room to pack away her violin. She wanted to catch the rest of the show, and if she was being honest, she wanted to see Reid. Once her violin was put away, she wasted no time getting back out front. Pushing her way through the throng of people, she squeezed in at the bar to order a beer.

“Guinness?”

The bartender nodded and popped off the top before sliding it across to her. “It’s on the house. That was one hell of a performance.”

Chloe smiled and raised her bottle. “Thanks.”

“Can I get the next one?”

Chloe jerked in surprise and shifted away from the unfamiliar voice that was far too close for comfort. When she turned, she was met with a not so unfamiliar sight. A guy stood in front of her, his eyes glazed and his smile relaxed. He was drunk.

“I’m good. But thanks.” Chloe moved to step around him, but he shifted with her.

“Come on. Just one drink.”

Chloe gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, this is the only drink I’m having. Big day tomorrow,” she added, again shifting to move around him.

“Well, if you don’t want a drink, how about we get out of here? We could grab a late dinner.” He held out his hand in offering. “I’m Derek.”

Chloe looked at his hand and pulled in a deep breath before meeting his gaze. Before she could tell Derek to take a hike, the bartender announced last call. As soon as he did, people started pushing their way to the bar. The tiny gap of space between Chloe and Derek disappeared when someone knocked him off-balance, causing him to fall against her. His still outstretched hand grazed along her exposed stomach and around the side of her waist. Chloe brought her arms up to put a wedge between their bodies and pushed.

The tips of Derek’s fingers pressed into her skin, and the strong smell of alcohol invaded her senses as his breath fanned over her face. When she met his gaze, it was clear he knew exactly what he was doing.

“Back off,” she said through clenched teeth. She pushed harder, causing him to stumble back.

He smirked and let the people flocking to the bar push him back into her space. “You have the softest skin. I’d—”

His words ended abruptly when someone jerked his shoulder back. Chloe looked over Derek’s shoulder, her eyes widening when she met Reid’s angry gaze. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low and controlled.

Chloe nodded, her expression frozen in shock.

“What the hell, man? Get off me,” Derek spat, angling his body between Chloe and Reid.

Reid sighed. “Look, you’re drunk. She’s hot. I get it. But she’s not interested, so it’s time for you to move along.”

“Fuck off.”

Chloe’s stomach dropped when Derek stumble-staggered in her direction. In the span of only a few minutes, Derek’s drinking had caught up with him. He grabbed Chloe’s arm and tugged her closer. “We’re leaving, aren’t we, beautiful?”

Chloe flinched and tried to rip her arm away, but she didn’t need to. Before she could blink, Reid’s fist connected with Derek’s face and sent him falling into the crowd.

“Reid!” Chloe stood wide-eyed as Derek regained his footing and charged Reid. Chloe stepped forward to pull Reid out of the way, but she ended up with an elbow in her face as Derek lunged in their direction. It only lasted a split second. Reid sidestepped Derek’s drunken attack and landed one last hard blow, sending Derek to the floor.

Chloe cupped her hands over her face in pain. Her eyes watered and her vision blurred as blood poured from her nose. Several pairs of hands pulled her away from the fight, their familiar voices doing nothing to soothe the throbbing pain in her face.

“Jesus, Chloe. Are you okay?” Inky grabbed a towel from the bartender and pressed it into Chloe’s hand.