Convincing Constance (The Blow Hole Boys) (7 page)

I woke the next morning
with a pain my leg and the sun blazing in my eyes.

“Fuck. Turn i
t off,” I said as I covered my head with my blankets.

“You can’t turn off the sun, asshole
,” Constance said when she ripped the covers from over my head. “Feeling better?” she asked sarcastically.

She was pissed, but all I could think about was the fact that she was in my room. She wasn’t supposed to be there.

Opening my eyes against the sun, I found her sitting in the chair next to my bed wearing fresh clothes and a frown.

“What happened? Why are you in my room?” I asked as I sat up.

Thankfully, I still had my shirt on. The thought of Constance seeing the marks—the scars—it was more than I could bear.

“In your room? Are you fucking kidding me? Oh my God, I should kick your ass right now.”

Oh yeah, she was
really
pissed. I didn’t bother responding.

“You came to my room last night
, fucked out of your mind. When I opened the door, you burst through and fell sideways across my bed. You passed out, leaving me without a place to sleep. So the question is why are you in
my
room?”

The room around me came into focus and I saw I definitely wasn’t in my room. I pushed the covers from my body and slung my legs over the side of her bed. My head pounded, and I rubbed my face hard with my hands.

“Shit. Last night was crazy,” I said.

It was my way of apologizing. Honestly, I couldn’t remember shit from the night before. I had no idea how I ended up in Constance’s bed, but I had to be sure to be more careful.

“Yeah. I can see that.” She still wasn’t happy.

My head pounded with my heartbeat
, making me flinch. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my little pouch of pills and dropped three into my palm before throwing them in the back of my throat and swallowing them without a drop to drink.

“What did you just take?”
she asked, and I almost kicked myself for forgetting she was watching me.

“Something for my headache.” I stood and the room around me moved.

“Yeah, I bet. Listen, can I please have my room back? I’d like to try and get an hour or so of sleep before you guys drag me all over New York again.”

I felt even worse. Looking at her
, I could see she hadn’t slept the night before. Her eyes were tired and angry.

“Yeah. I’m out of here. Sorry about last night
,” I said as I walked to the door.

“Yeah
,” was her only response as she closed the door behind me.

I walked down the long hallway to my room with so many questions on my mind. How did I end up in her room? And why hadn’t she just slept beside me? Maybe she was so disgusted by me that she didn’t even want to
lie next to me.

My head continued to throb. I made it to my room, took a long
, hot shower, and passed out with thoughts of Constance on my mind and my dick in my hand.

I woke up just in
time for our second New York show thanks to Chet beating the shit out of my door. When I got out of the bed, my head felt like it was going to explode.

Pulling open the door, I was met with both Finn and Chet with shades on and fully dressed.

“Dude, we have to be at the venue in twenty minutes. Get your shit straight,” Finn said as he stepped around me and into my room.

“You look like old man balls. Probably because you got shitfaced last night.” Chet laughed.

“Fuck you,” I said as I disappeared into the bathroom.

We met Constance in the lobby and she wouldn’t even look at me.
I hated to even think about what I’d said or done in my drunken haze the night before, but if she wasn’t going to say anything about me crashing in her room, then I wasn’t about to bring it up.

We drove in silence to the venue and
were met with a mob of screaming fans when we pulled up.

“Let’s do this shit,” Chet said as he threw the door open and hopped out.

Out of all us, he loved the attention the most. He stuck a flat tongue out and threw up his drumsticks. The crowd got even louder. Finn followed him out. I looked across at Constance, and for a brief moment fear flashed across her face.

She was a major hard-ass. It was strange to see weakness in her, even if it was for a second or two.

“Go.” I nodded at the door. “I’ll be right behind you.”

She didn’t argue like I expected. Instead, she nodded her understanding and slipped from the car. The sound outside the car changed when some of the guys joined in and started whistling. She looked straight ahead as she walked toward the doors. I was right on her heels. Every now and again, I’d smile into the crowd or throw
up a hand, but mostly, I keep my eyes trained on her.

We played our asses off
, and Constance seemed to really be into the show. I’d even seen her smile into the crowd a few times. She had a beautiful smile. The lights of the stage had nothing on the way her eyes sparkled when she played. She loved it, and I understood her love. It would take some time, but she was getting comfortable in front of thousands.

Once the show was over, we had time to go back to our rooms at the hotel, get showers, grab dinner, and then we were back in the bus and on the road. I pulled out my trusty baggy and popped three pills in hopes that I could get a decent night’s sleep. I wasn’t too fond of the fucked
-up bunks or the movement of the bus.

I tossed the pills into the back of my mouth. It was then that I noticed Constance staring at me from across the bus. The way she was looking at me made me feel guilty. I didn’t like it. Sure, I was a pill popper, but I had reasons to be. I refused to live my life in pain
. Plus, they relaxed me and helped me sleep. I turned away from her and took a swig from my beer.

I sat and watched Finn and Chet play X-box. They even let Constance play some. Our bus had a different vibe to it than usual. Finn seemed calmer. He definitely had some shit going on and something told me it had to do with Faith, the girl that ripped him a new one when we were younger.

Chet was still wild as fuck, and even though he still flirted with Constance, hard, it was more in a joking manner. She handled him well. It was nice to see him hang out with a girl, and I could tell he really liked her. He treated her differently.

We still smoked and drank, but it wasn’t as wild. There was less pressure on me to perform with the ladies if there weren’t any ladies on board. If the boys were hanging all over girls, I felt like I had to be, too, or they’d know something was up with me. Finn knew about the scars, and I think he understood, but he never said anything about it.

When the pills kicked in, I went to my bunk and climbed in. I barely remembered getting the covers over me. I slept like a rock that night. Not even the movement of the bus woke me and there were no nightmares.

Tony took a lot of
pills. More than anyone else I knew, which said a lot. Finn and Chet didn’t seem to notice. If they did, they certainly didn’t say anything.

The more I spent time with them, the more I noticed him pulling out his little baggy and tossing pills into his mouth. He would disappear, and I’d find him passed out in his bunk with a fully clothed leg hanging out.
It wasn’t healthy, and I wanted to say something, but something told me it would piss him off and the boys would just shrug it off.

They all smoked their share of weed and they definitely drank way too much, but Tony did all that
and
took his pills. It wasn’t safe, and I found myself checking to make sure he was breathing some nights.

“I swear if I don’t get laid soon my balls are going to explode
,” Chet said as he reached down and palmed himself. “Sorry, babe.” He nodded at me.

I was used to Chet. Everything he said was a joke. He was wild, and reminded me so much of Kid, the drummer of Black Daze. They both had a carefree attitude and they’d both sleep with anything with a wet hole. Kid was still single, and I couldn’t see Chet ever settling down either.

“Man, don’t talk like that in front of Constance,” Tony said.

It was late in the afternoon
, and as far as I could tell, he hadn’t taken any pills the whole day. Not that I was watching him… very much. It was nice to see him completely sober.

“No worries, Tony. I’ve figured him out. He’s just an innocent jokester playboy.” I smiled over at Chet.

Calling Tiny Tony just kind of stuck for me. At first the boys questioned how I knew his real name. Even Tony didn’t know how I knew. He had no memory of the night in my hotel room. I wasn’t about to tell them. The last thing I needed was them thinking Tony and I had slept together.

However, Chet had taken to picking on me anyway.

“Come on, Constance. You know you want to ride the Tony pony,” he’d say.

It drove me fucking nuts. Mostly because even though I’d never admit it, I sometimes wondered what it would be like with Tony. That was a step in the right direction mentally for me since I never even looked at men, much less thought about sex with them.

Every city we stopped in, we’d spend the first night out at a club, and I’d watch as the boys got shitfaced. Chet would dry-hump any girl that came near him until he picked one to take back to his room. Finn would get so drunk he could barely focus, and Tony would be the same. I’d have to walk them to their rooms before going to mine and crashing.

The shit was getting real old real fast, but I knew it was worth what I was getting paid.

The tour was making its way across the US, closer to California, closer to home, where we’d have six different shows all over the state. We stopped off in Denver to play a show, and I almost froze my balls off since I only had clothes for warm temperatures.

Once we got off the bus, I knew I was going to have to hit some shops and pick out a jacket at least.

“Guys, I’m going to grab a cab and go shopping. It’s fucking freezing and I need some clothes to cover my ass,” I said as I stepped down off the bus.

“Ah, but I love your ass
,” Chet called from the back of the bus.

“
Wait,” Finn said. “Tiny, go with her.”

I looked over at Tony and his cheeks turned pink. It was kind of cute.

“No. That’s okay. I’m a big girl and I won’t be gone long.”

“No. You’re in a strange city. You’re not going anywhere alone. You don’t know what it’s like to be alone and get bombarded with fans. That shit’s scary, even for us
,” Finn said sternly. “Tiny. Go.”

I wanted to curse him out for telling me what to do. No one told me what to do, and it pissed me off, but I didn’t have time to fuck around. I needed to get out, get some clothes, and be back in time to see Denver with the boys.

I sighed in aggravation. “Fine. Whatever. Come on, Tony.”

We rode in silence as the car took us to the local mall. I realized right away that Finn had been right. Tony got attacked by three girls as soon as he stepped out of the car. I watched from the side as he posed with them for pictures and autographed things for them.

We had to stop four more times before we made it to the store I wanted to go to.

“Doesn’t that get annoying?” I asked as I picked through clothes.

“Sometimes, but you get used to it.” He stood at my side like a massive bodyguard.

“Yeah
, I bet. What guy wouldn’t get used to girls throwing themselves at him?” I said with a grin.

“You’d think, but for me, that’s the worst part.”

He walked away before I could question him. I didn’t know him well, but I was slowly starting to understand him. Something was ticking just below the surface and something told me it wasn’t going to be long before it exploded.

He carried my bags out
of the store and through the hotel lobby when we made it back. We checked in and each got our keys. Finn and Chet had already checked in and were probably already dying to get out into the city.

Tony and I got on the elevator and I reached out and pressed ten for the top floor. We stood on opposite sides of the elevator as it glided us up the building. I stared at the digital reader as it counted up. Four… Five… Six… Seven… and then we stopped. The elevator shook and made a screeching noise.

“What the fuck?” Tony said as he stepped up to the door and pressed on it.

“Oh my God, why isn’t the door opening? Are we stuck?” I was starting to panic.

Small spaces and heights—two of my biggest fears came crashing over me as realization set in.

“Looks that way. Stuck somewhere between the seventh and eighth floor
,” he said with his hands on his hips.

He pulled out his cell and turned the screen on. “Shit. No service on this damn thing.”

I was starting to quietly hyperventilate and he was being so calm. I stood there in the corner, afraid to move, as he continuously pressed the “push for help” button. There was a speaker above the button and I held my breath as I waited for a friendly voice to speak to us and tell us everything was going to be okay. No voice ever sounded.

“They’ll figure it out soon enough and get us out of here
,” he said calmly as he leaned against the wall.

By that point
, I was coming out of my skin. The walls around me began to close in and all I could think about was the oxygen that seemed to be disappearing around us and the seven-story empty space that was below us.

My breathing quicken
ed and became louder and louder. I didn’t want to embarrass myself, but a panic attack was beginning to overwhelm me.

Tony turned to look at me, confusion in his brow, and then his face soften
ed and he stepped toward me.

“Hey. Are you okay?” he asked.

“Can’t. Breathe. Why. Can’t. I. Breathe?” I was starting to shiver and my head was starting to feel fuzzy and weightless.

The walls around me were moving in closer. I didn’t give a shit what anyone else said
. The damn walls were seriously moving. I reached out and pressed my palm against a wall in hopes of stopping it, but nothing. Then the elevator started to spin and a rush of white noise filled my ears.

I was going to pass out. I’d thought I was before, but I was seriously going to pass out.

“Constance, look at me,” Tony said softly.

When I didn’t look at him, he reached out and gently touched my face to direct my attention. I flinched and it only intensified my panic attack.

“Breathe, Constance. There’s plenty of air in here. Just breathe.”

He looked different. Friendly and nice. A tiny smile lifted his plump lips
, and he used thick fingers to brush my hair from my face. When had I started sweating? I hadn’t even realized there was moisture dripping down my cheeks, making my hair cling to my face.

My teeth began to chatter like I was cold, and I could feel myself caving in. My legs got weak beneath me and I collapsed. I’d never been a girlie girl. Just the thought of falling or fainting disgusted me, but I couldn’t control it.

Instead of hitting the floor, I felt two strong arms catch me and lower me to the floor. I couldn’t even fight him off. I’d never felt more like an idiot in my life. I lay there in his arms while he whispered reassuring words to me and moved my hair from my face.

“Shhh, it’s okay. They’ll be here soon. We haven’t been stuck long.
Just breathe,” he whispered.

“I f
-feel s-so s-stupid,” I stuttered. “I’m s-sorry.”

“Don’t be. This is fine for me. I don’t hate holding you like this.”

His words somehow made it through my panic and caught me off guard. I couldn’t help but turn my face toward his.

He stared down at me with a sweet smile on his face. He lips hovered right above mine. I hadn’t realized how close we were. We looked each other in the eyes, until he broke the stare and his eyes dipped down to my mouth.

He looked back into my eyes and his cheeks turned pink when he realized I’d seen him looking at my lips. I wasn’t hyperventilating anymore, but a new set of nerves set it. It had been years since I’d been that close to man, and while I should have been scared shitless, I felt safe in his arms.

I felt him tense beneath me and begin to pull away, and I reacted quickly. Anything to get my thoughts off of being stuck in the fucking elevator. Tony seemed to be doing the trick since my panic attack was slowly dissolving.

Leaning up, I pressed my lips against his. He gasped and pulled back before pressing his mouth harder against mine. Everything around us went away. Like in those cliché movies where the background gets blurry and fades away. I hated to admit it, but I was a part of that cliché, because everything did get blurry and everything did fade away.

His fingers got lost in my hair, and I’d never been gladder I hadn’t braided it. They felt amazing. His finger would brush my ear before working its way down the side of my face. It sent chills down my body. Moving myself in his arms, I pressed my body closer to his. He released the side of my face and gripped my hip
, pulling me onto him. I gasped at the sensation that flew through me, giving him entry into my mouth.

His tongue flicked mine and I flicked back, pressing my tongue against his and throwing myself into the kiss completely. The sound he made traveled into my mouth and shot straight down into my panties.

I kissed him back hard, enjoying the freedom of doing so without panic or fear. He tasted unique, like mint and something creamy and sweet. His facial hair tickled my palm as I ran my fingers across his cheek. Moving my hand down, the thick muscles in his arm flinched when I grabbed on.

He broke the kiss to catch his breath and looked down at me
, confused, before he buried his face in my neck and began to suck the soft skin beneath my ear. I dropped my head back to give him more space and enjoyed his mouth against me.

My hand drifted down until I felt his hard chest beneath my fingers. He was so hard, so strong, and I wanted to feel every inch of him. Letting my hand fall f
arther, I felt the moment everything changed. He froze beneath me and his lips stopped their sweet torture. Reaching for my hand, he pulled it from his body, brought it to his lips for a sweet kiss, and then frowned down at me.

“We have to stop
,” he said breathlessly.

His words were a force. One that sent a red blush of embarrassment down my body. It shook me and made me feel like I was moving. It wasn’t until he released me and moved away that I realized it wasn’t me, but the elevator as it made its way up to the tenth floor.