I Saw You (27 page)

“What the fuck is this?”

“Intervention, band meeting…kick in your idiotic ass…take your pick, Cheetos,” Tex exclaimed from his seat at one end of my kitchen island. They were all there. Everyone I considered family—by blood or not. All looking pissed and a lot disappointed.

“Fuck do you want? I don’t have time for this at the moment.” Making my way inside, I squeezed past my mother and Heather, pausing by each to give them a quick kiss on the cheek. “Got to finish packing and make a few phone calls.” Looking at Brian, I gave him a head nod. “How many days between the Miami and Tampa shows?”

“You have two shows scheduled for Miami; Friday…” he counted off while scrolling through his iPad, “…and Sunday night at the American Airlines Arena. Two shows and three days off combined after to rest up. You’ll have that Saturday and then that Monday and Tuesday to spend with Arianna, just as you requested.”

“Sounds good.” I couldn’t contain the smirk on my face if I wanted to.

Why?” he hedged. His face held the same amount of seriousness as the rest of them. “Should I be scared…prepared?

“Both.”

“Shouldn’t Ashley be here to take notes?” Heather asked rather snidely while pouring herself a cup of coffee. “Or is she off hiding as usual when she pulls her shit?”

“Not now, sis.” At my warning tone, she raised a brow in challenge. “Doesn’t matter anyways. After this show she will no longer work for me.” From the women in the room came gasps of surprise while then men looked on, unsurprised. For minutes everyone remained quiet; some seemed to be formulating ideas while Tex looked…happy by the news. “Spill, you Texan asshole.”

“Nothing much to—”

“Cut the shit, man,” Cris interjected before he could try and sell me his bull. “Tell him already.”

“Tell me what?” Secrecy made me uncomfortable. “What do I need to know?”

“Oh fuck,” Heather whispered while her feet carried her across the room where she stood in front of Tex and pulled him down to her level. With his shirt in her hands, she forced him down to her line of sight while she scrutinized his face. “You?” He nodded, and for the second time that day, my mom gasped.

“What the fuck is going on?” Irritated would be putting it mildly. With shit to pack and a lot of begging in my near future, someone needed to start talking, and now. “Tex,” I called his name, and his worried eyes met mine, “talk.”

“I’m in love with her,” he blurted out, and the room went still. No one had a reply.

What. The. Fuck.

“Who?” Because fuck, he hated her…didn’t he?

Tex hung his head in shame, as if embarrassed by what he was about to admit. “Ashley.”

“My best friend?” Shit; maybe he was talking about some other woman named Ashley.

“Yeah, her.” Tex looked up and met my stare head on, his eyes searching mine for something. What, I had no clue, but when he found it he nodded and his shoulders visibly relaxed. “Stubborn fucking fool that she is, I’m in love with her.”

“
Days of Our Lives
don’t have shit on this group.” Rick looked at us with disgust and then turned back to his phone. Even if his facial expression screamed annoyance, I saw the tiny curl of his upper lip. More now since his own love life had been rekindled when Melanie emailed him a week ago.

“This coming from giggles?” Cris snorted and ducked as Rick’s old-as-dirt Nikes flew over his head. “Nice throw, old man.”

“Jesus Christ,” Heather groaned, and my mother looked at us with mild awe. “How can four grown men be so idiotic?”

“Amen, kiddo.” At Mom’s agreement with Heather’s bullshit, we all glared. Well, all except Brian who watched on, amused, while eating my Frosted Flakes straight out of the box. Nasty fucker.

Ignoring everyone else, I kept my eyes set on Tex. “Will my firing her cause problems between us? With the band?”

“Fuck, no.” He gave me an appalled look. “Ashley brought this on herself; my feelings for her have no bearing on us or the group. I’ll deal with her on my own time. Small fry has a very rude awakening in her future.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, Chester. She deserves it and more.” At my confused face, he looked up toward my ceiling, mumbled some shit under his breath, and cracked his neck. All within the span of thirty seconds. “Ashley’s lied to all of us. The night of your birthday, she approached Cris and me at the studio. Asked for our help in getting you to the club, which is all fine and dandy, except for one bit of truth she hid…Arianna had no clue that you’d be there.”

“How would—” I began, but he cut me off.

“Let me finish,” Tex begged, and I nodded. “We were told that she both knew, and had helped plan everything, to make up for the fact that she’d be running late. Not that she was just arriving two hours later, as we now know. Small tidbit Ash omitted too.” So many questions ran through my mind while he paced my kitchen. How did she know? Why would Slim call her? “Ari made the mistake of calling her to find out what company you use when chartering a plane.” Son of a bitch. We were all pawns in her game. I was done, fucking fuming where I stood, but I let him continue talking. “She was on her way to you when Ash planned the party and invited all those people, making sure once more with those leaked photos that she blocked the press release. We were all played.”

“Done,” was all I managed to say while trying to take deep, calming breaths.

Any other best friend would be worried—should be—but at that moment in time she had whatever karma dished at her coming. Moreover, if that lesson came in the shape of an over six-foot Texan, then so be it.

“All right.” Brian clapped his hands together loudly, pulling all our attention toward him. “You boys need to get packed and meet with the tour manager one last time before we fly out day after tomorrow. Early flight, kiddos, so be up and at the airport before the ass crack of dawn. We leave at five, and once there head straight for the arena.” Turning to face me, he tilted his head to the side. “Do I need to find you a temp fill-in for Ashley?”

“No,” Heather and I spoke in unison.

“I’ll be taking over for a bit.” Again, her defiant ass jutted her chin and stared me down. Dared me to oppose her wishes.

“When the hell did we decide that?”

“This morning while you were busy trying to pump Yuli for information on Ari.” Wasn’t even going to ask how she knew that. “Organizer is my middle name, not hand holder. There’s no need for me to be around all the time. I can run most things from here and text you what you need. Email and Skype work too. If and when I need to travel, I’ll make the time. We’ll talk salary when you get back.”

“Okay.” Because what else could I say to that? “You’re hired.”

“So cute, he thought it was up for negotiation.”

Ignoring her for the time being, I faced the guys. “Get out, and I’ll see you at seven at the studio.”

“Asshole.”

“Grouch.”

“Fuckface.” Not caring or paying attention to who said what, before the door closed I was already up the stairs with my sister following close behind.

Once in my room, she helped me pack the few items I’d already set out—my gift for Arianna being one of them—into my carry-on bag. Everything else had already been taken care of. It wasn’t until she zipped the bag and I placed my phone down on my nightstand that she asked the one question no one dared to speak aloud.

“How are you going to fire Ashley?”

I Saw You…

It was hot.

Humid.

Miami was a beautiful city, but none of that mattered since I couldn’t enjoy any of it. Not when my mind replayed my last encounter with Ari. How things were left. How she walked out in tears yet again because of my stupidity.

“She’ll be here. Gabriel sent me a text a bit ago and swore they were on their way.” Heather sidled up beside me on the couch backstage in our dressing room. The hour before any show we were a mass of excited nerves, each with a different ritual.

Cris twirled his drumsticks, back and forth between each finger to loosen himself up.

Tex lay on the floor and closed his eyes.

Rick scarfed a hoagie and half a donut.

I put in my headphones and listened to a special playlist. Everything from death metal to the classics of rock; one got me amped while the other put me in a mellow mood. It was weird, but it was what I did to get ready.

Jumped up and down while shaking my arms out to keep my muscles relaxed and warmed up. It was taxing on the body, the energy you expelled while on that stage. From one end to the other, I gave my fans everything I had.

Today, none of the usual modes of operation worked. Quite the opposite; they annoyed me. My iPod had been thrown across the room, its screen shattering into a million pieces after I’d tossed it. I felt tense. Anxious. This was a motherfucking do-or-die moment if I ever saw one.

Don’t care how much of a pussy this made me seem like; I was worried that it would be too late. Damage had been done and it was now irreparable.

“Can someone get this prick a couple shots of whiskey? Cause if he doesn’t sit down, I’m going to—”

“Give it a rest, Tex.” Ashley sauntered inside the room with two bottles of water in hand, dressed to the nines in tight, denim jeans with rips at the knees and a leather bustier; knee high boots finished off the look. A copied look from my girl, and I was disgusted by her behavior all over again.

For as much as I’d managed to put her out of my mind these last two days, seeing her made every emotion rush to the surface. Hate was a strong word, and one I didn’t use lightly. God knows I tried to remember that she had once been like my sister, but now—now I saw her true colors.

The woman had a rude awakening coming her way. I’d already warned Brian, and he had the P.R. department at the ready to handle the backlash of just what I was about to do. Slim held the power between us.

I was either the stupidest motherfucker, or a genius. One way or the other she’d accept my grand gesture. It was up to her just how our story continued to play out.

“Ten minutes,” a stagehand called through our dressing room’s door, and we all stood. Walked in silence to the center of the room; necks were being cracked and stretched, bodies jumping in place, a pure shot of adrenaline rushing through our veins.

A hand reached out and grasped my arm, trying to turn me around. When I didn’t budge, she sighed. “Can we talk after? I miss you.” Fucking actress.

“No.” And I shrugged her off, my eyes meeting Tex’s hard ones. Part of me wanted to ask if he was okay, but that wasn’t the kind of attention he liked. As if reading my mind, he gave a minute shake of his head that only I noticed.

“For Slim,” Cris shouted, breaking the awkward silence that had descended upon the room. Everyone, except Ashley, returned his yell with one of their own.

“Wait!” Ashley huffed behind me, trying and failing to grab onto me once more, but I shrugged her off with a bit of force. “Chester, give me a second, dammit.”

“Ash, back the fuck off.” My sister’s tone held more than a bite of anger. “Stop it, or I will have you removed.”

“Fine…” it was just as I walked through the threshold that I heard her ask Heather “…but what does Arianna have to with today?”

Pausing at the door, I held on to the door’s frame and tried to control my breathing. “For once, Ash, mind your own fucking business.” Not staying long enough to hear her retort, I made it to the stage with ten seconds to spare before my name was announced. The guys were already in place, Cris beating on his drums in a low, rhythmic beat.

Rick and Tex were at different ends of the stage, their fingers lazily playing the first chords of a new song—the first song on the set. While I, I took my place behind the mic, my guitar’s strap around my shoulders, my bare chest glistening under the harsh stage lights.

My name was screamed.

Shit thrown on the stage.

Yet, all I saw was her green eyes filled with tears. Across from me and just a few steps away, she searched for an escape yet there was none. How they managed to get her here without her realizing whom she was coming to see baffled me, yet I’d never been more grateful.

Eyes traveling beside her, I saw the reason she was here and smiled. Her mother and father each held her hand with whom I assumed was Yuli and Gabriel behind her.

The latter held up a blindfold, and I almost laughed aloud. So that’s how they did it.

Jesus, I loved those people something fierce.

“Hello, Miami!”

For an hour
I sang while my eyes stayed on hers. Song after song about everything: love, betrayal, life, political stance, and addiction…it was all her. Somehow she’d woven herself into every lyric and verse. Arianna fit with my reality when before all I saw was someone else’s possibility.

When I’d written those songs with Cris, I wanted something that spoke to my generation. The ones who stood for more than what was popular on social media and which ass cheek was the most bitable. To those that fought and clawed their way out of adversity—who loved harder than anyone before them did.

No matter which corner of the stage I was on, every croon, every jump, every goddamned chord of my guitar was my way of worshipping the woman she was. With or without me, Arianna was an incredible woman.

As the last chord from Rick’s guitar faded away into the vast arena, I ran off stage for a second and grabbed the stool from Heather. With a smile and a thumbs up, she turned from me and down the corridor. My girl was about to have the best seat in the house for what I had planned—off the side of the stage and where I could kiss the living daylights out of her when the show was through.

Ashley tried to get my attention, but I ignored her ass and walked right back on stage. Behind the mic, I placed the stool and sat down. Placing the microphone in its stand, I looked out into the sold-out arena and smiled. This shit felt right—for me, and everyone involved.

Even for the woman whom I’d cared for most of my adult life as if she were family. With a clear conscience, I could say I was done.

“Are we ready for more?” Screams, loud and ground shaking were directed toward the stage. Vibrations filled the room, a palpable rush of excitement. “Because I have a motherfucking surprise for you tonight.” Behind me the boys laughed, them too taking a small breather and bringing stools to place beside mine.

“Isn’t he the sweetest?” Rick sneered before slapping me on the back, and the crowd laughed. They boomed when I flipped him off and kicked his chair out the way. Fucker.

Ignoring his grumpy ass, I turned back toward our fans but paused midway when I felt her, closer now. There she stood, looking unsure beside my sister who looked very pleased with herself. Slim was the epitome of everything I found beautiful. Breath-fucking-taking.

Without taking my eyes from hers, I spoke to the crowd. “You get a treat, Miami. World premiere off our next album and all for you. No one has heard this before. And you know why?” Unintelligible shit was shouted back, but all that mattered was the look on my girl’s face. Still unsure, yet a spark of fire—desire that threatened to ruin the show for all in attendance. “Because this beautiful city is where I met my happiness, where I became one.”

Cock twitching behind the zipper of my jeans, I smirked at her and she smiled, a real one while wiping away the stray tear that fell. The soft notes of her song came through the arena and the crowd grew quiet.

This sound was different for us. Something they didn’t expect.

Rick and Tex had their acoustic guitars in their laps and strummed the softer riffs. Still held an edge, but the words spoke about a man in love. My lips touched the mic, and I let out a low sigh.

The words poured out of my mouth, and the crowd began to sway. The screams grew higher the more I sang. Words of forgiveness, I told the world in those lyrics how I felt.

How long my days were and how my home now had a name. Looking over to the right, I winked at her and sang the verse. In no uncertain terms, I outed us. Outed the fact that my cock had an owner and I wouldn’t want another. How alive I felt when she smiled. How my body longed for hers—craved her every touch. I’d crawl on my goddammed knees for this woman to hell and back, because she was worth it.

The song’s last notes thrummed from Cris, a low clink, clink, clink of his chimes ringing in the air. Fuck, the nerves were back. Arianna took a step forward and I almost ran to her, but I owed her what was coming next.

“If you haven’t caught on, I’m in love!” A thunderous roar met us, and the stage shook from its vibration. Beside me the guys chuckled at my idiotic statement, but fuck it, it was the truth, and I wasn’t ashamed in the least. “This woman is incredible, smart, beyond fucking beautiful, and gives a shit about my sometimes moronic ass.” Again they cheered as if I’d just scored a touchdown. “I’ve been blessed with meeting her, the bumping and dropping of precious alcohol included. Because of circumstances I’ve been placed in, I haven’t been doing right by her and for that, this is my public apology.”

“Ashley?” someone from the front row yelled, and I caught Gabriel’s challenge.

“N—” I never got the chance to respond before I was surrounded, body wrapped around me. A set of long legs and lips pressed harshly to mine. The wrong set. Wrong body. Motionless, and without knowing how to handle the situation, I glared at Ashley while she fucking ruined everything once again.

The boys had gone stiff beside me, and I tried like fuck to breathe in deep and not throw her over the edge of the stage. Fuck me. I didn’t even bother to look over at Slim; the entire surprise had been ruined.

“Get the fuck off me,” I whispered, the anger in my voice evident, and she complied. Smiling, her eyes shone as if she’d just won the lottery.

“Thank you, baby!” she yelled loud enough that the microphone picked up her response and the crowd cheered us on. Tex came up and grabbed her wrist while the curtain came down for a quick, planned intermission. Jesus. I…

“I don’t want to see you anywhere near me.” Low and deadly I spoke, and the backstage area grew quiet.

“But, Cheetos,” she began, only to stop at a single look from me. Taking in a deep breath, she walked closer and grabbed my hand. Without an ounce of remorse, I yanked mine back. “Think about the added press this will bring for the tour. Everyone will be talking about the love we share.”

Delusional fuck.

Looking over at a fuming Heather, I called her over. Spoke low into her ear. “Where is she?”

Looking beyond devastated, she tried to force a smile for my benefit and failed. “Gone.”

Nodding, because I expected as much, I took in a deep breath. “Revoke her pass and get her the fuck out. You’re officially hired.” With that, I turned and ended the longest relationship I’ve ever had.

I Saw You...

“Slim, please open up.” Fist connecting with her wooden front door, I pled with her to listen. To let me once again explain something that was out of my hands and that I didn’t let happen with malicious intent.

As soon as the meet-and-greet was through, I was out of that arena as if my ass was on fire. Stole the keys to our van from Mike and fled, much to his annoyance, but I didn’t give a flying fuck if I put myself in a bad situation or not. Heather had tried to contact Slim after she left to no avail. Her parents and friends were left fuming while I tried to wrap my head around this clusterfuck.

How could Ashley do this to me?
Because she’s a selfish brat that doesn’t care about anyone but herself.
A sad reality I had to come to terms with.

“Fuck,” I kicked the door in, and the bottom corner cracked from the resounding force. “Please, baby. I’m so fucking sorry, sweet girl. Those words were—are—all yours. Never hers.” Resting my forehead against the frame, I begged without an ounce of shame.

“Please go,” her hoarse and tired voice answered through the structure. So close, yet fucking worlds apart was how it felt. Blocked off and in purgatory over something I had no control over.

“I’m not moving from here until we talk.” Fuck it. An arrest for trespassing wouldn’t be the worst thing that had hit my record.

Jiggling the door handle, I noticed that it was unlocked and turned it. Before she could realize the failure in her judgment, I had it pushed and we were face to face. Green eyes met my blue ones, and the pain in them almost keeled me over. Without thinking I reached a hand out, touched the apple of her cheeks with the pad of my thumb.

Her face turned, and she nuzzled the palm of my hand before realizing just what she’d done. I wanted to pull her into my arms, had raised my other arm to pull her closer, when Ari froze and pulled back. Facial expression pinched tight, she looked on the verge of tears, and I couldn’t handle that.

For each tear that rolled down her cheek, I wanted to make Ashley feel her sadness tenfold. Being an asshole to women wasn’t how I was raised, but when one acted as Ash had, and didn’t seem to care, I lost all respect for her. If there was ever a chance that we could’ve rectified our friendship and carried on, she ruined it.

“Leave.” One word. That was all I got before her bottom lip trembled and she tried to pull the door shut.

“No.” Nothing, not God himself and all his faithful disciples, could remove me from her front porch.

“You stubborn prick. Just go.” Tiny hands flew toward my face, her closed fists landing on my bottom lip. I felt the tear and the small trickle of blood that followed. Didn’t hurt a bit, but her face softened at the damage. “Fuck, I’m…” more tears, and this one with a small hiccup “…can’t keep doing this with you, Chester. Tonight proved that.”

Wiping the trickle with my hand, I flinched a bit. “Just hear me out one last time.” Bullshit. Never the last, but at the moment she didn’t need to know that.

“Let me clean that up, and then, Chester, I need you to be on your way. There isn’t a single ounce of desire within me to hear you out. Done talking. nothing you could say will change my mind.” With her arms crossed over her chest, she walked inside without waiting on me. Even mad—upset with me—she looked adorable in her oversized Miami Dolphins men’s jersey and tube socks. Short and completely pocket-sized for my own convenience. “Sit,” she demanded with a hiss and I complied, taking my seat at her breakfast nook inside the spacious kitchen.

Within seconds she was back, in her hand a small first-aid kit, a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and some Neosporin. With care, she set everything within reach on the table’s top and stepped between my legs, her body heat hitting me in the most delicious of ways, and I wanted more. To skim my hands up her thighs, causing the shirt to travel upward and over her head, only to land on the floor where it belonged. To take away with my touch—my lips––all the hurt I’d caused her.

My cock twitched in greeting, and a small blush overtook her cheeks. “Not going to apologize for my body’s natural reaction to you.”

“Behave.” Tried to chastise me but it didn’t work and instead, I flexed my cock beneath the confines of my jeans—toyed with her desire for me. It was all fun and games, the mood lightening until she pressed the peroxide-filled cotton ball against my lip. Hard. The skin wet with the disinfectant, tingled and the area bubbled. After a few seconds, she dabbed it with gauze to clean the excess. “Sorry about this, I don’t—”

“Shhhh, not your fault…was mine for pushing you, slugger.” A small smile appeared on her face a minute before that pouty lip trembled again. “Killing me here, Slim. No tears. Can’t handle them.”

Nodding, Ari took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, the soft breeze caressing my cheek. In silence, she worked to clean me up. Touching me with the very tip of her fingers, cementing her ownership over my persona with each soothing stroke.

“I’m sorry too, you know.”

I couldn’t control the perplexed look I gave her. Incredulous and dumbfounded. “Fuck are you sorry for? Ari, this is on me…not you.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have pushed so hard for you to acknowledge me as your girlfriend. Maybe, just maybe, I was the catalyst in this fiasco that broke her. Can’t blame the girl for falling for you—you’re a loveable jerk.” Eyes red and lips quivering, she looked beautiful. “And while it was never my place to confront her—Ashley is your best friend and headache—I’m sorry I caused you the friendship. That you were pulled by us in different directions.” Two tears rolled down her cheek, but she was quick to wipe them away. “Someday you’re going to make some lucky woman very happy, but that’s not me.”

“Don’t,” I choked out. “Don’t say stupid shit like that.”

“Truth hurts, and I’m accepting mine. For some reason we aren’t able to work; it’s not you or me. Things—life gets in the way, and sometimes you have to take the messages it’s trying to make you hear. You’re past, real or not, it dominates your present, and there’s no room for me, Cheesy. I’m sorry.” Slim leaned forward and kissed the corner of my lip where it had split before standing straight once more. “Walk yourself out and please, don’t fight me on this. It’s the least you can do.”

With a bleeding heart I walked out behind her. Closed her front door and got inside the empty van. Ignored the phone vibrating atop the dashboard and stared out into the night. We couldn’t be done. Fuck, no. No.

I’d give her some time to think. Give her a break from my crazy life and all the troubles it’d brought her, but I wasn’t giving up. Arianna Garcia was mine. Mine to love and to hold. Only death would separate us, not some conniving chick on a personal ego trip.

“I’ll be back for you.”