Sinners On Tour 05 Double Time (33 page)

Reagan held Trey’s hand as they entered the hotel’s reception hall. She didn’t really want to party like a rock star, but Trey was a social creature and he looked like he needed some adulation and excitement. Also, she felt bad for laughing about his love for Brian. It was obviously something that weighed heavily on him. She wasn’t sure how to handle that part of Trey. He always seemed to know how to get exactly what he wanted out of life. It must be hard for him to be so close to Brian, yet so far away.

She spotted Dare near the entrance, looking bored, though he was surrounded by enthusiastic admirers. He had this way of answering people in a minimum number of words, yet making them feel like he was imparting the secrets of the universe. Reagan knew Trey depended on his brother for support more than any other person on the planet, unfortunately herself included, so she headed in Dare’s direction, hoping that he could bring Trey comfort. Or tell her how to comfort him.

Dare smiled when he noticed them heading in his direction. “Excuse me.” Two words and his crowd dispersed as if Dare had erected an impenetrable bubble around himself.

“Back so soon?” He took a sip of his beverage and looked from Reagan to Trey and back to Reagan.

“She wanted to party like a rock star,” Trey said. He waved at someone across the room who was waving both arms wildly over her head to get his attention.

“Then you should go get her a drink,” Dare said to Trey.

“What do you want?” Trey asked her.

“Something stiff.”

“I would have given you something stiff upstairs, but you wanted to come back down to the party.”

“If you would have gone down while we were upstairs, I would have come,” she countered.

Trey laughed and kissed her on the cheek before hurrying toward the bar. A wave of people followed in his wake. Unlike his brother, he didn’t have the skill set to keep them at bay. Or maybe he didn’t want to. He seemed to relish the attention of the horde surrounding him.

“Something wrong?” Dare asked. Someone approached them and he lifted one finger from his glass. The man paused in midstride and turned in the opposite direction.

“Trey’s a little down. I figured he could use a party.”

“So you’re here for his sake?”

“Completely. I don’t really mingle well.”

Dare chuckled. “Me neither. Everyone thinks I’m mysterious and deep. I’m just antisocial.”

Reagan grinned up at him. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

Dare shrugged. “Why is Trey down?” His gaze shifted toward the bar and Reagan followed his line of sight to see Trey talking and laughing with some A-list actor as if they were old friends.

Reagan wondered if Dare knew about Brian. It seemed like he knew everything about Trey, but maybe it was something that Trey hadn’t confided to him. She didn’t want to toss any bones out of Trey’s closet of skeletons without his permission.

“Let me guess,” Dare said, lifting his finger at another approaching person to head them off before they got too close. “Brian.”

“You know how he feels about Brian?”

“I’m surprised he told you. He thinks it’s this huge secret, but anyone with eyes knows how he feels about the guy.”

“I didn’t know. I always thought there was something different about their relationship, but had no idea Trey’s feelings were so strong.”

“He must be getting better at hiding it then.”

They watched Trey get a bro-slap hug from a professional football player before the guy started acting out passes and touchdowns at Trey’s enthusiastic insistence. Trey still hadn’t made it to the bar.

“I told him that he should talk to Brian about it,” Reagan said. “He didn’t seem to think that was a good idea.”

“He’s made a lot of progress since he met you, Reagan. He’s been struggling with this for a long time. Before all he could think about was ways to get Brian to fall for him. Now he’s trying to figure out how to let him go. Be patient with him.”

“How do you think Brian would react if he knew?”

“I’m sure Brian already knows. He’s just too nice to tell my brother to get his head out of his ass.” Dare finished his drink and set his empty glass on a nearby table that held a guitar-shaped ice sculpture. “Brian’s not stupid, just sort of… non-confrontational. Especially when it comes to those he loves.”

“He loves Trey too?”

“Not romantically. Did Trey tell you how they hooked up?”

Reagan’s eyes widened. “They hooked up?”

“I guess he didn’t tell you. If you want to know, ask him about it.” Dare laughed. “Look, he made it to the bar.”

Reagan turned her attention back to Trey, who was having beers stuffed into the waistband of his jeans by several women. And men. Squirming, he tried to avoid having additional beverages shoved in his pants, while he placed his order with the bartender. She could tell he was having a great time already.

“What an attention whore,” Dare said. He grinned at his brother’s antics while shaking his head in disgrace.

“You’re not fooling me, Dare Mills. Your kid brother means more to you than any other person on the planet.”

“Can’t deny it. If it weren’t for him, I would have died before my sixth birthday.”

Reagan’s head whipped up to look at him. “What do you mean?”

“I had acute myeloid leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. Trey was a match, so he was my donor.”

“He never told me that.”

“He knows about it but doesn’t remember it. He was only two, but he is still terrified of hospitals, so it had to have some lasting effect on him. Have you seen the size of the needles they use to remove bone marrow? I have.” He shuddered.

Reagan wrapped both arms around Dare and gave him a hard squeeze.

He patted her back and asked, “What was that for?”

“For living.”

He chuckled. “You should hug Trey, not me. He’s the hero.”

“Oh, trust me, Trey is going to get a lot of hugs. Do leg hugs count?”

“I’m sure he’d think so.”

She gazed across the room to the bar where Trey was trapped between some guy who had a three-foot-tall, lime green mohawk and a Hollywood socialite with a yapping Chihuahua in her purse. Both hands full with stiff drinks, Trey smiled, nodded, and chatted as he inched his way back in their direction. “If he ever escapes his fan club.”

“Is this the line for Reagan hugs?” a deep voice said from behind her. She turned and grabbed Steve in a bear hug. He returned her hug enthusiastically. She couldn’t help but notice how great those strong drummer arms felt wrapped around her body. Even though the concert had ended two hours before, he still wasn’t wearing a shirt with his low-cut leather pants. “Are you two having a guitarist meeting over here?” Steve asked. “I noticed Dare has erected his invisible barrier of cool to ward off the ass-kissers. I hope you don’t mind me crashing your private party.”

“We’re just talking,” Reagan said.

“About the show?” Steve asked, giving Reagan one last squeeze before releasing her. “I figured we’d fuck up a lot more than we did. The first show of a new tour is usually the worst. It went well, don’t you think?”

She nodded. “Even though I was scared to death.”

Steve rubbed her back. “You did great, sweetie. Even Max said so.”

“I think he liked being just a front man,” Dare said. “He got even more involved with the crowd than usual. He might want to keep this arrangement after his wrist heals.” Dare winked at Reagan and she had to remind herself that she was a rock star now and should not be shrieking with enthusiasm.

“He’s been trolling the Internet for reviews all night,” Steve said. “He won’t admit this to anyone, but he really does care what people say about us.”

Dare chuckled. “Max? No way. He’s too cool to care.”

“Sure,” Steve said.

“I go off to get the lady a drink and as soon as I turn my back, she starts feeling up her band members,” Trey said with an exaggerated scowl.

“Trey, I did not feel up any of my band’s members,” Reagan said and accepted her drink. “At least not in public.”

Steve burst out laughing. “You kill me, Reagan. Really.” He pulled a bottle of beer out of the waistband of Trey’s pants. “Thanks. I could use a cold one.” He twisted off the bottle cap and took a long swallow before flicking the bottle cap at Trey. “What’s up, Dare’s lil’ bro?”

“I thought I might ask my girlfriend to dance, but after seeing the company she keeps, I’m not sure I’m famous enough.”

Reagan wrapped both arms around Trey and squeezed. He couldn’t reciprocate; his hands were full. “Dare told me what you did.”

He stiffened slightly. “What did I do?”

“You saved his life.”

“Oh that. I didn’t really have a say in the matter. I couldn’t even string an entire sentence together then. Trey, do you want to donate some bone marrow? Ba-ba da-da yeah-yeah. They assumed that meant yes.”

She snuggled her face into his neck. “I still think it’s heroic.”

“Did he tell you he almost died last year?” Dare asked, helping himself to one of the beers in Trey’s waistband.

Reagan drew away to look up at Trey. “No, he did not. What happened?”

Trey took her hand and directed it to the side of his head. She fingered the narrow scar that arched over his ear.

“Got hit in the head with a ball bat,” he said. “Some bleeding on the brain. A couple of grand mal seizures. No big deal.”

Dare chuckled. “He says that now.”

“I remember when that happened,” Reagan said. “It was all over the news. I didn’t realize it was so serious.” Her throat tightened as she looked up at him. She couldn’t imagine not having him in her life and wished she could have been there to help him through all the tough times in his past. Overcome with unexpected emotion, she hugged him tight. She didn’t even care that one of the drinks in his hand sloshed onto her back. “I’m finished partying like a rock star for tonight. Let’s go find Ethan and go up to the room. I want to be alone with you. Relatively speaking.”

“You just got here,” Steve complained. “Everyone wants to meet you.”

Reagan glanced around the room. All eyes were on her. If her relationship with Trey had been unknown before, it was definitely no secret now.

“One drink,” Trey said, handing her one of the glasses he’d carried from the bar. He handed the spare to his brother and kept one for himself. He turned to stand beside Reagan, wrapping his right arm around her waist as he sipped his drink. “Bring on the admirers.”

“More like spectators,” Reagan murmured.

Before anyone had the chance to approach, Ethan appeared next to Reagan. “There were no deliveries tonight,” he said.

“So how did they get in there?” she whispered harshly.

“Someone had to bring them personally.”

“They were inside my dressing room?”

“Apparently.”

“What are you two talking about?” Trey asked.

“You didn’t tell him?” Ethan asked.

“I didn’t want him to worry.”

“About what?” Trey asked.

“She got another of those threatening messages. On a card in some flowers. I’ve spent the last hour finding out about any deliveries that were made tonight, but there were no flowers delivered to her dressing room, so whoever it was must have access to the backstage area.”

“Reagan, why didn’t you tell me?” Trey asked.

“I didn’t want you to worry.”

“That’s kind of my job, babe.”

Ethan wrapped a comforting arm around her back and Reagan squirmed away from him. He scowled. “What’s your problem?”

“There are people everywhere,” she said.

“And?”

“They know I’m with Trey, so I can’t get personal with you here.”

“Why not?”

Trey laughed unexpectedly and poked Reagan in the ribs. She gave him her frostiest look. He threw a pointed look in the direction of one of the swarms of reporters who were looking their way. “Smile and laugh,” he said under his breath. “They can smell drama from a mile away.”

Reagan laughed. “You’re so hilarious, Trey,” she said loudly. “Well, I guess I should call it a night. I’m dead on my feet and I think I’ve had a little too much to drink.” Exactly half of a rum and coke.

“I’ll help you find your way,” Trey said. “Follow us,” he whispered to Ethan. “Like her bodyguard would.”

Dare, Steve, and Logan looked entirely perplexed as Trey wrapped an arm around Reagan’s back and helped her find the exit. A seething Ethan followed two paces behind—looking every inch the tough bodyguard. Once they were safely on the elevator, they dropped their facades.

“So now I can’t touch you in public?” Ethan shouted at Reagan.

Reagan winced at his tone. “No, Ethan. You can’t. They know I’m dating Trey and they wouldn’t understand this relationship. I’m not sure if I understand it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about the message, Reagan?” Trey said. “If this guy—”

“Or girl,” Ethan interrupted.

“If this
person
is running around loose backstage, we need to have everyone we trust keep a look out for him.” He glanced at Ethan. “Or her,” he quickly amended.

“Whoever it is has to be associated with Sinners,” Ethan said.

Trey’s eyebrows drew together in an angry scowl. “Why do you say that? My crew wouldn’t threaten her.”

“Because it happened on both tours and the only commonality between the two is
your
band and
your
crew,” Ethan said.

The elevator door opened and the three of them fell into an uneasy silence as they passed the eighth floor security guards on their way to their room. As soon as they were safely inside, Ethan wrapped his arms around Reagan and yanked her against his body. “Is it okay if I touch you now? When it serves your purpose?”

Trey grabbed his arm. “Don’t talk to her like that.”

He shouldn’t talk to her harshly, but she understood why he was behaving this way. He was covering up his hurt. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, Ethan,” Reagan said. “Yes, in private we can be open about our relationship, but Trey and I are in the public eye and we can’t—”

“So because Trey is famous, he’s the one you’re willing to claim in public?” Ethan said.

“She didn’t say that,” Trey said.