Sound of Heartache ("Sound of" Book 2) (13 page)

“
We did meet once,” Aimee acknowledged. Jack waved his hand, dismissing her words.

“
You gave the band its name, you know.” He told her. Aimee’s eyebrow rose up. He gave her a lopsided grin.

“
I did?” She asked him, surprised. She didn’t know how it was possible for her to have played any part in naming the band. They’d met all of one time when he’d helped Brent and Eric defend her in a bar fight.

“
Hell yes you did. You told us at the bar, after we finished cleaning up those motherfuckers, ‘you sure cause a lot of destruction’.” Jack sounded smug. “It was the perfect name for us.”

Aimee didn’t remember making that comment, but from the look on the other guys’ faces, she must have because they seemed to agree with Jack.

“
I’m flattered,” she said softly. She had always wished she had some kind of influence on the band since she was present at their very first meeting and it seemed as though she had, even if she hadn’t been aware of it.

“
You’re coming out with us tonight, right?” Jack asked her, although the way he said it made it clear he wasn’t going to take a refusal.

Aimee knew why Jack made a perfect front man for the band. He was sexy as hell, intense, and determined to have his way. Still, Aimee wasn’t going to blindly agree to anything without making sure she was welcome. She glanced at Brent, who gave her a small nod of agreement. Brenna was staying the weekend with a friend, so Aimee didn’t have to rush home. She was dying to learn what Brent was like now and hanging out with these guys would put him in his element. She’d be able to tell whether he was still a good guy at heart or if fame had changed him for the worse. For a few years she hadn’t been sure the Brent she knew was still there. There were rumors of drinking and drugs and Aimee had worried he wouldn’t pull out of it.

Before she could respond, Jack spoke again. “Els could use another woman on the scene besides the damn groupies that seem to trail us everywhere,” Jack told her. The woman stepped forward and offered her hand to Aimee.

“
I’m Jack’s Ellie.” Aimee had seen Ellie in the tabloids, so she was well aware of who she was and what she meant to Destruction’s front man. Aimee could only imagine how hard it was to deal with groupies on a daily basis and admired Ellie for seeming to handle Jack’s fame with grace.

“
You just had a baby. Congratulations.” Aimee offered as she shook Ellie’s hand. Ellie looked at her appraisingly and Aimee realized most conversations with Ellie probably didn’t lead off with comments on her baby. “I’m a pediatrician,” she added inanely, and then cursed herself for her stupidity.

“
Thank you. He’s adorable and I’m deeply in love.” Ellie’s voice softened as she spoke about her baby and she blindly reached back, visibly relaxing when Jack threaded his fingers through hers.

“
I know a little something about that.” Aimee told her softly. Ellie nodded, not smiling but not judging either.

“
I had a feeling you might,” was all she said. Aimee glanced at Jack again. His gaze was focused on Ellie and the look on his face was painfully intimate. He clearly adored this woman.

Aimee had to clear her voice to loosen the sudden tightness in her throat. “I’d love to come out with the band tonight.”

CHAPTER THREE

Aimee had lived in Vegas for just short of three years. She’d moved after accepting a job with a local pediatric clinic. During her stay in Vegas she’d never had an occasion to go clubbing. Her work schedule and Brenna’s activities just didn’t allow for much of a social life and Aimee was pretty okay with that. The club scene had never been all that interesting to her in the first place so she never felt like she was missing out. Now, staring down at the pulsing throng of people below her, Aimee felt like she’d been dropped into someone else’s life.

The band had left the concert venue in an absurdly long stretch limo. The vibe among the guys was celebratory. They were all talking, their hands waving around, and trying to distinguish one conversation from another was impossible. It was clear the guys were pumped and needed an outlet. Aimee was amazed they had so much energy because they’d just finished hopping around a hot stage for two hours.

When they pulled up at the Venetian hotel, Aimee realized they were headed in to party at Tao. Even in Vegas where everything happened, Tao was famous for their red carpet celebrity arrivals and skyboxes that sat atop the nightclub floor. Even though Aimee was dressed in a daringly short pair of shorts and a cute shirt, she worried about walking the red carpet under a microscope and being found lacking. Her hands shook with nerves and she tugged at the tips of her hair, spinning the long tresses in a circle around her finger. She hated feeling out of her element, but to be a part of Brent’s life, she was going to have to learn to deal.

Brent glanced over at her and gently disentangled her finger from her hair. He laced his fingers through her own and swept his thumb over the back of her hand. Aimee’s breathing calmed and she was able to walk down the red carpet with a smidgeon of self-confidence. The band had a sky box, of course, and they were ushered in like royalty. Aimee had never been on the receiving end of such lavish treatment but from the nonchalant way everyone else was reacting, it was clearly part of the norm for them.

Sitting in a plush oversized chair next to Brent, Aimee wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Brent’s weight was warm next to her, grounding her. His jeans-clad thigh pressed tightly up against hers in the chair and she was very aware of every movement he made. She fidgeted, feeling embarrassingly aroused.

“
You want to go dance?” Brent asked her, taking a long drink from the bottle of water gripped in his lean fingers. She’d been surprised when he hadn’t ordered alcohol like the rest of the guys. She had ordered her all-time favorite, a sweet-tart Midori Sour, and was halfway through the drink. She hated using liquor to bolster her courage but sometimes there was no way around it.

“
Do you not drink at all?” She asked him curiously. She had read tabloid after tabloid about his ugly descent into drugs and alcohol but there hadn’t been anything in the news recently. Aimee had taken the lack of articles as a sign that Brent had cleaned up his act.

“
I do, some. Beer mostly. I’m not drinking tonight because I don’t want to miss or forget a single second of it.” Brent’s words surprised Aimee and caused a flutter deep in her belly. She knew he was invested in getting reacquainted; she just wasn’t sure how far their new relationship was going to extend. She couldn’t deny she wanted to take it pretty damn far.

“
Won’t you get mobbed if we go down there?” Aimee looked down at the hundreds, maybe thousands, of people crowded on the darkened dance floor. She loved to dance but didn’t get to do it with adults very often. Brenna was in dance and Aimee practiced the group routines with her all the time. Dancing with a nine year old was vastly different than dancing with a man she found to be compellingly attractive, though.

“
Nah. It’s one of the reasons we love coming to Tao. The floor is so dark nobody can tell who we are once we get down there.” Aimee glanced down at the crowd again. It was pretty dark down there. Making up her mind to be brave a second time that night, she stood and tugged Brent’s hand.

“
You’re on.” She said, smiling shakily. She couldn’t imagine being in Brent’s arms again and having his body pressed against hers. Dancing with him would test the limits of her restraint. The last couple of hours had been hard enough, being near Brent without touching him like a girlfriend or wife would. She felt so much for him she was having a hard time containing it and pressing her body against his on the dance floor wouldn’t make things any easier for her.

Brent expertly led Aimee down into the press of bodies. He obviously knew the way from his previous times at the club and Aimee was content to let him lead. He kept a firm grasp on her arm so they wouldn’t get separated. Aimee was glad because if they did lose each other, there was no way they’d be able to reconnect without heading back to the sky box and she really did want to dance with Brent.

Pulling her close, Brent weaved them through the bodies and into the middle of the floor. He immediately pulled Aimee into his arms, her head tucking just under his chin. He smelled like sweat, deodorant, and something slightly woodsy. Aimee couldn’t help pulling a deep breath into her lungs. He smelled terrific, lighting a fire deep in her belly she probably really should ignore. The problem was this was
Brent.
She didn’t want to ignore the feelings buzzing through her.

She let out a gasp when his hands grabbed her hips, singeing her skin through the denim of her shorts. Brent thrust his muscular thigh between her legs and began a seductive rhythm that matched the deep thump of the bass. Aimee allowed herself to be led, grinding into him, and they turned the dance into a flirtatious seduction. Her pelvis pushed below the ridge of his erection while his hands gripped her ass and pulled her tightly against him. Aimee was grateful for the cover of darkness because it allowed her to express her longing for Brent without using words.

As Brent’s leg continued to rub between her thighs, Aimee realized her shorts were riding dangerously high. She was certain there was a fair amount of cheek hanging out from the back. She was also certain her panties were absolutely drenched. Dancing with Brent like this was a heady thing. He was warm and solid in her arms and his dance moves were incredible. She ran her hands up his back and pulled him close until their bodies were flush. Unable to stop herself, she ran her tongue down his neck tasting the saltiness of his skin. She felt, more than heard, the groan vibrate through his chest.

She bit his neck lightly and felt the world tilt abruptly as he dropped one of his hands and pushed it up under her shorts. She could feel his hand against the bare skin of her cheek, running along the line of the cheeky panties she wore. She wantonly rubbed herself on his leg, desperate for his touch. There was no denying her desire for him.

“
We need to get out of here!” Brent shouted. Aimee nodded. The direction they were headed would lead to indecent exposure if they didn’t stop their bump and grind.

Brent began the slow process of pulling her back through the crowd on the dance floor. Aimee followed him blindly back toward the skybox. People lined the hallways and looked curiously at Brent, surely recognizing him, but nobody stopped them. For once, Aimee was glad she lived somewhere where celebrity sightings were so common they hardly even caused a ripple. Brent halted just outside the skybox’s closed door and tugged her back into his arms. She went willingly and he immediately swept her mouth in an incendiary kiss. The taste of Brent was familiar but the way his lips pressed into her, the glide of his tongue against hers was done differently. It was somehow better than it had ever been and Aimee moaned into his mouth. With a final glide of his tongue, he was through. Aimee leaned against Brent weakly, her head tucked under his strong jaw and his arms resting loosely around her waist.

“
How do you see this night ending?” Brent asked her gruffly. She went to pull away to look at him but he tightened his arms, keeping her immobile against his broad chest. Aimee could feel his heart thudding rapidly against her ear. She was relieved to know she wasn’t the only one affected by their bump and grind scene on the dance floor.

Aimee lifted her face off his chest and met the gaze of the beautiful green eyes head on. The golden flecks speckled throughout them were more pronounced than usual and were made even more striking by the black ink lining his eyes. His lids were lowered slightly and a flush rode high on his cheekbones. The overall effect was insanely attractive.

“
I’d hoped it would end with us together.” She told him boldly. Brent blinked slowly but his expression didn’t change.

“
Are you sure that’s what you want?” He questioned. Aimee knew he was looking for reassurances but she didn’t have any to give. She just had what was in her heart. Hopefully it would be enough for him. She ignored the inner voice that told her she was bargaining for his forgiveness by using sex.

“
More than anything,” she finally said, and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to his lips. His tongue slid against hers gently. When his mouth left hers, their lips clung and he nipped her lower lip gently between his teeth, laving the bite with his tongue.

“
I’ve got a suite here,” he told her, seeming hesitant. He looked her in the eyes again. “I don’t mean to presume, but we could go there. “ Aimee had a moment of hesitation herself. A hotel seemed like such an impersonal way to reconnect with the man who had shaped the entirety of her adult life. “I wasn’t planning to hook up with anyone,” he added hastily. “I always get a suite in Vegas wherever we decide to club for the convenience factor alone.”

“
No, it’s not that.” Aimee told him. She didn’t know how to put what she was feeling into words. Maybe it was silly.

“
What’s the problem then?” Brent looked mystified.

Before Aimee could answer, the door to the sky box swung open and Jacob, the massively muscular bass guitarist, leaned in the doorway.