Saxon(12)

That was her?

I sigh and run my hands through my gel-free hair. I should have known that was her as well; it was a few weeks after I ran into Lexi for the first time after she got together with Ryder.

“And then she told me off for taking sides and choosing you over my own blood,” he continues. “And somehow I ended up saying sorry to her.”

He scratches his head. “Fucking lawyers.”

“Are you close with Tee?” I ask, wanting to know everything about her.

Everything.

“Not as close as Ryder,” he replies. “But if I ever need her, I know she’ll be there in a second. She’s like that, someone you can always count on.”

Like I said, loyal.

My older brother Kidd walks out, lifting his chin at us in greeting. Dressed in nothing but a pair of track pants, he rubs his chest absently.

“What time’s rehearsal?” he asks me.

I look down at my watch. “In about an hour.”

“Better get Ryder’s ass up,” he replies, grabbing a beer out of the fridge and taking a sip.

My eyebrows raise. “Beer?”

“It’s twelve o’clock somewhere,” he replies, walking back to his bunk.

Jet looks at me and shrugs.

“Didn’t he bring a girl back with him last night?” I ask. Something’s going on with Kidd, I just have no idea what it is. He’s been acting off for a few weeks now but won’t talk to me about it.

Jets chuckle makes me look up at him. “Trey’s messaging me.”

Another one of their cousins and another musician.

“Where is he?” I ask.

“He’s spending some time with Sasha and her kid,” he tells me, which sounds about right. From what I’ve heard Trey is very close with her son Jye.

“We better get our asses ready for rehearsal. I want to try a new song for tonight’s show,” I say, standing up.

A song inspired by her.

*****

The crowd screams as we play our first song.

“I see some gorgeous women in here tonight,” Ryder calls out, looking into the crowd. “Does someone want to come on stage for the next song?”

Louder screams.

I grin from my safe spot behind my drum set and watch as Ryder, Jet, and Kidd work the crowd.

“You! The pretty blonde,” Ryder says into the microphone, pointing at a woman in the audience. “Security could you help her up please.”

The woman is lifted on stage and instantly wraps herself around Ryder.

“What’s your name beautiful?” he asks her. A chair is brought out on stage from one of the backstage crew.

She fans herself and speaks into the microphone. “Aileen.”

“Aileen. Pretty name. Why don’t you take a seat right here,” he says, helping her sit down. He whispers something in her ear, and she blushes like crazy. On the count of three we start to sing ‘Lay You Down’, one of our newer songs. Ryder sings the song to the girl like he wrote it for her, when I know for a fact he didn’t, because it was me who wrote this one. She swoons as Ryder does a little grinding and thrusting movement with his hips. He’s basically f*cking the air.

The crowd goes wild.

Good thing Lexi isn’t here.

The song comes to an end and I look into the audience, smiling at the ‘Marry Me Saxon’ sign someone is holding. Aileen gets escorted back to her spot, and we go into the next song ‘Timeless’.

I think of Tee and wonder what she’s doing right now. Maybe one day she could come on tour with me.

Wishful thinking.

I concentrate on drumming and the music, pushing away all other thoughts.

But in the back of my mind—she somehow always lingers.





Chapter Seven

Tenielle

I leave work in a not so great mood and drive straight to my usual watering hole, Knox’s Tavern. Hot guys, drama, and good music—what’s not to like about the place? I sit down at the bar and wait for Ryan to notice me. When he does, he comes right over, face smiling.

“Long time no see,” he says. “We’ve been going broke without your business.”

I smirk. “Oh come on, I don’t drink that much.”

“Sure you don’t. So what can I get you?”

“Three tequila shots and a beer please,” I tell him in all seriousness.

He bursts out laughing.

“What? I’ve had a bad day,” I grumble, narrowing my eyes on him.

“How about we start with just a beer?” he says, grabbing one out of the fridge.

“Why do I come here at all?” I ask dramatically, raising my voice.

“Because every time you get drunk off your ass we put you in a taxi and drop off your car,” Reid says as he appears from the back.

I roll my eyes at him. “That happened like… twice.”

“Seven times,” Reid and Ryan say at the same time.

“Not that you’re counting or anything right?” I reply, giggling at them. “Should we make it an even eight?” I lean closer to them over the counter. “I drove the beast here. She’s gorgeous.”

“The beast?” Reid asks, sharing a curious look with his brother.

“Ryder’s car,” I explain. “You know, my famous rock star cousin. Not that I’m name dropping or anything.”