Rising (Blue Phoenix, #4)(8)

Sara’s shoulders slump slightly. “Is that it? You want me to go?” The girl pulls herself from the floor and perches on the edge of the sofa.

She’s cute. Definitely not innocent and judging by the skill of her blowjob, she’d be worth a go in bed. She no doubt knows the score too; nobody expects more than a night with me. Harmless fun.

Someone hammers on the door. “You done, Jeremy?”

Jesus, Bryn. “No, but come in.”

“I hope you’ve got your jeans on. I’m scarred, man. Nightmares for life.”

“Like you haven’t seen it before,” I call back.

Sara looks at me in confusion and in the brighter light of the room; I catch sight of her pupils. f-uck. She’s not just drunk; she’s high. I catch myself from asking what she’s on, as if it’s my business.

I pull the handle and yank the door open. Bryn’s leaning against the frame. “Not all the addictions are dealt with, then?”

The girl whose lipstick is probably decorating my genitalia now slumps back against the sofa, head against the plump cushions examining the ceiling. Something weird twinges, I didn’t deliberately take advantage of this girl but, crap, I’m glad I didn’t f-uck her.

Ruby barrels past, the real reason I’m glad I didn’t. She refuses to look at me, grabs her bag from the floor, and storms out again. The lead guitarist cranes his head around Bryn and spots the two of us.

“Oh. Hey, Sara. I see you met Jem,” he says with a knowing smirk. “I told you I’d introduce you, looks like he beat me to it.”

Sara giggles. Her giggling is really starting to irritate me. “Yeah.”

“I want to talk to you guys,” I say gruffly, then look at Sara. “Not you. The band. Sorry.”

Sara blows air into her cheeks and exhales. “‘Kay.” Staggering slightly, she stands. “Nice to meet you, Jem.”

“Yeah. Same.”

“I hang around with the guys,” she informs me and I rub my head trying to figure out why she’s telling me this. “So, might see you later.”

“Maybe.” She steps toward me and I back away.

Sara huffs and heads to the door. “Catch you later, Jax?” She strokes his cheek.

“Umm. No. Sara, get someone to take you home.”

I tip my head at Jax as she leaves the room. “Close friend?”

“Once-over.” He winks.

Great. At least I don’t have to worry about upsetting Sara if she’s a free spirit kind of girl. I don’t judge, nothing about what she does makes her worse than me because she’s a chick. I don’t get the impression she’d let people use her. I reckon she gets what she wants. If you don’t do relationships, what else can you do? Become celibate? I don’t think so.

“I’ll be with the guys,” says Jax, indicating the bar. “Leave you to chat.” He backs out of the door and closes it.

Bryn watches him go then turns to me. “You’re right about the band. We should definitely let Steve hear them.”

“Apart from them murdering “Rising”…” I mutter.

“Nobody’s ever good enough for you.”

“No, nobody plays my music like I do.”

Bryn shakes his head at me. “I reckon they’ve a lot going for them, don’t judge them because you’re in a bad mood about not getting laid.”

“That’s nothing to do with it. Yeah, I’ll talk to them.”

The venue empties, a few stragglers hang around the band and one guy in particular hangs around Ruby. He’s taller and slimmer than the dickhead she dates and she’s not impressed at his attention. I recognise the stance as the same the day I tried to hit on her - sour face, tightly crossed arms. This guy likes a challenge.

I approach. “Ruby, I want to talk to the band. Together.”

“Right.” She doesn’t look at me, staring over the shoulder of the guy she’s with. “In the Green Room?”

“Here’s fine, once everyone else has left.”

The guy looks around. “Hey! Jem Jones!” His interest in Ruby fades. “Dude!”

Dude? “Yeah, but don’t ask me for my f-ucking autograph.”

“Blue Phoenix, man…” As the longhaired kid launches into reverential stories about the band, Ruby smirks into her drink, catching my eye briefly. Her smile disappears as she does.

Then Ruby walks away from me.

I unsubtly tell the kid to get f*cked, irritated by the events of the last hour, and leave him open-mouthed as I pursue Ruby. She’s settled into a leather booth seat in the corner, and chats to Bryn. I don’t know what he says to her, but she laughs a sound that tears jealousy through me. f-ucking Bryn and his sense of humour that everyone loves, even uptight red-haired chicks. The brothers, Will and Nate, look over expectantly when I approach. They remind me of the cartoon animals in that kids’ film - the two hyper, over-eager brothers. Harmless and excitable. I guess they don’t do aloof, rock star.

“Where’s Jax?” I ask, pulling out a stool.

“Smoke,” replies Bryn. His response kicks in my nicotine craving.

“No, I’m here!” says Jax, appearing on the stool next to me, the smell of cigarette smoke on his clothes not helping my resolve. A week now since I had a smoke, go Jem. “Hope you didn’t start without me.”