Take Me with You (Take Me #2)(70)

Our last tour stop was in D.C. The Drift was closing out their tour in the city where they had grown up, and that meant we got in two days early, so they could visit with family and friends. I was kind of wishing that we could get this over with, so I could get back to Ari and deal with this shit with my dad. But The Drift wasn’t staying in D.C. after the tour, so they’d booked in some time in the schedule to stay in town.

The guys and I spent our first day wandering around downtown. Miller had been there once for a school trip, but none of the rest of us had ever been here. Seeing all the monuments and shit was pretty cool, but I was too anxious to really enjoy it. I opted out of day-two plans and worked on the new song that had hit me since I last saw Ari.

I was still messing with the guitar chords when they returned.

“Grant! Let’s f*cking party!” Vin cried, launching himself into the hotel room and crashing down on the bed. “Drift said there are some kick-ass places a couple of blocks down. Let’s go pick up some chicks.”

“It’s almost perfect,” I muttered through the pick in my mouth.

“You’ve been working on that all day,” Miller observed.

“Bro, we’ll have plenty of time for working on our f*cking music when we’re in the studio. This is our last night before our last show on our first ever tour! Let’s get f*cking wasted!” Vin encouraged.

I slid the pick back between my fingers and started strumming along. Halfway through, I stopped and slapped my hands over the strings. “What’s it missing?”

McAvoy laughed. “Drums.”

“A backbeat,” Miller added. “The lyrics.”

“A f*cking recording studio, motherf*ckers!” Vin cried.

“Maybe,” I said uncertainly.

“Figure it out later. Let’s go drink!” Vin said.

“Go without me. I’ll meet up with you guys as soon as I figure this thing out. It’s been bugging the shit out of me all f*cking day.”

With the combined effort of Miller and McAvoy, they finally got Vin to vacate the hotel room, leaving me all alone with my cherry red baby and the notebook full of lyrics.

I spent another forty-five minutes trying to figure out the flaw in the chords before putting the guitar aside in frustration. The music had helped me not to obsess about my dad and Ari at least for a bit. But I needed to get out of this place.

Maybe a drink or two would do me some good.

I followed the guys’ directions down to the local pub. I recognized The Drift’s security detail standing out front. Who knew if that was because there were supposed to be crowds or because they wanted to look important? I wouldn’t put anything past Donovan, who had been acting whack all week.

When I strode up to the entrance, the first thing I noticed was the smoking-hot chick talking to one of the guys out front. She was so hot that I did a double take. I whistled softly under my breath as I took in her features. Her ass cheeks were barely concealed in high-waist cutoff shorts. Her large chest was visible in the skintight shirt she wore. She was tall and leggy with dark brown hair that fell halfway down her back.

I was so busy checking her out that I didn’t even realize she was arguing with the doorman.

“I’m here every weekend! What do you mean I can’t go inside?” she snapped.

She planted her hands on her hips, and in no hurry to get inside, I admired her hourglass figure.

“Sorry. You’re not on the list.”

“I don’t understand! There is no list! This place is f*cking empty.”

“Closed event tonight.”

“Well, let me see your goddamn list, and I’ll write my f*cking name on it!” she yelled.

“Doesn’t work like that. If you’ll please step aside, Mr. McDermott is on the list.”

I jolted at the sound of my name. I nodded at him and sympathetically took in the hot chick.

Tough break.

When she swiveled around, her mossy-green eyes glared at me, and then her eyes widened. They traveled up and down my body like a million girls had done. I got some small measure of satisfaction from knowing I could bang this super f*cking hot girl if I wanted.

“How come he’s on the f*cking list?” she asked.

“Because he’s with the band. Now, move out of the way,” he said, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest. “Or I’ll have to remove you myself.”

“Give it a try, f*cker.”

She didn’t move an inch, and I watched this chick stare down a six-foot-four bodyguard security detail as if it were the most natural thing to do on her Friday night.

Fucking hot!

“Look, it’s no big deal. We’re not that picky about the list.”

“But—”

I held up my hand and interrupted whatever he was going to say. “Come on. Just put her down as a plus-one for me.” I threw my arm over her shoulders and gave the guy a big toothy smile. “No harm, no foul.”

“Mr. McDermott, I’m under strict orders.”

“And you’re following them,” I told him. “Come on, babe.”

Without a backward glance, I marched the girl straight through the door and into the dimly lit shithole.

What the f*ck? Why had the guys in The Drift claimed that this place was kick-ass? It looked like a run-down hole in the wall.