She loved the scent, the sensation of cutting through it. But most of all, she loved being mentally mesmerized by the project. Time wasn’t a factor. Perfection was. Syon provided an amazing image for her to try and fit, the over-the-top persona of the man merging with her insatiable love of working with hides.
She turned up the music and let herself be absorbed by her project. Syon thought she was the best. She intended to show him exactly how right he’d been.
* * *
“I thought you’d be flying high after getting into Kate’s pants.” Ramsey grunted as they came off stage.
“My game wasn’t off,” Syon defended himself. They were both covered in sweat, their hair tangled after the wild performance they’d just given.
They went down the backstage steps as the crowd roared behind them. The noise bounced off the ceiling designed for sound retention and rained down on them. The overhead lights still flashed, making sure the fans left on a high.
“You were pushing hard.” Ramsey reached the performers’ backstage room and ripped a towel off a rack to mop his face.
Syon jerked his hand toward the screaming behind them. “No one sounds upset.”
“I know the difference.” Ramsey grabbed a bottle of water and drank down a third of it. “Just sounded like you and Kate worked it out.”
“We did.” Syon reached for some makeup-remover wipes. Tonight the crap was driving him batty. He needed it off. Fast.
That wasn’t the real problem, but he took out his aggression on his face, working at it until every last trace of eyeliner was gone.
“I need some air,” he said when he was finished.
Ramsey was still nursing the water bottle. He studied Syon for a moment, his eyes narrowing when he came to a conclusion. “She wasn’t here.”
Ramsey hit the nail on the head.
“So what?” Syon shrugged.
Ramsey knew him too well. Syon lifted his hand to wave it off and started out the door. Cid was coming through it, blocking his path.
“Brilliant, mates! Fucking brilliant.”
Cid’s beaming expression faded a tad as he looked at Syon. “Why the clean mug so early in the night? I’ve got plans for you.” He dug his tablet out of his suit pocket and stroked the screen. “Two clubs to visit, and I hear there’s this topless joint near the waterfront that has a reputation for wild parties.” Cid looked up with a smirk. “That should be great for some publicity.”
“I’m out tonight,” Syon said.
Cid caught his arm. “Whoa there, partner. You can’t buy this kind of publicity. The fans want to see you party. It’s all about image. We need those birdies tweeting.”
“I’m not in the mood.”
“Get in the mood,” Cid said. “We’re not sold out in Seattle yet. A few pictures in the tabloids will take care of that. You can sleep on the road tomorrow. That’s what drivers are for.”
Ramsey hooked him around the neck. “Some guys actually have to work for a living. We have to party. It’s rough, but we signed up for it.”
“Yeah.”
And he felt just as trapped as someone reporting to a cubicle. He didn’t crave the insanity of a club. What he wanted was Kate and the opportunity to take her for a ride on the back of his bike. She was right; they didn’t know each other, and he wanted to change that.
Actually felt like he needed to change it. Fast. Before she slipped away.
She hadn’t shown up at the show.
That stung.
It shouldn’t have.
He should have been thinking about her sleeping because he’d worn her out, and how much energy she’d have when he crawled back into her bed.
But all he had on his mind was the fact that her face hadn’t been in the crowd, and he’d wanted it to be.
Wanted it really fucking bad.
“Text me the address. I’ll meet you there.”
“Whoa…” Cid hooked his arm and turned him around. “You’re not thinking about going back to the hotel for the costume chick?”
Syon stepped back. “So what if I am?”
“I’ll tell you what.” Cid slid the tablet into his pocket. “The fans want to see hot guys living it up. Not you necking with your seamstress. You pay me to manage, so let me do my job. These clubs are pushing your music right now. They expect a visit for that play time.”
“Yeah.”
It was the professional thing to do. Ramsey and Taz were watching him, waiting to see what he’d do. He shrugged and grabbed his leather jacket.
“Let’s party.”
* * *
“You’re drunk.” Taz plopped down in the booth beside him.
“Nope.”
Taz gave him a long look. “You are, and a promise to a bandmate is a promise.”
Syon turned to point at Taz. The girl trying to give him a lap dance giggled as she was dumped across Taz.
“Oh my God!” she squealed. “I so can’t believe it! You guys are so hot!”
Her skirt was about the length of a packing strap, and her top looked more like a slingshot band. She was a bundle of bare flesh and hair and excitement.
Drake appeared and scooped her up. She kicked her feet up with another giggle as he turned around and set her down.
Syon started to get up, but Taz caught his arm and twisted it, so he sat back down with a twinge in his elbow. The little pain cut through the haze of alcohol.
“Maybe I’m a little drunk,” Syon admitted.
Taz nodded, smiling at the horde of girls gyrating on the floor in front of them. Tops were going up, nipples flashing at them as the dancers worked themselves into a frenzy that had the men in the club howling with approval. The bartenders were sweating as they tried to keep up with demand while Toxsin’s music blared.
“Don’t worry,” Taz said softly, handing over a beer bottle. “Your wingman is here.”
The bottle was filled with water, but no one in the place would know. Taz was sipping off a similar one and grinning at the dance floor. He nodded his head in time to the beat, doing a good job of making everyone think he was buzzed on suds. In the dim light, no one was able to see how focused his eyes were.
He was stone sober. Taz rarely got drunk, and when he did, they had a blood oath between them to be there and keep each other from doing something stupid.
Syon tipped the bottle back, trying to hydrate. He was only a little buzzed. Just enough to make him stupid. Like letting someone onto his lap in a public place. At least Cid would be pleased with that.
“Did I let her kiss me?”
Kate wouldn’t like that.
“Almost,” Taz confirmed. “Another few seconds, and she would have had you in a lip-lock.”
His brain hurt, but he tried to focus. “Uh…” The thought escaped him, dropping off into the haze clouding his head.
“You’re welcome.” Taz motioned to some of the security guys to keep the horde of partying fans back. “Got a car coming.”
“I love you.” He couldn’t ride.
Ramsey was on the dance floor, the girls pushing in around him. Cid’s security detail was keeping watch, but Ramsey was living it up.
When the car arrived, they followed the security guys out past the pole dancers. The guys in the club instantly filled the void, coming out of the shadows to hook up with the disappointed girls on the dance floor. The owner of the club shook Cid’s hand before he piled into a second car with his personal assistants.
Yeah, the business side. Cid was working out great.
Ramsey hooted and ripped off his shirt. He tossed it out the window as they pulled away from the curb, to the delight of the screaming fans.
* * *
The door burst in, and Kate sat up with a start. Sound asleep, she ended on her feet and wobbled as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.
“Right here, Ramsey!”
A topless girl was laughing as she danced through the suite. “It smells like leather in here. So hot. I’m going to suck you off right here.”
Ramsey was grinning at her, his erect cock already jutting out through the open fly of his pants.