Page 22 of Wild Stars

I guess I couldn’t blame anyone because I looked like a fucking blue penguin from Super Mario in my powder blue tux.

“Shit, this is nice,” I say as I find my seat.

Hans and Celina seem to make themselves at home, diving into the cooler immediately.

Matty slides in the seat next to me, leaving ample space between us.“Figured you’d like it,” he says calmly.

My eyebrows furrow in confusion.“What?”

“That’s what you want, right?To beseenlike a big bad rockstar?”

Something about his words feels harsh, but beneath them is something else.

Sadness, I think.

“No, I?—”

Matty crosses his legs as Hans and Celina take selfies.It’s like they are in their own little world, completely oblivious to us.

“I just...don’t want to be irrelevant, you know.”I shift my position, feeling strangely warm.

“You’re not irrelevant, Dare.”

The three marshmallow martinis must have gone to my head, because I shift a little closer, sighing with disdain.

Sometimes, being cheerful is a fucking chore when you’re truly depressed.

“Yes, I am,” I mumble, looking toward the tinted window on the other side.“I’m a one hit wonder.If I can’t come up with another hit, that is...”

God, what did they put in those fucking martinis?

Matty sighs beside me.“Writer’s block?”he asks, his voice smooth, like velvet.

I don’t look at him.I keep my gaze trained on the city that flashes by.If I don’t look at him, I can pretend that maybe I am not a fucking idiot.

“More like cock block, but then again...”I whistle.“I just want to write a song that’s not aboutwantingsomething you can’t have, you know?I want to write a song about being fucking in it.”

“Then bein it,Dare.You’re young, probably have a fuck ton of people just begging to fuck you and get a song written about them.That’s like rockstar 101.”

I sigh, crossing my legs.“Yeah, well, I don’t, okay...”I turn to flash him a glare, only to realize he’s a lot closer than he was before.

Something about that makes my blood rush, and my damn cock twitch.

Matty cocks his head to the side, appraising me with a calculating gaze.“Is that why you have such an attitude?Need to get laid?”

I scoff at him, my cheeks flushing at his insinuation.“I do not have an attitude, Matty.”I grin when the vein over his left eye twitches.“And getting laid is Richie’s talent, not mine.”

Mateo’s lips twitch, and I realize all at once I put my foot in my fucking mouth, because hissisteris off probably getting her clit sucked by my brother at this very moment.

I mean, I saw the way she was clinging to him like a bee on honey, Christ.Not to mention he’s been smitten with her since they got handsy at the mansion the other night.

Why that little twitch is so satisfying, I have no clue, but I don’t have time to question such things when the limo stops, and the sound of chatter infiltrates the otherwise quiet car.

“Yes!We’re here!”Hans exclaims as he and Celina scoot out, leaving me and Matty inside.

Mateo regards me seriously as he says, “That’s it.For the sake of humanity and all that is holy in rock and roll, tonight we’re getting you laid.”

“Excuse me!”I don’t think twice about setting my hand on his, stopping him.

---