Page 57 of Wild Stars

Richie, of course, is dressed similarly, but because he doesn’t have an ounce of fat on his fucking body, the tight-fitting clothes only accentuate his fit figure.

I’m not jealous of my brother, but sometimes I wish we could have been switched at birth, and I could have been bornthe pretty one.

It’s a lot easier to be confident about your looks when you look like Richie.

Thankfully, I was able to get the makeup and hair people to leave my hair alone, and at least that makes me feel like myself in this stupid suit.

Ines and Spike also sport daytime suits that cover their tattoos.

Looking up at the monitor, at the four of us sitting on Karen’s couch, I can’t help but think next to the three blond mice, I look like a fucking imposter.

Or Cinderella’s salty cat, Lucifer.

Karen’s voice pulls me from my melancholy thoughts and I realize she’s talking to me, and of course I didn’t hear her because I was too busy self-deprecating again.

“I’m sorry, can you say that again?”I say with a shrug.

Karen laughs, and Richie rolls his eyes.“You’ll have to excuse my brother, his coffee hasn’t kicked in yet.”

I shoot him a scowl, but he doesn’t falter.

Ines chimes in with his own sarcasm.“That’s what happens when you stay out all night, am I right?”he teases, wiggling his eyebrows.

Spike laughs and shoots finger guns at the camera.

“Life of aHeart Killer, baby.”

“Of course, and I completely understand!”Karen says with a giggle.

When all the laughing—my bandmates and the audience—settles, Karen implores me with her gaze.

“I was just asking if there is anyone special inyourlife.You boys have been the talk of the town lately, and viewers are just dying to know!”she says with a fake smile plastered on her face.

Fuck.

I wipe my sweaty hands on my knees, licking my lips as I try to think about how to answer her in a way that doesn’t make me seem like a total loser.

Or a stalker.

“Uh, not...really,” I say cautiously.

The crowd gasps.

Not helping the confidence here, ladies.

“I mean, it’s not like I don’twantthere to be...someone.I just, uh...”

“I think what my brother means is that he’s not in a rush.Like us, he’s just enjoying the ride.”

Riche pulls me close, and I take his lead.

“And it’s been awildride,” I say as I force a smile and wink.

The crowd and Karen laugh at my obvious snarky allusion to my moniker and seem to take this as gospel, and move on to the next topic.

Our upcoming show.

Richie and Spike take over the conversations and drop our ticket information, and then we’re off the air.

---