Page 34 of Dark Notes

I shrug. “You’re the most important person to me, so your opinion matters the most.”

Leaning down, I kiss her softly. “Get up, and get ready. I have to meet the guys for a bit, and then I have a surprise for you.”

“What is it?” She asks with child-like wide eyes.

I chuckle lightly. “If I tell you, then it won’t be a surprise, so be ready when I get back.”

Kissing her once more, I get up to leave and deal with the asshole that hurt my girl. Most people generally think I’m a decent human being and I am, but not after what he has done. I’m a decent human being, not a fucking pussy that will allow this shit.

I head out of the room to get each of the guys. While they don’t entirely understand my complete obsession with McKinley, they always have my back. I wouldn’t say we’re a violent group of guys, but we can be when necessary. When Jett found his mom black and blue from the hands of her husband, his stepfather, we handled it. I don’t worry a lot about authorities, because the truth is when you have as much money as we do, you can buy anything, including the police, and even judges. I would do this anyway, even if I didn’t have the cash to back it up. What he has done is unforgivable, and he has to pay for it. Erik spent years hurting her, and I don’t know if she’ll ever fully recover. I know he won’t.

CHAPTER TWENTY

JAGGER

Jett went to Erik’s room to tell him I wanted to meet with him. Of course, he agreed like the good fucking dog he is. Glancing at my watch, I chuckle to myself. It’s probably right about now that he’s in the car with the guys, and realizing as they drive to the middle of nowhere, that this is not a simple meeting. It’s good to have friends everywhere I go. I hitched a ride with Axl, the keyboard player from Asylum, with the agreement that I’d never breathe a word to his lead singer, because apparently he still hates me. The asshole acts like I got his sister pregnant.

He drives to the location Jett scouted for us, and Axl agreed that it’ll either take him days to get back to civilization, or he’ll die trying. The goal isn’t necessarily to end his life. I’d prefer he live the rest of his days in excruciating pain. His career will be over. Everything he wanted so desperately will evaporate. Yet, if he dies, I won’t lose sleep over it. One thing we all agreed upon is that McKinley never finds out. She wouldn’t understand, because she’s too good to accept this, and I don’t think she completely realizes what he did to her. My girl doesn’t seem to comprehend how wrong it was, or that every word he spoke to her was absolute bullshit and designed to hurt her.

Axl looks at me from the driver’s seat.

“This girl must be something if you’re going to all this trouble.”

I shake my head with a stupid grin on my face. “She isn’t something. She’s fucking everything.”

He arches an eyebrow as he turns onto an isolated road. “Is the bad boy of rock settling down?”

Barking out a laugh, I say, “Consider him settled. She’s it for me.”

“Wow.”

For the past several years, I’ve fucked my way through the country, from one venue to another. It’s what I’m known for. A lot of people also think I have a drug addiction, because of the leaked photos, but I don’t. Sure, I’ll partake if I’m at a party, but it doesn’t mean it’s a problem. Guaranteed, when we go on this trip, the media will speculate over whether I’ve gone to rehab. Those jackasses write whatever people will read. The more salacious the rumor, the better it sells. There are few things people enjoy more than watching someone fall, and the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Two million albums sold, and a couple dozen endorsements, means I’m pretty high up there in the music world. He pulls up to where we are going, deep in the desert. There’s nothing to see for miles, other than a random shed that doesn’t look like it’s been used in over a decade.

“Thanks, man.”

He chuckles. “I’m staying. I wanna watch the show.”

I nod slowly as I reach behind me and grab my bat.

“That’s fine, but anything you see or hear, you take to the grave.”

Erik stands with my bandmates, my best friends since I was in my late teens, surrounding him. He’s talking to them with a nervous expression, but I can’t hear what he’s saying.

Axl smiles. “You have my word. Grave.”

I get out and approach. As soon as the others realize I’m here, they separate. Jett and Jake stand on one side, and Hendrix is on the other. Jett is the most fucked up out of all of us and probablythe most violent. He has had a fucked up life, and battles a myriad of demons, which is why I’m a little surprised to see Erik appearing unscathed. Jett glances at me with a smirk.

“I wanted to, but you’re owed this. She’s your girl.”

Erik stares at me with a slight tremble in his jaw.

“You wanted to talk to me?”

I nod slowly, with the bat in my right hand, while I scratch the stubble on my chin with the other.

“We have a problem, dildo.”

His eyes dart between the five of us; Jett, Jake, Hendrix, Axl, and myself.

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