Page 63 of Revelry

“We ready now, boys and girls?” James sticks his head in the cabin and asks in a tone that tells me he has no time for our patheticDays of our Livesbullshit.

“Yeah, we’re done here,” I say, looking at Ali.

And I am in no hurry to come back to Vegas.

We’d left Vegas two days ago, but whoever had saidwhat happens in Vegas, stays in Vegaswas a fucking bullshit artist. We hadn’t left Vegas behind the second we drove out of the city limits. We hadn’t even let go of it three days later, after crossing state lines and playing shows in Phoenix, Santa Fe and Denver. I was tired of ignoring the big fucking elephant in the room. And I missed her.

“Are you awake?” I whisper, staring up at the ceiling of my bunk.

“Yes,” Levi whispers.

At the same time that Ali says, “No.”

“Shut the fuck up, man.”

“You shut up,” Levi says.

“Both of you fucking shut up,” Ali snaps. “I don’t wanna talk to either of you.”

“Should we rule out you blowing either of us then?”

“Knock it off,” I say.

“Yes sir, Ryan sir,” Levi says, and I can’t see him, but I have no doubt that behind his curtain he’s saluting me like a fucktard.

I scrub my palms over my face, scratching at my stubble. I need a shave and a really big fucking drink. “I think we need to talk.”

“What exactly is there to talk about, Coop?” Ali asks.

“This is bullshit. We all need to talk it through and get this shit sorted.”

“There’s nothing to sort. I fucked Levi and you didn’t like it,” she hisses, and fuck me does that sting like a motherfucker. “This is my job. Maybe once we get back to Australia, you’ll be nice enough to tell Guidelli that I did great, but that you no longer have any use for me.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure we’d still find a use for you,” Levi says. I climb off my top bunk and yank open Ali’s curtain. She lets out a small shriek as I grab her forearm and practically drag her out of bed.

“Ow, you’re hurting me.”

I loosen my grip and say, “We need to settle this. Levi, back room.”

“Don’t need to tell me twice,” he says, climbing out of his bunk. Ali won’t budge.

“Move,” I say, glancing down at her.

“No.”

“Walk. Now,” I command.

“Fuck you.”

“Ali-Cat, you have three seconds to move your arse into that bedroom or I’m going to throw you over my shoulder, which is going to wake the entire bus, and I’m telling you right now you really don’t want that.”

“I don’t like being told what to do.”

I grin down at her. “I know.”

With an angry huff she moves towards the back of the bus, her steps deliberately heavy as we near the other bunks. Without thinking, I reach out and grasp the nape of her neck, jerking her back against me. She sucks in a shallow breath as I lean down and whisper in her ear, “Wake them up and you will regret it.”

She licks her lips and begins moving silently through the aisle. When she reaches the door, she hesitates. I expect her to protest, but with a deep breath she walks into the room without a backward glance. I enter, and Levi follows closely behind. Ali turns, her face lit softly by the blue glow from the fish tank lining the wall above the bedhead. Levi closes the door and quietly slides the lock across.

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