Page 72 of Revelry

I glare at my best friend, about to ask him what’s going on, when Ali launches herself off the bed at me, grasps my face in her hands and pulls my lips down to hers.

“Eww gross, take that shit somewhere else,” Deb complains.

“Come on, Mr Megastar, come show me this executive suite of yours.” She doesn’t say“and you can fuck me on every flat surface of it”but it’s implied. She pulls back the door and Levi is standing on the other side, his hand raised midway to knock.

“Levi?” Ali asks, her eyes widening. She glances between us and gives a sheepish little smile.

“What the hell are you doing here, man?” I ask. Why the fuck is this room suddenly the point of assembly? I peer out into the hall to see if Ash is behind him, the way he always used to be, but Ash hasn’t been behind anyone lately.

“I was coming to see if Red here wanted to grab a drink,” Levi says.

“Were you?”I sound like a complete knob.

“Yeah. I was,” he replies.

“I’d love a drink, Levi, because I’m gagging on the fucking testosterone in here. Is this gonna be a thing for us?” she asks.

“There’s not a thing,” I say.

At the same time, Levi says, “Nope, we’re fine.”

“Good, then knock it off. All three of us are going for a drink,” Ali says. “I think we need to talk.”

“I thought the two of us were going up to my room?”

“Change of plans,” Ali says, looking annoyed with the both of us. “We’re all going for a drink downstairs in the hotel bar, where we will all be fully clothed because of the people down there with camera phones.”

“What’s the matter, Red? You afraid of being alone with us?”

“I’m not afraid. I just know nothing smart can come of the three of us in a hotel room,” she says as I pull the door shut behind me and we walk down the hall. “Have you guys really thought about what we’re doing here?”

“Getting a drink?” Levi asks, cocking his head to the side and leering at her.

“No dumbarse.” She glances around as we reach the empty bank of elevators and presses the button impatiently. “I mean that no good can really come of this situation. I’m getting paid to be your assistant, not to fuck half the band. If Harbour Records finds out, I’ll lose everything I’ve worked so hard for. Not to mention that someone’s feelings might get hurt.”

Yeah,herfeelings, if she ever figures out that I’m the one who’s paying her wage.

“Wait, you wanna stop fucking because someone’s feelings might get hurt?” Levi asks.

“It’s like you have selective hearing,” Ali complains. “I’m saying this is a bad idea for all of us. There’s already enough speculation about me, and my role as Taint’s PA after Vegas. If the press finds out that this is a real thing, then we’re all screwed, and not just physically. Your fangirls aren’t going to like that you’re sticking it to the hired help. They want you available, because the second they buy those tickets until the minute they leave the stadium they’re fantasising about getting an all-access pass to your cocks.”

“You seem to have given this a lot of thought, Ali-Cat,” I whisper, edging closer to her. “Are you speaking from experience?”

“Dude, you weren’t there when she fangirled Dave and Josh. She’s definitely speaking from experience,” Levi says, and I have this insane urge to punch him in the face because I can’t stand the thought of him having her that night in Vegas.

“All I’m saying is that it was fun, and it was really insanely hot,” she says. “But we should leave it at that.”

The elevator dings and the doors slide open. Ali enters first, then Levi, who tries to shut me out by pushing the “doors closed” button. He fails, obviously.

I cringe as I step into the tiny metal box. I hate elevators. I know my fear of them is illogical, but I can’t help it. I turn into a giant fucking pussy when the doors close and the car shudders, lurching us downward. So when Levi leans around Ali and pushes the stop button, after the thing has only just been set into motion, my stomach twists and a cold sweat breaks out across my brow seconds later.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I suck in a deep breath, but the air around us is too dense for my lungs to filter it properly, or at least that’s how it feels.

Levi frowns and narrows his eyes at me, as if my full-blown panic attack is putting a fucking dampener on his day. “Oh that’s right, I forgot about your little obsession with confined spaces.”

“Levi,” Ali chastises, the concern in her tone makes me feel like a fucktard. She stands in front of me and takes my hand in hers. “You’re breaking out in a cold sweat. Levi, stop being an arse and push the button. He’s freaking out.”

“Jesus Christ. Fucking pansy.” He shakes his head and hits the alarm button, but nothing happens.

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