Page 42 of Hard Rock Fling
"That's twice you owe me."
"I promise I will pay you back. Somehow."
"She's not your boss anymore."
"She's sort of my boss. I guess. I don't want her to be upset with me."
"You need to learn to stand up for yourself, Hope. You can't let people keep walking all over you."
"I'm an intern. It's my job to let people walk all over me."
But was it? I was Darkest Days' Image Consultant now. Did Janet have any say over whether or not they kept me on after the album was done? I wanted to stay on her good side just in case. Or, at least, I didn't want to be any more on her bad side than I already was.
Thanks to Faith, I made it to the concert in time to see Ian before he went on. The bouncer let me inside when I showed him my staff badge. The place was swarming with people getting ready, assistants and sound techs and all the other cogs in the machine helping Darkest Days' career move smoothly.
I was off work, technically, although anything having to do with Darkest Days could serve as an inspiration. Seeing them in concert again would give me more ideas, especially watching at this distance. I was as close as I had been at that concert where Ian first noticed to me.
Ian and the guys were probably in the artists lounge, getting hyped up for the show. I wondered if I should head over, but thought better of it. They'd probably want alone time to get ready. Besides, I didn't know if I was ready to see Ian yet — especially not in front of all his band members.
Another group was playing on stage. I recognized the frontman, with his golden hair, curls flopping over his forehead, and smooth, seductive voice. Kell, the excessively vain yet somehow still charming lead singer of Feral Silence, Darkest Days' rival band.
Feral Silence was the group who stole August's concept. Well, stole was a harsh word. I had no doubt they came up with the concept on their own. Still, it galled they had gotten to it first, forcing us to rethink our strategy.
On the other hand, if they hadn't, I wouldn't have my current job. Maybe I owed them thanks.
Feral Silence's set was amazing. Kell didn't disappoint, his voice ranging from low growling to high pitched screaming, and hitting every note in between. Jayce, the guitarist, wore no shirt under his leather jacket, no doubt to show off his impressive abs and smooth dark skin. The speed of the song had his fingers flying over the fretboard in a near blur. Their bassist, Ren, had long black hair falling over his shoulders. The glossy strands tossed back and forth as his body surged with the beat. Morris pounded furiously on the drums, keeping the band in perfect time, despite the theatrical way he played with his sticks.
They were nearly as good as Darkest Days. I knew I was biased, though. I was sure fans of Feral Silence would say they were better than any other band who performed that night. But I still thought Darkest Days was the best.
When Feral Silence finished their final song, they threw picks, water bottles, and drumsticks to the crowd. Any and everything that wasn't nailed down was sent soaring. After several long rounds of cheering and begging for an encore, they thanked the audience and left the stage, leaving disappointed moans in their wake.
Anticipation buzzed through me. Darkest Days was up next. I'd been a fan for years. Getting to know the band personally hadn't dampened my enthusiasm for their music in the slightest. I glanced around to see if the guys were ready to go on.
My heart nearly stopped. Ian was only a few feet away, dressed for the stage.
There was just something about rock stars that turned girls into mush. Ian was no exception. I'd watched him in concert many times, but that was before I'd seen him naked. Now, every single piece of clothing only served to enhance the gorgeous body I knew lay underneath.
Tight leather pants accentuated the hard muscles of his thighs. They were slung low on his hips, revealing the tantalizing V-shape of his lower abs, leading to…
I lifted my eyes before I could be caught staring.
It didn't help any. The moment I saw the thin t-shirt stretched tight around his taut chest and muscled upper arms, I was done for.
I finally looked up to meet his eyes, the barest hint of kohl making them a brilliant green, with a smirk holding a dozen filthy promises.
My stomach clenched. My panties were getting damp from the sight, my insides aching. I'd never been able to control my physical reaction to him.
"Hey there, Ms. Fancy Consultant." Cameron drew my attention away from Ian by throwing an arm around my neck and tugging me close. "Better put that tongue back in your mouth before you start drooling."
I snapped my mouth shut.
Cameron's eyes were dark and smokey, his usual on-stage style, with shimmering bright red hair. "You keep on staring atDamianlike that and I'm going to get jealous."
"You don't sleep with colleagues."
"I could make an exception." He grinned in my face.
"Get your hands off my girl." Ian strode over with a grim face, pulling me into his side.
