Page 46 of Hard Rock Desires
“Twins?” I asked.
Zain nodded.
“Ian and Damon Drake,” he said. “The twin guitarists of Darkest Days.”
I’d heard their songs before, but I didn’t know enough about them to know they had a pair of twins in the band.
“Do you want to go over and say hi?” I asked.
“Say hi?” Zain laughed. “Love, this isIan and Damon Drake.”
“Yes, you said, the guitarists.”
“They’re not just guitarists.” Zain sounded almost reverent. “They are gods among men.”
“I thought you said this was a networking event for colleagues.” I looked over at the twins who were talking with a slim blond man. “Isn’t this the part where you go and schmooze?”
“I don’t want to bug them,” he said.
“Surely you’ve met them before, though?” I asked. “You’ve been in the industry for how long now?”
“Damon Drake helped us when we were first starting out,” Zain said. “He gave our little band its first real break by letting us open for them at a charity concert for the youth center we all hung out at. I owe everything to him.”
“Then I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you went over and talked to him,” I said. “I bet he’d love to know how much his encouragement meant to you. I bet he even remembers you.”
“I don’t know. Maybe.” Zain sounded torn.
I made a decision right then and there. If he wouldn’t do this for himself, then I would.
I shrugged off Zain’s arm and marched over to the set of twins.
“Grace!” Zain protested. “Wait!”
I headed straight over with a determined stride. Zain followed behind me, cursing me the whole way under his breath.
At the very last second, I purposely jerked my foot to the side and let myself tip over on wobbly heels, with the twins right in my trajectory.
Arms wrapped around my waist and hoisted me up as Zain darted forward, catching me just before I could crash into his idols.
It caused enough of a commotion that both twins and the blond man they were speaking with turned their heads toward us.
“I’m so sorry!” I gasped. “I can’t believe I almost ran right into you. I’m just not used to these heels.” I lifted my foot to show off my pointed-toe pumps.
“No worries,” one of the twins said with a good-humored smile. “Looks like you were caught just in time.” The man flicked his green eyes over to Zain. “Oh hey.” His face lit up in recognition. “I know you.”
Zain’s whole body froze, his arms clenched tight around me.
“From the youth center, right?” he continued. “Sorry, man, I can’t remember your name. But you’re the guitarist?”
I pinched Zain’s arm, and he came to life. He tucked me against his side with one hand and extended his other smoothly.
“That’s right,” he said, composed and friendly. “Zain Weston. I gotta say, it’s pretty cool to meet you again.”
“I bet.” The handsome man grinned. “I think I remember the first words out of your mouth when I walked into that practice room were,holy shit.”
Zain chuckled easily. “Sounds about right. The legendary Damon Drake showing up out of nowhere? I think Anya almost cried tears of joy.”
“Your lead singer,” Damon nodded. “She’s got some powerful vocals. From what I’ve heard, your band’s blown up in the last year or so, hadn’t it?” He smirked at his twin. “I think we’ve got some competition.”
