Page 23 of Reverb
The bus was empty except for one of the younger crew members, Faith, zipping up her duffel. God, theyallseemed young to him. He guessed the rest of the crew was at work unloading and setting up equipment.
She eyed his mug. “You getting coffee from the band?”
He shrugged. “Mish brought me a cup.”
She pulled her long, dark braids into a ponytail. “Oh, just likethat, huh?” There was a hint of teasing in her voice.
A touch of heat rose to his face. “It’s not what you think.”
“Mmmhmm.” She leaned up against the berths near his. “I’ve been on these tours before, and let me tell you, Mish is a hell of a woman.”
“Believe me, I’ve figured that out.”
“She also knows exactly what she wants. She doesn’t bring coffee out to just anyone.”
Oh.Fuck. He blew out a breath and made a calculated decision. “Do you know why I’m here?”
Faith straightened up. “Ray said you were security.”
He nodded. “There’s been some pretty creepy messages coming in.”
He saw when Faith connected the dots. “Oh fucking hell,” she murmured. “That asshole from the pop-up show wasn’t the only one?”
He shook his head. “I’m watching after her.” His turn to lean against the berths. “But she sure as shit can take care of herself, too.”
“That’s a damn needle you’ll be threading.” She crossed her arms. “We’ll keep our eyes open, you know. Most of us did the last tour with them, and there ain’t a better band in the business.”
“Appreciate it.” He hefted his shower bag and grabbed a pair of jeans. “I should go get my ass clean.” He headed back toward the shower.
“Hey, David,” Faith called.
He turned back. “Yeah?”
“Doesn’t mean Mish doesn’t know what she wants.” She grinned at him. “I hear she’s a hell of a fun time.”
He coughed a laugh. “I guess I’ll see, huh?”
When he got to the bathroom, he locked the door, then rested his head against it. Hehadn’tbeen imagining Mish flirting with him. Well,shit. Now he had to figure out what the fuck he was going to do aboutthat.
Nothing. Do nothing. David stripped off his clothes and hopped into the tiny shower. Easy enough to get clean with minimal use of water. He’d done that before, on tours of duty. All the while, his mind slid around Mish and he ignored the heat in his dick.
Yes, he wanted her. No, he shouldn’t. Even beyond the sexual attraction, he liked Mish. Wanted to know more about her. Maybe knowing more would help him figure out who the fuck was stalking her. Not a fan. Too personal.
More and more, he suspected someone from her past.
Chapter Six
A couple of hours later, and the quiet of David’s morning had vanished. Orchestrated chaos rolled around the venue. There were techs and roadies and equipment everywhere. Their staff, the opening band Two Times Strong’s people, and folks from the venue moved around, on stage, in front of, and behind it. It took all of David’s concentration to remain vigilant for any weirdness.
Especially sinceweirdwas the normal state of existence for most of these people. Security for the venue lurked everywhere, but fuck if David trusted them to keep Twisted Wishes safe. Two Times Strong had staff that acted as bouncers, which was good, since a couple of the venue people looked decidedly uncomfortable with the whole queer vibe that permeated both bands and their crews. Lots of the bands’ staff bucked gender norms and were obviously and openly not at all straight.
The amphitheater was perfect for big summer tours, but behind the stage was a labyrinth of buildings, rooms, and trucks. Everything had to be orchestrated so fucking carefully. Of course, being the height of summer meant that even though it was before noon, the weather was already hot and sticky.
At least there was enough water to go around to keep them all hydrated. In fact, David needed to do something about all the water he’d been drinking. He took in the stage again, but everything looked fine. Twisted Wishes themselves weren’t out yet—they had an interview with a local radio station, some meetings with the press, and some business Marcella needed to discuss with them before sound check. They were watched over. Perfect time to head toward the restrooms.
Once there, he found one of the roadies from Two Times Strong’s crew lingering outside the building, looking uncomfortable in a way David knew all too well. The signage was very gendered, there was no family restroom, and one of the venue security guards was eyeing the poor kid.
David walked up to him. “Hey, don’t worry about that dude. I’ll head in with you.”
