Page 67 of Beyond the Stix
There is a chorus of laughter around us, which has Danny blushing.
“You all can kiss my ass. I’m heading to the food tent. If you want to join me you can.” Danny throws a middle finger in the air and heads to the exit.
“If the food is like last year’s, I’m in.” Rafe rubs his hands together. “Ely’s food was awesome.”
“Isn’t that Rhone Horne’s guy?” Callum chirps.
“Yeah, I think so,” Danny says. “He’s a sweet guy.”
“Sweet or not, his food was amazing. Let’s go,” I add, not wanting to mope around here, waiting for John’s call, so I can tell him to go fuck off.
I take one final look at my cell phone, and that weird text message is gone. The person must have realized they texted the wrong person and deleted it. I’m not going to worry about it now. Or John.
My breath hitches at the thought of John, and I wonder what he’s doing right now. Is he thinking of me? Wishing he was here?
Jesus. Now, I sound like a love-sick teenager—no, a fool.
Who’s in love with his bodyguard.
“Where are you?” Pen nudges me in the shoulder.
“I’m right here,” I lie, while keeping my eyes on the large tent ahead of us.
“Liar,” he whispers with a smirk. “You’re a million miles away.”
“Whatever.” I speed up my pace, but Pen gets the hint and remains behind me.
My friends and I mingle for the rest of the afternoon. I’m thrilled to meet a ton of new-to-me bands, and some of the legends I’ve been listening to for years. This whole scene is fucking awe-inspiring.
Ron finally arrives, with Dean in tow. Our manager’s skin has a slight gray tone, and he looks more haggard than before—like he hasn’t slept in days. But his eyes are bright and a genuine, wide smile is on his face.
With assurances that he’s happy to be here with us, he takes the back room so he can rest before he joins the security team to watch us on stage. Part of me hopes he’s too tired to notice the condition of the room. Dom and Pen tried to put everything back into place, but it’s still obvious that someone had a meltdown in there.
Leaving Ron to rest, we head back out and see to our stage clothes, which is as simple as it gets. Right after, the guys and I end up hanging out on the left wing of the stage, rocking out to Grindstone, with their latest ballad,A Different Life. Next up is F-hole with their latest hard, heavy metal anthem,Down and Dirty, and then it’s our turn to get on the stage.
“Are you ready?” Danny asks all of us, but his eyes are on me.
“I’m ready tokick some ass,” I scream, to let the crowd hear me, and a surge of booming voices echos back to us from the fans.
One by one, our names are being called out, and we step out into full view of the crowd below us, just like how we practiced earlier.
The roar from the crowd rises higher and higher as each Warrior Black member steps onto the stage. The excitement that’s surrounding us is giving me another rush of energy.
With a nod from Danny, I bang my sticks in a three count, kick starting us with a fan favorite from last year,Hit It, pulling them in to our music. ThenDangerous,followed byCan’t Have Just One, which was written by Callum, and finallySink or Swim.
Between playing the music I love with my friends, the theatrics of the light show behind us and the adoration of the crowd, I’m flying high. My blood is humming, and I hope it stays with me throughout the night.
Finally, we end with an encore—Danny singingWithout You, a love ballad he wrote for Tobias. He starts the song in simple acoustics with Callum gradually joining him with his Strat in the background. As the song builds, Bobby jumps in, then Rafe, and finally me. What’s even more fan-fucking-tastic is when the fans sing along with Danny.
It can’t get any better than this. The euphoria of people coming together, loving the music we’re sharing and hearing them sing it with us.
With a final bow from us, we exit the stage, sweaty, and damned energized. Even though John never showed—not even a phone call or text—I manage to enjoy the rest of the night with my friends. It isn’t until later, when I’m lying in one of the bunks, and quietly crying for a man I’ve fallen in love with but who doesn’t want me.
TWENTY-THREE
John
“Why don’tyou get some sleep, John?” Fig insists, as he goes over the new list of places that Jessup owns.