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Chapter Nine

Ashton

T he presidential suite of the Hilton is ginormous with two bedrooms, an entire living room and kitchen, not to mention the jacuzzi in the bathroom. This entire suite is bigger than my apartment with Sam.

“Thank God!” Hypnos shouts at us when we enter. “Can this feud be over?”

“There’s no feud.” I announce, hoping it’s the truth.

I look over on the couch and see a chick with black and dark purple hair. Her face is littered with piercings, two in her right brow, a septum ring, and a lip ring. Not to mention the metal on her tongue.

“Ash, this is Hailey. Hailey, this is Ash.” Kokytos introduces.

I nod my head at her, “Girlfriend?”

“Worshiper.” she deadpans.

I pinch my lips together, but she busts out laughing.

“Yeah, girlfriend. I come around from time to time. You’re the reporter girl, right?” She asks.

“Sort of. I’m a journalist, I’m documenting the journey of this tour.” I tell her, setting my bags down and joining her on the couch.

She tucks herself into Kokytos, who’s smoking a blunt. He passes it her way and she takes a long drag.

“How’s the tour been going?” She asks me.

I chuckle, “Uh, it’s different that’s for sure.”

“Yeah, it’s not for everyone. If I didn't have a decent job in Detroit, I’d follow.”

I nod, “If it weren’t for my job, I wouldn’t be here.”

She passes the joint my way, but I decline.

“You straight?” Hypnos asks from the chair on the side of us.

Khaos watches me as he lights a blunt of his own. Honestly, some people need it and he’s one of those people.

“Yeah, I think so. I mean, I've found girls attractive from time to time.” I confess.

Kokytos chokes out a laugh, coughing and Hypnos’ eyes light up playfully.

“I meant sober.” He corrects.

I can feel my cheeks turning a bright red. “Oh well, I’m technically on the job. I have to remain professional.”

Than comes over to the living room, placing his arm across my shoulders. “You’re off the clock now. You want a hit, take a hit. We won’t tell.”

I smile, contemplating if I should. What’s the worst that could happen?

I shrug, “Yeah, okay.”

Hailey passes me the blunt and I bring it to my lips, sucking it softly. Immediately, my lungs ache, and I begin to choke.

“Was that your first time?” She asks amused.

I nod, still coughing. Than grabs me a glass of water and I take a sip before I can finally breathe normally.

“Try again.” She says.

I do as I’m told, this time I take a slightly bigger hit and let it out.

“Nice.” She smiles, her septum ring hitting the cupids bow of her lip.

We get high, take a few shots of tequila, and shoot the shit for what seems like hours. At some point in the night, Khaos sits down on the couch and pulls me onto his lap. My body tenses up, but after a while, I finally find myself relaxing.

It’s nothing.

This is nothing.

He feels bad for strangling me earlier and now he’s trying to be nice. Any normal person would probably just apologize and move on, but this is Khaos. There’s no trying to decipher why he does what he does.

One after another, the guys’ eye us like it’s the most bizarre thing they’ve ever seen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m just as confused, but I’d rather sit on Khaos’ lap than struggling to breath with my neck in his fist.

Jesus, as I think about it, I start to wonder what is wrong with me... Regardless, I’m hoping that was the worst of it and we can all move on because I have a job to do.

As the hours creep on, the group starts to disappear one by one until it’s just the two of us left.

Khaos clears his throat as he hands me a set of keys. “We got you your own room.”

It’s a pleasant surprise, coming from him. “Thank you.”

“It’s just next door.” He pushes me to my feet, and I grab my bags.

He follows me to the door, but before I can open it, his hand is there holding it shut.

I spin around, my back against the wood, and stare into those honey-colored eyes of his. They glow behind his dark lashes. My body hums with the heaviness of alcohol and weed, weighing my eyelids down. I stare up at him, my face as blank as I can muster.

I don’t reach out to touch him, refusing to give him exactly what he’s been looking for. He wants me to fold first, to admit that he turns me on. It’s a struggle right now as I fight through this intoxicated haze.

He leans down, his forearms resting on the surface behind me and his face an inch from mine. His dark bangs brush my forehead, tickling my skin, his breath labored.

“Close your eyes.” He orders quietly.

I do, curiosity getting the best of me. For good measure, he holds his palm across my eyes, ensuring that I don’t peek.

Then I feel it, soft plush lips brushing mine.

It’s so light I think I imagine it at first, but then it’s there again.

He dives in deeper, the pressure against my mouth crushing.

I can taste the dankness of weed on his tongue and it drives me mad, but I don’t push, letting him take all the control.

It’s over too soon and when he removes his hand from my face, his mask is back where it always is.

I smirk, still feeling the ghost of his lips against mine. “Tell me, Khaos. Do I turn you on?”

His eyes darken, “Unlike you, I’m not afraid to admit it.”

“Did you ever stop to think that maybe... just maybe, there’s nothing to admit?” I enunciate the T in a hushed voice.

He steps even closer, pressing his body against mine, his hands gripping my hips. I can feel just how turned on he is and suddenly, I lose the will power to fight how he affects me.

“Unfortunately for you, your tells are easy.” He brings his finger up to graze my cheekbone.

“I’ve never seen a girl blush as furiously as you do.

” Then brings his hand to rest against my collarbone, the edge of his palm near the center of my chest. “And the way your heart thrashes so loudly, I can hear it from here. Not to mention, how you pant like you’re so thirsty for it. ”

My glare hardens, a familiar anger resurfacing.

“Just do me one small favor?” His eyes smile as he opens the door behind me. “Don’t think that one counts.” I stumble as he shoves me out of the room, slamming the door in my face.

I stand there stunned, wanting to scream. He’s so infuriating, I hate it! I hate how he can rip my walls down just to slam a door in my face! He’s going to regret ever kissing me.

I don’t wake until one in the afternoon.

I haven’t heard from the guys, so I assume they’re still asleep.

With one eye still shut, I peek at my cell phone, which hasn’t had service since I arrived in Arkansas.

Now with the Wi-Fi on, notifications are flooding my phone.

There are twenty-five texts from Sam, three calls from my mother, and a new post on our Genius Tours blog from Justina.

I start by calling my mother to reassure her I’m not dead... yet. Then start catching up on Sam’s messages. They start off with a lot of I-miss-you's and end with if you don’t fucking answer me right now I’m getting the FBI involved .

Immediately, I FaceTime her.

“You bitch!” She answers, her face coming into view.

“I’m so sorry! There is no signal here, I swear! We finally got to a hotel, and I have Wi-Fi now.” I explain, sitting up in bed.

“I thought you were kidnapped, chopped into little pieces, and spread across the country. Next time, make sure you at least let your mom know you’re okay.” She lectures.

“Yeah, I know. I just talked to her. It’s been so busy here.”

“Looks like it... It’s what? One in the afternoon there and you’re lying in bed?” She laughs .

I roll my eyes. “Late night.”

She wiggles her brows, “I bet.”

“Not like that!” I groan. “Okay, maybe a little.”

“What’s the band like? Are they hot? Have you seen their faces?” Her questions spew out.

“Oh God, how do I answer this? They’re... Interesting. I guess they're hot? And no. Well, just one of their faces, but only for a second and I have to swear not to leak a photo.”

“Jeez, sounds tedious.”

“I guess. They’re cool though, other than the lead singer. He’s a prick.” I tell her.

She grimaces, the lead singer is always her favorite. I usually like the guitarist. Granted, I'm more of a Taylor Swift fan, so any hot male on her crew.

“Just walked into work, so I have to go, but you need to call me. Do better!” She chastises.

I nod, “Yes, ma’am. Love you.”

“Love you.” She hangs up and I drop my phone on my bed, letting my head fall back.

After a long hot shower, I decide to wait for the guys on the bus. It gives me time to decompress, finally put some make up on and feel like a normal human again.

I’m starting my blog entry, getting something down for next week, when the door swings open.

“There she is!” Than sings, sinking down next to me.

I shut my laptop and smile.

“Hey sleepyheads.” I greet them, everyone except Khaos.

I didn’t forget his little stunt, though I wish I could.

“Well, don’t you look sexy?” Hypnos plops himself on my other side, throwing his arm over my shoulder.

I can tell it bothers Khaos that his band mates have fallen in like with me. They trust me when he doesn’t, and it kills him.

“It's all for you, baby.” I smile up at him .

The flirting is becoming easy with Hypnos, he’s fun and playful. It’s like a little splinter under Khaos’ skin, so I continue to entertain it, maybe take it a little further.

“I like that answer,” he nuzzles the side of my neck and I squeal.

“Jesus, get a room.” Khaos grumbles.

“Not a problem!” Hypnos lifts me up, wrapping my thighs around his waist, and hauls me to the bedroom in back.

He slams the door shut and tosses me on the mattress. I back myself up into a sitting position, kind of regretting everything up to this point.

He reads the look in my eyes and smiles, “Just wait.”

He mouths three... two... one... and the door swings back open, Khaos in a rage. He grips the back of Hypnos’ shirt and tugs him to the kitchen, leaving me there on the bed. The two are fighting again.

“Do you guys ever quit?” Than yells.

“It was a fucking joke, dude! Calm down.” Hypnos laughs.

“No one touches her. She’s a disease you don’t want to catch.” Khaos growls.

“Ouch.” I say, coming out from the room.

“He doesn’t mean it.” Than consoles me, but I’m not really offended.

“I wouldn’t care even if he did.” I tell them.

The guys’ smile, chuckling, but Khaos’ breath becomes heavy with anger. I think it finally dawns on him what his actions just proved... I’m winning.