Page 2 of Stuck With My Rockstar Boss (Soul Sounds Brothers #4)
Mika
Working with Soul Sounds is always a blast. I adore the guys and their music is honestly the dream to work on for anyone in my position.
They’re not drama queens and they care about everyone on the gig from the roadies to the lighting technicians.
As a backup singer for them, they really give a shit about me.
A lot of that comes down to Lucas. Lead singers are notoriously tyrannical.
Look at Axl Rose or Robert Plant… the beautiful, longhaired freaks that made rock’n’roll dangerous and sexy and terrible.
Lucas isn’t like that. Offstage, he’s approachable.
Usually goofy and fun, easy to talk to. And onstage…
he’s a fucking maniac in the best way. Like a conduit for the cosmic power of music.
He tears around the stage, teases the crowd, makes them beg for him.
Lucas cares about the music and wants everyone else to care as much as he does. And that means it has to be ours too.
Rehearsals for the Soul Sounds Twentieth Anniversary tour are more reserved than they were the last time.
While the rest of the guys are up to their normal antics, Lucas is different.
He’s focused and introspective, his green eyes looking darker than I remember.
Although, the last time I had seen him, his eyes were clouded with terror.
On breaks, he keeps to himself, usually disappearing off to the bathroom or engaging in conversation with Ken.
It’s a little disappointing. Last tour, I thought we kind of had a connection.
Not… romantic, of course, although I have to admit, I understand why Rolling Stone touted Lucas as “sex on steroids”.
He’s objectively attractive. Cut and tight, with blond hair and a voice that reaches inside you and won’t let go.
Even if I wanted to have a romantic connection with him, it’s forbidden. It’s part of my contract. “The label prefers it this way,” Ken had explained to me. “Mixing business with pleasure makes the guys sloppy. You know how guys are.”
I held my tongue then, but complained about it to my mom later. Why does everyone always act like men can’t control themselves? Why do we allow that shit?
Anyway, Soul Sounds is off limits and that’s just fine.
Because I’m not here for them. I’m here to travel and enjoy myself.
The music is great too, but I like the pace of being in a new town every few days.
I’ve seen so much of the country and the world by being a backup singer and there’s still so much left.
I wouldn’t be able to travel like this otherwise; would never be able to afford it.
This tour hits all the major cities in the US and then some.
We start in New Orleans and do a big loop until we land back in Houston for a humongous hometown concert.
I get on with the new backup singers, Crystal and Lee.
Crystal is tall and tan, with rings of caramel-colored locks and Lee has gorgeous dark skin and rows of box braids.
They’re both younger than me, this each being their biggest touring gig they’ve had to date.
Ken mentioned I’ll be the ringleader and I’m excited. We’re going to have a good time.
After rehearsals, which are mostly uneventful, the girls and I are flown out to New Orleans to meet the band for the first concert.
The venue is an old historic building preserved from the nineteen-twenties. During soundcheck, I have a hard time not staring at all the beautiful, gilded décor and the droplet chandelier hanging over the audience.
“Okay, ladies,” one of the sound techs calls to us over the god mic. “You’re released until call time.”
The three of us wander off the stage. “You want to go grab some gumbo? I’m starving,” Crystal says.
“You think they have vegan?” Lee asks.
“Not the good places, but that’s fine,” Crystal sighs.
“Y’all go ahead, I’m gonna take it easy,” I reply. “Just be back on time and careful on the spice level, okay? It’ll dry you out.”
Crystal grins. “We should start calling you Mama Mika.”
“Girl, I’m 2 years older than you,” I tut with a smile.
“Whatever, Mama,” Lee says. “We’ll bring you back a beignet.”
I laugh and wave them off toward the stage door.
I prefer to stay in venues until showtime.
If I go out and start exploring, it’ll be hard for me to stop.
Plus, this venue is so awesome, I’m sure there’s lots of different nooks and crannies to explore.
I leave backstage and make my way into the scarlet-carpeted lobby.
It’s so quiet compared to the din inside, no one around.
I wander around, admiring the vaulted ceilings and aged décor, a century old. Wow …
I lose track of time, wander in circles for a while, until I’m retracing my steps.
Might as well head backstage and get ready.
I turn down a hall to head back to the talent entrance but am distracted by the sound of someone’s breathing.
I frown and turn around. No one is behind me.
No one in front of me either… I take a few steps forward and spot an alcove in the wall where someone is sitting.
I recognize the shoes, a pair of brown leather sneakers.
“Lucas?”
The breathing stops; it doesn’t steady. Just holds. “Mika?”
“Hey, you okay?” I ask, taking a few steps forward.
Lucas is rising up from the bench suddenly and rubs his palms down the front of his shirt. “Yeah, I’m fine! Totally, just taking a break before – “
“Totally,” I say with a smile. It’s clear I’ve interrupted something, but I’m not sure what.
His lips fold into a tight line and his eyes fall to the ground in front of me.
“Are you excited for the show tonight?”
Lucas smiles. There’s some sadness in it, though. “Yeah, I’m… I’m nervous.”
“Don’t be. You’re going to be great. You sounded amazing and I know you were half-assing it during sound check,” I say, trying to keep things light. I hope I’m not making him uncomfortable after how things were left last tour.
He chuckles and runs his hand back through his hair; I catch sight of the tattoo on his wrist, a set of letters and numbers I’ve never known the story behind. “Thanks, Mika. You know how to stroke my ego.”
My mouth grows hot. Easy girl…
“I like the new hair, by the way.”
“Oh, yeah…” I remember my hair was down to my shoulders last time I saw him. “Thanks.”
“It’s cool. Edgy.”
“Yeah, you know me,” I say playfully and then give him finger guns. “Edgy.”
Lucas laughs. He’s got a big laugh, and I’m surprised I haven’t heard it sooner. “I’m gonna head backstage and go over some stuff with Dylan. I’ll see you at call, hm?”
“I’ll be there.” Lucas starts to go and I call after him, “It’s gonna be great!”
“Hope so!” he says, shooting me a smile over his shoulder before he disappears around the corner.
Something is off with him. It’s not my place to pry. I’m just here to work and travel. But Soul Sounds is nothing without Lucas. He deserves to enjoy this, every last bit.
“Fuck. Fuck!” Chase shouts as we file off stage, a huge smile on his face. He’s shirtless and coated in sweat. “That felt great .”
I snicker and whisper to Lee, “Do you think that’s what he sounds like after he gets laid?”
“Mama Mika!” she gasps and pokes a finger into my side.
I laugh. “I’m a cool mom.”
The crowd is still raging after the last encore. They ate it up, loved all the new material. And the guys were on it. Usually, the starting gigs of a tour are like warm-ups. But not Soul Sounds.
Dylan leaves as soon as he can to go play on his guitar or whatever he is always doing by himself, and Jay shoots past us and starts to pal around with Chase.
They bolt to the stage door as Ken announces there’s an afterparty to get to.
They’ll be up all night with that adrenaline.
I, on the other hand, am a bit immune to it.
I’ve done my partying and had my regrettable nights out.
I want to get to bed and have an early start to try and see the city.
Jay turns back before he leaves through the door. “Girls, you coming?”
Crystal and Lee immediately answer ‘yes’, enthusiastically going to meet him.
“Mika?” he adds.
“Not tonight, Jay. Maybe next time.”
“But it’s NOLA! You gotta go out in NOLA! Get some beads and shit.”
I roll my eyes. “It’s not Mardi Gras, genius.”
“Whatever,” Jay snorts. “Have fun, grandma.”
“That’s Mama to you!” Crystal corrects him and pulls on his arm.
Once they’re out the door, I’m left in the stew of roadies and technicians packing up the gear, the din of the crowd dissipating.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Lucas.
I realize he hasn’t left with the rest of the guys.
He’s pacing back and forth near the stage door.
He’s already changed out of his stage clothes into a black T-shirt and jeans.
Much more casual than the blue Hawaiian shirt he had unbuttoned down to his navel and the leather pants. It looks like he’s talking to myself.
What the hell is going on with him?
He finally goes to the door and walks out. I don’t want to seem like a stalker and follow right on his heels, but this kid is worrying me. I follow him out the stage door and am immediately stunned by the chorus of shrill female voices.
“Lucas! Lucas! I’m your biggest fan!”
“We’ve been waiting for you!”
“Sign my tits, baby!”
Lucas has been entirely engulfed by a throng of women and girls of varying ages. He towers over most of them, pale as a piece of paper, eyes wide. He stutters, trying to fend them off, but there are too many of them and he doesn’t know where to start. Where the fuck is security?
I can’t leave him there. I shove my way through the groupies. And they’re vicious. They’re pushing me and cursing at me like I’m accosting them as if they’re not doing the same to Lucas. “Get out of my way,” I growl. As soon as Lucas is in my arm’s reach, I grab him. “Baby! Baby, are you okay?”
Lucas looks at me with the same confused face. “What?”
At least he’s more coherent now. “Come here,” I say, pulling myself toward him. “Back off,” I spit toward some of the girls.
The throng dissipates, some rabid fans skittering away and others backing off but still circling like hungry wolves.
I interlace my hand in Lucas’s. His hand is hot and clammy and grips mine like a vice.
We practically run over to the bus, hands intertwined and hearts beating.
Who knows when they’ll strike again if we aren’t quick.
I rip open the bus door and scuttle Lucas inside before shutting it tightly behind us with a bang. “Christ, that was…” I trail off when I see the look on his face. He’s stunned, like stars are clouding his vision. “Hey man, are you okay?”