Road To Whatever (Perfect For Me Book 1) (14 page)

CHAPTER Sixteen

D
id that just really happen
, I think to myself as I step out of the club. I’ve known Kitty for going on six months but obviously I don’t know her at all. I feel like such an ass. Why had I not asked why she had a commercial grade studio in her home? That studio is the best of the best.

Talking about her parents is such a touchy subject I never thought to ask what they did for a living or how she lives in such an amazing house. The worst part about this is that Kitty knew about my dad’s ultimatum and she knows how bad the band wants this and she could have helped out from the start. I feel so betrayed and for the life of me I don’t know what to do right now.

“Rage,” a voice calls beside me.

I look up at the sky and breathe out a puff of air. I don’t need this shit right now. Jess has been really annoying this whole tour following us around and in my face whenever Kitty is not close by, tonight especially. I just want to be left alone.

Jess used to be a really cool girl and the first time I slept with her she made it seem like it was cool that we were going to hook up with no strings attached. I guess it’s my fault for hooking up with her again on a drunken night. From then on she became clingy and evolved into a stalker.

My dad is friends with her dad so I try to keep the peace between us, but I have on occasion been shitfaced and told her to take a hike not so kindly. Nothing seems to deter her. She just keeps coming back time and time again. I’m pissed at Kitty but not that pissed that I want to be around this girl.

“What,” I growl at Jess. I look down at her to see her big blues giving me that fuck me look. So not going to happen.

“Are you headed to the bus,” she chirps and wraps around my arm.

I shake her off and take a step back. I don’t understand what is with this chick. This is my fault. I need to start being a dick to her on a regular basis. She doesn’t get that I’m just trying to be a nice guy and I’m not being nice because I want in her pants. If her dad has my dad rip me a new one for it so be it.

“Jess, I’m not in the mood for this,” I start.

“Girlfriend still not treating you right,” Jess practically sings with this seductive smile on her face. “I could always make you feel good.”

“Goodnight Jess,” I snarl and start to walk.

“Wait Rage, I’m sorry. I really do need your help, my car won’t start.”

I stop and roll my shoulders back. I just want some space, but I can’t leave her out here. I heave a sigh and turn back around. I will just find the problem and fix it or call for help and wait with her. The sooner I get it over with the better.

“Fine, where is the car,” I grumble.

I hate the way her face lights up like she just won a prize. My gut is telling me this is a horrible idea but right now I can’t think straight and I just want to get this over with. I follow her to the dark parking lot not far from where we have the tour bus and rig parked. Thankfully, so when this is over I can head for the shower and think.

Jess is babbling about something but I don’t hear a word she is saying. All I can think about is how pissed Kitty has been at me when she is the liar in this relationship.
Do we even still have a relationship
; that thought comes as a strong blow. I push it aside because right now I don’t know what I may say or do if I think too hard about us.

I’m under the hood of Jess’s car when I hear the last voice I need to hear right now. I am wound so tight just one wrong word is going to get his ass kicked tonight. I just might kick it just because.

“You need some help,” Linc mumbles. I glare at him over my shoulder. “Dude, listen I’m not here to fight with you,” he lowers his voice to say. “That girl,” he nods his head towards Jess. “She is trouble. I may not like you but I don’t want Kitty hurt. You need to watch your back man she is up to something.”

I sigh knowing he is probably right. As pissed as I am at Kitty if I decide to work things out with her I don’t need anything else to get in the way. My first instinct is to protect my girl, always. “Whatever,” I mutter and turn my attention back under the hood.

“Oh it must be my lucky night,” Jess purrs. “Two of the sexiest men I have ever met under my hood.” Linc and I snort in unison as we search for the problem. “You know we could all go back to the bus and have a great time. I’ll give you boys a night you’ll never forget.”

“No thanks,” Linc snorts. I don’t bother responding.

“Oh come on. Rage, this can’t be about that singing cat of yours. I really don’t see what you see in her.”

“Jess, when I’m done here with your car I don’t ever want to see or talk to you again. Tell your dad, tell my dad, I really don’t give a shit, but this stalker shit stops tonight. And in case you think I haven’t noticed you following my girl around you’re wrong. So stay the fuck away from Kitty before you have more than a car that won’t start to worry about,” I growl.

Jess flinches like she has been slapped and takes a step back. I don’t feel bad at all. At first I thought she was harmless when she started trying to get close to Kitty, but something in the way she keeps mentioning her tonight is turning in my gut. Sometime after high school Jess turned into a certified nut. Maybe she always was one and I have just been slow to notice but I’ve had enough.

“You don’t mean that, we’re friends,” Jess says in a broken voice.

“We used to be,” I grunt. “Not anymore.”

“You’re just upset with her and now you’re taking it out on me. You’ll see in a few days by the next show we’ll be fine again,” She chirps.

“I see you again Jess and I will get a restraining order,” I hiss.

Linc taps my shoulder and nods to the fuse box. “I found the problem. This fuse is lose,” he scoffs. I see the fuse and you can tell it was tampered with.

“I bet it is. Not the only lose fuse around here,” I mumble under my breath. “Come on let’s get out of here. I don’t want to have to tell Kitty you were kidnapped and mauled.”

Linc lets out a deep laugh as I slam the hood. We don’t even stick around for Jess to try to start the car again. We are pretty sure she will be fine left to her own devices. For once I am grateful for Linc’s ability to just randomly show up.

“You headed for the bus?” Linc asks as he walks beside me.

“Yeah, I need a shower. You going back in the club?”

“Nah, I’ve had enough woman trouble for the day,” Linc shrugs. I have no idea what he is talking about and right now I have enough problems of my own to figure out.

We walk in silence the rest of the way to the bus. A shower and some space, that’s all I ask. With a heavy heart I take what I need.

~B~

Uncle Terry is being relentless tonight. I know he has wanted to hand the company over for some time now but because of Aunt Mena and my dad he has stuck around. Uncle Terry used to work for my dad before dad helped back his film production company. I know he prefers film over music but I just don’t think I’m ready.

My dad left the company to me to do as I please but I don’t think either of us thought that would happen at sixteen. I don’t want to disappoint my dad. When Mandy asked me to audition for the band I thought they were looking to be signed with another label not mine. If I had known I wouldn’t have done this, I just wouldn’t have.

“Think about what I am saying to you Kelly,” Uncle Terry heaves. “I’m not trying to saddle you with the company and not help you. I’ll be there to help you as long as you need me. I just want you to think about starting to at least learn.”

“He would want me to be happy,” I say softly.

Uncle Terry looks sad as he nods at me. “Yeah, Kel he would. I saw you up there tonight and you looked happy. The happiest I have seen in a long time. You don’t live unless you live around music. You’re just like him. That’s why I think it’s time you think about what I’m saying. The company can use your fresh ideas. I think you can do some great things with the new artists and the older guys respected your dad and will listen to your fresh point of view.”

I look up at the worried and uncomfortable faces around me. Sammy looks pissed. I will have to call him later to make sure we are still okay. I’ve known him so long and he is a really good guy and works hard. I introduced him to Chris a long time ago and they became friends when Sammy was just an intern.

I know Chris and Mandy have something to do with all of this but I will deal with them later. My uncle finally has me cornered and he doesn’t seem to be in the mood to let this go the way he has in the past. I feel the unshed tears tormenting my sinuses.

Uncle Terry’s shoulders sag. “You are going to make me do this the hard way aren’t you? If you want this deal for you and your friends, you have to be the one to offer it and handle every aspect of it. I will not let anyone else at the label sign off on the project or oversee it unless they are assisting you as acting President in training.

“So in other words Kelly no label, no band. I’ll do everything to help you but it has to be under these conditions,” Uncle Terry states with finality. “I fly out tonight but you know how to reach me. Your Aunt told me you’ll be back home in a few weeks, I hope we’ll have this resolved by then.”

I just stand up not able to say another word. I want to find my boyfriend and have him comfort me. This is so much to have on my shoulders. The fate of the band is in my hands and I don’t want that responsibility or the responsibility of the label itself.

“Kitty, wait,” Mandy calls after me as I walk away.

I turned to glare at her. I thought she was my friend. I feel so used. She and Chris have used me. They of all people should have understood how this would make me feel. I look at Crush and his head is hanging low as he stares into a beer bottle. Mitch and Sleep looked sad and confused.

“Stay away from me Mandy. You took things too far this time,” I sob before turning to rush from the club.

I can barely see straight as I head in the direction of the bus. I have my arms wrapped around my middle with my head down as the tears roll down my cheeks. I don’t think I have ever been this hurt before, not even when I lost my parents.

“Oh sorry,” I mutter as I collide with a body. I am crying so hard I hadn’t noticed someone in my path.

“I told you, you weren’t good enough for him,” I hear a snarky voice come back. I look up through my tears to see Jess standing in my way. She is pulling at her short dress and fixing her breasts in it like she is just getting the dress back in place. “But don’t worry. I took care of him. He is great in the sack don’t you think. Best I’ve ever had. I left him in the shower. He wanted to go at it again when we got out but I thought you guys would be coming back soon. I didn’t want everyone to know we hooked up.”

She giggles and flips her damp hair. All I see is red. I know he was upset when he left the club but to do this, to cheat on me. I push the slut out of my way while she laughs behind me and run toward the bus. I yank the door open and storm inside.

I think my whole world shatters in that very moment. Hard grey eyes stare back at me as Nolan stands in the bus kitchen area wrapped in a towel. He is still wet as if he just stepped out of the shower. If I thought I was in pain before I am reeling in it now.

I just turn and run from the bus as fast as I can. I don’t know these people. I hate the Chaney family and I need to be as far away from them as I can get. Once again I have learned that it is the people you love that hurt you the most.

~B~

I am so pissed. How could she look so hurt and betrayed? She lied to me. I spent an hour in the shower and only managed to become more pissed. I want to hit something so bad.

“Rage, I thought I heard someone come on the bus,” Linc yawns as he stretches his arms above his head. He had been in the bathroom when Kitty got on the bus.

“Yeah it was Kitty,” I grunt.

“Where’d she go,” he asks looking back toward the bedroom then back at me.

“I don’t know and don’t care,” I fire off.

“Wooo, what happened?”

“You’re kidding me right. You know her better than anyone so you have to be in on the joke,” I hiss.

“Dude, get over yourself and spit out what happened,” he growls impatiently. Screw him I am over him and his best friend. “Rage man, what the hell?”

“We’ve been talking about impressing this A&R for months so we can get a record deal. What was the point when our lead singer owns the fucking company,” I snarl at him.

“Shit,” Linc blurts out and runs his hands through his hair. “Where did she go?”

“I told you I don’t know,” I bark and slam my fist into the nearest wall.

“Rage, whatever you think you know, you don’t. We have to find her. This is not good and if Mandy is behind this I’m going to strangle her myself. She is always meddling and this time I know she went too far,” Linc says hurriedly as he makes a call. “Shit, she’s not answering her phone. I’ve got to find her.”

Suddenly, my anger has no weight. The look on Linc’s face twists something in my chest. It is the same look he had when he thought it was a bad idea for Kitty to do a live drum performance, but worse. He didn’t think she was ready for that. He thought it would make her freak out about her parents. I remember her initial reaction to Mitch’s suggestion. I don’t think she would have taken it as well if I hadn’t had her in my arms.