Chapter 28

Me and the guys spent a week in the studio, recording more songs, and getting ready to head out on the road again.

We had a concert in Nashville tonight, and then we were headed down to Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas for the next few weeks. Then it was a flight to LA on June 30th for our concert there on July 1st, and San Francisco on the 4th. Up the west coast and across the country until we landed back in Nashville at the end of July. We had August off. It wasn’t the whole summer like we’d wanted, but hey, that’s rockstar life. And when you sign with a new label, you gotta put in the work.

You also have to play while you’re in demand. Time passes and new bands hit the stage. Fame is fleeting and so is the opportunity to make the most of it.

While Brodie and Holls were busy testing out their guitars, seeing to last-minute details for our performance tonight, I went in search of my boyfriend.

Fucking hell, even after a week of calling Faise that, it still rocked me to my core.

In the very best way.

He’d moved in a week ago and he was never moving out.

Faise’s brother was headed down here for tonight’s concert and would be joining us on tour for a month, along with my sister. Bibi had arranged to close my sister’s lease in New York and got all her items shipped down here to Nashville. With Elias on site and security in tow, Dallas hadn’t dared question anything.

Faise and I had done a few interviews as per Zoe’s plan, but we kept our comments on the incident with Dallas to a minimum. Except to say that he was the aggressor, we were filing charges, and our lawyers were taking it from here.

We didn’t comment on our relationship yet. Part of me didn’t think we had to. The press knew how close we were, along with everyone else. But I knew that for Faise, it was important to make that public declaration. There were still times when I saw the worry in his eyes, the fear that I was somehow going to disappear tomorrow or change my mind.

I reassured him every day, with every touch, that I was here to stay. But he needed more than sex to understand. He needed the words. So did I. But like everything in my life, I always found it easier to show rather than tell people how I felt.

And Faise was holding back too. Like he was afraid if he said the words, it would break the spell, the magic that had been the past week.

I walked downstairs to our dressing room, and found him sitting in one of the chairs, twirling his sticks in one hand and reading his phone with the other.

“Baby,” I whispered and stood behind him.

He met my smile in the mirror, placed his phone and sticks aside, and stood up. Walking around the chair, he slid into my arms, holding onto my waist. I leaned down and kissed him and fuck, I’d never get used to doing that. My heart pounded out a heavy beat, fast and strong.

“Showtime in an hour,” I murmured and kissed him again. “You ready?”

“Like you need to ask.”

“Where’s Rae?” I nodded, looking around for his brother.

“He’s in the VIP room with Ciara, Dawson, and Van.”

“He looks so much better. I think he’s finding his way back.”

Faise nodded. “It hasn’t been easy, but he’s worked his ass off. I just hope, you know, being on the road with us is okay. I mean, none of us are into drugs anymore, but still. We can’t escape it in our business. Half the people we know get high all the time.”

“We’ll do whatever we can to support him. And the same holds true even if he were at home. You know that. Getting drugs is as easy as ordering food from an app.”

“You’re right,” Faise nodded and bit his lower lip. “And hey, just like me, you can’t hide forever. At some point, you have to face temptation head on.”

I was so proud of him, and I wanted him to know how much. I cupped his face, leaned down and kissed him again, savoring the fact that I could do this without pause. That he kissed me back with the same intensity. It was a passion I’d only ever felt with him. Maybe it was finally time to tell him exactly how I was feeling. How much I wanted us.

“Baby, I?—”

My comment was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Hey guys, sorry to interrupt,” Bibi announced in her booming southern accent. “But you’re needed on stage ASAP.”

With a frustrated sigh, I took Faise’s hand, and guided him out of the room and back upstairs.

Brodie and Holls were pacing back and forth, while Jesse and Elias were deep in conversation beside them. The fact that our lawyer was here was not a good sign. And then I noticed that every member of our security team, including our lead, Regan, was here. Something big was going down.

“What’s going on?” I asked, letting go of Faise’s hand.

“Our show’s been cancelled,” Brodie hissed.

“What? Why?”

“A threat was called in,” Holloway added. “They had to shut us down.”

“Someone called the box office ten minutes ago,” Jesse explained. “Claimed they were going to shoot up the venue to ‘get rid of all the nasty queers’. Each band member was mentioned by name in a very explicit threat.”

“Fucking hell!” Faise blurted out.

I shook my head. “That’s never happened to us before. Jesus.”

I glanced over at Faise, and he looked like as horrified as I felt. Brodie and Holls too.

Elias nodded. “Chances are it’s just some asshole being a psychotic prick and shooting his mouth off. But we can’t take that risk. The police have been contacted and Regan and her team are on high alert when it comes to your security. I’m sorry.”

“We’ve played at this venue dozens of times and without any problems. Why here? Why now?” Faise asked.

“I don’t know,” Jesse replied as he ran an agitated hand through his hair. “But we’re doing everything to find out.”

“What about the rest of our concerts down south? We’re supposed to leave tomorrow to head to Florida.”

“So far, it’s still a go. Unless something else happens in the meantime,” Regan offered. “Rest assured, security protocols are in place. Three-step process for ticket holders prior to entering the venue and we’ve updated our screening technology to catch any potential weapons. And we’re increasing the size of your protective detail.”

Dawson, Van, Ciara, and Rae stepped out of the wings to join us. The worried look on every one of their faces told me they were also having a hard time digesting this news.

Dawson walked up to Holls and pulled him in tight. Holls in turn, buried his face in Dawson’s chest as his boyfriend leaned down to whisper in his ear. Van did the same with Brodie, kissing his husband and rubbing a soothing hand down our frontman’s back.

Rae and Ciara headed for me and Faise. Our family did not need this. No one did.

“Everything’s going to be fine. The show’s cancelled but it’s just one event,” I reasoned and reached for Faise’s hand again. Both of us were trembling, but we interlocked our fingers tightly. “It’s a one off. Some weirdo playing a rotten fucking prank. It means nothing.”

“Do you think this is Dallas?” Ciara asked Elias. “Do you think this is him trying to get back at me through Ronin? Some twisted type of revenge?”

My sister looked at me, her face pale and her eyes filled with a guilt that didn’t belong there.

Regan nodded. “Given what you’ve told us about him, and the fact that he’s a narcissist who still denies hurting you, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least. He’s suspect number one at this point. The police are trying to pinpoint the origin of the phone call. We’ll know more in the next few days.”

“If they can trace it,” Dawson interjected. “If whoever called in the threat used a prepaid cell, they probably got rid of it already. It’s nearly impossible to trace. And don’t forget, the guy’s a cop, he’s not stupid.”

“Or he might be desperate enough to slip up, like Holloway’s stalker,” Elias added.

“What about Bandit?” Brodie snapped. “I wouldn’t put it past Greg to pull something like this as payback for not renewing our contract. They’ve had several bands drop from their label since we left. I hear it’s a shitshow over there.”

Elias shook his head. “Personally, I think that scenario is highly unlikely. If this person is found out, they’re going to face serious charges. I don’t think Haddley would risk even more fallout for his business.”

“I agree with Elias. Let’s wait and see what the police can gather. Remember that these concert dates and venues are common knowledge, so that means a large pool of suspects,” Jesse offered. “Meantime, it’s back home for everyone. No going out, no visitors. Rest up. We meet at the tour bus pickup location at noon tomorrow.”

“I’m so sorry, Ro,” Ciara looked at me. “If I hadn’t?—”

“Hey.” I reached for my sister with my free hand. “We don’t know that it’s him. And if it is, they’re going to get him. I don’t want you to think about that bastard anymore. He’s not going to fucking take you, or our music, or anything away from us.”

“Ronin’s right,” Faise added. “And it’s not like we haven’t had haters before. Especially since all of us are out. We haven’t had to cancel a show before, but we’ve had threats aimed at us. That’s not new. And none of it has to do with anyone but the assholes who spew hate.”

“This has happened before?” Rae asked. “How come you never said?”

“Why would I do that? And worry you, Mom, and Dad? No. It happens everywhere we go. Queer people are always harassed, and yeah, it’s shitty, but unfortunately, that’s our life. But we’ve never let that stop us. And we won’t.”

“Faise is right.” Brodie nodded. “We’re not going to stop doing what we love because of a few haters. Never.”

“Can we have a moment, just me and the guys? It’ll only take a minute,” I asked everyone.

My sister and Rae headed off stage with Van, Dawson, Elias, and Jesse. Regan and Lennie stayed on the stage but walked a few feet away to give us privacy.

“Do you think there’s any chance Hardwick will cancel our contract?” I asked. “I mean, first the launch party and now this? We’re only a few weeks in and fucking hell, this is crazy.”

“That’s a question for Elias but as I understand it, no. And bands have gone through similar shit before with stalkers, threats, band members getting arrested, you name it,” Brodie insisted. “For now, we keep calm, we listen to our security team, and we go about our business. I meant what I said. I’m not letting some sicko stop us. This is our life.”

“Agreed,” I stated.

“All in.” Holls nodded.

“Always,” Faise added.

All four of us grabbed onto each other, holding tight. We’d been through a lot together, and there would always be bumps in the road.

But one thing we never questioned was our loyalty. To our music, to our fans, and most important of all, to each other.