Chapter 27

27

JAXON

We’re officially on the road. I’d be psyched if Aria decided to come with me, but she did promise if I gave her a few weeks, she’d meet me in Chicago. It’s the least I could do since she has last minute wedding plans to make, like picking out a dress before September rolls around. Our parents are thrilled that it’s sooner rather than later and so am I.

First stop, Boston. One of our favorite places to play on the East Coast. The city is beautiful, and the venues are amazing. Our fans are passionate and dedicated and are known as the Rebelfandoms. It’s something they made up, not me, and we love it. We have some fans that follow us from city to city during a tour. It’s the biggest compliment ever.

Once again, we’re traveling by bus for the first leg. Then we’ll be using Caleb’s private jet and pilot for the second. Caleb and Roman set it up this way since the cities on this leg of the tour are only hours apart. Once we leave the coast, though, it gets a bit dicey. No worries, since at that time, Aria will be traveling with me. If I’m not mistaken that’s when all the girls will tag along. So, for the first few weeks, us guys are on our own. Scary thought.

No rest for the weary since sound check will start thirty minutes after we get to the venue. That’s what happens when the road crew gets there hours ahead of the band. I guess that leaves Roman to lug everything up to our hotel rooms. No sleeping in the bus tonight since we’re playing in Boston for the big Fourth of July weeklong event. What can I say, we have the best fans in this city.

“ETA is thirty minutes out and the word on the street is the arena is mobbed. As usual, we’ll be going around back, and security will lock the gate behind us. Brian’s ready and waiting. Are you ready, gentlemen?” Bill’s the best driver around. We’re relieved he’s on tour with us again.

“Bill, we’re so fucking pumped you have no idea. Ready to rock ’n’ roll and bring down the house. Seven months without playing live is the equivalent to being celibate for that long.” Fucking Zander. How can he compare sex to touring? It’s a close second, but I’ll pick sex with Aria any day. Twice on Sunday.

Ace pipes in, “Thank God we’ve been recording and practicing all this time. Otherwise, my fingers wouldn’t be tough enough to play for this length of time.” Truth. So hard to get back in the groove if you get lazy and complacent.

“Jax, you ready to be the timekeeper for your brothers?” Micah loves to bust my chops about tapping out the beat. He’s also admitted, and so have the others, that it keeps them grounded. Focused. And it’s the reason we have everything timed to perfection. All of us play an integral part.

We are a band of brothers.

“You know it. Hope you assholes can keep up with me.” They chuckle but there are a few profanities thrown my way, too. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

When we’re minutes away from the venue, we all get lost in thought. It’s our time to pray, meditate, or do what we do to get into the zone. A Zen moment where we can find peace, relaxation, and de-stress. God knows that will amplify an hour before we hit the stage. Always happens no matter how prepared we are. I’m hoping I can chat with Aria even if it’s for a short time. Hearing her voice will calm me the fuck down.

“Guys, Brian just warned me to be on high alert. A crowd turned into a mob and they’re surrounding the venue. We will be there in three minutes. Get ready and be safe.” Okay, so much for relaxing. “Do not leave the bus until the gates are closed. If someone breaches the gate, let security take care of them. Got it?”

We all hang tight. As scary as a large crowd can be, we’re safe on the bus. My only concern is for our fans because they can seriously get hurt if things turn ugly.

“Holy mother fucking shit,” comes flying out of Micah’s mouth when we round the corner. From our vantage point it looks like a riot. Bill slows to a crawl, too afraid to run someone over, but at this pace, they can rush us and stop us from driving to safety.

Thankfully, Brian planned ahead and called in reinforcements. With the help from the local police and our security team, we were safely escorted inside the gate. Sometimes we forget that we’re not just ordinary guys. That we’re Rebel Riot and one of the top selling heavy metal bands of all time. Even after all of these years, we need to pinch ourselves.

Security surrounds us as we walk inside the venue. Just in case there’s ever a breach. We can handle a few on our own but they are not taking that risk. Per orders of Caleb and Brian. Our safety comes first.

“We’re running late so you guys only have fifteen minutes to get your bearings before sound check. You good?” Roman asks. Like we have a choice.

Zander gives him two thumbs up. “All good, boss. Lead the way.” Normally we’d chill in the dressing rooms, but no time for that today. It’s the reason we need to be flexible on any given day.

When we step on stage, it’s great to be surrounded by all of our equipment. It’s familiar, like an old friend. I sit behind my kit, while Ace and Zander strap on their guitars. Micah settles behind his keyboards. Just like coming home.

“Welcome back, gentlemen. It’s great to be on the road with all of you again.” Drew, our main man for sound check, greets us. “Let’s get started. Testing, testing. Okay, you know the drill. Let’s hear what you got.” After we wrap up the show, I hope we have time to catch up. Grab a few beers with the crew and chill for a bit.

With our playlist etched in my mind, I tap out the first beat and the band follows. It’s as if we’ve been playing for years and haven’t been on hiatus for all these months. Forty minutes later, we’re pumped and so fucking ready for the show to begin.

ARIA

Today was a very productive day. With that said, I had a lot of help from Jax’s mom and mine. The wedding plans are all falling into place. I’m over the moon with the venue and how accommodating they’ve all been. And I’m so grateful that Silas agreed to let me write an article for our wedding. He’s one hundred percent on board and thinks the publicity will be great for the magazine. I do too. The best news is, I have his permission to go on the road with Jax, as long as I still send in my articles by the deadline. I can’t wait to share my news with Jax when he calls later tonight.

Now that I’m done for the day, I just need to run a few more errands before heading home. Then I’m going to curl up on the sofa with a glass of wine and relax until my man calls. Can’t wait to hear how his day and night went. I’m also excited to go on the road with him and see him in his environment.

I hit the elevator button. While I wait, I scratch off all the things on my list that are already finished. Today was a very positive day. If it continues, I might be able to surprise Jax and meet up with him sooner. Can’t wait since I miss him already.

When the elevator opens, I tuck my to-do list inside my purse and then step inside. I nearly trip when I see Stephanie standing in the back. She makes eye contact but doesn’t say a word. So I face the front and pray she’s not going to the lobby. I’d hate to ruin such a wonderful day by interacting with her. It’s sad since she’s my sister, but I don’t want her drama.

A few people get off on the next floor, but I can’t remember for the life of me how many were on board. Guess I’ll just need to wait. Next stop a few more people get off and Stephanie is not one of them. Damn, damn, damn. Next stop is mine. As soon as the doors open, I rush outside and hurry to my car.

“Seriously, Aria. You’re going to totally ignore me? Very mature.” Oh, didn’t I tell her something similar to this at my engagement party?

Spinning on my heels, I close the distance between us. “After our last encounter, I thought maybe it’s best if we ignore one another.”

“Why, because of Jax? That’s a stupid reason since we’ve been sisters a lot longer than he’s been your fiancé.” She spits that out with all the venom pent up inside of her. Wow, her true colors are really showing now.

“Stop blaming Jax. This doesn’t have anything to do with him and everything to do with you and me. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it until Mom mentioned your new position at Beautify magazine.” Just thinking about it has my blood boiling.

“Oh please. It has everything to do with Jax. You should thank me instead of being pissed at me. If I hadn’t broken up with him, he wouldn’t have given you a second thought.” Hold me back because I’ve never wanted to punch my sister as much as I do now.

“Really, Stephanie? Well, I beg to differ. This is my take on it so put your listening ears on. Jax has always been in love with me, and you knew it.” I jab my finger in her chest, and she takes a step back. Looking horrified. Did I hit the nail on the head? “And it’s the reason you’ve been stringing him along all these years. Knowing if you broke up back then, we’d be together today. Unfortunately for you, it didn’t matter when you broke up with him, because we’re together now.”

“You’re delusional. That’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever said. Makes no sense. Why would I wait until now to break up with him instead of earlier in our relationship?” Oh, I thought she’d never ask.

“That’s too easy. You started dating Trent because your source told you Silas was starting a new magazine, and Trent was his first choice to run it. Not long after the announcement, you get your own column. Have you connected the dots because I sure as hell did.”

“You’re talking in riddles, Aria. What does all of this have to do with Jax?” Wow, she really is stupid.

“Jax has always been in love with me. So you switched your whole life around so you could be me! Working as a journalist for an upcoming magazine. And scoring your own column in such a short time. Were you hoping after you achieved what you sought out to do that you could break up with Trent and Jax would take you back? You’re such a stupid woman. You had the most amazing man, but you kicked him to the curb for a suit, a job, and a loveless life. Good luck with that, Stephanie.” I don’t wait for her to respond. I walk to my car, slide in, and pull out of the parking lot. Leaving her standing there with her mouth wide open.

I thought I’d feel better after putting her in her place. I don’t. I wanted to add she’s sleeping her way to the top. Something I would have never done. I’m a smart woman, I have an amazing career, and now I have the love of my life. Should I have thanked her? You bet, because she did us both a solid.

I’m still angry when I pull into my driveway, but I need to shake it off. It was a good day and I’m not going to let an altercation with my sister ruin my day or life for that matter. If she wants to play nice, she’ll be in my life. If she doesn’t, then I wish her the best of luck.

She’s going to need it.

Taking a few deep, cleansing breaths, I step inside my quiet home. I used to love the silence. The freedom to come and go as I please. Now I miss the laughter. The love that filled this empty space. And Jax. I miss him with an ache that I never knew existed until he concocted his crazy plan. The one that brought us together as fake fiancés and developed into so much more.

A lifetime of love and laughter together.

I can’t wait to become his wife.

The mother of his children.

And grow old with the sexy rockstar that I can now call my own.

While I anxiously wait for all of those things to happen, I’ll settle for a phone call from him every night after his concert. Knowing that in a few short weeks, I get to join him. And the next time we come back home, it will be for our wedding.