11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Chase

"Why the long face, little man?" David asked as he emerged from their love nest at the back of the bus. I'd just sat down with my notebook, ready to knock out some lyrics.

"I miss my Daddy." I flipped the notebook open to the tab I had at the next blank page.

I traced the letters, imagining him writing it while I slept. "Daddy loves me."

"Yes he does," David replied. I'd forgotten he was there. "Did you eat?"

"Not yet."

Jordan walked in. "On it. Grab your coffee, David, and I'll make you both breakfast."

"Thanks, Jordan." My little replied for me as he crept to the surface. He protected me just like Daddy did.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." Jordan got to work pulling eggs and bacon from the fridge.

Now that they knew of my lifestyle—well, David was the one who figured it out first—it was easier to be my true self around them. A lot less stressful having to hide who you were and given how much time I spent with them it was nice. Even Sikes and Snipe didn't bat a lash when my little peeked out, though they seemed to be huddled together whispering more as of late.

Huh. Wonder what was up with that.

I read Daddy's note again and fired off a text with a picture of it.

Me: Love you to the moon and back, Daddy.

Daddy: I see you got my note. Wanted you to know I was thinking of you. I love you, too, Little Songbird.

My special nickname from Daddy was the best. Just like that, an idea for a new song came to mind. I flipped the page to write it down and found our playlist for the upcoming shows:

"Here you go." David slid a cup of coffee in front of me. I didn't drink it much at home but on the road it was the fuel that kept us going.

"Thanks." I took a sip and dove in. When inspiration hit, you learned to run with it.

David and Jordan chatted around me, merely background noise as I jotted down random words. I was used to working in the best and worst of conditions. Noisy, crowded places. Sounds of the road beneath the bus, though this new one must've had additional measures put in place because I could barely hear the asphalt beneath the tires.

It wasn't until Jordan slid a plate of food in front of me that I stopped.

"Thanks, Jordan."

"You' re welcome."

Sikes, Snipe, David, Jordan and I dug into the omelets and hash browns he'd whipped up. Hadn't realized how hungry I was until I took that first bite, then I all but inhaled it.

"So," David said, "that song you're so engrossed in. Are we gonna play it or…?"

"Not sure. Kinda personal." Did I want Daddy's song out there for the world to see or did I want it to be something special just for him? Maybe I'd perform an acapella rendition for his ears only. "For now, no."

"Understood." David had written a song for Jordan and Jordan had the chorus inked somewhere on his body. I never asked where. Those two had their own special bond and it was a bit too intense for me. But it worked for them and that was all that mattered.

"Where are we tonight anyway?" David asked.

"Omaha, Nebraska," Sikes replied.

My phone vibrated on the table beside me and I jumped up when I saw who it was.

"Daddy!" I announced as I ran back to my bunk and the guys laughed. So much for remembering to call him Casey in front of others. Oh well. "Brats!"

"Who's a brat, Songbird?"

"My friends. They laughed when I screamed Daddy." Guess it was kinda funny. Besides, they meant well .

"You are the sweetest boy ever. How's the ride to Omaha?"

"Funny you should mention that. The days are running together, and David just asked where we were headed."

"That would get confusing. They should hang a schedule up in the bus for you."

"Well, if we were smart we'd refer to the calendars in our phones. Easton and Jeremiah have everything accounted for there." We're just being lazy when we ignore that.

"I'm on break so I don't have a lot of time, but I needed to hear your voice and see your cute face."

"I'm glad you did. I don't care what time it is, you can always call me. Well, unless I'm on stage, but you have all that info."

"Yes, I do and thank you for that." Daddy sighed. "I know it's only a couple more weeks before I get to hold you, but I sure do miss you."

"I miss you, too, Daddy. It's harder being apart than I thought it would be." That was putting it mildly. I would only have him for a couple of weeks once he got here before his fall classes start. Hopefully I'd have his song tightened up by the time he got here so I could sing it to him.

"Songbird, I must let you go, it's time for class. Good luck tonight, I love you. "

"I love you, too, Daddy." The call disconnected and I deflated. The excited balloon in me lost all its air when Daddy went away.

"Come on, Loverboy," David's voice came from the other side of the curtain. "Band meeting."

Easton and Jeremiah each occupied half the TV screen given they weren't in the same location.

"Hello, everyone," Easton began. "The tour is off to a great start and you're getting rave reviews on the shows thus far. I highly recommend checking your social media accounts. River has done a fantastic job posting every interview and rave review you've received."

River was one half of Mickey's, the bass player for Social Sinners, men. Mickey was the only one of us under Masterson that I knew was part of a triad. River, one of his partners, handled all social media and website updates for the bands while Benny, the third, was the Masterson masseuse. He mostly traveled with Social, though he would be at Rocktoberfest for sure.

Massage for one? Yes, please.

"Diamond and I will meet up with you when you get to Albuquerque to play at the Isleta Amphitheater. In the meantime, Jeremiah is there and as your band manager he'll be able to assist you with whatever you may need. Masterson is growing and we have many feelers out for new up-and-coming bands we're hoping to sign. Some of which we've invited to play on the side stages at Rocktoberfest. If you get a chance, stop by and listen to them. We always have an ear open for new talent in the metal genre so if you catch a show while you're out and about and their sound is worthy, please reach out to Diamond or me."

"Me, Easton has enough on his plate especially with the twins on the way," Diamond, the drummer for Social Sinners and Easton's husband's, face appeared on screen as he chimed in. I'd forgotten their surrogate was expecting.

"Yes, thank you, love." Diamond fondly smiled at his husband. "Gentlemen, good luck tonight and thank you for all you do. We appreciate you and hope you know that."

"We do," all of us said at once and we did. We were the lucky ones to have signed on with a management team that clearly had their talent and their needs at the forefront. I for one refused to take advantage of their kindness and rarely asked for things. Outside of getting Daddy on tour with us, that was.

"Thank you," Jason, lead singer for Chaotic Abyss, said. "Things are going great, and we have yet to encounter a hiccup."

Hopefully he didn't curse the tour even though he was right.

So far .

"All right, guys. Enjoy Omaha and break a leg!" Easton told the group.

Cheers erupted just before the screen went blank.

"We really did luck out, didn't we?" David asked me.

"That we did. You see all the nightmares other musicians have been through, yet we managed to sign with a company that really cares."

"All thanks to you. We'd still be stuck in shitty ass jobs doubled up in apartments in an equally as shitty area of Vegas if it wasn't for you." Leave it to David to bring that up.

Compliments were something I'd never acclimated to, and I hadn't entered us into that contest for notoriety or thanks. I did it because our band as whole deserved to get recognized and play at Rocktoberfest. "I just saw an opportunity and jumped on it. Glad it paid off."

"You and me both, my brother."

Brother . Honestly, David was the closest I had to a sibling.

Shortly after the meeting, we arrived at the arena and filed off the buses. Jeremiah led us inside where the area team met us and took us to the dressing rooms.

"Embrace the Fear, you're in here and Chaotic Abyss, you're right next door." The guy nodded and walked away. Guess no further instructions were needed.

The appropriate bands and their significant others funneled into their respective rooms. Ely and Jordan went off to wherever the kitchens equipment was to prepare pre-concert meals for the bands. I didn't see Rhone or David, so they likely went to help. Which left Seltzer, Jeremiah and me in the room.

I plopped down on a couch I probably should've black-lighted first. "Well, nothing wildly exciting here." Slipping into stage Chase mode. How would I handle that once Daddy got here? Would he hate the performer version of me?

"So," Seltzer began as he sat down beside me. "Tell me all about Casey. Isn't he a teacher or something?"

"Professor at UNLV." I rolled my eyes and made sure Seltzer saw. "Dude, you know all of this. He's been around for like forever, and we've been dating for a while now."

"True, true. Look, man, you're a brother to me and brothers protect each other." Seltzer clapped my shoulder. "Just want you to be happy."

"I am. Happier than I've ever been if I'm being honest. Casey loves me for me and not what I can give him or for my name." Something I'd kept in the back of my mind since we got signed but having not dated it'd stayed there. While Casey and I had only been together a short while, I knew without a doubt he'd never take advantage of me or the perks that came along with my career.

"Love, huh?" Leave it to Selzter to grasp onto that one word.

"Yeah, love." Felt great to admit it. Casey and I had kept ourselves in a bubble while I was home and outside of practice my band brothers and I hadn't spent much time together because of it, which was fine because now we were glued to each other for months while on tour. "He's coming on tour with us after his summer class ends."

"Right on. Then I can see him in action and make sure he's the right man for you." Seltzer puffed up like he was suddenly in charge. Before I got a word in, David and Rhone came back.

"Seltzer, back off," David warned as he walked in. "I've known Casey all my life. He's a good man."

"Hey, man, chill. Just looking out for a brother." Seltzer meant well but he had a tendency to overstep.

"While I appreciate the concept and the thoughtfulness behind your gesture, this brother is more than fine." Hopefully that would shut this potential shit show down.

Knock-knock . The door opened and in popped the head of a stage manager. "Soundcheck in ten."

"Gentlemen," my handclap echoed through the room. "Time to get our game on. "

Frontman Chase Prescott mode engaged.

Ha, I felt like a video game.

By the time we got back to the dressing room from soundcheck, Ely and Jordan had dinner set up for both bands. The guys from Chaotic joined us a few minutes later along with our wonderful chefs, though Ely and Jordan left as soon as they ate.

"Good evening, Omaha!" My voice echoed through the arena and was met with a mind-blowing amount of screams and whistles as we hit the stage. "Are you ready to rock?" I held a hand to my ear like I couldn't hear them. "What the fuck was that? I said are you ready to rock?"

That got them fired up.

"Much better. We are Embrace the Fear, and we are here to blow your fucking minds!" That set them off as Rhone pounded out the opening beat and I screamed into the mic, "This. Is. ‘Beautiful Disaster!'" David and Seltzer joined in as I belted out the lyrics.

My resolve slowly decays

Dying a horrible death as I cave

I tried my best to leave

Only to be pulled back in

When I dream

You're right there beside me

How can I let you go

When you hold a piece of me

My beautiful disaste r

How can it be

That you were meant for me

Life can be cruel but not as much as fate can be

My beautiful disaster

How can I make you see

You wound up in my arms

For reasons beyond you and me

Your scent is everywhere

On the sheets beneath me

I breathe it in just to keep you near

I don't understand what you've done to me

Your pleasure is mine to control

Down on your knees is where you'll be

While I give you what you need

Give your worries to me so you're free to breathe

My beautiful disaster

How can it be

That you were meant for me

Life can be cruel but not as much as fate can be

My beautiful disaster

How can I make you see

You wound up in my arms

For reasons beyond you and me

When we're apart, I miss your touch

And that gorgeous face staring expectantly at me

I'm so tired of fighting these feelings

When giving in is what we need

My beautiful disaster

How can it b e

That you were meant for me

Life can be cruel but not as much as fate can be

My beautiful disaster

How can I make you see

You wound up in my arms

For reasons beyond you and me

My beautiful disaster, this is how it's meant to be

David's song for Jordan, but one they not only decided we could record but one of our biggest sellers. By the time we got to "Between the Sheets" I was drenched in sweat and ripped off the tank I wore and threw it out into the crowd. The chick who caught it held it in the air and screamed. I winked at her and sidled up to Seltzer and sang as he kicked the killer guitar riffs. Nothing better than a long guitar intro. Drove the fans wild.

At the end of our second encore, "Forsaken," the four of us walked to the front of the stage and took a bow. Seltzer and David threw out guitar pics with our logo on them while Rhone tossed out a few sticks.

"Goodnight, Omaha, it's been a fucking blast!"

Jason, Josh, Marley, and Nigel from Chaotic were backstage waiting for their set when we got there.

"Great show, guys. How do you tear your shirt so easily?" Jason asked me.

"Super thin material is the key, my friend." I grabbed a towel and wiped off the sweat and then downed a bottle of water. "That and huge arm pits cut out of them so there's less to tear."

Jason clapped my back. "Good call, mi amigo ."

Masterson hooked us up with so much swag to give out. I wore a different Masterson band shirt on stage at each show. It was my giveaway to the crowd. David and Seltzer had picks, Rhone had sticks, so I claimed shirts as mine. The crowd fucking loved it which fed my persona. A little harmless flirting and everyone came alive. Not my fault the fans and media assumed I was the token straight in the band. Hell, up until I'd met Casey at the club I figured I was, too.

Imagine my surprise, ha.

Both bands were whisked off to the meet and greet after Chaotic finished their set. For the next hour we posed for pics and signed everything from shirts to posters and printed tickets. I'd been asked what's the strangest thing I'd ever signed, and I'd have to say it was boobs. Imagine going home and having to explain that to a significant other or even your parents. Shit, I hope all the ones I'd signed had been over eighteen.

"Whoa." Exhausted didn't even cover how tired I was once the adrenaline rush wore off. We showered in the dressing room before returning to the bus. The water tanks on the buses only provided a quick rinse and when you're covered in sweat, not only your own but the fans you posed with as well, a full on take your time shower was warranted.

"Man, how do you do it when Reagan can't tour with you?" I asked Josh as we walked back to the buses.

"Not gonna lie, man. It fucking sucks. Lots and lots of phone sex." Josh laughed. "Lonely nights on the road make the nights we're together that much hotter." He side-eyed me. "I take it you have someone now?"

"Yeah," I blushed and stared down then realized, why? I wasn't embarrassed about it. "His name is Casey. He's gonna join us on the road at some point." Not soon enough and I hated to push him for a firm date, but waiting was so fucking hard.

"Nice, congrats. You're a good guy, you deserve to be happy. Reagan is hoping to hop onboard when we play Vegas and go to Rocktoberfest with us. I'm the only one in Chaotic with a partner but I think Jason's got something on the downlow. Hope my band mates brought earplugs when Reagan gets here." Josh grinned. "All right, see ya in Minneapolis."

Josh gave me a lot to think about. I fired off a text to Daddy even though he was asleep at this late hour. But waking to messages from him was awesome and I hoped mine made him smile, too.

Me: Great show tonight. Headed to Minnesota now. Sleep well, I love you.