“I like the sound of that.” She stood and stepped up to me. “One day, you won’t be in the closet of a bar but have your very own green room at a sold-out stadium.”
I opened the door and let Pen step out before me. When I turned back to the guys, they were all standing there like they were going out back with us. Not a chance in hell was I going to give any of them a chance to fuck this up. I shook my head and closed the door in their faces.
Pen was already striding down the hallway toward the back door. Her ass swayed with each tantalizing step she made, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It was then I realized I couldn’t try to get this chick in my bed and jeopardize our future.
“So, Mr. …” she looked at me expectantly.
“Pierce. Walker Pierce,” I supplied for her, taking a spot against the wall. I watched as the heel of her stilettos wobbled on the gravel.
“Mr. Pierce, why did you want to talk to me out here?” Her eyes raked me up and down, and I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination or not, but I swore I saw desire in her eyes. Maybe it was the shadow of the streetlight hitting her whiskey eyes.
It was going to be hard to get my dick in check around her, but I needed to keep reminding myself my career was more important than one night in the sack.
“I thought it might be more comfortable out here without Greer being an asshole.”
She let out a soft giggle. “Oh, so that wasn’t just for me?”
“Not just for you. I’m not sure what’s going on with him, but he’s been an asshole for a good while now.” I wasn’t sure why I was telling her all of this, but it felt good to open up to someone else besides the guys in the band. They didn’t care about feelings unless we were fucking shit up for the group, and Greer was doing the opposite. He was making the best music of his life. “I’ve asked him about it, but he won’t talk about it. I’d press further, but he’s playing better than he ever has before.”
“He can be an asshole. I don’t care,” she shrugged. “Eventually everyone is, once fame gets to their heads. At least I can expect it from the get-go.” She flipped her long hair over her shoulder and then set her eyes on me. “Who writes your songs?”
“Mostly I do, but occasionally Cross and Kenton get in on it. Why?” I asked, trying to hide the nerves I suddenly felt. What if she hated the songs?
“That’s good. Then we won’t have to pay anyone to use their songs. Keep up the good work. I’m going to go back to LA tonight and show my boss some of the video I took of you guys tonight and see what he thinks.” Pen pulled out her phone and then dug in the back pocket of her jeans until she found a card. “Here’s my card with my number on it. I’m giving you this as a show of good faith. Don’t use this number unless I call you first.”
My brows scrunched up at her words. “Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?”
“There’s no point in you calling me until you hear from me because if you haven’t heard from me, then I’ve got no news for you. Got it?” She huffed and started to pull her hand back.
Reaching out, I grabbed the card from her and stuffed it in my back pocket.
She put in her code, and her face lit up from the screen. Her golden eyes flicked up to meet mine. “Now, what’s your number so I can get ahold of you?”
A slow smirk spread across my face, and my chest puffed up, knowing she wanted me. “Are you sure that’s why you want my number?”
“Why else would I want it?” She cocked her leg out and placed her hand on her hips. “This is strictly business, Walker. Don’t get any ideas in that testosterone-filled head of yours.”
“Okay, okay,” I held my hands up. “I get it. I couldn’t help myself. You’re one fine ass chick.”
“Give me your phone number before I forget how talented you were tonight, and leave and never come back.” Her black fingernail tapped on her phone screen as she waited.
“Alright. I’m sorry,” I apologized and rattled off my phone number to her. She may have said it was only business, but I knew it was more. And the thought of my number being in her phone only proved it.
“Great,” she flashed a smile. “I’ll be in touch.” Pen turned to walk away and then turned back to me. I thought for sure she was going to tell me this was all a joke, but those weren’t the words that came out of her mouth. “Can you send me the music and lyrics to all of your songs?”
“I guess so.” I said it like it was a question when I would do whatever she wanted of me.
“Perfect. My email is on the card. Have a good night.” This time when she turned to walk away, Pen didn’t look back, no matter how much I wanted her to. I watched her fine ass in her tight jeans make its way down the side of the building and didn’t look up until it was firmly planted inside her white Audi TTS coupe.
When I turned to the back door, both Cross and Kenton were standing there with stupid ass grins on their faces.
Kenton cracked up as he stepped outside. “You’ve got it bad.”
“Shut up, asshole. There’s nothing wrong with looking at a fine ass woman.” I shrugged and started walking to where we parked earlier.
“Don’t leave us hanging, douchebag. Tell us what she said,” Cross yelled as I straddled my bike.
“Fine.” I sat my helmet between my legs and waited until they reached me. I told them what little Pen had said. Yes, I shot the gun, bringing her out back. I thought it was going to be some long, drawn-out talk where she’d talk contracts and numbers, when all in all, it wasn’t much more than a promise.
“Did she really ask for all our music and lyrics?” Kenton’s head fell back, and he howled at the sky.
Cross and I laughed at him. Greer was nowhere in sight. Typical.
“I can’t believe someone from a huge record label was at our show tonight,” Cross said quietly.
“I know, man, me neither. We need to ramp up the practices, and I’ve already got a new song tickling at the back corner of my brain.”
“Awesome, man. Now let’s go celebrate,” Cross yelled, clapping his hands.
Putting my helmet on, I started to pull away and had to look back at the spot Pen had been parked in. I couldn’t help being drawn to it. I had no idea that night would change the course of the rest of our lives.
CHAPTER THREE
pen
2 Weeks Later
Cristiano didn’t even bother to look at me as he scrolled through his phone. “I’m not sure, Pen. Like I said last time, I thought they’d be… edgier.”
I didn’t understand Cristiano. He was the one who wanted me to go see Crimson Heat play, and now he’d been pulling this shit for the last two weeks.
“I’m not saying they’re one hundred percent ready, but I think I can get them the way we want them. They have so much potential.”
He nodded; his eyes flicked up to meet mine for a moment before his phone buzzed in his hand. “Fine, I want weekly reports of their practices, and if I don’t see any improvement, then the answer is no. Tomorrow night, I have a show I want you to scout for me. I’ll email you the information.”