Echoes of the Heart, Casey, L.A. [reader novel .txt] 📗

“Ignore him.” Risk rubbed his nose against mine. “I do.”

The bus came to a gradual stop and I jumped when pounding began from both sides of the vehicle. “It’s okay.” Risk’s hold tightened. “Fans broke the barrier, security will get them under control. This happens a lot.”

We had to wait ten minutes but eventually we were ushered off the bus. Risk was separated from me as he was led quickly into the venue. Him and the guys were jogging and waving at everyone until they disappeared into the building. The volume of the screaming was insane. There was a man on my left and Tobias had a tight hold of my hand on my right. When I made it inside the kitchen, Risk was right there waiting for me and I was relieved to see him.

“That,” I said as the doors closed behind us, “was crazy.”

“Cherry,” he grinned. “You’ve seen nothing yet.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

FRANKIE

“This is a dressing room?” I exclaimed as I entered the room that looked like the living area of a fancy apartment. “This is nice, boy.”

There were racks and racks of clothes on each side of the room, a buffet table of food, a machine for cold refreshments, a huge plasma screen television, video games consoles, big comfy-looking sofas and even a make-up station. I was very impressed and that seemed to amuse the guys. Hayes dropped a surprise kiss on my head.

“So cute.”

His wife chuckled as she crossed the room, making sure to give the table of food a wide berth; this amused Hayes, who followed her. I jumped when arms snagged me around my waist. I smiled when Risk’s face nuzzled the side of my neck.

“Do my make-up.”

I was positive I had heard him wrong.

I turned my head. “I beg your pardon?”

“You heard me.” He grinned. “Do my make-up.”

I heard him alright, but I couldn’t believe what he said.

“Risk.” I blinked. “I can’t even do my own make-up.”

“I wear stage make-up,” he laughed. “I don’t use what you use, just eyeliner and a little bit of lipstick. It doesn’t have to be pretty.”

I wanted to tell him that his die-hard Sinners would be upset if he didn’t look appealing to them but I held my tongue. He wanted to do this for me and secretly, I wanted to as well. I bobbed my head, he smiled.

“Great, I’ll get changed and you can have an abundance of time to finish my look.”

There were a couple of hours before the band was due on stage. In an hour and fifteen minutes, the opening act would take the stage to warm the Sinners up for the guys, until then, the plan was to hang out in their dressing room. May and Angel were already getting comfortable on the sofa with PlayStation controllers in both of their hands. Hayes and Summer were eating, and me? I was looking around at the items in the room like I was in a museum while Risk changed.

“Miss Fulton?”

I turned and smiled at Tobias when he approached me.

“Please, call me Frankie.”

“Frankie,” he nodded. “I just want to remind you that during the show, you’re to remain at my side, or in my line of sight, at all times.”

I didn’t think Tobias was much older than me but I felt like a little kid when he spoke to me.

“I will, sir,” I said. “I promise.”

He nodded then backed over to Jacob where they discussed something in hushed tones. I moved over to Angel and May and sat between them on the large sofa. May was no longer playing with Angel, he was watching Angel play a very scary-looking game that made me jump a couple of times.

“I don’t like that music,” I told them, feeling uneasy. “Why is it getting louder?”

“It’s boss music.”

What the hell is boss music?

I was about to voice my question to May when a terrifying-looking monster grabbed Angel’s character. When I screamed, May jumped then laughed. Angel fell against me as he cracked up. I placed my hand on my chest and I was laughing too, but it was nervous laughter at best.

“She’s fine,” Hayes suddenly cackled. “Your fly is down.”

I sat up and turned. Risk was staring directly at me from the doorway of the bathroom as he zipped up his jeans and buttoned them.

“You,” he said, “scared the shit outta me.”

I clamped my lips together to keep from smiling.

My humour fled when my eyes dropped to his body. He had on skintight, black distressed jeans that had a silver chain hanging from one belt hole at the front to one around the back. He had on a black fitted denim vest that was hanging open. His washboard abs, his treasure trail, his whole toned-as-hell torso was on display. His muscular, tattooed arms were such a visual delight that I stared at them. He had full sleeves from the back of his fingers all the way up his arms, which ended half-way up his neck. I had seen him naked. I spent the day in bed with him on Saturday, I got to see his tattoos but when he was dressed as Risk Keller, global rock star . . . my vagina took notice.

I got up from the sofa, rounded it and approached him. His eyes never left mine once.

“You’re looking like you wanna fuck me, Cherry.”

He had no idea.

“The others don’t dress the same?”

“Nah, the emo look is my thing on stage and in music videos.” He grinned. “You like?”

More than liked.

“I’ve never seen the whole emo look on a guy that isn’t super skinny.” I scanned him from head to toe. “You look healthy, buff . . . so sexy.”

Risk bit his lower lip and grinned . . . a lower lip that had a silver ring in it.

“Is that real?”

“Clip on,” he winked. “I’m too scared to get a real one. Don’t tell anyone.”

I laughed as I slipped my hands under his vest and slid my arms around his waist.

“Later,” I told him. “You