Setting up and doing a soundcheck are things I can’t help with. Instead, I deal with the backstage stuff. I make sure the dinner buffet is set so my guys can eat before they go onstage later tonight. Then I go through my to-do list to get ready for the group of backstage-pass fans.
Most of them are female, all hoping to get into at least one Demon’s Wings member’s bed. I hate each and every one of them and simply give all of them cool, disdainful looks. They hate me too. They seem to think I am the only female the Demons will ever love, and maybe that’s true. For now, at least. One of my biggest fears is that they will all fall in love and leave me behind.
Part of my job is to keep the backstage fans in their designated area so security can watch them like hawks. You never know when one will try to sneak into the dressing room for a quickie, or worse—get famous for killing a famous rocker. I also check on my guys and am relieved to find all of them eating in their dressing room, even Drake. But he makes me shake my head when I see that, instead of a soda or even water, he’s drinking from his signature bottle of Jack Daniel’s.
I take it from him and put a bottle of cold water in his hands. Turning, I look at everyone to see if they need anything else. When they’re done eating, I toss their plates in the trash and make sure they have either water or Gatorade in their hands. They need to hydrate because a concert always takes a lot out of them, especially Nik, who runs around the stage, singing.
I glance from one to another, taking in the sheer male beauty of each of them. Drake and Shane, with their overly long dark hair and big blue-gray eyes. The brothers are dreamy with their strong facial features and lean, muscular bodies covered in tattoos. Jesse with his bald head and those big brown eyes that change with his emotions. He’s huge, muscles bulging from every direction, leaving people wondering how he’s able to handle the drums so smoothly because of his bulk.
For just a second longer, I let my eyes linger on Nik. Nik, with his voice that fucks a woman from the inside out, and those ice-blue eyes half hidden behind a curtain of thick, sooty eyelashes. There aren’t many females who can say Nikolas Armstrong doesn’t affect their libido even marginally. Lean, muscular, and with a face that made the gods weep the day he was born, he’s just as tall as his bandbrothers. The entire fan following for Demon’s Wings is either in love, lust, or envious of him.
“So, which is it tonight? Blonde, brunette, or redhead?” I ask with a raised brow and just a hint of a smile on my lips.
Shane grins at me from the sofa he’s sprawled out on. “I’ll take one of each.”
I roll my eyes at him. Of the four of them, Shane’s the biggest manwhore. One of each flavor is mild for him.
“Well, there are plenty to choose from. More blondes than anything, as always. Please be safe.” I shoot Drake a meaningful look. “Are you prepared?”
“Emmie!” There’s an actual blush in his cheeks. I just keep my eyes on him and raise an eyebrow. Finally, he looks away. “I got condoms,” he mutters.
The others just snicker. I ignore them as I turn for the door. “You have an interview at nine in the morning. I’ve arranged for us to have the conference room back at the hotel. So, please, have the skanks out of your rooms before I knock on your doors.”
I have to give them this lecture now because, after the concert, I won’t see them again until morning.
“Drake, don’t make me shower you in the morning. Get the smell of slut and booze off early.”
“Jesus, Emmie!” he yells after me. “Why are you picking on me today?”
I stop at the door and spin around to glare at him. “Just do it, Drake.”
He mutters something under his breath, and I feel a little bad about being so stern, but he’s a grown-ass man. More often than not, I’m the one bathing him because he’s either too drunk or too hungover to do it himself.
The concert is almost over when I feel my phone vibrate. I pull it out of my back pocket and see that it’s Demon’s Wings’ manager. The guy loves me because I take care of all the things he should be taking care of. While he’s at home sleeping in his nice big bed, I’m here, busting my ass for my guys.
Bringing the phone to my ear, I snap, “What do you want?” I walk away from the stage so I can hear him over the band.
Rich Branson chuckles, making me want to slap his handsome face. “Who peed in your Cheerios?”
“I’m in a pissy mood,” I inform him, not sure why I’m being such a bitch this evening. He should be used to my attitude by now. I hate the guy. “What do you want?”
“The usual. World domination. Billions of dollars. And a band that makes me look good… I have several of that last one.”
I roll my eyes. Demon’s Wings is the hottest band he manages. They do more than make him look good. They make people think he’s a genius for discovering them.
“Nik said he wanted to take the summer off. I’m just letting you know that I pushed the OtherWorld/Demon’s Wings tour back to September.”
That surprises me. Nik hadn’t mentioned anything about taking the summer off. Why wouldn’t he have told me? I shoot a glare behind me, wishing I could demand some answers from Nik. That will have to wait. Since the summer tour is being pushed back, we only have a few more weeks left of touring the Gulf Coast.
“Okay,” I tell Rich. “Send me the new itinerary. I’ll make sure everything gets taken care of.”
“I know you will. That’s why I love you so much, princess. You make my life so easy.”
I grit my teeth. “Don’t call me princess,” I practically yell and end the call. I so don’t like that prick. And I loathe being called princess. The fucker knows it, but he still makes sure to call me that at every available opportunity.
Nik’s voice snaps me out of my hatred for Rich, and I turn my attention back to my guys onstage. Nik’s voice drives the female population crazy. The huskiness mixed with gravel and seduction is a caress to that dark place between a woman’s legs. I’m nowhere near immune to it and find myself letting my desire show as I stand there watching the band perform.
When one of the sound techs accidentally bumps into me, I quickly snap out of my desire haze and get busy. I can’t let anyone see how Nik affects me. I know he doesn’t feel the same way. To him and the rest of the guys, I’m like their little sister. They would lay down their lives for me, just as I would for them…
And when it comes to Nik, I’m just the little girl he’s spent the last seventeen years of his life taking care of. I’m ignoring my feelings because I know I’m not what he wants. His happiness is more important than my own.
Lips trembling, I make sure not to listen to him sing anymore tonight.