Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! We really appreciate all the feedback we get from everyone. Now, we know that after the last chapter, everyone has been waiting to see what happens at the gig. :) So, without further ado, here it is! We hope you enjoy it, and please let us know what you think.
Yours,
butterflyswest and Erin Allen
10
There was already a line in front of the club as they approached. Neela raised her eyebrows and glanced at Ray where he sat in the driver's seat. She had never been able to get to one of his gigs before it had already started. It had never occurred to her to wonder about fans lining up at the door.
"Is it always like this?" she asked.
He shot her a look and carefully turned the van carrying all the band's equipment into the alley between the club and the building next door.
"Yeah," he said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to have people lining up to see you. "Why?" he asked, grinning at her in the neon light from the club. "I told you we could pack a house."
She made a face at him and looked at Emily tucked in between a bass drum and a stack of guitars.
"Are you all right?" she asked, as the van bounced in a rut and Emily caught herself against the instruments.
"Oh, yeah. Just peachy. Ray, I take back everything I said about you getting a car. Don't. Ever."
Brett laughed from the very back of the van.
"Yeah, there Andretti, why don't you just cool it with the van? This thing ain't made for off-roading."
Ray rolled his eyes and turned into the parking lot as close to the club's back door as he could get.
"First I have to deal with her backseat driving, now Brett's in on the act," he muttered, shoving the van into park and turning off the key.
Neela frowned back at his friend.
"If you think you could do better, then why don't you drive?" she asked, knowing full well he'd lost his license for a DUI. The look on his face was sullen as the other guys started laughing.
"That was a low blow, Dr. Neela," he grumbled.
"Then shut up," she said tartly and turned back around.
Ray smiled. "I can defend myself, you know."
She opened her door with a shrug. "Sorry. Couldn't help myself."
Ray shook his head, opening his door. The guys already had the back doors opened and were pulling out equipment. Ray dragged open the side door and helped Emily out. She paused, brushing off the clothes she had changed into. She'd had more than a few words to say about the van when she'd seen it. The thing didn't look like it would make it five feet without falling apart, but Brett kept the engine in prime condition. Her eyes were wide as she scanned the parking lot and open back door of the club. From where they stood, the empty dance floor was visible, lit by the bright overhead lights. Later, when they had finished setting up and the club opened, the place would be packed; the only light the colored lights near the stage.
"Now remember," he said reaching in to grab his guitar, "I need you to stay in back. You're not even supposed to be here."
"I know."
He paused, shooting her a sharp look. She had agreed too easily. Then he shook his head. He didn't have time to argue with her, and Neela would be there to keep her out of trouble. He hefted the strap over his shoulder and grabbed up a drum case with each hand.
"If you're coming, grab up something and come on."
Again, he could only stare at her as she reached in without argument and pulled out a cymbal case, holding it with both hands as she turned toward him expectantly.
"Are we going in or not?" she asked innocently.
He nodded and headed for the door, dodging the guys as they carried more equipment in. Most of the load consisted of drums and cymbals, but even that was almost completely set up. A lot of practice had made everyone adept at getting everything together quickly. Brett was already doing a sound check on the mics, and Matt was tuning his guitars. Ray handed the case off and leaned his own guitar against the stage.
"Come on, you two. I'll show you where you'll be."
He turned and led the way toward the back of the stage and a narrow hallway. At the end of the hall, he found Mike, the club owner, hiding behind a stack of paperwork in his office.
"Hey, Mike," Ray called, poking his head in the door.
Mike looked up with a scowl until he saw Ray. Then he downright frowned.
"Where the hell have you guys been?" he snapped as he gingerly eased his way around the precariously stacked files. "Why do you always do this to me? You know my heart won't take it."
Ray raised an eyebrow. "You and I both know that your heart is as healthy as mine," he said wryly. "Listen, I need a favor."
"What now?" Mike asked sourly, though he was smiling. Ray knew that he'd do whatever Ray asked for. The band brought in way too much money to piss them off.
"I need the dressing room for the night. Just until we finish," Ray added when Mike opened his mouth.
"What the hell for? I'm not…"
"Hey, it's only for a few hours, Mike, and then we'll be out of here."
Mike rolled his eyes, running his hand over his shiny head. "You are killing me, Barnett. You know that don't you? Sure, what the hell? You know where it is. I've got a sidewalk full of people, and he wants to ask for favors…" He muttered the last as he flopped back down in his seat.
Ray turned around to find Neela watching him, an odd look on her face.
"What?" he asked.
"Some of the people you know…" she began, then trailed off to shake her head.
He grinned and threw his arm around her shoulders. "I got the best one right here," he said with a low growl, pulling her into a rough headlock. She shoved him away with a scowl, though her eyes were bright with mirth.
"You'll have to stay in here while I'm playing," he said, heading down the hall to another door. He shoved it open, half cringing at what he would find. Surprisingly, the place was fairly clean. He could remember nights when the guys would sneak girls in there to wait for them to finish playing. Not tonight. That was all he needed; a bunch of half dressed groupies in here. Neela wouldn't be too mad about that.
Like hell.
He watched as Neela surveyed the room with a look of distaste. She entered and lifted a pair of thong underwear from a mirror, holding it like toxic waste. She raised an eyebrow at him.
"I hope we won't have to deal with this tonight," she said caustically.
"No," he said, feeling heat flood his face thinking of other nights, other gigs that he too had brought fans into the dressing room. She nodded and tossed the panties into the garbage, wiping her hands on her jeans.
She turned away on the pretense of looking around, but she was only trying to hide the flash of jealousy that had stabbed through her when she'd found the panties. How many times had he…? She shook her head and forced a smile. That was in the past. He loved her. He wouldn't hurt her like that. The rationale was there, but she couldn't shake the nagging little voice in the back of her head that whispered about countless sleepless nights listening to him and the current bimbo through the paper-thin walls. She squashed the thought and turned back to him.
"We'll be fine," she told him too brightly. "Just so long as someone brings us something to drink."
Ray narrowed his eyes at her tone, sensing something wrong, but she was looking everywhere but at him. He shook his head. I'm imagining things, he thought. She just didn't want to be there. And finding the trash from parties past probably wasn't helping her mood.
"Well, listen, I have to help set up. Mike's gonna open the doors in about five minutes, so…"
"If we need anything, I'll get it," Neela interrupted. She smiled to soften the sharp tone, cursing herself for letting her irritation show. "Don't worry, Ray. We'll be fine."
He glanced at Emily. "You ok, squirt? You're too quiet."
"I'm fine," she said innocently.
He paused, not trusting the tone in her voice, but she just smiled at him. He left the room, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn't have time to get into it with her, nor did he want to. He had other things to worry about right now. Like Neela's sudden irritation. But he didn't even have time to mull over that. The first patrons of the night were starting to trickle in, hands stamped and ready for a show. Ray pulled himself on stage and grabbed his guitar, checking that everything was plugged in and tuned. He glanced at Brett and nodded thanks for tuning it. Just then, Mike came onstage, his head glowing red and blue in the lights.
"You guys ready?" he asked, and Ray nodded.
"Ready as we'll ever be."
Neela sighed as the first sharp chords of Ray's guitar filtered over the shouts of the patrons. She flopped in a chair to wait it out. It's going to be a bloody long night, she thought as she watched Emily begin to pace back and forth.
"You might as well sit down," she said. "We're going to be here for a while."
Emily just shook her head and kept pacing. Finally, she stopped, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I don't understand why I can't be out there watching."
Neela groaned inwardly. She should have known that Emily's innocent act was just that, an act.
"This club only allows those twenty-one and over. You are far from twenty-one."
"So? Its not like I'll be drinking. Besides, I want to see Ray play."
"We explained this to you…"
"I'm thirsty," Emily said abruptly, throwing herself into a chair with a sullen pout.
Neela clamped her teeth over everything she had been about to say; suspicious of the sudden change in direction the conversation had gone. She narrowed her eyes on the girl, trying to figure her out. She was up to something. Ray did the same thing when he was trying to get away with something, using diversion to throw her off.
"We only just got here," Neela said carefully.
"I know, but I'm thirsty. You said…"
"I know what I said, but if you were…"
"Fine. If you won't get me something, then I'll just go out there and get it myself."
"Sit down," Neela said in exasperation, as Emily began to rise. "I'll go. But you stay here. Ray will have kittens if he catches you out of this room."
"I know. I won't."
Neela stood, looking down at the girl. With the dark makeup she'd "borrowed" from Ray darkening her eyes, she looked older than her true age. It was hard to remember that she was really only a child,. Neela couldn't help but feel like a jailor. The girl had never experienced anything in her life. It was understandable that she would want to be where the action was. And, by the sound of things, the action was in full swing onstage. Neela glanced at the closed door as the band went into another song full of bass guitar and heavy drums. She sighed and went to the door.
"I'll be right back."
"Ok," Emily muttered, examining her nails.
Neela rolled her eyes and opened the door. The noise hit her like a sledgehammer, and she steeled herself against the pounding decibels. How they could play night after night like this was beyond her. It was a wonder that they all weren't deaf. She made her way down the hall and past the bouncers that guarded the entrance to the hall. She flashed a small smile at one of them as she eased past him.
"What are you doing back there?" he shouted.
"I'm with the band," she shouted back and ground her teeth at the slow knowing grin he flashed at her. Just how often did they have women back there? The bouncer moved to let her by, and she went, avoiding his eyes. She wasn't some little tart that they had picked up, and she didn't like that he thought it.
She shoved her way through the crowd, thoroughly pissed off now. Jealousy burned at her. Was this what she would have to get used to in order to be with Ray? Women throwing themselves at him? Taking off their clothes if he would just flash a smile? If that was how things would be, then she wasn't sure that she could handle it.
The crowd opened up in front of her, and she finally found the bar. The frantic looking bartender gave her an odd look when she asked for a beer and a soda, but finally shrugged and went to retrieve her order. Neela turned around, leaning against the bar to wait. Against her will, her eyes strayed to the stage, and she froze, heat rushing to her face.
Ray was completely immersed in the music, his eyes closed as he sang into the mic. Sweat was already dripping off him from the heat of the lights and the energy he poured into the performance. He stepped away from the mic, his fingers flying along the frets of his guitar. He glanced at Brett, and they grinned at each other as the crowd went wild. Neela didn't see it. Everything faded except for Ray. It was all she could do to keep it together as a wave of pure lust crashed through her. Then it hit her. This was why she was so drawn to him. This was the core of Ray. The passion. He carried an undeniable passion within him that made her ache. Passion for his music, passion for medicine, passion for those he loved. It was in every move he made, though he kept it so hidden that no one would ever know unless they looked. But she could see it, feel it in the air around her as the song ended and the crowd began to shout.
She quickly turned around, not wanting him to see her. Not like this. She felt as if she was about to fly apart with want. It was all she could do to keep from running up on stage and kissing him. Right there. In front of everyone. She blindly paid the bartender for the drinks and snatched them from the top of the bar. She had to get out of here before she made a fool of herself and gave in to her sudden impulse. She pushed through the crowd, ignoring the shouts of protest when she spilled a drink from someone's hand. The bouncer moved aside when they saw her coming, and she gratefully moved down the hall to the dressing room.
"All they had was…" she began as she entered the room. She stopped, her heart plunging into her stomach. The room was empty. She set the drinks carefully on the dressing table, trying to still the shaking in her hands. Emily was gone.
"Oh, bloody hell…" she breathed, whirling back through the door. She should have expected something like this. The girl was only fourteen after all. She jogged down the hall and grabbed the bouncer by the arm.
"Did a girl come by here? Blonde hair, blue eyes?" she shouted in his ear.
"Yeah. Why?"
"Well, where did she go?" Neela screamed over the music.
He jerked his head toward the thrashing crowd. Neela stared at the sea of people with dismay. How was she going to find her? She pulled herself to her full height and waded into the crowd. I'm never having children…
Finding Emily wasn't as hard as she'd thought it would be. She had taken up a spot near the front wall and was standing on a chair, enthusiastically shouting with the crowd. She grinned when she saw Neela coming toward her and hopped down.
"They are so awesome!" she yelled in Neela's ear, as if she wasn't doing anything wrong.
Neela took her arm. "You were supposed to stay backstage," she said harshly.
"I know, but it was boring back there. And I wanted to see him play." She grinned and bounced up and down. "This is too cool!"
"Ok, guys, we're gonna take five and get a beer."
Neela actually cringed, knowing what was coming. Ray would head backstage and find them gone. He was going to have a bloody coronary over this.
"Come on," she said, as the house music began to play. She took Emily's arm and steered her through the crowd. "If Ray catches you out here…"
"There he is right now," Emily said, yanking against the grip on her arm. She stood stock still, her face suddenly pale. Neela followed her gaze and felt the blood drain from her own face. She sucked air into her lungs, though they protested. She felt, suddenly, as if she had been hit in the stomach.
Ray was at the bar, beer in hand. The blonde woman with him had her arms twined around his neck and was smiling up at him. The woman was beautiful with the body of a model. The scant clothes she wore barely covered what God had given her. As Neela watched, she leaned up and kissed Ray full on the mouth.
She actually heard the crack as her heart broke. It was as clear as the music that was now playing. She didn't feel Emily tug on her arm. She didn't hear Brett as he came up behind them. She was too caught up in the pain of seeing that woman all over Ray.
"What the hell are you two doing up here? We could all get in deep shit if you get caught out here."
Neela turned blindly as he spun her around with a hand on her shoulder. He paused, his brow furrowing when he saw the shocked look in her face.
"What's wrong?" he asked sharply.
"What's wrong?" Emily asked harshly. "That's what's wrong." She pointed at the bar where Ray was taking a drink, smiling at the girl beside him.
Brett followed her gaze and scowled. "Damn that bitch," he growled. "Neela, believe me, he doesn't want anything to do with her. She's one of those…"
"What?" Neela asked faintly. "Does he know her?"
He shook his head. "She's a leech," he ground out, glaring at the bar. "They like to follow the bands around, throwing themselves at them. It's like some kind of sick game. Trust me. He doesn't…"
"I think I should leave," Neela said quietly. She turned toward the door, but Brett stepped in her way.
"Not yet," he said sharply. "Come on, Brat," he told Emily. "Let's save your brother from the vampire."
Emily grinned, falling into step with him. Neela came only because he had a hold of her shoulder and wouldn't let go.
Ray felt as if his face was about to crack. Couldn't this chick take a hint? He wasn't interested. Not in her or any other woman. Neela was who he wanted, and if she were to come out here and see this…
"Come on, Ray," the girl—what the hell was her name anyway—purred in his ear. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and locked there. He reached up and pried at her fingers, trying to get her off.
"Well, Ray, aren't you going to introduce your friend?"
Ray spun around, spilling his beer in the girl's clothes. She cried out in shocked anger and pulled back. Ray didn't even think to be angry with Emily for being out front. At least the blonde was off him. But his relief was short lived when he saw Neela standing by Brett, his hand gripping her shoulder. Her face was a dark mask of anger, but it was the hurt in her eyesthatbrought his heart to a standstill.
"Neela, I…"
"Look who I found wandering around, Ray," Brett broke in, his eyes giving him a warning.
Emily crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. Ray turned his attention back to Neela, but she wouldn't look at him.
"Well, Ray? Aren't you going to introduce your…" Emily paused, as if searching for the right word. Then she brightened and looked directly at the blonde who was staring at her with narrowed eyes. "What was the word you used for her, Brett? Oh yeah, a leech."
Brett choked on the beer he was drinking and ended up spitting it all over the floor. Ray could only gape at his sister as the woman stepped forward.
"What did you just call me?" she asked dangerously.
That broke the paralysis that had come over Neela. She jumped into action, pulling Emily behind her, her eyes narrowed on the woman. She was suddenly angry in a way she had never been before. She had seen the shocked look in Ray's eyes when he'd turned toward them. She had seen the fear there. Suddenly, Brett's words sank in, and her blood heated up.
"She called you a leech," she told the woman clearly. "I have another word for it, but we won't get into that here."
"Listen, here…"
"I'm taking Emily home, Ray," Neela said, glancing at him. He was staring at her with a pleading look on his face. She could imagine what was going on in his head. She wasn't ready to get into it now. "We'll talk when you come home," she said, her tone implying that she would do more than just talk.
"Oh, you're the roommate," the blonde said scornfully. She gave Ray pouting little look. "I thought…"
"You actually think?" Emily said from behind Neela. "I never would have believed it."
The woman's face darkened as she whirled back toward Emily. Neela stepped solidly in front of her, though the blonde was taller by almost a head.
"Brett," she said, her eyes on Ray. "Would you take Emily out the side door? I'll be there in a minute."
"Sure," he said quickly, pulling Emily along. "I cannot believe you said that, brat," he muttered under his breath.
Neela turned back to Ray and swallowed hard. She wouldn't cry. Not here. Not now, though that's exactly what she wanted to do. She could see in his eyes everything he wanted to say, but couldn't. It wouldn't be right to discuss this here.
"If you can find your way home later, we'll talk," she said in a hard tone. She spun away, ignoring him when he called her name.
Ray watched her go, wanting nothing more than to go after her, explain what had just happened. But he couldn't. He had to finish the gig. He cursed under his breath and turned back to the bartender to order another drink.
"Now that she's gone, we can finish what we started," the girl said, with her hand on his arm.
He glared at her and shook her hand off his arm.
"We never started," he said sharply. "Take a hint."
"You can't mean…"
"Yeah, I can. Not now, not ever, and especially not you."
Her face twisted with rage, and she slapped him across the face before shoving away from the bar. Ray put a hand to his cheek and downed the shot that the bartender brought him.
"That was ugly," Brett said, sidling up beside him. Then he laughed without humor. "Somehow though, I think it's nothing compared with what you have to deal with when you go home."
"No shit," Ray said, staring sullenly at his beer.
"Don't worry about it, man," Brett said, his tone uncharacteristically sober. "I talked to her. I don't think it'll be as bad as all that."
Ray winced, and ordered another shot. It was going to be that bad. He'd seen it in Neela's eyes when she left. He downed another shot, knowing that it wouldn't make things any better, but needing something for the pain. It was just his luck that he'd finally found something worth more to him than life, and now he was about to lose it because some girl couldn't take a hint.
"We've got to go on again," Brett said clearly through the sudden alcohol haze. "Lay off that crap or you won't be able to play."
Ray nodded, setting the shot glass back on the bar. He turned and followed Brett back to the stage, his steps already unsteady. He couldn't remember feeling more miserable.
It was going to be a long night.