Chapter 8

We were just outside of Portland, holed up at a hotel instead of living in the buses since the band had a three-night stop here before we got to Carson City. Carlisle liked to get them off the bus every couple of towns. Close quarters didn't make for good band mojo, he said. Tempers could rise and things could escalate between them, even though they'd been together for so long. Too long, maybe, he added with a sad smile.

When I asked why they still used a bus instead of a private plane they could easily afford, he'd explained that Edward preferred the bus, so that's what they did. I asked if anyone else had a say, and he looked at me, with all seriousness on his face, and said "they would be stupid if they even tried'.

I took that to mean that the Dragon wouldn't hear any of it, if it was said.

My roommate Jane wasn't so bad. She talked a little too much, but it could've been worse, they could've lumped me in with the girlfriends, four of them sharing one room. Jane was an assistant too, mostly to the sound crew. She wanted to be a mixer herself one day, and every once in a while the sound guy would let her sit up on the boards with him during a show.

I'd listened to that for about an hour, nodding my head at the technical jargon I didn't know before Carlisle rescued me and texted to pick up some Excedrin and bring it to his room.

The lighting crew was on the same floor as us and shared our bus, so I nodded my head at a few I'd gotten to know. Emmett's room was open, he was sitting on the edge of the bed with a guitar so I paused to listen.

He had a nice voice, not as deep or soulful as Edward's, but it was decent. He saw me loitering and next thing I knew, I had company on the walk to the twenty-four hour CVS. Not safe for a pretty girl like me, he said, out at night alone.

I didn't argue that I could take care of myself, that my father's mandatory self-defense lessons would come in handy if I should encounter a guy that needed a good knee to the 'nads. Besides, it was nice to talk to someone that hadn't slept with one of the band members. As far as I knew.

He'd been to Portland before, with a different band, a smaller band, so he'd had the opportunity to explore. He rattled off a bunch of towns, cities, but he was really excited to get to Denver in a few weeks. He told me all about the way the air was just cleaner than anything else you could breathe. He told me about the theaters there, the nightlife, and the music scene he hoped to get into because he wanted to live there full time one day. We ambled down the road and I told him that I'd never really been anywhere.

He said he hoped I went everywhere.

Excedrin in hand, I left Emmett at the elevators and made my way to Carlisle's room, up on the top floor with all the suites - the ones the band occupied. The whole floor had been bought up, and there was security in the hallway once I'd gotten off the elevator.

They knew me as being the boss's new assistant (I hoped not as family), so they let me through and I approached Carlisle's open door.

Shouting. Yelling. Screaming. Tons and tons of profanity.

The Dragon.

Not knowing quite what to do, I slowed my steps, pulling out my phone to text Carlisle to give him a chance to come out into the hall or stop Edward's tirade before he knew I was aware of the fight.

I heard only a few things as I approached the door.

(TALENTLESS. HANGERS-ON. SOLO).

Solo.

He couldn't possibly be talking about quitting the band? Ending them? My chest thumped with the information I knew I was not supposed to have heard.

I waited a few minutes, sweaty hand over heart, before I peered in. Carlisle was standing across the room, hands in his hair.

The Dragon was a ball of fire, arms crossed in the middle of the room, legs firmly planted, with a look on his face I never wanted to have thrown my way.

Poor Uncle Carlisle.

Ducking back out, I started calling for him so they'd have warning to stop. Carlisle told me to come in, and he took the bottle from me, promptly opening it and swallowing a few dry. I didn't dare glance at Edward, the heat from his anger radiating off him and bouncing around the walls.

Carlisle thanked me and I smiled, started to turn.

"Bella, isn't it?"

The voice was low, deep with an aggressive edge. It made my shoulders tense and my hands curl. My name on his talented lips was just about the craziest thing my ears had ever heard. "Are you having fun?"

My eyes flew to Carlisle, who just shrugged, weary.

I flicked a glance towards him.

"In general on tour, or right now interrupting this awkward situation?"

The Dragon didn't smile, didn't change his stance, but his left eyebrow, the one with the small scar on it from a childhood bike accident, quirked.

Quirked.

In either fury about to erupt or slight amusement. I didn't want to try and figure out which one so I looked away.

"Do you need anything else, Carlisle?" No uncle, here.

"No, thanks Bella. Go enjoy the rest of your night. What have you been doing in your free time?" He asked with a little smile, distracted but wanting to check in, I supposed.

"Um, not much. Talking to people, learning more about what they do."

"Who are you talking to?" Edwards' words were less harsh, less destructive lava.

I had no choice but to look at him again. "Jane, my roommate. She helps with the sound."

"I know who Jane is," he snapped. "Who else?"

"Emmett," I bit. How easy he made me feel belittled. "I don't know his last name, but I'm sure you know who he is, too." A small, answering smirk from him on that.

Why, I wanted to ask, but wasn't about to unleash him on me. He said nothing else, so I said my goodbyes and left.

Fire-blown breath burning up my insides the entire way to my room.