Not Quite Juliet: A Club Imperial Novel (Silver Soul Book 1) (22 page)

He snickered. “Yes, I am. You’re all getting a kick out of this, aren’t you?”

“Oh quite,” I said. “Is the man of the house around, or would you be willing to talk to him? I need a favor for a friend.”

I heard some mumbling before Franz answered. “You can talk to him yourself. Hang on.”

The phone scraped and popped as it switched hands and a new, very warm male voice came on. “Hello, Morgan. How are you?”

“I’m good, Victor, thanks.” I smiled at Nick. “I know this is a little forward of me, but I just found out Silver Soul has been ejected from their practice space in the old Bowerman warehouse. I was wondering if you had any place or knew any place they could set up for rehearsal?”

“How much space do they need?”

I looked around. “Well the warehouse is huge, about two hundred fifty thousand square feet. But the actual space they take up is about four hundred square feet, plus another two hundred for their couches and mini fridge.”

“Hmm.” I could almost see him stroking an invisible beard. “Well, our biggest warehouse is about one seventy-five, but it’s never quite full. I don’t see a problem with setting up a cage and giving them the key.”

“A cage?”

“Yeah, that’s the best way to make sure no one takes over the space.” I could hear him typing furiously on a laptop. “It’ll have to be a corner, and it’s going to be about eight hundred square feet. When do they need to move in?”

“ASAP.” I grinned at Nick. “They’re packing up the old warehouse tonight.”

“I can have my yard manager get the cage up in about an hour.”

“That soon?”

“Yup. Will they be there tonight?”

“What time will he be locking up?”

“
She’ll
be locking up at nine.”

That was two hours. “I think we can get there tonight.”

“I’ll have her set up keys and codes for the lot of them. They’ll only have access to the warehouse through one door.” I heard a few more taps. “She’ll meet you at the gate at eight-thirty.”

“That’s all they need.” I grinned.

“Plus, how cool is it to have a resident rock band? They’ll all love it down there. Just knock, she already knows you’re on the way.”

“Thank you, Victor. You are awesome.”

“I know.” He laughed. “See you later.”

We ended the call and I looked at Nick. “New location secured. All we have to do is move you there. Got a truck?”

“What? Where?” Sal came walking over. I looked for Dave and he was standing with Jose and Van in the other corner.

“Walsh-Tyndale’s yard. The big warehouse.”

“What?” Sal shouted and it echoed. “You know them?”

“I know Victor’s partner and Nathaniel’s fiancée.” I motioned to the couch and the other few things hanging around. “Get a truck. We have some moving to do.”

“Are you going to handle that crazy bitch?” Dave walked over, still fuming mad.

Van looked at him. “Are you serious? You walk in here an hour and fifteen minutes late and you’re going to worry about the woman who isn’t your problem? You need to get your priorities straight. One of those would be showing up for practice. You’re on our case about not being serious about the music, then you start pulling this shit.”

Dave pointed at Nick. “Don’t take your attitude out on me, take it out on him. He’s the one with the Alchy and the Fatty hanging around him. He’s the one who’s not taking this band seriously. Dragging these—”

Nick’s fist shot out and connected with Dave’s jaw. Lisa, Nadine and I gasped and stepped back. Nick grabbed his shirt again, and pulled him upright. “Listen to me, you asshole. Drop the names. Drop the mocking. Drop the ‘I run this band’ attitude. Right now. Not another word about Casey, and not another word about my Morgan. If you don’t like it, shove it and twist.” He threw Dave away from him. “We need a truck. Who’s got one?”

“U-haul,” Jose answered, jumping in to break the tension in the room. “None of us drives a truck. We all bought fancy-assed cars with the first paycheck.”

Dave rubbed at the spot on his face where Nick had connected. “Fuck you all. Move it yourselves.” He turned and walked out of the warehouse.

We all stood and stared at the door as it banged twice against the frame. It was quiet a moment, and we looked at the door as if it were alive. Jose finally turned away and headed to the center of the room where their stuff was. “Well, that was fun. Who’s going to get the U-haul?”

“You should,” Sal said. “And you should take Nadine and Van with you and grill her about her guitar skills. The four of us can get this stuff wound up and ready to go while you do that.”

“When did we become part of the team?” I asked.

“The instant you got us new practice digs,” Jose said.

––––––––

C
ecelia handed Nick the last two key rings. “There you go. All set. Key for the door, cage and spare office, and a scan card for the inner door. You have the code for the motion sensors, and you have to remember to trip the alarm on your way out.”

“Most of the time, we’re done rehearsing by now,” Jose spun the keys around his finger.

“Weekends are the only time we’ll probably be here without someone on premises.” Nick agreed.

“Don’t be so sure,” Cecelia said. “Tank, Henry or I are usually around on the weekend, cleaning up paperwork and what not. This is a huge company now, boys. We have a lot more to take care of now than we did even six months ago. You’ll see us around. Keep us entertained.”

“That we can do.” Sal flashed her a smile. I rolled my eyes. That guy flashed the sexy charming smile whenever his ‘boobie alert’ went off.

“Good,” Cecelia said, and checked her watch. She was immune to his charms; she probably had a very good, very hot husband at home. “I’m going to be leaving in about ten minutes. You’re welcome to stay or go as you need. It’s gonna be a blast to have you guys here. Wait until I tell my son.” She winked back at Sal and walked away from the cage door.

“Ha! You got that turned around on you,” Lisa laughed.

“Do we want to go for another few with the practice, or should we just resume on Saturday afternoon?” Jose asked. “I vote Saturday.”

His opinion was echoed by three more voices. While they organized the instruments in the locker in the corner–something I was going to have to thank Victor for–Nadine and Lisa hung with me against the fencing.

“You want some alone time?” Nadine glanced over at Lisa.

“When don’t I?” I smirked. “Lisa, I’m going to be staying at his house this weekend. Are you going to be all right with that?”

“Oh, yes.” She blushed. “Sir wants to come over, anyway.”

“You’re really crushing on the new guy,” Nadine said.

“Yes.” Lisa fiddled with her necklace. “I don’t know if this is a forever kind of thing, but in the meantime, he’s hot, it’s heavy and I’m really having fun.”

“When do we get to meet Romeo?” I cocked my head.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I was thinking this weekend, but if you’re not going to be around, and believe me I’m not complaining, I don’t know when we can do it. I’ll figure it out. I know you want to be sure that he’s real.”

I put my hand on her shoulder. “I want to be sure he’s
right
. Not real.”

“Thanks.” It was quiet and heartfelt.

“Now, get the hell out of here so I can make out with my boyfriend.”

Nadine laughed, and offered her arm to Lisa. “Come on. I’ll take you home. You can call your boy-toy and set this weekend up.”

As the two of them walked out of the building, I watched Sal’s head turn slowly to follow the two women. Well, I saw right away whose ass his eyes landed on. I scratched my nose and tried not to laugh. I opted to wag my finger at him to let him know I caught him and it wasn’t right. He tried to grin-charm me, and Nick pushed him hard.

“Guitars, horn-dog. Don’t ogle my girlfriend or her friends.”

Girlfriend?

“What?” Sal asked innocently. “The little one is adorable.
And
she slapped my ass. That’s like a mating ritual, isn’t it?”

“Not in her world,” I said. “Watch your ass with her. She’s dangerous.”

“I like danger.” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Uh, Sal, she’s the one we had to cut down from the ropes.” Nick looked at him pointedly.

“Even better.”

“You’ve got no idea.” I shook my head slowly. “Watch your ass. She may not seem dangerous, but her friends are deadly, and they will take you down if you try anything with her.”

“What if she wants me too?” Sal was really playing with fire.

“You’ll find yourself learning how to tie her up. Sexually.” I leveled my gaze at him.

He blinked and laughed, and then when I didn’t laugh with him, he sobered a bit. “You’re serious. She likes being tied up?”

“Among other things. Just watch yourself, Sal. Trust me.” I patted him on the shoulder. “She with someone right now, and you do not want to tangle with a Dom. Train your eyes on someone else’s ass.”

He licked his lips and leaned back. Nick punched him in the shoulder, hard. “Stop looking at my girlfriend’s ass!” There it was again.

“Hmph.” Sal grabbed his bass and headed for the door. “Ruin all my fun.”

“You take your pants off on stage!” I yelled after him. “Not staring at my ass isn’t ruining anything for you!”

Sal’s laugh floated back as we heard the door close. Jose and Van were next out the door, Jose offering Van a ride home. That left me and Nick, and we stared at each other for a long moment.

“Girlfriend?”

I could almost feel anxiety zip through him. He’d used it without thought; we hadn’t talked about that at all. Not the word, not the concept, not the exclusivity of it. I could clearly see the panic and worry on his face.

“Are you okay with that?” His voice was quiet and unreadable. Oh shit oh shit oh shit.

I walked slowly over to him. His face was blank, and he was waiting for me. I blinked, my heart dancing. Fan girl had passed out and good riddance to the bitch. I nodded carefully, slowly not making a sound. He wrapped his big, warm hand around mine. “
I want to know what life can be, when you are standing there with me, Dodging shadows, dodging sun, hiding in the corners of my life, until I found you there, until you found me there, you own my soul, you are my breath.
”

The words were sultry and his warm chocolate voice did things to all the lady bits in alphabetical order and back again. I swallowed. “You really wrote that for me?”

He nodded, seeming almost nervous about admitting it. “I have never, and I mean never, had a woman inspire me to write anything like it. Sal and Van read it and they couldn’t write the music fast enough.” He ran his thumb over the back of my hand and the smile he gave me melted what was left of me into a wet puddle of femininity. “So, you wanna try this?”

“Hell, yes,” I nodded. “Yes.”

“Good,” he said, wrapping his arms around me. “Because I want to keep writing songs for you.”

“Damn, Nick, you’re gonna make a woman swoon.” I looked up into his sweet brown eyes. “I adore your rocker look.”

He pulled me a little closer. “You know what I want to know?”

I cocked my head. “What’s that?”

“Are your panties soaked?”

Well, shit, if they weren’t a minute ago...I shook my head slowly. “They aren’t.”

“Why not?” Nick looked genuinely concerned.

“Because I’m not wearing any.”

He sucked in a short breath. “All this time, and you didn’t tell me?”

“I like surprising you.”

“Oh, do you?” He turned me around in his arms and pulled me against him. “I like when you surprise me.” He slid his hand to the button of my jeans and before I could protest, the button was open, the zipper was down, and his hand was insinuating itself into the heat that was growing between my legs. “Damn, kitten. You really are commando.” His finger fluttered over the hood of my clit.

“You keep wrecking all of my panties.” I answered after a gush of air leapt out of my lungs. He really did. Either from my reaction to him, or him just ripping them out of the way.

What a magnificent problem to have.

While Nick distracted me with one hand snaking across my sensitive sex, his other hand made its way to my breast and he palmed the lace, catching the nipple in the fabric. I shivered and backed into him, his erection already pressing against me.

“There are cameras.” I let my head loll to the side.

“I don’t care.” Nick dropped his lips to my neck.

“I have to.” My words were firm.

“Ah. Your Honor.” He spun me back to him. He sank his lips on to mine, and stroked my tongue with his, demanding more. “There’s a changing room over there.” He vaguely gestured over my shoulder. He nibbled lightly, then drew his hand back from my mons, pulling my shirt down at the waist. “Don’t button that.”

Mmm, indecent. Nick stepped back and took my hand, leading me over to a door labeled ‘Locker’. On the far wall was a curtained changing area, and he led me over, pulling the curtain behind us. “I’ve wanted to do this to you since you walked into rehearsal.”

“Do what?” My hands were already unbuttoning his pants.

“Strip you down and get inside of you.”

His hands had somehow already freed my breasts and he was teasing the hard beads waiting for him. I pushed them into his hands, and pulled his pants clear of the hard cock I wanted in my hand. “Tell me you have a condom in that pocket.” I captured the drop of pre-come he’d leaked and coated my hand, sliding up and down.

“Reach in, find it.” He breathed out slowly.

While I busied myself with that task, Nick half divested me of my pants: he dropped them down to the ground and stepped me out of one of the legs. He was still kissing me like I was the last ripe fruit on the planet. His hand slid between my legs and ran his fingers over my drenched folds.

“Soaked.” He ran a circle around my clit. “I am so amazed by how wet you are.”

“All your fault.” I slipped a hand down to his sac and palmed him lightly.

“I want to fuck you, Morgan. I don’t want this tender and sweet. I want to pound my cock into your sweet pussy, hard, until we both come screaming.”

Sweet Christmas. My legs wobbled at his suggestion, and my head nodded without conscious thought.