The Will to Love (12 page)

The silence between us seemed natural and completely ordinary as Will turned onto the Strip and drove to Vogue Hotel & Casino.

There were a couple of texts, one from my sister, but I knew I would see her at the warm up show the guys had to practice so I didn’t bother replying back.

The moment we pulled in the valet area, both Will and I stepped out of the car and quickly made our way through the casino all the way to the arena area. I almost stopped in my tracks as I saw Sasha talking to Faith. She spoke quietly but by the look on her face, she wasn’t exactly pleased to see her.

Will glared at the two women and his gaze softened as he stared in my direction. “I gotta go and warm up my bass but I’ll see you later. Take some awesome photos, sweetie.”

I smiled warmly as I watched him walk off before I strode over to Sasha and Faith.

“What the hell are you doing here hanging around? You know Kaz will go mental if he sees you here. Syd and Talia are best friends for Christ’s sake!” I exclaimed while trying to keep my voice down.

Faith rolled her eyes. She was dressed to the nines as usual and with a fully made up face, she was no one’s picture of a druggie. She just didn’t fit the stereotype with her professionally dyed blonde hair, gray-green eyes and healthy complexion. However, it was easy to hide a lot, especially when one was swallowing OxyContin like it was going out of style and snorting the finest Colombian cocaine. She wasn’t exactly a meth or heroin addict therefore she didn’t look “rough around the edges.”

She looked normal and that’s what was so scary about her addiction.

“Why is everyone trying to get rid of me?” Faith wondered out loud before she crossed her arms against her cleavage.

Her words were clear and concise though she must have been at an even keel; safely between the low of Oxy and the high of cocaine therefore it made her feel perfectly sober and not high at all. “Jaden invited me to be here—I’m not trespassing like you two bitches
think
. If you can be here well then why can’t I?”

I ground my teeth down against one another because if I would have said something, me and my former BFF would have come to blows.

“The difference between
your
presence and ours is you’re a
distraction
. I’m Scarlet Fever’s Press Manager and Laurel takes the photographs—photos which have been requested by Mr. Krieger—you know, that drop dead German fella who
owns
Vogue Hotel and Casino—personally. You’re nothing but a groupie and sorry, babe, but no girlfriends allowed while the band is rehearsing, period.”

“This is bullshit and both of you can go fuck yourselves!” Faith exclaimed before she stalked over to the opposite side of the arena.

“That chick doesn’t know when to quit.” Sasha began to pace before she grabbed her Ulysse Nardin cell phone from her black Birkin bag made from crocodile skin. “Yeah, we might have a situation down here. A drugged-out
groupie
who won’t leave and I don’t want to cause a scene for the hotel.”

“You really think that was necessary?” I set my bag in one of the arena seats and grabbed my camera with the paparazzi lens to get the best photos. “Kaz is coming down from the stage now and heading straight in Faith’s direction.”

“One can never be too careful.” She placed her $50,000 phone in her $100,000 handbag and shrugged her shoulders. “Listen, sis, this is a
business
and all you get to see are the fun parts about it. I have to deal with the other side. Scarlet Fever are a band and a brand. To say that Faith is fucking with the brand is an understatement of the year. Someone should do her a favor and kill her off or something. She’s such a fucking waste of human space.”

I looked at my sister, appalled by what she’d just said but one gaze into those amber eyes of hers, ablaze with emotions, and I knew she meant what she said.

Moments later, Kaz started to escort Faith out before she snatched her arm away and began to leave the arena on her own. Before she could make it to one of the exits, two burly security men, accompanied by Karl, walked in.

Karl said something to them before she was taken by the men, one holding each arm as she screamed crazily and put up a fuss.

Fucking Karl Schmidt.

It didn’t seem like I could get a break today.

I breathed deeply and braced myself as he began to walk towards my sister and I; he would no doubt go in for the kill and if he said anything slightly incriminating in front of my sister, I was dead.

“By the way, Mama came down with food poisoning so we won’t see them until they come out for Grant’s and our engagement party,” Sasha said in a blasé voice.

“When’s that?”

“The weekend of the twenty-sixth. My engagement party is the twenty-eighth, and Kaz and Syd are getting married on the thirtieth. It isn’t an
inconvenience
for you, is it?”

“No, not at all.” I smiled again before Sasha’s eyes wandered past me and a large grin lit up her face.

“Well, well. What do we owe the pleasure, Mr. Schmidt?”

“I just came down to see how two of the most gorgeous women in the world are adjusting to Vegas.”

Sasha laughed—that fake, annoying high society laugh that sent chills down my spine—and I think I threw up a little in my mouth. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Karl. By the way, do you know my sister, Laurel? This is Karl and Karl, this is Laurel.”

“We’re acquainted,” I replied tight-lipped though I still shook his hand. “What are you doing here?”

“Same reason you two are here. Business and I’ve been dying to see Scarlet Fever rehearse.”

Holy shit and Christ on a cracker. I needed to get away from him quick and a hurry, otherwise it would be a
very
long day.

Chapter Ten

Will

Will warmed up on his bass, oblivious to the drama going on around him. He finally made some kind of lame joke as Kaz walked back onto the stage and before he could get to the mic, Jaden began an argument with him.

Grant whistled to him from his drum kit.

“Oh, shit. What the fuck is that freak doing talkin’ to
our
girls? I heard he’s heavily involved in the BDSM community but for all I know, it could be an urban legend.” Grant stood up from his kit as Kaz turned around and then he sat back down.

“‘Filthy Kind of Love’—let’s take it from the top!”

They began to play and Will tried to control his feelings as they built up inside him like a goddamn inferno. He literally couldn’t stand to look at the man who’d taken a part of his beautiful woman and she’d never be the same again.

You’re a firecracker

A natural disaster

A hurricane, an earthquake and tornado wrapped together

Excuse me, sweetie, if I can’t tell you I’ll never say never,

But you drive me crazy with those juicy red lips

That beautiful face and those killer fingertips

All I can say is you’re a cute little bird but never a dove

C’mon darlin’, we gotta filthy kind of love

Will joined in with Jaden and they truly did get into the moment even if part of his mind wandered about what was going on in the arena and why Karl was spending time talking to both Sasha and Laurel.

Can I borrow your body for just one night

You gotta know I want you all right?

My engine’s revvin’, and I can’t get enough

Why are ya makin’ everything so fuckin’ tough?

I want ya lovin’, gotta have it right now

Your performance is amazin’ so take a bow,

I told you before that you will never be a dove

I don’t need an angel, just our filthy kind of love

Will started playing like his life depended on it and in a way it did. It was the only thing that was keeping him from jumping off the stage and tackling Karl. He knew he was a lean guy but he could fight dirty and would do so to protect his woman.

You’ve always been mine

We gotta keep it in line

Everything’s fuckin’ complicated

You got me so goddamn frustrated

And all I want is a little piece of your heart

You can have mine but don’t tear it apart…

He and Jaden began a duo between his bass and his band mate’s lead guitar before they merged and started to play in perfect harmony. It was a work of art and pure beauty; music was one of the major reasons why he got up in the morning but it wasn’t his whole life.

So we keep it nice and steady

Hope you’re wet and ready

Lovin’ you is torture but darlin’, it’s worth it

And I can’t believe how you’re so perfect

So let’s get together and fall into lust

I know it’s a lot to learn how to trust

You’re beautiful baby even if you’re not a dove

Honey, baby, we got a filthy kind of love

I never wanted you to be an innocent dove.

You’ve got dirty wings but you’re the one that I love

Will and Jaden brought the song to the end as Grant brought up the rear and they all laughed and clapped as soon as the song ended. He smiled though it was only one song and they were going through a whole set.

Song, after song, they practiced until Kaz turned toward them. He was covered in sweat—they all were—and he nodded to them all. “Last song to go so let’s do this shit. Mr. Schmidt has decided to grace us with his presence. Let’s get this crap over and done with so we can get outta here. ‘Misery’—take it from the top!”

Grant counted off on his drums and Will joined Jaden on his bass shortly after the mid tempo song kicked into progression.

Misery, baby

That’s what you bring to me

You’re killing me lately

It don’t mean a thing,

Tell me you’ll change your mind

Make me your witness

How can you be unkind

I’m losing my bliss

A lone bass number was played by Will with a little more force than he needed while he watched that son of a bitch flirt with both Sasha and Laurel. It helped him to focus that Laurel looked as uncomfortable as he felt. She wanted nothing to do with Karl any more than he wanted him coming around.

Baby, stop pulling me down

Feet on the ground

I get you and that’s why it’s you and I

Tell me some secrets and add in a lie

No way for me to deny you

And what you’re putting me through

Will played on autopilot; it wasn’t like he didn’t know each of their songs from back to front. He was one of the lucky ones who had a photographic memory and there wasn’t anything he ever forgot. Seeing Laurel and Karl together brought back every terrible memory of that night. It was a classic version of the agony and the ecstasy. He’d never come so hard in his life but at the same time, it was the wrong time and definitely the wrong place. The thought that he would never not remember drove him towards the brink of insanity.

Misery, baby

It should be your name

So save me

And let’s play a game

Of maybe and I’ll definitely win

You know that before we start

Wanna be the loser?

Though you have my heart

Jaden and Will played the bridge together this time and it made the song that much more haunting and it packed a punch when Kaz would sing the chorus twice in a row.

Baby, stop pulling me down

Feet on the ground

I get you and that’s why it’s you and I

Tell me some secrets and add in a lie

No way for me to deny you

And what you’re putting me through

Will tuned the rest of the song out but continued to play until the song ended.

Truth be told, he wanted this whole fucking rehearsal to be over. He’d had enough, and he honestly didn’t know how much of Karl Schmidt he could take before he really did snap in half like a goddamn rubber band.

THE MOMENT REHEARSAL was over, Will couldn’t hand his instrument over to his technician fast enough before he took off and quickly made his way off the stage.

“By the way, dinner at my house! Syd wants everyone to come and that means you too, Will. You can’t get outta this one—my sweetie orders it and if I don’t comply, I don’t get laid. Is that understood? So show up on time and be ready to party!”

“Don’t worry about it, we’ll be there.” He turned his back on Kaz and continued to walk towards Laurel who’d managed to get out of the conversation with the pretense of taking a few last photographs.

She’d managed to snap more than a couple and had just finished putting her stuff away when he approached her.