Toxic (Addiction #1) (15 page)

It had been a week since their first concert and the band was finally getting into the swing of things. They were feeling more comfortable on stage and they were more confident in their songs and abilities. Shattered Souls helped with that, well everyone except Rook. They were always offering advice and walking them through the process of what they did to prepare for a concert. Rook was M.I.A. most of the time, which Maisy tried not to let bother her, but it did.
 

Luckily, Cruz had been a great distraction. He was a lovable teddy bear. Occasionally, he would pull her to his side on the bus and she would rest her head on his shoulder; it was nice, it was comforting.
 

They were done recording their album, which was now in the process of being produced. They had to do a photo shoot for the album which would be in-between concerts so they had a jam packed schedule to try to get through. Maisy found it easy to settle her mind by playing music that was just good, toe tapping jams.
 

Maisy turned off her iPod and said, “Destiny’s child, Bug-a-boo.”

“Classic!” Cruz exclaimed. “They talking about cutting your MCI phone bill and tossing that pager out the window?”

“Don’t you know it.”

Cruz chuckled and put his arm around Maisy. She settled into his side and basked in the warmth of his body.
 

He was a very attractive man, she couldn’t help but notice, but she didn’t know if she was really attracted to him or just seeking comfort. Kaid, who Maisy used to spend most of her time with was now best friends with Landon and Willow was usually nowhere to be found, just like Rook. If Maisy didn’t know Willow was head over heels infatuated with Grey, she would have thought Rook and Willow were hooking up somewhere.
 

“What’s going on baby girl?” Cruz asked while stroking her hair. “It seems like something’s been bothering you.”

Very perceptive, Maisy thought. That thing that was bothering her was most likely brooding in the back of the bus while everyone else was out having fun. Maisy didn’t feel like venturing out with everyone, so she had stayed behind in the bus to clear her mind. Maybe in the back of her mind, she hoped that Rook would make an appearance from his lair, but two hours later, everyone was back and he was still back there alone.
 

“Nothing really. My mind is just running, thinking about everything that is going on. It’s a lot to handle, you know?”

Cruz squeezed her tight. “It is, but that’s why you have Pete. He can handle everything for you guys. You just need to play like you have been. You guys are so good. I’m kind of jealous sometimes.”

“Ha, alright. You don’t need to blow steam up my ass.”

Cruz made her look him in the eyes. “I’m not lying, Maisy.”

Why did she want to cry? She didn’t want to cry, she refused. She blinked back her tears and said the one thing she wish she didn’t.

“Rook doesn’t seem to think so.”

Cruz sat up and made her look at him again.
 

“What did he say to you?”

Maisy shrugged her shoulders. “Just that we were decent, nothing special.”

Cruz huffed out a heavy breath and leaned back in the sofa, pulled a pillow on his lap and laid Maisy’s head on the pillow so she was looking up at him as he continued to stroke her hair.
 

“Don’t listen to that dipshit. He wouldn’t know his asshole from his mouth if he had to choose.”

Maisy knew she should listen to Cruz, but it was hard when she so desperately wanted the approval of the man that had ingrained himself in her skin. She so desperately wished she could forget about him, say screw it and let him be, but she couldn’t. For some annoying reason, she needed his approval, she lived for it.
 

Maisy looked around and noticed everyone was outside, throwing a football around, of all things. It always surprised her how normal Shattered Souls was on an everyday basis. They were so grounded and such normal guys; it blew away any opinion she had formed of rock stars.
 

“Why aren’t you outside playing football with everyone?”

“Because you’re in here. I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“You didn’t have to,” Maisy said, while looking him in his deep brown eyes that almost matched hers.
 

“I know. But I wanted to.”
 

Cruz continued to stroke her hair, almost lulling her to sleep. His big hands running through her hair was incredibly soothing, almost hypnotic. She didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but she liked it. They could just lay there in silence together and enjoy each other’s presence. Most of the time Cruz was an ass, sarcastic and trying to bang any girl that came his way, but when he opened himself up, he could actually be sweet and caring.
 

“Baby girl, I have to move my hand that’s under your shoulder, it’s falling asleep.”

Maisy barely registered what he was saying because she was in such a state of bliss. She felt him move his arm which left her cold so she grabbed it and wrapped his arm completely around her body so she was practically spooning his arm. Cruz shifted his weight so he was laying with her and scooped her up so she was saddled right next to him. They shared a pillow that was on the couch and snuggled closely.
 

She was in heaven.
 

Cruz kissed the side of her head and said, “Relax, you deserve it.”

“Thank you.”

She turned her head so she was looking at him and leaned in to place a soft kiss on his lips. It was nothing romantic, just a friendly gesture to say “thank you for everything.” Cruz smiled at her and they both put their heads back on the pillow.
 

If anything, they were really good friends who comforted each other. She didn’t really feel anything romantic for him, just a bond that she used to feel with Kaid. It was warm, comfortable and she knew if she ever needed Cruz, he would be there for her.
 

He put on a show for everyone, but he really was a softy at heart.
 

***

Rook had to extract himself from the main cabin of the bus or else his fist was about to be balls deep in Cruz’s throat in two seconds. He returned to the room in the back of the bus and paced the floor while dragging his hand through his hair, trying to figure out what the hell he just witnessed.
 

Cruz and Maisy? Was that really what he just saw? Not just holding each other on the couch, but they kissed…on the lips! When the hell did that start happening? He didn’t even know Cruz was, for real, going after Maisy. Rook knew Cruz joked about it all the time to pull Rook’s leg, but he didn’t think Cruz was actually going to try to get together with Maisy. Didn’t Cruz realize Maisy was supposed to be with Rook?

No, how would he when Rook wanted nothing to do with her? Rook was a zit on a warthog’s ass to Maisy, so anyone would assume he wanted nothing to do with her, which he didn’t, but he also didn’t want anyone else with her. She was too good for Cruz; she was too good for Rook for that matter, but if she was going to be with either one of them, she sure as hell wasn’t going to end up with Cruz.
 

He had no clue what the hell he was going to do, but one thing was for sure, there was no way on Rook’s ball sac that he was going to let Cruz cuddle with Maisy anymore. Rook didn’t care if he had to break all the rules in his book, he was not going to be on the same bus while Cruz and Maisy held each other. Fuck no.
 

“What are you pacing for?” Grey asked, as he walked into the back of the bus with Landon and Kaid.

Rook didn’t answer them, he just sat on the bed, grabbed his guitar and started playing a song he was working on.
 

“He’s in looooooooove,” Landon said in an obnoxious tone that instantly annoyed Rook.
 

“Fuck off.”
 

Landon laughed and continued, “Oh, you going to sit there and cry about it? Cruz and Maisy, sitting in a tree…”

Rook set his guitar down and launched at Landon, pinning him to the ground.
 

“Finish that sentence and I will use your dick as my own personal punching bag.”

“Jesus. Sensitive much?” Grey asked.
 

“I don’t need it from this dick stick.”

Kaid sat in the corner of the room just watching the whole interaction unfold. The guys in Shattered Souls knew how to push each other’s buttons and they did it very often. It was how they had fun on the road, seeing how mad they could make one another. Landon and Cruz were usually the winners because both Rook and Grey were hotheads.
 

“Now are you guys in here for a reason, or did you just come by to annoy the crap out of me?”

“We just wanted to see how you were. We haven’t really talked to you in a while. We usually only see you right before the concert,” replied Grey with concern.
 

“Yeah, well I’ve been occupied.”

“With Maisy stalking?” Landon asked, while blocking his crotch at the same time.
 

Smart man, Rook thought.
 

“No, I finally finished the collage of naked photos I’ve been taking of you guys while in the shower. I’m selling it on eBay for a good chunk of change.”
 

“Sick fuck,” Landon said, while shaking his head.
 

“What are you idiots up to? Anything good? Where’s Willow?” Rook asked while looking around out the window, trying to brush off the intense conversation Grey tried to start.

“Willow and Quinn are hanging out,” Grey replied in a strangled voice. “Isn’t that just awesome?”

“What’s wrong with that?” Kaid asked, confused.
 

“Oh, don’t you know? Grey gets a boner every time he sees Willow,” said Rook while laughing.
 

Landon glared at Grey while Grey stood there neither confirming nor denying his boner problems.
 

“Dude, I thought we talked about this,” Landon said, irritated.
 

Grey blew out a frustrated breath. “I know. It’s just, God, she’s so fucking hot. I don’t know how you do it Kaid, being around two gorgeous women and not having one ounce of urge to fuck them.”

Kaid laughed. “Well, when you grow up with them as sisters and your only family, it’s kind of hard to get all hot and bothered about them.”

“Must be nice. Don’t get me wrong, I love Quinn with everything in me,” Grey said, while looking at Landon. “It’s just, there’s something about Willow that I can’t get out of my head. I don’t understand it. And I swear to God, are her nipples always hard? I think that’s half the problem. Her tits are amazing and then she always has hard nipples, it’s difficult to concentrate.”

Rook chuckled at the expense of his friend. Maybe Rook’s problems in the romance department weren’t half as bad when compared to what Grey was going through. The poor guy clearly had a serious lust for Willow, but also had a girlfriend, so he could do jack shit about it. At least Rook had a choice of whether or not he wanted to be with Maisy. Well, he did, until Cruz the dickhead came along. Rook was going to have to have another talk with his friend, and he knew exactly how it was going to go. Either Cruz took a fist to the face or he backed off of Maisy.
 

“Well, not that I really want to be talking about Willow’s tits, but her nipples are pierced, so that could be the reason.”

Grey groaned out loud and put his head in his hand while Landon had a slight smirk on his face, as if he was imagining what Willow looked like shirtless.
 

“Shit, that’s hot,” Rook said.
 

“Maybe you should sleep with Willow,” Landon said to Rook. “You’re both troublemakers; it would be a perfect match.”

Willow was hot, but she wasn’t the girl for Rook. She would most likely be a really good fuck, but he knew if he ever took Willow to bed, he could kiss any possibility he had with Maisy goodbye. Girls didn’t like sharing their men.
 

“No, she’s more your style Landon. You guys would be hot together and you know she would be good in bed. Hell, she has her nipples pierced. Imagine the things you could do with those.”

“And the tongue piercing,” Kaid said, while picking a piece of lint off his shirt.
 

All of the guys shot their heads up and looked at Kaid as if he just said free beer for life. Rook could see from the corner of his eye that Grey was breathing heavily and Landon even seemed intrigued.
 

“Tongue ring?” Grey croaked.

“Yeah, you guys never saw it?” Kaid took a second to think. “She must have her neutral colored barbell in right now. Sometimes she changes it out so she doesn’t scare people right away. Yeah, she has a tongue ring. She got it when she was sixteen. Maisy got one too.”
 

Rook’s jaw fell to the floor. Maisy had a tongue ring? His edgy angel? Made sense if he took a second to think about it. She was so perfect and pristine on the outside with her long golden locks and big brown eyes, but inside she was edgy and different.