Rise by Cassandra Robbins

 

 

 

 

RHYS

Present – Thirty-five years old

London, England

“We love you, London!” I look out into the adoring crowd. Thousands of fans singing your music is something I will never get used to but am always grateful for. I’m sweaty and fucking amped up as I make my way off the stage. I’m taking Gia, and we’re locking ourselves in until we fly to Berlin tomorrow.

Everyone closes in on me. BT takes my earpiece and Dallas hands me a towel as I pull off my T-shirt, looking for her.

“Rock God, I love you. Can you sign my tits?” A woman who is clearly British, along with her leggy friend, have somehow gotten backstage and she tears off her T-shirt.

They both squeal as she hands me a marker. I barely register as I write Rock and God on each tit. It’s been a thing I’ve done for years. I feel Sebastian and Hunter following as they zoom in with the camera.

“Have a good one, darling.” I turn and take the bottle of Jack that Fred, one of our roadies, hands me.

“Where’s Gia?” I look around, then straight at the camera, because out of anyone, Sebastian would know where she is. “Gia. Where is she?” I yell at him.

Hunter walks over to Rafe. He’s deep in conversation with Ace who has a bunch of extra security on hand tonight.

I look over my shoulder at Ammo. He’s giving the leggy one his number on her tits.

The crowd still roars their appreciation as Rafe walks over. “Let’s move,” he says.

“What the fuck, man? Where is Gia?” Cold dread, like someone dumped a bucket of ice water on me, makes me almost grab my chest. He looks me in the eyes. That’s Rafe—he never looks away. I wonder if I look as crazy as I feel, because the look on his face makes me turn.

Ace grabs me, but I have rage on my side as I lunge for Sebastian. “What did you do, you fuck? Where is she?”

He drops the camera just in time to save his eye as I take him to the ground.

“What did you tell her?” I slam my fist in his face, and the satisfying crack of his nose breaking makes me only want to hurt him more.

“Fuck, Granger. Dude.” Hands are pulling me off him. He sits up and smiles. Fucking dick has a broken nose, fat lip, and blood everywhere and still, he fucking smiles at me.

“I’d start talking and stop smiling,” I spit at him.

He doesn’t engage, only puts his head back and pinches his nose.

Hunter, who’s holding the camera and filming, looks around the lens at me, then at Sebastian. “Jesus Christ, Granger, you fucked up his nose.”

Ace and his team are moving me toward the back exit. “Fuck you, Sebastian.”

“I’m suing your ass, Granger. You don’t deserve her.” And I snap. See red. Growling like a caged animal, I try to break free.

“Granger, we need to get you out of here, man.” Ace pushes me back as I hear people scream, or maybe it’s me as I try to fight my way loose.

Sebastian takes a towel wrapped in ice for his nose. “You think I’d let her end up with a prima donna like you? Think again, Rock God.”

“Motherfuck—” I lunge again as Rafe steps in to push me back.

“Get him to the hospital and fix his fucking nose,” he says to one of the medics who’s trying to help Sebastian sit. I have no choice but to move backward.

Ace pats my chest. “Brother, you need to cool your shit. She’s okay. I took her to the airport.”

My eyes dart to his. “The fuck you say?”

“She was borderline hysterical,” he says as we bang open the heavy door and go outside into the rain. I’m like a man possessed. Whatever she heard must have been bad. Bad enough that she fucking ran.

She ran from me again. Just like I knew she would, just like my mother did, just like anyone I love.

“Where’d she go?” My voice is almost hoarse. I need to find her, tell her none of this shit matters, that it’s only her and me.

Goddamn her for not trusting me and running after everything we’ve been through. Ammo and Nuke are waiting for me outside by the limo.

“I don’t know where she was going. They wouldn’t let me past the gates, even with my badge, man.” He opens the door of the limo. Ignoring the paparazzi, we all pile in. I lean back and try to breathe. I need to form a plan. I sit up and get my phone out of my pocket. Of course, it goes straight to voicemail.

“Gia, I don’t know what happened…” I look over at Rafe and Ace, both not even trying to pretend they’re not listening.

“Just come back.” I hang up and fight the urge to throw my phone.

“I asked Desi. She said she saw Gia crying with Sebastian,” Ammo says as he looks out the window.

“I want that piece of shit fired. You know what? Fuck this, I’m done with the whole thing. They have enough footage.” Clenching and unclenching my fist, I examine my swollen knuckles.

“You’re all under contract,” Rafe exclaims. “I’m going to have to work something out with Sebastian since he’s threatening to sue. As for Gia…” He leans forward. “Granger, I told her to wait and talk to you. She said no.”

The limo glides down the road as I turn to him. “You let her go?”

“I did.”

“I told you to watch her. This is a fucking betrayal.” I’m ready to attack Rafe, and that’s never happened.

“Pull your shit together, Granger,” he says dryly while typing on his phone. Reaching into his suit jacket, he pulls out another phone.

“Find her. Trace her fucking phone if you have to.” I reach for my cigarettes, only to hear Nuke snort. I look over at him.

“You got something you want to say?” I sneer.

“You’re unbelievable, man. The great Rock God has finally fallen. She’s too good for you. You ain’t gonna be faithful to her and you know it.”

“What the fuck, Nuke?” I snarl.

He looks at me, his eyes almost slits as he lays his head back. “And you wonder why she left?” His voice sounds bitter. “The sexiest man alive and look at you.” He laughs. “You don’t give two shits about Gia.”

I lean forward. “You need to get off the smack. You don’t have a clue about Gia.”

He snorts again. “Like you’re a saint. What’re you gonna do? Beat me up?” Wiping his nose, he sits up to stare at me.

“Nuke, shut the fuck up.” Ammo lights a cigarette and hands me his bottle of Jägermeister. “Listen, Bianca is pregnant. It hasn’t been a fun couple of days. She went and sold her story to People. It’s coming out tomorrow.”

“Bianca?” My mind goes back. “That was months ago. Did that fuck tell Gia that?” And it’s all making sense. Of course, she wouldn’t handle it well.

I take a large swig of the Jägermeister. Christ, I don’t know how Ammo can stand drinking this shit all the time. “If she is pregnant, it’s not mine. I didn’t even fuck her. She blew me a couple of times—”

“The kid’s mine,” Nuke snaps, the most animated I’ve seen him in a long time, other than when he’s onstage. I almost say I’m sorry, but screw him. Nuke is one of my oldest friends, but he’s letting drugs take him down. He also sounds like a jealous dick. Like I would ever want to be the sexiest man alive.

Rafe glances up as the limo pulls into the hotel. I almost demand a new room. The thought of being in that suite without Gia makes me hold on to the bottle of shitty Jäger.

I turn to Ammo. “Let’s go to the bar.”

“Absolutely.” He takes a drag of his cigarette. I don’t wait for someone to open the limo door. My shock is wearing off.

I’m fucking livid, and strangely numb. She just fucking ran. Didn’t try to talk. Didn’t give me a chance. Fuck that. She didn’t give us a chance! She’s been holding back since I saw her a month ago. To be honest, she never trusted me.

I take a swig as Ammo walks next to me. “You might want to take it easy, brother.” He eyes me.

“Nah, not tonight. Tonight, anything goes.”

He tosses his cigarette and opens the door. “After you.”