Ballad:Rockstar 05(24)

"You did. You smirked at me about Jana and I gotta tell you, Misty, that  pisses me right off. Pissing me off isn't a good thing, just ask these  guys," I say, pointing to the table behind me.

They don't say anything, just look on.

Misty shakes her head, tears free falling down her cheeks.

"Do you think your tears matter to me?"

"Please-"

"They don't matter to me and neither does your pleading, so save it. Do  you think tears and pleading are going to make a difference to Jana,  wherever she is?" I ask, moving the blade closer to her arm.

"I-I don't-" she stutters.

"They won't. Nothing is going to matter and you had a hand in this. I  don't know how, but I'll find out, and I'm going to kill you for it. It  won't be a quick mercy killing either." I stick the blade in her upper  arm just enough to make it bleed and she cries out. "You think this  hurts?"

I get up from my chair and walk around hers, standing behind her. I grip her hair and with a swipe of the knife, I shear it off.

"I heard you making fun of Coley for not having hair. You think it's  funny, the fact that she struggled with an illness that nearly killed  her? It's a fucking miracle she's still breathing!" I shout, then plunge  the knife into her shoulder, before deftly pulling it back out, wiping  the blade clean against her shirt. Misty lets out a scream that echoes  throughout the bus.

"Sit real still," I warn, then run the blade along Misty's scalp, dry  shaving her hair off, leaving her bald. When I finish her entire head, I  walk in front of her and push her head back with my hand against her  forehead.

When I lean in, she flinches.

"I'd be very still if I were you," Cage warns, knowing I don't want to  maim her just yet. She does as he suggests and I shave her eyebrows off.

"There. Now you have no hair either." Misty hangs her head. "It makes  you feel exposed, vulnerable, even weak, doesn't it?" I ask. "Imagine  how you'd feel if you were sick, so sick you couldn't walk or go to the  bathroom by yourself, and bald. Just imagine the humility that takes.  The courage. The strength. To go on every day and fight for your life,  all the while they're pumping poison through your veins to try to save  you-" I shake my head. "And Coley fought like a champion all while she  was in foster care. That makes her a hero. That makes her my hero. And  you? That makes you a shallow bitch." I emphasize the word bitch with a  stab of the blade to her other shoulder. I pull it back out, not even  hearing her cries and wails anymore. I hear nothing but I do feel  something. I feel the need for justice.

I bend my knees, dropping to her level, and when she looks at me, I tell her the only thing I have left to say to her.         

     



 

"I'm going to enjoy killing you."





Chapter 15




Coley



We got to the hotel nearly two hours ago and no sign of Ben. What the  fuck? I sigh. I should have known he'd go back on his word. I sit on the  bed and let out another sigh. I don't bother fighting the tears, I just  let them go. There's no one here to see.

I love that idiot and, God, how I wish he loved me in return.

There's a soft knock on my door and I quickly wipe my eyes and face. When I open it, there stands Lucian.

"Hey baby," he says, his smile fading as he sees my red, blotchy face.  The joys of being a redhead. "What's wrong?" he asks, guiding me into my  room.

I just shake my head. "Nothing."

He quirks his brow.

"Really, nothing."

I see the light bulb moment for him, then the sad smile.

"What happened?"

"You already asked that," I tell him with a shove to his shoulder.

"You didn't answer-not really."

"It's stupid really. I mean, why did I think he'd want to be with  someone like me? Someone who'd only slow him down? He's a fucking  rockstar. What was I thinking?" I wonder aloud as I pace, trying to bite  back the tears.

"Stop that right now. He might have gotten hung up doing some shit, you know how it is."

I shrug my shoulder skeptically.

"He's Lucy's bro-in-law, which means he's going to have to cater to her  needs when Jesse needs help, and I'm sure it's not easy getting set up  in their suite with a woman toting around three Kingstons in her belly,"  he says.

"Maybe." I still don't believe it.

"Did he make plans with you?" he asks, reaching out to wipe an errant tear. Damn tear.

I nod. "He said he wanted to take me out to dinner and that we were going to spend time together."

"Maybe he's setting some things up. That takes time, even with the pull Cage has," he reassures me.

I nod again. "Possibly. He didn't really say which day, either."

"Why don't we go take a walk and see if we can't find the fucktard that is Ben Kingston," Lucian suggests.

I shrug. I don't even know if I want to bother. My excitement and hope has fizzled quickly to mere specks.

"C'mon, baby," he encourages, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

I sigh. "All right. Let me grab my key." After I do, we head toward the elevators.



Twenty minutes later and still no Ben. I'm getting tired but I don't  want to admit that to Lucian. The last thing I want is for everyone to  get more protective than they already are.

I sigh and take a seat on a sofa in the lobby.

"I'm sure he's around here somewhere," Lucian tells me.

"I'm sure he is," I agree. In some girl's bed …  a bed that isn't mine. He  doesn't want someone sick and inexperienced. I'm such an idiot.

Justin walks in the front doors, the noise from the street following him inside and quickly extinguishing as they close.

"There's my Nikki girl," he teases.

I really hate that name. I just give him a weak wave and his brows furrow.

"What's going on?" he asks, looking between me and Lucian.

I just shrug.

"You seen Ben?" Lucian asks.

"Uh," Justin begins, looking sideways at me in discomfort, then he looks to Lucian. "Yeah."

"See, there you go," Lucian exclaims, pulling me to my feet.

"Uh," Justin says again. Lucian isn't listening-but I am and I hear the caution in his tone.

"Where's that fucker?" Lucian asks.

Justin swears under his breath, rubbing a hand along the back of his neck.

"Just tell us," I say meekly, and Justin's eyes snap to mine. He sees it. The defeat. His eyes spark with anger.

"I'll do you one better. I'll show you," he says, then mutters, "so I  can punch that fucker in the face," under his breath quietly, but I  still hear. This isn't going to be pretty.

We get outside and then walk around the side of the building and see  some of the guys from the bands standing around with a bunch of groupies  and I take a deep breath. No, this definitely won't be pretty. It's  going to be ugly and it's going to hurt.

Lucian's grip on my hand loosens, and he pulls me to his side.

"Son of a bitch."

I can't see what he sees because I'm too short, but it's coming. Dread  settles in the pit of my stomach, fear fills my chest, my heart frozen.

And then I see him. Standing in a crowd of scantily clad women, autographing their chests.

"Classy," I mutter.

"Isn't it though," Lucian bites out.

"Hey, dick!" Justin shouts as we walk a closer. Ben immediately looks  over and when his gaze meets mine, regret fills his features.

"Too late, fuckwad," I mutter and Lucian chuckles. My hands ball into  fists and it's all I can do not to run up to him and claw his fucking  face off. It's not them I'm pissed at. Nope. It's him. This is all on  him.         

     



 

"Ben, Ben, Ben," Xander says, walking up along my other side, wrapping  his arm around my waist. "What a fucking idiot. You'd think you'd have  learned from what happened to Jesse. Remember that? Chicks, Lucy, fists  flying, broken hand?"

"I remember," Ben mutters. "Nicole-"

I hold up a hand. "Don't bother."

"It's not what it looks like."

"It never is," Justin replies.

"Ain't that the truth," I agree.

Justin walks up behind me, resting his hands on my shoulders.

"We had a scheduled signing session," Ben begins, lamely.

I just nod.

Xander snorts. "That was over an hour ago."

"Not helping," Ben says.

"Not trying to," Xander tells him flatly. "Dumbass."

I take a deep breath then turn to Lucian, Xan, and Justin. "I'll be back in just a minute."

They murmur their agreement and I straighten my spine before walking the thirty feet separating me and Ben.

"I won't take long, ladies," I tell them, "but could I have a couple of minutes with Ben?" I ask.

They all nod and head over to where the other band members are.

"You know," I begin, "I thought you meant what you said."

He opens his mouth but I hold up a hand.

"Don't. Shut your mouth until I'm finished."

He nods.

"I thought we'd have a nice dinner, go back to my room where you'd do  all of those things you talked about last night. I thought you really  wanted me, the sick girl from foster care." I shake my head in defeat.  "What the fuck was I thinking?"