Dare flicked Trey's ear. "I'll do any required ass-kicking in this family."
"You're going to kick your own ass?"
"If necessary."
They watched Steve tap his drumsticks on the body of Reagan's guitar as he tried to get her to rock out to the beat. "You did it back in the studio that first day," Steve said to her. "I know you can do it."
"I think I should get her out of here for a few hours," Trey said. "She looks pretty stressed out."
"She has to get used to that too," Dare said.
"So I'm supposed to sit back and watch her struggle?"
"Nope, you're supposed to leave her to struggle on her own and let her vent to you about what assholes we all are when she sees you tonight."
Trey sighed. "All right. I'll leave my one true love at the mercy of four badass metal heads, but I won't like it."
"She's a tough chick. She'll be fine. Don't be her crutch. Be her champion."
Trey internalized his brother's words. The man could do no wrong. In Trey's eyes, he knew everything. "Dare?"
"Yeah, bro?"
"Watch out for her for me, okay?"
Dare smiled. "Will do."
"Thanks." Trey slid off the equipment case and approached Reagan who was having advice thrown at her from Max, Steve, and Logan all at once. She looked from one man to the next as if they were speaking some obscure foreign language.
"Guys," Trey interrupted. "Give her a moment to breathe."
She looked so relieved to see him that he thought she might burst into tears. He strengthened his resolve. Champion, not crutch. "I've got some stuff to do. I'll see you tonight, okay?"
Her look of desperation turned his resolve into a wet noodle. "You're leaving?"
"You'll do great, Reagan. I have faith in you." He gave her arm a rough bro-tap with his knuckles and turned to go. Maybe he should have kissed her good-bye instead.
Chapter 29
In her dressing room on opening night, Reagan concentrated on walking in her new high-heeled ankle boots without breaking her neck. She'd promised Sam that she'd try this his way before reverting back to her combat boots, but Sinners' set wasn't even over yet and her toes were already complaining.
Maybe if she could stop pacing.
"Are you nervous?" Ethan asked, watching her walk past him for the fiftieth time.
"You have no idea," she said. And if he hadn't been there, she'd probably be climbing the walls with her newly polished fingernails. At least they'd listened to her when she'd insisted she couldn't play properly with the three-inch monstrosities they'd tried to affix to her fingertips.
"You look fantastic tonight. I can't keep my eyes off you."
"It only took two hours to get me to look like this."
"Is that non-smudging lipstick?"
"Yeah," she said, pressing her lips together. "Why? Is it smudged?"
Ethan wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her against him. "Because I think you can use a distraction."
She could use a thousand distractions, but as far as distractions went, the deep plundering kiss Ethan gave her would do just fine.
Ethan's hands slid down the stiff leather of her corset and over the back of her short, tulle skirt.
"Ethan?" she whispered against his lips.
"I'll hurry," he promised.
He fumbled under her skirt and tugged her bike shorts and panties down. "Ethan?"
His kiss deepened. His fingers sought her clit. She thought she should probably protest-she had to be onstage in less than half an hour-but she surrendered instead. He continued to kiss her and touch her until she sagged against the wall behind her. Her fingers tangled in his hair and she tugged her mouth from his. "I need you, Ethan. Put it in."
She slid her hands under his tight T-shirt and sucked on his neck while he found protection in his wallet, unfastened his pants, and applied the condom. He met her eyes. The intense feral hunger in his gaze turned her knees to jelly. He grabbed her roughly and forced her to face the wall.
"Don't move," he said. The deep timber of his commanding voice alit her nerve endings with excitement.
She held still while he sought her opening with his stiff cock. He filled her slowly. She whimpered, wanting it hard and fast. Buried deep, he arranged her body to ease his possession-nudged her thighs apart, encouraged her to bend her back more. Her entire body quivered with anticipation. It had been a while since Ethan had fucked her like this. She didn't realize how much she needed it. Thankfully, he did. He grabbed her wrists and drew both arms above her head, holding her firmly. His hips began to move. He plunged into her hard and deep, possessing her with a certain fury that drove every thought from her mind. She surrendered to him completely, trusting him to fulfill her by taking her power and using her body. He pounded into her harder and faster, answering her moans of excitement with deep growls. He maintained the same rigorous motion until her pussy ached from lack of fulfillment, and even though his possession felt fantastic, she couldn't take anymore.