Manaconda 2: The Second Coming(28)

“Yep.”

He ushered me to the limo. Keys and Owen tumbled in behind us.

“Where’s my case going to fit?” Zach said from outside.

Keys leaned forward in her seat. “You were supposed to leave that with the rest of the instruments.”

Zach hugged the case to his chest. “No. Not Lorraine.”

“Here we go,” Wyatt muttered.

Owen reached for the case. “I can put Lorraine between me thighs, mate.”

“You wish,” Zach groused.

“Just for the ride. No harm. I won’t even touch her locks.” Owen’s Irish accent deepened, as did the wattage on his smirk.

“Asshole.”

“Nah, seriously. I can fit it.”

Zach’s fingers tightened on the handle of the case.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Dex grabbed the case and jammed it against the back corner of his bench seat. “Get in the fucking limo would you?”

Keys’s eyes went wide. “Testy.”

“I’ve had to listen to you people prattling on all morning without a coffee.”

“That’s your own fault,” Lila said. “No one told you to do a cleanse during a promotional tour.” She rapped the roof as Zach finally climbed into the stretch limo.

“Where’s Bats?” Hunter asked.

Lila slid her stylus smoothly down her iPad. “He took a cab. Said he had to do something before rehearsal.”

Hunter’s hand fisted. I covered it with my own and he blew out a slow breath before he opened and laced our fingers together.

Dex and Lila worked quietly on their devices. Keys, Zach and Owen were sitting on one side of the limo, legs stacked over each other’s as Owen recorded a ridiculous play-by-play about the ride into midtown.

Keys bounced in her seat. “We need to see The Naked Guitar guy.”

“Naked Cowboy,” Zach corrected.

“Whatever. There’s naked going on and I need to see it.”

“Perv,” Wyatt said from the other bench seat across from them.

“Undoubtedly,” she said with a cheeky grin. She untangled herself, then slid down to where the driver was. “Hey. Hi there.”

“Yes, miss?”

“What’s your name?”

“Charles, miss.”

“Okay, Chuck, we need to go through Times Square.”

“We don’t have time for that, Faith,” Lila said without looking up from her tablet.

“Aww, come on. We never have the time to explore the city when we’re touring.”

Wyatt folded his arms. “That’s because you want to take pictures with everyone we see, Trouble.”

“Can I help it if my fabulous sense of style makes me stand out?”

I hid a smile behind my hand. Keys took a page out of the British music scene style. Short leather jacket with crazy shirts, skinny jeans and Chucks in every color of the rainbow. Today she had a purple sneaker on one foot, and a yellow on the other. The blue she’d had in her hair the last time I’d seen her had faded to a mere tint in her champagne blonde hair.

“You look more like you went shopping with Jazz from Oblivion,” Wyatt said.

“Oh, I’d totally go shopping with her. Oh, man I should totally call her up and see if she wants to do a crossover.” She slid back to where the guys were filming. “Hey, if you want to see me and Jazz Duffy do a crossover video then let’s make it happen. Share, share, share and tag us both!”

I pulled out my phone and texted Carter to push the video in our usual places as well. Cross promotion between bands was a very effective tool. Even if the band itself was having tough times, this would be a good way for Hammered and Oblivion to share some social space.

“What are you doing?”

I looked up at Hunter. “You know me. Can’t ever stop working.”

“No, you certainly can’t.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead absently, but his attention was still elsewhere.

A silent conversation went on between Wyatt and Hunter before he sat back again and gave me a half smile.

‘What?’ I mouthed to him.

He shook his head and tightened his grip on my hand.

The limo took a side street that was blocked off for guests. Lila and Dex got out first.

“Finally.” Indie ducked her head in. She sat down where Lila and Dex had been sitting. “Where the hell is Reed?”

Hunter’s brows snapped down. “He’s not here?”

“Not that I’ve seen.” Indie slumped back on the seat. “All right, we’ll focus on the important stuff. The paparazzi is here in full force, and they’re all assholes.”

“It is New York City,” Zach said.

“Truth.” Indie sighed. “Go in the side door and head to the back. Your instruments came in with me last night.”