Oh, we were going to play that game, were we? I was good at the asshole game. Her eyes flitted to my arms as I crossed them in front of my chest before she looked back at me. “Say what, princess.”
“First of all,” she started, spitting her words out like bullets. Oh, so this was the Bex Cal warned me about. I liked it. I could do a lot with that spitfire mouth. “My name isn’t fucking sweetheart or princess. It’s Bex. Not anything else. And what you wanted to say was, you want to fuck me, but instead you gave me some lame pick-up line that you thought would work on this weak ass female because you’re used to others falling at your feet. I’m not going to get down and suck your dick, no matter how much you flex your muscles for me. Your tats and muscles might work for the idiots that come to this bar, but not for me. We straight?”
She might’ve thought that would deter me, but she was wrong. So I laughed instead of responding. “Bex. That’ll sound good in my bed later.”
She snorted, slapping her hand down on the counter. “Un-fucking-believable. What is it? You have some sort of brain damage? I’m. Not. Fucking. You.”
This wasn’t going the way I anticipated. “Let’s start over,” I said, reaching out my hand. “Johnny.”
She eyed me carefully, but didn’t hold out her hand. “Bex.”
“Bex, welcome to The Outrigger. This is the home of the best orgasm you’ll ever receive.”
She lifted her eyebrow, lifting the glass to her lips again. “You always this cocky?”
I shrugged. “Don’t have any reason not to be.”
“Well now you do,” she said, setting down the empty glass.
“Why’s that? You have a boyfriend?”
Bex narrowed her eyes on me. “It doesn’t matter if you were the last dick I had the option of having, I’d still pass.”
She was lying. I could read it in her eyes. But I’d let her have that one. “If you say so, Bex.”
“I’m here to play music, not to stroke your giant ego. Find some barfly that will be impressed by the size of your . . .” Bex paused, looking me up and down, “ . . . muscles and succumb to your every command. This girl isn’t one of them.”
She turned on her heel and walked back to the band, avoiding my gaze as I continued to watch her. So she was feisty. I liked that.
The bar broke out in catcalls and thunderous yelling and screaming as Jaded Regret took the stage. When I’d assumed it was going to be a huge crowd, I’d been correct. The entire place plus the beach outside was filled. I’d been sweating my ass off and wishing for a cold shower for hours, but now that I saw Bex on the stage, I definitely needed one.
I was wrong about her only wearing shirts that showed her stomach. Bex was wearing a tight black dress and tights. Her hair was down and framing her face, and her eyes were black with makeup. She stepped up to the mic, her dark red lips fascinating me. A small smile played on her lips as she held up a hand to the appraising audience. This was the hottest sight I’d ever seen.
“Thanks for coming,” she said, effectively silencing the crowd. “It’s so great to see such support in our hometown. Let me introduce you to my guys before we get rockin’ here tonight.” More screaming and catcalls ensued. “On the drums is my brother from another mother, Beau.”
Beau nodded, picking up his drumsticks and banging out what I could only call an epic solo. The girls screamed, some of them shouting lewd comments at the guy. I remembered this well, and my band had never been anywhere near as popular as Jaded Regret.
“Next up is Tanner on the bass. Take it away, Tan.” I’d heard some great bassists in my life, but this guy was fantastic.
When he bowed to the screaming crowd, Bex stepped back to the microphone. “And last but certainly not least is Ryver, my partner on guitar when I’m too into belting out the lyrics to play. Go on with your bad ass, Ryver.”
Ryver grinned at her. “Only if you join me.” She bumped him playfully and they counted down together, both of them playing in sync. I watched as her fingers moved deftly over the strings, her eyes looking at Ryver the whole time. I wanted to hear her sing. Right. Now.
When they finished, they fist bumped and Ryver moved back next to Tanner. “So, you guys might’ve heard our fabulous news.” A few screams and catcalls followed her statement. “But those of you that haven’t, I’m going to tell you. Next month we’re going on tour with my idols, my inspiration. The one—the only—Halestorm.”
Thunderous applause drowned out anything else she said. She nodded, soaking it up. Watching her up there was something else. “So to celebrate that, our first song of the night is going to be one of my favorite Halestorm songs. I hope you enjoy. I’ll be throwing in a few of their songs tonight as a tribute to them.”
She nodded to the guys and the music began. I sure hoped no one wanted a drink because I was going to watch every second of this performance. I recognized the song immediately as “Here’s to Us.” I loved the lead singer of Halestorm, but the second Bex started singing I was lost. Her gravely voice started out low and then lifted, singing the notes like they were made just for her. She tapped her foot on the ground as she swayed with the microphone, her guitar hanging from her, unplayed.
When she sang ‘tell them to fuck themselves’, she looked directly at me. I couldn’t help but wonder if that was on purpose. I got it. Bex was tough. But I was tougher. I never wanted her to stop singing. Her voice was like a drug. The guys stopped playing and Bex’s voice was the only sound heard throughout the bar as she finished the last line of the song. The room was silent for a moment as if spellbound by the pureness of her talent.
Seconds later they came alive, hooting and hollering at their performance. I now understood why they were opening for Halestorm and predicted they’d have a big record label coming after them very soon.
“Thank you, Outrigger.” Her voice curled down into my gut and twisted it around. “This next one is very special to me. It was our first song we did as a band. It will actually be our first single released. It’s called, ‘I Won’t Let You.’” A few screams got her attention, and she smiled. “Some of you know it. That’s awesome. Take it away, boys.”
I watched as Bex’s fingers started moving over the strings, her head down and bobbing as they played the intro together.
“They’re awesome, aren’t they?” I jumped, not expecting Cal to start talking next to me.
I nodded, not wanting to miss a second of Bex performing by talking. She started belting out lyrics about ‘not letting you hurt me,’ ‘I won’t stay,’ ‘you can’t do this to me.’ It hit me right in my core. It was like she was singing directly to me. Thankfully no one was moving from watching them, so I was off the hook with refilling drinks.
Two hours later, Jaded Regret bowed and ran off the stage. I breathed out, my chest tight. That was the most epic show I’d ever seen. And I got to see them for two more nights.
Natalie walked up. “This is a great crowd. I have the feeling this weekend will be record setting.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “They deserve it. They’re great.”
I felt her eyeing me again. I wanted her to take me back to the band, but not for the reason she might think.
“Do they want anything? Food?”
Natalie nodded. “Yeah. I put their orders in already.”
“I’ll get it and bring it to them if you want.”
“Sure, that sounds good. The setup okay there you think?”
“Yes, it’ll be okay there until tomorrow.”
Natalie leaned over and put her hand on my forearm, pressing her breasts against me. “Bring the food up to room 301, okay?”
I looked over at Cal, hoping to God he was okay with me bailing on him for a while. I had to see Bex. “Sure thing. I’ll check on it in a minute. They want any drinks?”
“There’s stuff in the suite,” Natalie answered. I watched her as she walked away. She was hot with curves in all the right places. Too bad someone else had ruined my appetite for anyone else tonight.