Hard Freak

“Chuck your bag in the locker,” Elijah said. “You don’t want to worry about being rolled in the crowd.”

I nodded, then took out my phone and a few bucks and put them in my pocket.

“If you want food, it’s all free,” Damo told me. “Just flash your pass at the vans.”

“Holy cow! You’re kidding me. That’s about as good as life gets.”

Damo and Elijah laughed. They were so jaded. Once you got complacent about free food, it was a downhill slide from there. I’d be eating my fill of that food.

I rushed off, stopping to get a taco. It was true. I just flashed my pass and voila, food. Then I headed out of the VIP area to join the regular people.

There were a few bands I wanted to see apart from the Freaks. I slammed myself into the middle of the crowd. It’d been a while since I’d seen a live band from this side. I wanted to zone out and enjoy the music, but playing with Wreckage had surely wrecked me, because all I could think about was whether I could copy some of those moves and if we’d be better off playing our songs more like that. All the business side. Would I be ruined for life? Damn, I’d never expected that to happen.

A few hours later, I headed back to the VIP area. On my way, I planned out the food I’d eat. Definitely another one of those tacos and maybe a burger and some of that curry. My stomach rumbled at the thought. I thought there was a van selling crepes, too. I might have to go back for them later.

I stood in the queue for the tacos. Tacos were definitely the gold ticket item. Everyone wanted a taco. Then I grabbed my burger and a drink. I was in the queue for the curry when some jerk bumped me, and my delicious burger fell from my hands. I looked down, hoping it was still safe in its container. Nope. Burger splatted all over the ground.

“Watch it,” I said to the guy.

“You watch it. You’re getting a bit uppity for some slutty groupie,” he said.

I was about to give him some lip about that. Double jerk. But suddenly he was slammed up against the side of the van. Crow. Where had he come from?

He had the guy by the shirt front, towering over him. Double Jerk trembled.

“Sorry, dude. Didn’t know she was with you.”

Crow had his fist raised, about to slam it into the guy’s face. “Don’t speak to any woman like that, asshole.”

My heart flipped. Damo had said he wasn’t a knight in shining armor, but it didn’t get any more shining than that. That jerk was almost shitting his pants.

“Don’t hit him,” I said. “He’s not worth the effort.”

Emotions fluttered over Crow’s face, like he warred with himself. Finally, he let the guy go, and the guy ran off as fast as he could.

“And don’t be a jerk again,” I called after him. “You owe me a burger.”

The guy didn’t look back.

“I’ll get you another burger,” Crow said, and he strode off. But he’d have to come back to give that burger to me. We’d walk back to the Freaks’ area together, and I’d have a burger and curry. That jerk might be a jerk alright, but he’d helped bring Crow and me closer together, so he wasn’t all bad.

Chapter 11

“YOU’VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL around some of these guys,” Crow said as we walked back. “They’re used to having women throw themselves at them. They’ve never learned any manners.”

I bit my lip. I’d been one of those women, but then I’d only thrown myself at Crow, not just any rock star. And it wouldn’t matter what Crow did for a living. He could be a mechanic or a cook or an accountant, and I’d feel the same. Well, maybe not an accountant. But a mechanic would be hot. My car would be broken down by the side of the road, and he’d stop to help me get it going. He’d get all hot and sweaty and have to strip his shirt off. Then I’d hand him a bottle of cold water. And next thing, he’d have bent me over that car and...

We’d arrived back at our area. The only ones there were Elijah and Rose. I had no idea where the others had gone, but the fewer people, the better.

“Got enough food there, Firecracker,” Elijah said.

“Well, no, I haven’t,” I replied. “I’m going back for crepes later.”