The interviewer flicks her gaze at me. “We don’t need you for a little while, Mallory.”
I don’t know why she needs me at all. I’m not part of the band. Either way, it doesn’t matter. I need to pee.
I poke my head out of the room, searching for a familiar face to point the way to the nearest bathroom.
Tons of people litter the large backstage area. Photographers. Fans. Family. Road crew. I wave to a few who call my name as I wander down the corridor, searching for the ladies’ room.
Ah, finally. I push inside and take care of business.
At the sink, I dig a small brush out of my purse and fix my hair. Two girls burst into the bathroom giggling. I watch them with envy brewing in my chest. None of the guys have significant others I can hang out with when the band’s busy. The girls they hook up with rarely want to talk to me—that’s if the guys let them stick around after they’ve served their purpose.
I thought maybe Pamela and I would develop a friendship since our boyfriends are so close. It’s probably a blessing she didn’t join me on this trip, though.
“Hi,” one of the girls says. “You look familiar. Have you—oh my God! You’re Mallory Dove! The ‘Candy Jar’ girl. Hey!”
“Hi.” I stick out my hand and project a friendly smile. “That’s me.”
“That’s so cool you’re here.” The first girl shakes my hand enthusiastically. “I’m Kim, this is Pearl.”
“Oh, what a pretty name.”
“Thanks.”
The two girls share a look. I can already sense what they’re going to ask.
“So, is Alvin traveling with anyone?” Kim asks.
“Or Garrett,” Pearl adds.
How about that? Usually girls ask about Jacob. I’m oddly pleased the groupies are starting to notice Alvin, since he’ll treat them a lot nicer than the other two will.
“Not that I know of.” My gaze drops to Kim’s shirt and slides over to Pearl’s almost identical one. “Oh.” I laugh feeling silly. “I have the same shirt.”
The girls glance at each other. “But you’re with Chaser,” Kim says.
“Well, the guys are friends, so they hang out a lot.” I shrug. “Andrew gave me one this morning.”
“Oh, honey.” They share another weird look that I can’t interpret. Kim taps her chest. “Andrew hands these out to girls he’s…you know…hooked up with in different cities. Usually asks us to wear it, so his bodyguard can easily pick us out and bring us backstage. Each guy has one that’s slightly different.”
“Mine’s from Vinnie,” Pearl adds, pointing to the cartoon of Vinnie’s face in the middle of her shirt.
No wonder Chaser’s head almost exploded when I came out of the bedroom wearing Andrew’s shirt. If he’s been on tour with them all this time, he has to be aware of its significance. I would’ve been walking around all night completely unaware I was announcing to the world that I’d fucked Andrew and made Chaser look like a fool.
“Excuse me.” I push out of the bathroom and storm down the hallway, searching for the Vandal’s dressing room.
A-ha. Benny’s big body sticks out, and I make a beeline for the door he’s guarding. I’m smaller and quicker on my feet than Andrew’s burly bodyguard. I duck under one of his tree-trunk sized arms and manage to fling open the door before he even knows what’s happening.
Mouth open, I stop and stare at the scene in front of me. Andrew with a girl who definitely isn’t Pamela bent over a chair. Both of them naked from the waist down. Fully engaged.
“Shit.” I gasp. “Oh shit.”
“You planning to stay and watch, Mal?” Andrew thrusts his hips, and the girl moans. “I don’t mind an audience but close the door before some fucker takes a picture.”
His casual attitude cuts through my shock, reigniting my fury. “You asshole!” Tears burn my eyelids, but I’ll be dammed if I’m going to cry in front of them.
Embarrassed and disgusted I back out of the room.
“Mallory, wait!” Andrew calls out behind me. I’m so furious I keep power-walking down the corridor. We’re attracting enough attention to make people turn and stare.
A heavy hand lands on my shoulder, spinning me around. “Get off me!”
“Shhh, don’t cause a scene,” Andrew pleads.
“Cause a scene?” My jaw drops as I lower my gaze to his unzipped, barely-hanging-onto-his-narrow-hips black leather pants. “You’re the one running around like a jackass with your pants about to fall off.”
“Shhh, come here.” He guides me into an empty room and flicks on the lights. But before he closes the door, Chaser yells my name. Andrew tries to slam the door, but it flies open, smacking him in the elbow.
“Ow fuck!”
“What the fuck are you doing?” Chaser roars. “Get your fucking hands off her!”
“Jesus Christ. Calm down.” Andrew shakes his arm and stumbles back a few steps. “Fuck, that hurts!”