The door opened. Two members of Exodus End’s security team helped them disembark and rushed them toward the building. Steve instinctually ducked as he passed beneath the slowly turning helicopter blades and followed his group toward the castle. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but the place was decorated in fine elegance. He felt like he should be wearing a tuxedo and congratulating a bride and groom. The party of congregated guests applauded as the band entered a dining hall. Fine china, crystal glassware, silver utensils, and impeccable white linens decorated round tables. Flowers perfumed the air, and tapered candles offered an atmospheric glow to their surroundings. Steve and each of his bandmates were seated at separate tables with five eager strangers, so there was no way to continue discussing their future. Getting rid of Sam was top priority, but he wondered if they all envisioned the same goals once they were free to do what they pleased. Steve tried smiling and being friendly with the ultra-VIPs, but his thoughts kept returning to the situation with Sam.
When Baroquen entered the room about a half hour later, Roux was separated from her bandmates and seated at her very own table of strangers too. He knew she had her bullet clenched tightly in her fist as her troubled gaze met his across the room. If it weren’t for Sam and his ridiculous events, the two of them could be enjoying some alone time in his hotel room right now.
God, he hated Sam. And soon he’d be rid of him for good.
*~*~*
By the time Steve and Roux crawled into bed after their VIP dinner, it was almost dawn. Their meal had consisted of ten courses, one for each table. Luckily, they’d been served tapas-style fare with a minimum of twenty minutes per table, so his stomach hadn’t exploded from overindulgence, but he was uncomfortably full. For each course, the rock stars had switched tables so that every small group of ultra-VIPs got to interact with each of them. Once he’d let his anger toward Sam go—a little—he’d enjoyed interacting with the wealthiest of their fans. They were good people. He felt an instant connection with rock music fans no matter where in the world he happened to be. At least here in the UK, they spoke mostly the same language.
Unable to consider doing anything remotely energetic after such a long night, he spooned against Roux’s back and let weariness pull him toward sleep. Today was a travel day, so at least Butch wouldn’t be banging on the door in two hours to get him into the gym, but the band’s taskmaster would be there in four, demanding that he get his ass on the plane so they could make their way to London for tomorrow night’s show.
“Have you ever been too tired to sleep?” Roux murmured.
Apparently not, because the next thing he knew, Zach was standing over his bed, shaking him awake. Fuck. He’d forgotten he’d given Zach a key. What kind of ass used it to barge into a man’s room and wake him up at—Steve glanced at the clock—noon. Noon!
“Babe?” He shook Roux gently, but she mumbled something that sounded a lot like fuck off before pulling the covers over her head.
“Why didn’t anyone wake me?” Steve asked, shifting his feet over the edge of the bed, putting his elbows on his thighs, and leaning forward to rub his face with both hands. It was times like these that he wished he hadn’t given up cocaine. When running on a few hours of sleep, it sure beat coffee. “Weren’t we supposed to be in the air at eleven?”
“The jet is making two flights today. It should be back soon to pick up the rest of us. Max said to let you sleep.”
Steve snorted. “Since when does Max have my best interests at heart?”
“He’s in a really good mood,” Zach said, nibbling on a fingertip. “It’s almost frightening.”
“I figured Max would take the fact that I was right about Sam and he was wrong less graciously than he has.”
Roux sat up. “Right about Sam how?”
Steve really should tell her their plans. He trusted her not tell anyone, but what if she was brought to trial, and had to testify under oath? If something like that led to Sam getting off on a technicality due to some contract provision, he’d never forgive himself.
“He’s a douche,” Steve said.
“We all get to ride on the jet today.” Zach beamed at Roux. “Even you and me.”
She didn’t look overly thrilled by the news. “I think I’ve been in the air more over the past three days than I’ve been on the ground,” she said, wrapping the sheet around her as she climbed to her feet and stumbled toward the bathroom.
Steve turned to Zach. “Do you realize what glorious sight I missed just now because you’re here?”
Zach shrugged. “Eh, you’ve seen her naked before. Guess who texted me this morning?”
Steve cringed. “Please don’t say Enrique.”
“Enrique!”
“What did he want?”
“He says he misses me and knows a place where we can be alone together for a couple of days.”
“Alone so that no one will know he’s seeing you.” Steve filled in a blank.
“I don’t care if anyone knows,” Zach said.
“Yes, you do.”
Zach sighed and flopped down on the bed beside Steve. “I haven’t texted him back with an answer yet,” he said. “But I want to.”
So there was hope. Zach just needed some support, and he’d be able to make the right decision, which Steve sincerely believed was telling Enrique to fuck off. Zach deserved a hell of a lot more consideration than that prick had ever shown him.
“Hey, Roux?” Steve called.
“Can’t a woman pee in peace?”
Zach grinned. “Someone is cranky this morning.”
“She prefers to be awoken slowly and gently, with kisses on her lips and then deeper kisses on her other lips.” He wondered if they’d have time to reenact her preferred awakening before they had to leave.
Zach crinkled his nose. “Eww.”
“Mmm, pussy. I go at it all morning like . . .” He showed off some of his more impressive tongue skills just to make Zach gag. Steve then smashed Zach flat with one arm while making all sorts of juicy sounds with his mouth next to Zach’s ear. “You like that don’t you, sweet pussy?”
“Oh God, please make it stop.” Zach squirmed wildly, trying to escape Steve’s crude torture.
Roux cleared her throat. “What exactly is going on out here?”
“He’s showing me how he eats you out,” Zach said.
Her horrified expression made both Steve and Zach burst out laughing.
She shook her head. “And you two wonder why people get the wrong idea about your relationship.”
“Nah,” Steve said. “We get it. We just don’t care.”
“If you’re worried, don’t be,” Zach said. “He loves pussy almost as much as it grosses me out.”
“Well, pardon my genitals,” Roux said. “You should probably leave now, because they’re about to be exposed.”
Steve made a fist of victory. “Aw, yeah.”
“Gross,” Zach said, scrambling off the bed. “I’ll see you all on the plane.”
“Don’t text him,” Steve said, knowing Zach would know what he meant. Steve would have to keep a close eye on Zach if he wanted him to stay strong when faced with Enrique’s million-dollar smile—or dick—or whatever it was about the actor that Zach liked.
“I won’t.”
Steve didn’t believe him, but he didn’t stop him from leaving. Zach was a grown man, and Steve no longer felt like babysitting. Not when Roux was looking at him like she wanted him for breakfast.
“Are you hungry?” he asked as soon as Zach had left the room. “Craving anything special?”
Her gaze flicked down to his crotch. “Sausage.”
“I don’t think that’s a vegetarian option.”
“I’ll ma
ke an exception.” She dropped her sheet and crawled up onto the bed with him.
“Say, I always wondered: Do vegans swallow? Cum is definitely an animal product.”
She paused with her mouth inches from his already hard cock and looked up at him. He hoped he hadn’t made her reconsider her morning meal choice by cracking jokes.
“That’s the main reason I’m not vegan,” she said. “Milk and eggs are good and all, but cum? Can’t live without it.”
“God, I love you.”
She didn’t return his sentiment. Her mouth was already full.
*~*~*
“I want to see everything,” Roux said, craning her neck to locate landmarks from the jet’s window. “Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Tower of London, all the museums.”
Steve yawned exaggeratedly, but he was only teasing. He’d take her anywhere she’d like to go.
“How far is Stonehenge from here?”
“No idea.”
She turned, the excitement in her eyes melting him.
“You’ve never been there?”
He shook his head, ready for any adventure as long as she was beside him.
“We’re not doing that lame stuff today,” Raven said. “We’re going shopping!”
Roux lifted an eyebrow. “With what money?”
“The plastic kind.” Raven made a fist and pulled her elbow back toward her ribs. “Ka-ching!”
“We’re in London. You can go shopping anywhere,” Roux pointed out. “You don’t even have to put on pants or leave the house to shop.”
“It’s not the same,” Raven said.
“We decided on shopping while you involved twats were with your men,” Azura said, nudging Iona, who was so involved in her discussion with Kyle that she merely swatted at Azura. “You were outvoted three to zero since we don’t accept absentee ballots. And your men aren’t invited.”
Roux squeezed Steve’s hand as if she expected him to try to escape. As much as he wanted to spend the day with her, he knew it was important for her to have girls-only time with her sisters.
“We’ll go shopping,” Lily said, “but only if our men can come.”