I laugh. “But it’s not even alcoholic.”
“It’s cold!” she spits back. “But not as cold as this icy bitch will get in a minute.” She bumps into me with her elbow. “So what’s the plan again?”
I point at the guard to the right side of the stage. “You’re going to distract him so I can slip past.”
“Right.” She nods. “And then?”
“Then I do my thing,” I reply.
“Which is what?” She raises a brow. “C’mon, Mo, you’ve been dangling this revenge plan in front of me for ages now. I need details.”
I sigh. “Let’s just say … this won’t be one of his greatest performances.”
Her eyes widen, and something sparkles in her eyes. “Oh … you’re gonna mess with the band? Nice.” She raises her hand, and we high five. “That’s my girl.”
“Shhh …” I put a finger against my lip. “I don’t want this to get out before I’m done.”
She makes a gesture that her lips are sealed. “I won’t talk … unless it’s that guard, of course. I’ll spin him around my finger and pretend I’m a floozy.” She hops off the stool and flaunts her stuff. “What do you think? Can I pull this off?” She shows off her leopard print skirt and cropped top coupled with a cute bow in her hair.
“If you can’t, no one can,” I say, and she smiles. “Feel free to start whenever. I’ll be waiting in the crowd.”
She nods and walks off toward the guard. I slip off my seat after checking to see if anyone’s paying attention before disappearing into the gossiping, eagerly waiting crowd. The tension is high here. Everyone’s waiting for TRIGGER to come out and give them a show that’ll make their ears pop. And I can’t help but grin knowing what’s going to happen once these people don’t get what they paid for, and what Cole’s reaction is going to be once people start recording on their cell phones. I hope they film an epic meltdown that’ll follow him and his cronies for the rest of his life.
Don’t mess with Monica. That was once a statement I lived by, and I’m finally starting to feel like my old self again. And I guess I have that twisted asshole to thank for that.
I wait in the crowd while Mel does her thing. She approaches the guard and sweet talks him, twirling her hair with her finger, touching his arm, playing with his emotions like she’s done this plenty of times before. I didn’t know she was this well-versed in the flirting game. Within seconds, she manages to lure him away from the hallway he was protecting, and they face the wall together while she keeps distracting him. I’m impressed.
I swiftly pass through the crowd and slip along the stage only to come face-to-face with Mel. We briefly make eye contact only for her to wave me off with a finger before returning her focus to the beefed-up guy in front of her.
Without much trouble, I manage to bypass the guard and run into the hallway when she’s got him looking away. I don’t go into Cole’s room; instead, I hop into a ‘SERVICE ONLY’ room that’s full of mops, buckets, and cleaning supplies. There, I wait until Cole comes out and goes into the bathroom, which is straight across from his changing room.
That’s my shot.
Bursting out, I reach his door, opening it silently, then closing it again without making a sound. I look around and move as fast as I can. In the corner, on top of the table, lies his guitar case.
Bingo.
I immediately open it up. It’s a beautiful guitar, one he always carries with him, so this is my only chance. Such a shame, though, it’s a damn nice guitar.
I fish a knife from my pocket and grab a string.
“Here goes nothing,” I whisper to myself, and I cut the first one off, and then another one for good measures.
Suddenly, the toilet in the other room flushes, and panic fills my veins as quickly as the water rushes through the bowl. I have to get out of here before I’m caught in the act.
But there’s no time because the moment I close the case, someone’s already grabbing the door handle.
Cole!
My body freezes, and my mind goes numb. What do I do? If he finds me here, everything will have been for nothing. I have to hide.
I look around to find a closet in the back. It’s my only option.
Fuck, not again.
I run to it and hop inside, slamming the doors shut behind me … right as Cole saunters inside.
My whole body tenses the moment I spot him strutting around with mere boxer shorts on. His muscular body covered with tattoos stands out among all others, and even after all the things he did to me, I still can’t stop ogling him.