Rock God, page 3
What the hell was I going to do for two months?
There would be rehearsals for the tour, and we’d been writing some new music, but that wouldn’t take two full months. So doing a few episodes of a television show would keep me occupied, which would be a blessing, no matter how irritating it was to be on set for a week or two.
I didn’t know what was wrong with me lately, but I wasn’t stupid.
Carter’s death had impacted all of us, made us realize that we not only needed each other, but that life was surprisingly short. Even at thirty, with all the fame and money a guy could ask for, something was missing.
And I’d finally realized it was time for me to figure out what it was.
4
Devyn
Onyx Knight had given me four days to learn ten songs.
On top of work and keeping an eye on my great-grandmother.
Luckily, I already knew most of them, but it still annoyed me.
They knew I had another job, and we’d worked until after midnight twice this week, but my lack of sleep obviously wasn’t their problem.
Part of me wanted to tell them to go fuck themselves, that I didn’t care if I got the gig or not.
But that would have been a lie.
Who wouldn’t want to join the biggest name in rock and roll in decades?
They were amazing, talented, successful musicians, and anyone who joined their ranks stood to make a fortune.
I didn’t know who I was up against, since they’d said it was down to two of us, but I already knew I was better simply because I was one of the best. There was no arrogance in that statement. I was talented and had worked my ass off to get where I was. That was why I had more work than I had time for. My schedule was booked for the next two years at the studio, and I picked up extra gigs anytime I wanted them.
So, while I wanted the Onyx Knight gig, I didn’t need it.
And that made a huge difference.
“Where are you off to?” Greatty asked as I made myself a cup of coffee on Saturday morning.
“That damn follow-up audition with Onyx Knight,” I said, turning and leaning against the counter. “I could be there all day. They wanted me to learn a ten-song set. Fucking pain in my ass.”
She squinted at me, drawing herself up to her full four-foot-eleven-inch height. “Don’t even pretend this is a nuisance. You know you want this gig, young lady. You can lie to yourself but don’t you dare lie to me.”
I smiled.
Even at eighty-one she was still a spitfire and as astute as ever.
“There’s no point in getting excited over something that probably isn’t going to happen,” I said, shrugging. “We both know how it goes in this business.”
“Just because it didn’t happen in the past doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen this time. You’re a well-known, sought-after studio musician.”
“I’m a woman who’s learned to deal with misogyny at every turn,” I said.
“That’s a copout. Look at Ann and Nancy Wilson. Stevie Nicks. And they did it in the 70s, before you were even born.”
I rolled my eyes. “Heart and Fleetwood Mac were from another generation,” I protested, mentioning the legendary rock bands that featured women.
“Lzzy Hale is kicking ass leading an otherwise male band right now,” she pointed out.
“I know, Greatty. I know there are exceptions to the rule. And I already said I’m going to the audition. I’m just not getting my hopes up, that’s all. If it happens, and they offer me the job, then I’ll have to think about what to do next because it’s more complicated than them just wanting me.”
“You’re going to think about it?” She gaped at me. “Seriously, I do not know how we’re related sometimes. What’s to think about?”
“I have a job and two years’ worth of obligations,” I said. “And I’d be walking away from a very lucrative sure thing to do something that’s the opposite of that.”
“Which is why you make sure there’s a contract in place, so you’re compensated like a member of the band, not just a bass-player-for-hire on one tour.”
“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
“I always worry. I’m not getting any younger, you know, and without me around, I can’t imagine what dumb shit you’ll do.”
I laughed.
I couldn’t help it.
She made me laugh every single day.
It was one of many reasons I loved her.
The others were far more important to me, though.
She’d helped my grandmother raise me when my mother decided parenting was too hard. Then Grandma had gotten sick, leaving Greatty to do it all.
She’d been the one who’d insisted on piano lessons, forced me to learn to play the flute in middle school band, and made sure I knew how to read music. When her only daughter—my grandmother—passed away when I was thirteen, Greatty hadn’t batted an eyelash in getting me through high school. She’d even been willing to take out a home equity loan to put me through college, though I hadn’t wound up needing it because of scholarships and working all through school.
“Are you laughing at me?” Greatty demanded, narrowing her eyes.
“No, ma’am. I’m laughing because you’re cute.”
“I’ll give you cute!” She flattened her hand and waved it back and forth, as if she were going to spank me with it.
“Bye, Greatty! Gotta go!” I kissed her forehead before grabbing my keys, backpack, and bass case, and heading out.
It was going to be a long day and I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to happen.
Not getting the gig would be a disappointment. Despite what I’d told Greatty, this would be an amazing opportunity. On the other hand, there was so much to think about if I got it.
Leaving my job would be hard.
Then, if things didn’t work out down the road, I’d have to find another one, ostensibly someplace farther from home and potentially working for people I liked a lot less. I had my choice of projects at Black Kat, and the owner adored me. Was the possibility of fame and fortune worth risking the very good life I already had? Because this was about more than a job. Most people had events in lives they wanted to forget, and I’d worked hard to do that in mine.
This was going to add a level of scrutiny I wasn’t sure I was prepared for, and there was no way to know how my past would impact my exciting new future.
Either way, there was also no way in hell I was walking away from the chance to play with Onyx Knight, so I was going to have to wait and see.
The members of Onyx Knight were already there when I arrived, even though I was ten minutes early. They had a buffet set up with a continental breakfast and I put down my bass, wondering if I was supposed to just help myself or wait to be invited. You never knew with guys like this. I’d heard they were party animals but decent human beings. Other than Kingston Knight. He was a well-known pain in the ass who liked everything a certain way and could be extremely demanding both on tour and in the studio.
“Good morning.” Tommy Bane was good-looking if you liked scruffy. He had a beard and long hair that fell past his shoulders. He was an inch or two taller than me, a little thinner than I liked in a man, with a quick smile that didn’t seem to reach his eyes. He was a bit of an enigma online too. Since his divorce a few years ago, he’d been the consummate player; the kind of guy I avoided like the plague. If he’d been seriously involved with anyone, there was no trace of it online.
I’d tried to do my research on all of them, but most of the details available seemed to have been well-curated by their undoubtedly expensive PR team. Almost everything had been focused on Carter’s suicide three months ago.
“Good morning.” I nodded.
“Help yourself,” Z said, motioning to the table. “We’ll get started in a few, but we wanted to talk a little first.” William “Z” Zerkesian had gotten married this past summer and had a son with his now-wife. Beyond that, details of his personal life had been sketchy.
“Sure. Thank you.” I poured myself a cup of coffee and added a little cream, but I was too nervous to eat.
“Tell us something about yourself,” Kingston said when we were all sitting around the small reception area of the main studio, where I saw their equipment had been set up. “You don’t have much of an online presence.”
Just because Kingston’s life was an open fucking book didn’t mean everyone’s had to be. They called him The Rock God for a reason and he seemed to want everyone to know it. His reputation preceded him, especially here in L.A. He was rock and roll royalty, so everyone talked and now that I was in the same room with him, it wasn’t hard to see why.
Looks-wise, he was breathtaking, as beautiful as a man could be. A few inches taller than my five-foot-eleven-inch frame, with eyes as green as emeralds. Though he appeared to be a natural blond, he was always dying his hair different colors. In the past, it had been a different color for each album. It was only the last year or so that he’d gone back to blond.
“Social media is the devil,” I responded. I’d practiced this part of the interview in my head a dozen times because I’d figured they ask. “I have an Instagram account that I occasionally post in when I’m working on a project, but other than that, I don’t have time for it.”
“Makes sense.” Kingston nodded. “But you know you’ll have to amp that up if you take this gig.”
“That’s fine.”
It wasn’t, but it didn’t appear I would have a choice.
“How long have you worked at Black Kat Studios?” Tommy asked, redirecting the conversation.
“Four years.”
“What did you do before?”
Wasn’t that the million-dollar question?
I almost laughed but managed not to.
“Well, I was living in Boston while I went to Berklee. I have a Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Writing and Production.”
“You went to Berklee?” Kingston cocked his head as if he couldn’t quite believe it.
Asshole.
“Yes. It didn’t work out with the band I was in so I came home to L.A. and started working at Black Kat.” That was an oversimplified version of events, but hopefully it would satisfy them.
“So, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty,” Kingston said, looking at me. “If this works out, will you be able to go on tour? Right now, it’s set to start on New Year’s Eve in London for two nights. Then we’ll do eight weeks. It’s a jam-packed schedule, playing two or three weeknights, both weekend nights, and some Sundays.”
“That’s not a problem,” I said, thinking how much fun it would be to see that much of Europe. I’d never been out of North America, so would be another dream-come-true.
We talked another ten minutes about some of the logistics, and I wondered why they were telling me so many details when they hadn’t even offered me the job. It felt like there was more going on than I knew, but that made sense. They were obviously playing things close to the vest, despite an illusion of transparency.
“Okay, let’s do this.” Kellan Cross jumped to his feet and rubbed his hands together. “It’s been too long since we’ve jammed.” He’d been quiet until now, and he was another one who was cute if you liked his type. Light brown hair that wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short either. He had a scruffy goatee that worked on him, and he was built like he worked out. He was also single and enjoyed the groupies. A lot. The gossip pages were always filled with his dating escapades, and rumor had it he was the band’s wild child now that Carter was gone.
It would be interesting if I got to go on tour with these guys because I didn’t do drugs and only drank socially, I wasn’t particularly interested in one-night stands or groupies, and I normally spent most of my time practicing, working, or writing my own music.
I got up and put down my now-empty coffee cup. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Show us what you’ve got, Devyn.” Kingston’s voice was soft and very close to my ear.
So close I got goosebumps from the proximity and the warmth of his breath.
Jesus, being around Kingston Knight could be a problem.
It had been a long time since I’d had such a visceral reaction to a man.
I was a professional, and I had no issue keeping things that way, but he was so damn hot it was hard to look at him.
And he was even better looking up close.
I’d never seen lashes that long on a man, and his cheekbones were so chiseled I momentarily wondered if they were implants or something.
Not to mention his strong jawline, perfect lips, and stunning smile.
Broad shoulders that tapered to a slimmer waist and hips.
Fuck.
I did not need to be thinking about the perfection of Kingston Knight’s physical attributes.
He was probably a dick, just like they portrayed him in the media.
I didn’t need one of those in my personal life.
Professionally, I could handle just about anything.
But I kept my personal life simple.
If I somehow got this job, I had to stay as far away from Kingston Knight as possible.
5
Kingston
Playing a ten-song set with a stranger was usually painful. Even the best musicians needed time to gel with each other, get comfortable with the style and groove of the band, and of course, the music. Knowing the songs didn’t mean you could play them well right out of the gate.
Except Devyn did just that.
It was like she knew exactly who we were and what we needed from her.
She blew me away.
All of us, from the looks I was getting from the others.
Sure, we’d had a couple of false starts, but they weren’t Devyn’s fault since it had been a while since any of us had played more than a song or two. But once we got past those, which only took a few minutes, it was as if she’d been playing with us forever.
And the way she moved.
It was hard to explain how hot it was.
Not just because she was attractive or because she was extremely talented or any of the things that were essentially a given. No, this was something else. This was something you had to be born with. While she absolutely had the look and vibe of a rock star, she also had the soul of one. There was no other rationalization for how good of a fit she was. The five of us who’d started Onyx Knight had it in spades. It was one of the many reasons we’d gone as far as we had in a relatively short amount of time. The fact that it was so hard to find had been one of the reasons I’d been dreading the search for someone to replace Carter.
And just like that, we’d found her.
After four songs, I wanted to stop everything and start hammering out the details of the contract we needed her to sign so we could finalize the tour. There was no reason to draw this out and pretend we needed time to think or audition anyone else. This was it.
Devyn was it.
And freakin’ Carter had found his own replacement.
Son of a bitch.
“Let’s take a break and talk,” I said after we’d finished “Judgement Call.”
Z gave me a barely perceptible nod, and Kellan and Tommy were already heading for the lounge area, so I knew they were thinking what I was thinking.
“What did you think?” I asked Devyn once we were seated.
“It felt natural,” she said in a cautious tone. “I enjoyed playing with you. It didn’t feel like it was the first time.”
The one thing that made me uneasy was how guarded she was, as if she didn’t trust us. And there had to be a lot of trust if we were going to tour together. Trust would obviously take time, so we had to get through these initial conversations before we could work on that.
“Enough to come on tour with us starting December thirty-first?” I asked pointedly.
Once again, she hesitated.
“I want to,” she said slowly. “But there are details that have to be ironed out.”
“Such as?”
“Money. I have a job making six figures that supports not just me, but my eighty-one-year-old great-grandmother. I can’t just take off for six or eight weeks for a thirty-dollar-a-day per diem, and then come home to potentially no job. I need to know specifics before I can commit to anything. Money, the timetable, what my expenses will be for equipment and such, and most importantly, the future. Is this a job or just another extended audition?”
I hadn’t expected anything this blunt, but I appreciated where she was coming from. We weren’t the kind of band who used people, though, so if she was going to join Onyx Knight, even for just eight weeks, she would be well-compensated.
“Some of those questions will have to go through management and both our attorneys and yours. However, I can address the important stuff. First, this is both a job and another tryout. There’s an element of hardship on tour that you can’t truly understand until you’re immersed in it. So, saying you’re okay with a grinding schedule is different from actually doing it. There are also four very distinct personalities in this band, with egos to go with them, which you may not like after a month or two of being on top of each other day and night. And to be fair, that goes both ways.”
“We like to party,” Tommy said when I was done. “None of us do drugs anymore. After what happened to Carter, we’re all a little gun shy, and honestly, at this stage of both our lives and our careers, no one is interested in doing something that could potentially get us arrested.”
“We should talk about sex,” Kellan muttered.
I was shocked when she threw back her head and laughed. “My grandmother had the talk with me about fifteen years ago, so I think I’m good.”
“There’s going to be a lot of sex going on,” I said gently.
“Like, all the time,” Kellan added. “On the bus, backstage, at the hotel. None of us is a monk and that’s not going to change anytime soon. You’re going to see blow jobs and titties and who knows what else backstage every single night.”
