Beyond The Music (The Rock Gods Book 7) (33 page)

Dagger thanked Zac then turned his attention back to Lincoln. “Lincoln, I’d like a word before you rush off,” Dagger said.

Lincoln stopped short and turned to face Dagger while Aaron continued outside with Zac to wait. Lincoln offered Aaron a reassuring nod on his way by, although he felt nothing of the like. Lincoln’s eyes went back to Dagger. He saw the tic of tension making his jawline twitch and knew he probably deserved whatever harsh words Dagger had for him. Rather than wait for the verbal beating, Lincoln decided to talk before Dagger had the chance.

“I’m sorry,” Lincoln started. “I should have told Zac I was coming out here to show Aaron the bus.”

“Hmmm, is that what you think?” Dagger was pacing now.

Lincoln’s brows furrowed. “I said I was sorry, Dagger.”

Dagger’s head snapped up. “I heard you the first time,” Dagger spat. “Look, we’re paying an arm and a fucking leg for this new security team and it would sure be a nice show of working as a goddamned team if you worked
with
the security guys and not against them. Do you understand what I’m saying here, Linc?”

“Of course.”

“See, I don’t think that you do,” Dagger replied. “We’ve had serious threats against our safety and whomever is behind those threats is still out there and they’re just waiting for an opportunity like you presented to them today. Is that what you want? Are you purposefully trying to get yourself hurt or have Aaron beat up—or worse?”

Lincoln’s hand lashed out and gripped the front of Dagger’s shirt in his fist. “Don’t say shit like that!”

Dagger swatted Lincoln’s hand from his shirt. “You about gave them a handwritten invitation to do just that, Linc, by ditching your security guys to bring Aaron out here for a little bit of slap and tickle time. The hit you took today is nothing compared to what could have happened.”

“Jesus, I know.” Lincoln’s head bobbed in acknowledgment as the heavy weight of realization began to wash over him and his body began to shake.

Dagger’s hand cupped the back of Lincoln’s neck and squeezed. “Are you okay to perform tonight?”

Lincoln met Dagger’s gaze. “Absolutely.”

“Good.” Dagger grinned. “Come on, let’s go back inside the stadium and get ready for dinner. He slung an arm around Lincoln’s shoulders and moved them toward the stairway exit. “Oh, and Linc? No more hide and seek games with your security. Okay?”

“Agreed.”

Dinner was the usual kick-off event with the typical rah-rah speeches given by management and a few toasts from the band members themselves. They took over the VIP room at a local London restaurant called Reagan’s that served traditional English cuisine. It wasn’t exactly Lincoln’s favorite, but once he saw the prime rib entree on the menu he relaxed. Lincoln’s eyes darted to Aaron. He knew Aaron wouldn’t approve of his entree choice and raised his eyebrows in hope.

“Go ahead and order it,” Aaron said.

“What are you talking about?” Lincoln asked.

“I can tell by your expression you want the prime rib,” Aaron answered.

“You know me so well,” Lincoln stated.

“I’m getting there, and I have to say it’s been a helluva learning experience, too,” Aaron teased.

“So, is that a yes on the prime rib?” Lincoln purposefully batted his eyelashes at Aaron and that made Aaron laugh.

“Yeah, go ahead,” Aaron said. “But this won’t become a habit, no matter how pretty you look at me.”

“You think I’m pretty?” Lincoln asked and then mock-swooned like a lovesick teenaged girl.

Aaron held Lincoln’s gaze and the smile on his face slowly melted. Lincoln watched Aaron lick at his lips and studied the subtle bob of his Adam’s apple as it slid up and down in his throat. Lincoln had no clue what Aaron was thinking, except he could tell it was intense by the look on his face. Lately, everything between them held the heavy weight of seriousness. As if they were both dancing around the obvious without either of them knowing exactly what that was, or what they should do about it. The moment had Lincoln’s heart pounding hard enough to make his skin flush.

“I think you’re breathtaking,” Aaron finally said in a tone so serious it sent a shiver down Lincoln’s spine. Lincoln felt the warmth of genuine affection floating between them. It was something big and powerful; almost tangible, like he could reach out and hold it in the palm of his hand.

Jesus, what the fuck is happening here?
Lincoln questioned himself. Lincoln’s hand cupped the back of Aaron’s neck. His fingers rubbed at the smooth skin below Aaron’s hairline. He was about to respond to Aaron’s comment when the first of many speeches began at the front of the room.

Lincoln couldn’t concentrate on the speeches. All he wanted to do was drag Aaron back to their room and finish their conversation . . . naked and in bed. But that wouldn’t happen for a few more hours, and Lincoln knew it would be the longest span of time he’d had to endure in quite a while.

The launch of a new tour always came with a certain amount of celebration and tonight was par for the course. The only element different about this tour launch dinner party were the introductions of the new security team by Fizzbo. When the official part of the event finally began to wind-down, they all dug into their meals. Dante was settled in the chair to Lincoln’s left and Aaron was seated on his right.

Dante asked Lincoln to pass him the salt. After seasoning his fish, he glanced at Lincoln. “So, all this time you’ve been into dudes and none of us knew?”

Lincoln rolled his eyes. “I never hid who I slept with from any of you,” Lincoln answered in a soft voice.

“But I never saw you with any guys,” Dante countered. “Just girls, and I really didn’t see you with many of them, either.”

Lincoln shrugged. “Was I supposed to parade my hook-ups around in front of you?”

“Well, no. I’m just saying, it kind of floored me to see you with Aaron. That’s all,” Dante replied. “It felt like it was coming from out of left field.”

Lincoln really didn’t have a reply for that comment. He cut another piece of his prime rib and speared it with his fork to eat.

“It’s really good to see you so happy, though,” Dante continued.

Lincoln’s gaze met Dante’s again. “I am . . . happy.”

“I can tell,” Dante replied. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile this much in all the years I’ve known you.”

“That’s because I haven’t necessarily had a lot to smile about.” Lincoln grinned. “I do now, though.” He felt Aaron’s hand on his thigh and turned to face him.

“I’m gonna go take a leak,” Aaron whispered in the shell of his ear.

“Okay, but grab Zac or Mason on your way,” Lincoln suggested. “I won’t survive a repeat of what happened earlier on the bus.” Lincoln accepted the soft brush of Aaron’s lips as he stood up to leave, then he watched the man’s backside and the gentle swagger of his hips until he disappeared into the hallway with Zac playing the role of dutiful shadow.

“Jesus, you’ve got it bad,” Dante commented.

Lincoln didn’t answer Dante. He wasn’t exactly ready to share something that he was just coming to grips with himself. But Dante spoke the truth—Lincoln’s truth, and if anyone deserved to hear it first, it would be Aaron, and as soon as they got back to their room Lincoln intended to do just that.

After dinner, Fizzbo pulled Lincoln aside to update him on the bearded man on the bus. Turned out, he was part of the venue security team, but was off-duty at the time of the incident. The one detail police had managed to confirm was that the man was trying to plant recording devices in the back bedroom when Lincoln and Aaron had walked in on him. The police were still questioning him to find out who had hired him in the first place but hadn’t had any luck yet. Lincoln thought it would likely lead to another dead end, and it unnerved him more than he was willing to admit. It was bad enough these security breaches were happening to them in their own country, but to have this following them to Europe was even more unsettling.

“Are you okay?” Aaron asked Lincoln after Fizzbo walked away.

Lincoln scratched his head. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he answered. “I’m concerned with the security issue, but I’ll feel better once they catch the person behind all of this.”

“You and me both,” Aaron replied.

Lincoln’s eyes followed the people moving around in the room. Some showed no signs of leaving their seats, while others were beginning to make their way to the exit. Lincoln wondered if he’d been a visible presence long enough at the party that he could leave and take Aaron back to their room.

“Ashton and I are gonna take off,” Dante said to Dagger.

Lincoln saw Dagger nod at Dante in approval, then he leaned in close to Aaron. “Are you ready to leave?”

“Whenever you are,” Aaron answered.

“Dante, wait up,” Lincoln said. “Aaron and I will go with you. That okay with you, Dagger?”

“Yeah, sure,” Dagger replied. “Ryan and I will be right behind you.”

Zac and Mason fell into step behind Lincoln and got into the van along with all the other security required to keep his band members safe. It was a little sad that their lives had become such a circus whenever they had to be out in public. Lincoln never thought he’d be traveling with an entourage this big in order to do his fucking job, but that’s what was required now and he had to accept it.

About twenty minutes later, the van pulled up to the curb in front of the hotel. A crowd of fans were gathered outside the hotel entrance and started to jump and scream when they saw the van. Security jumped out of the vehicle first, then Dagger, Ryan, Dante, Ashton, Lincoln and Aaron, with Zac and Mason following behind them. They worked as one giant swarm of men as the security team directed Black Ice inside the lobby and onto a waiting empty elevator. Lincoln could hear the screams of the fans waiting outside to catch a glimpse of them walking into the hotel, but he couldn’t really see much of them because of the cocoon of security surrounding them. More fans waited inside the hotel lobby and a few times he had to shield his eyes with his hand to protect them from the camera flashes popping off around them. It all seemed so over the top, but if this kept them safe, then it was a good thing.

Security accompanied them all the way up to the suite and had them wait in the hall while Reed and Fishbone inspected each of the separate rooms. They returned to the hall and gave the “all clear” for the band members to enter.

“Reed and Fishbone will be doing hall duty tonight,” Zac stated. “None of you are to leave this suite without a security escort. Got it?”

“See you in the morning,” Dagger said to Zac. Everyone else simply nodded and stepped into the foyer of the suite.

“I’m beat,” Dante said and tugged Ashton into their bedroom.

Dagger and Ryan nodded to them as they closed the door to their bedroom and Lincoln and Aaron walked down the short hallway to go to sleep, too. Lincoln undressed in silence. There was so much weighing down his mind. He felt restless, but moving in slow motion, and his emotions were all over the place.

“What’s going on?” Aaron finally asked. “You’re awfully quiet.”

Lincoln pushed his fingers through his hair and exhaled loudly. “I don’t know how to explain it.”

“I think you need to try,” Aaron said and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Today was messed up, and it makes me . . . fuck, I don’t know,” Lincoln said.

Aaron stood up from the bed and walked to where Lincoln stood in the center of the room. Aaron’s strong fingers wrapped around Lincoln’s neck and his thumbs tilted Lincoln’s face up forcing eye contact with him. “Tell me what’s rolling around inside your head, Linc. Just say it. Okay? No matter what it is, I need to know what’s going on.”

“You could’ve been hurt today—or worse,” Lincoln finally said. “Do you realize how close we came to that? And it would have been my fault. I was the one that dragged you out to the bus.”

“You didn’t know that guy was out there, Linc,” Aaron said. “It was an honest mistake and we’ll be more careful from now on.”

Lincoln grabbed the front of Aaron’s shirt. “I can’t make mistakes like that with you, ever!” Lincoln grit out. “That guy could’ve had a gun instead of a flashlight. Then what? What if he’d shot you?” Lincoln could feel himself starting to shake. Aaron must have felt it too, because his embrace tightened around Lincoln.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Aaron whispered beside Lincoln’s ear.

Lincoln wrapped his arms around Aaron and rolled his head into the bend of Aaron’s neck. Being held like this by Aaron was exactly the kind of comfort he needed. Aaron always seemed to know what he needed even before Lincoln knew it himself and that bit of knowledge snapped the last piece of the puzzle into place. Suddenly, everything came into focus for Lincoln.

Lincoln leaned back and stared deeply into Aaron’s steady gaze. His heartbeat sped up with what he knew he needed to say. He licked his lips and prayed this wouldn’t scare Aaron away, because if he walked now, Lincoln knew he wouldn’t survive.

“I realized something today,” Lincoln said in a voice so soft he hoped Aaron could hear him, because he wouldn’t have the strength to repeat this. “I think a part of me has known this for a while, but today it finally made sense.”