Crush (A Night Fire Novel Book 1) (10 page)

Chapter Eleven

Jerry had organized a house for them to stay at. Not sure if it was the wisest thing to let these five loose in someone's multimillion dollar house but it wasn't my call. It was an amazing Mediterranean style house with a brown stone facade that was similar to the house that Curtis owned. Arched windows with decorative iron balustrades on the little balconies lined the first floor of the house. Lush green gardens tumbled over the garden edge to the stone driveway, it was private and relaxing. Well, as relaxing as anything could get with five men who were loud.

We walked in through the front door to the most grandest foyer I have ever seen. I am pretty sure my dirty shoes were walking on marble, in fact I would say it was indeed marble given the size of the house and its location.

A grand sweeping staircase started at the left and curled around the room to the first floor, a black wrought iron balustrade against taupe walls with one massive chandelier hanging in the center.

“You guys are going to take care of this place, right?”

“Yes mommy.” Evan sniggered, taking his bag up the stairs.

Suddenly I felt sorry for the owners of this house, they had no clue that their house wasn't going to survive the week.

“Just remember, this is someone's home. You're planning on having a party here and I can see a lot of stuff that will get broken.”

“Dude, tell your wife to stop being a drag.” Fraser mumbled.

I sighed wearily, holding up my hands to placate them. Not that it was getting heated or anything.

“Fine, do as you please. It's not me that has to pay the bill for damages.”

“That's the spirit, princess.” Jaxon grinned broadly.

He dragged his roller bag up the stairs, my body flinched and cringed every time he hit the next step. Instead of carrying it, he dragged it up each and every step.

I carried my bags, taking them up the stairs before Curtis could try and stop me. He had his own bag and two dress bags, it wasn't as if he was going empty handed. We had commandeered a bedroom at the far end of the house. Far, far away from the other four. And to my delight and a little concern, there was a lock on the door. Not the push button kind that keeps those pesky children out when mommy and daddy are playing hide the sausage. No, this sucker was an actual bolt lock that slid across the door.

Maybe this house was let out to furniture destroying rock stars more than I thought.

“How come Jerry didn't come with us?” I asked as I dragged my suitcase into the walk in robe.

“Interviewing new assistants. Not really needed. Daughter having a kid soon. Take your pick.”

He thumped his case onto the low bench in the center of the room.

“We got a temporary babysitter arriving sometime.” he did his one shoulder shrug thing, sorting through his clothes. “They generally don't last too long. Too obsessive. Difficult. Demanding. He needs to find someone who isn't a fan. Claire was supposed to work for him for a while to learn how to deal with the business and then become our personal assistant.”

“But she's not working for him anymore.” I said without too much thought. “You guys are going to need one real soon. I can't imagine those four getting places on time. I'm surprised they made the plane this morning.

I looked up as he nodded, his eyes pinned to me.

“What?”

“We made it because you kept pushing them.”

“Yeah.” I grinned, remembering how I poked Fraser the whole way.

He complained. He got over it. Considering that we made the plane on time, I'd say job well done.

“You know who'd be good for the job?”

“No, who?”

“Lola. She thinks the world of you guys. She has always been your biggest fan and she's been supportive of you all, right from day one.”

Actually, I was rather surprised that she didn't have something to do with the band. To me she was the obvious choice, given the history. Why wasn't she directly involved with the band?

Curtis rubbed the back of his neck, frowning at the floor.

“Frankie.” he sighed. “The thing about Lola is... well she doesn't want to be that involved. You've seen how bad things can get between stars and their manager parents. She keeps an eye on things from a distance and its worked well for years.”

“Being an assistant is different to being a manager.”

“Yeah and you'd be surprised how much an assistant will see. Do you think a mother wants to see the kind of shit Evan gets up to?”

“Maybe Evan should behave himself.” I muttered.

Curtis exhaled deeply and shook his head, dumping the empty bag to the floor.

“There is a line that has to be drawn. She understands that he's young and enjoying the fruits of his labor. Lola keeps a really good eye on him, don't you worry about that. He might be twenty-five but that doesn't mean she hasn't clipped him over the ear for some things he's done. If she was here with us, how much more do you think she would see? Do you think that she'd want to see him walking into a bedroom with a woman?”

“S'pose not.”

“And besides, Lola has a life. She had that brat when she was still a kid. Now she's living a great life with a nice guy and none of us what to ruin that for her.”

We were in the middle of an early dinner when the house phone rang, everyone looked at each other but none of them bothered to get up to answer it.

“Sure. I'll get it.”

“Thanks mommy!” Jaxon held up his beer with a wide grin.

I ignored the weirdo, not wanting to add fuel to the fire.

“Hello?”

“Frankie? It's Jerry.”

“Oh hey Jerry.”

Five sets of eyes swung to me with curiosity.

“Can you put me on speaker to chat with the boys please?”

“Sure thing.”

I pressed the button and it crackled loudly.

“Okay Jerry.” I said as I held out the phone toward the table.

“Just letting you know that the babysitter is on a flight. Her name is Eden Hurley and she'll be there by eight. Behave yourselves please, we're running out of staff and the agency is refusing to send any more.”

I looked at the grinning faces around the table, it was like they made it their mission to make life hell for their babysitter. My gaze cast out the glass doors to the external area, one of the bodyguards was doing the rounds. They made it difficult for the security staff as well.

“She actually has the ability to be a really good assistant for you boys provided you behave yourselves. I'm counting on you.”

There was a unison agreement between the men that had suddenly grown up about twenty years. I was wondering for how long though.

A knock at the door answered my question.

“Gotta go Jerry.” Evan leaped up out of his seat, reaching out to the phone. “See you in a couple of days.”

Jerry had barely got his protest out before Evan hit the end call button and was on his way to the front door. Hearing the hoots of what sounded like a lot of people, I wandered around the corner to watch as Evan opened the door and people piled through.

“Evan! We brought pizza like you said, 's that cool?”

“Yep, much better than the rabbit food on offer.”

I didn't think that frying up bits of chicken and feeding them a few standard vegetables was rabbit food but I guess I was wrong. How dare I feed them vegetables and fried food. Evan turned and saw me standing there, the smile dropped from his face.

“Oh hey Frankie.”

I turned and said nothing, not really wanting to engage him in conversation. The polite thing to do is to tell someone that you don't like the food, not talk about them behind their back. Lola was a pretty nice woman but somewhere along the way she had forgotten to teach her son good manners. I returned to the table and started collecting the plates, ignoring Jaxon's complaints when I removed it.

“I was eating that.”

“Well one of your
friends
has brought something better than rabbit food so you don't have to feign politeness anymore.”

The chair scrapped out across the tiled floor, anger blistering in Jaxon's face.

“What the fuck did you say?”

“Oh come on, I was just being nice when they said they brought pizza.”

Evan's whine grated against my skin, Curtis stood to stop me from cleaning the table. He was about to say something when Jaxon continued his tirade.

“It's not fucking rabbit food Evan.” Jaxon swiped a chicken leg from the plate, flinging bits of fried skin around the table. “It's deep fried, this isn't even remotely close to being rabbit food.”

“Enough.” I hissed. “Come on, let it go.”

“Do I get my dinner back?”

I sighed and put his plate back, he settled back into his seat and carried on eating. Well, I would have never thought that my fried chicken would be defended so angrily. Curtis took the remaining plates from my hands and turned me around to face Evan. His hands were loaded with at least a dozen boxes, behind him was probably twenty or so people who were watching quietly. Curtis placed his hands on my shoulders, like two great weights they pressed heavily onto my body.

I wasn't sure what Curtis was expecting me to do but he certainly wasn't letting me leave. Evan rolled his eyes with a scoff.

“Seriously?”

Wow, hello petulant child.

“Fine.” he huffed. “Sorry for mocking your food Frankie. It's not rabbit food.”

I had opened my mouth to say something but Evan huffed again, frowning.

“And for ringing them to tell them to bring the pizza. God damn it Curtis, you are so whipped.”

Well now do I accept an apology that has been forced and isn't really an apology? Especially when he insults Curtis at the end of it all.

“Not whipped Evan, just making sure that you learn respect. Would you do that to your mother?”

“No.” he huffed with a slight laugh.

“Because she's important to you, right?”

“Duh.”

“And I'm important to you, right?”

“Oh for fucks sake. Yes.”

“Then why insult the person that's important to me? You do that again and I'll beat you into the fucking ground.”

And with that offer of pure loving support, Curtis made me sit back down and eat my dinner, joining me at the table beside me. It was crazy but they all sat and quietly ate their dinner and as much as it was pleasant, I wasn't happy. A wedge was being driven between Evan and the rest of the band and the wedges name was Frankie.

Chapter Twelve

It had taken a grand total of half an hour before the internet was swamped with tales of infighting between the band members and of course the newest addition to their life, me. Now I had a new title, one that made me uneasy. I was now dubbed Yoko by the media. Curtis wasn't impressed, somewhere in those so called friends that had turned up, there was a snitch.

When more friends arrived I busied myself by tidying up the dining room and kitchen, urging Curtis to go and be sociable. He was reluctant but it was the best thing for him to do. To show the people out there that there wasn't anything wrong, that he was getting along with his band mates and that there wasn't a woman coming between them. Eden Hurley had turned up about ten minutes after the third lot of friends entered the house. She was a little astounded by the sight of a house full of unknown people and somehow managed to find her way to me.

“Frankie?”

I turned to the slender woman who was dressed in a sharp business suit, killer pumps and a don't mess with me attitude. I loved her already. Her jet black hair was swept up into a plaited bun, perfectly manicured nails gripped the handle of a designer hand bag and carry on.

“Yes. Are you Eden?”

She smiled brightly, shocking red lips spread long and wide as the pearly white teeth gleamed. Eden Hurley looked like a man eater. Good, I think this band needs someone like her.

“I am, glad to meet you.”

Eden held out her hand, I wiped the dishwater and suds onto the front of my jeans to dry them off.

“Is the dishwasher broken?” she frowned as she shook my hand.

“It's okay, gives me something to do.”

The frown continued around the room, the stacks of plates, cups and cutlery were mounted rather high. Yes, using the dishwasher was easier and quicker but I wanted to be doing something rather than being out there. In here I was Frankie, out there I was Yoko.

“Am I missing something here? Did Jerry ask you to clean up after them?”

“No, it's okay. I don't mind.”

“There are staff for this Frankie.”

Great, now the man eater was scolding me.

“They aren't here until tomorrow. I can't leave dirty dishes lying around. The pests will invade the house.”

Casually I glanced out the window looking at Fraser who was in the pool with a dozen or so half naked women. The pests had already invaded the house.

“Alright but use the dishwasher please. You aren't here to pick up after them.”

Eden set her bags aside and started packing the dishwasher ensuring that I didn't have any say in the matter. Internally I laughed, these boys are going to suffer at the hands of this woman.

Curtis wandered in, no doubt to try and tempt me out of the kitchen again.

“Curtis, this is Eden Hurley your new assistant.”

“Mister Andrews.” Eden held out her hand firmly.

“Curtis.” he said gruffly as he shook it. “Frankie it's very lonely out there and the kitchen is clean. No more excuses.”

I sighed as I dumped the kitchen towel onto the bench.

“Sure. We can find the other guys and introduce them to Eden.”

“Great, I'll take her bags to her room and then come find you.”

Leading the way, I meandered my way through the bodies of unknown people who were drinking and laughing, generally enjoying themselves. Jaxon was on a lounge surrounded by several pretty women.

“Jaxon.”

“Hey princess!”

His eyes darted to the woman beside me and the grin died slightly.

“This is Eden Hurley your new assistant.”

I mouthed
get up
to him. Surprisingly he did as I asked, wiping his sweaty hand on his jeans to shake her hand.

“Mister Ryan.”

“Jaxon.” he murmured quietly.

I laughed just a little, leading Eden away.

“Is something funny?”

“Incredibly so. I'll tell you later.”

Evan was sitting on the edge of the pool sinking back a beer, Fraser was still in the water with the dozen or so women around him. Eden didn't even flinch when the plastic breasts bounced out of the water.

“Evan, Fraser this is your new assistant Eden Hurley.”

Eden stood tall and proud, waiting for them to address her appropriately. God I loved her. A burst of water and a round of giggles and shrieks filled the noisy night air, Austin had been under the water somewhere.

“Oh there you are. Austin this is Eden Hurley your new assistant.”

Those rich ruby lips smiled at the three men, one wicked and devious smile that cemented her place as the queen of man eaters.

“Is there a chance that any of you might actually grow up and address her in a manner fitting to your new relationship with her?”

Evan was the first onto his feet, considering that he was at the pool edge it wasn't much of a task. He had been put in his place and was being a proper gentleman. With a reluctant shake of her hand he turned to me with a subdued look.
Oh goody
my mind groaned.

“Frankie about before.” he shrugged “I am sorry,'k?”

“That's great Evan, thank you. In future if you have a special requirement for your dinner you should tell me. I've worked in a restaurant, you'd be surprised what I can create.”

“Sure.”

Eden looked at me with a raised eyebrow but said nothing. I turned back to the two remaining in the pool.

“Well?”

“Dude.” Fraser began to panic. “Need my pants.”

Evan reached for them but I beat him to it, picking up the board shorts with a devilish grin.

“What these?” I chuckled. “Was wondering what Austin was doing under the water. Guess we know now.”

The both of them protested and tried in vain to state that it wasn't what was going on but I waived them off like I was queen.

“Nonsense boys, it's okay to be gay these days. Don't stress, it's cool. We won't judge you. You are family and we love you.” I wiped a feigned tear. “It is so sweet that you found each other. I'm so happy for you both.”

Eden and Evan chuckled.

“I feel rather proud of you both actually, coming out in such a public way.”

“Not gay.” Fraser growled. “Can I have my pants back please?”

“Sure thing.” I tossed them to the water, watching with too much mirth as they floated away from him.

“Who isn't gay?” Curtis appeared behind me.

“Fraser. Austin was under the water giving him...”

“I was not!” Austin protested.

“I hope that either of you didn't finish in the pool. Other people have to use it you know and personally I don't want to be swimming in water filled with your spunk floating around.”

They both said nothing.

“Oh eww guys, come on. Have some respect for the other people living in this house. Evan, do you want to get in the pool now?”

“Fuck no. You jerks can pay to get the pool drained and sanitized.”

“We didn't.” Austin protested loudly. “Fucks sake.”

Fraser had his pants on and was out of the water, giving Eden a proper business greeting. Like Curtis both Fraser and Austin were built and a mass of muscles. I was beginning to think that they spent all of their free time in gyms.

Eden flicked the water off her hand, smiling politely when Fraser offered his apology.

“It's alright Mister Newton.” she gritted her teeth with another smile, turning to Austin. “Mister Gibson.”

“Austin.” he muttered quietly as he shook her hand.

He couldn't look me in the eye which was a little odd. It wasn't as if he was the one in the pool with no clothes on.

“Well.” I clapped my hands together excitedly. “We can leave them with their plastic boobs and not being gay under water and get you settled.”

Curtis chuckled and wrapped his arm over my shoulder, Eden grinned broadly as she followed us.

We led Eden to her room and left her to unpack her things, ensuring she understood that she could return downstairs if she wanted to. She nodded as she agreed but I suspected that she wouldn't come down.

I could understand the difficulty in being around people that I hardly knew in a party situation. It wasn't easy and considering that she was also working, it would be more difficult. Then again, she was their personal assistant. It's probably her duty to be around them, tending to their rock star demands. Maybe I should stay sober in case I have to drive her around the town searching for brown m & m's.

Curtis and I ventured back to the party, finding that the pool party had abruptly ended and all were dried off and dressed. I also happened to note that Fraser and Austin were at opposite ends of the room, talking to a lot of women. No, I wasn't laughing. Okay, so I might have been. But I was just that cruel.

The amount of people here had increased, I was certain of it. The lounge area in front of the pool area consisted of the internal area and the external area, both of which were full of people. To the left of the stairs was a formal lounge and the dining room, connecting to the kitchen. People lingered in and out of the kitchen but the lounge and dining rooms were full of people. Everywhere I looked, there were masses of bodies.

At the other end of the house was a gym, surprisingly empty. The media room had become porn central, not just on the large media screen but in real life as well. Who they were and if they knew each other, I don't know nor did I care. So long as Curtis wasn't in on it, it didn't concern me. His hand was attached to mine, hesitant to let go because he knew that it was highly likely that I would return to the kitchen to continue cleaning it. Yes, I was a clean freak and no, I wasn't happy with the state of the kitchen.

Upstairs was out of bounds for anyone that shouldn't be going up there, gladly there was only one set of stairs and at the bottom was a rather large security guy. It wasn't me that was so distrusting, it was the guys themselves. Surprisingly they'd had a lot of stuff knocked off by fans collecting souvenirs.

I was leaning against the wall, sporting a glass that only had cola in it but to many that looked at me and the glass, there could be a multitude of possible mix-ins. Curtis was in an amorous mood, leaning on the wall with one arm, the other gripping the neck of a beer bottle. Occasionally a finger would trace the skin under my shirt as he whispered naughty things to me.

The lights had been lowered, which I was oddly grateful for. It was a little dull, the soft silvery light of the moon had more presence than the lights. A heavy bass beat rumbled through the walls, music pounding through the room. I wondered when the neighbors will get sick of it and call the cops. No doubt the security staff at the front gate will stop them or diffuse the situation.

I looked up into the divine green eyes that seemed to twinkle with delight, the grin was broad as he lowered to kiss me. It was soft and sweet and reeked of too much beer. With one final swig the bottle was dumped onto the hall stand beside us. Wet fingers stroked at my stomach, his hand flattening to the skin.

“Can't you take a test or something?”

“It's a bit early on.”

His forehead pressed to mine, looking down at his fingers trailing over my skin.

“It looks like you are already.” he snickered.

It was true, I had a little pot belly. But that was from the dessert cabinet at Vinnie's. No, it was likely that this particular issue was from the bloating that I suffered in the days before my period arrived. I wasn't pregnant, I knew my body. Still, I sank back the cola for the sake of belief in the possibility or it might have been the fact that Curtis seemed to want it.