TANTRIC (Book 3 of the Soundcrush Series)

Chapter 27: Queens Rule

Ahhhh,  the Queen has arrived! She'll set every little thing in order! 

There may be a good number of typos, I've only done a quick skim over for an edit, but if I don't post this now, you might not get it this weekend. I will correct later...thanks for the patience...

The song...Never Say Good-bye...so appropriate for Matt and Marianne. Love this acoustic version. I saw Bon Jovi do a similar arrangement at a show in the very late nineties or early 2000's...I can't remember which show, but  it was the tour where Goo-Goo dolls opened for them...that was an amazing concert from both acts!

Marianne

"Marianne—" Seb blusters.

"Shut-up, Asshole." Matt interjects. "Annie, listen—"

I hold up my hand in front of Seb's face and my other on Matt's chest, looking over his shoulder to the ever capable Soundcrush manager.

"I have an event to manage. First things first. Riley...Leed is about to act like a lunatic in a gallery full of paparazzi..."

Riley leaps up knocking his glasses askew, automatically righting them and as he says, "And completely upstage the message of your new philanthropy. On it." He grabs Leed's garment bag and rushes out the back door after him.

I wait until I hear them arguing in the parking lot. Good. If Riley has him talking, he will win the argument and I don't have to send Dev out to manhandle the situation.

I look over at the charming, rebellious young man who reminds me so much of Matt at his age. Matt doesn't see it...Dev's looks are dark and exotic, his British demeanor is much more elevated than Matt's was at twenty-one, and of course, Matt doesn't care for his style of music, but the similarity is there in the burning eyes.

More than Street, more than Trace even, Dev has that burn that is both complete disdain for authority and a hunger to prove to the world that he was not a shameful mistake. Right now he's holding a pair of pliers behind his back, looking at me with a guilty, child-like expression.

"What the hell were you going to do with the pliers, Dev?"

"Uhhhm..." For once, Dev's British savvy fails him entirely. "Nothing, really. Just playing the thug is all," he shrugs, laying them on a table. He nods at Matt. "It was his idea."

I give Matt a side-eye. He gives me back his wolfish smile and shrugs, completely unapologetic. I resist the urge to smile. He's so damn charming in his rock star way, but there's something serious going on here, and I'm not going to let him "Annie-Baby" his way out of the full explanation.

"Dev...just...go into the gallery. Bridge is completely frantic about the pissing match you and Matt had. Don't ply her with champagne...she can't handle her alcohol yet. You'll find yourself wearing...even more vomit." I point to his shoe.

I look to the puddle on the floor and to Seb. What the hell was going on back here? Seb opens his mouth but I put up my hand again. "Not yet. Matt first."

Dev is smacking at his shoe with a cloth and pulling his jacket back on, not bothering to retie the bow tie that hangs loose around his neck or smooth his hair. He looks like an absolute cad, disheveled like that. He smiles at me and his nearly black eyes swim with merriment. "Your wish is my command."

Dear Lord, he's enough to make any woman with a pulse swoon.

I remind myself to make sure Bridge is keeping up with her birth control. I don't think it's been a top priority for her. She's never had a serious boyfriend.