Poison Rose (Sequel to "Good Love")

Eleven

Aerin wasn't the least bit surprised to hear Ash blurt out the one question that was no doubt on the minds of everybody who recognized the detained quartet before them. In fact, she purposely hadn't asked it herself just so he'd have the chanceta do it on his own, considering why they were no doubt here. After all, she wasn't a stupid woman by any means–if it'd been anyone else, she wouldn't already have an idea, but given the identities of these men...

        "We're here, 'cuz we want our bassist back," the tallest detainee answered, that demonically-deep voice all too recognizable.

        "Andja thought fuckin' stalking me was the way to do it?" Ash snapped. "Andy, you're a bigger moron than I ever woulda thoughtcha were!"

        "Wait, ya know these fuckers?" Rikki looked surprised as he continued pinning the next tallest one's arms behind his back, but thankfully didn't lose his grip.

        "Yeah, I know these idgits–and so do Aerin and Aidan," he answered. "Well, they dunno 'em personally like I do, but they know 'em on sight, and that's close enough for me right now."

        "Oh, I know all I need to about 'em," the younger woman drawled. She still hadn't put her shotgun down, and only him pushing down on the barrel made her put it down now.

        "We'll just beat the fuck outta them, if need be," the youngest bassist told her. "We've enough numbers that we shouldn't need weaponry, if they're stupid enough to throw a punch."

        "As MiLord Wishes," Aerin chuckled, setting her shotgun aside.

        The pair she'd more or less had it trained on from across the pool relaxed marginally, but even the blindest of them could tell they still had their guards up.

        "Now, I'd suggest even Jake and Jinxx get their asses over here, or I'll make sure their bodies're never found," she growled, putting the youngest of their group to shame.

        Said pair of guitarists didn't hesitate to scurry around either side of the pool, their hands still somewhat raised in a gesture of surrender. If anyone was gonna cause trouble, it was Andy, 'cuz he was the one who was most in need of a flogging–but not for any kinda pleasure. He just didn't know when to shut his mouth and let anyone else get a word in edgewise, but that kinda shit wasn't gonna happen on her property.

        Once the pair'd joined their physically-detained friends, the young woman locked eyes with a pair that were every bit as blue as Bret's. If he thought he was gonna scare her with that laser-intense gaze, he'd another thing coming, and she knew that Aidan felt the same. The ginger already hadn't liked him when her boyfriend started dropping hints about his exit from the band online, but once she'd found out the full Truth after meeting him personally–well, saying it was like pouring kerosene on a campfire woulda been an understatement. She'd wanted to fly out to Cali and rip his guts out his ass, through his navel once she'd pulled them through his back, and up through each ear and eye socket like garland wound through the branches of a Yule Tree.

        Andy actually tried to take a step back from the nearly-black gaze of the pipsqueak staring him down, but the body behind him stopped him. There was something about this woman that actually scared him enough to wanna piss himself, and he wasn't too sure he wanted to know what it was. He'd never met anyone else–not even another man–who scared him that much, but he wasn't about to show his Fear. Showing Fear was just gonna give her the perfect opportunity and excuseta pounce, and he wasn't about to let that happen.

        Seeing his best friend looking like he wanted to step forward and fight, but like he wanted to hide behind this pipsqueak bitch at the same Time was something he'd never thought he'd see, either. Ashley'd never been the kinda guy to back down from a fight, especially when he was drunk, and that went for verbal as much as physical. What all'd Changed in the last few Years, and so drastically that it was almost like looking at a completely different person? He wanted to know, and he wasn't about to leave here without answers–once he was free of this other giant's hold, that is.