Falling Down

  Sera pouts. "Drummers bring in people."

  "Fuckin' A we do," Xander exclaims.

  "I know it, but honestly, can you see it, Xan? These two up front, Jace in the middle."

  He nods as do the rest of the guys and Cage.

  "I see it and I’m liking it," says Kennedy who never speaks.

  "Oh my God! He speaks!"

  He scowls. "I'm a man of few words. It'd be cool if you could get one more chick in the band. Doesn't matter if it's guitar or drums. It'll even out the guy-to-girl ratio. We've got so many chicks at our shows there are no tickets left for the fucking guys unless it's their boyfriends."

  "True that," Ethan says.

  "I’m sure none of you complain," I say with a pointed look to Jesse. His brows lift and I look away, jealousy flooding me at the thought of him fucking the long line of groupies he's gone through. My teeth grind together in irritation. Fucking groupies. Fucking rockstars. Jealousy does not look good on me.

  "So we need lead guitar and drums?"

  "Sera, why aren't you taking lead?" Jace asks.

  "It's been too long."

  "Yet you were willing to tackle drums?"

  She huffs.

  Ben stands up. "Come on. Let's go see what she's got."

  "What? No," she protests.

  "Suck it up and let's go. You should be lead," I whisper, "and you know it."

  We get to the part of the set that is a faux stage and Xander hands Sera his sticks. "Let's hear the drums first so we judge correctly."

  She nods. "What do you want to play?"

  The band picks up their instruments. Xander taps his chin with his index finger. "You up for a challenge, doll?"

  She narrows her eyes and he grins. Sera's always up for a challenge and calling her 'doll' will only make her more determined to win.

  "I thought so. Let's see how much stamina you've got. Nightmare by Avenged Sevenfold."

  "Oh boy," I say to Jesse with raised eyebrows. He just shrugs. "I can't really sing this one with you. Ethan's better for this one."

  "That's why you're not backing me up. You're singing it with me. I've heard your rasp."

  "Whatever, I can't sing like a dude," I say, knowing I'm going to sound like shit singing this song. This is a total guy song. I'm all for equal rights, but there is no way a woman's voice can compare to Matt Shadows.

  "Let's do this."

  Sera whips her long brown hair up into a messy bun and takes a seat, adjusting for the height difference. She looks up and counts it off on her sticks and we're rocking.

  Jesus, I think to myself. She's still incredible. She looks amazing, so natural and a pang of guilt floods me. If it hadn't been for my acting, we'd have already been playing and Sera wouldn't have had to settle for modeling when music is her.

  I close my eyes and lose myself in the lyrics, the music, the beat. This feels incredible. This makes me feel. This is what I'm meant to do. Not acting. I open my eyes and see Jesse's are closed as he sings the fuck out of this song. God, he's incredible. He's beautiful, truly, in a very rugged, rough, bad-boy way. Maybe it's the bad boy thing that is attracting me to him. It wouldn't be the first time.

  My voice does nothing for this song. His--well, his challenges it in different ways than the original. He opens his eyes and winks just as the song ends.

  "Fucking killer," Ethan shouts and fist bumps Jace. The two bass players were having a good time it seems.

  Xander nods at Sera, his grin wide. She hands him his sticks. "You kicked ass. How do you feel?"

  "Like I could keep going."

  "Could you keep going for two hours solid? Maybe with a couple small breaks."

  She tilts her head to the side and wiggles her eyebrows. He grins again. "I was talking about drums, darlin', but if you're heading in that direction we can always find out together."

  She laughs. "I could keep playing for two hours. Maybe not at that pace the entire time, but I could do two hours."

  He nods. "There's always a few less heavy songs mixed in the albums so if you wanted drums, you'd be great."

  "Thanks. That means a lot coming from you."

  It really does. He's one of the best drummers out there right now. It hasn't escaped me that this is one of the most popular rock bands out there right now and these moments with them seem so surreal.

  Xander just nods.

  "The question is," Jesse says, "do you want to be back there or would you rather be up here?"

  "First, let's see what she's got for the chords," Ben says.

  I smirk and Jesse raises a brow. "Just watch," I whisper and head over to grab rhythm guitar.

  "Whatcha got going on here?" Kennedy asks as I pick up one of his guitars.

  "Relax, oh silent and sexy one. I won't wreck your precious. I just know what she's got in mind and I need to do rhythm for her. Well, I don't need to, I want to because this is going to be epic."

  "What's she got in mind?" Ethan asks.

  "The same thing she always has in mind whenever someone challenges her on guitar," Jace says with a grin. "The only question is which song."

  "My new favorite," she announces and I raise my eyebrows and my mouth forms a small o.

  I hop up on a stool. I prefer to sit while I play guitar, even rhythm. Most people prefer to stand but I hate the guitar strap. I just feel too restricted. I'm weird and I admit this freely.

  "You're gonna have to sing this one solo, hot stuff."

  Jesse nods, grabs the mic and stool, and plops himself right next to me. "What is it?"

  "You'll know it as soon as the first note is played."

  He nods again.

  "Ready?" I ask.

  Sera nods and Jace winks.

  Sera starts off Hail To The King by Avenged Sevenfold and all brows go up and grins appear. Sera jumps in on her part as do Jace and Xander. Kennedy matches me, Ethan matches Jace, and Jesse blows the vocals away.

  Ben stands in front of Sera and watches her while his fingers work the fret, grinning. She's not even paying attention. Her eyes are closed and she's in the zone. Give that girl a guitar and she's gone.

  When the last chord is struck, the studio is completely silent. Sera's head comes up and she grins at me.

  Ben shakes his head. "Fucking Hail To The King."

  She shrugs. "I do so love a challenge and I'm glomming on A7X right now."

  "Obviously you've been playing some if you know that song."

  "Well, yeah. I'm a musician. I have to play even if I'm not in a band. Lucy and I had jam sessions."

  "Good. It seems you get to choose what you want to do because you're fantastic at both," Ben says.

  She grins at him. "Thanks, Ben."

  He nods. "I mean it. That was incredible."

  Another extremely flattering compliment for my girl. I can't help but smile.

  "It's up to you. If you do drums, you'll be in the back and likely someone else will have to sing backup. If you choose lead, you get the spotlight. If you choose rhythm, you get a lot of spotlight but not as bright," Jesse states.

  "First, would you be content back there? People know who you are as a drummer, I mean, look at Xander. The women are nuts for him even back there," I say.

  "Probably not. I'd prefer to move around the stage a bit."

  I nod. I thought so. She feels too much when she plays to sit still for that long.

  "That leaves lead and rhythm. Would you be content with rhythm or do you want to continually challenge yourself?"

  Jesse looks at me with a knowing smirk. He knows what I'm doing and what she's going to pick.

  "I, of course, want the challenge," she says with a grin, her brown eyes, so much like mine, flashing with humor and excitement. We may be cousins but to me she is my sister.

  "Then you're it, woman," Jace says with a grin.

  "So we're looking for rhythm guitar and drums. You need anyone for boards?" Jesse asks.

  "Nope. I got that."

  "No shit?"

&nb
sp; "No shit. Why do you sound so surprised?"

  He shrugs.

  "What, only Sera can be a musical prodigy?"

  "I never said that."

  "They must have missed our P!nk performance yesterday," Sera explains.

  I nod. "Must have. And now I feel like I have something to prove," I say heading to the piano. I flex my hands and fingers, cracking my knuckles. Jesse sits next to me on the bench with his microphone. God, he's so pushy. He's not going to give me space at all to deny his claim. Well, I'll just ignore it and keep going like nothing's out of the ordinary. I adjust the mic on the piano.

  I start playing Your Song from Elton John and everyone joins in on their cue. Jesse sings the first verse. I join in on the chorus and take the second verse. Jesse leans forward catching my attention and sings the last line of the second verse to me. Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen.

  Oh boy. I smile and we finish out the song.

  "Well done, Cupcake."

  "Thank you, thank you," I say with a laugh.

  Cage stands from his chair in front of the stage. I forgot he was there. Oops.

  "You want my opinion?" he asks.

  "Always." I have the utmost respect for this man who came from nothing, lived on the streets, and managed to make himself into a business mogul as well as someone everyone in the music industry respects and admires.

  "Sera, take lead. Luce, just sing, do acoustic when you want, during breaks or whatever. Piano if you need to. Focus on working the crowd, engage them. Jace is perfect." Cage shakes his head and laughs. "I knew you'd be sensational but I wasn't expecting this."

  His words warm me all the way to my heart. He's seen many, many bands--rock, pop, rap--you name it, he's seen it, and he thinks we're sensational. There is no greater compliment.

  "So we find rhythm and drums and get you set up in a studio. You've got songs, right?" he asks.

  I laugh. "Are you fucking with me right now?"

  "Yep," he laughs.

  I throw a guitar pick at him which doesn't go very far.

  "Yeah, we've got songs. Books upon books of songs."

  He nods. "You know I own a company that produces records."

  "No, had no clue at all." I tell him pointing at Jesse and the guys to name one of the many amazing bands he's got on his label.

  He laughs. "I've got the company studio and a private one. You can use the private one any time you want, but in a couple weeks I want you in the company one recording your album."

  "Holy fuck," Jace says. "You're that Cage Nichols."

  He nods. "I am."

  "Oh yeah," Sera says walking up to him and jumping on his back. Piggy-back time. "We're going to be on sexy Cage's label." She leans forward and kisses his ear.

  His arms reach back and cup her ass, holding her up.

  Jesse puts his arm around me. "I'll help you. Whatever you need."

  "Thank you, all of you, for this." They all nod.

  I meet the whiskey-colored eyes of a man I've crushed on and admired since I was a teenager. "Please know that I don't expect it from you, but I am grateful for every single thing you do."

  "I know, Lucy. If I thought it was anything else, you wouldn't be mine."

  I lean in and whisper to him, "I'm not yours, Jesse."

  "You will be before the night is over."

  Desire rushes through me and I'm instantly wet at the thought of Jesse's hands and mouth on me, his cock deep inside me. It's been a long time since I've had sex. I do a mental calculation--holy shit, over a year--fourteen-plus months. That's just sad. I tilt my head and consider for a second. I'm not sure if I should give in or hold out. I think waiting until we're done working on this project together is the smart choice, so I ignore his last statement.

  I stand up. "I've got to say, boys, I'm pretty surprised you knew that last song."

  "What?" Kennedy asks. "If there's a musician out there that doesn't know that song, they are a disgrace."

  "Agreed. I just figured you guys were too hardcore to know Elton John."

  "Fuck no. It's a classic. Layla. Lola. Shit, they're the best," Ethan says.

  "Truer words were never spoken," Jace replies.

  "Well all right. We need to get Jace settled in at the penthouse--"

  "Penthouse?" Jesse asks.

  I nod and blow out a breath. "Suites really."

  "Why are you staying in a hotel?" his brows pull down and he frowns.

  "Well, Mr. Sexy Rockstar, I can't go home. It's surrounded by reporters and when I say surrounded, I mean surrounded. It's gated, but that means stopping and risking someone getting in when the gates open and I'm can't be bothered to hire additional security. I've never had to before, and I'm not starting now."

  Jesse nods, lips pressed tightly together again. I'm coming to realize he does that a lot when he's upset or annoyed or pissed off.

  "So where are you staying?"

  "I've got an entire floor booked at the Beverly Wilshire. Once filming is done, we'll stay in the house in Santa Monica."

  "I'm sorry, Lucy. I didn't realize the reporters were on you that bad."

  I shrug. "It's par for the course."

  "They weren't nearly that bad at my place."

  "Gated community?" He nods. "Yeah, mine's not. I haven't had a need for it."

  "Until now," Sera says.

  "You're a movie star," Xander says. "How could you not need a gated community?"

  "I've always stayed under the radar when I've gone out--avoided temptation, so to speak. It's not that we haven't been looking already, we just never made it a priority."

  "Guess we will now, huh?" Sera says and I nod.

  "We're taking Jace out for drinks," Kennedy says and I groan.

  "Really? His first night here?"

  "Is there a better time?"

  I sigh. "He's got his own suite I'll give you the key, Jace. I rented out the floor so we have privacy. You all can party there if you want just keep the skanks to a minimum please and over on your side of the building. I don't want to hear that shit."

  I look around and there's no Sera. "Where'd Sera go?"

  "She took off with Cage," Jace replies.

  I nod. Not surprising.

  "Do you have a car here?" Jesse asks.

  "Max."

  He nods. "I'll take you home."

  "Okay. That's probably better. Then Jace and the boys can have Max or Gio drive."

  He nods. I hand Jace his suite key and tell him they've got the car for the night if they want it but they decide they're going to party anywhere within walking distance and Jace's suite.

  "We'll drop their cars off and Max can take us to the hotel."

  "Sounds good. Stay out of trouble," I tell Jace as I give him a hug. I mimic a Robert De Niro as I point and squint my eyes at the other guys who just grin.

  Damn rockstars.

  Chapter Seven

  Lucy

  "You're not going to invite me up, are you?" Jesse asks.

  I shake my head. "No, I'm not. We've still got to work together."

  "Just one more day… more like half a day. There's not much left to shoot."

  "Jesse."

  "Lucy."

  I can't help but smirk a little. He's something else. Jesse freaking Kingston. I shake my head.

  "What?"

  "Nothing."

  "Oh come on. It was something."

  I turn in the passenger seat of his red brand-spanking-new Mustang to face him. "You really want to know?"

  He glances over for a second before looking back at the highway stretched before us. "I do."

  "I was just thinking 'Jesse freaking Kingston'."

  He grins. "Yeah, that's me."

  "It still seems surreal."

  "I could say the same Miss Hollywood actress. Luciana freaking Russo."

  I wave him off. "I'm not anything but a mediocre actress at best."

  He laughs. "Oh really. This coming from the woman who got nominated for an Oscar after he
r very first film."

  "Please. It was best supporting actress and I didn't win."

  "Still nominated and you won the actress Oscar for your last film so don't tell me you're mediocre."

  "Meh. I don't feel like I deserve any of that. I'm just Lucy and I go play other characters sometimes."

  "You work hard, learn all the lines, get into that character, make it believable."

  "Great scripts help."

  He chuckles. "Would you stop? You can't admit you're good."

  "I just don't see myself like that. It's just a job… acting. Now music... That's going to be something I really want to succeed at."

  "I have no doubt you're going to. It might be a little slow going at first, but I honestly don't think so. Not with Cage's backing."

  I nod. "I have to find a new manager, though Cage said he would step in for the time being. I'm not sure how he can find time for that with everything he's already got going on."

  "I'm sure it has a little something to do with Sera."

  "Probably."

  "How'd you meet Cage?"

  I smile at the memory. "Well, it wasn't long after I'd met you that Irene, my agent, had lined Sera and I up to be in a music video for Crashed. My mom hated it. I mean hated it. Anyway, when we got there, his assistant Marci greeted us just like she did yesterday and took us into the conference room. There sat Cage and a few of his people as well as all the band members from Crashed. It was all Sera and I could do not to squeal like stupid little fangirl groupies." I shake my head at the memory.

  Jesse chuckles. "Go on."

  "I'd never worked on anything like the videos so we were essentially virgins--that's what Cage called us. I was offended at first but didn't say a word. I mean, it's Cage Nichols. At least that's what I thought back then. Anyone who isn't in the industry, I've noted, doesn't see anyone who is in the industry as just a person. They're all hyped up to be OMG Mr. Rockstar or Miss Actress."

  "Kinda like you just thought of me a few minutes ago?"

  "Yeah, but I know you're just a guy who loves music who gets to do what he loves for a living. But that's not how we saw it back then, Sera and I. So we were pretty awed by everything. Then we got on set and it was so much fun. God. So much more fun than acting in a movie or television show. The music, the lights, the sound, the stories that Cage creates for the videos--but mostly it was the music. Sera and I lose ourselves in it and we weren't prepared for being in a video."