Falling Down

Chapter Seventeen
Lucy
"I think your mom likes me," Jesse says with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
"That's only because you and Ben made your amazing spaghetti and we're freaking Italian. If you can cook Italian dishes like a God, it's going to get you in her good graces," I tell him.
"I don't care what it is, Jace told me she's a hard woman but she's softened up a bit."
I roll my eyes. "She acts tough, but she's really a softie underneath it all… and my dad makes sure of that."
Jesse grins as he takes a drink of his beer.
"Then there's the fact that you guys wouldn't let any of us help you clean up the kitchen or dishes. I think she's pretty much fallen in love with every one of you."
"We're awesome," Xander says as he plops into the chair next to me. "She knows it, she acknowledges it, she's brilliant. Isn't that right, Regina?"
"Of course I'm brilliant."
Again, I roll my eyes. Dear God they're all sucking up to my mother and she's loving it.
I pass her a spoon.
"What's this for?"
"So you can eat up the sweetness they're pouring all over you," I tell her exasperated.
"Oh Luciana, don't be jealous."
"Yeah, Lucy, don't be jealous," Xander says.
"I'm not jealous." I'm seriously not. I just think it's ridiculous the way they're carrying on with my mother because they're actually afraid of her.
"You seem jealous to me," Ben says.
"Oh for Christ's sake."
"Luciana, language."
"Yes, mama."
They all smirk at me and I flip them the bird.
"As I was saying, I'm not jealous. I'm amused."
"Amused?" Jesse asks pulling me onto his lap.
"Mhmm. You see, it's really entertaining watching you all suck up to my mother to get on her good side because you're all terrified of her."
Sera laughs. "They so are."
"I'm not afr--" Jace is cut off when my mom motions him to her.
"Uh-huh," I snicker.
"Pathetic is what it is," Meggie says bouncing around to Falling Down's latest album my mother insisted they play for her even though she isn't a fan of hard rock.
"It's amusing and a bit… endearing that they all want to get along with my mama. It shows me that they love me so much that they want to make me happy in every aspect of my life," I say with a laugh.
"Now who's shoveling sh--sweetness?" Kennedy asks.
"Hey now," I say pretending to be affronted but I can't help but laugh, especially when Jesse starts tickling me.
He leans forward, turning my face to his, and pulling me close so our lips are a hairs breath apart. "You're so f*cking beautiful."
I blush and he smiles, running his fingers over my flushed cheeks.
"You always bring light with you wherever you go, but when you laugh, it's like rays of sunshine pouring over everyone, filling them with warmth and happiness."
I have no idea what to say to that. Jesse Kingston is waxing poetic and holy freaking hell.
"Jesse," I whisper. He presses his lips softly against mine, lingering for a few seconds, before pulling back.
"You can't know how that feels. I wish you could experience it."
"Oh, I don't know," I tell him. "I think I feel the same way when you're happy, when you get the full-on laugh. The best one is when you aren't expecting something, you get surprised and pause, then once you process it you throw your head back and laugh. The sound is full and rich and it flows through me, warming me from the inside out."
He just stares at me, his expression soft.
"Dude, hers was better than yours," Xander deadpans, blatantly eavesdropping.
I smile and Jesse smiles back. "F*cker."
"Jesse Kingston. Language!" my mother scolds.
"Yes, ma'am."
Now that I laugh at and Sera joins me. I giggle and tears start pouring down my cheeks, my stomach hurts so much that I can hardly breathe.
"Oh my, that was awesome. Where were the paparazzi when that was happening?"
"Can you imagine that on Entertainment Tonight?" Sera asks. "Yes, ma'am"
"Dude, not even funny," Ben says. "We've been on there more times than we care to count and each time they've dragged us through the mud."
"Wow, really?" Meggie asks.
"Yep," Jesse tells her.
"Who'd you piss off?" I ask him.
He shrugs. "I dunno. No one that I know of. Why?"
"They're one of the only media groups that doesn't talk shit about me."
"True story," Sera says.
"Bet it doesn't stay that way for long," Ethan says with a frown.
"You'd think after today, with all the information we spoon fed those vultures, that they'd be more accommodating."
Xander snorts.
"I even offered to discuss things with them. Me, discuss my private life with the freaking press. I referred them to Irene who would set up a meeting if they wanted the true facts."
"That's just it, Luciana," my dad says. "They don't want the true facts. True facts are boring and don't make drama which doesn't make for good press which doesn't make good sales."
Cage grunts in agreement as he tips back his beer for a drink.
"Well, I tried. I went out there all professional and shit and gave them everything but what position Jesse and I were in last night and what color my lace boyshorts are."
"Lace boyshorts are hot," Xander tells me, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Lucy," my mother scolds.
"Mama, come on. It's the truth and you know it. Do you see anyone hounding Jesse or any of the guys from Falling Down for being manwhores? Did they go after Jesse after the night in the club? No and no. They came after me. Why do you think that is?"
"Because you're a good girl and you were fornicating with a bad boy in the middle of a dance club," Joey says from the doorway.
"Joey!" I walk to him and give him a hug. "How did you manage to get away? I thought you had a night shoot?"
"Amanda got sick from the heat," he says with disgust.
"Amanda Digby?"
He nods. "She's ridiculously simple-minded. She sat outside today, in the more than one-hundred-degree weather, thinking just because she had one of those large umbrellas that blocked the sun that she was immune to the heat."
"Um… the sun maybe but not the heat," Sera says.
"Exactly. Idiot woman," Joey says hugging Sera as I perch back on Jesse's lap.
"Want a beer?" Meggie asks.
"Holy shit! Meggie!" Joey shouts, lifting her in the air and twirling her around. "It's great to see you. What are you doing here?"
"I'm in Blush with your sister, Sera, Jace, and--"
I cough loudly and Meggie winks at me.
"That's great," Joey says. I introduce him to Jesse and the guys, he greets our mom and dad and Cage.
"Joey."
"Yeah?"
"I've got a bit of a surprise for you."
"What's that?" he asks.
Trace steps out from behind the bar where Joey wasn't able to see him--we'd planned this out earlier. Joey's eyes go huge.
"No f*cking way!"
"Joseph Russo! Language!"
"Sorry mama but it's Trace f*cking Styx!"
"Joseph!"
"Mama, you might just ignore the language for a little bit because he's going to be fangirling and likely swearing in his excitement. You know how he gets," I tell her.
"This is true. I'll ignore him."
I give her a look. It's not easy ignoring my brother. He's loud and boisterous in a party setting.
"What?" she asks.
"You can't ignore Joey."
"Oh sure I can. I've learned how to tone all of you out. Every last one of you including your friends you had over in high school. Take Jace, for instance."
Jace squirms a bit in his chair, being put on the spot.
"No more than thirty minutes ago he started talking to Kennedy about the… sluts they… entertained a few nights ago. I toned that right out. There are some things a mother doesn't need to hear and she learns very early on how to make that happen."
"Wow," Jace says blushing.
"I'm not going to even lecture you men on the importance of respecting women," she says and they all shift in their chairs, all besides Jesse who smirks.
"And you, Jesse Kingston. You better be the most respectful of them all. You are, after all, involved with my daughter--"
"And Nana Russo taught mama how to put hexes and curses on people," Sera says straight-faced.
"That she did. While I believe my mother-in-law was spawned from the devil incarnate, she has taught me many useful things."
Jesse takes a sip of his beer, totally relaxed. He shrugs. "I'm not concerned," he says. Everyone raises their eyebrows. "You know why?" he asks.
"Why's that?" I ask.
"Because I do respect you and if there comes a time when I treat you disrespectfully I damn well deserve whatever your mom and nana bring on me."
I pat his cheek with my hand. "Oh you brave, stupid man."
Sera laughs.
I kiss his lips and he smirks. Oh, those dimples. My gaze zeroes in on them and his smirk turns into a knowing grin.
I lean forward and whisper in his ear, "Lick."
"Anywhere you want," he whispers back.
Evil. I shouldn't be thinking of licking Jesse's body from head to toe with my mama and daddy sitting no more than ten feet away, but damn if I'm not. Pure evil, that is Jesse Kingston.
Earlier Sera and I brought out the journals of songs we'd all written before, during, and after high school. Meggie and Trace were thumbing through a few of them, as were Xander and Ben.
"Who wrote this one?" Ben asks, trying to show me the page.
"I can't see that without my glasses. What's the title?"
"Blush."
Everyone gets quiet and I feel my cheeks heat up, my heart is pounding in my chest. "I did."
"Thought so," he replies. "It needs to go on your album."
"Why?" I ask incredulously.
"You know why."
"Now I want to hear it," Jesse says.
"No, really, you don't."
"Oh, I don't know," Sera says running her tongue over her teeth. "I think he probably does."
"Bitch."
She laughs.
"What's going on?" Jesse asks.
"Nothing."
"If it's nothing, then you can sing it for me."
Shit. I sigh.
"Do you mind if I borrow your guitar for a few minutes, Kennedy?" Sera asks.
"Nope," he says, as he stops strumming the chords and willingly hands it over to her. "Have at it."
Sera pulls up a chair next to mine and strums a few chords.
"I should really wait to sing until--"
Jesse shakes his head. "You're evading. Now you have to sing it so I can see what you're hiding."
I look down at my hands. "I apologize in advance."
"For what?"
"You'll see," Joey says with a chuckle.
"Shut up, Joseph. It's a lovely song," my mother says.
Well then. Here we go revealing… everything.
"Ready?" Sera asks. I nod and close my eyes, going to the place where nothing exists but music. I start to sing, with Sera singing backup on the chorus.

Every time I think of you, I blush
Every time I see you, I blush
Looking in your eyes, I blush
Knowing that I want you, I blush

Do you remember a time not so long ago
When we were strangers but said hello
You held my hand and looked into my eyes
The soul-deep feeling was no surprise

With how badly I want to kiss you, I blush
With how much I long for you, I blush
When I think of all the things I want to do to you, I blush
When I wish my dream would come true, I blush

Do you remember a time not so long ago
When we were strangers but said hello
You held my hand and looked into my eyes
The soul-deep feeling was no surprise

When I see you up on that stage, I blush
When I see you sing with your soul, I blush
When you reach out to the crowd like you do, I blush
Wishing it was me you were reaching out to, I blush

Do you remember a time not so long ago
When we were strangers but said hello
You held my hand and looked into my eyes
The soul-deep feeling was no surprise
I hope one day you'll know all the reasons why…
I blush

There's silence and I drop my head, my eyes still closed.
"Damn," Xander says. Ben, Ethan, Trace, Meggie, and Kennedy are in agreement--all the ones who haven't heard the song yet… all except Jesse.
"How old were you when you wrote that, Lucy?" Jesse asks softly.
"Eighteen," I say, then take a drink of my water and Jesse hands me a peppermint Life Saver.
"It wasn't long after we met you. You'd just finished an album and went on tour. We went to your concert here in L.A.," Sera tells him.
"You inspired her," my mother says. "Even at a very young age, before she met you."
"Mama," I scold.
Jesse turns me to face him.
I lift my chin and push back my shoulders as I meet his gaze. False bravado I'm good at. I am, after all, an academy award winning actress.
"You felt that zing in Chicago, too."
It's not a question, not really, but I nod.
"It triggered a lot of shit," Joey blurts out.
"Joey, shut up."
"What?" he asks.
Seriously. This is so embarrassing.
"I thought I'd met you somewhere before, I almost asked you. You seemed so familiar," Jesse tells me softly.
"Probably because she stalked you at every concert she could get to," Joey says with a laugh.
"Joseph," my father scolds. "Shut up."
Properly chastised, he goes back to fangirling all over Trace who seems to be eating it up.
I just look at Jesse. "You think I'm a weird stalker girl with some high school girl crush now, huh?" I ask.
"No. I think it might have started that way and it might have been what prompted our meeting in Chicago being a whole lot more personal than an artist and fan meeting, but I think Chicago is where things changed."
I see Sera nod and smile.
"You should have let me know you were coming to the concert. I would have gotten you VIP passes."
I shake my head. "No. It was better to not do that. I was way too young and I had a lot to learn. A lot. Besides, you had your manwhore status at that time and things between us would have never worked out."
"Hmm."
"Honestly, I'm don't know if they'll even work out now with us touring one way and you touring another. I wouldn't expect or even ask exclusivity of you during your tour. That wouldn't be fair."
"To who?" he asks, raising a brow, looking more than a little irritated.
"You."
"Hold up. You automatically think because I'm going to be going on tour that I wouldn't want to continue our relationship? That I'd rather f*ck a bunch of groupie whores, as you put it?" he growls.
"I think it's time for us to move inside and give these two some privacy," Ben says. "Come on, Regina and Anthony, I'll give you the nickel tour."
Jesse and I sit there staring at each other as everyone clears off the patio.
Cage pauses. "That's going on the album. Your title track."
I nod and he heads inside, closing the door behind him.
"You can answer me now that they're gone," Jesse bites out.
I stand up and begin pacing. "What do you want from me? That--" I wave my hand, "touring, being wild, women, promiscuity--is your life. I walked into this with my eyes wide open, Jesse. I don't expect you to change your life for me."
"Why the f*ck not?"
"What?" I look at him.
"Why don't you expect that?"
"Because you're you. You're a god damn rock star. It's what you do."
He nods then runs his hand through his hair.
"Who f*cked you over, Lucy?"
"Huh?" How the hell did he get that out of…
"Who was it that f*cked you over?"
"I don't--"
"You do. Who was it that made you feel as if you didn't deserve to be treated with respect? Who was it that made you feel so inferior you don't have the right to ask for things you deserve?"
My heart is pounding so fast, my breath catches. I can't talk about this with him.
I shake my head.
He walks up to me, gently grabs my arms and gives me a soft shake. "Who did this to you?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Oh, there's where you're wrong, Lucy. It matters. It matters a whole f*ck of a lot because whoever the prick is that did this, he broke you."
I gasp and tears fill my eyes. "Don't do this," I whisper, my body shaking.
"Why not? It's the truth, isn't it? When we were in Chicago you had this look where it almost seemed as if you claimed me the minute you felt that zing. Six years ago you were ready to make demands and we were strangers. Now we're in a relationship, we're fu--intimate, I've licked every inch of your body, and you won't ask that of me? Don't you think, being in a relationship with me, you'd have a right to ask that of me before we tour? I sure as f*ck expect it from you."
The first tear falls. He wipes it with the pad of his thumb.
"What happened, Lucy? Who hurt you so badly you're shaking right now just at the mention of it?"
At his quiet, tender tone, I break. The dam bursts and he pulls me into his arms, holding me close. He sits back down and pulls me onto his lap, holding me as I sniffle.
"His--" my voice cracks and I clear my throat. "His name was Ian. We met on the set of Fair Play."
"Go on," he encourages gently.
"He was so nice when we first met: sweet, kind, attentive. We began dating. We'd go to dinner, movies, or the theater when we got a few days off from filming. After a little more than three months we went away for a weekend together, we went to the Keyes, and, uh, we slept together."
Jesse nods, his lips pressed firmly together. "You were a virgin?"
I nod. "Yeah," I whisper.
"Did he hurt you?"
"No… not then." Jesse stiffens.
"When?"
"That weekend was really great. We spent a lot of time on the beach, doing touristy things. We were out of the hotel room more than in and I was glad he hadn't brought me there solely for sex, you know?"
He nods.
"Anyway, he continued being great for a couple weeks and then when his part in the film was over--mine wasn't, I was the female lead. He became resentful of my time away from him and in front of the camera. He made me feel guilty for going to work every morning," I say with a soft laugh. "Isn't that ridiculous?"
Jesse doesn't say anything but I really don't expect him to. I was asking that question of myself and my answer is yes. It is ridiculous.
"He became demanding of my time, jealous of my costar--"
"Because of the intimate scenes?"
"Uh, yeah. There was a lot of kissing and hugging, arms around one another, holding hands, and four sex scenes."
Jesse nods. "I remember the movie."
"It's not at all intimate when you're on set. There are people everywhere, some milling around doing their jobs, others just standing or sitting watching. You have to understand, when I'm playing a part, I do tend to lose myself in the character when the cameras are rolling. It's the only way I know. But it's the character, not Lucy, if you can understand that?"
"It's what makes you so good at what you do."
I shrug. "I guess. All I know is he assumed that I was enjoying all the attention my character received from my costar. Let's just call him H. You know who he is but I don't want to drag his name through this horror story."
"Horror," Jesse repeats and I nod.
"So, it was no secret that H and I got along well, we were friends which makes working together that much easier, you know? And, of course, he's a beautiful man, inside and out, so, yeah, there was attraction there--superficial attraction. It was no hardship kissing him," I say with a small smile.
Jesse grunts. "I take it he didn't like that."
"No. He didn't. He became possessive, demanding of my time and--"
"And?" Jesse prompts when I pause.
I lift my eyes to meet his. "And," I whisper, "demanding of my body."
Jesse hisses out a breath.
"The first time--"
"The first time?" Jesse nearly yells.
"Shhh. They'll hear you and this isn't public knowledge." I sigh. "That was a shitty thing to say. They're not public, they're family but I'm not comfortable revealing this part of my life."
"I understand. But, God, Lucy," he rubs his hands up and down my arms.
"Let me just get this all out. I'd had a sex scene with H that day and it was one where we stripped completely down. Nothing showed as they covered my breasts and--" I sigh. "I just put a robe on after we were done shooting for the day, once we got the scene just right. It didn't help that it took a few takes so they could get multiple angles for editing and all that."
"He was on set? Watching?"
I nod. "It didn't faze me because I became Libby and H became David. When they call action, Luciana Russo doesn't exist on that set. I am whoever I'm scripted to be. When I headed back to my trailer, Ian followed along. I knew he was angry. H and I were all over each other even though it was just work."
"But he didn't see it that way."
"No. I explained it was the same as it was for him but he used my friendship with H against me, saying we were too close and if I wanted to be f*cked, he'd show me how a real man did it. I'm sure you can imagine what came next."
He just gives one sharp nod.
"He left bruises on my body that wardrobe noticed when I was changing one day. They knew what happened but I didn't admit anything. I wanted to just forget it happened. I mean, it was my fault, right? At least that's what I thought then. I tried to break things off with him, but he begged and pleaded, apologized to me and young, na?ve Lucy reluctantly agreed to try. Needless to say, the good guy didn't last long. Then when I wanted to do something, how dare I ask, shouldn't that be up to him because I'd been off doing whatever all day and he was bored. He should be able to make the plans. I didn't want to argue about it, so I agreed. He became so controlling. It got so bad he wouldn't let me call my mom when I was off set because that was his time with me. A week later we had another sex scene."
"God, Lucy."
I close my eyes and snuggle into his chest, his arms wrapping tighter around me. "I hate telling this part. It's… just hard. The minute we got to the trailer, he shoved me so hard I fell to the floor. I hit my head on the edge of a cabinet and my head started bleeding. He grabbed my arm hard and jerked me up then he took that forearm and slammed it over the edge of the kitchen table over and over, breaking both bones."
"Motherf*cker."
"I tried yelling for help, knowing that the crew would be around soon because we'd quit for the day but he took the belt of my robe and gagged me. Then he raped me, brutally. Not once because that's not enough humiliation. Twice wasn't enough. He had to do it a third time, only this time--"
"Don't. I know what you're going to say."
At this point, I'm numb. "Why not? It's what happened. He sodomized me. He didn't care that I wasn't aroused at all, there was no prep. He went in dry each time and tore me so much, the pain from it got so bad I passed out. I guess that was a blessing. Anyway, the director, Mel, saw Ian coming out of my trailer with blood on his shirt. Ian didn't even notice it was there. He thought he was going to just walk off. He nearly did." I laugh mirthlessly.
"It took them some time to restrain him, so I laid there unconscious for who knows how long, bleeding all over the place, before they called the paramedics. I woke up in the hospital three days later with a broken arm, seven stitches in my head, and I don't know what they all did to fix the damage he'd done down... there. Apparently I'd lost a lot of blood. My mom flew up immediately. I worried about pregnancy because the prick didn't bother to wear a condom. I mean, that was good for DNA, but shit. I didn't want to be pregnant from that. Well, they had administered the morning after pill with my mom's consent. I'm not sure how. They must have shoved it down my throat or something since I was unconscious. I had to undergo STD and HIV testing on a regular basis for the next couple years but I still go through both every six months just because. I never quite recovered fully from that. I don't make demands of anyone and haven't since then. I tease being bossy but--" I shrug.
Jesse nods. "I'm so sorry this happened to you," he hugs me tight to him. "How did that not get leaked to the press?"
"There were only a handful of us on set that day because it was just the sex scene, and we were filming in Canada so not much press to worry about since the press that was there was following the other actors around on their day off. It was before I was popular."
"God," Jesse says blowing out a breath.
"What is it?"
"I've been so rough with you."
"Don't do that, Jesse. You don't hurt me and if I had complaints about that, I guarantee you'd hear about it. I'm pretty sure you can tell I enjoy it. Remember the screaming?" I ask with a smile and he chuckles.
"I don't want you to treat me differently, Jesse. It was a long time ago. The only thing that still lingers is--my attitude is different, as you said. I'm passive and don't make demands or ask for things I'm not sure I have a right to. I'm afraid to," I whisper.
There's a knock on the patio door and I look over.
"Can we come out a minute?" Cage asks.
"Sure." I was thinking Cage and Sera but out comes everyone.
"Mama and daddy took off," Sera tells me, her expression soft, worried. "She'd like you to call her later."
"Okay. I'm okay."
She nods.
"What's up?" Jesse asks.
"We were in there talking about touring," Ben says looking at me. "How would you feel about Blush opening for Falling Down?"
I freeze and Jesse smiles a smile so bright it lights up the sky. I swear, the entire sky.
"Are you f*cking with me right now?" I ask. This would be the opportunity of a lifetime.
"Pretty sure if I was f*cking with you my brother would be pounding the shit out of me."
"Damn straight."
"This isn't just up to me. It needs to be okay with Cage and after that it needs to be okay with Sera, Jace, Meggie, and Trace."
"I think it's a great idea," Cage says.
"Let's take a vote," Sera says with a knowing smirk.
"Not just Blush members but Falling Down members too. Be completely honest. No saying yes just because you feel loyal to Jesse or me. Base your decision on you," I tell them.
"Cool," Xander says. "I say hell yes. Who's in, raise 'em up."
All eight hands raise… then nine as Jesse raises his.
"Jesse."
"What do you say? What do you want to do? What do you want to do for you?" he asks, using my words.
"Touché." I smirk at him and lift my hand. "It'd be really stupid of me to pass up this opportunity. Everything's just falling into place."
"Fate," Sera says.
"Timing," Cage says at the same time.
"Is that the only reason you agreed? Because of the opportunity for the band?" Jesse asks.
"No."
He nods.
"And I'd like to ask you to not f*ck the groupie whores--ever again. Oh, f*ck that. I'm telling you. If you want to be with me, no f*cking anyone but me."
He chuckles.
"Because if you do, I'll have to chop your balls off and stuff them down your throat," Sera says sweetly.
"That's not going to be a problem. I don't want groupie whores. I just want you."
"Awww," Meggie says with a genuine sniffle. She's so weird.
"Cage?" I ask, looking into Jesse's eyes.
"Yeah, Luce."
"Are we allowed to fraternize with members of the other band while on tour?"
Jesse grins and everyone around us chuckles.
"Yeah, and I'm pretty sure if I'd have said no, you'd have done it anyway."
"Pretty much. We are talking about Jesse Kingston here."
"F*ck," Xander says.
"What's your problem?" Kennedy asks.
"We're going to have to listen to her scream on the bus."
I'm sure my face is the color of a tomato right now.
"It'll be alright, Lucy. You screaming just lets them know we're doing it right," Jesse says with a laugh.
"Gah," Sera says. "I'm riding on a different bus. I so don't want to hear my sister f*cking her boyfriend."
I laugh. "Right about now I'm really glad my mom and dad have already left."
More laughing.
"There'll be enough room for everyone to be comfortable. You all can figure out who's on what bus," Cage says.
"Cage, can you give Dave the exclusive of this announcement?"
He raises his eyebrows.
"He was so great at the press conference, he deserves this."
"Done."
"Lucy?" Sera says.
"What's up?"
She's grinning. "You're so going to piss off Jesse's groupie whores."
I shrug. "They had their turn and it's over. He's mine now."
Jesse pulls me in for a kiss. "And she's mine."
"F*ckin' A. More sluts for me," Jace says.
"Pig."
"You never know," he says with a shrug, "one of those sluts could be my future wife."
Complete silence and then we all start laughing, Jace laughing the loudest.
"Jesse," Ben says nudging his arm.
"Hmm?"
"What are you going to do about the," his gaze flicks to me, then back to Jesse. "About the regulars."
I roll my eyes. "Bitches better look out. That's all I've got to say. And you, Jesse Kingston, better send a skank-wide text to those whores and let them know that shit is over and then you better delete those sluts' numbers."
He grins at me. "Is this you teasing bossy?"
"Are you f*cking with me right now?"
"Yeah," he says with a laugh.
"Here come the screams," Xander says with a laugh.
"Those aren't screams, those are whines and wails from all the skank-ass hoes crying because their favorite rockstar cock is unavailable to get them the attention they want," Sera says.
"True that," Trace says.
"Skank-ass hoes," I say with a laugh.
"Jesus," Cage says. "F*ckers, bitches, groupie whores, and skank-ass hoes. We'll be lucky to get through this tour without a brawl or a lawsuit."
"Damn straight," Xander yells. "Good times, f*ckers!"
"It has a good ring to it."
"What's that?" Jesse asks.
"The Falling Down-Blush tour."
We all look at each other.
Xander raises a fist. "Good times, f*ckers!"