McGarthy’s band’s up next. You heard them since they got a new bass player?”
West shook his head and nudged Mattie. “The next guys are really good. Come on, let’s go up front.”
Mattie gulped the last of her margarita, nearly choking on the punch of tequila in the last inch of liquid, as West grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.
The underground club’s patrons crowded into the empty space in front of the stage. With a crash of guitars and drums that rattled her bones, the new band launched into song. Mattie lost herself in the music, relishing the thunder of bass and drums deep in her chest. The grind of the music heightened her euphoria, livened her senses.
She didn’t dance as much as she just moved to the music, one with the crowd. People at the front of the crowd started a weak mosh pit, slamming into one another and ricocheting off. The band went into a hard, fast riff. Heads starting banging. Hair went everywhere.
Laughing, Mattie let West pull her toward the back of the crowd. Sweating and panting, she smiled at him. He grinned back, one eyebrow raised. “Not bad, huh?” he hollered.
Just as she answered, the music cut off like someone had flipped a switch, leaving her, “No, it’s great!” hanging in midair.
She clapped her hands over her mouth. West laughed along with most of the people surrounding them.
“Hey, West!” Hearing his name roared through the mic startled Mattie. “Get up here, man!” The crowd parted like the Red Sea. The lead singer pointed at him. “Get up here!” West shot Mattie a happy look, then half-dragged her to the stage. He left her on the main floor and hopped up next to the lead singer. The lead singer said something into West’s ear. He nodded and grabbed the mic stand.
After shooting a wink at Mattie, he leaned into the mic. “One, two—” He had a voice like tattered velvet. Mattie held perfectly still, letting it soak into her flesh. He sounded like a mix of Trent Reznor and Maynard James Keenan, with a little bit of a gruff edge to his voice. Instantly entranced by the quiet opening into Staind “It’s Been a While,” she found herself staring at him. He put his everything into the song and made it look effortless. His song came to an end much too soon. Mattie took a breath. It felt like the first one she’d taken all night.
He bounced off the stage and escorted her away from the throng. Up the stairs and out the steel door. “What’dya think?”
Mattie crowed, “Oh my God! You sounded awesome.”
“Em thinks I sound like I swallowed razors.”
“She’s an idiot. Why’re we leaving?”
Chapter Five
“So? Why’d we leave?” Mattie hurried to catch up to West.
“I need to go check on Em. I don’t like leaving her by herself too long.”
“She’s not a child, and she’s not alone. She’s got an entire club of people around her.” He cocked an eyebrow at her as he opened the Navigator door for her. “That’s why I need to go find her.”
“So you don’t trust her.” He slammed the door and went around to the driver’s side. He got in and gunned the engine. The radio blared suddenly, startling Mattie. She reached out and flicked the knob, killing the sound. “Well?”
“I trust her.”
“Uh huh.”
“I trust her, but not the people around her.”
“Em doesn’t seem the type to just let somebody take advantage of her, or to let someone talk her into something.”
“I know her, Mattie. I’m not worried about anything.”
“You sound pretty defensive there, West.”
“No, I’m not! She’s perfectly trustworthy.”
“So’s my cat. I can trust her not to poop or pee on the carpet, but when it comes to the toms wandering around the alley...that’s a cat of a different color.”
“What are you saying?” Mattie sighed and wished she’d thought before she started yakking. Now she had to explain, and the explanation wasn’t one West
She didn’t dance as much as she just moved to the music, one with the crowd. People at the front of the crowd started a weak mosh pit, slamming into one another and ricocheting off. The band went into a hard, fast riff. Heads starting banging. Hair went everywhere.
Laughing, Mattie let West pull her toward the back of the crowd. Sweating and panting, she smiled at him. He grinned back, one eyebrow raised. “Not bad, huh?” he hollered.
Just as she answered, the music cut off like someone had flipped a switch, leaving her, “No, it’s great!” hanging in midair.
She clapped her hands over her mouth. West laughed along with most of the people surrounding them.
“Hey, West!” Hearing his name roared through the mic startled Mattie. “Get up here, man!” The crowd parted like the Red Sea. The lead singer pointed at him. “Get up here!” West shot Mattie a happy look, then half-dragged her to the stage. He left her on the main floor and hopped up next to the lead singer. The lead singer said something into West’s ear. He nodded and grabbed the mic stand.
After shooting a wink at Mattie, he leaned into the mic. “One, two—” He had a voice like tattered velvet. Mattie held perfectly still, letting it soak into her flesh. He sounded like a mix of Trent Reznor and Maynard James Keenan, with a little bit of a gruff edge to his voice. Instantly entranced by the quiet opening into Staind “It’s Been a While,” she found herself staring at him. He put his everything into the song and made it look effortless. His song came to an end much too soon. Mattie took a breath. It felt like the first one she’d taken all night.
He bounced off the stage and escorted her away from the throng. Up the stairs and out the steel door. “What’dya think?”
Mattie crowed, “Oh my God! You sounded awesome.”
“Em thinks I sound like I swallowed razors.”
“She’s an idiot. Why’re we leaving?”
Chapter Five
“So? Why’d we leave?” Mattie hurried to catch up to West.
“I need to go check on Em. I don’t like leaving her by herself too long.”
“She’s not a child, and she’s not alone. She’s got an entire club of people around her.” He cocked an eyebrow at her as he opened the Navigator door for her. “That’s why I need to go find her.”
“So you don’t trust her.” He slammed the door and went around to the driver’s side. He got in and gunned the engine. The radio blared suddenly, startling Mattie. She reached out and flicked the knob, killing the sound. “Well?”
“I trust her.”
“Uh huh.”
“I trust her, but not the people around her.”
“Em doesn’t seem the type to just let somebody take advantage of her, or to let someone talk her into something.”
“I know her, Mattie. I’m not worried about anything.”
“You sound pretty defensive there, West.”
“No, I’m not! She’s perfectly trustworthy.”
“So’s my cat. I can trust her not to poop or pee on the carpet, but when it comes to the toms wandering around the alley...that’s a cat of a different color.”
“What are you saying?” Mattie sighed and wished she’d thought before she started yakking. Now she had to explain, and the explanation wasn’t one West
Similar Books
