Drax's eyes burn with fury. "I wouldn't work with that asshole if he was the last--"

"He is," I say, cutting him off mid-rant. "The fact is, he is the last concert promoter who is willing to even consider booking you."

He glares off into a far corner.

"That's fucking great, Lauren," Jake says, grinning at everyone. "What's the big deal? He was kind of a jerk but whatever. I say we do it."

Savory doesn't look convinced. He gives me a knowing look, and asks, "What's he want? No way is that dude just going to book us out of the goodness of his heart. He wants something. What is it?"

Drax's gaze returns to me, and I can practically feel it on my skin, warming me. Not in the way I want, exactly, but beggars can't be choosers.

"Me."

I don't dare look at Drax but out of the corner of my eye, I can see him tense.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" he spits.

Seriously? He's acting jealous? Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the idea of him being jealous -- and that appalls me just a little -- but he can't act like I'm his property or something.

"In exchange for booking you, he wants me to go back to work for him," I spit back.

Silence settles over the group. Jake breaks it as only Jake could. "Does that mean you won't be our manager anymore?"

Duh, I want to say, but only because I'm already stressed out and irritable. I nod instead.

"Nuh uh, that's bullshit," Frank says. "You can't go back to work for that douchenozzle. Besides, we're a team."

My heart swells at his words, as crass as they are. There's nothing quite like feeling appreciated.

"That's sweet, Frank, but we won't be a team if you guys split up."

"Jesus," Savory snorts. "It's like Sophie's-fucking-Choice! Take the gig and lose you. Don't take the gig and break up."

Drax has been sitting like a stone statue, just staring at me. I have no idea what he's thinking but my heart does flip flops and I very nearly lose myself in his eyes again. Dang, that's so easy to do! But I have more to say, now that the hook is set.

"Actually, there is another option."

The mumbling and grumbling stop and all eyes turn to me, eager to hear what will get them out of this mess.

"I've made a few inquiries, scratched together a few ideas, and I think I have an interesting idea."

I pull out a very rough sketch Papi drew and hand it to Drax. "It's called the 'Route 666 Tour'. We drive the entire length of Route 66, or what's left of it, from Santa Monica to Chicago. We stop every couple nights and perform at any little podunk venue that'll take us. I've called a handful of hip spots and they all gave me a tentative yes."

"And what if they say no?" Savory asks.

"Then we set up in a park or something. We can easily get permits in most small towns -- Marvin doesn't have that much pull -- and even if we can't, holding illegal concerts just adds to Roadkill's bad boy mystique."

"I don't get it," Jake says, scratching his head. Literally. Scratching his head. "How's this supposed to help?"

"It's brilliant," Drax mutters, the tiniest hint of a smile playing at his lips. "Marvin's trying to ice us out. The longer we go without a gig, the faster we'll be forgotten. But if we do a grassroots tour, focusing on the fans and not the money or the prestige big venues offer, they'll come in droves."

He gets it! He gets me!

"Exactly! We waive our fee so the venues keep the ticket prices low, as a thank you to your loyal fans. They spread the word and, hopefully, the tour will go viral, for lack of a better term. Merch sales will more than make up for lost ticket revenue, and the goodwill it'll generate should get us back in the graces of the bigger venues."

The discussion goes on for quite a while, working out details, potential problems, and possible opportunities. Relief washes over me that they're as excited as I am. I half-expected them to take Harry's offer because it was a sure thing. I would have been crushed but I also would have understood.

"I just have one more question," Drax says, catching my gaze. "Does that mean you've decided you want to stay with us?"

I know what he's really asking. He wants to know if I've made a decision about us, not Roadkill. Up until this moment, I was still trying to figure it all out, but watching his face light up over a tour where he'd make next to nothing but would thrill his fans clenched it for me. Draymond Maxwell may be an arrogant, bossy show-off, but there's nothing more in the world I want than for him to be my arrogant, bossy show-off.

"With all my heart."

Rock Your Baby

The cocoon-like warmth of my slumber peels away, layer by layer, until I'm floating in a hazy gray lake of heat. Low pulses of red and white flash behind my eyes as my heart increases its tempo. I squirm with need, inadvertently grinding my ass into something hard and hot. A low moan in my ear draws me closer to the surface and my eyelids flutter open.

I'm in the back bedroom of the bus, nude, and Drax is spooning me in the most filthy and delightful manner. One hand is playfully tweaking the tips of my breasts while the other explores farther south. Without even being aware of it, I've spread my legs to grant him better access. Apparently, I'm running on pure animal instinct.

I grind against him again, earning another moan, this one louder than before. Still fuzzy from sleep, I tip my head back and our lips lock. There's no talking because there's no need. We're together, we're in love -- at least, I'm pretty sure I am -- and fucking like bunnies is expected. And I'll have to say, I've never been awakened in a more pleasurable way.

Drax drags my leg over his thighs and uses his fingers to spread me open and guide himself to my entrance. My body is more than ready for him and I wonder how long he's been warming me up. Long enough, that's for sure, because he slides into me easily and all the way to the hilt.

I cry out into his mouth, his tongue absorbing the noise. He fills me so completely that I already feel the pressure building inside me. Relentlessly, he thrusts into me from behind, his fingers playing me like his guitar until all the light in the world compresses into a single bright pinpoint behind my eyelids. Then it explodes.

I'm still pulsing around him when his guttural moan turns into his own cry of ecstasy. Waves of heat wash over me with each diminishing thrust, until we're a mass of glistening skin and entwined limbs, wrapped in our love.

"Good morning," he pants in my ear.

I barely have enough breath to laugh or strength to roll over in his embrace, but I manage both. "Boy, I'll say it is."

He grins and pulls me closer. "Sorry, but you were tucked up into me, all soft and curvy and gorgeous...I couldn't resist."