Chapter 9

Mick

I struggle to open my eyes and when I do I realize one of my arms is asleep. For once, I’m not hung over. The source of extra heat has blonde wavy hair strewn across my chest. Candice is lying in my arms. I don’t want to move. This feels too perfect. Last night when she opened up to me, everything inside of me struggled to not grab her and tell her she’d never have to worry about pain again. Am I getting soft? Or is this just the effect Candice has on me? She stirs, indicating she’s waking up.

“Good morning,” I say. Candice goes stiff in my arms.

“Wha-What? You can’t be here! You have to go.” She bolts out of my arms and gets off the couch.

“Candice, relax.”

“No. If Lottie catches you, then I’m dead.” She starts to pace around the living room.

“Why? That kid loves me.” I smile and prop myself up.

“She has the biggest mouth ever. Lottie literally can’t keep a secret.” She grabs the empty beer bottles off the coffee table and heads to the kitchen. I get up and follow her.

“Okay. I’m leaving.” I slide my jacket on.

“Take these.” She shoves the rest of the beer and the wine in my arms.

“Are you losing your mind?” I ask.

“A little.” She stops and sighs.

“Is it because we just slept together?” I smirk.

“You’re an idiot.” She smiles.

“I just wanted to see you smile one more time before I left.”

“Your lines are fucking cheesy mate.” She giggles.

“You love it,” I say.

“Nope,” she says. She pauses and looks at me for a moment before she continues, “You know we can’t do this right?”

“Do what?” I ask, sliding my black leather boots on.

“This. Us. I signed a contract that barred me from sleeping with you,” she says.

“Do you usually make a habit of making things as awkward as possible?” I try not to laugh.

“Yeah usually,” she says.

“Don’t worry, Candice. I don’t want to sleep with you anyway.” I open the back door.

“You don’t?” she asks as she stands in the doorway.

“Nope.” I stand just on the outside of the door.

She raises her eyebrows.

I lean in like I’m going to kiss her, and her eyes go wide. Instead, I move to her ear and whisper, “Not even a little bit.” I pull back and laugh.

“Such a prick.” She shuts the door fast. I continue to laugh until I get to the fence. There’s a flash from a camera and I dive into the back of the SUV waiting for me.

“Seriously,” I say.

“They’ve been here as long as I have,” Rex says as he pulls away. The paps keep snapping pictures as we drive.

“Shit. So much for sneaking out of their house. The Bryans are going to flip,” I say.

“Sneaking out would be easy if you weren’t a famous rock star.” Rex chuckles.

“Fair point,” I say. We pull up to my house and there’s even more photographers. Mixed in with the photographers are screaming girls.

“Can’t they leave me alone for one day?” I mumble.

“You’re one of the most famous people in London. What do you expect?”

“One day alone would be nice.”

“Then go to Iceland. I’m sure you’re not famous there yet.” He winks at me.

I hop out of the car and the girls start screaming. “Should I go say hi?” I ask Rex as I wave.

“I’ll come with you,” Rex says. We approach the gate, and the screaming intensifies. I smile and wave. The photographers become a little pushy, but the fan girls stand their ground.

“Hi Mick,” a girl who can’t be more than fourteen says.

“Hi there, gorgeous.” I grin. The fans are the reason I’ve gotten to where I am, and I will always treat them well.

“You’re my favorite,” another girl cries.

“Thanks darling.” I smile.

“Mick marry me,” another girl with braces screams.

“I’m not the marrying type, sweetheart.” I glance over and see a girl falling to the ground and the mob of people starting to walk over her. “Open the gate!” I yell to Rex. I rush to the girl as everyone is starting to crowd us.

“Back up,” Rex shouts. The camera flashes intensify as I make it to the girl. She’s crying as I grab her hand and pull her up.

“Are you okay, love?” I ask. She reminds me of Violet.

“Y-y-yes,” she sniffs.

“Is your mum around?” I ask. She shakes her head.

“Does she know you’re here?” I ask.

“Y-ya,” she says. I feel pushing against my back.

“Come with me. Are any of your mates here?” She points at another girl to my left. “Okay both of you come with me.” I grab the other girl’s hand and push through the crowd. Rex opens the gate. People are clawing at my clothes, but I don’t let go of the two girls’ hands as I get to the gate. We get through and Rex closes it behind me.

“Come on.” I let go of their hands.

“Oh my God.” One of the girl’s whispers to the other thinking I didn’t hear. Rex follows behind us. I open the door and usher the girls inside.

“What are your names?” I ask them.

“Tasha,” the girl who fell says.

“Chloe,” her friend says.

“Tasha and Chloe. Nice to meet you. I’m Mick.” I smile.

“We know,” Chloe says.

“How old are you girls?” I ask.

“Twelve,” squeaks Tasha.

“Twelve, aye?” I say, “Lucy?” My housekeeper comes into the foyer.

“Yes?” she asks and looks confused at the girls.

“Tasha here fell. Can you check to make sure she’s not too hurt? And then when that’s done can you make us some lunch?” I ask.

“Of course.” Lucy’s lips quirk but she doesn’t let herself smile.

“Girls, I must shower. I’ll see you in a bit,” I say.

Both girls don’t say a thing as I take my leave.

On my way up to my room, Chloe whispers “Is this real life?”

“Who are you?” Rex asks me. I didn’t even know he was following me.

“Still me old chap,” I reply and walk around my room. There’s nothing really in my bedroom other than a king size bed and a few pictures on the wall. There’s a wood dresser and on top of it a flat screen TV. I’ve been meaning for a while to get someone to decorate but I haven’t gotten around to it.

“You haven’t been this nice in a while. What’s gotten into you? Or should I ask who have you gotten into?” he says.

“Nothing.” I shrug. Except I had gotten into someone. Before leaving the party, I had sex with a girl in the bathroom at the party. The whole time I pictured Candice.

“Knox’s sister must be a real exceptional bird if she’s got you acting nice.” He leans against the door frame.

“Candice has nothing to do with it.”

“Geezer, you keep telling yourself that.” He shakes his head as he leaves my room.

I walk into my en suite bathroom and turn on the shower. The hot water burns as it hits my skin, but I relax. Can’t a guy just be in a good mood for once? I put my head under the water and let it run all the way down my back and legs. Candice is great though. I had more fun answering personal questions with her than I did banging that model. And the way her eyes light up when she smiles… fuck. I shake my head.

Forget it Mick. Don’t let yourself get caught up. I finish washing my hair and hop out of the shower. I throw on a grey jumper and a pair of black skinny jeans and head downstairs.

“You all right love?” I ask Tasha when I get into the kitchen.

“Yeah,” she says. “Thank you.”

“No problem. What are we having?” I ask Lucy.

“Grilled cheese and tomato soup. Good?” She smiles at the girls.

“Fine by me,” I say and sit at the table.

“This feels like a dream,” Tasha says.

“Nope. Real life. I can pinch you if you’d like?” I say and the girls burst into fits of giggles.

“No thanks,” Tasha says.

“So your parents just let you guys hang out in front of some guy’s house all day?” I ask them.

“Yes—no—kinda?” Chloe says.

“Kinda?” I frown.

“We told them we were just going to stop here for a minute to see if we could see you before we went to the library,” she says. “It’s on the way.”

“How long have you been here?” I ask, taking a sip from the coffee Lucy just placed beside me.

“Three hours.” Tasha blushes.

“That doesn’t really sound like a minute,” I say.

“Yeah, but we kept hearing things like you were on your way but then another hour would pass,” Chloe says.

“You must think we’re stalkers,” Tasha says.

“Hardly.” I laugh. “I waited outside of a studio to meet a rock star once. I think I was there for about six hours.”

“You did?” Tasha’s eyes grew wide.

“Yep,” I say.

“Which band was it?” Chloe asks.

“I’ll tell you as long as you promise to never tell anyone—” I say. “Can I trust you both?”

They nod their heads.

“Okay. It was The Hestons,” I say.

“Really? Who did you want to meet? Felix Norton? Danny Gould?” Tasha asks.

“Knox Bryan, actually,” I say. Five and a half years ago, before I was famous, I waited to meet Knox Bryan. All I wanted to do was write songs and everyone knows Knox is the best. I waited in the rain for him to come out of the studio with a bunch of other fans. I was so excited. I was an idiot. When Knox finally did come out, he was completely out of it, and it didn’t take long to know he was high. I was crushed. My hero, as high as my own fucking dad, but that wasn’t even the worst part.

“What was it like to write with him?” Chloe asks and brings me back to the present.

“It was good. Meeting your hero is always a great moment.” I give them a fake smile. Writing with Knox was terrible. He didn’t remember meeting me all those years ago and even though he’s sober now, I still had lost all my respect for him. Outside of the record studio when I finally got the chance to meet Knox, a small baggie of white powder dropped out of his pocket as he walked through the crowd. I bent over to retrieve and called out to him. He turned back to me and looked down to my hands. He came rushing back and shoved me so hard I almost fell. He accused me of stealing it from him and he said if he ever saw me again, he’d beat the crap out of me. I scurried away like a wuss. I should have stood up to him. That day Knox became someone I hated more than my parents and it is never going to change.

“Wow.” Tasha breathes.

When lunch is finished, I give the girls autographs, a few CDs, and guitar picks before I hug them goodbye. I ask Rex to take them home. I walk into my living room and take a seat on my couch. My memory of Knox is one I’ve locked away for so long that even thinking about it a little bit reminds me why I want to destroy him. While Candice is incredible, it doesn’t change how Knox completely crushed my teenage dream of meeting my hero. How can Candice and Knox be siblings? I pick up my guitar and begin to write for what feels like the first time in a long time.