My brows narrow. “I hope he went over that with Mads,” I say.
“Oh, he did. Mads enforces his creative contract quite frequently, and Avie knows not to fuck with him,” Stella replies. “Did you need something?”
“Ah—” A table with snacks and water bottles catches my eye, and I shrug her off. “Nope. Just checking in. We’re good on our end.”
“Great, Avie will be glad to hear it. I’m excited to see this all come together. I hate saying it, but I do think it was a great idea,” she says.
“Same. They’ve worked their asses off on it. I’ll catch you later,” I say, backing away.
“Oh, Gemma, please make sure they stay in their trailers or on the green before tonight. I don’t want them up front,” she goes on.
“Neither do I,” I agree.
Bonnie is spinning on her stool when I eventually make my way up the stairs to her platform, Zeb and Mads working through a couple of things below while Reed sits on the edge of the stage and pours over a piece of paper.
Andi points her phone at Bonnie, and as Bonnie sees her, she makes a V with her fingers at her mouth, then sticks her tongue between them, grinning.
Andi laughs. “Definitely going on socials,” she says, snapping the picture. “Soundcheck shenanigans with Bedlam. So unserious.”
“Always unserious,” Bonnie replies as she spins again.
Her spin slows upon my approach, delight rising in her eyes as if she’s still amused about this morning. I set an open bottle ofwater and unwrapped granola bar on her bass, brow lifting when I meet her gaze as if that should be enough inclination for her toplease fucking eat something.
She holds my stare as she grabs the water, and a small part of me relaxes as I watch the liquid hit her lips.
“Thank you,” I mouth to her.
She puckers her lips and blows me a kiss, and it takes everything in me not to lean over the set and capture her mouth with mine. Still, Rock is calling for a run-through, and I’m not about to hinder it.
I happily back out of their space.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
GEMMA
All day,my eyes are darting from one friend group to the next as Kade and I follow the band around in the backstage green. I keep sneaking glances at Bonnie, the little smirk on her lips when she peers my way making me have a desperate need to stretch my muscles and touch her.
Out here, it’s business. Out here, she’s the rockstar, and I’m just the person who keeps her safe.
However, once I get her pretty ass back into that trailer, it’s another story.
My phone buzzes when it’s time to get them out of the public and back into their trailers for a few minutes alone before their dressing room quiet time.
I approach Bonnie from behind and bend to whisper in her ear, the rest of the guys so distracted by their own conversations that none of them turn their heads toward us.
“I want you in your trailer in ten minutes,” I say in her ear.
Her chin hits her shoulder. “Why would I do that?” she asks.
“Because I’m about to give you a new ritual.” I pinch the back of her elbow. “I have to go take care of something, then I’ll meet you at your trailer. Kade is going to walk you there.”
“Okay.”
The fact that she doesn’t argue makes me smile, and I discreetly kiss her neck before backing off again and making one last trip around the green area.
I’m triple-checking this place for any sign of Rad.
I know they could very well be in the crowd, though there’s no evidence on Rad’s social media.
