“Maybe I should just slip in the media entrance,” I murmur, as nerves get the better of me.
“And miss the opportunity to show the world how fucking hot you look tonight?” Ryder shakes his head. “Honey, you are drop dead gorgeous, and I want you on my arm when we walk the red carpet. I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
I look him in the eyes. “Are you sure? What about your fans and—”
Capturing my lips in a pulse-pounding kiss I feel all the way to the tips of my toes, he instantly mutes my nervous babbling. It’s easy to forget we’re not alone when he kisses me like this because the outside world ceases to exist, and it’s only him and I and the multitude of sensations he invokes in my body with his soft touch and his ardent kisses.
When he finally breaks our kiss, he strokes my cheek, staring into my eyes with so much love it almost undoes me. “Better?” I can only nod. “You’ve got this, babe, and I’m going to make sure you’re looked after tonight so you have nothing to worry about. Just relax and enjoy it.”
“Here,” Gar hands me a glass of champagne as his eyes rake quickly over my body, making me uncomfortable. “Have a few more of these, sexy, and you’ll be fine.” I open my mouth to call him out on his shameless sleazing but think better of it and clamp my lips shut. I don’t want to cause an argument among the guys tonight, so I keep my thoughts and my words to myself.
“You’ve got this,” Micah says, smiling, trying to reassure me.
“Thanks. It’s not like I haven’t been at this event before, but it’s not usually with a spotlight on me.” And I know there’s going to be a big-ass spotlight on me once I step out on Ryder’s arm. He rarely takes dates to award shows or other big industry events, so this is a big deal and the press is going to be all over us like a rash.
“You’ll knock ’em, dead, Zeta,” Micah adds.
“Linda used to hate coming to these events at the start,” Scott supplies, leaning back in the seat as he sips a beer. “But she got used to it. She was actually sad to be missing out on tonight, but she doesn’t want to leave Mattie with her folks so soon after he’s been ill.”
“It would’ve been nice to have a wingwoman, but I completely understand, and she’s right to prioritize your son.”
The limo slows down as we approach Radio City Music Hall, joining a line of limos waiting to pull up in front of the venue. I knock back my champagne, taking a deep breath, giving myself a little pep talk. I need to get used to this as it’s part of Ryder’s life, and I don’t want him worrying about me tonight. Torment is up for one of the top awards, and they’re also performing midway through the show, and that’s all Ryder should be focused on. He seemed a little distracted today, and I wonder if his nerves are at him or if any of them still get anxious before big events.
I quickly reapply a fresh layer of lip gloss, tossing my long hair over my shoulder and smoothing a hand down over my outfit. I feel confident and sexy, and it goes a long way toward settling my frayed nerves.
I’m wearing a fitted red leather jacket over a tight black leather and lace top with a tutu skirt and high-heeled ankle boots. My legs are tanned from weeks in the outdoors, so I didn’t bother with pantyhose. Kayla helped me choose the outfit last weekend, and then she came over to Ryder’s magnificent penthouse earlier today to help me get ready. I’m wearing heavy makeup with dark eyes, but I kept my lips neutral to balance the look. I wish Kayla was here tonight, but she couldn’t get a babysitter, so she’s only here with me in spirit.
“Ready, babe?” Ryder asks as the limo stops, and the door is opened from outside. They’ve set up a short red carpet just for this event, and I can see the entrance doors from this distance, so I tell myself it’ll be a cakewalk. I flash him a confident smile, ignoring the jitters in my belly. “Let’s do this.”
“Love you.” He presses a quick kiss to my lips. “I’m really happy you’re here with me tonight.”
Flashes explode in my face as Ryder helps me out of the car. I clutch onto his arm, smiling and focusing on planting one foot in front of the other rather than directing my attention to the myriad of reporters shouting questions at us. Fans line the short walkway, screaming and crying, some of them holding up Torment posters. Micah, Gar, and Scott stop to take some quick photos, but Ryder doesn’t leave my side, just waving, smiling, and blowing kisses at some of his fans.
A couple of reporters know who I am, and they call me by name, hoping I’ll stop and give them an exclusive, but I’ve already agreed that any talking done tonight will be done by Ryder. When we reach the main doors, the guys stop to talk to the reporter fromEntertainment Tonight, and Ryder confirms my identity, including my status as his girlfriend. The questions leveled our way intensify, but we ignore them, making our way inside the auditorium and taking our seats in the second row.
Before we know it, the MC has taken to the stage, and the ceremony begins. Midway through, the guys leave to get ready for their set. Ryder leans down, kissing me firmly on the lips. “If you need a drink or you need to go to the bathroom, go with Mike or one of the bodyguards. Don’t wander off by yourself.”
I peck his lips. “I won’t, I promise. I’ll stick with Mike. Now go do your thing, Rock Star.”
The guys appear onstage fifteen minutes later, and my eyes are riveted to Ryder for the whole song. This is the first time I’ve ever seen them live. I’ve always known Ryder was hugely talented, but he owns that stage like no other musician of our generation. His charisma and stage presence are off the charts, and it’s no wonder the crowd is going crazy. He locks eyes on me frequently, singing some of the words directly to me, and when he points at me, thrusting his hips and gesturing wildly, I feel the concentrated, envious stares from every female in the place.
“What did you think?” he asks when the guys return to their seats after that knockout performance.
“That was incredible.Youwere incredible.” I kiss him on the lips. “I’m so fucking proud of you.”
His eyes are slightly unfocused as he leans in to return the kiss, and I instantly know he’s taken something. Glancing down the row at the guys, I can see Micah and Gar are high too. But I don’t say anything, because this is their night, and it’s not like I haven’t smoked weed or snorted a few lines of coke in the past myself, even if I do worry about Ryder doing shit like that when he’s admitted to problems with addiction.
The guys win the award for Best Rock Video, and by the time we’re back in the limo en route to the bar to see Gage’s band playing, everyone’s in party mode. I’m nicely relaxed thanks to a few glasses of champagne and several vodka shots and looking forward to seeing what the guys think of Kayla’s man. Ryder drinks whiskey straight from a bottle, guzzling it like its water, before passing it to Gar who then passes it to Micah. Gar produces a tray with neat lines of coke spread across it, and I watch with growing discomfort as all three of them indulge. I decline when they offer me some, and Scott shakes his head, continuing to sip from his beer while watching me with a slight frown. Prickles of apprehension creep up my neck, but I ignore them. The guys are in celebratory mode, and it’s nothing unusual. They deserve to let loose and enjoy their win.
There’s a bit of excitement at the door to the club when we pull up, but Gage had notified security of Torment’s impending arrival, and he’d also reserved a booth at the top of the room near the stage. The band has already started, and heavy beats reverberate around the space as we make our way through the dimly lit room.
Mike creates a path through the heaving crowd, and there are several screams and shouts when people realize they’ve got rock gods in their midst. Ryder maneuvers me in front of his body, as grabby hands reach out, trying to grab hold of him and the guys, but Mike and the team of three other bodyguards on duty tonight skillfully navigate our way to the booth without any trouble.
An ice bucket is already on the table, filled with a bottle of vodka, mixers, and bottles of beer. Ryder ushers me into the booth, sliding in beside me, wrapping a protective arm around my shoulder while Gar hands out beers.
We settle back, watching the show. Gage gives the guys a shout-out from the stage, and a huge roar echoes through the room. The guys shoot their hands up, waving at the fans, and then Savage Mania begins playing their most well-known song, and the crowd starts rocking out and singing along.
“They’re good,” Micah says across the table to Ryder, handing him another beer.
