“Oh, that’s been messed up since Liam kicked it down.”
My eyebrow hitched.
“Not a story worth reliving right now.” She stood and wiped her hands on the towel before handing it to me. “We’re about to head to the venue for sound check. You need anything before we leave? Directions? See-through minidress and some sky-high boots?” she asked, hopeful.
“I’m covered.” I meant that physically and metaphorically. There was no way she’d ever get me in something like that. “Nina’s driving. She’s been there before.”
I thought I was the only Northern Californian resident who had never been to The Warfield. Going to see my brother play there baffled me, and seeing Lexie all done up and stage ready made my stomach twist with nervous excitement for them. I couldn’t imagine how they were feeling, but Lexie’s composure wasn’t anything different than normal. If anything, she seemed more relaxed.
“All right. Nikko will get you passes at the door, just text him when you arrive. And I guess I’ll see you later,” she said, looking at herself in the mirror a final time. She pushed up her fake lashes and padded her fingers over the glitter on her cheeks. Her wig was a long teal one I hadn’t seen before. The bright mix of blue and green on her head with the black fishnets and purple boots made her look like a punk rock mermaid you didn’t want to mess with.
“You look incredible, Lex.” I smiled, still covering my breasts.
“You too, boo.” She smirked. “I can’t wait to hear youscreamfor me tonight.”
My mouth popped open. “Lex!”
“Just like that!” She giggled and trotted away, thankfully remembering to shut the door on her way out.
Milton had gotten me a band T-shirt when he heard I was coming to their next gig, so I ended up wearing that with some black jeans and Converse. If there was one thing I’d learned from going to as many concerts as I had, it was wearing comfortable footwear.
Nina clearly didn’t care about comfort. She picked me up at eight, wearing something I hadn’t even known she owned—black leather pants and the white version of the black band T-shirt I was wearing but cut into a crop top and heels.Heels.
“You look like Sandy fromGrease.” I grinned. “If she were a fan of A Quiet Peril. You’re not seriously going to wear those, are you?” I pointed to her toes, pinched into the black pumps.
“And you’re not seriously going to wearthat, are you?” she threw back.
I crossed my arms. “I’m comfy. You’re going to complain about your feet before the band even starts.”
“I’ll take them off.” She shrugged.
“You’d walk around barefoot at a place like that? Absolutely not!” Jesus. I sounded like my mother.
“Fine. I’ll change my shoes if you let me—” She swiped a pair of scissors off the side table and made cutting motions at my shirt.
My shoulders sagged before I lifted my arms, letting her cut my shirt in half. I was fine with showing a little more skin if it meant I didn’t have to listen to her cry in pain all night. It wouldn’t be the first time. Her expression changed when she put down the scissors and ripped the fabric with her hands, like she was doing something evil and enjoying it too much.
“There. Now, we match!”
I gaped down at my shirt that was cut much higher than hers as she replaced her heels with my extra pair of Converse. “Yay,” I said, forcing enthusiasm. My face quickly turned up when I saw how happy she was and I remembered where we were going.
“Well, don’t you both look like groupies?” Nikko teased, meeting us at the venue entrance with VIP tickets. His eyes slowly rolled up Nina as he handed her a pass, biting his lip. “Don’t lose this, baby doll. It’ll get you anywhere you want to go in there, but I’m sure you can do that without a pass, dressed that way. You look fucking gorgeous.”
Nina gave him a peck on the lips, and I rolled my eyes.
We looped the lanyards around our necks and passed the line of waiting fans, stretching around the block. I had a hard time believing they could all fit in the venue, especially after seeing how many were already inside.
And they are all here to see my brother play?
Nina grabbed my wrist, pushing our way through the growing crowd, while Nikko left us to go backstage.
It took us until the end of the opening band’s set, but we managed to get a spot at the very front of the crowd. This was my first time seeing my brother perform at a place like this, and I wasn’t going to have some six-foot-something drunken headbanger blocking my view. Throwing elbows while being jostled between taller men and eager women became a dance to me by the time the lights lowered.
Nina spun in a circle, looking around the packed room, and then brought her lips to my ear. “Nikko just texted me this.” She held up her phone, so I could read it, awaiting my reaction.
The band had sold out the venue with over two thousand tickets.
I squealed, reading the text again. The anticipation in the giant theater was electric, and I smiled broadly, remembering Danny and his friends dreaming of a crowd like this when they’d first started playing together. A crowd packed together like sardines, as far as the eye could see, sweating and screaming their names.
