The Biker's Fate Chapter 483

"How's the 'Little Engine Who Could' doing?" she asked.

"I think I can rock, I think I can rock…"

"You're gonna be great," she said. "If you get lost, look to Vick and he'll get you back on track. And remember to have fun."

I sighed. "I know you've been doing this all your life, but would it kill you to look at least a little bit nervous?"

"You kidding? I'm scared shitless," she whispered. "New tour. New songs. New me. How could I not be?"

"For what it's worth, you don't look scared."

"No? What do I look like?"

There were a dozen ways I could describe Melody, and every one of them would cross every line of professionalism.

I chose my words very carefully. "You look like you're ready to take on the world."

Melody's smile made me so fucking hot, roadies were gonna need to lay down yellow caution tape in between us.

Melody

This guy was going to get under my skin if I wasn't careful. When Harmony introduced him as Gill's replacement, all I could see was a big, bad biker. But Courtland Nash spoke like he played. Soulfully and without a hint of unnecessary bullshit.

"Thanks everyone. We're good to go," Vick called out to the band. "See you all at dinner."

"Dinner?" Train asked.

"Most nights, we have a big dinner for the band and crew. We travel with a chef who specializes in making gourmet road food. Everyone's welcome."

"Wow, that sounds great," he said, but something in Train's voice didn't quite match up with his words.

"Oh, and if you have any guests just let Brandy know and she'll arrange to have tickets for them at will call."

"Thanks," he said. "My only family is the club, and I can't imagine any of those guys hitting me up for tickets."

"What about your girlfriend?" I asked, instantly mortified that I'd asked.

Train grinned and shook his head. "Not at the moment."

"I…I…just figured. You know, because some of the other guys have girlfriends, and I just wanted to let you know that if you did have a girlfriend she could come to the show. For free, I mean. If you had one, but you don't. A girlfriend, that is."

What in the name of the Grinch Who Stole Christmas was I rambling about?

"Still no girlfriend."

"Cool. Well, I guess I'll see you at dinner then." I turned and left the stage. My face and neck burning with red hot embarrassment.

Why the hell did I ask him if he had a girlfriend?

I was set to take the stage in a matter of hours for my first tour in three years and this was where my dumb head was?

Jesus, I needed to get a grip.

Train

"Thanks, everyone! Goodnight," Melody yelled, after her second encore. We were all standing with her at the front of the stage and gave one last bow, then followed her off to the left, the night having flashed by in an instant.

The show had felt like a fever dream. Most of the time I was running on pure adrenaline and muscle memory. I was all at once hyper aware of the audience but also completely isolated from them. Most of the time, I couldn't even see their faces through the stage lights. Other times, the crowd seemed to move as one giant organism. Performing at this level was going to take some getting used to. Melody was right. This was nothing like being shot out of a cannon. It was more like being launched into outer space.

"Oh my god, you guys were amazing," Melody crooned as the sound guy helped her remove her in-ear monitors and pack. "Thank you for making the first show perfect."

She hugged all of us and then we continued back toward the dressing rooms. We all expected Melody to head to her private dressing room, but she stuck close to me as I followed the rest of the band toward the green room.

"You're coming with us?" I asked. I'd been advised that Melody would disappear to her dressing room, change, then immediately head to her bus alone, or with Brandy, to decompress without the band and it was typical that we wouldn't see her until the next day. So the fact she was walking down the hall with me now was not what I expected.

She smiled. "Yeah. Got a surprise for you."

Before I could ask what the surprise was, I walked into the room to find several of my club brothers letting out a series of hoots and hollers, along with applause, just as Harmony rushed to her sister and pulled her in for a hug.

"Oh my god, sissy, that was amazing."

Melody laughed, hugging her back. "It was super fun."

Hatch pulled me in for a brotherly hug and then Maisie wrapped her arms around me for a little longer before cupping my face. "Goodness, love, I knew you could play, but you are so very talented."

I grinned. "Thanks, sweetheart."

Flea and Grace were next in the welcoming committee, and they spent a few minutes congratulating me before hanging back with Hatch and Maisie, leaving me alone with Melody.

"Did you plan all of this before the show?" I asked.

"Of course."

"You didn't want to fill me in?"

She chuckled. "You said you didn't have anyone you wanted passes for, and I knew that couldn't be true, so I called my sister. It's obvious this is your family and if anyone knows how important family is, it's me." She met my eyes. "They're there for your wins just as much as your fails and this is most definitely a huge win, Train. They deserve to be here for you just as much as you deserve them to be here. It's been a phenomenal night. You played your ass off. I sang my ass off. Your family is awesome. My family is awesome. I'm logging this win and calling it a night."

Jesus, she was so fucking beautiful.

I smiled. "Thanks, Melody. You did great tonight. It really was kind of amazing."

She squeezed my arm gently, then walked away.

After hugging her sister and Jaxon, she said goodnight to everyone, then she and Brandy left the room and I suddenly felt like something was missing.