Outlaw Angel

In the Morning Light

Korey's POV

I jerked awake when my alarm sounded and hurriedly slammed a hand on my phone cutting it off. I felt the resistance of an arm wrapped tightly around me as I moved. I sat my phone down then turned my head to make sure the noise hadn't woken Brantley. He was still sleeping peacefully curled up beside me. As much as I hated to get up, I had to. I gently eased out from under his arm to slip out of the bed on silent feet. I closed the balcony door we'd left open last night as well as pulling the curtains closed.

He needed to sleep as long as he could. I took one last look at his sleeping form as a half-smile tugged at my lips. I tiptoed through the room to grab my key off the table, pausing to pick up the empty bottle out of the trashcan. I slipped out of the room closing the door softly behind me. I jumped when I looked up through my messy hair to see PJ leaning against the opposite wall looking at me. I covered a hand over my chest glaring him.

"Dammit PJ!" I hissed making him grin as I marched closer shoving his shoulder. "Give a girl some warning. You scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry," he said shrugging sheepishly. "How is he?"

"Sleeping," I said with a sigh. I lifted the empty bottle handing it to him. "Need you to get rid of that. Didn't want him to see it when he woke up."

"If it's empty he's gonna have a hell of a headache," PJ grumbled. "Dammit...."

"Only about half if that," I said holding a hand up stopping him mid rant. "He poured the rest out."
"Thank God," PJ said his shoulders slumping in relief. I handed him the spare key to Brantley's room.

"Pretty sure his phone is still off," I said looking up at PJ. "I've got to get ready and head out. Please tell him that when he wakes up. Don't want him to think I just left for no reason."

"Will do," PJ said with a nod as I squeezed his arm then headed down the hall.

Mid-afternoon I looked up from the stack of t-shirts I was sitting in the middle of the floor sorting when I heard a booming laugh. I didn't have to be the one doing this, but I was finding it easier to stay busy than worry how things would be in the light of day. I saw the guys heading down the hall realizing it must be time for soundcheck. I glanced down at my phone with wide eyes realizing that no, they'd already done soundcheck. Shit. Time had gotten away from me. I needed to get this done. A quiet voice pulled me from my task a few minutes later.

"Hey," Brantley said quietly as I looked up to see him squatting down beside me. He reached over tucking a loose strand of hair out of my eyes giving me a tentative smile.

"Hey," I said smiling back as I dropped the stack of shirts into my lap. I chewed on my lip for a second watching him as he fidgeted with one of the rings on his hand. Good to know I wasn't the only on unsure of how things were. "You okay?"

"Bit of a headache," he admitted with a crooked smile. "Little shaky. My nerves are kind of jittery but for the most part I will live. Day at a time. I will let you get back to it. I know you had a busy day from what PJ was telling me."

"Been a little busy," I said with a quiet laugh as he stood up smiling down at me. His eyes were clearer this afternoon than they'd been in a while which I was glad to see.

"See you later?" he asked shoving his big hands in his pockets. I nodded my head with a grin. He turned to head to the dressing room the rest of the band had disappeared into. "Don't work too hard Princess."

I rolled my eyes making him chuckle as he walked away. Okay, maybe I didn't mind the nickname so much when I wasn't mad at him. Or at least not as mad as I had been. Hell, I don't know. I was lost in my task and my thoughts when I heard footsteps coming down the hall. I craned my head around seeing a woman hurrying down the hall with a determined look on her face. She was petite, blonde, and looked close to my Mama's age. Two tall men flanked her with PJ trailing behind him with a satisfied smirk on his face. I knew he'd left earlier to run a couple errands. Just what in the world was that man up to. The lady stopped midway in the hall looking around.