Outlaw Angel

Creepin: Part II

Brantley's POV

I leaned against the guitar case pretending to look at my phone before soundcheck as I watched Korey from underneath the brim of my hat. She thought I didn't see the shadows under her eyes that she tried to cover up with makeup. Something was off with her, I just couldn't put my finger on it. I had pretty much chalked it up to being tired and a little homesick. We had a few days of downtime in between leaving Stockholm and going to Rome. I was thinking about getting her away for those to see if she would relax a little.

She skated the fine line of overworking herself just enough to keep me from fussing. Her almost hitting me yesterday had proven that she was being a little jumpy. But I also knew the horror movie kick her and Ben had been on lately. She was currently going over a few things with a couple of the sound guys when PJ walked up to stand next to me. I saw her turn her head to smother a yawn making my mind up for me. I was getting her to rest if I had to tie her to the damn bed.

"She seem off to you?" I asked him lowly knowing he may have seen something I hadn't. PJ studied me for a minute like he was debating on just what to say. I narrowed my eyes at him sharply. "What do you know that I don't?"

"Yea," he sighed. I knew I wasn't going to like what came out of his mouth. "She's been finding a single red rose left randomly in places with a note with her name on it. At first, she thought it was you because the notes had some of your song lyrics. Then she wondered why you just wouldn't give them to her yourself and that she was pretty sure she had told you that pink ones were her favorite not red. She finally showed me the other day asking and I told her that I knew it wasn't you because it definitely wasn't your handwriting."

"She woke up thinking someone was outside our room the other night," I told him rubbing a hand over my beard. "I got up to go check but there wasn't anyone. Let's try to keep one of us with her at all times if we can. Why haven't either one of you told me?"

"Because it was harmless," PJ grumbled as I rolled my eyes. "You know what it's like when she bats those baby blues at you man. It's hard to tell her no and if it is probably anything it's just one of the younger guys having a crush on her. Poor taste using her own boyfriend's song lyrics if you ask me."

"I don't even use my own songs on my girlfriend," I chuckled then looked up to see the guys motioning me for soundcheck. I clapped PJ on the shoulder. "Keep an eye on her."

He gave me a nod as I walked to the front of the arena towards the stage. Korey gave me a wink as I walked by where she was standing. I had just stepped foot on the stage when I heard a crack then BJ and Jesse yelling at me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that one of the cables for the lights had snapped sending it swinging my way.

"Oh fuck," I yelled willing my feet to move as I darted out of the way diving to the other side of the stage as the beam landed a few feet from me with a crash. I heard a scream as I shook my head to clear the noise seeing the crushed light and glass on the other side of me.

"BG," Jesse gasped his face a ghostly pale  dropping down beside me looking me over. I couldn't help but feel a little dazed. "You okay man?"

"Yea," I said shaking my head. I heard thundering feet as Jesse held a hand down to tug me to my feet. No sooner than I was on my feet Korey tackled me. I could feel her entire body shaking as I slipped a hand under her chin making her look up at me with tearful eyes. "I'm fine Princess. Need a cigarette to calm my nerves now, but I am okay. Luckily the guys saw it."

"Oh god B," she whimpered running her hands over me to check to make sure I was okay herself. Jeff came running over with wide eyes.

"What in the hell?" he gasped looking around at all of us. "Did the light fall?"

"Yea," BJ said shaking his head. "We heard a noise and down it came. BG had just walked on stage. Was able to get out of the way in time."

"Don't wanna think about what could have happened," Korey mumbled against my chest shaking her head. Then she took a deep breath closing her eyes. When they reopened her baby blues were all business. "Need to see what the damage is and make sure it can be taken care of before tonight. We've got four hours until showtime."

"I'll take care of it Korey," Jeff said giving her a nod then pointed at me. "You go make sure he's okay."

"Come on," I said quietly lacing my fingers with hers and heading off the back of the stage. I ducked between a couple of the equipment cases leaning against it pulling Korey to me. I lowered my head down kissing her softly as I gripped her hips feeling some of the tension going out of her body. Breaking the kiss, she looked up at me with a sigh. "See, I told you I am fine Princess."

"Just...." she started to argue. I cut her off with a look.

"Don't," I warned her gently. "Don't even go there okay. It was a freak accident okay. I'm glad the boys saw it in time for me to jump out of the way."

"If you say so," Korey said softly as she wrapped her arms around my waist leaning against me. I kissed the top of her soft hair trying to ease her worries. It was an accident that's all it was.

??? POV

I slipped back down from the upper scaffolding unnoticed thankfully. I was shaking so hard from the need of a fix that my entire body was trembling. I saw nothing but red as I creeped down the hall to one of the unused dressing rooms. I quietly closed the door to the darkened room then beat my hands on the concrete wall before whirling to pace the room like a caged animal. It would have been so easy! Why did those two morons have to see the light in time! All my problems would have been solved in an instant. I mean really, would he be that missed? I could have stepped in to help my sweet queen get through her sadness.

Wasn't like they had been together that long. I had given up that hope that it would just be a tour romance that fizzled out. He didn't leave her alone long enough for her to see that there were other options out there. Much better options. He was too old for her. She didn't need to be working so hard. The best solution would be to get her away from this world before it drove her into the ground. Pulling the compact glass out of my pocket I quickly shook out the white powder cutting it quickly into a line glad that there was a dim light filtering under the door for me to see. I pulled a dollar bill out of my wallet expertly rolling it then snorting the two lines quickly feeling the coke flood through my system.

I slipped it all back in the pocket of my cargo pants before leaning against the door letting my now clearer mind go to work. The drugs helped me focus on my plan. I guess I was just going to have to take matters into my own hands. Wonder how long it would take before someone would realize she was missing. I probably could pull that off and slip out of the country with her before we could be found. One of the reasons I waited to step up my game past a few simple smiles since we had gotten to Europe. Stricter gun laws here and back in the States a certain someone was always packing. I could do this and then my darling queen would be all mine.