Free Claiming Addison by Zoey Derrick

place.”
    I laugh. “I tried. I guess only time will tell. We’re,”-I look at my watch, 7:50-“thirteen hours into this wild adventure, so we’ll see.”
    She laughs then settles. “I’m being very rude, I apologize. Addison, this is Tristan, my husband.”
    I extend my hand. “It’s an honor to meet you, Tristan.”
    “Likewise.” He jerks his thumb toward the girls. “They’re quite entertaining and speak very highly of you.” I fight a blush. “I agree with Cami, great ink.”
    “Oh, thank you. It’s not all I have.”
    “Oh?” he says curiously. I hesitate for a moment and decide to say fuck it and I turn around, lifting my Nirvana tee and hear their collective gasps. “Wow, Addison, that’s, wow, that’s amazing work.”
    “Huh? Seems like wings run in this circle a little more commonly than I thought,” Cami says with a conspiratorial smirk as I turn around. I notice that standing directly behind the two of them is another man, a man I’ve seen a lot around Bold. But I get no introduction. By the way he’s standing so close to Tristan and Cami, the black ensemble combined with the bulge of a weapon that he’s wearing is a dead giveaway that Rusty isn’t the only bodyguard standing here.
    I give her a puzzled look and she turns around, displaying for me her own black and purple wings on her back. Though mine have been done only in black and various shades of grey and attached to a fairy between my shoulder blades, hers are vibrant with color. “Wow. That’s amazing work.”
    “Tristan has dragon wings on his back.” I look at him and he smiles, but it seems like that’s something that’s private to him so I don’t push for him to show me. I look again at the guy behind the two of them. He doesn’t exactly make me nervous, but curious, not to mention that fact that he’s ridiculously good looking. Cami notices my glance and chuckles. “Tyson, this is Addison Beltrand, she’s one of mine.”
    He holds out his hand, but his eyes are ever moving, I take his hand. “Nice to meet you, Addison.”
    “Likewise, Tyson.” I smile sweetly at him.
    “Tyson is Tristan’s bodyguard.”
    I smile at the three of them, “I figured as much.”
    Cami smiles back, “Listen, have they decided about whether they’re staying in Phoenix or Albuquerque?”
    “They want to stay in Phoenix.”
    She smiles. “That’s great. How about we have you for dinner Monday night? We live in Phoenix and we’d love to have you over.”
    I’m so taken aback by the request that I don’t know what to say. “Just say you’ll be there. She’ll take care of the rest,” Tristan whispers in my ear.
    I smile. “I’ll be there.”
    “Perfect.” Just then the opening act takes the stage and the crowd gets crazy, making it impossible to talk.
    I turn to the girls. “I have to go. Enjoy the show. Come back stage when you’re done.” They both nod and start rocking out to Empty Chamber. “See you after the show,” I shout to Cami and Tristan, they both nod and smile. Just as I turn around Leroy comes to stand in front of me.
    “Leroy,” I hear Cami squeal and watch as Leroy’s face lights up. I put my hand to his shoulder reassuringly and slip out of the VIP area.
    Rusty leans into my ear. “Is that who I think it is?”
    I laugh. “Yes.”
    “And you know him?”
    I shake my head. “No, his wife is my boss.”
    “Oh shit,” he says shocked.
    “Yeah, pretty much.”

 
     
     
     
     
    Empty Chamber rocks the stage for twenty-five minutes and I have to admit they are pretty good and I don’t mind the fact that they’re joining us on this western part of the tour. They’ll be with us through Albuquerque, then we pick up another band in Galveston who is scheduled to stay with us through Miami, which is toward the end of the tour.
    Backstage is a madhouse of activity as Empty Chamber sings their last song. Now comes the switching of gear for 69 Bottles. The crowd is completely pumped up as they