Flopping onto the bed, Brian picked up the phone and dialed. “Frieda? It’s Brian.”
[Hey, Brian. You guys just get into town?]
“Yep. I’m currently taking advantage of the king-sized bed in my room to fully stretch out. Bunks on the bus can be a little confining.”
The chuckle echoed in his ear. [Serenity with you?]
“She’ll be here tomorrow. You’re still coming tomorrow night, right?”
[Honey, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. What do you guys have planned while you’re here? There are a lot of things to do.]
“I dunno. Maybe a little golf, some sleep. Got any ideas?” He rubbed his face, hoping to wipe away some of the sleepiness.
[Wellllll….] Frieda let the word drag out.
“Okay, now you’ve got me curious. What’s up?”
[They just opened a brand new Harley store. You remember Serenity mentioned those helmets she wanted? They have them.]
“What time do they open?” He sat up and yawned. Standing, he walked over to his luggage and started digging through it.
[In about half an hour. You interested?]
“Tell you what. You come to the hotel. I’ll leave your name at the desk and with security, and they’ll bring you up. We’ll head over. Sound good?”
[Did you bring your leathers? I don’t let just anyone ride with me.] She laughed again.
“Got the leathers, got the shirt, got the boots.” He pulled out his clothes and laid them on the bed, smiling at the thought of riding again.
[I’ll bring the extra helmet. See you in an hour.]
“Can’t wait.”
They hung up, and Brian jumped into the shower. He turned the shower head onto full massage to pound some of the fatigue out of his muscles, sighing in pleasure as the water cascaded over his body. When he got out of the shower, he chuckled when he realized he had been in there for thirty minutes.
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***
Howie was sitting in the living room of their suite when Leary opened the door and escorted the woman inside. He just looked at her, his eyes wide as he took in the boots, the leather pants, the black Harley Davidson t-shirt, and the leather jacket over one shoulder. Her long blond hair was braided, and she carried two helmets in her hand. He couldn’t see her eyes because of the mirrored sunglasses covering them.
“Hey.”
“Uh, hey.” He just looked at her.
“Hey, D, you up for some lunch?” Nick and AJ walked into the room, stopping abruptly when they caught sight of the stranger with their friend.
“Anyone seen Meredith?” Kevin walked into the room, looking at his planner as he walked. When no one answered, he looked up and around, his eyes lighting on the unknown woman.
Frieda just stared at them, a wicked smiled splashed across her face. She loved this reaction from people when they say her.
“Who is she?” Nick leaned over and whispered to AJ, who just shook his head.
Brian walked into the room, jacket hanging over one arm as he fastened his fingerless black gloves. He looked up and saw Frieda, grinning broadly as he tossed his jacket on the sofa and hurried over to welcome her.
“Hey, handsome!” She dropped her jacket and the helmets on the sofa before wrapping her arms around him.
“Hey, beautiful. You look fantastic.” He stepped away from her and held out her arms to check her out.
“Thank you, kind sir. You ready to ride?” She smiled at him, laughing as he looked her over.
Reaching for the things she had brought with her, she handed him a helmet. He pulled on his jacket and tied on his bandanna. Turning to look at his friends, he stepped back in surprise at the confused and worried expressions on his group mates’ faces.
“Uh, Bri, you gonna introduce your friend?” Kevin looked pointedly at his cousin.
“Guys, this is Frieda Smith. Frieda, the guys, whom I’m sure you know.” He grinned.
Frieda stepped forward and held out her hand to each man, shaking it firmly when it was offered. They smiled warily at her, not really sure how their friend had met this woman. Although a pleasant smile graced her face, inside she was rolling with laughter.
“You ready, sweetcakes? Bike’s double parked downstairs, and I’m afraid of what your fans might be doing to it.”
“Let’s hit it.” Brian reached out and took her hand, leading her toward the door.
“We’ll catch you guys later.”
The pair walked out before any of the others could say a word. As if awakened from a daze, Kevin raced out of the room and down to the second-floor conference rooms set aside for their use. The other three followed, and they hung out at the windows to see where Brian was going.
“The fans are leaving them alone.” Nick was flabbergasted as he watched Frieda straddle the Harley parked near the entrance of the hotel.
Brian climbed onto the back of the bike and put on his helmet. Frieda started the bike, revved the engine, and pulled out of the parking lot. He looked back at the hotel, catching sight of his friends. Saluting them, he smiled then turned around and held on for the ride.
***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys**
Three hours later, the pair strolled back into the living room, loaded down with bags.
“I’m telling you, he was checking you out.” Brian laughed at the disbelieving expression on Frieda’s face.
“Bri, honey, I think he was checking you out.” She dropped her bags on the coffee table, calling out to him as he disappeared into his room. She looked around to find the four men staring at her.
A redhead had joined them this time, giving the older woman a curious once-over. Frieda stepped forward, her hand extended.
“You’ve got to be Meredith. Brian’s told me a lot about you.” The two women shook hands.
“I think you’re one up on me then.” Meredith smiled at their guest.
Brian walked back into the living room, minus his jacket and gloves. Meredith looked at him, a little surprised to see him dressed like this.
“Nice leathers, Brian.” She gave him a once over, too.
“Aren’t they great? When I saw him after he tried them on, I knew they were his. Of course, the fact Serenity’s practically match doesn’t hurt.” Frieda sat down on the couch as Brian joined her.
“So, how did the two of you meet?” AJ turned his chair around and rested his arms on the back of his chair.
Frieda laughed as she looked at her friend. “Trail of Tears ride last September.”
“Trail of Tears?” Nick looked back and forth between the two people.
“Yeah. Every year, riders from all over get together in Chattanooga and ride the Trail of Tears down to Waterloo, Alabama. Thousands and thousands of bikers ride down through the area, following the path taken by Native Americans forced to leave their homes. It’s a memorial, really.”
By the time she finished speaking, five pairs of eyes were trained on Brian. Their expressions were filled with curiosity, surprise, disbelief, and even a little hurt on Nick’s part. This was yet another piece of his friend that had been hidden from him. Try as he might, he couldn’t help feeling like he had been shut out again.
“You know, I have a hard time seeing you doing that, Brian.” Howie shook his head in disbelief.
“Oh, believe me. My ass will attest to the fact that I rode every mile.” The younger man chuckled.
“I brought pictures.” Frieda’s voice silenced them.
She smiled and pulled them out of her saddlebag, passing them over to the group at the table. Brian groaned and slumped down on the couch, staring at his friend.
“I can’t believe you ratted me out.”
Laughing, she reached over and lightly smacked his cheek. “I don’t really have anyone else to share them with, so just get over it.”
AJ took the packs and opened them up, passing the pictures around as he finished. There were shots of Brian and Serenity, shots of the group, shots of their hotel. Pictures of the formal welcome party were included, and AJ stared at all of the leather and tattoos displayed. There were even pictures of the group riding together, which had been supplied by one of Frieda’s friends. Despite the proof, they were all still a little surprised at seeing the hidden part of Brian’s life.
“You staying for dinner?” He looked over at his friend.
“Mags will be waiting, but thank you.” She leaned over to kiss his cheek as she stood up.
Smiling at the group, Frieda picked up her bags and her pictures. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, Brian.”
Brian walked her to the door and kissed her cheek. “Be careful going home. Serenity will be here by noon, so if you want to come over early, she’ll have your passes and stuff.”
“I will. Good night.” She returned the kiss and waved to the others.
Closing the door, Brian turned around to face the inquisitive stares of five pairs of eyes.
“Okay, shoot.”
“Shoot what?” Kevin leaned back in his chair.
“You’ve obviously got more questions. Let me have ‘em.” The younger man sat down on the sofa and stretched his feet out, folding his hands on top of his stomach. The look on his face could only be described as resigned acceptance of his fate.
“So, you went to the ride, with Serenity I’m guessing.”
“Yeah, we rode up the Wednesday before, then did the ride on Saturday, came home on Sunday.”
“And you didn’t tell us because…” He just looked at his cousin, expectancy written on his face.
“I told you I was going on a trip, I just didn’t tell you where. As much as I love you guys, some times, I just have to get away from being a Backstreet Boy.” Brian looked at the four men in front of him with hopeful eyes.
Howie nodded first, understanding Brian’s reasoning. The others nodded, too. He stood up and gathered his book. “Are we staying in for dinner or eating out?”
AJ and Nick looked at Meredith, who shrugged. “Not an inordinate amount of fans hanging around. We could go to the restaurant downstairs if you’d like.”
“I’m all for escaping while we can.” AJ jumped out of his chair and headed for the room.
“A jacket is required, mine.”
He stopped abruptly and turned to look at her. Sighing, he trudged toward the bedroom, much to the amusement of his friends. Howie walked towards his room, as did Kevin. Meredith looked back and forth between the two young men still in the room.
Getting up, she smiled at both of them and headed for her room.
Brian looked at Nick, who looked out the window. “You mad?”
The young man sighed as he rubbed his forehead. “Not mad, really. Just hurt.”
“I don’t do these things to hurt you, Frack; or to hurt anyone else. This happened during the time I wasn’t telling any of you about Serenity because I liked having something away from the group. So much of what I do and who I am is tied up with y’all. I love you guys, but I truly liked having a part of me separate. Serenity still doesn’t care about what we do, although she does find the discussion lists quite amusing. I never should have let Irene hook her up with those.”
Nick chuckled at the way Irene had dragged all of the girlfriends into the chat lists that talked about the guys. “I know you miss the anonymity, Rok. I know you hate living like you’re in a fishbowl, but it seems like we’ve grown apart over the past few months, and I hate that feeling.”
Brian moved over to sit next to the young man. “Me, too. I think I kind of moved away a bit when you really started having problems with Jane, and you turned more to Meredith than me.”
The younger man looked at his friend, surprise written on his face. “I didn’t mean to make you feel like I didn’t need you. I did, and I still do. It’s just that Meredith fills the spot that was left open when Jane walked out. She’s the kind of woman I would have loved to have as my mom. You guys have listened to my shit a lot over the years, but sometimes, I need a woman’s perspective, and Mom gives that to me.”
Nodding in understanding, Brian grinned. “Tell you what. Let’s agree that we both had issues to work through, but that we’re back on track and we’re going to stick together from now on.”
Holding out his hand, he waited for his friend to take it. Nick shook it in agreement, then pulled Brian close for a hug.
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****
The next morning, Serenity tiptoed into Brian’s room and stood at the foot of the bed watching him sleep. Smiling, she crawled across the mattress. Starting at the back of his knee, she kissed a path up the back of this thigh, taking a moment to bite an ass cheek, before working her way up his back. By the time she got to his neck, he was rocking his hips into the mattress.
“Hey, darlin’.” She whispered the words in his ear, listening to him moan softly in response.
Brian rolled over and opened his eyes, blinking sleepily.
“Hey, babe.” He brushed his hand over her cheek before pulling her down for a kiss.
When they separated, she started kissing a trail down his neck, stopping briefly to lick each nipple before kissing the length of his scar. She sucked lightly on his bellybutton before moving lower. His hands buried themselves in her hair as she slowly licked her way down his straining cock.
“Oh, God, babe, that feels so good.” The words were breathy as his body jerked from the sensations.
“Hmm.” Serenity hummed softly as she sucked on him.
“We…don’t…have…” Brian couldn’t form words anymore as her tongue and mouth worked him.
His hips rose, driving his cock further into her mouth as she continued to suck, and he came quickly. He released his fingers from her hair, his body relaxing onto the bed after his orgasm. She swirled her tongue around him a couple of more times before kissing her way back up to his mouth. Crouching on all fours, she looked down at his face.
Bending low, she kissed him gently, watching as he slowly opened his eyes.
“You were saying?” Serenity grinned at him.
“Not a damn thing.” Pulling her close, he kissed her deeply, his tongue sweeping through her mouth as he tasted himself.
The knock on the door interrupted them, and he sighed. She moved to the other side of the bed as he sat up.
“Did I forget to mention that it’s almost time for breakfast?” Serenity winked at him as he climbed out of bed.
“No, you didn’t, but I’ll forgive you after that wake-up call.” Brian chuckled as he headed for the bathroom for a quick shower.
In ten minutes, he was back in the bedroom. Quickly dressing, he grabbed her hand and led her out into the main living room of their suite.
“Morning.” He smiled at the group as he grabbed two cups of coffee. His greeting was returned with smiles
Serenity grabbed two plates and filled them, following him over to a loveseat. She handed him a plate and sat down, taking a sip of her coffee.
“Morning.” She grinned as she tore off a piece of toast.
“Good morning, Serenity. How was your flight?” Kevin smiled at the young woman.
“Pretty quiet. Those nighttime flights are great for catching up on work.” She continued to eat, talking around bites of breakfast.
“Frieda will be here around noon. I told her you’d have her tickets and stuff. We’ve got a couple of interviews, but should be back around two to leave for the arena.” Brian speared a piece of sausage and stared at it.
“Is she bringing Mags?” Serenity leaned over and bit the sausage he held on his fork.
In return, he leaned over and stabbed some of the eggs on her plate. “I think so. That’s why she didn’t stay for dinner last night.”
BJ wandered into the room and sat down next to Howie. He smiled at her.
“Can I get you anything to eat?”
She shuddered at the thought. “No thanks, Howie. I need to let my stomach settle before I even think about food.”
Brian smiled at the girl then turned to his girlfriend. “Serenity, this is Nick’s sister, BJ. BJ, this is Serenity.”
BJ smiled at the other woman, who returned the smile. “It’s nice to meet you, BJ. I’ve heard a few things about you from Brian. They were all good.”
The girl laughed. “Thanks. I’ve heard about you from the guys, too. It’s good to finally meet you.”
Breakfast continued in its usual comedic fashion, with the guys warming up for the interview by insulting each other. Serenity, Meredith, BJ, and Lumien just rolled their eyes at each other. Everyone was ready to leave by eleven, and they headed out to their radio interviews. Serenity used the time to work on her application, planning on doing as much as she could in the first couple of days so she could enjoy her trip. BJ finally grabbed some toast and munched on it.
She watched as Serenity’s fingers flew over the keys, the programmer humming as she typed. “What are you doing?”
The older woman looked up and smiled. “Trying to finish coding this program so I don’t have to work the entire time I’m here.”
She spun the laptop around so BJ could look at it. Running her finger over the lines, she explained the code.
“Kind of reminds me of coding a web page.”
“Kind of. It can be very similar. As a matter of fact, this particular application is web-based.” Serenity tapped the laptop screen with her forefinger.
BJ nodded and picked up a magazine while Serenity went back to work. At noon, there was a knock on the door, and the older woman got up to answer it.
“Hey, Serenity.” Frieda hugged the young woman, who returned the embrace.
“Hey, Frieda. It’s good to see you again. You ready for tonight?”
The other woman nodded, wrapping her arm around the woman with her. “This is Mags, and this is Serenity.”
The two women shook hands before they moved farther into the living room and sat down on the sofa. Serenity looked over at the young woman sitting in the chair.
“This is BJ, Nick’s sister. BJ, this is Frieda Smith and her friend, Mags Anderson.”
The three women shook hands, and the four of them relaxed and talked for a while. BJ’s stomach rumbled loudly during a quiet moment. Serenity chuckled and stood up.
“Okay, what’s everyone want for lunch?”
They put in their lunch order, moving to the table to eat after the meal arrived and to continue their conversation. Despite not knowing the other three, BJ enjoyed listening to the women talk. By the time the group returned, they were all rolling in laughter.
Brian walked over and kissed Serenity before hugging Frieda. “This must be Mags.” He hugged the brunette, who smiled at the embrace.
“Everyone seems to have been introduced.” He nodded at BJ, who nodded back in agreement.
Brian turned to Mags. “Let me introduce you to the guys. Mags, this is Kevin, Howie, AJ, and Nick. The redhead is Meredith, and the brunette is Lumien. Everyone, this is Mags Anderson.”
Hands were shaken in greeting before the guys went to their rooms to grab their gear for sound check. When they had everything they would need, the five men returned to the living room of the suite.
“All right. Let’s hit it. Guys, you’ll be in the first van with security. Ladies, you’ll be in the second. You’ll be taken to another entrance so that we don’t have to worry about you being injured in the move from van to door. Any questions?”
Frieda and Mags looked at each other then looked at Serenity, who just shrugged. “Stick close. It’ll all be cool.”
The two women nodded and walked down to the elevators behind the group. When they got to the cars, Meredith split them up so that no one was too crowded. At the service entrance, the guys went out with their bodyguards while Meredith sent the ladies out with the second team. In twenty minutes, the second van was pulling up to a hidden entrance at the venue, allowing the women to exit safely.
“This is just too weird.” Frieda looked around as they walked into the building and were taken to the lounge.
The two women got to see the pre-show craziness, watching as AJ and Nick bounced around the room growing more and more hyped as show time grew close. Kevin and Howie settled into their rituals, taking time to be quiet. Brian sat and rocked in a chair, warming up softly as he waited.
Serenity, BJ, Frieda, and Mags were taken to their seats and watched Krystal perform. When the boys appeared on stage, Frieda was on her feet dancing and singing while the other three smiled. Brian made it a point to sing directly to her, and each of the guys waved at the group of women as they moved around the stage.
When it finally ended, the four women waited for a few minutes before heading backstage. Frieda wrapped her arms around Brian, hugging him tight.
“That was so awesome, Brian. Thank you!” She kissed his cheek, and he returned the embrace.
Mags laughed and pulled them apart. “Stop hitting on my woman, Brian, before I get medieval on your ass.”
He laughed and backed into Serenity’s arms. “So you really liked it?”
Both women nodded, and Mags chuckled. “I’ve listened to your CDs for a long time because she’s such a fan, but you guys did one helluva show.”
“Thanks.” Howie smiled as he headed for the shower.
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****
Frieda and Mags returned for the concert the next day, hanging out with the group before heading to the venue.
“So, Frieda, what do you do?” Howie munched on a carrot stick as they lounged around the living room.
“I’m a CPA.”
Several eyebrows rose, and she laughed. “Don’t look so surprised. Accountants ride Harleys, too.”
“What about you, Mags?” Nick leaned back on the sofa as he ate.
Mags chuckled as she stole a tomato from her girlfriend’s plate. “I’m a photographer. Riding gives me a chance to get some ‘real’ shots.”
“Are you featured anywhere?” Nick continued to munch as he made room for BJ next to him on the sofa.
She nodded. “I’ve had a few shows, and I’ve got a web site. I’m doing well enough that I get to choose my subjects.”
He nodded and asked for her URL. She scribbled it down, and he smiled in thanks.
Kevin looked at the clock and started making gathering motions so that they could head down to the venue. Once again, Frieda and Mags were wide-eyed as they absorbed everything. The concert was just as good as the previous night, and Mags even danced as the guys performed.
A laughing group eventually made its way back to the hotel. They hung out for a while until people started falling asleep where they sat. Frieda and Mags said goodbye then walked to the door with Serenity and Brian. The foursome shared long hugs and made promises to keep in touch. Security escorted the couple down to the lobby as Serenity and Brian headed for their room.
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****
Allyson tiptoed into Nick’s room, standing at the foot of his bed and staring at him. She hadn’t been sure if she could escape during spring break, but a little extra work in the previous weeks had given her the chance.
Settling carefully on the bed, she watched him sleep, glad to see the peace of his face. It was something she rarely saw outside of sleep, and it saddened her.
He stirred, feeling eyes on him. When he opened his own, he smiled sleepily. “Hey, babe.”
“Hey, yourself.” She crawled up the mattress and stretched out next to him.
Nick pulled her close, nuzzling her hair as he breathed her in. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Allyson sighed. “Me, too.”
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Irene also showed up, using the next few stops on the tour to check out local artists. Kevin was delighted to see her, pulling her into his room after her initial greetings.
He pressed her against the door, grinding his hips against her as he sucked on her neck. “God, I’ve missed you.”
She rocked her hips against him, feeling the press of his erection. “So I feel.”
He chuckled as he led her to the bed, laying her out on the mattress and kissing his way up her body. She wrapped her arms around him, relishing the swipe of his tongue against hers. They didn’t come out until it was time for sound check.
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****
Meredith looked up from her book, immediately wary at the sight of Serenity, Allyson, and Lumien standing in the doorway.
“What’s up?”
Lumien cleared her throat, hating that she had been elected to ask. She made vague motions at Meredith and her back, hoping her boss would understand. The older woman sighed as she tucked her bookmark between the pages.
“C’mon in.”
An hour later, Serenity and Allyson wiped their eyes and hugged Meredith before they left the room. Lumien sat there, looking down at her hands as she absentmindedly rubbed a small scar on her palm.
“Lu?”
“Hmm?” The young woman looked up.
“You okay?”
Lumien just stared at her friend. “Shouldn’t I be asking that of you?”
Meredith shrugged. “I think we can ask it of each other. I’m not the only here who was held prisoner.”
Sighing, she turned to face her boss and drew her knees to her chest. “It’s different. You were held against your will. I knew, and I stayed anyway.”
“But did you stay because you enjoyed it or because you honestly believed you had no choice?” Blue eyes reflected the concern expressed in her voice.
Lumien shrugged. “For so long, it was all I knew and I didn’t think I deserved better. Now, I realize that I was blind and frightened and brainwashed into thinking that I had no choice.”
“And you’re here and you’re happy and you’ve got a wonderful man who loves you.” Meredith patted the knee closes to her.
“Yeah, I do.” Wonder was still evident in Lumien’s voice every time she spoke of Howie.
Suddenly rising, the young woman smiled. “I’m going to find Howie now. You going to be okay?”
Meredith nodded. “I’m good. I’ll see you later.”
“Bye.” The salutation floated out from the hallway as the other woman left.
Pulling a pillow into her arms, Meredith settled into the corner of the sofa and waited.
**Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys*****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***
That night, Meredith rolled out of the bed and hit the floor with a thud, waking herself from the nightmare. AJ scrambled to her side, reaching out to brush the sweat-dampened curls from her forehead.
“You okay, love?”
She nodded, her hand pressed to her chest. “Yeah.”
He helped her back into bed, spooning behind her and arranging the covers. “What happened?”
She sighed. “The girls asked me about the scars today.”
“shit.” He rested head against her back. “We could have told them if you wanted. I know what this does to you.”
“I need to do it. And I think it makes the whole experience less strong, like I’ve got control of it instead of it controlling me.” Meredith rubbed the arm that encircled her waist. “I’m fine, but I’d like it if you’d hold me.”
AJ tightened his embrace, brushing a kiss against her neck. “I’m never gonna let go.”
“Good.” She sighed and relaxed into him, letting his warmth lull her back to sleep.
For a long time, AJ just lay there and felt her breathe against him, thankful he hadn’t lost her to the camp or the nightmares that followed. He eventually fell asleep.
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***
In the morning, neither of them were bright and chipper. Nick pulled AJ aside when Meredith pulled the security team into a meeting.
“What’s wrong with Mom?”
AJ rubbed his eyes. “She told the girls about the scars, and she had a nightmare last night.”
“Shit.” Nick closed his eyes for a moment then opened them again. “She go back to sleep?”
The other man nodded. “Yeah, I held her and she finally went back to sleep. Took me a while, though.”
Nick just nodded, wrapping AJ in a one-armed hug. “She’s strong. She’ll be fine.”
“Yeah.”
They nodded at each other before Meredith returned and sent them out to an interview. Nick made sure to give her a quick hug before he left, and she patted his back in appreciation. AJ pulled her close for a long hug and a kiss.
“Get some rest if you can.” He whispered against her ear.
She rubbed his chest as he stepped back. “I’ll be fine. Go out and knock ‘em dead.”
He winked and chuckled. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, mine.”
Table of Contents
Chapter Thirty-Eight