Page 44 of Renegade

“So listen, I talked to the label and they want to extend the tour. Adding a few more cities, since we are sold out of every venue. Of course, I told them yes. So we are tacking on an additional week.” I have mixed feelings on this. It’s fucking amazing for us as a band, but it takes away from being home and that means less time with Brooklyn. “Also, heads up the paparazzi are like flies on shit at this signing. I spoke to the owner of the joint and he said there are so many fans also, that they are in crowds outside. We need to figure out how we are going to handle this, because I visited this shop and it’s fucking small. It’s going to take forever to get through all of these fans.” Fuck.

“Is this a free signing?” Brooklyn asks, looking around at all of us.

“No, they had to buy tickets,” Poppy replies.

“Well, what’s the problem? The ones without a ticket don’t get entry,” she says and giggles. “Right?”

I smile and kiss her head. She’s so black and white. “Yes, that’s how it should go, but the thing is our label wants us to keep gaining fans. Well shit we do too, but they want it for the money we bring in. Usually when we do any kind of event, after the paid fans leave, we let in a certain amount of fans who didn’t pay. We are kind of known for it,” I say, chuckling.

“Oh, sorry.” She looks at me and shrugs her shoulders.

“Nice thought Brooklyn,” Ethen says and winks at her. Dick, he knows she’s the best thing to ever happen to me and he feels bad for his earlier comments.

I glance down at Brooklyn and she is wringing her hands together looking around. I raise my eyebrows and a slow smile makes it way to her lips. “What if you did something like, the first fifty people with Renegade t-shirts on?”

Everyone stops talking and looks at each other before looking at Brooklyn. “So simple and fucking perfect. Great idea Brooklyn,” Poppy says, jotting things down on her iPad.

I wrap my arm around her and slide her closer to me. I kiss her ear and whisper, “See we need you.” Sitting up straight I look down at her and she blushes. It amazes me that I’ve fucked her and made love to her, yet she still blushes when I say things to her. I love it.

We pull up at the small guitar shop and holy shit, the owner wasn’t kidding. There are people everywhere and paparazzi vultures too. “Damn, Poppy we need to have visible security,” I say, looking out at the screaming fans.

“Already on it,” she says, pressing the phone to her ear.

“Security?” Brooklyn whispers and I pull her onto my lap.

“Just to keep fans from standing in our way. There is nothing to worry about.”

She nods her head and looks back out the window. “Do you ever get worried about a crazy fan?”

I chuckle and squeeze her tighter. “We’ve had plenty.”

“Like with a gun?” she shrieks out.

“A gun? Fuck no. Just ones that try to say they’ve fallen in love with us, shit like that,” I say, trying to relax her.

“What if that happened though? Do you have security that like tackles a person like that? Someone who takes the bullet for you?” she asks, with fear clear on her face.

I turn her head to look at me and I kiss her neck, trailing up to her mouth. When I’m a whisper away I say, “There are cops and security all over and mixed throughout the crowd. We have body guards that no one sees and honestly, we are all aware of everything around us.” She lightly nods her head and I capture her lips, trying to kiss her fears away. “Baby, please don’t worry. You are never safer than you are at my side. I’ll take a bullet for you.” I mean it too. I’ll protect her with my last breath.

“Fitz,” she whispers and kisses me.

“Alright, everything is set. You guys ready?” Poppy says, breaking our moment.

Everyone gets all excited and I look down at Brooklyn. She nods her head with a smile and I grab ahold of her hand. The driver op

ens the door and you can hear the screaming from the fans. She squeezes my hand and I bring it to my mouth and place a kiss on it. Nate and Poppy get out first, than Ralph, than Ethen and it is pandemonium out there. I step out of the limo, still holding Brooklyn’s hand and she follows right behind. I can feel how nervous she is and I just give her hand a little squeeze to let her know I’m right here.

I wave at the fans with my free hand and they go ballistic. The paparazzi are screaming for me to look and asking who I’m with. I completely ignore them and keep moving toward the door.

“We love you Fitz,” a voice screams from the crowd.

I grin and point out to the crowd, unsure exactly where the voice came from. “I love you too,” I yell back. They once again go crazy and I just laugh and walk inside. I look down at Brooklyn and she is staring at me. “You alright?”

“You really are a rock star, huh?” she asks jokingly, with a small laugh.

I wink and wrap my arms around her. “I really am.”

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