Strung Tight (The Road To Rocktoberfest #1) - Ann Lister Page 0,78

back around to talking about sucking dicks.” Mike teased. “Are you sure you’re not maybe just a little … curious?”

“I’m never going to suck your dick, Mike, and you’re certainly not sucking mine,” Dixon scoffed indignantly.

“Don’t you mean blowing?” I asked and started forcefully blowing air out of my mouth. “How am I doing? Is that what you like, Dix? Lots and lots of blowing?”

We were all laughing our asses off over that one, but then the entire bus went silent as the stage came into view. Up close like this, it was far more intimidating, looking like a giant metal character from the Transformers movie with a wide stage at his feet and all the piped scaffolding making up his arms and legs.

“Holy fucking shit! That thing is massive.” Mike gasped.

“It’s a beast,” Dixon added.

“So much steel,” I commented. “The stage setup will dwarf us, and we’ll look like tiny specs moving around up there.”

“That’s what those big screens positioned around the audience area are for,” Mike explained. “How else would the people in the back see who’s performing on stage?”

“Those are screens?” I asked. “They look like billboards.”

We passed the stage and then a large parking lot appeared, which was already packed with tractor-trailers and buses. Our driver kept our bus rolling along slowly until an event staff member directed us to park. We pulled into a spot directly next to Dagger’s bus, and the air brakes of the long vehicle engaged with a hiss.

“We’re here!” Potter yelled excitedly like a kid arriving at Disneyland for the first time.

My phone pinged with a text message, and I looked at it quickly, hoping to see Dallas’s name on the screen. It was Dagger’s instead.

Dagger: Stay put on your bus. I want to go over a few things with you before you scatter like cockroaches.

Me: Okay, we’ll wait for you here.

“Dagger wants to join us for a quick meeting,” I informed everyone just as they were racing for the exit of the bus. They halted in place and looked at me like I had six heads. I pointed to the couches, and they walked back to the living room and plunked their asses onto the leather. A moment later, Dagger walked onto the bus with a tiny gray French bulldog running circles around his ankles.

“Don’t mind Lita. She’s annoying but lovable, and since she saved my husband’s life during the LA mudslide, I pretty much let her do whatever the fuck she wants.” Dagger apologized for his dog. “Her brother, Brutus, stayed behind on the bus. He’s a Rottweiler-Doberman mix but a big teddy bear. You’ll meet him later.”

“Wow, I didn’t know you had dogs,” Mike commented.

“We thought we’d practice on animals first before we brought kids into our lives,” Dagger admitted, “and our son will be here before we know it.”

“A kid?” Potter asked with shock.

“Yep, a surrogate is carrying our boy,” Dagger explained. “She’s getting close to her due date, so it won’t be long now.”

“Congratulations to you and Ryan,” Dixon cheered.

“Thank you,” Dagger grinned at us, then schooled his expression into one more businesslike. “Okay, listen up,” he said to get our attention. “First, never leave your bus, a dressing room, or any other place to walk out into a public area without making sure you have someone from your security team with you. Also, you have an interview with a rock radio station out of Vegas in an hour. This radio station is doing short interviews with all the bands performing here this weekend. The questions will be basic and easy for you, so no stressing over this. You can walk the grounds for a little while and get familiar with the area. Remember, your security team goes everywhere with you, and they’ll make sure you’re at the interview tent on time. Other than the interview, you’re free until your soundcheck tomorrow at one o’clock. Any questions?”

We all shook our heads, then Dagger let out that deep throaty laugh he was known for and glanced out the window of the bus. “It looks like your security team is here, so you’re free to get off the bus,” he said. He opened up a big envelope he’d been holding and pulled out the special-event lanyards that had the name of our band printed on them and the words Special Act – All Access Pass written across the top of the pass. “Do not lose your lanyards. This is what will get you backstage, allow you to eat