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  “Yeah, no offense, I’m just wondering….” Seth spoke up.

  “Why I want to work with metal bands and I’m not metal.”

  “Yeah.” He nodded. “I mean, you’re talented….”

  “But I should stay in my lane?”

  Gio and Morty gasped at that comment.

  “I… I wouldn’t go that far.”

  “Well, you’re certainly insinuating that I should. Beggar’s Rebellion or Lord Dice isn’t metal enough in your eyes.”

  “No, not really….”

  “So I’m not qualified to work with you?”

  “Not sayin’ that, mate. I wonder do you know enough about the genre to know what we want to sound like?”

  “Gods….” Morty murmured.

  “Can’t leave well enough alone, can you, m’boy?” Seth’s mother tutted from afar.

  Malakei eyed Seth. He didn’t look angry, but Seth could tell the wheels were turning in his head.

  “Hmm.” Malakei appeared to be considering Seth’s question deeply. “May I say what I think you’d want to sound like?”

  “Sure,” Seth answered.

  “Something rough and classic. Music with an edge. Like the band’s T-shirt you’re wearing, but you don’t want to sell out.”

  “Exactly,” Morty said. “See, Seth, he knows.”

  Seth shrugged. He figured it was kind of easy for Malakei to know about Metallica. Who didn’t? People who didn’t like metal knew about them. “Yeah, you’re right, but….”

  “But?”

  “Metallica is easy.”

  Malakei crossed his arms. “Well, okay. When I first heard your music, I thought about a punk band, but not as abrasive. There was a melody to what you were playing. More like thrash.”

  Seth stopped drinking. “Wot?”

  “Thrash. You know, old school Metallica, Death Angel, DRI, bands like that.”

  Seth’s eyes widened, and he put his cup down. How the fuck did the rapper know about thrash? DRI was one of the classics, as was Death Angel. No casual fan knew about those.

  “Well, blow me….”

  “You didn’t think I knew?”

  “Erm, in all honesty, no.”

  “Because I’m black?”

  Everyone in the room gasped.

  “Oh fucks, no. With all due respect, Malakei, I ain’t got a racist bone in my body.”

  Malakei agreed. “Oh, it’s not racist thinking, Seth. It’s the generalization that anyone who isn’t in the hard-rock genre knows nothing about it. Because, there is no way a rapper… no, not a hip-hopper who only plays hip-hop knows anything about metal.”

  Seth nibbled on his bottom lip. He struck a chord with Malakei and now he wished he could force his foot far down his throat. “’M sorry. I didn’t mean any offense.”

  “You didn’t, but you offended my sensibilities. One thing you must know about me, Seth, I try to be fair to everyone and allow them to say their piece. However, your statements reminded me of the times I attended concerts in the past. Despite being big in music, I was told I didn’t belong because I couldn’t possibly know anything other than hip-hop. Fact is, I’ve been a fan for a while, and I listen to a variety of music. Beyoncé and Slayer blast in my earbuds while I work out. Anything that has a good beat to it, I’ll listen. And I could go deeper, but we don’t have the time. Perhaps, before you make snap judgments, you should get to know me first.”

  At that point, Seth knew he’d fucked up. By the way Malakei stared daggers at him, Seth wished he could melt into the cracks of the floor under his feet.

  Despite this, Seth only gulped. He didn’t know how to respond to Malakei’s statement, so he did what any real man would do.

  Apologize and grovel!

  “’M sorry, Malakei. You’re right. I was way out of line. But at least you get where I was coming from.”

  “Oh sure, I got it, but I wanted to make sure we’d both check our generalizations at the door.”

  “Yeah. Of course. Well, um. Now that you’ve schooled me, perhaps we could show you what we’re here for?” Seth tried his best to smooth it over.

  “That would be great.” Malakei half smiled and turned on his heel.

  Morty walked over, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Well, I s’pose he gave you the smackdown, didn’t he?”

  “Sod off, Morty. He was right, but so was I. Maybe my delivery didn’t come out right, but….”

  “Seth, just say you fucked up, okay? Admit you said the wrong thing and you truly brassed him off. He’s a gentleman. You could learn a thing or two from him,” Gio added.

  Seth’s eyes narrowed at his bandmates, and he turned his backs on them. He knew he’d made Malakei angry, but he wouldn’t admit it to his friends. They already stepped out of bounds with their comments. He was still the boss of High Stakes, and regardless of getting told to bugger off by Malakei in the nicest of ways, Seth was still in charge of the band’s destiny.

  MALAKEI TOOK a seat at the board while the band set up and tuned their instruments. Impatient and sort of annoyed, Malakei looked at his phone again, wondering where the hell Peter was. At this point, it didn’t matter if he showed up or not because Malakei was close to telling High Stakes they could find another mentor. Although Seth had the right to ask questions, his inquiries cut a little too deep for Malakei’s liking.

  Despite that rough conversation with Seth, Malakei was still interested. Considering the social climate, the band was just the jolt he felt the music world needed right now. Even better that they’d come out of his studio. He, a black rapper, who’d made his presence felt, not just in entertainment, but also in the real world.

  “Mr. Oakley,” Seth’s mother, Ethel, spoke to him and placed a hand on his arm.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Malakei turned around and greeted her with a terse grin.

  “I’m sorry. My boy has always been… oh, I don’t know. He can be a right arse at times. Please forgive him and give them another chance.”

  Malakei patted her hand. “No apologies needed, Mrs. Davies. And please call me Malakei.”

  “Thank you for that. Call me Ethel, as well. I don’t want to make excuses for Seth, but his father left us when he was young, so he figures he must defend his territory and stand up to people no matter what, even when it isn’t in his best interest to do so.”

  Malakei softened at that. “Ethel, you have no worries. Seth is a charming young man, and this band is amazing. While I admit I am a little ticked, I won’t allow that to change my mind about wanting to help. He had valid questions and I might’ve been a little too rough, but it irks me to no end when someone questions my abilities or knowledge.”

  “I can understand why, and I’m sorry he didn’t address you in the proper manner.”

  “It’s all right. Would you like something else to snack on?”

  “No, thank you, my dear. I appreciate your understanding.”

  “Of course.” Malakei smiled and nodded at her appreciatively.

  “Okay, I’m here. Sorry I’m late!”

  Malakei looked up as Peter ran in with a hurried expression on his face. “Did you start without me?”

  “No. Peter Mustang, this is Ethel Davies; she’s Seth’s mother. And to her right is Gio’s mother, Theresa, and Morty’s girlfriend, Gina.”

  “Hello.” Peter shook all their hands, then turned back to Malakei. “I’m glad you waited.”

  “Well, I was about to tell them to start without you, but they’d just warmed up. Would you like something to drink or eat?”

  “Nah, I’m good. Had lunch with the old man before I got here. He says hi.”

  Malakei bowed his head, and Peter took a seat next to him. Malakei also noticed Peter had moved his chair, so they’d be only a few inches away from one another.

  “To compare notes,” he whispered and winked at Malakei.

  “On the band, or him?” Malakei asked Peter.

  “Both, and I’m calling first dibs to ask him out.”

&nb
sp; “No you’re not,” Malakei muttered so only Peter would hear.

  “Aw c’mon. You said you may not be sharing the band.”

  “Again kidding.” Malakei grinned at Peter and looked back at Seth.

  “Wow, he is hot. I usually like them a little meatier, but—”

  Malakei cut Peter off. “Shh. No snide comments in the company of his mom, okay?”

  “She can’t hear me. That’s why I sat so close to you.”

  Malakei snorted and settled in to watch the performance. Or was that Seth? The band High Stakes was playing, not just him.

  “Yeah, but your voice carries.”

  Peter chuckled. “I’ll try to be quiet.”

  “Behave. And don’t let me hear you panting, or I might have to escort you out of here.” He smiled and turned his attention back to the band to watch.

  Chapter Twelve

  ONCE SETH and the band finished, Malakei didn’t appear angry about their earlier disagreement. He was glad about that because he knew he’d skated on thin ice at that point with his questions. “Well, that was impressive. I love the second song a lot,” Malakei said with a grin. “It’s almost as good as ‘Finders.’”

  Seth smiled at that. He’d written that song in his attic three weeks ago. “Yeah, thanks. It’s still kind of rough, though.”

  “With a tinker here and there, it’ll be fine. C’mon, I want you guys to meet Peter from Mustang.”

  Seth nodded and waved at his bandmates to follow Malakei to where a handsome gentleman sat talking with his mom.

  “Peter Mustang, this is Seth Davies, the lead singer and guitarist. Morty Feeder, the bassist, and Gio Lang, the drummer.”

  “Hiya.” Seth shook his hand and nodded as did the other members.

  “You guys were great. I loved the energy you had. I could definitely feel the Nirvana vibe, but it seemed edgier.”

  “That’s what we’re going for. Thrash with a little punk mixed in.”

  “I can tell. I think the music world is ready for heavier stuff to make a comeback. Pop music has fallen off these days, so it’s the right time for hard rock to do its thing.”

  “I agree. This being the age of digital downloads, album sales don’t mean a whole hell of a lot anymore. It’s how many times you’ve been played on Spotify or iTunes. I mean it’s nice to sell a million records, but the kids aren’t influenced by how many CDs you’ve sold.” Malakei added to Peter’s comment.

  “No they’re not. Seth, you guys are coming in at the perfect time, too. The younger crowd is clamoring for new music, and you could be part of that revolution. The question is, are you ready for the wild ride?” Peter asked them.

  Seth nodded. “Sure the hell, am, Peter. Is it okay I call you that?”

  “Totally. Pete is good. Malakei will tell you, I don’t do formalities.” He laughed.

  Seth grinned at Peter and admired him from afar. Regardless of how handsome he was, it didn’t take away from the attraction he had for Malakei in the slightest. A part of him wanted to switch sides and stand next to him, but maybe that might’ve been too awkward, especially not knowing what team Malakei played for.

  One thing Seth noticed was the back and forth between them. They kept whispering to one another while the band played. Also, Peter was very touchy with Malakei, and he didn’t look as if he minded. Stupid as it sounded, it made Seth a little jealous of the camaraderie between them. Seth wished he could get Malakei alone to ask him more about what was going on.

  “So what do you guys think? We could make this a great partnership. You could start out small, recording a three-song disc in my studio or go full on with the album,” Malakei asked them.

  “I’m thinking the short disc. I miss those days when bands would do a small sample size to get you interested. Since you’re still kind of doing it yourself, it would be great to release, like, three songs. Then you can go on a small tour or something, before you go in for the full. That way it’ll create hype,” Peter added.

  Seth snapped his fingers. “I love those ideas, gents. What do you guys think? Mort, Gio.” Seth wanted to say yes to everything, but he figured he should consider the guys’ opinion at least.

  “Hey, whatever Malakei and Pete say is best. They’re the experts here,” Morty answered.

  “I agree. You guys know better than we do,” Gio added.

  “Well, let me ask you this. What would you have done if I hadn’t asked you to come here? What would’ve been your course of action? I have to confess, I looked at your social media pages and found several pictures from shows. You seem to like interacting with fans, which is a good thing as well.”

  Seth wanted to squeal like a teenager when he heard what Malakei said, but he checked himself. “Oh yeah. We have a little fan base there in Brum, some in London. We’ve been playing shows around the area. I mean, we wanted to record a demo, but funds are scarce.”

  “Yeah, more than,” Morty added with a sigh.

  “Mhmm. So if someone like Peter would’ve come along, do you feel you would’ve signed with a record company to get things going?” Malakei asked.

  Seth cocked an eyebrow. “What are you getting at?”

  “Just asking if your fanbase grew, and you got asked about recording something to sell, how desperate would you have been to sign with a label? I feel it’s a valid question, guys. Would you have turned it down?”

  “I don’t believe so. We’ve been doing this thing for about two years, so, in all actuality, anyone can put a disc together, but we didn’t have the right equipment. I know a guy that does, but he was charging an insane amount to do it, so I was holding out until we could make enough from our shows to record.”

  “And how far away were you?” Peter asked.

  “Not too far. I believe another five or so would’ve done it,” Seth said in response.

  Malakei and Peter looked at one another, seemingly having a personal conversation that Seth wished he could be included in.

  Malakei turned his attention back to Seth. “It sounds like you guys had a clear plan, which is good. Did you do that, Seth?”

  “Yeah. I been saving for a while. My job don’t pay enough, and I won’t ask my mom. She’s got enough bills on her own.”

  “No thoughts to take out a loan?” Peter asked.

  “Pssh, nah. I don’t have credit. I barely have money. Besides, why make debt if you ain’t gonna make enough to pay it back? I do picture taking on the side, but it goes towards helping Mom and paying for gear.”

  “Gotcha. I’m asking all these questions to see where your head is at, and it’s where I feel it needs to be. You’re focused on making this dream come true, and that’s a good thing.”

  Seth smiled. “Thanks for that. So… are you gonna help us or what?”

  Malakei nodded. “I will definitely help you with everything you need. You have free rein of this studio, and if you’d like to tour as Peter suggests, I’ll fund that too.”

  “Fucking brill!” Seth held out his hand.

  Malakei accepted with a smile, then moved past him to shake hands with Morty and Gio.

  “Yay! This is so damn exciting!” Seth’s mother came out of nowhere, nearly knocking him over.

  Seth held her tight and gently rubbed her back. “Yeah it is. Like a dream come true.”

  After everyone finished congratulating one another, Malakei suggested the band go back to the hotel, then meet him for dinner at his place. Seth knew they’d probably need rest after the long flight, but in all truth, he was too wired to rest up, anyway.

  Seth’s bandmates, along with his mother, Morty’s girlfriend, and Gio’s mother had already gone down to the hired car. Due to curiosity, Seth lingered around the lobby, hoping to have a word with Malakei once he finished talking with Peter.

  With his guitar case in hand, he noticed the platinum albums along with pictures hanging up on the wall. Malakei had five albums that had sold over two million copies, which was astounding for anyone so young. Seth wondered
why someone in the prime of their career would want to stop to help others. Perhaps that was a personal choice, but Seth figured, if he were in the same position, he’d want to go on making music until he died.

  Still waiting, Seth walked back toward the open door leading to the studio. He peeked his head in, noticing Malakei and Peter in deep conversation.

  Again, Peter was really close to Malakei, rubbing his shoulder intimately. Best friends didn’t do that to one another. The more Seth looked at the interaction between them, he figured he was right about something more going on between them.

  “So you had to do that, huh? I told you I wanted a crack at them.”

  “What do you mean? I warned you I might want this band for myself. High Stakes doesn’t want a label, Pete. And I think working under your dad would be an issue for Seth, knowing he is openly gay.”

  “Hey, he would’ve had to deal with it. I run the heavier side of Mustang, so he wouldn’t have had a say.”

  Malakei snorted. “As if you have total control. You know everything has to go through Les first. Besides, knowing your father, he might’ve thought you guys would come up with some kind of plan for gays to take over the world.”

  “Yeah, that’s my dad,” Peter said, sounding annoyed. “I’ll never be a complete man to him because I’m gay.”

  Malakei reached out and patted his chest. “You know that’s not true. Don’t let anyone convince you of that nonsense.”

  “I know, but… dammit, Kei. I wish he would see me and forget I’m gay, you know? I love him and hate him at the same time for that.”

  “Yeah, but you can’t allow that to stop you, Pete. You’re a good guy, and like I told my parents, I don’t live my life for them.”

  “That’s true, but you haven’t told the world yet. You’re holding yourself back for hip-hop when the fact is, you don’t need to. Everyone respects you no matter what.”

  “Yeah, sure they do.”

  “If only we would’ve stayed together, we could’ve formed that secret society of queers my father is afraid of.”

  “Mhmm.”

  “C’mon, Kei. I’m tired of seeing you hide in the shadows. The kids need someone high-profile like you, telling the world about yourself. You want to make a difference? Tell them M. Prophet is a gay man.”