Believed (My Misery Muse) Read Free Page A

you even
have a job while you’re with them.”
    “Okay,” I said knuckling away my tears. “What’s my
job?”
    She smiled brightly. “You’re the official Xavier
babysitter.”
    I groaned and dropped my head into my hands. “Is
this your way of punishing me?”
    Cris laughed. “Just think about the experience
you’ll come back with.”
    “Watching X trying to get an STD does not qualify
as an experience I need,” I moaned.
    “Think of how the travel can inspire your work,”
Devi cajoled.  “You’ll also get to pick apart the minds of four men for your
men’s line.”
    “Are these supposed to be selling points?” I asked
looking over at her.
    “You’re going,” Max said resolutely marking the
end of the discussion.
    “Fine I’ll go, but this isn’t going to end well,
and I plan to tell each of you I told you so when I get back.”
    “It’ll be fine,” Devi said. “I’ve gone with them
on tour before and it’s fun.”
    I looked at her like she was crazy.
    “Really,” she said with a smile on her face. “It
can be…” she paused and her smile turned wicked, “educational.”
    I groaned, I wasn’t sure what kind of education I
would gain stuck on a tour bus with My Misery Muse while they were on tour, and
I wasn’t sure if it was an education I wanted.
    “Where are they?”
    “Last I heard on the road,” Devi said eyeing me.
“You’re flying out in the morning; you’ll meet them in Las Vegas.”
    “Vegas?”
    She nodded. “This is the west coast leg of the
tour.”
    “So California, Oregon, Washington?”
    “Yeah and some other places near there.  Sam sets
up their tours; he’s gotten it down to a science.”
    “What am I going to do about clothes?” I asked no
one in particular.
    “Already talked to the detective, you can go to
Sam’s and pack a bag.  Only he’s not sure how much of your stuff is
salvageable,” he said quietly.
    “Or we can go shopping,” Devi said excitedly.
    “I’m broke, Devi.”
    She just shrugged. “X’s babysitters are paid
well.  You going is really a relief for me, with Drake being here, that boy
needs someone to watch out for him.  I know he’s already driving Seth crazy.
There was talk about tying him to the top of the bus earlier.”
    I giggled imagining that. “Think they’ll let me
help?”
    “Oh I’m sure they would.”  She sobered and looked
at me. “You’ll be safe there, Jules.  They won’t let anything happen, plus
there’s security around them all the time.  I don’t think there is anything to
worry about, or that he’ll follow you, but just in case.”
    I nodded. “I get it, so let’s go shopping.”
    She clapped. “Yay, where do you want to go?”
    “Let’s start at Pandemonium, then hit up Buffalo
Exchange.”
    “Then Hot Topic,” she said grinning.
    I rolled my eyes. “Fine, yes.”
    After spending hours digging through thrift
stores, then the mall we finally made it back to Devi’s.  I took Cait from Ash
and snuggled with her while Devi tore through the house like a tornado.  She
was busy packing for me, and I was amazed as I watched.  How she got all of
those clothes into the duffle bag was beyond me.  She somehow managed to get
every article of clothing we had bought along with toiletries into two medium
sized duffle bags with room remaining.
    I watched as she stuck a laptop, notebooks, pens,
condoms, and snacks into the space remaining and zipped it up.  She sat back on
her heels looking at everything and smiled up at me.
    “How?”
    “I pack for Seth.”
    I nodded slowly. “Okay.”
    “The guys are only allowed to bring two duffle
bags with them for six weeks.  I’ve learned how to fit a lot into these bags. 
It’s not like they ever stop and do laundry, so unless I want my man smelling
like old sweat and dirty socks when he gets home I have to make sure he has
enough clothes.”
    “The condoms?”
    “I packed some things for the guys, hope you don’t
mind?”
    “Not at