Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 129207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Ezra offers me his hand, and as he sings the deep lyrics that shatter my soul, he helps me back to my feet. I expect him to walk away, to get back to his captivated audience, but instead, he pulls me into the warmth of his loving arms, wrapping them around me as he continues to sing.
I don’t say a word, simply hold him with my face pressed against his wide chest as the beat of his heart matches the bass of Rock’s drums.
A moment passes, and as the lyrics fade into Jett’s guitar solo, Ezra pulls back, lowers his microphone, and drops his intense stare to mine. His fingers brush beneath my chin, raising it until my lips are barely a breath from his. “Fuck, I love you,” he tells me.
All I can do is swallow over the lump in my throat as I hold his piercing stare, and when I don’t respond, he leans in and kisses me. It’s only a brief kiss, his lips lingering on mine for only a second before he pulls back. “I’m sorry, Rae. You’re too fucking beautiful to be on your knees for any man,” he tells me. “I needed you to hear it. I needed you to know what it’s been like all these years without you.”
“I know,” I murmur, clutching his strong arms. “It’s been the same for me.”
He nods, and as Jett’s solo comes to an end, Ezra takes a step back and lifts his microphone once again. His lyrics flow out of him so beautifully, it’s impossible to believe such words could have been written about me, and as he makes his way back to the center of the stage, all I can do is watch, completely mesmerized by this incredible man—a man I so desperately wish to call mine.
The rest of the show goes off without incident, and I manage to remain on my feet right until the explosive finale. Just like every night, I watch in awe as the pyrotechnics team does their thing. It’s incredible. Axel would have gotten such a kick out of it.
Dylan comes off the stage first, and just like every night, he scoops me off my feet and spins me around. “Fuck, that was a good one,” he says, completely pumped up. “You heard that crowd, right? Fuck. We were on fire.”
“You were,” I laugh as he settles me back to my feet.
He doesn’t release me though, simply holds my arms as he captures my stare, a seriousness washing over him. “You’re good though, right?” he murmurs, his gaze subtly flicking toward Ezra as he makes his way toward us. “That moment . . . you know, seemed a little intense.”
I give him a beaming smile and push up onto my tippy toes as I brush a kiss to his cheek. “I’m good,” I promise him just as Ezra comes past us, only he slows right down and takes my hand, gently squeezing it as he passes. His gaze locks onto mine, and for just a moment, my heart completely stops.
Everything that I am belongs to him.
Ezra continues, and our hands fall apart but my fingers feel as though they’ve been infused with electricity.
Rock crashes into me and Dylan, his arms locking around us both. “You know,” he muses, his grin way too suspicious. “If Rae wasn’t so head over heels in love with Ez, you two would make a cute couple.”
My gaze flicks back to Dylan’s, and a wave of awkwardness washes over us. “Ewwww, gross,” Dylan sputters, trying to get away from me. “She’s like my little sister.”
My lips twist with disgust at just the thought of being anything more to Dylan. Don’t get me wrong, he’s amazing, and any woman—hopefully Madds—would be lucky to scoop him up. But I am certainly not that woman. Madds on the other hand hasn’t been able to stop talking about him since their drunken night in my hotel room.
Rock laughs. “I know, I’m just fucking with ya,” he says, pulling back and clipping Dylan across the back of the head. “I’m fucking starving though. You down to eat?”
“I’m always good to eat,” Dylan says, finally able to release me properly.
“Count me in,” Ezra says from somewhere deeper backstage, and I turn back, glancing over my shoulder to find him putting his favorite electric guitar into its case. As if sensing my stare, his gaze shifts to mine. “What about you, Rae? You coming out with us? Just like old times?”
I let out a heavy breath, my cheeks blowing out. “Right, because that wouldn’t be a recipe for disaster?”
Ezra grins, and his whole face lights up, making my heart leap into action, racing a million miles an hour. “You’re not scared, are ya?” he questions, striding toward us.
I scoff and arch my brow. This boy always knew exactly what strings to pull to get me to cave. “Of you three? You wish.”