Chapter 49 #2
The energy of the crowd is everything that I’ve been missing tonight. I’ve been worried that the turnout wouldn’t be quite what we expected, despite the arena being sold out. Every person here tonight has been losing their minds.
Three separate times they’ve chanted for solos, especially from Riley.
Every time we’d calm the crowd, they’d start up again, begging for Collins to come out and perform.
She was a fucking trooper and made one appearance in the middle of the show and completely freestyled a routine to go with Riley’s song.
Fans went nuts and started a whole new chant that I could easily get behind.
“KISS! KISS! KISS!”
So kiss them, I did.
No shame, tongue and all.
We could hardly keep them satisfied after that. They’ve been needy, and honestly, it’s feeding my soul. I’d turned thirty in December, and a part of me wondered if it was time to slow down and think about retiring, but I fucking love writing music and performing.
Collins was quick to shut that shit down when I’d brought it up to her and Riley one night. So as long as people out there love my music, I’ll continue to entertain.
The gang wheels out my piano as the last notes of Malevolent Melodies ring out, and the cheers are so loud that my ears start to hum.
I settle behind the keys and test out a chord progression. The tenderness of the music quiets the audience as I play the intro to Theirs.
It’s the debut for the song, and fuck me if it doesn’t sound even better live on a grand stage than it does in a studio. Something about how every note echoes and trails around the arena that makes Riley’s song as big as it deserves to be and emotional enough to bring the crowd to their knees.
Riley insisted that I sing the song for the recorded track, but tonight, they get a surprise.
“This is the first time we’ll be performing this song, and we hope you love it,” I say into the mic as I play.
“You know,” I smile, looking out at the sea of bodies that are listening and clinging to my every word.
“Theirs was written by one of the best humans ever to grace this planet.” They get a little louder.
“And I think it’s only fair that he be the one to sing it for you tonight. What do you think?”
The crowd explodes with cheers as a blue, glowing spotlight finds Riley. He grabs the mic from the stand in front of him and steps down from his raised drum set, waving at the fans.
“What is a song without its muses?” he says into the microphone, shocking all of the fans.
Not many people have heard him speak since he used to skip the signings. All of their interviews had been intimate and transcribed into written articles, so really, this is their first time hearing the Sinful Saint speak.
Every single person out here tonight completely loses their minds with screams and cheers, crying and jumping as people cling to one another.
Ri has also never sung onstage before, so tonight marks his debut of sorts as well.
He holds out his hand, a silent invitation for Collins to join us.
The decibels increase dramatically as the spotlight finds her.
She smiles brightly, her jade eyes glittering far more than the sparkles that adorn her cheeks.
She left her hair down for tonight’s performance.
It’s gotten so long that her strands brush the top of her perfectly sculpted ass with every step she takes.
Her fingers intertwine with Riley’s as he leads her over to my piano.
The crowd whoops and rallies when he lifts her, perching her on the edge, then leans into her.
There’s something special about listening to Riley Graves sing.
My boy has talent that comes in spades. For so long, he kept so much of it hidden.
Taught himself that if nobody could see him, nobody could hurt him.
It’s safe to say that the world is in love with Riley.
Even before he’d become more of an open book, they loved him.
Now that he’s sharing the beautiful gift of his voice with the world, there will be no stopping the way that love for him will grow.
Though no-fucking-body will ever love him as much as Collins and I do.
That’s a goddamned promise. Listening to him sing his song to Collins and to me, I can feel myself sinking deeper into that love, warming it until it solidifies around my heart and forever becomes a part of me.
I’m going to marry both of them one day. There’s no doubt about that.
Riley smiles as he belts the chorus, gingerly brushing the tears from Collins’ eyes, and the people listen, completely enraptured by the smooth, smoky cadence of Riley’s voice.
I join him in harmony, but keep my voice quiet, so I don’t overpower him.
This is his song, through and through, and it deserves to be told by him.
Toward the end of the song, Bear and Blair join us. The song ends with just my piano and his voice. The last line of the song, he cracks, and his voice chokes out on a sob. Collins doesn’t hesitate to pull him into her.
Whistles and chants kick up again, all repeating Riley’s name over and over.
I round the piano as the four of us surround him, offering our love, our support, and our protection.
Tonight was a big, extremely emotional night because not only did he sing, but he played every fucking song to perfection.
Not a single misstep. Sure, he had his adaptive grips, but his performance tonight was flawless, just as it always is.
“You did so good, baby.” Collins’ voice is muffled as she shouts her praises into his hair, her poor voice barely carrying over the crowd.
“So fucking good, Sweet Boy. I’m in awe,” I tell him honestly, cupping his face and pressing my forehead against his.
Asher appears with his security team lingering in the background.
“Let’s get you guys freshened up before they start demanding the encore, yeah?”
Blair takes his hand and kisses his knuckles, earning a scowl from him. Asher loves Blair, and I happen to know he’s got plans to propose soon, but teasing him while he’s working is a no-no because he threatened to bend Blair over his knee if he tried anything. Clearly, that backfired on Ash.
We follow the security crew offstage, and the second we disappear, the encore chanting begins. We’ve got minutes before they either start to leave or work themselves into a frenzy.
That time flies, and Collins re-emerges from the dressing room fresh-faced and dressed only in her aerial costume.
“You ready?” I ask her as Riley approaches her from behind and wraps his arms around her middle, dropping a kiss to her temple.
“As I’ll ever be.” She smiles, leaning into Riley.
I note that she’s got a deep blue lipstick on her lips, and I grin at her. “Wanna give me some of that?”
She playfully rolls her eyes, but presses up onto her toes to kiss the corner of my mouth, leaving what I’m sure is a perfect kiss mark behind.
“Thank you,” I murmur as I press my lips against her cheek. “Don’t forget our boy, too.”
She looks at Riley, who’s already looking at her expectantly. This time, she doesn’t hesitate to pepper his face in sweet kisses, thoroughly covering him in her midnight blue lipstick.
“Now we’re ready,” she says with a smirk playing on her lips.
I take her hand and lead her out on the stage, the fans erupting in loud cheers.
She gets her hands into position on the silks and flashes Riley and me a smile that makes me weak in the knees.
“Here we go.”
RILEY
Watching Collins move through her routine is nothing short of a religious experience.
I’m so in awe of how she moves as she winds herself up higher and higher.
When she drops? The whole world may as well be falling with her.
She’s got this allure that keeps all eyes trained on her and only her. She’s fucking incredible.
I can hardly pay attention to what the fuck I’m supposed to be playing when all I want to do is watch her.
She’s inspiring, especially to me. I’m inspired by her. She pushes me daily and makes me want to be a better man. A man she deserves. Somebody deserving of Creed, too.
Because once upon a time, a boy fell in love with his best friend and his girlfriend. And for some strange, unknown reason, they loved him right back.
It’s through them that I’ve learned to love others openly and freely but to also love myself.
It’s something I never believed I deserved, but Creed and Collins have proven me wrong, time and time again.
Every day they wake up, they choose me. So every day that I’m gifted with their presence, I will never take it for granted. I will choose them back. Every time.
I don’t have the energy for another drum solo, so I let the final ring of the cymbals echo around the arena as I watch Collins, completely mesmerized as she wraps and climbs and wraps herself up some more.
I’ve watched her practice enough times to know the kind of drop she’s about to pull off.
It never fails to send my heart into my throat when she winks at the crowd, tips herself back, and just fucking unravels.
I know she’s got the skill to catch herself every time, but it doesn’t stop me from gripping my hair in silent panic as she catches herself mere inches from the ground.
Creed encourages the crowd to go insane for her as she rights herself and steps away from the silks, waving at the crowd with a sweet, watery smile.
They chant her nickname over and over: “Star Girl! Star Girl! Star Girl!”
This girl has become an overnight celebrity. Not just because she’s openly dating two rockstars, but because she’s insanely skilled with every one of her aerial routines. She deserves every bit of the spotlight shining on her.
“Thank you so much for showing us your unconditional love tonight, Charlotte!” Creed yells into his mic, lining up on stage with Bear and Blair in tow. We really couldn’t have asked for a better first night to kick off the tour. “We fucking love you right back, baby!”
Collins links her fingers through mine, then Creeds, a showstopping smile so broad that it forces her dimples to pop.
The crowd is deafening, but I watch her mouth as she turns to Creed and asks, “Is this real?” The five of us take a bow, dipping low before raising our hands in the air in victory.
Bear and Blair play a powerful outro as Creed turns to Collins and me, pulling us in by the backs of our necks for his favorite three-way style kiss. My heart soars as he says just loud enough to hear, “We are real.”
My body locks up, and the world dims as the shock of four rapid-fire pops booms across the arena and hits the stage. Everything tilts on its axis with a strange, sharp pain in my chest and stomach. The last thing I recall is a panicked Collins and Creed fighting to keep me upright.
Because once upon a time, I dared to fall in love…