Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Reunited and It Feels So Good: Our Favorite Couple is Instagram Official
A nother positive article about him and Delta, featuring the photo from his Instagram profile, which had garnered hundreds of thousands of likes and comments. Thanks to all the recent positive press, one of Delta’s old singles had re-entered the top twenty yesterday, and the publicity was opening new doors. Offers were pouring in for them to promote everything from jewelry to luxury cars.
Ignacio placed his phone in his pocket and paced the foyer. He was in the process of straightening his cuffs when Delta started descending the stairs. He paused, his entire body going still and his mouth going dry as he watched her move with innate elegance, practically floating down each step.
Her team had done an amazing job with long extensions that brought her hair all the way down to her hips in bone straight strands parted in the middle. She wore a black and silver choker that matched her silver dress and held a Hermès clutch in her hand, a dark Loro Piana cashmere stole draped over one arm.
She was pure temptation in a sleeveless babydoll dress that stopped at the middle of her thighs, highlighting her show-stopping legs in a pair of sky-high heels. She looked very much like the superstar she was—glamorous, captivating, radiant. His eyes followed her all the way to the bottom step.
“I guess I don’t have to ask you how I look,” she said softly.
With her back straight and her full, perky breasts sitting high on her chest, she exuded confidence.
“I’m sure you know you look absolutely…” He never considered himself at a loss for words, yet here he was again, struggling to adequately describe the vision before him.
He walked over and trailed his fingers through the straight strands of her hair. The scent of her perfume filled his nostrils and wrapped around him like a silk ribbon, making his dick swell in his black trousers. The floral sweetness wasn’t overpowering but would certainly linger in the air long after she had walked away.
“Stunning,” he whispered.
“Thank you. You look pretty stunning yourself.” Her sultry eyes flicked over his attire—a dark jacket, white shirt, and dark slacks.
She smoothed a hand over his chest, and the slow movement echoed inside him. It was just the two of them in the foyer. There was no one to perform for or to take pictures. And her touch—it didn’t feel fake. It felt very, very real, very meaningful. When she lifted her gaze to his, he saw the unmistakable presence of heat in her eyes.
“We should go?” she suggested.
All of a sudden, he didn’t want to go to the birthday party. He had the urge to toss her over his shoulder and run upstairs so he could do every nasty thing he ached to with his tongue and hands.
“I guess we have to,” Ignacio said roughly.
He helped her wrap the stole around her shoulders and then took her hand, threading his thicker fingers between her slender ones. Surprise filled her face because there was no one here to see them, but he ignored her expression and led the way out the front door to where a chauffeur-driven white limo waited for them in the driveway. As they strolled down the walkway, he felt like a man who had stumbled upon a rare and priceless treasure—one he couldn’t let go.
After helping her into the vehicle, he slid onto the seat and watched from the corner of his eye as she crossed those impossibly smooth, sexy legs that had haunted his dreams all week. For the first five minutes of their ride, he sat stiffly in the seat, fighting the urge to gather her against him and kiss her tempting mouth until she was senseless. If he made it through the night without putting his fist through another man’s face for looking at her, he deserved a damn prize.
Once he relaxed, he turned to Delta. “Which songs are you going to sing tonight?”
“King’s assistant said his mother liked all my songs, but especially two slow songs from my second album: ‘Beat of My Heart’ and ‘Love Me.’ I’ll sing those and include an up-tempo song in between.”
“I like ‘Love Me,’” Ignacio admitted.
Shock registered on her face, as if she couldn’t believe he listened to her music.
“I know your music, and that song was one of the biggest on the album.”
“It reached all the way to number three on the charts,” she said, a soft smile on her lips.
“Should have been number one.”
“I’ve had a couple of number ones,” she said.
“The song you did with T-Murder went to number one, didn't it?”
Her biggest hit in recent years had been singing the hook on a Terrence “T-Murder” song for his last rap album before he retired, Annihilation . The video had accrued hundreds of millions of views, and at least one million of those views belonged to Ignacio. Over and over, he had watched one particular scene where Delta rolled around under the white satin sheets, her alluring body partially on display for the rapper.
“Our song did go to number one. He gave my career a boost, which helped since the last album didn’t do well.”
“It’s all relative, though, isn’t it? Like when people say one of my movies didn’t do well because it made $200 million instead of $350 million domestically. There are actors who would kill for $200 million in domestic box office receipts.”
“The corporations don’t care. I think part of what fueled the success of the single with T-Murder was the buzz about the chemistry between us.”
He remembered the chatter and had despised it. “ Did something happen between you two?” He had no business asking but needed to know.
“Absolutely not,” Delta said vehemently. “Terrence was back with his wife by then. Believe me, the man was not interested in me. Strictly work. He had a bad reputation, but that was in the past.”
“I should be used to the lies. Apparently, I have a number of illegitimate children. My youngest love child is in Mexico, being cared for by one of my aunts.”
Delta laughed. “I hadn’t heard that.”
“One day I’ll have to tell you about my six or seven children around the world.”
“I can’t wait,” she replied with a giggle.
Damn, it was good to talk to her again and hear her bubbly laugh.
Not long afterward, they arrived at the home of Benjamin Brockwell, King Brockwell’s father, where the birthday party was taking place. They entered a room filled with a few dozen guests, and the people near the door gasped and whispered to each other when they saw the couple. King immediately appeared and greeted them.
“Delta J, it’s nice to finally meet you,” he said.
Ignacio’s gaze lowered to where King held Delta’s hand between both of his. Did he have to hold on to her that long?
“Nice to meet you too,” she replied.
“Can I introduce you to my mother?”
“Please. She’s the reason I’m here.”
“Keep in mind, she had no idea you were coming.”
They walked over to Elizabeth Brockwell, a brown-skinned woman with lively eyes. She was tall, almost six feet, which let Ignacio know the Brockwell brothers had inherited their height from both parents. Benjamin Brockwell stood beside his wife.
When she saw them, Elizabeth’s eyes brightened even more, and her mouth fell open. “Delta J? Wh?—”
“Happy birthday, Mother,” King said, looking mighty pleased with himself.
Elizabeth pressed a hand to her chest. “I cannot believe you invited her here for me.”
“He didn’t just invite me. I’m singing, and if you think I’m here to sing happy birthday, think again.”
“Oh my goodness.”
Delta hooked her arm through Elizabeth’s. “How about I sing two of your favorites, ‘Beat of My Heart’ and ‘Love Me’?”
Elizabeth laughed. “This is incredible. I would be honored for you to do that for me.” She looked at her son and then her husband.
Benjamin smiled. “This was all King’s doing. We wanted to make tonight special for you, and this was the best way we knew how.”
“Well, it’s certainly very special, and I can’t wait to hear you sing.” Tears brimmed in Elizabeth’s eyes, and Ignacio couldn’t imagine the strain her diagnosis had placed on her and her family.
“This is Ignacio Santana, Delta’s partner,” King said.
Elizabeth studied his face. “You look familiar. Do I know you?”
“He’s an actor, Mother, and we’re producing one of his films.”
“Oh my goodness, please forgive me. Despite the family business, I don’t watch a lot of movies, but I do recognize your face. A gorgeous face like yours is unforgettable.”
They all had a good laugh. Minutes later, they met King’s younger brothers, Chance and Romeo, and then mingled with the rest of the guests, including the trio of musicians who were going to perform with Delta.
There was plenty of food and a DJ was playing music, but no one was dancing. Eventually, a staff member wheeled out a huge cake, and they all sang “Happy Birthday” to Elizabeth while she stood with her hands clasped together, her expression a mix of emotion and appreciation.
An hour and a half passed while they mingled and ate with the other guests. Then Delta left Ignacio’s side to join her bandmates.
She stepped onto the small, elevated stage where the DJ had previously been performing, and the crowd quieted in anticipation. The lights dimmed, and the mini-concert began. Behind her was a pianist, but he might as well have been invisible because Delta was the star, with the chandelier above casting golden light on her dark brown skin.
As she sang the words to ‘Beat of My Heart,’ crooning into the microphone, she locked eyes with Ignacio. Was this part of her act, or was she sending him a message?
He couldn’t help but feel as if she were singing to him, as if those words of love and devotion were real and directed specifically at him. Others must have had the same thought because several people turned in his direction with knowing smiles on their faces.
Ignacio sipped his drink. Act or not, emotion burned through him as he watched Delta clutching the mic and singing her heart out. After the first two songs, the applause was thunderous in the small space.
Delta’s gaze swept the audience. “This last song, ‘Love Me,’ is very special to me. I co-wrote it with a very good friend of mine. It’s a song about love and longing. I know it’s one of your favorites.” She smiled at Elizabeth seated in front of the stage. “It’s one of mine too.”
When Delta began to sing, a hushed silence fell over the audience once again. The depth of emotion in her voice filled every corner of the room. Elizabeth swayed in her seat in front of the stage, cradled in her husband’s arms. Her three sons stood behind them.
Ignacio had heard Delta sing plenty of times, but he never grew tired of her voice and the magical way the words vibrated on her vocal cords. This song, in particular, had such a haunting melody that he ended up holding his breath.
Her rich, velvety voice trembled with raw emotion, each lyric weighted with longing and vulnerability. The melody, accompanied by the keystrokes of the piano, soared and dipped. Briefly, she closed her eyes, lost in the deep meaning of the words.
I can’t breathe when you’re not near
Stay with me, baby, stay right here
Don’t you see what we could be?
I need you, hold me, love me
No one moved or whispered a word to their neighbor. She had entranced the entire room with the soulful sound of her voice. When she reached the final lingering note, Delta stretched her fingers toward the chandelier and belted out a sound that rivaled an angel’s voice. She held the note for what seemed like an eternity.
Ignacio’s throat tightened with emotion.
When she had left him, he had died inside. But how could he fault her for going after her passion? She was a natural, born to do this.
Delta finished the song with a drop of her head, and the lights went out. When they flashed back on, she lifted her head and smiled, and the room erupted into applause. Anyone sitting immediately sprang to their feet.
Ignacio was convinced her performance had transformed every person in the room into adoring fans. Guests whispered to each other and exchanged looks of awe. She hadn’t simply performed her song.
She had imprinted “Love Me” into their hearts.