Chapter 49
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
“Oh my gosh, Uncle Jack, is she next? I hope she’s next. I can’t believe we’re here!” Vivian’s daughter Eloise almost shrieks in my ear. The kids are all wearing ear protection, but maybe we needed them for the adults in our suites tonight because to say the girls are excited is an understatement.
Savannah’s daughters are singing along with a song playing over the sound system. It’s one of Tinsley’s biggest hits, “Everything to Me.” But judging by the looks on their stepfather and uncle’s faces, they are less than impressed with the young girls singing the lyrics about boys.
“If you could only see what together we could be,” Emily sings while using a water bottle as a microphone.
Lucy takes the next line, belting it out at the top of her lungs, “I think we could be everything.”
“I would be your queen, and you would be my king,” Gigi sings as her dad Theo scowls.
Even Olivia chimes in, “It would be so much more than a love story.”
And then Finn jumps in, “Because baby, you're already everything to me!” As he sings, he falls to his knees, as though he is singing an eighties ballad, and he’s just missing a guitar.
“Nope, who are these boys?” Ryan growls and I have to fight back my own laughter. I should be in protective uncle mode too, but I’m too excited for my girl. Plus, by the way Liam is now grilling Olivia for names, I think they have it handled.
The entire stadium is buzzing with excitement.
When Lux announced this benefit concert, before there was any announcement of this kicking off Tinsley’s Freedom Tour, the concert sold out within two hours and thirty-two minutes.
We knew it would sell out, especially with the big names that are stopping by to sing a few songs, but I don’t think any of us thought it would sell out that quickly.
The foundation that will be running The Skye Network already had the funding secured for the new center before the concert even happened.
At this rate, they will be able to open their second and third locations several years before schedule.
The concert kicked off with some of our new up-and-coming artists; one of them was fortunate to have the top song on the country charts this week, which was great timing.
During the first three sets, I was backstage with my girl, but she said she wanted me in the suites with our friends and family for her first song, so here I sit, losing my hearing due to my nieces’ excitement, and grinning like a loon.
I can’t help it. She’s overwhelmed my life with happiness in all the best ways possible.
That’s not to say it’s all been easy—far from it.
It’s been six months since Rick, Debbie Jo, and Kane broke into our penthouse and tried to take Tinsley away from me, and unfortunately, that drama is far from over.
With the complexity of the interstate crimes, Rick and Kane’s federal trials will likely take place sometime next year, but we only worry about it if someone from the special team Wells had Daphne set up tells us that we should worry.
And really, Rick, Kane, Debbie Jo, and Natasha should be the ones that are worried.
Rick is facing federal charges of conspiracy to commit murder for financial gain, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, two counts of felony murder, attempted murder, use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, attempted insurance fraud, racketeering, and a slew of federal charges related to holding Tinsley hostage at gunpoint in our penthouse.
More than one of the charges that Rick is facing carry a potential life sentence, and he may even face the federal death penalty if found guilty.
Whenever he is done with his federal charges, he will be tried in Florida for the death of Michael Sinclair.
Rick Wilson will never be a free man again.
Kane Daughtry got his wish and had plenty of press coverage, but even Kane may admit that not all press is good press.
He faces federal charges including conspiracy to commit murder for financial gain, racketeering, two counts of felony murder for his role in tampering with Roman Cash’s brakes which caused the accident that killed him and Fiona, attempted murder on Tinsley in that same crash, vehicle tampering resulting in death, hostage taking, use of a firearm during a violent crime, and attempted insurance fraud.
He’s facing multiple life sentences, and even if he gets out in twenty to thirty years, he will be an old man if he ever sees freedom again in his lifetime.
Debbie Jo’s trial for her role in Bridget Wilson’s death starts next month and we expect federal charges to swiftly follow once that’s resolved.
Natasha Markova faces serious jail time because she knew Kane and Rick had nefarious intent when she gave them the keycard to my place, but I don’t have any sympathy for her.
If Rick, Debbie Jo, and Kane were successful in their attempts, Tinsley would be dead, and that would have been possible all from Natasha giving them a keycard.
So no, it’s not just a keycard, it was access to my girl.
But right now is not the time to think about them.
Those assholes don’t get to steal the joy of this moment.
The lights dim and the crowd goes berserk—there is no other word for the level of screaming that is bouncing off the walls, and I still can’t stop grinning. Her band starts playing the intro, and I know she’s going to be on stage any second.
The excitement is all for my girl, and she deserves every ounce.
Her silver cowboy boots show up on the large screens that are the backdrop to her massive stage set up before I can see the rest of my girl. I can’t hear her footsteps, but I somehow feel them in my soul.
I feel Tinsley when she moves—especially when she’s moving toward me. A solo spotlight shines in the center of the stage as a gorgeous redheaded goddess struts right out as if she owns the place—because she fucking does.
She owns me as well.
The tiny sparkles woven into her long vibrant wavy red hair catch the light and pops of copper and blonde come together to create an angelic glow.
It’s not an illusion—it’s Tinsley. Her black sequined halter top adds more sparkle, and shows off her incredible cleavage, not at all hidden by the pale pink guitar she’s carrying as she walks out.
The caveman part of my brain would prefer to keep her all to myself, but I can’t keep a work of art to myself, not when she’s meant to shine this bright.
And that’s what she does … she absolutely shines.
It doesn’t stop my brain from repeatedly claiming what she is as I watch her walk down the center stage.
Mine.
Tinsley Sinclair is mine.
And those curves are mine too.
I’ve mapped every inch of her perfect curves, and I’m already counting down the minutes until she’s back in our bed tonight.
Her curves go on for days and they’re in all the right places. I love every single one of them, just like I love every single thing about this woman.
“Hey there, Nashville! How y’all doing? My name’s Tinsley Sinclair and I’m so happy you’re here.” She strums a few chords on her guitar after her standard greeting as the crowd somehow gets louder, and I seriously wonder if my ears could bleed from the volume.
I’m too old for this.
But … I’m not too old for her, never too old for her.
The houselights come up a little so Tinsley can see the crowd, and as soon as she can, she looks up to our suites.
She knew I’d be in the middle of the three that Wells and I reserved for our friends and family.
The twenty thousand other people in attendance fade away when her eyes lock on me.
Her grin widens as I shock her, raising my arms over my head to clap.
A display that has my girl rearing back before bursting into laughter as Wells rushes over, jumping over two rows of seats to stand next to me.
“Yeah, the Ice Man has officially melted! Let’s pump her up!
” Wells raises his hands over his head, fist pumping in true Wells fashion, which makes everyone in our suite laugh right along with my girl.
Before I know it, we have three suites of Callahans, Bennetts, Sinclairs, Rileys, Smith-Harringtons, and a handful of others pumping our hands in the air to cheer on our girl, who is now wiping tears away from laughing so hard.
And I know that’s going to make this mean even more because whenever she laughs until she cries, she thinks of Fiona—and it’s only fitting that Fiona makes her presence known tonight of all nights before Tinsley even sings her first note.