Epilogue
Epilogue
I blow out another breath. Slower.
Not that it helps. My airway constricts.
I don’t move a muscle. Not wanting to steal his focus, but also not wanting to miss a single second, but I do need air in my lungs. Though some days I really wonder if I do, I’m sure my Alphas are all I need to survive.
I won’t test the theory tonight. Honestly, backstage with Koded? It’s made better and worse knowing the Alpha behind the mask is Ryder, until I get swept back up in the grandeur. Losing myself to the thrill racing through my blood, the elation at being this close to Koded , is mind blowing and overwhelming to say the least. It’s impossible to stay calm. I’m a victim, under his spell completely.
I scream along with his fans. We sob together spell bound, singing the chorus right back at him when he asks us to. Koded’s stage presence can’t be argued, seeing him perform is an enigmatic experience, dramatically life changing. Clearly, I’m a groupie. Can’t say I care.
Not being able to breathe, though, is an issue. He’ll stop mid lyric, lay down his guitar while offering his fans an apology, asking for a second to race over if he even thinks something isn’t right. He’s done it already a few times over the past few performances. I refuse to be the one to interrupt the flow of the magic tonight. It’s like people say, this show is one of those once in a life-time experiences.
I have to pinch myself to be sure I am here and this is my life.
Koded moves around the stage making sure everyone gets what they’re coming for—him—he finishes back at his standing microphone, facing this way so he can assure himself that I’m okay. It’s not the artist I’m looking at; it’s the Alpha I’m head over heels in love with.
I hold up my fingers, shaping a love heart, letting him know how I feel. Letting him know I’m good too. Satisfied, he swings back around, the press of the crowd surging forward, anxious for more. They love his attention.
I lift up the hard plastic edge of the mask, and air rushes down my lungs. Of course, he sees and he turns back around. I try to distract him from his worry, spinning slowly in a pirouette to show off his latest gift. A Koded Tour T-shirt, but instead of his name, SinDaBella is printed in huge lettering over my shoulders. His tour dates listed exactly like the official licensed merch from each show.
He stops mid-song.
“Jesus, you guys should see what I can. Actually, perhaps it’s time for you to meet Sin. What do you say, Berkeley, do you want to meet my girl?” he yells, throwing an arm up.
The deafening roar of the crowd is their answer. With a flick of his wrist he baits their energy, exaggeratedly swinging his guitar over his shoulder like a backpack. Chatting into the microphone like every person here is his best friend. “She’s fucking perfect. You’re going to love her as much as I do. Hang on.”
He takes a step towards me.
All the reasons he shouldn’t be doing this disappear as his warm honey-dipped scent crashes into me. It’s a collision, and I’m a victim. Ryder has always had that impact on me though. His hand reaches for mine, and I move to him because even with the trepidation, I still want to experience everything with this Alpha.
“You look incredible.” He growls. Even through the veil of his mask the surge of his possessiveness hits like an arrow through my heart before he goes in for the kill. “They only get a glimpse of you. Fuck them. That’s all they get of you, Sin , because you’re my ending. My fucking fairytale come true.”
Having Sin as his bark is a gift I will ever tire of. He says my name as often as he can. Or he writes it, texts it, or prints it on the back of t-shirts. He constantly drives home the message—possession, when done right, is another form of loving a person.
His hand is warm as he leads me over the sea of chords, duct tape and sound boxes. The stage lights are blazing like the blistering summer sun, but he shines brighter still.
“My muse, y’all.” He spins me once before he walks me off the other side of the stage, right to where Dale waits.
Ryder presses his forehead to mine and despite the thin plastic separating us, I feel his touch.
I doubt there’s anything on earth that could keep us apart.
“You go back to the bus when you’re ready. I’ll be fifteen.”
“I’ll wait.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Shut up. Go sing me a song,” I tease, shoving him away.
Then, I’m struck by the realization that I’m actually here, in Koded’s world. Odd, considering I just paraded in front of the crowd at his latest sell out gig, but the feeling sticks. And I run with it, because it’s an incredible feeling.
He finishes with a selection of his newest songs. Each of them a glimpse into Ryder’s real life from Koded’s point of view. Honestly, it’s like being in love with another person hearing Koded’s lyrics. Either way, my heart beats for both sides of the one person.
I leave Koded to do the meet and greet after the concert. And that’s for his guests’ sake not mine. Having people that up close and personal with him unleashes a fury inside me which I’m a hundred percent sure is not something his VIPs paid money to see. I refuse to be a hindrance to his career. Returning to the tour bus is the most sensible option.
Nigel and Dale get into formation. One of them on either side, close enough to react but not so near we accidentally touch.
We don’t talk much as we leave the venue and walk out into the back area of the auditorium. The fencing and security remind me of the perimeter of a prison but there’s no complaints from me. The stories I’ve heard from the roadies and the stage manager about the extremes fans will go to is enough to make my head spin. Each venue is slightly different but ultimately very similar too. The reasons don’t change—protecting the artists is what it’s all about.
Once the bus has been thoroughly checked top to bottom, inside and out, they let me in. I can finally slip the mask off and start swiping the thick white makeup off my neck and throat.
My phone buzzes, and Dominic and Hendrix both appear as soon as I answer. “He was so good.”
“He was not the star of the show tonight.”
I laugh at Hendrix. “That’s not fair at all. You need to…”
“I’m not stroking his ego any more than I already have. I know he’s all the things his fans say. I tell him all the time. But I’m calling you, wanting to hear your voice.”
I smile at Hen before looking at Dominic. They both look anxious, tired. I don’t need to ask why; they always look like that if we’re not together. “We’ll be home before morning.”
“Thank fuck,” Hendrix barks.
“How’s Noire? I didn’t think you were going in tonight.” Hendrix’s office at Noire is one of my favourite places. And it’s easy to see that both of them are calling me from there.
“Not here for long. Just long enough to throw our weight around, remind everyone who’s in charge,” Hendrix deadpans, making me laugh.
“Liar. Tell me why you’re there.”
Hendrix’s mouth falls open, and he looks at Dominic for answers.
Dom ignores him. “Amore Mio, you’re okay though?”
“Yes. I really am. Why should I be worried? Anything I need to know about?”
“Nothing important.” Dominic insists, his voice and mannerisms soft and quiet.
It’s been a balance of finding out what we each call important. Dom and I don’t always agree on the importance of some of the things he thinks are vital for me to know. My pack are excellent communicators, better listeners, and we’re finding a balance as we find our way. I’m in a good place.
“Nothing else?” I prompt.
“We came together, hoping to divide and conquer the mundane admin running a business requires. If you’re home, we won’t be here, so that’s all we were doing.”
“Good. Rye will call when we get on the road. And then we’ll be home for breakfast.”
As soon as we say goodbye, I head for the shower. Once we’re travelling, the motion and the confined space doesn’t work for me. I don’t bother washing my hair since we’ll be home soon, but I stay under the spray long enough to fog the bathroom.
Walking back out in one of Dominic’s button-up shirts, I start packing, getting ready to leave. It’s not long until Ryder messages and lets me know he’s walking over. I’d love to run out and meet him but simple things like that are impossible when you’re hiding your identity.
I sit on the top of the kitchen table, towels and wet wipes next to me, ready for him. The door whooshes open, before it shuts just as quickly. The instant he hears the door lock he throws off his mask. I hold out the wipes, and he doesn’t talk as he gets off as much of the makeup as he can without taking a shower.
And then he’s standing between my legs, his hands cupping my face, his lips on mine. I can feel the post-performance energy under his skin, it makes him tense up leaving his body coiled like a spring.
“Rye,” I whisper against his mouth, but it takes a while until he stops kissing me before he answers with a hum.
I push him gently away, then undo the one button holding my shirt closed, letting it slip off my shoulders. Leaning back over the table, I allow my legs to fall open in silent invitation.
He traces his callused fingers over the tops of my inner thighs, keeping his eyes locked on mine. Question, interest, love, stares back at me.
“Please, Rye.”
He goes to squat down, but my feet kick up, catching him under his arms. I’d never be able to pull it off for a second time, but it’s exactly what I wanted to happen.
“No,” I whisper, before shocking him. “I want the full groupie experience tonight.”
“Only groupies I’ve fucked, Simona Torres, were your other Alphas.”
“Really?”
He laughs, answering with a nod of his head. He trails his finger up higher, and his touch adds to the heat slowly spreading over me. I rest one of my feet on the edge of the table, letting my knee fall to the side and using a finger to part myself to show Ryder how wet I am.
Our sex life is slowly getting better. I want it to get back to where we were, where they weren’t worried I’d break. I love them for being so considerate, but I need my Alphas back.
Wiggling down until my feet touch the floor, I undo his shirt, pushing it off his shoulders so it falls on top of mine. Leaning forward, I lick my tongue over his chest. His skin is still damp from his concert. I swear I can taste his energy tonight. When I tug on his nipple ring, he folds one of his hands around the back of my head to keep me there while he starts fingering me.
“Sin, you’re fucking saturated.”
I bite down then toss my hair to the other side and lick my way up his chest, stopping at my mark on his throat. I lick over the scar, teasing the beast within and coaxing him out to play. Another nip, and I stand taller, latching on to his ear lobe, teasing him by sucking and licking it. A grunt of pleasure and another finger inside my pussy are my reward.
Dipping down and shimming around until I’m under his arm with my back pressed to his chest, he has to lean forward to keep fingering me.
“You want me to bend you over the table and fuck you, baby?”
He pinches my clit, and I pull at his pants, desperation flaming between us. I want us to get engulfed and lost in each other.
Falling forward, I bite my lip to stop my whine when he pulls his fingers free. Noises are amplified and I can hear his buckle open before he rips down the zipper. His hand claps around my hips, his tongue licking up my back, making me arch .
I turn so he can see the desire flushing my face. “Hard and fast, rock star.”
He slaps my ass in warning before surging inside in one brutal thrust.
I cry out. And it feeds his desire, calls for his beast, exactly like I hoped.
He has one hand pressed over my shoulders holding me down and the other on my hip keeping me still. Ryder pushes in before dragging himself all the way out. I have to hold on to the edge of the table as he keeps doing it, dipping in deeper, pulling out faster. My core throbs as my pleasure trickles. It won’t take long of being owned like this and I’ll be coming all over his cock.
“Fuck, you feel like heaven. My cock looks so good inside this tight little hole, Sin,” he says before surging right back in. “Your pussy keeps begging me for more.”
Ryder falls forward, and he drives in and out, harder, faster. He feels too big inside my body, but it’s a freeing feeling being stretched, and owned. I don’t want him to stop. I push my ass back, needing him deeper. His hands slide over mine, and he binds our fingers together. I feel so safe pinned down under him; my scent thickens, and my slick pools.
Ryder lifts one of my feet up to rest on the bench seat. He slides back in slower, testing the new angle, and my eyes roll backwards. His swollen knot presses firmly against my pussy, and he grinds himself over my clit until I whimper over and over.
“You want this? You want my knot to lock you up so I can fill you so full of my come it drips out your perfect cunt?”
His voice is as dangerous as his body. I feel like I’m spinning off in all directions, lost in the waves of the pleasure that’s been unleashed.
Ryder uses his head to push against mine, and I crane my neck. He strikes fast, down on my shoulder as his knot surges past my swollen entrance. I scream, needing to come with a desperation that steals the air from my lungs. My pussy burns as it stretches around his knot, his cock hitting my g-spot until I see stars and whine in desperation for the orgasm he keeps taunting me with. The instant his finger breaches my asshole, I implode. At exactly the same time he explodes.
White light flashes around like strobe lights stealing my sight; sounds whoosh away until all I can hear are the strained, beautiful groans and grunts of Ryder’s pleasure climaxing, coming so hard inside my body that I feel each time his cock empties. It brings tears to my eyes, peace to my soul.
I wish we could stay locked together in our cloud of sex until we get home. Ryder brushes my hair off my face, triple checking that I’m okay. We both laugh, still too breathless to say much. But eventually, I manage a few words. “Goddamn, Rye. Koded needs a leash.”
Ryder’s honey scent fans over my face, helping me catch my breath as he swoops in for a kiss. His smile matches my own. The shuffling though has his knot popping free and I pout against his mouth as our bodies unlock.
“Did I…”
“Yeah, Ryder, you totally did make me come.”
“I know that, you smart-ass,” he growls, pushing his nose to mine. “You milked me hard, Sin.”
“You like?”
I feel stupid needing unnecessary praise, clearly Ryder did like our quickie. His scent is all over my skin, his come is so deep inside my body, I swear I taste him on my tongue.
My Alpha slays my anxiety in a handful of words. “I liked it so much I’m going to fuck you all over this goddamn bus, Omega. Fill you to the brim with my claim, so you can’t sit down without leaving me all these reminders of where your wet little pussy has been.”
My head makes a dramatic clunk when it hits the tabletop as I fall face first into his intense loving and sweet praise.
A door slams at the front of the bus, but Ryder doesn’t move a muscle. There’s no risk for anyone seeing us—the driver is contained up front. Rye stays inside me, his movements slow and deliberate as the bus rumbles to life. The vibrations rattle through the table and into both of us. We lock eyes, startled—and a little turned on.
“You’re thinking what I am, right? We need one of these for home,” he whispers as he reaches for his phone, passing it over for me to hold.
He presses Dominic’s contact, and it only rings once.
Dom’s eyes go black before he can get a word in. It doesn’t help that Ryder takes the phone from my hand, standing and angling the camera straight down to where we’re joined. Scooping an arm around my midsection, Ryder helps me to my feet, and we lean back against the cupboard behind us—giving Dominic a different angle of the same view.
“Get your asses home.”
And then he hangs up on us.
I lift a leg, setting up the obscenest shot possible, all glistening cock and swollen come-soaked pussy. The shutter sounds like a machine gun, and then we giggle like naughty school kids as we send a handful of the best shots to Hendrix.
His response is an open hand slap emoji for each photo we sent. Another promise of more good times to come.
Ryder pulls out. “Noooo,” I whine before it turns into a squeal when he sweeps me off my feet and takes us into the shower.
We fall face first into each other in our bed, and sleep like that all the way home.