Chapter 38
THIRTY-EIGHT
Months later . . .
L ife is good. Our label supported us and got us back on tour with Dead Ringers—once Beck Danvers was ready, of course—and due to them and our increasing popularity, more dates were added, which sold out instantly.
I know it isn’t just for us, but for Dead Ringers as well, yet the love we see every night when performing on stage is like no other.
We are living our dream.
I won’t say it’s domestic bliss, since Fox and I still argue, but now it ends in us fucking and making up. Dash and Strike are still idiots, but we love them. We’ve never been closer, and we have so many plans for when this tour is over, the world won’t know what hit them.
Grunting, I press harder, my back aching from the position, my arms quivering as Fox groans next to me.
“Oh hell no, not again!” Strike yells as he heads up the bus steps. I lift my head, tilting it curiously as Strike and Dash stare at us. “Shit, I thought you were fucking because of the noises. Remember when we talked about putting a sock on the door? I thought you forgot.”
“We’re cleaning.” I frown as I look at Fox. “Wait, it sounded like we were fucking?”
“Yes!” they yell as my cheeks heat, and I wonder who else passed by and thought we were having sex.
Oh well, it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve been caught and definitely not the last. Despite being together nearly six months now, Fox and I can’t keep our hands off each other, on and off stage.
Dropping his cloth, Fox wiggles his eyebrows at me. “You know, if they all think we’re fucking, then we shouldn’t let them down.”
Smirking, I dive at him as Dash and Strike toss something at our backs, their denials fading as I fall into Fox’s eyes. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” he whispers as he hauls me closer. “Let me show you how much.”
This time, our moans are from fucking.
I can’t even believe it’s the last show of the tour.
It has gone so quickly, but we will remember it forever.
We found ourselves out on stage, and we are never turning back.
We might be here only to support Dead Ringers, but along the way, we found love, friendship, and loyal fans who will never leave us.
After Dead Ringers performs, they bring us back on stage, something we didn’t plan.
Luckily, we are all still dressed, and we hurry down the extended stage.
Trav slings his arm around Dash, while Strike clings to Chase.
Beck holds Kolt’s hand and takes mine, while I keep Fox’s, and we bow to the crowd.
They scream loudly, and we wave and bow again as Beck takes the microphone.
“I know this tour has been . . . a ride.” She chuckles.
“But I want to thank all of you for coming to our shows and giving us such amazing support—not just for us, but for Sanctuary as well. I think we can all agree how incredible they are, can’t we?
” She holds the mic out, and the crowd screams. “I know I’ll be looking forward to their very own tour, but for now, I want to thank them for becoming such good friends and for being in our corner the entire time.
I couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of people to do this world tour with. ”
We bonded, and I’m going to miss our nights in the green rooms and buses.
They’ve quickly become some of our closest friends in this industry, and their support has been invaluable.
When we came back on tour, they included rainbow lights in every one of their shows for us and also encouraged everyone to love who they want.
Beck hands me the mic, smiling widely. “Any last words?”
Taking it, I glance at my band, and they nod.
“I want to thank everyone again,” I tell the crowd.
“We wouldn’t be here without you. I also want to thank Dead Ringers, who took a chance on a nobody band.
We love you. We’ve had the best time on this tour, and we are going to look back on these memories for the rest of our lives.
We’ve learned trust, friendship, patience, and forgiveness, but most of all, love and community.
We have no plans to make that stop now, so next Tuesday at noon, our brand-new album will be dropping! ”
The crowd goes wild, and I laugh as I lean into Fox, waiting for them to calm down.
“We can’t wait for you to listen. It’s raw and brutal, and it’s unlike anything we’ve ever done before.
It’s our story. It’s our home, our sanctuary, and now it will be yours!
Until then, goodnight, and remember to rock on! ”
We spend a few more minutes waving and blowing kisses to the crowd before we take one final picture, our backs to the audience, and Fox’s hand finds mine as we smile at each other. I know it’s going to be my new favorite photo.
My family is together, and our future is wide open before us.
What could be better?