Chapter 32 #2
Jade bumped shoulders with me. “I hope it doesn’t last much longer, but I’m here for as long as it does.”
We ate quickly. I couldn’t pinpoint why, but everyone at the table was hurrying to finish their food at record-breaking speed.
I wasn’t really hungry, so I pushed the food around my plate. When the staff began clearing our table, Jade stood. “Come on, let’s sit at the bar for a minute. I want to order us some drinks.”
I followed as Jade and I found two empty seats close to the stage in the corner. I waved to Kyle and tried to ignore the tech guys as they set up the cables and equipment. It was hard not to think of Damien and the band. I didn’t want anything to bring me down.
I wanted to enjoy this night.
So, I ordered a shot of vodka and a Long Island.
Even if it meant getting wasted again, I needed something to help quell the unwanted thoughts coursing through my brain.
“Here ya go.” Kyle set our drinks in front of us.
I smiled halfheartedly as the MC came on the stage. “We have a real treat for you guys tonight. We usually save our live music for Fridays, but this was a very special request.”
I threw back the shot and chased it with the long island, uninterested in what he had to say.
“Let’s give a big warm welcome to Rebel Rebellion.”
It wasn’t until the hit of the drums and the chords from the electric guitar that familiarity trickled into my brain. And when a rich, smooth sound rang out from the speakers, I froze completely.
“I was lost in life, thought I had it all
Living, but only for a moment in time.”
I couldn’t stop my body from turning toward him. Damien’s voice was like velvet, seducing me. Like a moth to a flame.
“Then you crashed on through, made me see you
You shattered that reality I clung to”
When our eyes met, it felt like the first time all over again. I was trapped in his captivating icy blue gaze, unable to pull myself out of his trap. Heat flowed through me, and our ever-present electric connection drew me in.
Damien jumped off the stage, his voice never wavering as he moved toward me. The small crowd that had gathered parted for him.
“In this heart of mine, you carved your place
And now it won’t beat without you here”
He sang his words slowly and seductively, and I knew they were just for me.
Only me.
“I can’t forget
You in my arms
I can’t let go
But there’s no hope”
It wasn’t until my cheeks were wet that I realized I’d been crying. And as Damien stood before me, he reached out to wipe my cheek as the last note left his lips.
“If I had the chance
I’d find the way
To bring you back
And never
Let you go.”
The entire bar was silent, enthralled by the show happening in front of them.
For a room full of people drinking, I was wholeheartedly impressed.
“How is everyone doing tonight? We are so excited to be here with you all, but I’m going to need about five minutes before our next song.
” Damien reached behind me and set the microphone on the bar.
As soon as his fingers left the metal, they were in my hair, pulling my head backward to meet his mouth.
He tasted me like I was the last drink of water on earth. I was the only thing he needed, and I melted into him.
I had no recollection of anything besides how soft Damien’s lips were, how roughly he used them against mine. How his body felt pushed against me between my legs. Or the fiery trail his fingers left on my skin as his hands moved from my hair to my cheek and neck.
“God, I missed you,” he groaned against my mouth.
I didn’t respond. I only wanted more of his kisses.
“Uh, Damien?” Hudson’s voice crackled over the speakers. “It’s been like, seven minutes now. Can we get a move on it?”
Damien broke our kiss and looked over his shoulder with a nod before meeting my gaze with his signature smile.
“That was how I wanted to greet you yesterday morning. First, a kiss, then begging on my knees if I had to. But that’s not how it went.
When I saw you tonight, I knew there would be no stopping me.
” He ran his thumb across my now oversensitive lips.
I opened my mouth, but Damien pressed his thumb against it, keeping me from talking.
“Shh. My turn. I’m sorry, Cay. For everything. After this, can we have a real discussion? You know, one where we both get to say what we need to.”
I nodded, unable to do much else.
Damien grinned and pressed a quick kiss to my lips once more.
As he walked back to the stage, I called out. “Is that your new song?”
He stopped and looked over his shoulder as he lifted the mic to his mouth. “Yep. Can you guess where I got the inspiration?”
Warmth bloomed in my chest as I was met with stares from almost everyone in the restaurant. People who had watched me grow up.
Heat rushed to my cheeks, and my fingers moved to my lips. As if that would hide the fact that I had just made out with Damien Walker for… what did Hudson say? Seven whole minutes?
I should be embarrassed.
But I was exhilarated.
As Rebel Rebellion played their set, I sang along, letting the words and the music into my soul, where it healed and comforted me.
I watched him on stage, completely awestruck and unable to keep myself from giggling. I was still in shock that he was here. That he had put this together just to show me how much he cared.
I waited for the moment when I would wake up from this dream. It was just too good to be true.
I threw my arms around Jade, hugging her tight. “I know you helped with this. Thank you.”
“I’m always here for you.”
As Damien wrapped up the last song, he said, “You’ve been a wonderful crowd tonight.”
“Are you gonna hop down here and start kissing all of us?” someone yelled from the audience.
I swore I spotted the faintest blush cross his cheeks as he grinned. “If you’re a smoking hot, fun-size brunette whose name happens to be Cadence, then I’m all yours.”
“I’ll be whoever you want me to be, baby,” a woman yelled.
Damien’s gaze met mine, and his cheesy grin matched my own. “I’m really hoping that girl down there claims me as hers after all this. Do you guys think I have a shot?”
“Hell, yes!” My head snapped toward Jade.
She was sitting next to me. She didn’t need to yell.
Damien laughed. He was completely at home up there and Jesus, did he look good in those tight jeans and snug gray tee. His tattoos were showing and I loved how they gave him an edgy bad boy vibe, even though he was just a huge teddy bear underneath.
I’d never been so attracted to someone in my life.
“Well, I have one last song to sing, and I can’t do it without my special girl.” Damien met my gaze. “Can we all give her some encouragement to get her cute little ass up here?”
Shane strummed a familiar set of chords, and all eyes turned toward me for the second time tonight as I realized what Damien meant.
I was a deer in headlights. “No way. No way in hell.”
Jade nudged me with her elbow. “Don’t chicken out now.”
I whipped my head toward the traitor sitting next to me. “Jade! You. You did this. And…” I gasped as realization hit. “Is this my song?!”
Jade looked up at the ceiling, feigning ignorance. When she met my gaze again, she was grinning like a Goddamn fool before she pulled me into a quick hug. “Go get ‘em, tiger.”
“Come on, Cay,” Damien crooned into the microphone.
Somehow, I found myself at the front of the stage, and Damien reached down to pull me up. He kept his hand on me, wrapping his arm around my waist as I took my place next to him.
This was the one place I’d wanted to be more than anywhere else.
On stage signing my songs…
And by Damien’s side.