Page 54 of Midnight Stage

“Ezra,” the stage manager warns, needing me in place, but I don’t move a fucking muscle, knowing she’s not nearly through with me yet.

The intro starts, the speaker physically shaking the stage as the vibrations rock through my chest, and along with it comes the screams of fifty thousand people, every single one of them waiting for me to give them the performance of a lifetime.

Her hand moves further up my arm, over my shoulder, and doesn’t stop until she’s gripping the back of my neck. Her other hand clutches my wrist. “You can do this, Ezra. I know you can,” she tells me, creeping in so close that I feel the warmth of her body against my skin. “If you feel yourself start to spiral, just look at me. I’ll be there the whole time. I’ve got you.”

“EZRA!” The stage manager calls, knowing I’m dangerously close to missing my cue. “NOW!”

I go to pull away, but Rae closes the gap, crushing her lips to mine, and I feel everything I’ve ever wanted right there in my grasp. Her body is stiff as though she can’t believe what she’s doing, and as she goes to make a hasty escape, my arms lock around her, pulling her right back in.

I’ve waited eleven fucking years to feel her lips against mine, and there’s no chance in hell I’m about to let her pull away from me just yet.

Her lips are so fucking warm, just as I knew they would be, and as I kiss her back, her body finally relaxes against mine. She opens her mouth just a little wider, and I take everything she’s willing to give as my world finally comes back into focus.

She was right. All I’ve ever needed was her.

She pulls back, her chest heaving, but I don’t dare release her. “Ezra,” she murmurs, clutching me tighter than ever before. “You need to go.”

I nod, knowing she’s right, but the idea of stepping away to do this show and not being able to touch her physically pains me. But there’s still tonight. I’ll get this done and then tonight . . . we talk. Or maybe we don’t, and I just spend the rest of my life drowning in her lips.

Reluctantly, I release my hold around her waist and allow her to back up, and as I listen to the intro coming to a close, I grab her hand and drag her to the side of the stage. “Stay right here,” I tell her.

She nods, and I move back into her, holding her stare as I clutch her wrist, unable to be so close without physically touching her. “After.”

“After,” Rae confirms. “Now go.”

Fuck.

I turn on my heel and sprint, racing down a ramp and through the scaffolding beneath the stage as I desperately try to reach my mark. Then just as I hear Rock’s tempo increase on the drums, starting my intro, I launch myself onto the base just in time for it to catapult me high up into the center of the stage.

The crowd is fucking insane, screaming in a way I’ve never heard before. The light show goes off with the pyrotechnics, and I can’t lie, it’s the best introduction I’ve ever had. Maybe Lenny was on to something.

Jett leads into the opening song, and I take the microphone, glance back at Dylan and Rock to let them know I’m good, and then without skipping a beat, I give my all to the eager Parisians, knowing that as long as Rae remains right there at the side of the stage, I’ve got everything I need.

A wide fucking grin stretches across my face, and despite not having Axel here, I feel more at home than I ever have in the past eight years, and it has everything to do with having Raleigh’s eyes on me.

I can’t help but glance toward her and take in the awe on her face. She’s never seen anything like this, at least, not with Demon’s Curse. I don’t know if she’s been to other concerts over the years and what her experience was like, but judging by how wide her eyes are, I’d dare say this is a first.

She watches me as though she’s never met me before, as though she didn’t just have her lips on mine less than a minute ago, and the wonder in her eyes is something I’ll hold on to for the rest of my life. I’m not performing for the crowd tonight; this is all for her.

As I near the final chorus of the first song, I hear a slight muffle in my inner ear speaker, and I glance across at Dylan who shrugs, clearly having heard it too. It’s not a big deal and has no effect on the show, and just as I go to shrug it off, I hear it again.

I look back to the side of the stage, trying to figure out what it was when I see the two dancers, Jessica and Stacey, lingering too close to Rae for my liking. They’ll be coming out during the second song, but judging by the look on Rae’s face as they speak to her, they won’t be coming out anywhere if I find out they’re being less than welcoming.

Rae and I might not have any idea where we stand with each other right now, but that doesn’t make me any less protective over her. Especially now that Axel is gone, she’s mine to protect, and if these girls are causing her trouble, they’ll be replaced within seconds.

When the first song comes to an end, I face my eager audience and hold my hands out wide, welcoming the onslaught of praise from the crowd. “How are you tonight?” I call into the microphone, listening as my voice fills the stadium. They scream, and I pull out my inner earpiece and take a moment to truly take it all in.

“Welcome to the Bleed for Me tour. We are Demon’s Curse, and it’s a pleasure to spend the night with you.” I walk back, and as Rock hits us with the intro of our second song, I scoop my electric guitar off the stand and hook the strap over my shoulder.

The dancers come out and do their thing, and as they move into me, one on each side, I turn away from the microphone and let them have it. “Let’s get one thing straight,” I tell them. “If you two even breathe near Raleigh again, you’ll be out. Got it?”

Jessica scoffs while maintaining her smile for the eager crowd. “Come on, Ezra. Keep it real. She’s just some girl. We have a whole tour to get through. Forget about her, and I promise, Stacey and I can make this the best tour you’ve ever been on. You don’t want to be shacked up with that bitch when you could be having fun with us. Besides, she’s nothing, a nobody.”

“Don’t push me,” I warn her. “I will choose her every fucking day. You hear me?”

The girls spin away before Jessica has a chance to respond, but I know she hears me loud and clear, and if she values her job, she’ll treat Raleigh with the respect she deserves.

Getting stuck into the second song, I relax deeper into the set, and as the familiar lyrics pour out of me, I turn back and meet Raleigh’s stare. This is the first time she’s truly going to hear all of these lyrics, and I realize that I’ve been presented with an opportunity.

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