Page 84 of The Omega Verse

Cory and Rick shake the guys’ hands and take a step back as Silva starts a slow drumbeat I can feel in my pulse. “River and me, you know, and we’re not going anywhere,” Jett says to a roar of approval, “but we’ve officially asked Silva Sterling to join us and the bastard said yes!”

“Oh my God!” I squeal, jumping to my feet. “Why didn’t they tell me?”

As if Silva can hear me, he twirls his sticks and then kisses the tips, sending me the kind of wink that has my thighs clenching. And half the first row thinking about throwing their underwear at him, no doubt.

“We wanted you to remember this as a happy day, darlin’,” Kobi says at my side, and I blink misty eyes up at him as he strokes my cheek. “And fuck, I’m happy right now. But I’m not going out there until you give me a kiss.”

“What?” I’m still blinking as Kobi drops the sweetest kiss on my lips, making me pant into his mouth. But then he’s sweeping onto the stage and heading over to take a guitar off a stand. “What the hell’s going on?”

“And if anyone has been living under a rock for the last twenty years and doesn’t recognise this guy…” Jett strides over and gives Kobi a massive hug, turning to hold their clasped hands high. “Kobi Grace, people! Giving up God to rock the fuck out with Sweet Addiction!”

I can imagine Hoover and the TV executives having a heart-attack at that, but Jett’s words are all but drowned out by the roar of the crowd. Cameras are flashing all over the place, but I’m pretty sure there’s no one more shocked than me as the sinking sun motif at the back of the stage fades away and the words ‘Sweet Addiction’ appear in a script that looks a lot like Steven’s handwriting. I almost collapse onto Tom’s lap as the guys grab their instruments and Silva’s drums kick up another beat. Tom’s arms hold me tight, but I still feel like I’m floating over the stage when the band turns and looks our way.

“There are two other people who should be out here with us, but we love them too fucking much to share them with you all.” Jett shoots a huge grin in our direction, and the other guys follow suit. “So instead, we’re gonna dedicate this song to them.” He pauses for dramatic effect. “Stix Rain’s ode to his muse. ‘Ghost Notes’, performed for the very first time by Sweet Addiction.”

They launch into the song, and I cling to Tom, trying to soak up every word and note. But the ballroom is almost vibrating with the roar of the crowd, and my eyes ache from the flashing lights. I wish I could slow down time so I don’t miss anything, and I give a growl of frustration.

“We can go out there for a closer look if you want,” Tom says.

“God no!” I cling to him, the whole idea of strolling across the stage terrifying to me.

“They’ll play it for you again later,” he says with a chuckle. “Pretty sure they’ll give you as many encores as you want.”

I hum with happiness at the idea and relax enough to let the song wash over me. I catch a few lyrics, but it’s the way the guys weave the music together that makes my heart swell. They did this - with only that scrap of paper Steven left me – because I asked them to bring my brother’s words to life.

The roar when the last notes tremble in the air is exhilarating. This part of performing I can totally appreciate. And with Jett’s memories of Steven still fresh in my mind, I can almost picture him up on his throne, twirling his sticks and giving River that blissful look of pure adoration. But then Silva leaps down from his kit, his wild green eyes eating me up as he strides off the stage.

“You kept this a secret?” I screech as he plucks me off Tom’s lap and twirls me around. I want to stay mad at him, but his tongue is sweeping across his bite mark and I’m melting like bad stage makeup under hot lights.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” River says, nudging Silva until I can put my arm around him too. His face is damp, but I don’t think it’s just from performing. “Did you like it, though?”

“It was perfect. I still have goosebumps.” I show him my arm and he kisses it, which just makes more pop to life. Kobi joins our huddle, nuzzling my neck, and I cup his cheek, searching his eyes. “You liked playing this kind of music? It didn’t feel weird?”

“There’s just as much rock in my blood as country, darlin’. And this song is all soul, anyway.”

I hug him and look at Jett, who’s grinning at me with his tongue caught between his teeth. “You really are a brat!” I laugh, earning a resounding ‘no shit’ from Tom. “But you’re so damn hot, I think I have to forgive you!”

Jett muscles the other guys aside and pulls me in for a hard kiss. It’s like wrapping myself around a livewire, only half the electric pulses are coming from the bonds in my chest. I moan when I finally break free from Jett’s sinful mouth. “God, I want to celebrate, but now the press will have you locked up all night.”

Jett scoffs at me. “You didn’t really think we were staying to talk to those clowns, did you?”

I gape at him. “But all those interviews you promised Hoover…”

“The jet’s fuelled up and on the runway,” Jett smirks as he wraps an arm around my waist and sweeps me down a carpeted hallway. There are plenty of eyes on us, but no one seems brave enough to step in the path of my mates. Not when they’re hustling towards the door like we have a thousand salivating reporters on our heels.

“But doesn’t the plane belong to the label?”

River squeezes my hand and smiles. “Jet bought it off them, along with the tour bus and the rest of our contract. From here on out, Sweet Addiction is exclusively signed to Ghost Rider Studios.”

My mouth falls open again, and Silva takes advantage, feeding me a scorching kiss. “Besides, this way we can watch the sun come up while I go down on your pretty pussy.”

I groan, and not only because of the hands that are now sliding over my skin, conjuring all sorts of decadent thoughts. Because a petty little part of me is also imagining Hoover’s face when he works out his band just did a runner, taking his plane, bus, and future platinum records with them.

“Come on, guys.” Jett slides an arm around me as we burst out into the cold night air. “Let’s take our girl home and show her why we’re called sweet addiction now.”

Epilogue

Four months later

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