Page 158 of Five Summers

My breath stalls as his hand glides over my ribs and gently brushes against the curve of my breast, finally coming to rest on the organ threatening to beat its way out of my chest. “Fuck I’ve missed you.”

Chapter sixty-one

Xander

I’m drenched in sweat by the time we reach our last song tonight. All night, I’ve looked over to see Poppy in her short skirt standing in the wings, watching me pour my heart out on stage. Usually, when groupies shout out their explicit desires, screaming out all the dirty things they want to do to me, I play along, reveling in the attention and fueling their desires with provocative gestures. But tonight, none of that matters. All I can think about is the girl standing on the sidelines, the one I can’t wait to take back to the hotel room and do all the dirty things that are on my mind. I give her another one of my trademark smirks, knowing it makes her blush, hinting at what awaits heronce this performance is over. She fidgets and squirms, and I can imagine that if I were to walk over there and run my fingers along her slit, she would be wet. Wet for me.

Even after all this time, despite my many faults, she continues to see the good in me. Out of all the women in the world, she's the one I've been longing for and desperately yearning for all my life. She is everything to me. It wasn’t until I walked away that I realized no one could ever compare to her and what we shared. It’s unbelievable that even after all these years, our connection remains unchanged. What does that say about us? That I found the love of my life when I was just seventeen—a foolish, ignorant teenager who failed to recognize what he had.

Afterward, I plan to take Poppy out on a date. I never had the means to do that before, and looking back at the arrogant asshole I used to be, I probably wouldn’t have even considered it because I didn’t realize how much she meant to me back then. Tonight, I want to find a quiet spot where we can have an uninterrupted conversation away from Reg and the others. This will be our first performance out of the five shows we have in Sydney before we get back on the bus and head to Brisbane.

Despite being here for almost three weeks, we haven’t explored the country because of our demanding schedule and the label’s obligations, which is something I want to address in tomorrow’s meeting in Ace’s room. We need some downtime. We’re constantly traveling the world, yet none of us have truly experienced any of it. And what better way to do so than with Poppy by my side? I want her to know that I’m prepared for any adventure that life may throw at us. I’ll strive to be the best version of myself for both her and Alex.

I make my way back to the mic for the final song of the night. I used to hate this time of the night when all the memories would come flooding back. But now, as I prepare to sing mine andPoppy’s song, it fills me with so much gratitude. This song has been my life, filling my heart with love. Love that started when my mother taught me the lyrics. Love that grew for the girl on the street who would change my life forever.

I long to return to that special place where we sang together on the rock, connecting with my mother once again. Now, singing this song in front of seventy thousand people in this stadium, all I feel is gratitude for the blessings in my life. It all stems from this song, like a tapestry woven with the threads of my life.

I’d ask Poppy to come out here and sing it with me, but I know she’d freak out. It took every ounce of courage for her to sing it earlier today.

“Okay, Sydney, you know the last song. Sing it with me,” I yell, extending my arms wide.

The crowd erupts in excitement as I turn to Theo, who begins counting in the band. The music starts, and I grab the mic from the stand, singing the first line. Holding the microphone out to the crowd, they belt out the next line, and then the next. I stand there in awe, listening to the thousands of voices filling the air, singing the song that has shaped my life.

Ace comes over, his fingers effortlessly gliding across the strings. Surprisingly, a huge smile adorns the typically grumpy asshole’s face.

“How amazing is this!” he says, redirecting his focus to the crowd, their phones held up to capture the last moments of the night.

And he’s absolutely right. It’s the best fucking high being up here in the spotlight, with the audience hanging onto my every word.

I join in on the chorus and continue singing the rest of the song. As the song comes to an end, the cheers intensify,giving me a surge of adrenaline. This is what I live for. That exhilarating rush. The spotlight. The music.

“Goodnight Sydney. Keep it real.”

Ace, Theo, and Nate come up to stand beside me. Together, we stand there in awe, basking in the thunderous cheers emerging from the packed stadium. We lift our hands and wave out to the ecstatic crowd before making our way over to the right side of the stage. As usual, I am the first to exit the stage, with the boys following closely behind. I’m not exactly sure why they’ve always done that, but it’s become a tradition they simply continue to uphold.

As I make my way across the stage, my gaze meets Poppy’s, and a smile graces her lips. Closing the distance between us, I wrap my arm around her waist, bringing her in close so I can plant a kiss on her lips. I love it when she makes that soft whimper. It always puts a smile on my face when I kiss her like that.

“I need to go do the meet and greet,” I say, pressing my forehead against hers. “But once that’s done, I want to take you out on a proper date.”

She looks up at me, her expression filled with surprise. “A date?”

“Yes,” I nod. “I’ve never taken you out on one before.” I lean in to press a kiss to her lips before intertwining our fingers and guiding her toward the green room. This is where I’ll leave Poppy while I do the meet and greet for those who brought backstage passes.

However, before I do anything else, I need to find a fresh shirt. The one I’m currently wearing is soaked with sweat and clinging uncomfortably to my body. I usually ask Kit to make sure there’s an extra shirt in the stockroom, which is conveniently next to the green room.

Up ahead, as I lead Poppy down towards the greenroom, I see the long line of dedicated fans. Tall barriers separate them from the side corridor near the stage. This is where Poppy has been standing all night, observing from the wings of the stage. Good thing they can’t see where we are.

As I enter the storeroom, I take off my wet shirt and quickly grab a clean, folded one from the stack. However, the voices of the waiting fans still reach us.

“I heard Xander has his dick pierced,” one voice says.

“Well, I heard he prefers blondes," another groupie chimes in.

“I don’t care. I just want him to fuck me. I bet he’s good at it.”

I see the pissed-off look spreading across Poppy’s beautiful face. Seeing her jealous makes me grin. I can’t help but move in closer. “It looks like my groupies want me,” I tease.

“Asshole,” she says, pushing me away.

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