Page 13 of Rock Star

Hayley stood back and admired her handiwork. “You look amazing. You’re good to go.”

“Just need to warm up my voice.”

“Did you go to a performing arts high school?” Hayley asked, packing away make-up, combs and mirrors.

“No. I only had piano, guitar and voice lessons. When my parents could afford them…”

Axel had asked me the same question a couple weeks ago and I’d given the same answer. It was shortly before CM offered to pay for Mom’s treatment. Remembering the band calling me in for a meeting, tears of gratitude prickled behind my eyelids. I closed them down before I ruined my makeup.The guys were waiting backstage behind a velvet curtain when I joined them. They all told me I looked beautiful and I said the same back to them. I wasn’t lying… they were freaking rock gods, dressed in ripped jeans, skin-tight tees, chains and amulets around their necks, each one of them over six feet in height and drop-dead gorgeous. In my heels, my head only came up to their chins as they pulled me into a group hug… it was what they always did before a concert, and it felt oddly reassuring.

“Awesome tat, Firebird,” Axel whispered into my ear, sending a shiver to my core.

“Can’t wait to see yours,” I countered, my voice breathy.

His gaze lingered on me, stripping me naked.

Oh, God.

I guessed it was this sexy dress… he’d treated me one hundred percent professionally while I’d been practicing with him at his place, keeping his distance and not repeating the kiss he’d given me that first time.

The time when I’d felt his hard-on as I’d brushed past him.

Now wasn’t the moment to think about such things, though. The music being played on the sound system beforehand had fallen silent, and I could sense the anticipation of the audience as we walked onto the darkened stage.

We took up our positions, the stage lights hitting us, and an eruption of whistles and screams broke out. Foxy clacked his sticks three times, then brought them down on the skins. Rhys launched into the riff, his guitar wailing. Zach came in on the keyboards. Axel added the bass and his voice cut through the air like a shard of glass. ‘Ghost in the Heart’—all crashes and slashing cords lit by flashing, almost blinding white light—was the perfect overture, and I felt honored to be contributing my voice harmonies toward it.

The crowd went wild, I could tell from the whoops, but, as the song neared its end, the band surprised them by kicking the tempo up a notch. Foxy drummed faster, faster, faster, and Axel shouted, "Jump!" The spinning stage lights flashed to purple, and the audience was suddenly, undeniably, at a ChiMera rave, having the time of their lives.

Song followed electrifying song. I couldn’t take my eyes off Axel. He was mesmerizing, seeming to touch the life of every person in the crowd. He spread his arms out wide then brought them in, pointing toward the wildest fans, who then lost their shit. After crouching and singing to the front row, he leapt up in an explosion of energy that sent the entire nightclub into a frenzy. He fed off the response, devouring it like he’d been starved, and throwing it back at them, his infectious performance almost tangible, like something they could reach out and grasp in their hands.

With bated breath, I waited for the ‘off the shirt’ moment. When it came, toward the end of the set, my legs felt as if they would slip from under me. Dammit he was ripped. Freaking beautiful. He threw his tee into the audience and the spotlight followed it to the lucky recipient, a dark-haired lady who let out a squeal of pleasure before burying her nose in it. Axel held every woman in the audience in his hands at that point. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d thrown their panties at him. I stared at the stunning bass guitar tat on his shoulder and I couldn’t help smiling. He was such a bad ass.

At the end of the set, after ChiMera’s slower paced hit, ‘Welcome Home’, their instruments fell silent.

Axel slung his guitar across his bare back, took the mic from its stand and spoke into it. “As many of you will know,” he said, “this is our first public performance since Ella passed.” He paused, and I heard him suck in a breath.

This must be so hard for him.

I wanted to reach out and hold him close.

With a sigh, I wrapped my arms around myself, tears biting my eyes as I waited for him to carry on.

He bowed his head, clearly fighting his emotions, and my heart ached for him. “Ella…” He raised his head and cleared his throat. “She was fucking taken from us too soon, and we miss her every goddamn day.”

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