Lyric

by Regina Frame

  "Guys," I said, so quiet that I wasn't sure they heard me, but when I looked up from my computer, they were all looking at me. I told them about Levi's last update and they all agreed with me, when I suggested that we quite possibly needed to have a back up to play in his place, come Saturday night. Luckily, Honor agreed to do it. Linc would take back his position as bass player, just as fill in for the event. I thanked my lucky stars for multi-talented musicians.

  Peyton

  Friday

  night, Jules and I sat on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn, extra butter, and a tub of Ben and Jerry's Super Fudge Chunk ice cream. Ever since Levi disappeared without a word, all I'd wanted to do was eat ice cream and read my romance novels. Good guys didn't leave you in novels. I thought Levi was everything I'd ever wanted, better than any fictional boyfriend I'd ever had, and way better than B.O.B. ever thought of being, but I was wrong, once again. Real life boyfriends broke your heart when they left.

  "This is such bullshit!" Jules said, from her spot on the end of the sofa. "We should just get dressed up and go out. Have a good time." I gave her the evil eye over my spoonful of ice cream. "What? You could wear my red, spandex dress and black heels. I bet you'd be hit on in the parking lot before we ever made it to the door.

  "I bet you're right!" I scrunched up my nose. "I bet I'd get arrested for prostitution too, because the guy would probably be an undercover cop!" I said, sarcastically. "I think I'm fine right where I am, but thanks though." I gave her a big, fat, fake smile and she flipped me off.

  "Well, at least brush your damn hair!" She had a point. I hadn't brushed it all day. I just couldn't force myself into the studio today either, so I worked from home in a pair of old, ratty sweats, and an old Auburn university t-shirt that had seen better days. A knock sounded at the door, which put an end to our old lady bickering.

  "You expecting anyone?" Jules asked. I shook my head no. Anyone making it to our door, either had to be let in by someone who lived here, or they had to have the building code in order to gain access to our floor. I uncrossed my legs, placed my eBook and tub of ice cream on the coffee table, and peaked through the peephole in the door. I gasped and turned to face Jules. Her eyebrows shot all the way up to her hairline and she grabbed her heart as if she were expecting the Grim Reaper. "Who is it?" she whispered.

  "It's Levi," I mouthed, since I was standing so close to the door. He knocked again and Jules came to stand beside me, as if I needed back up for what was about to go down. I slowly opened the door and took a step back this time, so that he could come in. "What do you want?" I asked rather harshly.

  "I deserved that."

  "Yes, you do and more."

  "Can we talk?" he asked glancing at Jules, who'd grabbed her bowl of popcorn and had settled in for the show. I sighed heavily and smacked my lips.

  "Anything you have to say, you can say in front of Jules."

  "Damn straight," she snarled and tossed a couple of pieces of corn into her mouth. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to Levi.

  "Just spit it out. I've got things to do." I glared at him. He looked around the room at my things on the coffee table and then back to my ratty, old sweats. He cleared his throat and spoke.

  "Okay, have it your way." He paused and swallowed hard enough that I could hear it. "There's something about me that you don't know. I'm a recovering alcoholic. I've spent some time in rehab in the past, and had it under control until out last album hit the top of the charts. I started to drink a little here and there, and for a while, I could handle it. I thought maybe I wasn't an alcoholic after all, but I was only lying to myself. See, that's what we alcoholics do. We tell ourselves it's all good, until one day it isn't."

  He looked down at the worn toes of his boots for several seconds, before bringing his tired, blue eyes back to mine. "I met you, Peyton, and I felt like I was on a constant high. Everything was wonderful. I didn't need the booze to feel high, to calm the pain in my heart. I only needed you. You, Peyton, made my heart beat again, it came to life when I met you in that dark hallway. When my mom died, the voices in my head wouldn't stop. I tried to fight the pain off, but I knew the moment that alcohol hit my throat before my mom's funeral, I was done for.

  “It would be one of many drinks to come, and I just couldn't do that to you, not after what you told me about growing up with your mom. I'm not going to lie and tell you that I haven't been drunk since I left you in bed, Saturday night. I didn't tell Jinx where I was going, only that I had to leave, but I think he knew me well enough, to know what I was doing."

  He shoved his hands into his front pockets and shuffled his feet back and forth. I could tell it was taking everything in him, just to admit all of this to me, and in front of my best friend. I was really wishing now, that I'd asked her to leave the room. I glanced in her direction, but she was staring down into her bowl of popcorn as if it were the most interesting thing she'd ever seen.

  "So, where have you been? I've called you, and the guys have been by your condo. They said you weren't home."

  "I checked myself into a hotel under a pseudo-name. I've spent my days and nights drinking, but that's not all. Yesterday, I went and spoke with my old sponsor. I told him everything. We both agreed that it would be best, if I went back to rehab, before things got too out of hand.

  “He also knows how important this fundraiser is to me, so he agreed to let me wait until it's over, to check myself in. It's right here in town; the same one Linc went to a couple of years ago. When the lights go down tomorrow night, they'll be there, waiting. I'm not sure how long I'll be in rehab, but I can promise you, that I'll be there as long as it takes." He took a step forward and placed my small hands into his big ones, hands that were trembling from fear or withdrawal; I wasn’t sure which.

  "I thought about our time together and I couldn't imagine myself without you. I stand before you, a broken man, a man trying to keep standing, while falling apart at the same time. You're my glue, Peyton. I can't make it without you. He dropped his forehead to mine and blue eyes met my gray. Everything that needed to be said was said with our hearts. I crawled up his body and wrapped my legs around his waist. I didn't care if I looked like shit. I loved this man and he loved me. His mouth crashed down on mine in a hungry, demanding kiss.

  "Don't mind me," Jules mumbled from the kitchen counter, where she picked up her keys. "I was just leaving." We never broke our kiss. I heard the door close, as Levi walked us into my bedroom and kicked the door shut with his boot.

  "I love you,” he whispered against my lips.

  "I love you, so much." I gasped when he kissed that spot just below my ear. The spot he knew made me wet in an instant. I pulled the back of his t-shirt and we broke our kiss long enough for me to pull it over his head and toss it to the floor. I shamelessly rubbed my pussy against the crotch of his jeans, needing as much friction as I could get.

  He slid me down his hard lean body until my feet hit the floor. My fingertips brushed over his abs, causing them to contract until I stopped at the waistband of his jeans. I looked up at him and bit my bottom lip. I couldn't wait to have him inside me. I flicked open the button on his jeans and slid the zipper down. His cock sprang free, standing proud, and waiting for my attention. "I see you still have a thing against underwear."

  "It's too confining. My boys need room to breathe," he grinned and looked more like the Levi that I knew and loved. "Now stop teasing me baby. I've missed you." We made quick work of the remainder of our clothes and then we were on my bed, tangled in the sheets. His tattooed body hovered over mine as our tongues danced together, making my head spin. His right hand trailed down my body in a feathering touch. He played my body like a finely tuned instrument.

  "Your body is fucking beautiful." His tongue swirled around my navel and then inched lower toward my wetness. "Fucking sweet." He smiled against my lips before flattening his tongue against my clit and flicking it back and forth. My back arched off the bed and I moaned loudly, while I knotte
d my fingers into his hair.

  "Your mouth, oh, god. You're a very talented man." I panted and his tongue continued to work on me.

  "I'm a man of many talents, sweet cheeks, and I'm about to show you them all." His tongue dipped into my sex and I shattered into a million pieces. His big hands cupped my ass cheeks and he buried his face deeper between my folds. He licked, sucked, and flicked his capable tongue, until I couldn't take it anymore.

  "Please." I sagged against the mattress.

  "Please what, sugar?" He grinned up at me, clearly pleased with himself.

  "I don't think I can take anymore." My fingers dug deeper into his blond locks and I tugged until he moved up my body and lingered there, gazing at me with deep pools of blue. Oh, fuck it. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled his inked body against mine. I licked a trail down his neck and I could feel his big body shudder above me. My legs wrapped around his waist and my fingers curled around his strong biceps. Nothing had ever felt this good, this right. His mouth moved over my stomach and up my side until he took one of my rosy nipples into his mouth and sucked hard causing it to pebble between his soft lips. He looked up at me with molten blue eyes.

  "What?"

  "I love you,” he whispered just before his cock slid inside me. I took a deep breath and my eyes rolled back in my head. No one could make me feel the way Levi Cross did.

  "I love you," I whispered back, buried my nose in his neck, and inhaled his musky scent. The scent I'd come to love so much. Our bodies moved together in a steady rhythm, one that rocked the headboard against the wall. I expected the neighbors to pound on the wall at any second, but I didn't care. There was no stopping us now. We were one, and we were destined to be together.

  Levi

  Saturday Fundraiser

  This

  was probably going to be one of the hardest fucking things I'd ever done, but it was what I had to do. Take the first step and then one day at a time. This party had been rocking since nine this morning, with a different band on each of the stages at all times. I hadn't a clue as to how many people were there, because there wasn’t any seating. People moved from stage to stage and stood all day long, just to hear their favorite bands and now, here we were. It was midnight, we were the closing act, and I was looking out at an endless sea of people. From the looks of things, this year's fundraiser was the best yet. I'd added something to it this year. I didn't discuss it with the guys or Peyton, but I was sure they would be okay with it.

  "How the hell are ya, LA?" I growled into the microphone and the sound of the crowd was deafening, to say the least. I glanced to my right and saw Peyton, standing just out of sight, with a big smile on her face for moral support. I thought I saw tears in her eyes. Damn, I loved my girl.

  "I've got something I need to say before we get this show started." Everyone grew eerily silent, considering this was such a large concert. "As most of you know, I've had a drinking problem in past and well, it's resurfaced. You see, my mom died a few weeks ago of cancer, and it was more than I could handle, or so I thought. Tonight's my last show for a while, I'm headed back to rehab to get this under control, before it gets me by the balls again."

  I had to pause when the crowd went wild with shouts of encouragement and praise. "Thank you, guys, for that! It means more to me than you know." I slapped my tattooed hand over my heart and hung my head. It was all I could do to keep it together. I swallowed hard and looked back out at the crowd. "Thank you all for coming out tonight and supporting the families of LA's finest who have been killed in the line of duty. I've added another cause to tonight's benefit," I said, glancing around at the guys, and received nods of approval from them all.

  "If you'll log onto our band website, you'll find a link to donate to cancer research, in honor of my mother. I would appreciate it very much, if you'd all do that for me," I choked out and the crowd cheered. Jinx counted down the first song and then Honor's bass along with Chance's guitar floated through the night air. Everyone played their heart out, and as I sang, I thought about my mom's words—that I was destined for big things, I had the voice of an angel, and tonight, I sang for her. I gave it my all.

  When we were down to the last two songs, I signaled the guys to stop playing. I turned to the crowd and said . . . "I've got a surprise for someone special in my life." I glanced to my right, and Peyton's eyes were as big as saucers. "Come on out here, sweet cheeks." I motioned with my hand for her to come to me. She shook her head furiously, but I nodded and gave her my devilish grin. "Come on, baby." She crossed the stage, against her better judgment, and stopped by my side. I wrapped my arm around her and kissed her temple.

  "I'm going to kill you,” she whispered.

  "Baby, thousands of people just heard you threaten me," I said, cocking my head toward the microphone in front of us. She blushed feverishly.

  "I have a special surprise tonight. My girl, Peyton, here," I tilted my head in her direction. "She loves Brad Paisley." People in the crowd clapped in appreciation, but Peyton looked up at me through thick lashes. "You know country is not my style, but being that I'm going to be gone for a while, I'd like to do a couple of songs just for her," I said. Tears sprang to her eyes as I turned to face her. I sang the ‘Perfect Storm’ and ‘She's Everything.’ When the last song ended, I dropped the microphone, wrapped my arms around her, and pulled her small body tight against mine.

  I glanced at the crowd to find people with their cell phones out, but this time using the flashlight function or lighters held high in the night sky as we moved together. Both our hearts pounded out a beat in perfect rhythm. We swayed back and forth, dancing to our own heart’s tunes. Somewhere in the distance, I heard Jinx’s voice thank everyone for coming out tonight, and reminded them to login to our website to donate to help fight cancer.

  "It's time," I heard someone say from behind me. I turned to find Linc, standing there, offering his hand to me. I shook it and gave a quick nod. I took Peyton's hand and led her from the stage and across the parking lot, where a black SUV waited for me. All the guys were also waiting for me.

  "You got this, man," Chance said, giving me a fist bump.

  "Ditto," Honor said, tipping her chin in an upward motion.

  "Don't worry about a thing, man. We'll be here when you get out. Take care, and just think about what you got waiting for you when you get out," Jinx said, smiling at Peyton, where I had her pulled against my side.

  I wrapped my arms around her neck and inhaled the fresh, floral scent of her shampoo. Fuck, I was gonna miss that. I’d miss holding her in my arms, her warm body molded against mine.

  "Don't over think it," she said. I watched, as the tears streamed down her face. "I'll be here when you're ready." She gave me a weak, watery smile.

  "Baby, you're the answers to all of my prayers." I kissed her lips, tasted the salt from her tears, turned, and slid into the SUV with Linc. He was now my approved sponsor for the recovery house; he'd be the only one that was allowed to visit, and even that would be limited. At least he could keep me updated on Peyton, and things with the band.

  "You're doing the right thing. You know that, right?"

  "Yeah, I know.”

  "There’s something I need to tell you before we get there," he said. I nodded, encouraging him to go ahead.

  "Marcus Little, OD'd tonight." My heart sank. I immediately thought of Jules, Peyton's best friend. What would this do to her? How would Peyton handle the added stress of a grieving friend, when she was grieving herself?

  "Do me a favor, man," I said, because it wasn't a question.

  “Keep an eye on Peyton for me and check in on Jules. She and Marcus had a thing. I think she puts on a strong front, but I'm not so sure she's that strong.”

  "Anything for you, man. Stay strong," he commanded. The SUV pulled to a stop in front of the resort-like rehab center. This was it. One day at a time.

  The End

  If you liked Levi's story, then you'll be happy to know that his story wi
ll continue later with Peyton's story. The title is yet to be determined. Thank you again for reading my book and please remember to leave a review on Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or wherever you purchased Lyric. I love you guys!

  A

  BOUT THE AUTHOR

  My name is Regina Frame and I live in Alabama, with my husband and three dogs. I worked for twenty years in the medical field as an office manager. I fell in love with reading after picking up, "Fifty Shades of Grey," and I haven't stopped reading since. I started out as a beta reader for other authors, and then decided to try it myself. I couldn't stop now, even if I wanted to. I love to write! I love the challenge of bringing characters to life, and love it even more when I hear how they have touched my fans.

  I've always had a love for animals and I work with charities, to help raise money for homeless pets. I've been known to carry food in my car and stop on the street to feed an animal. I recently rescued a severely abused dog after trying for two months, with no success. He now lives with my husband and me and he is happy and healthy today. I donate a portion of every book sale to our local Humane Society. I encourage each of you to help support your local animal shelters. Adopt a pet. It could mean life or death for some.

  Thank you for your support, it means the world to me.

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