Although I wanted to feel sorry for Faith, I couldn’t conjure up any sympathy. She truly needed help but didn’t think she had a problem because she was still beautiful and only used drugs when she thought she needed them. Obviously, she was heading in a very wrong direction and she would pull everyone around her down with her. I had a family to think about and couldn’t be bothered to get myself caught in a situation that would put me or anyone I cared about at risk.
“Does Jaden know?”
“Yeah but he can’t do anything either and ironically, her parents blame him for her problems. They’ve filed a restraining order against him. He’s not allowed to come within five hundred yards of her or they can have him arrested on the spot. He’s out of her life—physically—at least for now.” Talia stood and stretched languidly.
“Showtime.” I smiled at her before she strolled over and embraced me.
Chyna Bleu had just finished her set and as always, the woman was amazing. With a body to die for, long blonde hair—professionally dyed—killer blue eyes and a voice that would make Christina Aguilera jealous, the woman was talented and a certified pop star with over one hundred million albums sold across the world during the span of her ten year career. She was only twenty-eight and already on her way to becoming a legend.
“Good luck.” Talia and I pulled away from one another as she winked at me.
“Let’s hope I don’t need it!” She walked out of her dressing room and moments later, I heard her yelling into the mic, “Vegas, are you ready to rock?”
The first strings of their current number one hit, “Love’s An Illusion” began and the crowd went wild.
It was time for me to check on the love of my life.
Scarlet Fever was the final band before the clock struck midnight and as always, the best was saved for last.
Talia’s haunted voice followed me through the maze of hallways that was the backstage area.
“When I wake, and I’m all alone.
And there you are again, blowin’ up my phone.
It’s a warning, and I hear it from my friends.
I have to wonder, will this pain ever end?
I can’t take it, my heart is burnin’.
I hear your voice then, and I feel the yearnin’.”
I stopped walking and watched Winter’s Regret perform on one of the flat screens in the hallway.
“Will this be over and when will the nightmare ever end?
My heart is broken and some tears just won’t mend.
We’re going nowhere way too damn fast.
This kind of love was never meant to last.”
Kris, Seth and Linx played in sync and as Niko expertly played the drums, Talia began the chorus.
“Your love’s an illusion, my worst confusion.
You told me to have faith and my world would change
but the only thing I’m feeling is estranged.
I won’t take it anymore and I’m showing you the door.
Pack your fuckin’ bags and leave the key…
I won’t allow you to make a fool out of me.
Anymore. What For?
We’re not meant to be, we’re too blind to see.
Our love burned so hot and cooled in a shot.
You can’t be everything when you won’t promise anything.
What we had before is all but gone.
So I’m moving on…I’ve gotta move on.”
I shook my head as I finally strolled into the dressing room for Scarlet Fever and thought about how the song was catchy and yet so sad. The atmosphere in the room was somewhat subdued except for the love of my life who I embraced by the neck from behind.
“Blow them away,” I whispered in his ear.
“Oh that’s just gonna be a warm up act. The real fireworks will happen between you and I.”
I stared at Kaz in the mirror and our eyes remained locked on one another.
God, I loved this man and he was my everything.
I could understand why Jaden walked around and downed a shot of Jack Daniels. Talia’s song should have affected him because what he was doing to her was frankly beyond the pale.
I kissed Kaz again as he stood and the band got ready for show time.
Winter’s Regret was now playing an up tempo song, “Dirty Little Tricks” and it would soon be over.
“I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Talia. Good luck and I hope you guys do great.”
He looked at me again with mischievous aquamarine eyes. “Just great?”
“Fine, I hope you are fantastically magnificent and have the crowd eating out of the palms of your hands.”
“I’d rather be eating you out,” Kaz whispered in my ear and I responded by punching him in the shoulder.
“Ouch. That’s the arm I play the guitar with you know.”
“And you deserved it for thinking dirty thoughts minutes before you’re about to play a show.”
He looked at me and I honestly felt crappy about what I’d done. I kissed his lips again. “Sorry, no fighting, not even if it’s play fighting. And I shouldn’t have hit you.”
“I kinda liked that part,” he whispered between kisses.
“It’s show time!” Grant yelled before he winked at me sheepishly.
I actually went out to the arena to see Scarlet Fever perform and they were as great as I thought they would be.
They performed “Bleeding Hearts”, a song from their new album and then Kaz invited Talia on stage and they did their famous rendition of Alice In Chains’ “Would?”, which had become an instant YouTube classic.
Afterwards, Kaz rushed off the stage to join me as Brian Bretford, a popular and sexy television personality from Talented Voices took over to do the whole countdown to the new year.
“What did you think?” Kaz questioned as soon as he took me into his arms.
We were both in the VIP area with all the other celebs and fellow performers so there was no chance of being rushed by the paparazzi or screaming fans.
“I thought you were perfect.”
“Just perfect.”
“Better than perfect.”
The countdown had begun.
“Ten, Nine Eight…” the crowd began in a boisterous, drunken manner.
We glanced at one another and linked hands.
“Seven, Six, Five…” Their glee in the air was positively electric.
This would be our year and everything wouldn’t be perfect but there was nothing wrong with striving for perfection.
“Four, Three, Two…” they continued to chant.
“I love you,” we both murmured at the same time.
“One!...Happy New Year!” the crowd screamed as streamers and balloons fell from the roof onto the crowd below.
“We made it,” Kaz whispered to me.
“Yeah, we did.” I smiled and kissed him again.
“I want to spend forever with you.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
“You’re my best friend.”
“You’re mine too…well, except Talia and Laurel are a really close second and third.”
“Can I take you home and make love to you?”
“Yes,” I finally answered.
We sealed our new life and the new year with a kiss.
The End
The Scarlet Fever Series continues with
Will & Laurel’s story in
The Will to Love
Premieres November of 2013
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Selene Chardou is a world traveler and the alter-ego of Elle Chardou.
Ms. Chardou’s writing is all about hot romance and exciting times with the wild, damaged, out of control and/or rich and famous set in the New Adult realm.
She is currently working on In Too Deep, the conclusion to The Lovers Duet, Reckless Behavior, the first novel in The Exploitation of Love series and The Will to Love, the second novel in The Scarlet Fever Series, which features Will and Laurel. She also has a pop stars seri
es planned and an MC series planned that chronicles the issues between Lucifer’s Saints and Demon’s Bastards motorcycle clubs.
Ms. Chardou has lived abroad in Stockholm (Sweden), Manchester (England), Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Contact & Resources
Blog: The Realm of Selene Chardou
Goodreads: Selene Chardou Author Page
Join Selene. Chardou’s Mailing List for early notification of New Books HERE!
Follow Selene Chardou on Twitter
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If you would like to email Selene Chardou, she can be reached at: [email protected]
Published & Upcoming Books by Selene Chardou
One More Night Trilogy (New Adult/Contemporary Romance/Women’s Literature)
Falling Into Lust
Falling Into Us
Falling Into Love
Scarlet Fever Series (New Adult/Contemporary Romance/Women’s Literature)
Rock My Heart
The Will to Love (November, 2013)
Lust & Faith (January, 2014)
Grant’s Muse (March, 2014)
The Lovers Duet (New Adult/Romantic Mystery & Suspense/Contemporary Romance)
Out From Under
In Too Deep (September, 2013)
The Rough Riders Series (New Adult / Romantic Suspense/Contemporary Romance)
Deadly Seduction (Gisela Jackson & Cillian “The Killer” Cox’s story) [December of 2013]
Dangerous Temptations (Maeve “Misty” Cox and Evan “Babe” Hughes story) [To Be Announced]
Deadly Embrace (Jillian Hughes and Quinn “Tech” Cox’s story) [To Be Announced]
Dangerous Attraction (Geri Connery and Ronan “Puck” Cox’s story) [To Be Announced]
Young, Rich & Talented Trilogy (New Adult/Contemporary Romance/Women’s Literature)
Rock Me Out (Chyna Bleu’s story, To Be Announced)
Rock Me Sideways (Damian Phillip’s story, To Be Announced)
Rock Me In (Ava Martin’s story, To Be Announced)
Novels & Novellas by Elle Chardou
The Ties That Bind Trilogy (Contemporary Romance / Romantic Suspense with erotic and BDSM elements)
Killing Time
Killing Heartache: A Novelette (Book 1.5)
Killing Time (The Bonus Collection)
Killing Desire
Killing Me Softly
The Ties That Bind Omnibus Collection
Seasons of Love & Lust (Contemporary Romance / Contemporary Women/ New Adult)
A Summer to Remember
Falling for Autumn (November, 2013)
Winter’s Regret (January, 2014)
Spring Fling (March, 2014)
Exploitation of Love Series (Contemporary Romance / Contemporary Women)
Reckless Behavior: A Prequel Novella (September, 2013)
Indecent Behavior, A Novel (October, 2013)
Undertow Trilogy (Contemporary Romance / Contemporary Women / New Adult)
Undertow
Falling Under (Coming Autumn/Winter of 2013)
Drowning in You (Monika & Dylan’s story, Coming Winter of 2014)
The Atonement Series (Contemporary Romance / Contemporary Women)
Atonement, A Novel
Only Love
Only Time (Caitlyn & Liam’s Story, To Be Announced)
Only You (Drew & Aubrey’s Story, To Be Announced)
Crazy in Love (To Be Announced)
The Vamp Saga (Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy)
Mortal Death: Book I
Immortal Lair: A Novella (A Prequel to Death Wish)
Better Off Immortal: Book II
Queen of the Immortals: Book III
Immortal Dawn (Autumn/Winter, 2013)
The Vamp Saga Omnibus Collection (Re-issue To Be Announced)
The Hart Family Saga (Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy)
Hart Attack
Troubled Hart: A Novella (Book 1.5) [To Be Announced]
Change of Hart (To Be Announced)
Superstar Marriages Novella Series (Contemporary Romance)
Lara & the City of Angels
Jenna & the City of Light (To Be Announced)
The Supernaturals Novella Series (Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy)
Darkness Rising
The Dawn of Darkness
The Supernaturals Collection No. 1
Darkness Awakened
The Cloak of Darkness
The Theft of Darkness
Cling to Darkness (To Be Announced)
The Plague (Dystopian Romance / Horror)
The Beginning: Book I
Apocalypse 2013: Book II (To Be Announced)
Rock My Heart Page 20