by Lauren Rowe
Zander’s chest heaves. He blinks and a solitary tear rolls down his beautiful cheek.
I smile at him through my own tears until the sound of someone sniffling on the other side of the room draws my attention. It’s Crystal, boohooing like a baby. My agent and publicist look emotional, too—but more stunned than anything.
I’m not surprised that they’re all surprised. Surely, they’ve always known I’ve got issues. Everyone on my tours or who works with me figures that out at some point. But the bare truth—that I was essentially held prisoner in my own mind by my greedy mother for years and years—that she manipulated and mind-controlled and abused and extorted me—is something nobody could have suspected. Frankly, even I didn’t fully understand the implications of all of it, not really, until I started saying all this shit out loud, just now.
I glance at Zander again. He looks like he’s a hair’s breadth away from physically removing my mother from the room. The poor guy’s got to be wondering what kind of fucked-up wagon he hitched his plow to for “eternity” last night. Yes, I’ve hinted at some of the stuff I just babbled, but I’ve certainly never let on just how bad it really was. How crazy I really am. How damaged. How unloved. How desperate I became at one point. Well, now Zander knows: I’m fucked up beyond anything he could have possibly suspected.
I return to my mother, my heart crashing. “It’s your choice, Lani. Go softly into that good night right now or have to deal with a ‘woke’ and extremely pissed daughter who happens to have the entire world’s attention right now.”
My mother’s entire body stiffens. “You’ve let those doctors and therapists tell you I’m a monster for so long, you’ve started believing it. Well, shame on them for brainwashing you. I sacrificed everything for you, Destiny. Everything I did, I did it because I love you so much.”
Bile rises in my throat. “You’ve got five seconds to get out.”
She wrings her hands for a long beat. “Twenty million,” she blurts.
“What?”
She puffs her chest. “That’s my price to walk away.”
I scoff. “Wow. It’s oddly comforting when a snake takes off her prosthetic legs and starts slithering around.”
“Twenty million and you’ll never hear from me again,” Mom says. “I’m calling your bluff. We both know you don’t want the entire world to know your secrets. Pay me and they’ll never have to know.”
I swallow hard. Bitch. “I’ll give you two.”
“No,” Zander says sharply. “Don’t give her a dime, Aloha. She’s already taken enough from you.”
“You stay out of this!” my mother hisses at him. “Tell your boy toy to keep his mouth shut.”
Zander’s face morphs into the exact expression he wore last night right before body-slamming that wack job off the stage.
Again, I put my arm across his torso. “Thank you, but this is my fight.” I stare down Satan. “Two million or that media tour starts tomorrow. Frankly, you should be paying me not to do the media tour.”
Mom’s eyes fill with crocodile tears. “How can you do this to me—your own mother? I gave you life. You owe everything to me.”
I stare at her like a sniper, my chest heaving and my nostrils flaring. “My offer will terminate in five, four, three, two—”
“Fine,” she spits out. Her tears instantly dry up. She points a manicured finger at me. “You’re going to hell, you know that? For shame, you’d do this to your own mother!”
I address my agent. “Have my lawyers draw up the papers for this deal today. Make it airtight.” I glare at my mother. “You contact me again or speak my name to the media, I’ll go after you, guns blazing.”
Mom whispers, “Everything I’ve done, I’ve done because I love you, Destiny.”
“Keep your ‘love,’ Lani. And don’t call me Destiny. I’m not your destiny. I’m my own.”
Mom’s eyes harden. “You ungrateful little bitch. Without me, you’d be nothing. Singing sad songs on a street corner. Modeling in a Sears catalog.” She scoffs. “Turning tricks.”
“Okay, that’s it,” Zander says. He points his muscled arm toward the door. “Get the fuck out or I’ll escort you out.”
“I’d listen to my husband, if I were you,” I say, stepping to his side and grabbing his arm. “I don’t know if you saw the footage from last night, but he’s extremely protective of me when he feels like I’m being threatened in any way.”
Mom glares at me for ten seconds like she wants me dead. And then she shifts her Birkin bag on her shoulder, sneers at Zander, and walks out the door.
I stare at the closed door for a moment, my heart pounding like thunder, and finally whisper, “Ding dong, the witch is dead.”
Zander slides his arm around my shoulders and squeezes. “Are you okay?”
“I’m good,” I say. “A little light-headed, though.”
Zander guides me to a couch and sits next to me. “Crystal? Can you bring Aloha some cold water, please? She looks pale.”
Crystal flies into action and a moment later, I’ve got a glass in my hand.
“Thank you,” I say.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” Zander says.
“Yes.” But when I sip the water, my hand is shaking. “I should have done that a long time ago.”
“You grew up under her control,” Zander says. “You didn’t know anything else. I guess there was a reason she never let you have any friends or go to anyone’s house, huh? She didn’t want you finding out what was ‘normal.’”
I nod.
“Why’d you agree to pay her two million bucks?”
“Because all of my money from the show is blood money. She was right about that. I wouldn’t have any of it without her.”
“Baby, no. Your mother brought you to the audition, but after that, your success was all yours.”
Crystal, my agent, and publicist, all of whom have seated themselves around me, agree wholeheartedly with Zander’s statement.
“No, I won the lottery with that show. It was pure luck.” I chuckle. “It certainly wasn’t the writing.” I sigh and rub my face. “Honestly, I would have paid twenty million to get that woman out of my life for good. I was bluffing when I said two was my final offer.” I shake my head. “God, it felt so good to finally say what I’ve been fantasizing about saying for ten years.”
There’s a long silence. Apparently, we’ve all been rendered speechless.
“Wow,” I finally whisper. “I’m officially, an orphan.”
Zander takes my hand. “You might be an orphan, but you’re not without family. I’m your family now. And so are the Morgans and Shaws. Why do you think that whole group flew out to Vegas to see you last night?”
“To see me? No. To party in Vegas at one of Reed Rivers’ legendary after-parties and to see you.”
Zander chuckles. “Yes and yes. But they also came to see you. Their beloved Alo-haha. You’d told them awards shows are hard for you, remember? They wanted to support you.”
“Seriously?”
“Absolutely. They love you, baby. You’re one of their own now.”
“Wow.”
“And they were psyched to party at one of Reed Rivers’ legendary parties.”
We both laugh.
“Speaking of family, have you heard from your mom and sister yet?”
“Uh, yeah. I’ve texted with them. Told them I’d call later. My sister was thrilled. My mom was... very much looking forward to speaking to me.”
“Well, call her, then.”
“Not yet. In a bit.”
I roll my eyes. “Zander Shaw. Nut up and call your momma.”
He pulls a face.
“Oh my God. You wimp. I just toppled Satan and you’re too scared to talk to your mother on the telephone?” I swat his broad shoulder. “Put on your big-boy pants and call your mommy, or you can sleep on the couch tonight.”
Chapter 52
Aloha
That’s true,” Zander says. “I don
’t deny that.” He’s sitting on the edge of the bed in the bedroom, talking to his mom on the phone. We moved in here to give my wimpy husband some privacy from my three team members in the other room. He continues, “All true, Mom. But, hey, great news: this one time it seems to have worked out pretty damned well for me, don’t you think?” He smiles... and then frowns. “Uh, no, Aloha can’t talk right now because—”
I rip the phone out of Zander’s hand. “Hey there, Momma Shaw! It’s me, your daughter-in-law.”
“Hello, Aloha,” Mrs. Shaw says. “How are you today?”
“Married.”
“So I’ve heard—but not from my own son.”
“Yeah, Zander and I are very, very sorry about that. Not about the marriage, but that you had to find out that way.”
“Aloha, let’s just cut to the chase, shall we? Did you marry my son as a publicity stunt? Because that’s what the gossip sites are saying.”
I look at Zander next to me as I speak. “No, ma’am. I married Zander because he’s by far the best man I’ve ever met. And because he lights up my life and I wanted him to be my one and only.”
Zander’s mother pauses for a long beat before saying simply, “Welcome to the family, dear.”
We chat a bit longer and end the call on a happy, loving note.
“See?” I say, tossing Zander’s phone onto the bed. “Easy as pie.” I rise. “Come on, husband. This ‘do whatever the fuck I want’ thing is addicting.” I pull him up from the bed and drag him into other room with me. “Okay, team,” I say to my agent, publicist and Crystal, clapping my hands. “Change of plans. Crystal, push our flight to Houston back by three hours, at least, please. I’ve got a few things to take care of here in Vegas before we head out for the next city.”
“That won’t work,” my publicist, Claudia, says. “If we arrive that late in Houston, we’ll miss several promotional events and engagements I’ve got scheduled.”
“Send my apologies to whomever and tell them I’ll make it up to them one day, I promise. Also, I wanna cancel all promo engagements through the end of the tour. The only non-show things I want on my calendar for the rest of the tour are visits to kids in hospitals and pre-show meet and greets with fans. Oh, and raising money for animal shelters. But no more interviews or promo of any kind through the rest of the tour.” I look at Zander and smile. “I want to leave myself as much time as possible to spend with my hubby bubby boo.” I address my agent. “Sean, will you please ask Reed to come here for a meeting today? I’m ready to talk about my new contract now. I’ll sign a new deal with him today, as long as he’ll agree to a few revisions and modifications to the prior deal.”
“Reed’s not gonna budge on the numbers, Aloha.”
“The money is fine. I want Reed to sign off on a new creative direction. I’m going to explore a different sound with my next album. More of a singer-songwriter-alt-pop vibe. And most importantly, I want him to understand that all songs on my forthcoming albums will be written or co-written or personally handpicked by me. If Reed is down with all that, then I’m ready to sign on the dotted line today.”
“For three albums, like last time?” my agent asks.
“Let’s make it two with an option for a third. Even if I do end up signing with Reed again, I might want to create my own label at some point in the future. Hula Girl Records.”
“Uh,” my agent says, apparently too shell-shocked to speak.
“I’ll play two or three of my new songs for Reed today to give him an idea of what he’s signing up for. If he likes what he hears, or at least feels excited about the new direction, I’ll sign. If not, then Reed and I will part ways at the end of this tour and I’ll release my new music myself.”
“Uh... okay,” my agent says. His phone pings and he looks down. “Reed says he’ll be here at your suite in an hour and he’s very much looking forward to it.”
“Great. Tell him I am, too.” I address my full team. “Guys, when this tour is over, the Aloha Carmichael machine will be out of service. I’m going to follow my heart and be honest. I’m going to be brave. Speaking of which...” I pick up my phone and start tapping out a text to Maddy. “If she’s willing, I’m going to hire Maddy Milliken to shoot a documentary about the making of my next album. It’ll cover the songwriting process. Recording. Hopefully, some performances, once we get there. And, most importantly, I’ll give brutally honest interviews about all of it, including the inspirations and back stories behind my songs.”
“‘Brutally honest interviews?’” my publicist says. “Aloha, I think we should—”
“I disagree,” I say. “I think if I’m honest about my past struggles, I could help a lot of people out there. So, that’s what I’m going to do.” I shoot Zander a look and it’s clear he’s in full agreement with me. And that makes me feel all the more like I’m sailing in exactly the right direction. I address my entire team. “Can you guys do me a favor and ask Barry and Brett and whatever team of guys they’re planning to bring with them this morning to arrive a bit later than originally planned? Maybe about an hour after my meeting with Reed? And can you three head out for coffee for an hour?” I grab Zander’s hand. “My husband and I were in the middle of something important when you guys showed up with Satan, and I’d like to finish what we started.”
Chapter 53
Zander
Aloha’s mouth on my cock is sending me to heaven on a bullet train. But I don’t want to come this way. Not after the badassery I just witnessed from Aloha—first with her mother and then with her team. No, after watching all that, I want to fuck my wife until she sees God.
I pull Aloha’s mouth off my cock and guide her to standing. My eyes on hers, I pull off her clothes and get mine off, too, and when we’re both naked and twitching with desire, I grab her ass and pull her up onto me and fuck her smack in the middle of the room—right where we were standing when her team left the room. Right where she dropped to the floor and started sucking on my cock.
I married Zander because he’s the best man I’ve ever met. Because he lights up my life and I wanted him to be my one and only.
Those are the words Aloha said to my mother on the phone. And when she said them, it was one of the most electrifying moments of my life.
Aloha is unleashed as she fucks me. Her eyeballs are rolling back into her head. I walk with her still fucking me to a chair and sit myself down and she begins gyrating on top of me like a woman possessed. I reach between us and massage her clit and she explodes like a grenade, coming hard around my cock. So, of course, since I’m only human and this has been the best fourteen hours of my life, I follow suit.
But when I come down from my orgasm, I suddenly realize I wasn’t wearing a condom.
“Oh, shit,” I say. “No condom, baby.”
“I’m on the pill.”
I exhale. “Thank God. I want babies with you, but not yet.”
“Amen to that,” she says. But she looks stressed.
“I’m clean,” I say. “I always use condoms and—”
“No, no, it’s not that.” She chews her lip. “I’m just, honestly, kind of... freaking out.”
My chest tighten. “There’s nothing to freak out about. We got this, baby. It’s me and you against the world.”
“But didn’t you hear all that stuff about me? Clearly, I’m a ticking time bomb, Zander. There’s no way I’m not gonna fuck this up with that woman’s DNA inside me.”
I sigh with relief. For a minute there, I thought she was gonna say she’s freaking out about the marriage itself. That she made a mistake and wants out immediately. “Aloha, you can’t possibly fuck this up.”
“I can and will.”
“No.”
“Yes. I’ll do something to push you away. I’ll test you. Take things too far. I’ll do something thoughtless and selfish to make you prove your love, but it’ll backfire and then you’ll just plain hate me and I’ll live the rest of my life regretting whatever stupid thing I did and die
alone with my house full of cats.”
I chuckle and stroke her hair. “Aloha, stop. I’m not going anywhere. That wedding ceremony was real to me. Every word. Till death do us part. In sickness and in health. I love you.”
Her face is flushed. She still looks panicky.
“Aloha, what is it?” I touch her chin and lift her face to look at me. “Talk to me.”
She exhales. “The month thing. It’s too much pressure. I don’t like there being some kind of countdown between us. I don’t want to feel like, each day we get closer to New York, we’re getting closer and closer to the day when I’m supposed to decide if I’m genuinely ready to promise you forever or not.”
Again, I sigh with relief. “Sweetheart, there’s no countdown. I said that thing about you being free to annul the marriage at the end of the month simply to coax you into saying yes in that particular moment. But, baby, I tricked you. I was rusin’ ya, knucklehead.”
“Huh?”
“The truth is you could end this thing today, tomorrow, a month from now, twenty years from now. That’s the nature of any marriage. There’s no stress, okay? If you decide you don’t want me anymore, then you’ll leave. I don’t want that to happen. Believe me, I’ll move mountains to keep that from happening. But if one day you come to realize with full certainty you genuinely don’t want me, then, honestly, yeah, you should leave. Because, as much as it’ll ruin me to lose you, I only want you if you want me back.”
Aloha swallows hard. She still looks stressed.
Well, damn. I thought that was a ridiculously eloquent speech. Reassuring as fuck. Kind of noble, too. “Aloha, what’s bothering you? I can’t help you if you don’t tell me. I’m running out of guesses here, dude.”
She twists her mouth for a long moment, considering. “No matter how happy I am with you, I’m still gonna have bad days. I’m not a straight line kind of person. I zig and I zag. It’s not going to be rainbows and unicorns with me all the time.”
“I get a little ziggy and zaggy myself sometimes, too.”
“But not like me.”