by Karina Bliss
“Did you hear me? Grace is ours.” Grabbing her hand he twirled her in a circle, around and around until she was dizzy.
* * *
Eleven months later
Moss was resting his forehead against the cold mirror in the tiny backstage washroom when Dimity banged on the door. “Ten minutes.”
His stomach spasmed, but the only thing left in it was terror. And that wasn’t going anywhere. This performance mattered more than any other he’d played in his life. Hands shaking, he splashed water on his clammy face and cleaned his teeth, his wedding ring glinting gold in the mottled mirror. He touched it as a talisman before leaving.
Jared glanced up from his M&M kill, but Seth ignored him and kept pacing the tiny dressing room with long, angry strides.
Without a word, Moss headed for the exit where Dimity already held the door open for him, nodding his thanks as he passed. The tour legs they’d played this year had swelled their fan base. Next year they were taking on the world.
It was nine thirty p.m. on a hot August night in Los Angeles and the cream of North American bands had been rocking out the sixty-four-thousand-strong crowd at the Rose Bowl for four hours. T-Minus 6 would be closing.
The rock legends whose set they were following hit their penultimate number as he stepped outside, seeking darkness. But the stadium lights seared the night sky and frosted the service alley in burning white, leaving no shadows to hide in.
Telling himself to calm the fuck down, he rolled his shoulders and neck before jogging on the spot, trying to reconnect with his body and prepare for the physicality of the coming performance.
Lily strode round the corner of the building, an all-access lanyard around her neck. Her jeans were black leather, soft even in the harsh light, and her silky top was patterned in sunflowers. She wore a necklace of pasta and glitter and sparkles that Maddie had made her and her hair hung in silky waves. The tightness in Moss’s chest eased, before his heart swelled in gratitude. Her eyes were steady behind her glasses, and a smile curved her lips.
“I figured I’d find you here.”
He pushed her glasses, which were reflecting too much light, to the top of her head, needing to see her eyes clearly. He was still scared, still nauseous, but not alone. Not anymore. “I thought this wasn’t your world.”
She linked her fingers around his waist in the casually proprietorial way he loved, because this woman finally understood—she owned him. Lock and key, they fit. “Turns out it wasn’t the world, but the role I played in it, that needed changing.”
“Talking me into closing with T-Minus 6. What were you all thinking? What was I thinking?”
“You have to close, you were the organizer.”
“You were the instigator.” This fundraiser had been her brainchild.
“We both know you’re the only one qualified to do this.”
And now the people he couldn’t let down numbered in the hundreds, if not thousands.
His stomach convulsed again. “I couldn’t have done this without you, and I’m not sure I can do it with you.” Shaking his head, he added wryly, “I threw up twice.”
“Poor baby.” Murmuring sympathy, she kissed him, her lips gentle. “I’ll make it up to you later, I promise.”
“You’ll be making it up to me for the next year.” He kissed her, less gentle, and she answered him with passion. It helped.
“I want this to succeed so badly,” he admitted, when they finally broke apart.
“It already has.” She ran her fingers through his hair, lightly massaged his scalp. “The hard work is done. Your only job now is to thank everybody, play for fun, and count all the money you raised.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.”
“Which won’t stop your performance being anything less than amazing, same as it always is.”
If Lily believed in him, he could believe too. That was their greatest gift to each other. He kissed her again and replaced her glasses. “Okay, let’s get this over with.” Fingers entwined, they walked to the service door.
“I was thinking.” His wife swung his hand playfully. “Maybe we should make this an annual fundraiser.” Moss stumbled and she steadied him. “Too soon?”
“Don’t,” he warned her with a glare. “Not even as a joke.”
“Okay,” she said, all innocence.
The woman was trouble. He’d always known it. Re-entering the dressing room, he blinked.
Jared’s kids were picking through the remaining M&M’s with Seth, who was mock-growling as he guarded the stash of red ones. Their smiles blue and yellow, they grinned at Moss’s surprise.
“We’re up past our bedtime,” Maddie announced proudly. Their father stood behind them, resting his forehead against their mother’s. But Moss’s attention was riveted on Dimity, who was approaching with Grace in her arms.
“I don’t know why I was ever scared,” she said.
Catching sight of him, his daughter beamed and clapped her chubby hands. “Dada.”
He gathered her close and kissed her. “Night owl,” he said. “I’m glad you’re here.” He was married to a woman who lit him up, and had a daughter who brought him joy every day and friends he could trust to have his back. He had family. His nerves settled. “Go to Mommy, sweetheart.” Giving her to Lily, he walked to the middle of the room to form a circle with his bandmates.
“We earned this,” Jared began.
“We deserve this.” Seth looked at Moss.
“We claim this.” The three men bumped fists.
As they took the stage, the swell of applause and cheers grew in volume. It went on and on until tears came to Moss’s eyes. Looking at his bandmates, he saw they were equally moved.
When the uproar finally abated, he stepped up to the microphone. “I want to thank the bands who donated their time today to support a cause that’s dear to my heart. And you,” he opened his arms to encompass the audience, “for buying tickets to this fundraiser. It means so much.” The crowd responded with a roar, which was good because it gave him time to swallow the lump in his throat.
He turned to the cameras live-streaming this concert across the States, along with a toll-free number for viewers to pledge money.
“To my homeless brothers and sisters, as someone who’s been where you are, I won’t pretend that the proceeds of one concert will solve all your problems. Let it be a start, a spark in the dark, a reminder that you’re not alone. Which leads me to thanking the people who never gave up on me—my bandmates, my manager, my mentor Zander Freedman, Kayla Walker, and particularly my wife, Lily, who changed my life.”
He raised his hand to cue his bandmates. “Our first song is a new one called Resurrection.” He paused until the applause died away. “This is for everyone who is lost. Never give up hope that you can be found.”
END
Thanks for reading RESURRECTION, the fourth in my Rock Solid Romance series. It would be hugely appreciated if you left a review here: https://www.amazon.com/Resurrection-SOLID-romance-Karina-Bliss-ebook/dp/B07CZFGHFL
If you’re not ready to say goodbye to these characters yet, sign up to my newsletter at www.karinabliss.com and I’ll send you a free bonus scene of Moss and Lily’s wedding.
Have you read the other books in the Rock Solid series? Take a look…
RISE
Acclaimed literary biographer Elizabeth Winston writes about long-dead heroes.
So bad-boy rock icon Zander Freedman couldn’t possibly tempt her to write his memoir.
Except the man is a mass of fascinating contradictions—manipulative, honest, gifted, charismatic and morally ambiguous. In short, everything she seeks in a biography subject. When in her life will she get another chance to work with a living legend?
But saying yes to one temptation soon leads to another. Suddenly she’s having heated fantasies about her subject, fantasies this blue-eyed devil is only too willing to stoke. She thought self-control was in her DNA; after all, she grew up a minister’s daugh
ter.
She thought wrong.
Click here to read an excerpt http://amzn.to/2iaDzYi
FALL
Keep Rage together at all costs…
Powerhouse PA Dimity Graham is off her game. Her career is everything to her and she never lets anything personal mess that up.
So how can she explain getting busy between the sheets with Rage’s nice-guy drummer Seth Curran?
She’s supposed to be keeping this band out of trouble, not getting into it.
But before she can put everything back where it belongs, Seth needs her help.
Faking a relationship seemed like a good idea that night, right before they fell into bed together.
But standing on New Zealand soil, facing the people he disappointed to pursue his dream, Seth doubts he and Dimity will convince anyone they’re hot and crazy for each other.
To his surprise, Dimity is working her magic on everyone and they’re all convinced this is the real deal.
The problem is, he’s almost convinced, too.
Click here to read an excerpt http://amzn.to/2j9TOWJ
PLAY
Rock star Jared Walker is within reach of career glory…but his marriage is in the pits. Determined to save it, he talks his wife into holiday dates with only one rule: they must pretend they are strangers. But when he discovers what Kayla really wants for Christmas, will he be able to give it to her?
* PLAY is a 30,000 novella
Click here to read an excerpt http://amzn.to/2zYss09
About the Author
New Zealander Karina Bliss’s debut won a Romantic Book of the Year award in Australia and she finaled for the fourth time with RISE—the first of her Rock Solid series, which digs into the private and family lives of rock stars.
Her sixteen romance novels have also received numerous accolades (Desert Island Keeper, ‘Best Of’ lists, RT Top Pick, Sizzling Book Club Chat) on reader sites like Dear Author, Smart Bitches and All About Romance. She lives north of Auckland with her husband and son.
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Acknowledgements
I’d like to thank Janine Bliss, Janine Fisher, Abby Gaines and Tessa Radley for their fabulous feedback, as well as adviser & marketer Sharyn Barratt.
Special thanks to story editor Wanda Ottewell who held the torch when I was digging for the story.
Editor: Wanda Ottewell
Line Editor: Serena Clarke
Cover designer: Sarah Hansen at www.okaycreations.com
Formatter: Amy Atwell at Author E.M.S.
Copyright Information
Publisher: Karina Bliss
Copyright © June 2018 Karina Bliss
e-ISBN: 9780994116581
www.karinabliss.com
All rights reserved
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. And any resemblance to events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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