His eyes followed her and slammed into Brione’s questioning gaze. “Just take the picture.”
The woman took the picture and he turned to follow Brione. “Thank you ladies, I’ll see you inside.”
“Marques, I have a few questions for my blog.”
“Maybe later, I need to get ready for the show.”
“This will only take a moment,” she shouted. The fans in the room stared between the two. She was known for making a scene.
He turned his gaze to her. “Sure.”
“Is that my replacement?” Her voice was deep and sinfully low.
“Sam everything is not about you. You said you have interview questions. Is that your question?”
“And if it is?” she challenged stepping closer.
“No comment. Next.” He crossed his arms over his chest.
“Andrew we used to be friends.”
“Until we weren’t.” Her eyes darted to the floor and he felt bad for his tone. “I have to get ready for the show.”
“You always dreamed of performing on an Essence stage. How does it feel to finally be here?" She pushed a recorder in his direction.
He eyed Sam. The question was a good one but the anger in her eyes made Marques doubt her intentions. His desire to be featured on her blog overruled his apprehension. “It feels amazing. A dream come true.”
“What should fans expect from your performance tonight?”
“They should expect some of my underground favorites and a sneak peek at a few exclusive tracks from my album.”
The interview flowed and for a brief moment, it pushed back the bad memories of their broken relationship and how it forever altered his life.
“I always knew you’d be here one day.” The optimism in her tone reminded him of the old Sam.
“Thank you.” He smiled, maybe they could finally move on.
“Do you think you can find it in your heart to forgive me?” Sam asked.
“There’s nothing to forgive. We’re good.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Don’t do this. It’s over. Let’s move on.”
“Move on? What did you expect? It was the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“You don’t have to explain to me.” Marques had learned a valuable lesson and had Sam to thank.
“Andy I don’t have a rich family to kick back and rake in an inheritance. I have to work like regular people.” Her emphasis on regular people stung.
“I’m not doing this with you.” This was the Sam he knew. Hot-headed and always pushing.
“It’s time for you to go," Brione said from the door. Her voice was cold as ice.
Sam stared at them both and spun on her heels heading for the door. Brione stepped back giving her room to exit. “Unlike you, my talent is my ticket. Not my family name.”
Sam stormed out of the room leaving him alone with his regrets. He thought he knew her. Then like a fool he opened the door for her to reenter his life.
Brione shook her head and turned to leave too. “Is that part of your baggage?”
He turned his head trying to understand what she meant. Then he remembered their conversation at Coffee Confessions. “Yes.”
She walked into the room closing the door behind her. “How about I slay a few dragons for you too?”
“You’d do that for me?”
“It’s the least I could do after my brief tour of the galaxy.” Her sly smile filled his heart with joy.
“I’m starting to believe you’re kind of amazing.” He pulled her into his arms, her presence easing the ache of Sam’s harsh words from his mind.
“Kind of,” her nose wrinkled. “I need to up my game.” She wiggled from his arms. “Now get going loverboy. Your subjects await.”
He laughed all the way back to his dressing room as he readied for the show. Brione was chipping away at the wall he’d erected around his heart. Feeling freer than he had ever in his life he freshened up ready to hit the stage.
“It’s showtime.”
* * *
Brione sat in the shadows of the room. Memories of her father and campaigning surfaced as she watched him prepare to walk on stage. Her eyes squinted to make the picture clear. And she saw it, that smile. The one that covered his face but never reached his eyes. Then a woman in the front row saw him approaching. She stood and started clapping and the people in the audience turned to him and in a wave the room filled with their energy.
How had she missed it? In all her years of running from the spotlight and politics, she runs into the arms of a musician. A very public musician. And immediately she became her mother. Picking up the pieces, smiling to cover open wounds, making jokes to help ease the pain that fame inflicted. And her heart ached for him.
One minute she was topless and the next she heard the acute familiarity in which Beyonce, Jr addressed Marques. Her parting words cut like a knife through the man who was quickly challenging her. He was the life of the party seemingly without a care in the world, yet behind closed doors, he worked like a man on a mission to prove something to the world. He gave to everyone around him. He treated his staff like family and her statement seemed unfair. Unwarranted. And nothing like the man she’d come to know.
The callous statement reeked of a stench she knew too well. Stewart threw around harsh words and did she not respond in kind. She worked hard to prove him wrong. Her father wrong. To prove she was smart and beautiful, and worth much more. Marques made her feel all of those things with a healthy dose of passion. Like a woman fully aware of the body that housed her mind, not separate but one in the same.
They both were merely playing the cards they’d been dealt.
The house lights dropped as the man confiscating her heart stood on the stage bearing his soul. How ironic. A woman minutes ago tried to tear him down and now he stood giving his gift to the world. He was a caramel god, chiseled. The type of man starring in romantic comedies and gracing the pages of fairytales. A dragon slayer in the flesh. A beautiful man, inside and out. And she had to decide what was next for them.
Brione lowered to the seat, sending up a prayer. To heal her heart, accepting what he offered. To heal his to see himself as more than a name but a man worthy of love. They both were worthy of love. But could she risk everything to find out?
Chapter Twenty-Six
The emotional rollercoaster zapped his energy. The final encore left him drained and unable to process a single thought. The sound of clapping came from the door. He opened his eyes to see her.
Brione was in the room after every set. She delivered before he asked, she gave him space to process the awkward conversation with Sam, and now she sat beside him with her head on his shoulder. Her presence allowed him to occupy a rare space. It was peaceful and without a need for slapping on a happy face.
“You look the way I feel.” He glanced down at her beautiful face. The need for a nap consuming him.
“I’m starting to believe you have a clone because this is impossible. And you have seven more weeks of this.” She rubbed a hand down his chest and rested it on his stomach. He kissed her forehead.
“You make it all sound so appealing, princess.” He chuckled, his eyes sliding closed. Her soft laughter faded and sleep found him.
* * *
Brione glanced up and felt the weight of his fatigue. She gently slipped from under him and went about closing out the night’s show. She gathered his belongings and had them delivered to the bus. Following Cameron’s instructions she sent the band to the party and now it was her and the bodyguards.
“Time to wake my dragon slayer,” she whispered wishing she could let him sleep. "Marques." Lightly cupping the side of his face. “It’s time to get moving.”
“Yes princess, I’m all yours.” She laughed as his mouth said the words but his body didn’t move an inch. His words echoed those bouncing around in her heart. She was all his too.
“You, sir, are going to sleep through your surprise.”
&
nbsp; His sleep-heavy eyes bounced a few times. “You are gorgeous.”
Her heart fluttered, it was his sleep-deprived brain talking. The words still warmed her heart. “I have a surprise for you.”
“I think you’ve surprised me enough for one-day ma’am.” Marques sat up rubbing his eyes. He glanced around the room. “Where is everyone? And my stuff?”
She stood and extended a hand to help him up. “Everyone is gone and your stuff is back on the bus.”
“What time is it?”
“After one, we need to get going.” He took her outreached hand. “How did I sleep through everything?”
“Because you’re tired.”
They walked out the back door with Bull and X. The crowd had died down and she stopped at a car.
“Where are we heading?”
“It’s a surprise. Get in. We’re late.” She got in first and he followed. The guards squeezed alongside them. His eyes were almost closed again when she said, “We’re here.”
His head lifted from her shoulder. It was hard to see the name of the restaurant through the tinted windows.
“Where is here—”
“What took you so long?”
Excitement filled Marques' face at the sight of her. “What are you doing here?” He pushed upright and glanced at Brione.
“It’s not my doing.” Brione lifted her hands in surrender.
“Mom, this is Brione Allen, princess this is my beautiful mother, Michelle Carter.”
Her eyes softened as she glanced at Brione. “Very nice to meet you, princess,” she teased.
“You as well, Mrs. Carter.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Marques entered the room to find everyone that mattered in his life. He glanced over in search of Brione. She had the magical ability to disappear but not tonight. “Princess, where are you?”
He scanned the room and she stepped forward. He reached for her his arm circled her body, resting a hand on her lower back. “Can you do me a favor?” he whispered near her ear.
“Of course.” She looked up and the words of his forever were written in the depths of her eyes.
“No hiding.” He pulled her against his heart and lightly kissed her lips.
“You take a nap and wake up bossy.” She smoothed at an invisible wrinkle on his shirt avoiding his eyes. When she glanced up her radiant smile showed, but the anxiety in her eyes gave her away. “They are here to see you. I promise I won’t go far.”
He threaded their fingers together. “You have a choice. We hide together or mingle together.”
“These ultimatums are not fair.”
“Please princess I want you at my side.” He rubbed at the frown forming between her brows.
“You win. Again. I’m not liking this at all.”
He chuckled. “I’ll promise to let you win a round or two tonight.” He winked. “Now let me introduce you to my family.”
“Son, you can’t hog the pretty lady to yourself.” His father nudged him in the side with an elbow.
“Pops, you have your own woman, leave mine alone. Mom come get your husband.”
“Don’t involve me in. You know that man is a mess.” His mother laughed.
“Boy, I raised you. Now step aside.” His father, the one, and only Curtis Carter, wiggled between them and Brione melted under his father’s charming ways. “My aren’t you a beauty. Let me tell you about baby brother."
“Mom!” Marques called over his shoulder.
“Curtis Carter you better leave my baby alone,” his mother yelled from across the room. His father was the life of the party, while his mother was the very heartbeat of their lives.
They laughed and the festivities began. The party lasted until almost six in the morning. The tour bus met them outside the restaurant. He was exhausted, but his heart was full. His entire family flew to New Orleans to celebrate with them.
They stood outside saying their goodbyes.
“Son, I heard Sam showed up tonight.” His father’s voice dropped and held a protective tone.
He glanced over to see Brione enthralled in a conversation with his mother and sister Lauren. “Yeah, I called her to feature the tour on her blog, not to show up tonight.”
“I told you to leave that girl alone. But we are all entitled to our mistakes. Brione is different for you.”
“What do you mean different?” He glanced over. Brione seemed to do more nodding than talking. He had to stop several times throughout the evening to ensure she had something to eat and drink. She’d looked after him all day and he felt the need to do the same.
“Andrew, she’s gorgeous. You always picked the pretty ones but she has substance to her. Don’t give me that look.”
“I’m trying to determine if I should be offended," Marques said.
“No, you shouldn’t. You were just wet behind the ears. But that one,” he looked over at Brione and back at him, “you should consider keeping her around.”
“She is pretty amazing. But she’s not looking for anything serious.”
“We never are until we find the one.” His father gave a knowing nod. “I met your mother at the height of my career. I’d walk through hell and give the devil a glass of water for that woman.”
“Pop, you have a way with words.” He laughed.
“Mark them. Because when everything fades, I have no doubts who will be beside me.”
Marques wanted that type of love. He wasn’t like most men who didn’t believe in monogamy or marriage. He was the opposite. His father ensured his boys got the picture. Well, at least he and Kyle had. Cameron’s heartbreak ran deeper than an ocean. As for Marques, he didn’t doubt love or relationships, it was mixing it with his career that gave him pause.
“How did you know she could ride with you through this crazy industry?” he asked his father.
“I knew because she didn’t care either way. It wasn’t about the money or fame. I knew if I gave her any reason to doubt my actions or intentions she’d walk. She told me straight up. I’m not sharing. And I believed her.” They both laughed. It sounded like his mother, she was a medley of love, spice, and spunk. “It’s time for us to get going. I see my woman yawning. I need to get her back to the house.”
“Are you staying in town?”
“No, we’re flying back. Your mom has a charity function this week. We came just to see you. And Son, I’m proud of you.” They hugged and his vision blurred at hearing his father’s words. It meant the world to Marques.
“Thanks, Dad.”
They walked across the room and Brione glanced up meeting his eyes. She'd worked over twenty-four hours and he knew she hadn’t slept a wink all day. He felt awful. He lowered to the chair beside her. “I apologize princess.”
“Why?” She leaned back and glanced in his eyes.
“You must be exhausted.”
“I wouldn’t dare sleep through any part of this day. I’m fine.”
He looked up and caught his father’s eyes. He mouthed, She’s a keeper. And his mother nodded her agreement. He rolled his eyes at their input while rubbing Brione’s back as she finished exchanging numbers with Lauren.
“When are you heading to the next stop?” his mother asked.
“We’ll rest up tomorrow and catch a few shows then it’s back on the road.”
“Will you join us in Atlanta?” his mother asked Brione.
“Yes, ma’am. We’ll end the tour there.” His hand stopped at her mentioning the end of the tour. She glanced at him and he smiled. Her words of the tour being over echoed in his mind. She yawned behind her hand and he knew it was time for them to leave too.
“Let’s get out of here. My wonderful assistant slash tour manager slash stylist slash—”
“I hope he’s paying you well dear.”
“Yes, ma’am he is.” Brione smiled.
“Good.” She kissed Brione on the cheek. “I’ll see you in Atlanta. Travel safely.”
“You too.”
Th
ey waved their farewells as they climbed in the bus headed to their resort to rest. Marques said his final goodbyes to his parents alone, and as they hugged him, he noticed a slight movement near the restaurant. He glanced again and swore it was Sam.
“What is it, son?” His father glanced over his shoulder.
“Nothing Pops.” He looked back and the space was empty. “I’m exhausted. Love you both.”
“Love you too,” they said in unison.
He walked onto the bus as Jax closed the door behind him. He walked back to his room and saw Brione curled up in his bed asleep. He climbed into bed pulling her against his chest, glad to have finally closed the chapter of his life that involved Sam and excited for the days and weeks ahead.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The sound of music filled the room as Brione fought the heaviness of her eyelids. She rubbed her hands around her head searching for her cellphone. What time was it? The extra soft mattress brushed beneath her hand but no phone. She rolled over on her back. Open, open, open, she encouraged her weary eyes.
“Urgh.” She flopped over like a dead fish. “What time is it?” she called out.
“Three forty-five.”
She shot straight up in his dreamy bed. “3:45?”
“Yes, princess,” he said from the doorway. “How do you feel?”
“Exhausted.” She rubbed her eyes, then her temples. “Why’d you let me sleep the day away?”
“You needed it. And we have nowhere to be.” He sat on the edge of the bed and brushed her unruly curls off her forehead. His warm lips then brushed a gentle kiss in their place. “Lay back down and I’ll order you some food.”
She lowered back to the dreamy mattress as his hands found her scalp. She moved with as little effort as possible and placed her head in his lap. He rubbed her scalp. “What do you want to eat?”
“Sleep,” she whined.
He chuckled. “You need something edible. I can’t have you starving and sleep deprived. It would break my heart.”
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