The Lucas Pipes Knight I once despised doesn’t exist any longer. I laid him to rest the moment I allowed Abby into my life. Now I’m surrounded by so much love and it feels amazing!
“Save your voices for the stage. You’re on in five!” Pete’s grinning from ear to ear. Holy fuck, this is really happening.
The stage is pitch black. The only lights flicker from the audience’s phones. Ready to snap pictures of us walking on stage. Their chanting is deafening and I want to soak it all in. My neck prickles at first, like a thousand fingers dancing across my flesh. Then my whole body soon follows. Goosebumps dot every inch of my skin as I turn to Abby. “Love you, baby.” Before I capture her lips with mine. I need to taste her before walking out there. I’m lost in her kiss when I hear Pete call out my name.
That’s my cue to get the hell out there.
This out-of-body experience is so new for me, but that’s exactly how I feel as I take my mark. Mentally I’m living in the moment, but physically I’m numb. Not in a bad way, but this is so surreal I can’t believe it’s happening right now. Until Pete has everyone cheering as he introduces us. “Now the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Put your hands together for The Sinful Seven!”
Cameras flashing, people screaming, and everyone chanting our names makes all the years of struggling to get here so worth it. Letting out a breath to calm my erratic heart, I scream, “Hello, Manhattan! It’s great to be here with all of you tonight. Are you ready to get this party started? I know we are, so let’s make some fucking noise!”
Trevor taps out the first beat, and we all follow.
Then it begins…
***
Abby
I’m mesmerized as I watch Lucas work the stage, in awe of the way he engages with the crowd. It’s as if he’s been doing this his whole life, when this is his first major concert. Everyone within reaching distance is getting a piece of him. His hand glides over theirs, with a high five or a fist bump thrown in. Girls try climbing onto the stage to get a piece of my man, but security teams guarding the stage are right there holding them back. Protecting Lucas and all the other band members from a mad rush onto the stage. My body’s covered in goosebumps as I listen to the audience sing along. I’m a blubbering mess at the thought of his family not being here to see their son following his dream and kicking serious ass!
Trevor’s interim drum solos between songs have the audience captivated and the girls screaming his name. I don’t blame them a bit, since his flexed muscles stretch and pop with every beat of his drum. Twirling and tossing his sticks in the air every chance he gets. Although he’s the only one sitting down, he’s working the audience into a fevered frenzy.
Willow is a firecracker on the keys. Playing and singing her heart out. This tough, guarded girl bleeds her heart and soul into every performance. From practice to the real deal. All of them truly light up when they’re performing, and it’s a beautiful sight to see.
Jet and Lucas play off one another as their fans chant their names. Over and over again. I’m so glad I get to witness Jet in this environment. He comes alive when he’s playing his guitar and it’s truly magnetic. The reserved man is anything but while he’s doing what he loves. The fans are going wild, even more so than before because they know this concert is almost over. They are the fortunate ones to witness The Sinful Seven’s very first concert.
Quinn’s a bundle of nerves as she speaks into her headset and paces back and forth. I pay no mind since I know security has everything under control. I’m curious, though, since something seems to be upsetting her. I’d like to ask if there’s anything I can do but I feel like I’d be in the way. So, for now, I’m just going to enjoy the rest of the show.
The concert hits a little over two hours when Lucas sings his last note. My heart dips when he clutches his mic to his heaving chest and the venue is thrust in a blanket of darkness. Everyone sucks in a breath, me included, and then the crowd begins chanting his name until it’s deafening. One spotlight flickers on and it illuminates Lucas. Front and center. No guitar, just him standing tall and proud, holding his mic. Silence cloaks the venue as he begins.
“Thanks for coming out to party with us all tonight. All of you are the reason we bear our heart and souls and pour everything we are into our music. So, we’d like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for coming. But, before we call it a night, we have a special guest I’d like to introduce you to. Her name might be familiar since she’s been around for a few years, but for me, she’s my inspiration. Give me just a minute.”
He strolls over to Willow, whispers something in her ear and she frowns, shaking her head. Oh, she looks pissed, but Lucas leans in, kisses her cheek, and murmurs something in her ear. She nods, looks up, and takes a deep breath.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to the one and only, Arisha!”
Everyone is on their feet cheering, whistling, and clapping when Arisha joins Lucas on stage. I’m thrilled and a bit mad at myself for not guessing who it would be. I should have known he’d ask his mom to perform with him. It’s only fitting. Mother and son, onstage for his first major concert. There go the chills again.
Both of them stand in a single spotlight while Willow begins playing. Before I know it, I’m bawling like an idiot. The beautiful keys echo throughout the venue and then my man begins to sing Rise Up…
“You’re broken down and tired of living life on a merry-go-round. . . Move mountains, we gonna walk it out. . .”
The chemistry between the both of them is palpable as they sing the song they chose. It’s raw, heartfelt, so appropriate and unlike anything I’ve ever heard Lucas sing before. It’s spiritual in a way, and ethereal. Reminding me that in a small way, Arisha gave Lucas a gift by letting him know she is his mom. She saved him from himself.
“When the silence isn’t quiet, and it feels like it’s getting hard to breathe. And I know you feel like dying…”
Once the song comes to an end, they hug and he walks her off-stage with tears streaming down her face. When he returns, his cheeks look red and damp. He wastes no time gathering the band, taking a bow and walking off-stage. But the crowd is not having it. Stomping their feet and chanting brings the band back for an encore.
When their last song is just about finished, Quinn steps over to me, looking worried. “Is something wrong, Quinn?”
“How tight is Lucas and his dad because if you say they’re not, we could have a situation on our hands. Mr. Knight is here and insists on congratulating Lucas once it’s over. I thought I could intervene but he’s having none of it.”
35
Lucas
I’m feeling so damn good when we walk off the stage and the crowd continues chanting our names. The adrenaline pumping through my veins at breakneck speed has me feeling higher than a kite. Not a bad feeling and I know the band’s feeling the exact same way. Until someone hands me a towel to wipe my face and I see Abby’s worried gaze meet mine. In three long strides, I’m by her side. Without a word, she clings to me.
“I’m so damn proud of you, Lucas, and I know so many people feel the same way. You were amazing, baby.” Leaning in I capture her mouth with mine. I don’t care about anyone else. Abby’s the only one who matters.
Always.
That kiss doesn’t last long when a commotion behind us has me ready to guard her against whatever threat faces us. When I spin around, with her behind me, I come face-to-face with none other than my father. Security grabs his arms, twists him around, and cuffs him. I have mixed emotions about seeing him restrained, but I can’t let them arrest him.
“Let him go! He’s my dad and I forgot to add him to the guest list. My mistake.” Security can’t apologize enough as they unlock his cuffs. I don’t wait for him to come to me, I grab Abby’s hand and together we close the distance.
A feeling of uncertainty washes over me as his hands land on my shoulders. He acknowledges Abby first with a smile and a nod, and then his focus is on me
. Just me, and I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel. Angry? Sad? Or content like when I was a child.
“I don’t blame you for not inviting me tonight,” he says. “I understand. But there’s no way in hell I was going to stay away and miss your debut concert.” I want to question him on how he obtained a ticket, but it’s answered as soon as Jet strolls by and slaps him on the back. Fucker! He had no right to interfere. “You worked that stage like a pro and I’m so damn proud of you, Lucas. The duet was long overdue, but I think it happened at the best possible moment. We’ve all made mistakes in our lifetime that we regret, but it’s how we rise up to make amends that count.” Oh, the bastard is good. Spins my song to his advantage.
I’m flabbergasted when he pulls me in for a hug. A part of me wants to break free and the other part remembers the day he placed that damn guitar in my hands. So the child in me hugs him back. I don’t know what the fuck comes over me when I murmur, “I forgive you, Dad. You had your reasons for doing what you did so let’s just move on.” His embrace gets tighter and I just go with the flow. When he pulls away, his eyes are glistening with tears. Aw hell. I hate when anyone cries.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to witness this moment.” Both of us spin around when Arisha wraps her arm around my waist. Her attention and affection still kinda feels weird, not gonna lie. I reach out to grab Abby’s hand to pull her into this awkward threesome. There, now we’re four, and with her by my side, I’m whole.
“I’d like to invite both of you to the afterparty as my guests. I hear it’s going to be insane. I’d love for you to come. If you can both behave.” I give dad a menacing glare and he confirms with a nod. Okay, then. Let’s see what happens now.
A deep, dark, angry side of me would love it if he dumped Mrs. Knight and got together with Arisha, but there might be too much water under the bridge for that to ever happen. Wishful thinking on my part, but, hey, I think they’re better suited for one another than the cold lifeless bitch back in the Upper East Side.
“Okay, we just need to take a few promo pics, wrap up a few things, and then we’ll meet you at the Palladium when we’re finished. Drinks are on me.” When I see the confused look on their faces, I laugh. “Kidding, it’s open bar. Nothing but the best for The Sinful Seven. Gotta run. Catch up with ya later.”
The next forty minutes are tiring and frustrating as we pose for pics before we cut and run. It’s after midnight by the time we make it to the venue. We should all be ready for bed but we got our second wind and we’re ready to party.
Jet’s the first one in the building and clearly ready to unwind. “Let’s have fun, guys and gals, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” With a waggle of his brows, he heads out and is immediately swarmed by a gaggle of girls.
I catch Abby scanning the crowd as we head for the bar. Soon after, screaming ensues. I’m ready to tuck her behind me so she doesn’t get trampled when I see Beth and Cheryl running across the floor. How they can do that in their fuck-me pumps is beyond my comprehension. “Oh my god, Lucas! You guys were freaking awesome! I so want to be a groupie so I can follow you guys wherever you go.” Oh, I bet she does since Beth has eyes for Trevor. Poor sucker runs the other way whenever she’s around and I don’t blame him. That girl is lethal.
“The night’s still young, but I’m glad you ladies had a good time. Abby, do you mind if I go talk to my dad while you catch up with my favorite fans?” That gets them a giggling but I’m sure the booze had a hand in it, too.
“Not at all. Have fun. Just make sure the ladies don’t touch or I’ll have to kill a bitch or two.” Bending down, I leave her with a bruising kiss so there’s no doubt I’m hers.
***
Abby
This is a night that we’ll never forget. The concert was amazing and the afterparty was phenomenal. The food was to die for and the liquor flowed. Quinn pulled out all the stops on this one and everyone had a great time. We’re all very lucky to have her on our side.
I’m sure it wasn’t easy for Mr. Knight and Arisha to be there together after everything that’s happened, but they set aside their differences for Lucas’s sake. Whatever happened between the two of them, they did it out of love for their son. I think Lucas realizes that more now than ever before. I know deep down, he’s really glad they came.
Luckily, my girls were smart enough to take an Uber here. Yep, you guessed it. Lucas and I drove them home since they were a bit tipsy, once again. They do love to party. Beth told Lucas for the thousandth time that she was packing her bags and going on the road with us. I’m sure she won’t remember a damn thing in the morning, and that’s a shame because it really was the best night ever. I don’t think anything will come close to topping this one.
Now we’re back at home and we’re both too wound up to sleep. What’s a girl to do?
“There are only a few more hours before dawn, you wanna grab a bottle of champagne and go up on the roof?” Ah, I do believe my rock god is a romantic. He might not send me flowers or buy me chocolates, but it’s the little things like this that make me fall in love with him more and more every day.
“I’d love to. I’ll grab a blanket while you get the bubbly. I’ll meet you up there.” I sneak in a quick kiss before walking over to the bed to grab the comforter, toss off my shoes which are killing me, and then climb the stairs to the rooftop. It’s a bit chilly, so I wrap the blanket around me and wait for my man.
As soon as he notices me all bundled up, he asks, “You want me to get you a jacket?”
“No, silly. I have you to keep me warm.” Ah, that beautiful smile does crazy things to my insides.
“Yeah, I hope you know I’ll always keep you safe and warm, Abby.” After sitting down next to me, he hands me a paper cup. He shrugs and starts laughing. “Sorry, I don’t have any fancy champagne flutes or anything, but now that I have a steady paycheck, I’ll get some for next time.”
Abandoning the warmth of the blanket, I crawl over to him and straddle his lap. Cupping his face, I stare into those sultry eyes. “I don’t need fancy glasses or expensive clothes. I don’t even need a fancy car or a posh place to live. All I need is you, the stars, and coffee.” There’s that smile again. “I love you, Lucas. Not your money, not your fame, and certainly not your bad taste in movies. Just you.”
The bubbly’s soon forgotten when he lays me down on the blanket and slowly peels off every layer of my clothing. Which isn’t much, but it’s a slow burn nonetheless. A few minutes ago I was freezing, now I’m on fire as his gaze rakes over every inch of me. I notice the different look in his eyes now compared to earlier in our relationship. Now it’s about the love and not about the lust. Although the two go hand in hand, this is lasting, not fleeting. Lucas doesn’t realize it, but he’s come a long way and I’m so damn proud of him.
When he hovers over me for a kiss, I use this time wisely and strip him of his clothing. All he needs to do is shimmy out of his jeans and we’ll be skin on skin. And he does and we are.
My legs part, inviting him in, and he accepts the invitation with open arms by thrusting inside of me. I gasp, he moans, and our bodies move to the rhythm of our heartbeats. Lucas Pipes Knight makes love to me under a blanket of stars on a rooftop in Manhattan.
It’s not fancy. It’s perfection.
“All the seven deadly sins are man’s true nature. To be greedy. To be hateful. To have lust. Of course, you have to control them, but if you’re made to feel guilty for being human, then you’re going to be trapped in a never-ending sin-and-repent cycle that you can’t escape from.”
Marilyn Manson
Epilogue
Lucas
I’ve learned so much about myself in the last few months of being on the road. The things that I once thought imperative to my existence like money, fame, and material possessions aren’t so important anymore. I’m so much richer than I ever thought possible, and it has nothing to do with my fat bank account. It’s being surrounded by the people I love on a daily
basis that’s far more gratifying than anything else in the world. The four of us are closer now than ever before. I guess being crammed inside hotel rooms, airplanes, and tour buses will either make or break a friendship. In our case, it solidified our alliance and created a bond that will last until the end of time. Abby and Quinn are a welcome addition and keep us organized and grounded.
With the tour winding down and a much-needed hiatus on the horizon, I’ve been contemplating asking Abby to marry me. I know, some would say it’s too soon in the relationship but I’ve never been one to follow the rules. I know without a doubt that she’s my person. I’d like to book a vacation for just the two of us and pop the question down on one knee while we’re naked on a sandy beach. But then the rational side of me worries where I’d hide the ring! Hey, I never claimed to be a reformed asshole, I just wanted all of you to know that now that Abby’s in my life, the seven deadly sins don’t appeal to me as much as they did in the past. She’s my only salvation.
Abby made me realize that I’m human. I’m not perfect and I’m going to make mistakes, but it’s how I handle the outcome that makes me a better man. I never realized how much I was starving for love and attention until she pointed it out to me. By using sex and booze to hide my pain, I was doing myself a big disservice. Never understanding that I was the one sabotaging my very own existence and my addiction. Go figure, it’s the absolute truth. I would have continued on my downward spiral if not for Abby.
My girl thinks that I saved her so long ago, when in all actuality she’s the one who saved my sorry ass.
Abby is my muse and I owe her my life!
THE END
Afterword
If you enjoyed Lucas, you’ll love Jet, Book 2 in The Sinful Seven series
Lucas: A Rockstar Romance (The Sinful Seven Series Book 1) Page 21