Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“My baby does know how to make an entrance.”
I close my eyes as my father’s voice fills the room. Pain races through me as I think of the words he hurled at me the last time we were in the same room together. When I open my eyes, my father is standing in front of me.
“Hey, Daddy,” I whisper.
“Hello, sweet pea,” he says. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s great to see you too.”
You can cut the tension in the room with a knife. My father’s posture says a lot. Bishop splays a hand on my belly and kisses my temple. I melt into his hold.
“Should we get the evening started?” Bishop says close to my ear.
I turn to look up at him. I’m momentarily lost in his gaze. I shake it off and nod.
“Everyone, I thought we’d have dinner before we start. If you’ll join Saga and me in the dining room, we can get the night started,” Bishop says.
“I could stand to eat,” Knight says with a mischievous smile.
I catch a glance at my sister in time to see her shiver. I don’t think anyone else catches it, but I do. I look to my brother and roll my eyes at him. We’re going to have a long talk.
I’m going to kick your ass. I mouth to him.
Legend just frowns at me. I’m so pissed at him. We’re not kids anymore. When we were younger, he would run home to tell my dad about my boyfriends. It was annoying, but I thought of it as sweet. My little brother wanted to look after me.
This time, he took things too far. If he was going to run his mouth, he should’ve at least given all of the information. I shake my frustration with my brother off and follow everyone into the dining room.
“Relax,” Bishop leans to say in my ear.
I look at him, and suddenly, I find my center. My brother’s betrayal and big mouth are forgotten. For now, at least.
Bishop
This is it. I worked hard on the last song on the album. We recorded each song over and over until they were perfect.
Everything had to be just right for tonight. I planned every detail down to a science. Dinner went as well as we could expect. My father-in-law still isn’t ready to warm up to me. That was clear from the moment he arrived.
I’ve watched his jaw work as he listens to the album I’ve made for his daughter, but those songs are not the ones I wanted him here for. It’s this one, the final song, that I need him to hear.
“I decided to play this one live. It’s the most important song on the album,” I say. “Saga, baby, can you come up here for me?”
Saga’s cheeks glow as she stands and comes to a stop by me at the piano. I kiss her cheek before lifting her to sit on the piano top. She gives a little surprised yelp, pulling a chuckle from everyone.
I take a seat in front of the keys and look at my bandmates. They give me a nod. If I can’t get everyone to understand how I feel with this last song, I’ll never be able to get them to understand.
I start to play while looking into Saga’s eyes. I’m overwhelmed with the depth of love I feel for her. It all comes to the surface.
The day you were born somewhere in the ethers, a flame was ignited
On the other end of that flame was my heart
I’ve been floating without you
I’ve been dreaming about you
Someone to love me, someone to get me
Someone who makes me my best
I can’t think of life without you now that I’ve found you
I’m convinced losing you would mean death
With my life, I’d protect you
I’d fall on a sword if it meant you could take your next breath
My heart knows you—
It pounds harder whenever you’re near
It beats for you—
No one in the world could know how much I adore you
I hope this doesn’t bore you
But I need you to know how much I care
Saga is in tears by the time I get to the chorus. If this song doesn’t get through to anyone else, I know it’s getting to her. I lift to peck her lips before sitting again to play and sing the hook.
Please don’t worry—
I know that you love me
You know that I love you
With our love, we’ll mend everything
The sky could be falling, death could be calling
but our love could face anything
I know it all seems broken
but our love is strong enough to heal anything
I reach to wipe the tears from Saga’s face. The band plays on. I lift to place my forehead to hers as they play the bridge.
She palms my face and kisses my lips. My restraint breaks and I can’t hold back. I deepen the kiss and pour all my love into it. Reluctantly, I break the connection to play the next verse.