Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 129207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
He would have wanted the park where we used to go on family camping trips by the lake at sunset. He would have wanted his close friends and the guys in the band. Not the label and management. Not these familiar faces he only saw at award shows. Not the fucking press.
Unable to take it any longer, I creep away from the casket and find the furthest seat in the front row, opposite of the boys’ empty seats. The ceremony isn’t set to start for another fifteen minutes, and I’m grateful for the small window by my seat that allows me something to focus on other than the casket only a few feet away.
I watch as the eager fans scream and chant with every approaching car, but when the screaming becomes so loud that I feel it vibrating through the ground, I realize they’re here.
Demon’s Curse.
Ezra Knight.
Fuck me. I could really use Madds right now, but no matter how hard I tried, an invitation was never granted, and I was left to face all of this on my own.
I can’t help but keep my gaze trained on the approaching SUV as it slowly makes its way through the overcrowded street, and with every passing second, my heart races just a little bit faster.
It’s been six long years since I’ve seen any of their faces in person.
The crowd outside is deafening, and I can’t help noticing the people in the church looking around and trying to peer out the windows, desperate to lay their eyes on the most famous men in the world.
The SUV comes to a stop and, not a moment later, the same man who opened my door and offered me his hand is standing right there, opening the rear door of the SUV. A moment passes before I see Rock step out, only the blinding flashes from the paparazzi make it almost impossible to see him.
Dylan comes next, stepping out and fixing his suit as he presents a mask of indifference. He’s always been the best at putting on a show and masking the wild emotions inside. The cameras flash again as the screaming fans desperately try to push past security to get just a bit closer.
Both Dylan and Rock disappear inside the foyer of the church, and I find myself scoffing at the realization that they won’t have to stop to have their name marked off. They’d just walk right through like they own the place.
A moment passes, and I keep my gaze locked on the back of the SUV when finally, the front man of Demon’s Curse steps out into the daylight and my chest sinks.
There he is. The very man who offered me the world, only to let it burn right there in my fingertips, and then had the audacity to sing about it as though he’s the one all broken up inside.
Ezra fucking Knight.
8
Raleigh
He’s gorgeous, just as he’s always been. He was nineteen when I last saw him, but he’s so much bigger now. His arms have filled out, and even beneath his suit jacket, I can tell how strong he is. His dark, floppy hair is still the same but edgier. It’s like he’s finally figured out how to tame it.
A sharp, masculine jaw dances below light stubble, and as my heart races out of control, I feel all the coldness within me begin to warm. Even as a teenager, he had this effect on me. He could simply walk into a room, and suddenly I’d see the world in vibrant colors. Judging by the way their fans scream for him, he does the same for them too.
He’s not mine anymore, he’s theirs.
The paparazzi do their thing, and even from inside, I can hear the press throwing questions at him, and for the first time since leaving six years ago, I feel sorry for him. While this is the life he signed up for, I’m sure he never expected it to be this unforgiving.
The guests within the church begin to stir, and I can’t help but look back up the aisle and watch as Rock and Dylan stride in. They nod to people, shake hands, and management welcomes them. As they make their way down the aisle, their gazes come to mine, and they come right over.
“Rae, it’s been way too long,” Dylan says as I get to my feet. He doesn’t allow me even a chance to smile before he pulls me into his strong arms. “I’m so sorry. Ax was . . . He was the best friend I’ve ever known.”
He presses a kiss to my cheek and squeezes me a little tighter before finally releasing me, only for Rock to step in and take his place. “Hey Rae,” he murmurs as his hand gently roams up and down my back. “How’re you doing?”