Page 147 of Fame & Chaos

Not sex.

Just this girl in my arms.

“I love you,” I whisper against the skin behind her ear before pressing a kiss there.

“Mmm,” she murmurs sleepily before drifting off completely.

Contentment floods through me.

Sure, making love to her tonight would have been incredible, but holding her like this while she falls asleep in my arms somehow feels even more intimate. After the night she’s had, she needs comfort more than passion.

And tomorrow morning, if she needs to talk about work, or her dad, or her mother, or anything else haunting her mind, I’ll be there.

No matter what.

No matter how ugly the memories get.

No matter how painful it becomes for either of us.

I’m here.

I’ll be her safe place.

Her steady ground.

Her peace when everything inside her feels chaotic.

For Indi, I’ll be whatever she needs me to be, and right now, she needs somewhere warm and safe to sleep. So I hold her tighter, bury my face into her hair, and finally let my eyes close beside the woman I love.

***

Unfortunately, Indi has another shift tonight, so despite my very convincing arguments about why she should absolutely call in sick and come watch me perform instead, she refuses.

I gave her at least ten excellent excuses…

Food poisoning.

Migraine.

Explosive diarrhea.

She laughed at every single one of them and called me desperate.

Which, okay, fair. Maybe I am a little desperate when it comes to wanting her around me all the time.

I laughed with her anyway and drove her to the hospital before continuing toward Birmingham for tonight’s concert at Iron City. It’s a little over two hours from London, but honestly, I’d drive twice that distance if there’s music waiting for me at the other end.

By the time I arrive, the venue is already packed.

A huge crowd has gathered outside, the line wrapping around the building, while roadies and crew hurry everywhere backstage, preparing for the show. We’re the headline act tonight, though a couple of smaller bands are opening before us.

Rob seriously outdid himself in landing us this gig on such short notice.

Walking backstage, I spot Annie practically glued to Aston’s side while they laugh quietly together. Normally, that level of loved-up bullshit would make me want to gag, but now?

Now it actually makes me smile.

Because I finally understand it.