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I promise to fill you in.
“Okay, I’m going to go grab a shower myself, and then I’ll be ready,” I tell Willow, and she nods.
“Take your time. This is the only thing I have planned today,” she says with a smile.
Hopping down, I hope I haven’t bitten off more than I can chew.
33
DEREK
I’m working in a corner of the club, while Lennon hangs from the sky above me. She’s staring out into space, and I figure it must be peaceful in the semi dark space. Willow let us into the club, got her into the cage, and then lifted it up with the remote they have for it before she left.
I made sure she gave me her phone number for when we’re done, but for now, it’s just us.
I hear Lennon hum, and glance up at her. I’ve been working on the social media accounts for the band, and they’ve started responding to comments and posts again. No one seems to begrudge their absence, and people have asked how Lennon is.
“When you’re in the dark, and nothing seems real, how can you tell the monsters from the shadows? When life feels hollow moving from one crisis to the next, how do you keep your smile?”
As Lennon sings, I find myself rising, my feet taking me to the next level so I can watch her better. Sitting on the floor, I watch my gorgeous, strong girl chew on her lip as she writes. Swiping away tears, she continues to hum to herself, nodding as she looks at the words in her notebook.
I’m mesmerized by her process, silently apologizing to Jordan because I may not be working anymore today. I remember watching Turner and Lennon as they created music together and how damn hot it was, shuddering in desire.
“Every step feels as if it’s wrapped in lead, but stopping isn’t an option. The world needs you, people crave you, tell death to fuck off.”
I smirk as I listen, though I know she reached for death more times than I’m comfortable with. Picking up my phone, I video her singing for my own purposes. I then take a few new photos as she works, because she expressly gave me permission to.
Sitting back, I sit in silence as I watch her.
“How’s it going?” a gruff, soft voice asks beside me and I gasp, jumping.
Damn, I didn’t expect anyone to be here, so I let my guard down. Fucking stupid.
Turning, I see Bear smirking, squatting next to me. For such a big man, he’s very silent.
“It’s going,” I hiss back. “She’s getting more comfortable up there, and her words are flowing better. Thank you for letting us take over for a bit.”
Bear shrugs, sitting down next to me. “The club is typically closed during the day, unless the girls are practicing something new. Willow has said how peaceful it is up here before, so I figured it may help.”
“So you and Willow, huh?” I tease him, because he seems pretty unflappable, and I’m a brat who likes to poke at people.
Bear makes a face. “I pulled her out of a bad situation kicking and screaming, and she won’t take any damn help. She’s fucking infuriating. Most days I have no idea what we are,” he mutters.
I snicker soundlessly. “Strong women don’t need you to do shit for them,” I murmur, watching my girl work through her own pain. “They just need to know you’re there. And sometimes… they may need someone other than you, and you have to be okay with that,” I murmur.
Something tells me that this man doesn’t share well based on what Willow told me, and things are more than a little complicated.
“Eh, no comment. Willow is wild, and half the time I feel like she has no sense,” he huffs. “How do you protect the girl who refuses to let you?”
“That’s what I’m trying to say,” I shrug. “You just don’t. She probably doesn’t need it. Lennon is up there working through her fears with a fucking knife strapped to her thigh.”
Bear blinks at me and then looks back up at Len. “Well, fuck,” he mutters. “What do you need from me to make this run smoothly?”
Planning quietly, we lose ourselves to it when Lennon squeals. Turning, I see her calling someone talking about how she needs help with a lyric.
Chuckling, I turn back to Bear who's watching her with wide eyes still. “She reminds me a lot of Tori,” he says, shaking his head. “Over-excited, completely dedicated to her craft, and she looked so damn sad on New Years’ Eve. I don’t know much of the story outside of what I’ve seen in the news, but I want to help her be able to get past the fear Greg said she’s having. What if…?”
He continues to stare at her intently, and for half a second I want to punch him for staring at her for too long until I realize he’s not doing it in a sexual way.
