Encore (The Black Eagles Series Book 2) (27 page)

              ‘You still look stunning,’ Riley said then felt his face redden. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by that. It’s just that you do...’ He wasn’t making a move. He was just trying to keep the conversation going, only now he’d just made it awkward. ‘Sorry,’ he said again. ‘Luke’s very lucky. Your message to him was beautiful. You two are perfect. I hope one day I find a girl like you.’

              Melissa smiled and hugged him as they walked. ‘You just saved my life. And there is someone perfect for you out there. Bet no other guitar technician can add superhero to their CV.’ They laughed and Melissa realised she had just avoided a very awkward situation. In truth, Riley had just ensured his place in their group. A trusted ally.

*****

Luke was punching the ground, his fingers feeling like they were breaking but his grief was too much to even feel the pain.

              Ray dragged him up, and held him as he sobbed. ‘Son, I’m so sorry.’

              There was chaos all around them. Tom was still on his knees. Megan still screamed into Toby’s chest. Dale stood with Ebony, numb with grief. Luke saw them and shrugged Ray off. He walked over to his best friend: no words were spoken but he laid his hand gently on Ebony, the other on his friend’s shoulder. It was just the two of them again, and Ebony. Everything had changed and they had no idea what to do next.

              Suddenly, Tom leapt to his feet. A few fire fighters were moving towards some trees. The smoke shifted and they all focused on the opening, as the shadows that were emerging became clearer.

              ‘It’s them. Shit. It’s them,’ Tom yelled and took off.

              Luke followed and as he got closer he saw Melissa clinging to Riley. She screamed his name and ran to him, jumping into his arms then both falling to the floor. ‘I thought... You’re alive,’ Luke said kissing her all over her face.

              Tom and Jo-Jo were reunited. Cassie still clung to her friend even though she wasn’t officially part of the reunion going on at her side.

              Beth scanned the area of destruction and her eyes landed on the two people she had been looking for. She made her way towards them and Dale’s legs gave way as she approached. She steadied him. ‘Please don’t be mad. Please...’

              Dale stopped her with a kiss that erased any doubt. ‘Mad…I’m not mad with you, woman. I thought you were fucking dead. That was all I was worried about. We found her because of you. I’m so proud of you.’

              Beth looked down at her daughter and her tears ran like a river. ‘Mummy is so sorry. I love you so much. I’m sorry. I will never leave you again.’ Dale held onto his family. ‘She's gone, Dale. I think she’s…finally gone.’

              ‘Good. I really hope so this time,’ he said quietly in her ear.

              Beth held Ebony close to her chest. ‘It was terrifying, D, and we all nearly died. If it wasn’t for Riley hiding in the bloody storage compartment above our heads, it would be over now. He saved us, even though he nearly got shot doing it.’

              Dale turned to look at the young lad, standing injured with the rest of crew, all patting his back and shaking his hand. He knew in that moment that they had found a crew they could trust. The way they had stood together and come to help without being asked and Riley putting his life in danger for their loved ones was overwhelming. ‘Better make sure he gets a decent thank you,’ Dale said.

              Beth leaned her head on his shoulder. ‘I think all he wants is to be accepted. You have a good team. Let’s try to move on, finally this time.’

              ‘Beth, what happened to the bus?’

              Beth shrugged and said quietly ‘I’ve no idea. We’d got out but Amber was still in there, I guess she knew it was over. She had the lighter, she must have done it. I was too busy running. I-I hit her, Dale, with Luke’s guitar and she couldn’t get up. I left her there.’

              Dale’s arm rested around her shoulder, and he pulled her in closer. ‘You did what you had to. She made you abandon our daughter. I don’t care what you did,’ he said as he kissed her. Beth swallowed the urge to scream, and held Ebony tighter, her calming influence. When she looked in her daughter’s eyes she knew she wouldn’t have done it any differently if given another chance.

*****

‘Hey, Riley,’ Luke said as he got up from the floor, pulling Melissa up with him. She had explained Riley’s heroics and Luke was impressed. He held his hand out to him. Riley grabbed it to shake it but Luke pulled him into a hug, patting his back, to make it less intimate, as men do. ‘Thank you. You have a place with our band for life.’

              Riley shrugged ‘I didn’t have anything else to do today.’

              ‘Funny too.’ Luke laughed. ‘I mean it. The job is most definitely yours.’ The group all came together, united as one. Band, girlfriends, daughter, manager and road crew. ‘And that goes for all of you. This is The Black Eagles family.’

              Ray looked concerned, uncomfortable, and Luke asked what was bothering him. ‘Well, apart from the obvious situation. I’d normally tell you idiots to stop pissing about and get on the bus, only there is no damn bus…’ There was silence for a few seconds as the group looked at the shell-shocked manager. ‘I swear to god, you lot are going to have me committed. Jesus, I’m too old for this life...’

              ‘You know, Ray,’ Toby piped up from behind Luke. ‘If you can’t take the pace. We...’

              Ray looked daggers at him. ‘Shut up, Maxwell. I’m not leaving. This is my team. Just…can we please have at least one month without fearing for someone’s life?’ Everyone laughed again, hysterically.

              ‘I promise to try,’ Luke said, and patted his shoulder.

              As the police and fire crews tackled the scene around them, transport was arranged to get everyone back to safety, or hospital.

              Luke held onto Melissa holding her so closely she was finding it hard to breathe, but she wasn’t complaining. Just a few hours ago she’d been saying her final, dramatic goodbye to him. They had been told a body had been found while the fire was being put out. Amber had still been on the bus. It was finally over. ‘She’s finally gone, Luke. I should be feeling angry, or sad but I don’t. We are finally free from her. And it feels good. I’m just sad for Ted. How do we tell his family. What happened to Aiden? I don’t like the guy, but he tried to stop her, I have to give him that.’

              Luke tightened his hold. ‘It does feel good. You’re right, we are finally free. And don’t you go worrying about Ted. His family will be looked after. I promise. Aiden had better find a hole to hide in and stay there. I think we’ve seen the last of him, if we’re lucky.’ He sighed. ‘Ray’s right,’ Luke said. ‘We do seem to attract trouble. How would we cope with a normal, boring, uneventful life?’

              Melissa managed another laugh, and kissed him where her head rested, his heart. ‘Oh, I think I would cope with it just fine.’

              Luke lifted her head to look at her dirty, petrol-soaked face. ‘We could do the getting married and having babies thing. Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do after such a traumatic event?’ He smiled as he said it, as that was what part of him wanted. He waited for her to answer; she was thinking it through, he could tell.

              ‘Luke, remember our conversation about that a while back?’

              ‘I do,’ Luke said with a smile.

              ‘We said we hadn’t had time to heal, be us and have fun,’ Melissa said. Luke nodded: he remembered.

              ‘We still haven’t done that. So, nah, I’m still waiting for us to have some fun and adventures, happy ones. Let’s leave the babies and the wedding. I could do with a holiday, once, if you ever finish this damn tour, if you’re offering anything. I would like that... Somewhere hot and private and just the two of us.’ Melissa was adamant on this. She had no plans to take those next steps, not yet.

              Luke’s lips were on hers and their kiss was passionate and fierce. ‘That sounds perfect to me,’ Luke said as he pulled away, taking her hand firmly in his. And he thanked whatever guardian angel had saved them for a second time.