The Revolution (39 page)

Signaling toward us, Tommy rolls his eyes.

“I’ve missed you too,” I say to Lane, walking around the couch to greet him properly with a big hug.

With his arms around me, Lane says, “Damn, he’s so good-looking, but he makes me so mad.”

“Why?” I ask, leaning back.

“He stole my friend.”

I hug him again. “He didn’t steal me. He’s healed me. I’m right here, better than ever.”

Lane smiles, flashing his pearly whites. “That’s wonderful to hear because Calliope is driving me mad.”

“Wait, what? We finished her project already.”

“Nope. We’re starting on her boudoir and let me tell you, the woman is divine. We’ve never decorated a playroom before and I’m going to need guidance from someone who understands the kinks of the heterosexuals.”

Surprisingly, Kaz speaks up, “I’ve got a friend who would be happy to help her out.”

Lane’s finely shaped eyebrows go up. “You do?”

“My best friend in the band.”

I laugh. “Derrick?”

He smiles. “Yup. I think he just might be what that princess needs.”

Katerina whacks him in the chest. “Forget about Hollywood princesses. You have a sister with a royal title who wants to meet your friends. Especially friends in the band.”

I nudge his sister. “Trust me on this. Let Derrick go for the actress. They are complete opposites and perfect for each other.”

Tommy comes back into the room. “Why can’t I date a kinky actress?”

Rochelle pats his arm. “Because you have too much heart for someone so shallow. Your girl is out there. Don’t worry. You’ll find her right when you need her most.”

He huffs. “I’m getting a drink. Anyone else?”

In unison the whole room says, “Me,” then erupts in laughter again.

Within the hour, my parents have joined the party. BBQ is delivered and the kitchen table is covered. Friends and family are spread around the living room, the kitchen, and outside. Everyone is eating and drinking, talking and laughing.

I like Kaz’s sister. She’s good people. A tad star struck by the mention of the band, but I’ve been there so I let her giggle and burst with excitement. It’s not every day you find out that your brother is part of such an amazing band.

When I come inside the house from the backyard, Kaz is standing in the kitchen showing my mother how to make Pelmeni. My father is watching a game on the TV and I take the seat next to him at the bar. He smiles when he sees me. “He confessed.”

“Yes, he did.”

“I didn’t protect you. I think… You know what? I didn’t think. I would have never guessed that someone so well known would hurt my daughter. I’m sorry.”

I lean my head on my dad’s shoulder. “No one did. I didn’t either. I’m here though and I want to focus on the good things in my life.”

“I suspect this is your life now.”

Sitting up, I watch Kaz. “He’s the man my soul belongs with.”

“Love is funny like that. We think we know better, but it has a plan of its own. You were in one place and he in another—worlds apart. Love changed everything, brought you to where you were meant to be, brought you together.”

“You and mom weren’t worlds apart and you’re still happily married twenty-eight years later.”

He chuckles as if remembering a secret that amuses him. “Her father said I was a rotten, no-good kid who wouldn’t amount to anything.”

My mouth drops open. “What? I’ve never heard this before.”

“Yep. I was the man her mother warned her about.”

“A bad boy? Mom fell for the bad boy?”

“She sure did.” He winks.

I look over at my mom—my cute little homemaker mom—and suddenly I see her in a whole new light. My dad runs a successful business. They have a beautiful home in the suburbs where they raised me. I was never spoiled but I never went without. I always felt safe in their love growing up, so to say I’m shocked is an understatement. “So how do you feel about me being with a bad boy?”

Nodding his head toward the back of Kaz, he replies, “He’s not as bad as his rock-star reputation would lead you to believe.”

“So you approve?”

“He was there for you when you felt you had no one else you could turn to. He is helping you heal, not just your bruises, but also your heart. I see how you look at him, but I also see how he looks at you. Love. It’s a funny thing.”

Smiling just from looking at Kaz, my heart is filled with happiness. “It sure is.”

THREE MONTHS LATER…

Fucker.

Six months.

Mark Renner only got sentenced for six months in county jail and six in a treatment facility. No actual prison time. It was deemed an unsafe environment for him after taking his fame into consideration. He didn’t take Lara’s life into consideration.
Asshole.

“Attempted” means he wanted her dead. The judge saw things differently. I assume he’s a baseball fan. I suspect we’ll see him with some primo box seats next season. Fucker.

Renner’s just fucking lucky he didn’t succeed.

So am I.

I look over at my sleeping beauty, not knowing where I’d be if she hadn’t survived. She thinks I saved her, that I healed… that I’m healing her. She doesn’t see the truth.

She
saved
me
.

When I walked away from what everyone called a life of privilege, I knew where I was heading. Not physically but I knew I had to leave, that something better was calling me. I thought it was
The Resistance
. I can’t lie. It’s a sweet gig, but finding your soul mate, even in the middle of chaos, is sweeter.

I’d sacrifice my soul for this woman. She knows she has me wrapped around her little finger, but I think I have her all wrapped up too, so all’s fair.

Leaning over, I kiss her, and then slip out of bed. I leave the bedroom and walk down the hall. The house is finished. Lara decorated every last room. It’s exactly her taste and it’s perfect. She captured the two of us in the details. I see her pride when she looks around at what she’s accomplished. She doesn’t see my pride when I look at her.

When I reach the living room, I struggle to shake off the breaking news of her ex getting off so easy. She did though. She went straight to sleep and has slept soundly. She tells me I give her peace. Maybe I do. I hope I do.

I lift up the piano bench, grab the small box inside, then sit down. When I reach for my guitar in the corner, I stop and turn, deciding to play piano instead. I’ve been working on a song. It’s lighter than I used to compose. I happily blame her for my changing mood. I take the box out and open it, then set it on top of the shiny black surface.

It only takes a few notes before she appears from the hall. Naked in the moonlight as it shines in her eyes. Hair hanging down, messy from sleep. A smile graces her face.

My gorgeous girl.

“C’mere,” I say and pat the bench next to me.

She does. A moonbeam follows, as she comes toward me, a guardian angel to save my soul. “Can’t sleep…” Her gaze falls on the ring. Her eyes flash to mine.

“What do you think about that?” I ask, trying to sound casual. My stomach is twisted in knots, waiting, hoping she loves it.

Swallowing hard enough for me to see her struggle, her eyes fill with tears. I always hate seeing her cry, but I’ll take her happy tears any day. “It’s beautiful.”

I take the box in hand and get down on one knee, kneeling before her. With her delicate hand in mine, so small and soft against my large and calloused hand, I see our differences. Yet, we fit together so well, perfection found in the details of our past and present. “I want a future with you. I want late-night talks, early morning sex, a soft place to land in a hard world, a wife to come home to, and if we’re fortunate enough, a family with you. Lara,” I say, and then kiss her hand, “I love you, baby. So much. I want you in my life. I need you. Will you marry me?”

Nodding, she says, “Yes. Yes, I love you so much, Kaz.”

Her arms come around me. I stand, lifting her into the air with me. Our lips come together and we kiss, our destinies sealed as one. I set her down on the top of the piano. Taking a blanket from the couch, I cover the flat surface. “I’m going to make love to you on this piano. I’ve dreamed about it since I walked into this house and saw you bent over it.”

The tips of her nails drag lightly down the back of my neck. “I’ve dreamed about it too. So many times.”

“Lie back.”

When she does, I lift her legs by the ankles and rest her feet on the top. They part for me and I lean forward, running my hands up her stomach and over her breasts to her shoulders. Taking hold of her, I move down and kiss her pretty pussy, using my tongue to taste her inside and out. She squirms but I hold her in place.

It doesn’t take long before she’s calling my name on the peak of an orgasm. When she’s wholly mine, limber under my touch, I angle her body toward the keys, then yank her closer. She slides easily across the slick surface while on the blanket.

Her pretty blues are trapped in desire. “I want you inside me.”

Lifting her just enough to bring her down lower, the keys ring in retaliation as she lands softly down.

“Kaz?”

I place my forehead against hers and whisper, “Shhh.” Maneuvering between her legs, I kiss along her temple down to her ear. “I love you. I love you.” Her body clings to mine as her warmth takes me into its soft embrace.

Deeper.

Deeper.

Pressing deeper until we’re connected in ways that feel too good to ever leave. Lara leans back, her head on the top of the piano. I grab her hips and thrust faster and harder. Our breaths combat the music we’re making, fighting to be heard, to be felt, to be freed.

“
Ty vladeyesh menya. Serdtse. Telo. Dusha
.”

This is freedom.

With her I can be who I am completely. She loves me as I love her—deeper than physical, stronger than emotional, longer than this life will allow.

“Tell me what that means,” she says. Her eyes are closed, our bodies slick with sex and sweat.

I kiss her neck and drag myself out of my head. “You own me. Heart. Body. Soul.”

A smile appears and I kiss the corner. She holds on to my shoulders and moves, fucking me. “I love that. Say it again.”

“
Ty vladeyesh menya. Serdtse. Telo. Dusha
.”

“God, that’s so sexy, Kaz.”

Moving faster, I warn her, “Hold on.”

Her hands go to her side, the tips of her fingers on the keys. I lose myself in her love, her body, her scent, her moans, until I can’t hold on any longer. Grabbing her hips, I fuck her until nails dig into my shoulders and her pussy tremors from another orgasm. I fuck her until I find my own release, blinded by the brightness of ecstasy.

With a chest full of heavy breaths, I exhale, and sit down on the bench. I bring her down with me holding her body across mine as we both try to catch our breath. Reaching forward, I tap a few of the ivories.

“Look at that. We made music together.”

She giggles and it’s the best sound in the world. Then she looks up at me with love in her eyes and says, “Play for me.”

“Anytime.” I reach my other arm around her and start playing the song I know so well as if I’ve known it my whole life, even though I wrote it for her recently.

Kissing my cheek, she says, “It’s beautiful.”

“Like you.”

“I already said yes, charmer.”

“Better get used to the compliments because you’re gonna get a lot of them.”

“I can get used to it.” She wraps her arm around my neck while I continue play. “Kaz?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think we got together because of what we went through? I kind of dragged you into my mess.”

I stop playing and rest my hands on her lower back, holding her to me. Looking into her eyes, it’s easy to see why I fell in love with her, but it was more than her beauty that drew her to me. I saw her soul that night—vulnerable and exposed. In her weakest moment she showed me her strength. She fought back. She survived. She came to me at her worst and gave me her best. “No. I think we came together because we connected on a level we knew was unique. But I think we’ll stay together because of what we went through. We fought for this. We fought for love.”

“Love is funny like that.” She rests her head on my shoulder and I finish playing the song for her.

I’ve not felt this content, this peaceful, this happy in years. The notes flow from fingers to keys with ease. Having Lara here has made all the difference. She’s helped ease the transition with my family as we try to fit the pieces of our puzzle back together. I was never responsible for their choices, but I feel better from this outcome. Having them back has meant more to me than I expected. Lara even helped them find a house in Beverly Hills. Temporary, but it’s nice to have them here. Maybe one day, they’ll leave Russia and stay. I think they like being out of the public’s eye here and by how much my mother has doted on me, I think they like having me around.