Manage Me (Toven's Circus #1) (29 page)

“Fuck no, Jaden. You know we can just add shit to the set without a sound check to make sure everything is set right.”

“What if we add it right before the acoustic part? It will just me and my acoustic guitar and everything will already be set up for it.” I persist and he just looks at me like he’d like to choke me out. “Come on Ryan, I was a dick to Nell and need to grovel.”

He snorts out a laugh, and says, “Fine asshole, but only because I like Nell. She deserves better than you, ya know?”

“Wow thanks, FuckMunch! But yeah, I know that.” He slaps me on the shoulder before heading away. I know Nell deserves so much more than me, but I am too selfish and in love with her to leave her alone. I am going to give her everything that I have, anything that she wants, every part of me, and hope that’s enough. I grab the lyrics to the song I’ve been writing for her and head out of the area.

Chapter 41

Nell

I make it backstage ten minutes after the band starts, so I can avoid talking to Jaden for a little longer. I stand in the left wing like always, watching my guy pour himself into the audience. He isn’t as relaxed tonight as he usually is and I know that’s because I am angry with him. So when I catch his eyes, I send him a soft smile, which he returns, and I see him become more fluid as he makes his way around the stage.

I check out Finn behind the drum set. His jaw is clinched so tight it looks painful and his eyes are super glued to the swaying Ashton in front of him. She looks beautiful and I’m beyond thrilled that Finn has obviously taken notice, although he doesn’t look happy about it. During a break between songs, she pulls off the leather jacket, just as Finn is taking a swig from his trusty bottle of Jack. Causing him to choke, spewing whiskey all over his kit, and we have to pause the show until he can breathe again. He proceed to break 6 sticks over the next 4 songs and looks as angry as a starving gorilla.   I almost feel bad for the guy, it’s not that I don’t like Finn, I love the big lug, but I was Team Ashton and the dude needed this.

When the main set ended, the stage goes dark and the band clears off, but tonight Jaden stays out by himself, a roadie hands him his acoustic guitar.

“What is he doing?” I lean over asking Finn.

“Fuck you.” He snaps causing me to laugh as he grabs Ashton’s arm and drags her back for some privacy. Guess he figured out who the mastermind behind all this was. Jaden’s voice calling my name distracts my attention from Finn and Ashton arguing.

“Hey Beauty? Nell? Can you come out here on stage with me? Please?” He pleads into the mic. He sits on a tall stool, his guitar resting on his strong thigh, and talking into a mic held in a stand in front of him. A single spotlight is focused on him making everything else pitch black but he is starring me square in the eyes, like he can sense them even in the darkness. I hand my violin to Ryker and creep out on the stage toward him, seeing a stool sitting beside him, I hop onto it.

“I am sorry I was dick to you.” He whispers leaning forward taking my face in his free hand, bumping our foreheads together. “I have no excuse for acting the way I did and I can’t promise it won’t happen again because I get a little crazy at the thought of losing you, but I promise to try. I promise you, Beauty, I will always try to be better for you.”

I don’t say anything. I just lean up and brush his lips with mine. Once again forgetting there are thousands of people watching. We really need to stop with the public make-out moments. We slowly detangle ourselves, laughing at the fans going ape shits over our PDA.

Jaden leans back to the mic to address them with a chuckle, “I would apologize, but I think you guys get why I can’t keep my hands of my woman.” More cheering and yelling from the crowd. “So this is a song that I have been working on for Nell, it’s not entirely done yet but I was a raging asshole to her earlier and I need some brownie points to get back in her good graces.” I just roll my eyes and laugh at him.

He swivels on his stool, adjusting the mic so he can face me, before he starts to play softly. He shoots me right in the center with his best panty melting smirk then opens his mouth to pour out his soul at my feet.

Pull it out

Rip it out

It’s yours to take

It’s yours to keep

You crawled inside my walls

Crawled inside my heart

Curled up tight

I’ll keep you warm

I’ll keep you safe

I’ll keep you coming, Baby

I’ll keep you screaming my name

You are all I crave

Everything I need

Together our hearts beat

They beat for each other

Stronger together

Better together

You crawled inside my walls

Crawled inside my heart

Curled up tight

I’ll keep you warm

I’ll keep you safe

I’ll keep you coming, Baby

I’ll keep you screaming my name

You are mine

I am yours

A promise I will forever keep

A promise I will never break

As the song comes to an end, tears are streaking down my cheeks and he is reaching into his pocket, as I sit in stunned silence. A roadie runs up freeing Jaden of the guitar as he turns to me. What the hell is he up to?

The crowd is so loud that Jaden doesn’t even attempt to say anything as he hold up the little red box. The little box that most woman would love their man to hold up to them but I stare at it in complete terror. Jaden pops the lid and inside is a ring. Shit, he cannot be purposing right now!?  But he’s not on one knee and surprisingly the ring is not some enormous cold diamond but a band of sliver with a layer of black inlayed through the middle.

As he tugs me in tight for a hug, he grabs the mic, as it’s the only way I’m going to hear him over the crowd, “Hey, I need everyone to settle down a minute, so I can talk to my girl, can you do that for me?” He asks patiently and slowly the crowds calms. Keeping the mic, he looks me, and says, “First, I am not purposing to you, yet. I won’t purpose to you just to get myself out of trouble, this is a promise ring. A promise that I hope you will accept. Second, I once told you, I love you further than the moon and to the farthermost stars, so when I saw this ring today, I knew it was perfect, as that black section is a meteorite. It’s not a diamond or a precious gem but its only thing I could buy that has seen the expanse of space that would counter the amount of love that I have for you.  I love you more that life, Beauty.” He finishes and lowers his lips to mine.

Holy shit, my heart is about to hammer out of my chest and all I can do I watch while Jaden pulls out the ring and puts it on my left finger. I feel a smile spread across my face and look up to meet his grin but before I can say anything, someone barrels into us, wrapping us in a hug, and a recognize Ryker’s laugh, followed by Ashton, and Finn’s. We detangle ourselves and Jaden grabs the mic from the stand as a roadie brings me my violin, and the rest of the band settles in for our acoustic set.

“Hey, you guys  still here?” Jaden jokes to the crowd. “Here’s some advice guys, don’t propose just cause you’re in trouble with your girl. That’s a dick move.” He laughs and starts strumming the opening licks of the first song of the set.

Chapter 42

Jaden

The last fans got their stuff signed and pictures taken. I’m anxious to find Nell, since she disappeared after the acoustic set was done but I had a text waiting for me after the show ended.

Beauty: Meet me in our suite when you are done
.☺
Hope you’re ready…<3

Those three words had my cock hard; twitching and impatient to spend the rest of the evening buried deep in my woman.

The fans were shooed out and I high tail my ass out of there towards the elevators that would take me to my girl. I open the door to our suite and soft piano music washes over me. My heart starts pounding in anticipation and excitement pulses through me as I look around the dark candlelit rooms.

“Beauty?” I call out.

“In the kitchen.” She replies.

I turn the corner and see my Beauty, perched on the counter, feet dangling and I stop dead in my tracks as I take my time taking her in. Tall black “Fuck Me” heels adorn her feet, and sheer black stockings hug her long legs stopping just above her knees, where they attach to black garters. The garters disappear under a royal blue lace and silk skirt. It matches royal blue corset hugs her curves and pushes her perfect tits up and together like an offering for me to bite and devour.

“Bite?” She asks holding out a piece of pineapple but my mind is still on the breast offering. If I was thinking clearly, I would know she is taunting me but am lost in her. Even standing just a few feet away and unable to touch her, she steals my breath and my heart. I wanted to propose to her tonight. I wanted to claim her as mine in front of all those people. I had my grandmother’s ring in my pocket but the panic in her eyes at the end of the song made me stop. It was stupid to think that she would marry me when she can’t even bring herself to say she loves me. Just as my mind starts down the tunnel of depression, Nell brings the piece of pineapple to her lips and bites into it. Juice dribbles off her chin and into her offering. And just like that, the tunnel is gone and my raging beast is back in control.

“Hi” Nell smirks around her fruit.

“Whatcha up too, Beauty?” I ask stepping over to lean against island bar between us. My babe wants to play, then I’m willing to indulge her, for now.

The candlelight dances in her eyes and across her skin, I drink in every inch of her, knowing I’ll never be satisfied, that I will always want her everything.  “I just thought that we should talk.” She says softly, she eyes full of happiness.

“Talk, huh?” I ask rubbing my hand over the scruff of my jaw. Nell’s eyes focus on my movement, I know my scruff is a weakness of hers. “If this is how you dress up to talk, then we should have more talks, Beauty.” I reach out for some fruit from the platter on the lower counter in front of me. Drawing a strawberry to my mouth slowly before taking a bite. Nell chews on her lips watching me. She craves me as much as I crave her. I don’t see that ever changing.

“What do you want to talk about?” I ask.

She smirks and hops down off her counter, slinking her way toward me and leaning forward on the counter. My eyes sink from her eyes downward by their own volition or maybe it’s because the 6 inches of cleavage  calling my name. Saliva pools in my mouth and I am seconds away from drooling. My cock starts to throb like it has its own heartbeat. Has there ever been a woman so perfect?

With a finger on my chin, Nell tilts my head up, then clears her throat when my eyes refuse to follow. “Nope, I’m not going to apologize for objectifying you right now.” I mumble. Making her giggle.

“I kinda like when you objectify me.” She purrs inching closer, “But right now, I think you are hungry.”

“Food is the last thing on my fucking mind right now.” I grumble looking up at her like she’s lost it but again she just giggles.

“I wasn’t talking about food…” She says, then sweeps the fruit platter to the floor with her arm and hops her ass onto it before grabbing my shirt collar, dragging me around between her knees. With a feral growl I attack her mouth. She tastes sweet from the fruit and I dive into her before following the juicy trail down, plastering my face into her glorious cleavage; sucking and licking up every inch of her skin.