Alyssa’s stomach was doing backflips on the ride to the Brooklyn Municipal Building. It wasn’t from nerves – she had no qualms about marrying Damien – she just hated the idea of being the center of attention. She didn’t want everyone staring at her while she and Damien exchanged their vows. She viewed their commitment to one another as personal and intimate, but she couldn’t exclude her mother which meant Damien should have Angel and his parents at the ceremony, too. It would have been rude to exclude Jimmy, who was like a brother to Damien, and then it would have been too conspicuous not to invite Karl and his girlfriend, even though the elusive guitar player rarely interacted on a personal level with the rest of the band. So the intimate ceremony Alyssa envisioned between her and Damien turned into a party of nine.
She stepped out of the car and stared up at the large columns that stood in front of the building. It was really happening. She was marrying Damien. Part of her still thought it was a crazy, impromptu decision, but a larger part of her knew that it was exactly where they were both supposed to be.
“Are you OK, honey?”
Alyssa smiled at her mother. “I’m great. Let’s go find my man, so I can get married.”
The blue of Damien’s hair stuck out clear across the lobby. She saw him first, before he knew she was in the building. Black jeans and a black leather jacket with spikes on the shoulders was Damien’s wedding attire – and it fit him perfectly. No matter how hard she tried, Alyssa couldn’t tame the smile that took over her face.
Damien was standing with his back to her, huddled with the small group that came to share their special day. As she approached, they each turned in her direction, one at a time, and opened into a semi-circle with Damien at the center. With a somewhat curious turn of his head, he twisted to see what everyone was staring at. As soon as he caught a glimpse of her walking toward him, the rest of his body followed, and he slowly turned to face her. His lower jaw dropped open slightly and his eyes glazed over. The love that radiated from his heart reached her from twenty feet away. She glided toward him while he closed the space between them with a few long strides.
Butterflies dipped and soared in Alyssa’s stomach, but the smile on Damien’s face calmed the storm inside her. His gaze was locked on her, and she forgot everyone else was in the room. It was just the two of them, ready to commit their love to one another.
“You look absolutely gorgeous, Alyssa. I’ve never seen you in a dress before.” He looked down at his own attire with remorse. “And here I am in a leather jacket. I should have listened to Angel and worn a suit. I’m sorry.”
His modesty got to her, but it was the sexy, defiant attitude that made her body react with a yearning. His jeans were fitted and new, and they hugged his body in all the right places. He wore a solid black T-shirt under his leather jacket, and his signature mohawk topped off his look with perfection. Some people would probably draw a wide berth rather than pass shoulder to shoulder with him down the street, but she loved his look. He was a punk rocker true and true, and he was sexy as all fucking hell. She ran her hands over the cool leather of his jacket. “Damien Diamond doesn’t wear suits. He doesn’t conform to society’s standards. He breaks rules and plucks the bass like a fucking rock star. That’s who I’m marrying.”
The smile returned to his lips. “That’s my girl. She tells it like it is and doesn’t give a fuck what anyone thinks. You’re the baddest chick I ever met.” He pulled her to him by the waist and laid a deep wet kiss on her mouth.
“There you have it,” Angel proclaimed with a lilt to his voice. “Timeless and romantic wedding vows that will live in infamy forever.”
A group of people that witnessed their exchange erupted with laughter.
“It’s time to get married, you two.” Angel waved them toward the chapel where the ceremony would take place.
It was a small space, but there were flowers and candles everywhere. They were beautiful, and the floral aroma that filled the room was intoxicating. It had Angel’s hand written all over it. Normally she’d tease him and tell him it was frivolous, but she loved it. It brought romance to the ceremony.
The nuptials were brief, and in a matter of minutes Alyssa and Damien were pronounced husband and wife. She expected a hug and a small closed mouth kiss from him. Public affection wasn’t something they did, but he put his arms around her back, bent her over at the waist and assaulted her mouth with a deep, penetrating kiss. She melted into his arms, and he held her so tight he was crushing the small bouquet of hand-tied roses she held. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she was in the arms of the man she loved, and he was sending a blistering heat through her body that set her insides on fire. When he pulled away, he silently stared into her eyes and swallowed to contain his emotions.
“I love you, Alyssa Diamond.”
A smile spread across her lips. It was a flashy name and unlike her, but she would proudly use it because it meant she was Damien’s wife. She put her hand to his cheek and placed a tiny kiss on his lips. “I love you, Damien Diamond.”
Applause, laughter and cheers filled the small room. They were bombarded with hugs and well wishes. Joy was overflowing and pouring from the hearts of the people closest to them. Alyssa had thought she wanted a solitary wedding, and this far exceeded what she had envisioned. This was her perfect fairytale wedding.
Chapter Thirty-One
Over the next year and a half, the band’s popularity soared. They had a standing gig at The Quadrangle, and they could call any local bar and book a show without a demo. Everyone on the indie music scene knew the names Immortal Angel and Angel Garcia. New faces, alongside the steady diehard fans, packed every show. The band was at its peak, and then Jimmy walked in and delivered a bombshell.
“Karl’s out. He’s moving to Texas with his girl. His last show is in two weeks. We’re down a guitar player, man. I don’t know what the hell we’re gonna do.”
Damien’s jaw hung open with disappointment and shock. It couldn’t have come at a worse time, and they’d never find anyone good enough to replace him in two weeks.
A blood vessel in Angel’s forehead threatened to burst. “Two weeks? He couldn’t give us more notice? After all we’ve been through, after all our hard work, he’s just gonna bail on us? We have gigs lined up for the next two months!”
“I know, man.” Jimmy felt responsible, because it was his cousin. “I gave him hell for not telling you himself. His lady is relocating with her job. He said he had no choice. It was a sudden decision, and he’s got shit to take care of to relocate.” Jimmy banged his drumsticks on his leg hard enough to hear them slap against the denim of his jeans. “I’m just as pissed off as you, Angel. I love this band too, man.”
“This is a fucking nightmare.”
“Not really.” Alyssa stood up, cool and unfazed by the news that sent everyone else into a panic. “I told you from the beginning he was good, but he was holding you back. He wasn’t vested like the three of you. He was a guitar player for hire. Now that he’s gone, you can find your shining star – a guitar player who can catapult Immortal Angel to the mega stardom it deserves.
At the time, no one knew that Alyssa’s statement rang true. They found their shining star in a hard rock guitar player by the name of Tommy Blade. He transformed punk rock with his burning, heavy metal infused guitar solos and became known as the Prince of Punk Rock. Still donning his long blond rocker hair and his heavy metal T-shirts, he stood out on a stage full of puck rockers, but it was his talent that ignited the fans – and Angel’s heart.
It turned out that despite Tommy’s outward rugged and masculine appearance, he was a closeted bisexual – and he was a married man. Nothing deterred Angel from falling for Tommy. Fortunately for him, Jessi, Tommy’s wife, enjoyed watching her husband explore his secret desires, and Tommy, Jessi and Angel embarked on a committed relationship. The trio had traveled a bumpy road, including a public outing of their relationship, but they seemed to have weathered the storm a
nd were happier than most one-on-one couples. Tommy was the missing link that the band needed to excel, and he was the missing piece to Angel’s heart.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Present Day – Roaring Down I-87
Fast forward two years later, and Immortal Angel was a worldwide phenomenon, complete with two studio albums and a successful world tour behind them.
Damien smiled into the crisp wind that nipped at his cheeks. The flashback of his life made the two-hour ride home on his new Harley seem like minutes. It felt like a lifetime ago that he lived in that seedy apartment building on Eastern Parkway. Here he was on his custom built Harley-Davidson motorcycle, with the love of his life still by his side, riding into the next phase of his life.
He still had his nightly one-on-one talks with Alyssa, and the nightmares were reduced to the occasional bad dream. Alcohol and pills no longer tempted him. He had more important things in his life now, and happiness filled his soul.
Damien rolled into the underground parking garage of the luxury Williamsburg apartment building with a loud thunder. He purchased the spacious loft apartment after Immortal Angel’s national tour. It was a belated wedding gift to Alyssa, since she never wanted a fancy diamond ring. A plain silver band was all she needed. She was a simple woman, never extravagant, but he was still determined to spoil her now that he could afford it.
The two of them hung their helmets on the handlebars of the Harley and primped their hair. He straightened his mohawk, flattening it between the palms of his hands and pulling it upwards. Luckily, product had it so starched into place that it sprang right back up with little effort, because he never thought about what the helmet was going to do to his hair.
Alyssa untied the ponytail holders that held her long hair together and prevented it from knotting in the wind. Her hair was down to her waist now, like a shiny black length of velvet. Damien combed his fingers through it. It was as smooth as silk and still smelled like exotic flowers.
With the helmets under his arm, he took Alyssa’s hand and headed inside the building. The security guard at the elevator bank greeted them with a nod of his head. “Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Diamond.”
Damien nodded back. “No need to be so formal. We’re just Damien and Alyssa.”
They stopped at the private elevator off to the side, away from the other set of elevator doors, and Damien punched in the security code. The private elevator took them straight up to their duplex on the top floor. Another security code let them into their apartment which opened into the grand living area. The view from the floor-to-ceiling windows still took Damien’s breath away, and he paused to absorb the beauty of the Williamsburg Bridge spanning the East River into Manhattan. It was surreal.
Alyssa scanned the room with her eyes. “I miss this place. We’ve hardly spent any time here since we bought it.”
Damien slipped his arms around her waist, pulled her hair aside and put his lips to the back of her neck. “That’s life with a rock star. You get to travel the world, stay in fancy hotel suites, and get chauffeured around in a limousine.” He left her with another kiss and took the helmets to the coat closet. “Tough life, huh?”
“The toughest.” Alyssa plopped down onto the recliner and scrolled through her phone. “Jessi texted me. They’ll be here in fifteen minutes. Tommy wants to see your new bike.” She chuckled softly. “You know Angel’s gonna have a coronary if Tommy wants to buy a motorcycle now.”
“Angel worries too much.” Damien picked up the remote control and brought the satellite radio to life. He strolled over to the elaborate small animal habitat and followed the winding tubes until he found a little pink nose. He tapped on the colored plastic. “Hey, girl.” Elvira was in her geriatric years. She wasn’t as plump, despite her healthy appetite, and her coat was thinner, but she still got around OK, although he knew she already outlived the statistics. A larger ball of fluff ran up the tube next to her, vying for attention. Morticia. She joined the family about a year ago.
The disc jockey’s voice blared through the sound system, “Up next is the latest number one single from the punk rock sensation, Immortal Angel. This is Toxic.” Damien looked up at the sound of the music filtering through the room. He still got a chill whenever he heard his music on the stereo.
Alyssa’s phone bleeped. “It’s Jessi. They’re downstairs.”
“There she is.” Damien fanned his hand out in front of his new Harley. The black mirror-like surface reflected the small group in its tank.
Tommy circled the bike, inspecting every inch of the machine. He squatted down next to the engine, and his long, blond hair fell over his shoulder. “How was the ride home?”
“A dream. Thanks to this iron horse.” Damien patted the seat. “Go ahead. Hop on.”
Tommy straddled the bike and pulled his hair to the back. He planted both boots on the floor and took hold of the hand grips. He stood the bike up on its wheels and pushed up the kick stand with the heel of his boot. His bright blue eyes opened wide. “This feels awesome.”
Worry was all over Angel’s face. “You’re not taking that thing for a ride, are you?”
“Not unless he’s got a motorcycle license.” Damien knew how ridiculous it sounded, because he really didn’t care about the minor technicality of driving out of class. His concern was for his friend’s lack of experience on two wheels.
Jessi couldn’t take her eyes off Tommy. “You looked really hot on that bike, baby.” She took a step closer and ran her hand through his hair. She finally pulled her eyes away from him and looked at Damien over her shoulder. “Mind if I try out the passenger seat?”
“Go right ahead.”
Jessi rested her hands on Tommy’s shoulders and flung her leg over the back of the bike. She cuddled up to Tommy and smiled into his hair. “You should get one.”
Angel huffed and shook his head. “You’re not helping, Jessi. It’s dangerous.”
“Don’t be so serious. Try it. Take a seat.” Jessi jumped off and gave Angel a little shove toward Tommy and the bike.
“I really don’t – oh, what the hell.” Angel settled on the seat behind Tommy with his feet on the pegs. He fidgeted for a few seconds, then locked his knees against Tommy’s hips and wrapped his arms tightly around Tommy’s waist. He rested his chin on Tommy’s shoulder and pressed his body up against Tommy’s back. A suggestive smile slowly spread across Angel’s face. “I like this position.”
Tommy leaned his head back and turned his face toward Angel. “Me too.”
Angel whispered something into his ear, which made Tommy laugh quietly under his breath.
“OK, that’s enough.” Damien knew there was no telling how far those two were going to take their innuendos sometimes. “Me and Alyssa are going to be the first ones to consecrate this thing, not you two. Get off.” He had only been joking, but the idea sparked a thought, and a middle-of-the-night visit to the parking garage just might be in order.
There was a large crowd of fans and paparazzi gathered outside the front entrance to the apartment building waiting for Angel, Tommy and Jessi to exit. Building security erected a barricade on either side of the walkway that would allow them to step outside, but once they left the front of the building they would be bombarded by the paparazzi. The fans were more respectful, but the paparazzi were relentless. “Sorry dude. I should have told you to pull into the private parking garage.”
“Word must’ve gotten out that we came here after my dad’s restaurant.” Angel looked toward the glass doors with an uneasy crease in his brow. “We’re halfway down the block. We have no security with us. How the hell are we going to get through that crowd?”
“I’ll have one of the guards from the garage bring your car around. Let me get your keys and—”
“That’s him.” Jessi slowly walked past them. Her brows were furrowed together, and she was staring through the glass entrance at the paparazzi. “What the fuck is he doing here?”
Tommy went to her, filled wi
th concern. “Who’s here, hon?”
“That paparazzi.” She pointed out front. “Right there. The guy with the hat.”
Alyssa joined them, stretching her neck to identify the person Jessi was referring to. “Holy shit. It’s that asshole from the Save a Youth Gala in Munich. The one that was harassing you with all those infuriating questions. Is he following you?”
Jessi narrowed her eyes. “I don’t know, but I’m gonna find out.” She marched outside, with Tommy and Angel following close behind.
Damien had no idea what was going on, and it appeared neither did Tommy or Angel, but both Jessi and Alyssa were upset. He looked closer at the man Jessi pointed out, but there was no familiarity in his face. “That guy was in Munich?”
“Yes,” Alyssa answered. “And he fucked with Jessi’s head. He kept commenting about their relationship, and he was saying nasty things to her. He was trying to get Jessi to give him something he could twist into lies. He was really obnoxious. I’d never seen Jessi get pissed off at the paparazzi before. You know she goes out of her way to talk to them.”
Damien leaned his hand against the glass to shield the sun’s glare and peered outside. Jessi, Tommy and Angel were at the front of the barricade exchanging words with the man in question, but Damien couldn’t hear what was being said. “Let’s get out there.”
“Leave my wife alone.” Tommy had his arm around Jessi’s shoulder, partially shielding her with his body. Angel stood on the other side of Jessi, also ready to defend her.
The obnoxious journalist had his microphone stuffed in Jessi’s face, and she knocked it out of the way.
“Stop fucking bothering my guests.” Damien leaned on the railing, nose-to-nose with the man who was harassing Jessi. “Get lost, before I call the cops.”
Camera flashes went off in droves, blinding everyone with bright lights. Damien huddled everyone back into the lobby. “What the hell was that about? You know that guy?”
Punk Rock Resurrection Page 24
