by Ali Parker
His eyes filled with tears as well. "How beautiful you are. You have no clue of your power, little dove."
I took a deep breath. "Let me unlock it, and then you tell me where we're going."
"Good." He touched my fingers with his fingers, drawing me into his power. Lust and love didn't exist in the moment, but a warmth that left my blood boiling played with my emotions. All of them. "Dive in deep, Riley. Stand at the front of the casket and place your hands on the edge of it. Feel every horrid emotion that comes with losing someone you love. That loves you. That wants to protect you forever, but they can't anymore."
A sob left me as I closed my eyes and let myself dive into the sorrow of what it felt like to crumble in the lobby of the funeral home. Gone. She was gone and so was Darek. Everyone. Gone.
"Breathe it in deeply. Let it saturate every part of you." His fingers moved down my neck as his thumb ran across the front of my throat, forcing me to look up, to stretch myself out for him. "Now gather the darkness to you, pull it in and form it into a ball in your hands."
"I don't know how." I let out another sob as tears ran down the sides of my face.
He moved closer, his nose brushed by my ear as he pressed himself to the front of me. It took all I had inside of me not to reach out and grab him. I didn't want to lose him too.
"Yes you do. We need that energy to bring you to the best, the fullest, the most incredible version of you we can find. Harness it. Do it. Now." His commanding voice drove desire through me, but not for him. For the power to rid myself of the sadness that seemed to sit at the edge of everything right now.
I forced myself to consider what it would look like to force my sadness, my despair, my loneliness into a tight ball. How it would feel to pull it out of me, away from the air around me and control it.
He released me and I reached out, weaving the tale in my mind as I forced it into my hands and compacted it into a tight ball.
"All right, beautiful," he whispered and moved behind me, not touching me. "Force it to turn gold."
"How?" I whispered, but kept my eyes closed.
"You're the creator, not me. Do whatever you must. Force it to turn gold, Riley." He brushed his hands down my arms as he pressed his back to my chest, supporting me, holding me, and yet not.
I forced the color to shift and laughed as the black ropes faded to gold. It was nothing more than a vision in my mind, a silly trick of my will to create healing, but it felt good. So good.
"Good. Now... show me delight. Turn and face me. Open your eyes and show me pure delight. Make me believe you with everything inside of me."
I nodded and turned slowly, letting delight fill every cell of my body. My hands descended to my sides as I opened my eyes and let delight bleed from every part of me.
"Beautiful. Now fear. Show me true fear."
He went through a myriad of emotions, lust being the hardest to release. I almost felt like I was changing clothes in front of him, opening myself up for him to truly see me. It was horrifying and yet electrifying. My only regret was that Ethan wasn't there to see it.
When the lesson was over, Clayton looked as worn out as I felt.
I laughed and patted his arm. "That was... incredible. Just incredible."
"Agreed." He stood up fully and rolled his shoulders. "You're the best student I've had. Well, almost. Second best."
I grabbed my stuff and walked to the door. "And who was the best?"
He glanced over his shoulder and winked. "Why Ethan Lewis. Of course."
"Of course." I smiled and walked out of the studio, lost to how it would feel to watch Ethan pour through his emotions and use his pain or his delight as fuel for becoming the best. I stopped beside the door as the sound of his voice sent tendrils of lust dancing through my center.
"And she shall have every last part of me." His voice boomed through the room behind me.
I turned and wrapped my arms around myself as my co-star moved through a scene with an older man, the object of his attention sneaking peeks of him from behind a curtain off to the side. My lips lifted in a tight smile as I watched the drama unfold.
Ethan knew how to harness his emotion to be the best. I knew it was true because there was no one better than him. I could only hope that I would one day be as good as he was.
Or maybe it was just to have him think I was.
Chapter 18
Ethan
"Dear baby Jesus. Why did we think this was a good idea?" Liam groaned as him, Deza and Frank walked huddled against me through the UCLA campus. Someone had gotten the memo that I was coming to see Riley in her play that night. Who spilled the beans was beyond me. I hadn't told Riley my plans in case they changed, and the only people that knew were the three wrapped around me as we shuffled forward.
"Guy, I'm not a senator or a prince. Fucking get off me and let me walk." I pushed at my brother's back as he walked in front of me. I'd stubbed my damn toes on his big black shiny shoes a million times.
I would have thought after having the whole day to myself that my mood would have been better, but it'd been a long ass week. I was more worn out from laying around, thinking about Riley than actually living my damn life.
"Shut up and keep moving forward," Deza barked from beside me as the crowd around us seemed to grow. We had five guys working security for us because people were crazy as shit, and we'd learned the hard way over the years that nobody respected personal space, at least not mine.
"Yes, ma'am, momma," I shouted and chuckled as she popped me in the stomach.
The sound of people talking about me calling Deza momma was priceless. I had no doubt that the paper the next day would have a headline pronouncing her as my long-lost mother. People were dumb and didn't need much to get rolling on the stupidest shit ever.
"How much farther?" Frank asked.
"Right up here. Maybe thirty steps." My brother glanced over his shoulder and gave me a look. "I hate that you're more popular than I am."
"Story of our lives, bro." I pinched his butt and smiled when he jumped. More ammo for the idiots around us. "Ethan Lewis pinches boy butts."
"Stop that. Now." Deza glanced up at me and shook her head. "You know there are reporters in this crowd."
"Yep. We should give them a show. On three. Frank and Liam move and I'll take you down to the ground, kissing the shit out of you and dry humping you for good measure."
Liam and Frank's chuckles didn't do me any favors.
"I'm honestly going to kill you. When this is over, I'm going to take you back up to the lookout and throw your skinny, white ass off the edge."
"She took you to the lookout point?" Liam glanced back. "Fucking hot."
"Right?" I laughed before getting popped in the gut again.
"Hush. Both of you." Deza popped my brother in the back of the head, which pulled another chuckle from me. Maybe the people around us weren't the only ones being idiots.
"All right. We're at the door. There are five seats up front for you, Mr. Lewis."
"Thank you," Liam responded and pushed through the door into the auditorium. "Ugh. For fuck's sake."
Everyone on stage stopped the rehearsal and glanced over at us as I pressed my hand to my face and tried hard not to laugh like a lunatic.
"I'm sorry. We'll be quiet from here on out." Deza moved past me, bumping into me and poking at Liam's side. "Won't we?"
"Yep. So freaking sorry." Liam held up his hands in surrender.
I moved in front of him and slapped his hands with mine. "Yeah. Way to make us look like douche-canoes."
"What?" He rolled his eyes. "Shut up and come up with a plan to get the girl. You're failing miserably at this shit."
"I'm not trying to get the girl. Idiot." I walked to the front as the rehearsal started again. Riley wasn't on stage yet, but she would be shortly. I sat down as the sound of her singing filled up the auditorium. The acoustics were fucking amazing.
"Wow. Is that her?" Frank sat down on the other side of Liam, who
was to my left.
"Oh yeah. That's her." I closed my eyes and concentrated on how beautiful her voice was. Did the guys at Eon know that she could sing too? That was big shit.
"Did you know that she could sing?" Deza leaned toward me and rested her cheek against my shoulder.
"Oh, now you wanna talk to me?" I whispered and opened my eyes. "No, I didn't know. Why didn't you know? You're her talent agent. You know that I can burp the ABCs. What the hell, D?"
"Really?" She gave me a look that caused me to smirk.
"God, I love you. Marry me."
"No. I'm holding out for the black stallion."
"Seriously? I thought we were done with him." I sat up and turned to face her.
"No, I don't think I am." She nodded toward the stage. "There she is."
I turned back and almost swallowed my tongue. "Damn."
"Damn is right. I want that girl to be mine. She's too much woman for you." My brother leaned forward in his seat.
"Don't even," I growled softly as I glanced over at him.
Deza popped me in the shoulder. "Hush."
I leaned back and held my breath. The lacy ballroom dress that Riley wore hugged her thin waist and left her breasts swelling above the fabric that dipped down into her cleavage. My cock twitched a few times and grew hard faster than should have been possible.
Her short hair was tucked into a long dark wig, which I didn't much appreciate, but her alabaster skin accented the outfit beautifully. Her button nose turned up a little at the end and her chin was slightly lifted. She owned the stage. Owned everyone watching... owned me.
"Excellent! Cut. Let's get ready for the show." A loud portly woman in a bright red dress clapped her hands as the actors scattered off the stage. She turned and walked toward us, extending her hand. "We're so glad to have you guys here tonight to support Riley. We sold out the entire show and had to put standing room at the back. So thank you."
"There's nothing to thank us about." I shook the woman's hand. "They're coming to see Riley. She's the one you should thank."
"Agreed." Deza shook the woman's hand and leaned back in her chair. "Wow. She's breathtaking, right?"
"I'm gonna need private time tonight for sure," I whispered and let my eyes move along the curtains, hoping to catch another glimpse of her.
"I heard that." My brother lifted his hand to get a high-five.
I swatted it out of my face and laughed. "Fuck off, dude. You're not gonna be thinking of Riley while you're waxing your weasel. Fuck that."
"Oh Lord. Do you guys always act ten?" Frank ran his fingers down his face.
"Ten? I was thinking they were at least fifteen. You guys jack off at ten? Gross." Deza gagged and got up. "I need some away time from you guys. Nasty."
"Don't be jealous," I called after her and grabbed her program, laying it over my lap. "She was beautiful, wasn't she?"
"Hell, yeah. Way too much woman for you." Liam snorted.
"You're just friends and co-stars, right?" Frank stood up and glanced down at us.
"Yep. She's not willing to give it up... yet." I shrugged and leaned back, closing my eyes. The conversation was over. I didn't owe him or Liam or Deza shit, and I wasn't paying it. My thoughts were my own, as were my feelings.
I wasn't sure I would be able to make it through the full production without melting into a puddle on the ground, but I was going to try. I couldn't remember another time in my life of having someone pull so many of my strings, but Riley was doing it... with no effort. I loved it.
***
I sat in the dark beside Deza, holding my breath as the curtain lifted thirty minutes later and the music filled the auditorium. I'd always been a sucker for Phantom of the Opera, not that I would have told anyone. The love story was dark and concerning as hell, but I sure loved the passion between the two. Somehow the guy playing across from Riley didn't instill anything but pity from me. His face was covered in zits, but he still put forth a great performance.
A smile lifted my lips as I thought back on my conversation with Riley on having to kiss the guy and not really being too into him at all. I could see why now. It wasn't just the acne. She was a ten and he was a two at best. Hell, I was a seven or an eight on a good day.
She turned to face the crowd and chill-bumps raced down my spine. Intriguing. Beautiful. So fucking hot. Like an innocent princess in need of deflowering.
Deza handed me a rose as the lights came on at the end and the curtain went up. I dropped it on the floor and rose to my feet clapping like a lunatic. It had to have been the best play I'd ever seen, or maybe it was just her.
"Hey. I got that for you to give to Riley. Don't step on it, you big ass goof." Deza bent over and handed me the flower again.
"Oh. I thought you were hitting on me again." I smirked as she gave me a look. "I'll sneak backstage and give it to her."
"Yeah, that would be good. Giving it to her in front of everyone would have you stealing the show." She turned toward me and fixed my collar like I was headed to the prom.
"I don't want that." I pushed her hands away and walked toward the stage to slip in the back as the curtain went down. The cute little brunette running the curtain looked up at me, her eyes growing wide.
"You're. You're. You're him."
"Yep. I'm him. Can I sneak back there and give this to Riley?" I lifted the rose to my nose and gave her a sweet look.
Her eyes rolled back in her head a little as she let out a girlie sigh. "Yes. Please... do it."
"Thanks, girl." I moved past her as she squealed. My life was odd at best, but it was mine. I found Riley standing in a large crowd of college kids, all of them gushing over her. "Hey... you."
She glanced over her shoulder as the collective crowd turned. The smile on her lips left me wanting to drop to my knees and offer her anything. It was the stupid romantic in me, but boy was he itching for a full on showing tonight.
"Beautiful job. You are, by far, the most beautiful Christine that I've ever seen." I extended the rose toward her. "For the Belle of the Ball."
She laughed and reached for the rose with one hand while wrapping the other around my neck.
I pulled her into a tight hug and smiled down at her. "You know these people are going to think that-"
"Let them think it." She moved back and laughed softly.
My heart was racing so much it hurt. "No, that's not nearly enough for the imagination."
I pulled her back to me and leaned down, kissing her long and hard as she sunk against me.
The cheers around us were sweet, comical, fun. I pulled back and kissed the tip of her nose.
"You are something else, Miss Phillips." I winked and released her. "Meet me out back when you're done. Stretch limo. Just for you."
"I'll be there shortly." She turned and walked back into the crowd as everyone bounced all around her. It was cool to witness and yet I didn't feel the need to be in the middle of it. I was good with watching her be adored.
How odd.
Chapter 19
Riley
Charlotte met me at the back door of the theater when I'd finally pushed through the crowd. The smile on her face mixed with the way Ethan watched me moments earlier left butterflies dancing in my chest. They like me. All of them. It was weird to think that I wanted their approval, their accolades, but I did.
"You need to change?" She reached out and pulled me into a tight hug. Her navy dress looked good on her, and momentary worry rushed through me. Would Ethan think she was more beautiful than me? Stupid. I was being stupid. It didn't matter if he did.
"Yeah. I have a white dress hanging up in my dressing room back here. Come with me." I grabbed her hand and pulled her down through the back of the auditorium as we giggled and talked about how great the play was.
"Maybe you should be on Broadway and not in the movies." She closed the door behind us and pressed her back to it.
"Maybe." I shrugged and put my back to her. "Can you help me get out of this?"
"Yeah." She walked toward me and unzipped the dress. "Tell me again who all is coming with us tonight? I'm seriously nervous."
"Don't be. It's Liam and Ethan. Just don't fall for Liam. Ethan says he's a womanizer. Let's just have drinks and hang out. I'm not staying the night, and neither are you."
"Then why the hell are we going?" She pouted and put her hands on her hips as I turned and let my dress fall to the ground.
I sighed with relief and stepped out of it before pulling my simple white dress I'd worn in Rio over my shoulders. I tugged it down my waist and over my hips.
"This look okay? It's not too plain, right?"
"It looks incredible. Take off the wig." She pointed to my head and laughed.
"Oh shit. I totally forgot." I reached up and started to pull bobby-pins from my hair. "Help me. There are tons of these things. We'll be here all night and miss out on the great wine, good food and hot boys."
"Hell no we're not." She reached up to help me.
A few minutes later, and I was standing in front of a mirror, brushing my fingers through my hair.
"Ethan has a limo we can take over there." I put on a little bit of pink lipstick and grabbed my purse. "You've always wanted to ride in a limo. Tonight is the night!"
"No, you go with him in the limo. I want to make sure we have a car if something goes wrong. Since I brought you over here, we have my car. I'll follow you guys."
"No. Come on, Char. It's not going to be fun not to go together."
"Yes it is. You guys can gush over each other and I'll follow you." She reached out and tugged at my hair. "No offense, but things don't usually go good between you two. If we don't have a car and the shit hits the fan, what are we going to do, call Jace? I don't think so."
"Jace." I let out a sad sigh. He hadn't called since the weekend. "He wasn't here tonight, was he?"
"No, but you know this isn't really his thing." She turned and opened the door. "Come on. Let's not keep Prince Charming waiting."
I snorted and followed behind her. "As if."
