by Sierra Hill
And with that he shut the door, leaving Remy seething and speechless. Yet something deep down began to crack - a chip in the armor that he’d erected and kept in place all these years. It was the sincerity threading through his apologetic words, laced with the obvious grief in his father’s voice that had the iceberg in his heart melting, replacing it with the warmth of something foreign. Something he’d wanted for years.
His father’s love.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The excitement backstage was palpable as the mega-star rock band continued their hard-rocking performance, eliciting screams and cheers from over two-thousand adoring fans.
The Ryman Auditorium had a long history of varied musical influences. Once the original location for the historical Grand Ole Opry, the music venue was renovated and was now a setting that drew in diverse concerts and genres. A Nashville landmark, it was known as the “Carnegie Hall of the South”, hosting national country acts, Christian vocalists, bluegrass bands, and currently the biggest rock band from the ‘80’s.
They sat in the VIP section in the corner of the stage, looking out into the crowd that was chanting the band’s name after the first encore. Demolition Agent had not failed to bring the house down, with Luc leading the way on all of their number one hits and other B-side songs that had been played to a generation of rock enthusiasts.
Kenzie had been singing along to her favorites, belting out all the lyrics to all the songs she knew by heart. While she danced and sang on her feet, Remy sat solemnly next to her, lost in his own thoughts.
She’d noticed his mood shift after they’d joined his father backstage and had seen his stiff body language when Luc began to mention the past and his mother. Her heart ached for him and what he must have gone through as a kid. Based on what Remy had told her about his childhood and the way Luc had treated his first family, she half expected Luc to be a complete asshole.
But he wasn’t.
Luc Martins was sweet, loving and genuine – if not just a tad bit on the flirty side - but it was so clear to her that he had pain and regret over his past actions. And although long ago, the guilt still bore down on his soul.
Kenzie knew it wasn’t her battle to fight. She had her own demons and past to deal with. Yet, there was something so endearing about these two men – similar is so many ways – that she wanted to help fix the issues that remained between them. To help them repair and rebuild their father/son relationship.
It made her a hypocrite, no doubt. Estranged from her own father, who was thousands of miles away, unaware of where she was and unable to resolve their own family conflict.
Completely different circumstances, yet trust and irreconcilable differences of opinion led them down the same path. Remy and Luc’s borne out of betrayal. Her father and hers created from his lack of faith in his own daughter.
The hurt was still so raw, and it still pained her to know her father would sooner let her go then have belief in her and stand by her when she needed him most. The one man whom she’d loved and cherished and believed would always be there for her let her down. And left her with no one to rely on.
She stole a glance over at Remy who had up until then been still as a statue. His tapered jaw was set tight, his teeth clenched so that his grimace was visible. His eyes bore straight ahead, piercing through the crowd. Kenzie had tried holding his hand during one of the ballads, but it remained limp on his thigh. She felt like she was losing him.
The band had just returned back to the stage to begin the first song of their encore when Luc began to address the crowd.
“I just wanted to thank you, all our fans, for coming out tonight to this special show. As many of you know, this concert is a benefit, and all proceeds are going to the Renada Martins’ Cancer Research Foundation. It was established last year in honor of my late wife and mother of my oldest son, Remy. She died six years ago from terminal ovarian cancer.” Luc’s voice trailed off as he glanced stage right to where Kenzie and Remy sat in the darkened corner of the stage. His eyes held a sheen of tears that were glistening from the bright lights of the stage.
Luc continued, his accent heavy and thick with emotion. “Not a day goes by when I do not regret my undeniably selfish actions and behavior during that period of my life. I was a poor excuse of a husband back then, and my son was left to endure the death of his mother on his own. I’m ashamed of my behavior, and I will never forget how dishonorable I was to the ones whom I loved most of all.”
The atmosphere crackled with the hushed silence of the crowd, riveted by their musical hero’s confession. Cameras flashed and video recorders vibrated frantically trying to capture this very public apology. Kenzie could just see the headlines on TMZ now. Rock god admits he’s not perfect.
“My son is here tonight,” he said to the loud uproar of applause and audience cheers. “He’s a very talented musician – better even than his old man. I would love to introduce you to him and ask him to play some of his music for us tonight. Would you all like to meet him?”
Kenzie’s mouth gaped open, as her head swiveled between Luc and Remy. She had no idea what Remy was thinking or what he was feeling, but she knew one thing. The crowd was going wild to meet the son of the famous rock star, Luc Martins.
All of a sudden the people around them backstage were patting Remy on the back, encouraging him with nudges and ‘atta-boys’ to go out onstage. Kenzie was stuck at a crossroads – the eagerness of wanting him to go out and show the world how gifted he was – and the irritation over his father putting him in the unwanted spotlight like that. Exposing to the world their private family secrets.
The crowd began to chant for him. “Remy! Remy! Remy!”
Kenzie leaned into him, her mouth a breath away from his ear. She could see the struggle that lie underneath his guarded features. The uncertainty of whether he could ever forgive his father for the way he behaved so many years before. The broken heart he endured with the loss of innocence and the death of his mother. It was all there, right below the surface.
“It’s easy to let hate build a castle mote around your heart, Remy. It lies to you with the promise of security from the things that threaten you. But in the long run, it will only hold you prisoner. That mote will keep you captive and isolated until you wither away to nothing. Is that what you want? Because the man I see – the one I’ve fallen for – has so much to offer. But if you still keep that part of your heart protected and walled off, you’ll never fully realize all that life can give you.”
She took a breath. “Whatever you do, Rem, I’m right here for you. I promise.”
His eyes held a tormented look, as if he was waging an internal war with himself. The tension in his face dissipated.
Luc’s voice cut-in again. “Please Remy. I want more than anything to share this stage with you. If not for me, do it for your mother. She would be so proud.”
Finding his resolve, Remy stood, as a stage hand next to him grabbed a guitar and handed it to him. Strapping it over his shoulder, he whispered something to the man, whose eyes searched out and found Kenzie, and then nodded.
Remy turned then and held his hand out to her, as she looked up in surprise.
“I’m not doing this alone. You’re coming with me.”
“What? No. Uh-uh. I can’t.”
He pulled her to her feet, his hands gripping her shoulders, the pressure reassuring. “You just told me you’d be here for me. If I’m going out there, so are you. I can’t do it without you.”
Holy shit. This was really happening.
Kenzie swallowed a gulp of air as the stage hand returned with a beautifully decorated acoustic guitar and helped her to strap it across her shoulders. Steeling her nerves, she blew out a loud breath and took his outstretched hand. Together they walked to center stage, the lights blinding and the crowd cheers deafening.
Whatever happened out there – whether they bombed or nailed it big time - it would be nothing short of an amazing experience because she would be
sharing it with Remy.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Remy was still reeling from the incredible rush he had experienced a few days ago at his father’s show.
He’d never in his wildest dreams thought he’d be playing at the Ryman Auditorium, his father and his girl next to him, as he played one of his own originals in front of thousands. It was surreal and beautiful. Electrifying and exhilarating.
The way it went down was something he still grappled with. To say he was upset with how his father manipulated him to get him out on stage, using the pull of his fan base to coax him to sing, was an understatement. He was pissed as hell that his dad shared those personal memories and experiences in front of an audience.
Remy felt his father used him and the memory of his late mother to make himself look good – to garner sympathy from his fans. Even though the things he said to the crowd incriminated his father and made him look like the fucking shithead that he had been.
Luc Martins, after all these years, laid it all out on the line. He bared his soul and illuminated the dark side of his true nature to all those witnesses. Remy was dumbfounded that his father would apologize publicly for the things he’d done privately to him and his mother. How he’d walked away during their time of need – the lowest point in Remy’s life – without so much as a backward glance.
The media ate it up and over the next few days plenty of articles surfaced online about how the mighty Luc Martins had fallen and how the legendary rock icon had left his family and his poor, dying wife and grief-stricken son for rock star fame. They did not paint a flattering picture and was probably his publicist’s worst nightmare.
And then the media unexpectedly turned their interest to Remy and Kenzie’s performance at the concert. Their emails and phones had blown-up with messages and requests to meet since their debut. Rolling Stone wanted to do a full-length article. So did Spin, People, Us Weekly and Entertainment Weekly magazines. All of them wanted to hear Remy’s version of the wreckage Luc had caused in the wake of his departure.
The problem was exactly what Remy had feared would happen. He’d only be seen as Luc Martins’ forgotten son, and they’d turn him into a sympathetic victim instead of allowing him to prove his worth through his music. And Kenzie was caught in the crossfire.
The only positive outcome of the entire situation was how it brought them closer together. Kenzie was his rock in this crazy, messed up circus. He smiled to himself as the words she had spoken to him before they went on stage kept replaying in his mind.
She’d said she’d fallen for him and would be there for him no matter what happened. His heart clenched knowing she had made him that promise. He had not only come to love her but had put his trust in her, as well.
Remy slowly opened his eyes, his heart and body content from the feel of the warm body snuggled next to him, her soft curves pressed up against his chest as they lay in bed. The morning light was barely streaking in through the blinds of his room, casting shadows across her delicate features. Her golden hair fanned out across her pillow, his nose buried in the sweet scent of her shampoo. She smelled of pear and honeysuckle. He wanted to hold her like this forever and never let her go.
“I can tell you’re awake, you know.”
He leaned in and grabbed her earlobe between his teeth, nipping it playfully.
“Oh really? And how is that?” he asked, teasing her with his tongue.
“It might have a little something to do with the morning wood you’re sporting at my backdoor.”
A laugh barreled out from his chest. Her morning voice was raspy and sexier than hell. He draped his arm around her soft stomach, pulling her into him, his hard length pressed into the curve of her ass.
“It’s a wonder I ever get any sleep with this beautiful body next to mine.”
His hand slid under the hem of her tank, sliding up the smooth skin of her stomach. She moaned when his fingers found the swell of her breast. He traced the lush globes, squeezing gently and then running his thumb across her nipple, feeling it harden and pebble at his touch. His cock liked that as much as she did.
Remy’s lips kissed her ear, down her neck, her shoulder, licking and sucking as his hands worked to remove her panties. Still in a spoon position, he nudged her already bent knee and pulled his own briefs down, kicking them off at his ankles. His fingers returned to the juncture between her legs, entering her from behind to find her wet and warm. He slid one finger and then the second into her slickness as she moaned in approval.
He pumped a few times as she writhed against him, her face buried in her pillow, smothering her pleas for more.
An inferno built within him, threatening to consume him if he didn’t douse the flames of his own need soon. Pulling his fingers from her tight body, he grabbed hold of his cock and lined himself at her entrance.
“Are you ready for me, Kenz?” he asked, knowing already what her answer would be.
“Always.”
Without needing another word, he entered her from behind, filling her with one deep thrust. He could have come right then and there, the feeling of her wet, tight channel clenching around his shaft sending off alarm bells in his brain. Like the sound of the blaring end-of-the-workday whistle on the Flintstones. He was that close to going off.
His body jerked at the overwhelming sensation of how perfect she felt around him. He had no words to describe the desperation he experienced when he was inside her, next to her, with her.
Remy returned his fingers to the apex between her legs, flicking over the sensitive nub as he continued to move inside her. In this position, she was locked in and unable to gain much movement so it was up to him to ensure her pleasure. He was demanding, and she was insatiable. He stroked her with his thumb, applying the right amount of pressure to have her begging for her release.
It may have been seconds, or minutes, or hours that passed – he was that caught up in the feel of her body when he felt her breath quicken and then halt as she trembled against him. She let out a quiet moan of pleasure, her body quivering in her release. Her inner walls clamped tight around him, cutting off any logical thought he might have had. Who was he kidding? He couldn’t have put together a coherent thought to save his life. It was all about the pleasure.
One thrust. Two thrust. And three…his own body jerked and convulsed as he followed her on the road to oblivion, shouting out her name with the force of his release.
They lay there in each other’s arms for several long minutes afterwards, his front pressed into her backside, still warm from slumber and hot from their love making. She sighed and her eyelids fluttered when he pulled out of her, pulling the sheet up and over them as he laid back against the pillow.
“Damn, woman. Waking up next to you is better than any fucking thing in the world. I love having you in my bed.” His lips found the spot between her shoulder blades, just below her neck, kissing her warm skin.
And he was in love with her.
The thought should have scared him. Had him throwing back the covers and running for the hills. He hadn’t wanted to fall in love again. Love tricked you into thinking you could trust someone – to thinking you really knew them. But in the end, you realize it was all a façade. A cruel, heartbreaking façade.
Kenzie turned to her side to face him, nuzzling against the hollow of his neck. Her hand brushed against his chest, lazily circling his pecs and nipples. Her touch reminded him that the painful past he’d experienced wasn’t related to her. She was different. She was his future.
“Remy,” she said, her tone serious. “What’s going to happen to us now?”
He knew exactly what she meant because he had been thinking the exact same thing over the last few days. The moment they walked off that stage together, hand-in-hand, their entire world had been flipped upside down.
Remy liked living the way he’d lived since moving to Nashville. He enjoyed his job in the recording studio, and he loved song writing and even the occasional live performance in one
of the local taverns. What he never wanted was the life his father had lived – in the eyes of the media, running from screaming fans, and beholden to record labels who sucked the creative energy from you like blood from a turnip, turning you into something you weren’t.
And based on what he’d witnessed over the last few days, that shit might just get real. Agents had been hounding them. Record labels were in hot pursuit. Booking agents from local, and even national venues, had been trying to contact them to set up gigs. For tomorrow. Next week. Next month. Next year, even.
If he’d wanted a life of anonymity, that was no longer an option - unless they stepped away right now and did absolutely nothing which, judging from the excitement radiating from every cell of her body, Kenzie was not interested in doing.
It was her dream to live this life. She’d come to Nashville to make it big and to make her mark on the music world. Not that she couldn’t pursue that on her own, but the word around the campfire was that they were being touted as the next big duo. Move over The Kills and The Black Keys because Daniels and Martins were going to be taking over the helm.
He wanted nothing more than to continue writing and recording music with Kenzie. She was fantastic. When he saw how incredibly happy she was performing in front of the audience once she’d gotten over her initial fear, her poise and natural grace radiated amongst the crowd. She was brighter than the spotlight and more stunning than the most beautiful diamond in the world.
He didn’t want to take that away from her, no matter how much he worried about what it would do to them. He’d already been burned once by a woman who wanted stardom and did everything she could to get there. Would Kenzie do the same thing? Did she possess the same lustful hunger – the need for attention – that would have her choosing fame over him?
Remy kissed the top of her head, his hand smoothing over the strands of hair that had fallen over her forehead. He considered her question.
