Bad Boys of the Kingdom

by Rob Jones

  “Well, it’s more my dad than my mom. He hasn’t completely thawed out yet to the idea of us, but he is warming up to it. He and Ethan have been talking, and spending some quality time with each other, so now their relationship is not as toxic as it had been, thank the Lord.” She made the sign of the cross by touching her forehead, her lower chest and both shoulders with her hand.

  “Oh my!” A little boy and girl accidently ran into Zoe and Tori.

  “We are so sorry about that. Looks like we need to keep a leash on our Axel and Rose.” A young couple with a deep southern drawl apologized for their twins. “Now you two say you’re sorry to the nice ladies.” Their dad took their hands.

  “Sorry,” they said in concert.

  “Oh, that’s okay. By the way, that is so cute how you named them. I take it that one of you is a big Guns and Roses fan,” Zoe said.

  “Yes, we both are. We have seen them fifteen times and counting. Our twins were conceived at one of their concerts.”

  “Conceived at one of their concerts?” Roman chuckled.

  “Yes, we got married while the band was playing their song “Sweet Child of Mine.” After we said I do, we did it.” He was chewing tobacco. “You folks have a nice time, and once again sorry about our youngin’s.”

  “Now that wasn’t strange at all,” Zoe said sarcastically. “Where was I? Oh yeah, I don’t want to put any pressure on him, especially since Helen’s passing. I just want to be there for him, and support him.” She looked at her belly and smiled. “He loves us, and that’s enough for me right now. I’m not going to worry about what people have been saying, or what they are going to say about me. We all make mistakes, but there’s redemption in learning from those mistakes.”

  They all made it to the back entrance of the stage. They showed the security guards their backstage passes. They were escorted to the side of the stage and were given earplugs, Zoe brought her own earphones to put across her belly. When the band came out, Ethan saw them and offered up an automatic full face smile at Zoe and then walked to the front of the stage. They were met with applause from a sea of people. The band came out with guns blazing, with a purposeful energy that could be felt miles away.

  They were electrifying to watch. Charles and Roman were head banging and throwing up the metal sign. “If my congregation could see me now!” Charles yelled.

  There was nothing but pride in Zoe’s eyes when she saw Ethan in his environment. She felt the baby quicken within her, like the baby was dancing. She locked that moment in her heart like a sacred treasure.

  The band played relentlessly for thirty minutes and the crowd ate up every minute of it. The entire band was drenched with emotion, sweating extravagantly. Ethan looked at them and gave a nod of approval.

  “How are my fellow rockers doing out there?” The crowd responded with a great roar. “You all look so beautiful!” Ethan wiped off the sweat from his face. “But there is someone here who is by far the most beautiful person that I have ever met in my life!”

  “It’s me, baby, woo!” Goth girl shouted, followed by laughs from the crowd.

  “You’re not bad, honey.” Ethan acknowledged her with a wink. “But seriously, this person’s beauty is life-altering and I should know, because her beauty has altered my life. Because of her I am no longer the man that I used to be.” The band played slowly and lightly in the background. “I am nothing without her, she is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and now I know that my main purpose, my main responsibility in this life is to love and care for her and that special person she is carrying.” Zoe’s vision was blurred from the tears raining down her face.

  “Pursuing music, I thought, would give me significance, would give me life, would give me value, purpose, and closure. But now I know that pursuing music was my father’s purpose, and I know that my father would want me to find my own purpose…and Zoe Edwards, you are my purpose, you are my life, you give me significance and value.” He turned toward her and took off his shades that revealed eyes full of love.

  The children that Zoe and Ethan served food to at Father O’Brien’s church on their first date walked on the stage, beautifully singing the words my heart over and over while the band continued to play quietly, and while Ethan spoke. Trevor, AKA Real Talk, walked back to where Zoe was at, took her hand, and ushered her up to the front of the stage. The crowd applauded. He put her hand in Ethan’s. Real Talk motioned her closer with his index finger, so she bent down.

  “Remember, if you two don’t work out, holler at your boy. I got you, boo,” he said. She winked at him and gave him a huge hug.

  “Zoe, you make my heart beat faster than anything or anyone ever could. You always overwhelm me. I wrote this song for you the very first moment my eyes fell on you.” Ethan took the mic off the mic stand. The children continued singing the words my heart over and over. Then Ethan commenced singing.

  “I was made to love you, this is all that I’ve ever known

  There’s nothing I wouldn’t do, to make your heart my home

  I will bleed for miles so you’ll never have to feel the pain

  The sun sets in your smile, in heaven angels call your name

  I never breathed like this before, can’t you see it’s you that I adore

  There is nothing I wouldn’t do to make your dreams come true

  And with my life I gladly surrender all

  I would give up everything, because it’s your love I’ll gain

  And ever since you came, my heart don’t beat the same.”

  You would be hard pressed to find a dry eye within earshot of the song. Ethan could barely get through it because of how emotional he became. Charles, Abby, Roman, and even Tori were inundated with tears. The band stopped playing and the children stopped singing. Ethan got on one knee, and with a sleight of hand pulled a ring from his front pocket. The crowd started oohing, and awing, and gasping with excitement.

  “I don’t only want to tell you every day how much I love you, I want to show you every day, and for the rest of my life how much I love you. Zoe Elizabeth Edwards…” His hands trembled along with his voice. “Would you make me the happiest man that has ever breathed on this planet and become my wife?” She looked over at her family, wiped the tears of joy from her face. “It’s okay, I already asked your father for permission.”

  “Yes, Ethan, yes, yes, yes, I will marry you today, tomorrow, and twice on Sunday!”

  “She said yes, everyone!” he yelled to the crowd as they cheered and applauded them both. He dropped the mic, picked her up, and kissed her with the passion of a thousand sonnets. The band started playing an upbeat song that caused the crowd to dance and roar.

  “I love you, angel cake.”

  “I love you, almost as much as your baby girl will.” She pointed to her stomach.

  “What? We’re having a girl!” He stooped down and kissed her belly.

  “Yes, we are.” I was thinking that Helen would be a good name for her,” she said with a warm smile.

  “I couldn’t agree with you more.” He kissed her, then they both looked at the crowd and took a bow.

  About the Author

  Rob Jones is an author, musician, and poet. He enjoys going to church, reading, working out, and getting lost in a movie. If he is not writing books and performing music, you can find him spending valuable time with his wife and family.

  Social Media Links

  Facebook:

  https://www.facebook.com/rob.jones.5076

  Instagram:

  https://www.instagram.com/robjones725/

  Acknowledgments

  First of all, I would like to thank my Lord and Savior for birthing in me a love of storytelling and for bringing this book to fruition.

  To my lovely wife, Genetta Jones, you are my muse, my heart, my life, and my reason to love.

  To my beautiful daughters, Naomi, Jhada and Sieria. You are what dreams are made of. I love you tremendously.

  To Robert and Joyce Jones, L
awrence and Cathy King, thank you for your love and prayers, without them my life would be empty.

  Thank you, Mary Jackson, for your relentless support and guidance, your friendship is of infinite value.

  A special thanks to the Music City Romance Writers. Your knowledge, guidance, kindness and friendship means the world to me.

  Laura Benedict, you are my hero, thank you for inspiring me and giving me the courage to be a writer.

  I want to give a huge thanks to Jennifer O’Neill, Jacob O’Neill, Jessica Gunhammer, Dixie Matthews, Toni Rakestraw and to the entire staff at Limitless Publishing. Thank you for believing in me and in my story, I owe an unrivaled debt of gratitude for all that you have done for me.

  I also would like to thank each and everyone who gave me their unwavering love and encouraging words. Your support did not go unnoticed. Thank you all for being a part of this incredible journey.

  Join our Reader Group on Facebook and don't miss out on meeting our authors and entering epic giveaways!

  Join today! "Where reading a book is your first step to becoming limitless..."

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/LimitlessReading/

  BEFORE YOU GO…

  DON’T MISS OUT!

  Would you like to be a part of our FREEBIE FRIDAY LIST and get 6 FREE eBooks and other exclusive sales sent to your inbox every Friday?

  One email every week packed with bookish goodies!

  We send out different genres such as Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Westerns, Paranormal, New Adult, and much more! If you’d like to join over 53,000+ subscribers, click below to be a part of FREEBIE FRIDAY…

  Join FREEBIE FRIDAY!

  Who doesn’t love a good eBook bargain?

  Now, imagine receiving daily eBook sales straight to your inbox…Bookworm heaven!

  Sign up for the BOOKSHARK NEWSLETTER and don’t miss out on epic eBook sales ever again!

  BECOME A BOOKSHARK

  Do you crave books that make your skin sizzle? Your toes curl? Your heart race?

  Do you crave the edgier kind of romance where the hero isn’t always the good guy?

  Join the CRAVE LIST and receive emails with exclusive giveaways and information on Crave Publishing’s titles that will have you glued to your Kindle, craving more.

  JOIN CRAVE