Up close, without her wig and mask, it was clear that I had been wrong. Ella was the girl on the website Saul had found: the laughing, all-American golden child with her arms around the other girl.
“You’re here,” I murmured, my hand coming up to stroke her face. “I can’t believe it.”
Tears swam in her big blue eyes. “You found me,” she said.
I laughed. “I think maybe you found me,” I said. “And I’m so glad you did.” Grasping her by the hand, I led her back to the stage, helping to boost her up over the lip of the stage before I followed. The guys had started a new song, a Prince Charmings song, and I saw Ella smile with recognition. I took her by the hand and led her to the mic I had abandoned, gesturing for her to join me. Understanding dawned in her eyes, and she gave me a questioning look: really? I nodded, and we stepped up to the mic as one, harmonizing effortlessly. Ella’s voice soared over mine, holding the audience entranced. She cast her spell over them as easily as she had bewitched me.
The song came to an end, and one by one, the band stopped playing, their eyes fixed on Ella as she approached them. A hush fell over the crowd as Ella slowly made her way toward Saul, who deliberately put his guitar down as she drew closer, coming to a stop just in front of him. I saw him lick his lips.
Then she kissed him, and the crowd went wild. They didn’t know what was happening, but they loved it all the same.
I waited to feel the expected blaze of jealousy, of possession, as Saul’s hands came up to grip Ella’s waist, but it never came. Instead, I felt only contentment, tinged with desire. I had found her—we had found her, and now we weren’t going to let her go again.
When Saul and Ella broke apart, they were both breathless, grinning. Ella turned and held out her hand to Lester, who practically vaulted over his drums in his eagerness to reach her. Laughing, Ella led him backstage. The audience groaned. The show was over.
The rest of us didn’t spare the audience a single glance as we followed Ella and Lester backstage. When we arrived, Ella was wrapped in Lester’s arms, kissing him deeply. After Lester came Chris, then Jason, until one by one, Ella had kissed each of us in turn. “It’s so good to see you all,” she said finally, her voice trembling.
“Not nearly as good as it is to see you,” Saul said, his voice hoarse. “We didn’t think we would ever see you again.”
Ella’s eyes met mine. “I need to talk to you about something,” she said.
I stepped forward, sweeping her back into my arms. “Enough talking,” I growled. I needed her, now. I would die if I couldn’t take her. Her joyful laughter rang in my ears as I carried her out to the van, and I wanted to spend every moment of my life making her laugh like that.
When we reached the van, I set her down on her feet, and she swayed slightly, looking dazed. “You are so beautiful,” I murmured, my hand cupping her chin.
Ella smiled. “I’m a mess,” she said. I kissed her.
“Still beautiful.”
In spite of the trembling in my hands, I undressed her quickly, stripping away the stained, too-big clothes she wore. I would ask about those later.
Ella closed her eyes as I explored her body with my hands, my lips, my tongue. “Grant,” she murmured, sending a chill of desire straight through me.
“Ella,” I said, my voice husky. “I have been dreaming of doing this again since you disappeared from my life.”
Her eyes met mine. “Me too,” she said.
25
Ella
A soft moan escaped my lips as Grant’s fingers brushed over my skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Breathing heavily, he quickly lifted his shirt over his head, tossing it aside. I gasped, and felt my eyes widen.
“What happened to you?” I asked, reaching out to carefully touch the angry purple bruises that mottled his skin. They hadn’t been there two nights ago; I was sure of that.
Grant shook his head. “I’ll tell you later,” he said. He hissed slightly as my fingers found a place where his skin had split open.
“But—” I began, horrified. Clearly, something terrible had happened to him in the short time since I’d last seen him.
He cut me off. “It’s not important now. Just let me enjoy this, having you here with me.” He pulled me toward him, crushing me against his chest as he claimed my lips with his. “I haven’t been able to think about anything but this since you left,” he murmured between kisses.
Gently, he laid me down on the floor of the van, and I gazed up at him, heart beating wildly. When I’d run out of the Ball the morning before, I’d never dreamed that I would see him again, but here he was, gazing down at me with such tenderness it made my heart ache. “Grant,” I said, reaching toward him. “I want you.”