Rock Star's Ballad (White Mist Series Book 3) (2 page)

“Love, love, Demi,” Braxton said solemnly, staring up at her with the trademark green Ashton eyes.
 

Demi kissed Braxton on the mouth. “I love you too, Brax.”
 

He scooted off the bed and tugged on Teddy’s arm, trying to persuade his brother to watch a movie with him. Teddy declined, intent on the chess game. Not to be denied, Braxton began to drag the chair away from the desk so Teddy lost his grip on the mouse.
 

“Demi, you broke up with Johnny because Dad told you to, right?” her mom asked.
 

Demi sighed and rubbed a hand over her aching temples. “He’s right, though.”

“Dad isn’t always right,” she countered, surprising Demi.
 

“But, Johnny and I aren’t on the same path. We’re not even living in the same worlds! He’s becoming what he was born to be—a rock star and I’m…” She trailed off and shook her head. “I don’t know what I am.”

“You’re thinking with your head instead of your heart.”

Demi frowned. “What are you saying?”

“I love your Dad, but I’ve never seen you so miserable. I saw the way Johnny looked at you.”

She believed Johnny loved her until he yelled at her when they were breaking up. He said the worst things—
 

Her mom waved a hand to capture Demi’s attention again. “Life is too short to live it filled with regrets.” She cupped Demi’s face between her hands. “I love you so much. You think like a businesswoman, but you empathize like a mother. I couldn’t wish for a better daughter than you.”

Demi gave her a watery smile. “I’ve cried too much today. Stop, Mom!”

“I want you to be happy,” she said fiercely and Demi sobered. “If you truly love Johnny, don’t let him go.”

Demi’s heart beat double time in her chest. She stared into her mom’s eyes, wondering if this was really happening. Her mother always supported her father’s dictates—until now.
 

Her mother kissed her on the forehead and shushed all of her siblings out of the room. Demi sat in the middle of her bed, too many thoughts whizzing through her mind. She talked herself into
not
being able to have Johnny and now her mom was telling her to… Would he want her after she broke up with him? Did he hate her now?
Life is too short to live it filled with regrets.
She didn’t want anything in life more than she wanted Johnny. She pictured him in her mind and her heart nearly split in two. Mom was right. If she loved him, they were worth fighting for.
 

Demi didn’t let herself think. She launched herself into the bathroom, washed her face, changed her clothes and walked out of her room with purpose.
 

“Going out?” Marci called.

“I’m going to see Johnny,” Demi said and her mom beamed.
 

The kids cheered and Demi felt hope spear through her. The weight on her shoulders lightened and she hugged her mom.
 

“Good luck, baby,” her mom whispered.
 

“What if Dad—”

“I’ll take care of Dad. Follow your heart, Demi.”

“I love you, Mom,” Demi said before she blew kisses to the kids and left the penthouse.
 

Demi caught a cab and twisted her hands together in her lap. Hope and fear warred within her. Would Johnny be happy or pissed to see her? If she got back together with Johnny, what would her dad say? If he disowned her, would she go on the road with Johnny? If Johnny was at a wild party last night, would he be in his apartment? For the first time in her life, she was doing what she wanted and felt empowered and terrified.
 

Demi leapt out of the cab and rushed into Johnny’s building. She tapped her shoe impatiently as the elevator climbed and dashed out before the door were fully open. She rushed to Johnny’s apartment and rang the doorbell. She stood there for thirty seconds and rang it again. Desperate tears pricked her eyes. He had to be here. She had to tell him she was sorry, that she couldn’t live without him, that she made a mistake. What if he didn’t live here anymore? What if—?

The door opened and there he was. Johnny was the same height as her, around five foot eight with a lanky body, shoulder length hair and three hoop earrings on his left ear. He was drop dead gorgeous and his sleepy dark eyes flared wide when he saw her. He wore only a pair of jeans riding low on his hips and he was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. She launched herself at him and he staggered a step back into his apartment.
 

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry!” she chanted, burying her face against his neck and drawing in the scent of him. “I shouldn’t have doubted us, I shouldn’t listen to my dad. I don’t know how this is going to work, but I want to try. I feel like I’m dying without you! I love you so much and I don’t care what obstacles are in our way. We can do this, right? I don’t want to quit Ashton Hotels, but if I have to I will and I’ll go on the road with you.”

She paused to draw breath and realized that Johnny’s arms weren’t around her, they were still at his sides. A bolt of fear blasted through her. She froze, staring past him at the messy apartment before she eased back. He stared at her with glazed eyes. She ran her hand over the bristles on his cheek and willed him to say something, but he was silent. Something in his eyes made her take a step back into the hallway.

“Johnny?” she whispered and was about to say more when a woman appeared behind him. The woman didn’t have on a stitch of clothing. She was covered in colorful tattoos and her bleach blonde hair was mussed and tangled. No one could misinterpret what Demi interrupted. Demi’s body locked as the woman wrapped her arms around Johnny from behind and pressed against him suggestively.

“And who’s this, baby?” the woman cooed to Johnny.
 

Neither Johnny nor Demi spoke. Their eyes were glued to each other. It was Demi’s worst fears in the flesh. Bile rose in her throat and she took a step back, hand raised as if that would block what she was seeing.
 

“Did you bring a wedding gift?” the woman asked.
 

Demi’s heart stuttered in her chest and her hand dropped to her side. “Wedding gift?”

The woman moved the hand splayed possessively on Johnny’s abs and Demi saw the massive diamond ring there. Blessed numbness encompassed Demi. She looked from the ring to Johnny’s blank face.

“We got married last night,” the woman said helpfully and made a moaning sound as she wrapped her arms around Johnny.
 

Demi moved her eyes from the woman pawing her ex to Johnny who was completely expressionless. “Congratulations.” She was proud that her voice sounded even. She wasn’t sure what her face looked like, though, because she couldn’t feel anything.
 

Her feet carried her to the elevator, which binged and opened as she approached. People filtered out and she stepped inside. She stared straight ahead, submerged in such a state of shock that her mind was completely blank. Demi walked out of Johnny’s apartment building and didn’t hail a cab. Instead, she just walked. She found herself in Central Park and sat on a bench, staring sightlessly ahead.

Johnny got over their two year relationship in two weeks. That thought was uppermost in her mind. The second was the woman he made his wife—blonde and skinny as a rail with tattoos all over her body. She and Demi couldn’t be more different. Apparently, that was what he wanted all along and now he had it. Night fell and Demi didn’t want to go home. She didn’t know how to explain to her mom what happened. She took a risk and made an absolute fool of herself. Follow her heart? She would never do such a stupid thing again. Demi refused to cry. The image of Johnny and that woman replayed over and over in her head. She actually hugged him when he’d been in bed with that woman, touching, kissing and— Demi hunched over on the bench, head between her knees as her head swam and she fought the urge to vomit.
 

“Lady, you okay?”

Demi took a deep breath and sat up. A cop stood a few feet away, watching her closely in the dim light. Demi swallowed hard and nodded.
 

“You shouldn’t be out here alone,” he said. “It’s late. Go home.”

Demi got to her feet with a hand over her roiling stomach and forced herself to walk. She left without her cell. Her mom was probably freaking out right now. She walked to her building and rode the elevator up, leaning against the walls because she felt sick, battered and drained. When she stepped out of the elevator into the penthouse, she stopped when her father rose from the couch. The penthouse was quiet and there was no one else in sight. He had a bunch of papers in his hands, which he tossed to the side. It was clear he’d been waiting for her.

She looked down at his bare feet as she said in a hoarse voice, “Johnny got married. You were right—” Her throat closed up and her voice died out. Her breath hitched and to her mortification, tears filled her eyes. She followed her heart today and it led her to even worse pain. She was so stupid. She bowed her head, waiting for her dad to crow with victory and give her a lecture about poor choices.
 

Tears blinded her to his approach. She jerked in surprise when his arms closed around her.

“Dad, I don’t—”

“I’m sorry.” His hand cupped the back of her head and massaged gently. “I shouldn’t have made you break up with him.” A pause and then, “Mom told me you went to see him. I expected you to bring him back with you. I was going to tell you I wouldn’t interfere again and…He’s a fucking idiot.”

Demi let out a hiccuping laugh. Emotions that she kept at bay for hours rushed to the surface and she began to shake. He murmured soothingly to her and sobs erupted from her mouth. She tried to smother them against his chest. He picked her up as if she were a little child and settled on the couch with Demi on his lap. He stroked her hair as pain eclipsed her entire being and tears of anger, mortification and loss soaked his shirt.

“You deserve a man that loves you more than anything in the world,” he said into her hair. “The way I love your mom, I want you to feel that. It’s something that doesn’t fade, doesn’t age. It’ll stay with you for the rest of your life. You’ll find that man, Demi, I promise you.”

Demi shook her head, coherent speech completely out of reach. She didn’t have a heart left to feel for anyone else.
 

“You’ll find someone, Demi, and he’ll worship the ground you walk on. He’ll do anything to make you smile and he’ll thank God everyday that you’re his.” She shook her head against his chest in denial and he hugged her tight. “Until then, it’s my job to look out for you and love you until that guy comes along. You’ll get past this, Demi. I promise you.”

Chapter One

Thirteen Years Later

Once upon a time, Demi promised herself she would never attend a Johnny Bentley concert, yet here she was on the ground floor of Madison Square Garden. She took it as a sign when she passed several women selling last minute Johnny Bentley tickets on the sidewalk. Attending this concert would be closure for her on so many levels. She wasn’t a naive girl, she was a grown woman that would follow her gut—not her head or heart. She was starting a new life and this was a great way to kick it off.
 

The sold out crowd milled anxiously as they waited for Johnny Bentley’s grand entrance. Demi braced her legs as the crowd surged around her. The smell of heavy perfume and sweat filled the air and her stomach pitched. She couldn’t remember if she ate today. Someone clapped her on the arm and Demi tightened her hold on her purse. A rowdy bunch of scantily clad, middle aged women stood beside her. They had on shirts that referred to Johnny’s song titles and guitar. Their shirts said, “Make me your Scarlet Woman,” “I’ll give you a Wild Weekend” and “Play Me Like Baby.” The group primped, adjusted their boobs and chattered nervously as if they were auditioning for the position of a rock version of Prince William’s bride. Demi felt as if she were in an alternate universe. The woman that nudged her looked like Johnny’s type with bleach blonde hair, fake boobs and a blinding white smile.
 

“I’m Mandy!” she said to Demi.

“Demi,” she said and shook Mandy’s hand.
 

“Your first Bentley concert?” Mandy hollered.
 

Demi ignored the tight knot in her stomach and nodded. “How did you know?”

“You didn’t dress right, honey,” Mandy’s eyes flicked over her black pencil skirt, long sleeve cream colored top and nude peep toe pumps.
 

“I didn’t have time to change,” Demi said lamely and took in the tank/crop top, jean skirts and booty shorts around her.
 

“I have an extra shirt!” Mandy exclaimed and dug around in her purse. “My sister is gonna get wasted so I always bring extra clothes for her. It should fit.”

Mandy shoved a white tank in Demi’s hands that said, “Bentley’s Woman” in sparkling rhinestones.
 

“I’m okay, really—” Demi began, but she was interrupted by ear splitting shrieks as the lights dimmed. She had no intention of wearing a shirt that said such a thing, so she slipped it into her purse and planned to give it back to Mandy later.
 

“Oh my God, here he comes!” Mandy shrieked like a sixteen-year-old and flapped her shirt like a flag. It said, “Marry Me Bentley.”

Electric guitar filled the stadium and the crowd roared. The ground trembled as everyone rushed forward, desperate to be one step closer to their idol. Demi’s size and strength helped her from being trampled and she was alarmed by how frenzied the fans became. People slammed their hands on the stage and a drum roll of stomping feet echoed through the stadium as everyone waited for their first glimpse of Johnny Bentley.
 

Demi’s heart sped up. She hadn’t seen Johnny in the flesh in thirteen years. She saw him on magazine covers, advertisements and videos, but she didn’t let her eyes linger. Tonight, she would face her fear. She would see Johnny in the flesh and purge herself of him once and for all.