Page 69 of Silver Edge
I eyed the piano but knew I’d never be able to play for this many people. It was impossible—all those eyes on me, judging me, seeing into my soul.
I caught sight of a blond woman in the middle of the crowd below in the mosh pit. She stood out with her hair and sparkling jewelry. She’d done this. If I didn’t do something, she’d win. I willed all the noise and confusion from my brain. I had to apologize to Drake, but he was busy with those men. I knew it wasn’t about losing the club anymore. It was about failing his family. I couldn’t let him face that reality.
Fisting my hands, I waltzed past the guys leaning on the piano and sat down on the bench. Neurons fired all over my body, but nothing reached my fingers. I dared a backward glance at Drake. He stood with his mouth ajar, staring at me. When I met his gaze, I saw everything I wanted to say. I longed to purge the desire to please him from my body. I returned my attention to the keys and poured my soul into a melody that I hoped would tell him how sorry I was for not trusting him, for disappearing on him, for breaking his heart.
My fingers stretched between keys to hit the notes of my soul. Memories flooded in from the past couple of months, and I pounded out my fear of leaving New York and arriving in Atlanta. I played chords of desperation for losing my first real job, then clicked along the higher notes to echo when I’d secured the one at Bands. My emotions danced up and down the keys on a swerving path of hope, loss, determination, and…love.
I didn’t know how long I played, but when I saw his eyes look at me with sorrow, the music dipped to a feather light ripple across several keys before fading into the unknown. I huffed through the exhaustion of pouring my feelings out, only to remember all the people staring at me from behind. I heard nothing but bone-chilling silence.
The lights cut on, and I finally found the courage to lift my head. The three guys standing by the piano gaped at me with wide eyes and open mouths. When I turned, I found my worst night terror unfolding before me. I backed away from the staring crowd, but the piano blocked my escape.
A lone clap sounded, then it was joined by more, growing into an eruption of applause. Drake broke through the crowd at the bottom of the stage steps. I swiped the tears from my eyes and tried to keep my chin up. It was time for me to stop looking away. It was time I faced life.
He climbed the steps slowly and deliberately until he stood a foot away. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
I gasped, my eyes darting about the room as if I didn’t believe what was in front of me. Had he listened and understood how I felt?
His hands clutched my cheeks with more force than he’d ever used before, and his mouth claimed mine in an epic sweep of mind-numbing, knee-quaking ecstasy. I felt his tears slide down my cheeks. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and he lifted me from the floor. The crowd continued to clap, but the noise faded into nothing but a blur beyond the haze of all that was Drake Markham.
When my toes touched the floor, he brushed the hair from my eyes. “I love you, Scarlet Bain. With all my heart. I’m so sorry Margo hurt you…hurt us.”
“Does this mean we can have sex now?” I blurted out, the microphone picking up every word.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
I tossed the last few plastic cups I’d collected from the dance floor into the garbage. “I’m so glad Values won the competition. They were my fave.”
“You picked them from the start.” Drake pecked my lips for the tenth time that hour.
Ton lifted the trash bag out of the can, tied it off, and tossed it with the others by the door while Hawaiian wiped down the bar top. “I’m surprised that Margo lady left. She ain’t the type to give up.”
Drake laughed. “I called her father and threatened a scandal. I told him about her tactics and what she did here, and he agreed to handle it. It turns out, her father had no interest in this land and she’d lied about everything. Her father even threatened to disown her if she didn’t leave me alone. And, well, there are plenty of people willing to share incriminating photos with the press.”
Ton opened the back door and tossed the bags outside. “Yeah, I saw her outside getting manhandled into a black SUV by two men.”
Drake wrapped his arm around me. “Those were probably some of her dad’s goons, so we definitely don’t have anything to worry about, then.”
A twinkle of pleasure seeped through me. “Is it bad that that makes me happy?”
“No, I think it’s fine,” Hawaiian answered. “Makes me happy, too. All right. Drake, Einstein, I’m goin’ to bolt. It’s been a long night.”
I smiled and hugged Hawaiian. “Does that mean you forgive me?”
“Yeah. I can’t stay mad at you.”
Ton offered his hand to Drake. “I’m gonna leave her in your capable hands.” Then he turned to me. “But first, what did you do with that coke?”
“I don’t know.” I patted my pockets and looked around.
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Drake said. “When she was busy trying to beg my forgiveness I snatched it and tossed it in the trash.”
“I didn’t beg,” I huffed.
“You kind of did.” Hawaiian headed out the door and it slammed shut behind him.
“Ton, stick up for your little sister,” I pleaded.
Ton only offered a wave then disappeared out the door behind Hawaiian.
