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  “She’s already on stage. You’ll have to wait until the end of the show.” he says promptly. I clasp each side of my head in frustration.

  “Fuck. I need to see her. Is there any way that you can get me in the front row?” Max mulls over my question for a second and then he pulls me by the arm.

  “Come this way,” he leads me back along the hallway and down another flight of stairs. As we reach the bottom, I can hear the noise of the band starting up. My heart is thumping as Max pushes open an exit door. The door opens out into the crowd. Max enters first and then I urgently follow him. He grabs onto my arm as he leads me through the crowd. He gets me to the front row and just as he leaves, I make sure that he will look out for Sydney and bring her to me. Max agrees and I thank him for all ofhis help. I notice some girls next to me staring and giggling. I frown as I try to understand what their giggling at. Then I realise that my shirt is still un-buttoned. I quickly do up the buttons and the girls scold me with cold looks as I do. I don’t even see them. Instead, I switch my focus onto the stage. Tonight’s host has taken the stage and is about to introduce Ashley to the crowd. My heart is thumping even harder as I listen to his words.

  “Who’s ready for some music?” he shouts. The crowd roars and he starts again.

  “Please welcome Ashley Scott Harper!” The crowd cheer and clap as the curtain falls. There she is. Ashley is standing ten feet away from me. She looks amazing –as always. She belongs on that stage. I am so proud of her. She taps the mic and the room is silent. The spotlight is on her and I can’t breathe as I wait for her voice. She looks tense, sad even. Oh fuck it’s my fault that she’s sad. I hate that I didn’t give her the chance to explain. I hate myself right now. How could I cause the only the girl I have ever loved that much pain? Now that I have seen her, I know that I love her. I want her. I need to hold her in my arms. I want to shield her from all the pain that she’s suffered. I want to be in her life. I want to share her success and I want to be by her side for the rest of her life. I was stupid to think that I couldn’t forgive her. The second I saw her face, all was forgotten. I can forgive her lies because I know how hard it must have been for her. All those times she warned me that she couldn’t love. Now I know the reason and I feel blessed that she learned to love again. After all the hurt she’s been through, she still found it in her heart to let me in. Ashley is the love of my life I want to be with her. That’s if she’ll still have me.

  “I want to thank y’all for coming down tonight. My first song is dedicated to someone very special. I hope he’s here tonight.”

  Her voice sends chills down my spine. Is it me she’s talking to? Fuck yeah it is. The music starts slowly and Ashley moves closer and takes her position at the microphone. I can see her eyes closing as she gets ready for the lyrics.

  “There’s still a little bit of your taste in my mouth

  There’s still a little bit of you laced with my doubt

  It’s still a little hard to say what’s going on

  There’s still a little bit of your ghost you witness

  There’s still a little bit of your face I haven’t kissed

  You step a little closer each day that I can’t say what’s going on

  Stones taught me to fly

  Love taught me to lie

  Life taught me to die

  So it’s not hard to fall

  When you feel like a cannonball,”

  Her voice consumes me and sends chills throughout my entire body. I love her so much that it kills me.

  Twenty One

  The crowd is amazing. My first song is dedicated to Jonathon. I look out at the sea of people and I wish that my eyes would meet his. I would give everything I have to see him. I love him. It’s been a couple of hours since Sydney left my dressing room. I wasn’t clear on where she was going. Is it to bold of me to think that she went to bring Jonathon to me? Of course it’s not. Sydney is my best friend and she has always looked out for me. I know that she would barge into his apartment and demand to see him. She would shout from the heavens how foolish she thinks he’s being. She would fight my corner until her last breath. A warm feeling cascades over me at the thought of her sticking up for me. I know that I don’t deserve it after the way I have behaved in the past. I shouldn’t have people fighting for my happiness. Instead, I should be disowned for my selfish actions. It doesn’t matter how tough and convincing Sydney is, there’s no way that Jonathon would ever forgive me. I’ve lost all hope. I have to realise that I was lucky to have met him and blessed to have loved him. By dedicating this song to him, I’m saying goodbye.

  “There’s still a little bit of your song in my ear

  There’s still a little bit of your verse I long to hear

  You step a little closer to me

  So close I can’t see what’s going on

  Whoa

  Stones taught me to fly

  Love taught me to lie

  So come on courage

  Teach me to be shy

  Cause it’s not hard to fall

  When you know that you just don’t know

  Stones taught me to fly

  Love taught me to lie

  So come on courage

  Teach me to be shy

  Cause it’s not hard to fall

  When you feel like a cannonball,”

  The lyrics are powerful and I feel tears in my eyes. I discreetly try to wipe them away and as I do, I look down at the front row. My eyes jolt out of my head. Is that who I think it is? I can’t be. I narrow my eyes as I try to get a better view of the guy in the crisp white shirt. My heart rate quickens as my vision focuses. It’s him. Jonathon is here. I can’t breathe and crap it’s my next line. I look away from him as I sing to the crowd.

  “Stones taught me to fly

  Love taught me to lie

  So come on courage

  Teach me to be shy

  Cause it’s not hard to fall

  When you feel like a cannonball

  Stones taught me to fly

  Love taught me to cry

  So come on courage

  Teach me to be shy

  Cause it’s not hard to fall

  And I don’t want to scare him

  It’s not hard to fall

  And I don’t wanna loose

  It’s not hard to fall

  When you feel like a cannonball,”

  The song finishes to a great applaud. I smile and thank them. Then I turn and look at Jonathon. The house lights are up and I am certain that it’s him. He’s standing less than ten feet away from me. I can see his smile and those diamond eyes are outshining everyone else’s. I can’t believe he’s here. Surly this must mean that he’s forgiven me, right? I have no time to think. The next song is about to start. I smile and look out at the crowd. I have everything that I want. All of my dreams and more have come true. I have my music and these adoring fans and judging by the face smiling up at me, I am about to get the man of my dreams.

  The show is over but the madness continues. I am bombarded with music executives, producers and fans wanting autographs. I am flooded with questions none of which I have the answers to. My heart is beating so fast that it may burst from my chest. I am anxious and excited to see if Jonathon will come running into my arms. The three men that are blocking the entrance break away and I can hardly see straight when I see him. Jonathon is here. I excuse myself and I run towards him. His eyes meet mine and that smile melts my heart. He lightly smiles at me and I can’t hold back. I leap into his arms. I clutch onto him as if my life depended on it. He smells like beer and cologne, a classic Jonathon Wilde scent. I wrap my arms around his neck as his hands slide onto my back and pull me closer to him. He holds me for a few moments and I frown when he slowly breaks our contact. Tears are slipping down my cheeks and my knees feel like jelo. My heart is pounding as he speaks.

  “Ashley, I’m so sorry. I should have heard you out. I should have given you the chance to explain. Can you ever forgive me?” I
try to pull myself together as I reply.

  “Can you ever forgive me?” I stammer my words. Jonathon clasps my face in his hands.

  “I know what that dickhead did to you. I need you to know that I would never hurt you. I love you more than life itself. I can’t function without you. If you’ll still have me … I want you. I need you Ashley. Be my wife.” I cry again I can’t take in his words. I am stumped, but I don’t even have to think about my answer.

  “YES. YES. YES.” I shout. He lets out a husky laugh as he lifts me into the air. He spins me around and then he lowers me back to the ground slowly whilst his lips invade mine. I slide my fingers through his hair as our kiss deepens. I feel at home in his arms. He completes me. I love him so much.

  “Mrs Wilde does have a nice ring to it, don’t you think?” he says as he backs away from me. I look up at him as I try to wipe away my tears.

  “It certainly does!”

  Four months later

  It has been four months to the day since Jonathon proposed to me. It has been two months to the day since we said our I do’s. Our wedding was small. We only had two guests. Sydney was my maid of honour and Austin was the best man. The ceremony was performed at city hall. We decided to keep things quiet. Jonathon and I both knew that if our mothers found out that we getting married, then we would have been forced to have some over-the-top wedding that neither of us wanted. So we decided to get married in secret and deal with everyone one else later. Maybe that was a little selfish of us. But at the end of the day, all that really mattered was our happiness. I have never felt this way about anyone. I love Jonathon more than life. He is the air that I breathe. I wake up every day with a massive smile on my face. I can’t believe how lucky I am. I can’t believe that I found a guy who loves every part of me. The bad included. Jonathon makes life worth living and I am blessed to be his Mrs Wilde.

  My mom and Pete were happy for me and Jonathon. She was of course, upset that she wasn’t there to witness us getting married. But I think that she understood my reasons. My mom adores Jonathon and after what I put her through in the past, I am also blessed that she has given me another chance. There is no drama; there is no worry in her life. She doesn’t need to lie awake at night worried that I am in danger. My mom knows that Jonathon adores me and that he will never ever hurt me.

  Jonathon’s parents weren’t as understanding as mine was. Salma –John’s mom, is still crying herself to sleep at night. And Joseph said that he expected nothing less from his crazy, neurotic, failure of a son. It breaks my heart that Jonathon’s parents don’t approve of us. I don’t understand why they hate me so much. I have tried so hard to get them to like me. I even invited them over to our house for dinner. I wanted to make them see that I love their son. I thought that if they could see us together, then it would help them to understand why we love each other. My efforts were in vain and that night was horrendous. Joseph got blind drunk and started shouting at Jonathon and somehow Salma found a reason to blame me. The night ended with Jonathon telling his parents to leave. It was heart-breaking to watch. Although Jonathon didn’t show how hurt he was, I could tell that inside he was breaking. So the next day, I went to Salma and I sat her down and told her that she needed to get a grip. I explained to her that Jonathon needs her in his life, and that he was dying without her. I told her that she needed to put her hatred of me to one side, and focus on what really matters, her son. By some miracle she agreed with me and the very next day she was at our door apologising to Jonathon. The look on his face made my heart flutter. He was so happy to see his mom and although Salma is cruel and hurtful towards me, it made my world complete to see him so happy. All I want is for him to be happy. I know that he wouldn’t be if he didn’t have his mom in his life. I’m just so relieved that she has finally found some sort of peace with the situation.

  My life has changed in so many ways. I don’t even know where to begin. My music is amazing and tonight is opening night of my very own tour. I can’t believe that I am actually saying that. It’s just so unreal.

  “There’s my Mrs Wilde,” Jonathon says as he grabs me from behind. His strong arms are firmly gripped around my waist as his head rests onto my shoulders. He blows my hair away from my neck so that he can kiss my exposed skin. I shiver and let out a little giggle as his soft lips collide with my neck. He’s sending shivers and tingles throughout my entire body. I want to kiss him. I spin around so fast that my vision blurs and I wrap my arms around his neck. He kneels so that we are on the same level, and I pull his lips onto mine. His kiss is intoxicating and when we pull away, I cannot breathe. He consumes every part of me. I know that I could never live without him.

  “There’s my Mr Wilde,” I say sweetly. He laughs and so do I. Calling each other Mr and Mrs has been a little game that we have been playing since our wedding night. It’s so sweet and maybe a little childish, but we just can’t stop doing it.

  “How are feeling? Are you nervous?” he asks locking those dark eyes on mine. I shake my head at his question.

  “I’ve never felt … so good. You’ve made me the happiest girl in the world and I you know that I love you, right?” he presses his eyebrows together at my question. He’s clearly stunned at why I would ask that.

  “Of course I know that, but why would you ask me that after everything that we’ve been through?” he says now frowning at me. I bite my bottom lip as I look at him.

  “I just wanted to be sure, is all?” I say now lightly giggling. Jonathon looks at me coldly. He clearly thinks that something is wrong. Should I let him squirm a little longer? Or should I just fess up? Decisions.

  “Well you’re freaking me out and you know I don’t like it when you surprise me.” I laugh at his comment. He does hate surprises.

  “But I think you will like this surprise,” I say lightly. He frowns at me and shakes his head as he leans in and nuzzles on my neck. We are surrounded by stage people all getting ready for tonight’s show. But Jonathon doesn’t care it spurs him on knowing that were being watched. He’s a little weird I’ll give him that.

  “Stop torturing me and just tell me what’s wrong!” he says loudly. I scold him with my eyes. Just because he doesn’t care about people watching us, that doesn’t mean that I feel the same way. I think that he likes to embarrass me in public on purpose. He’s such a big kid when he wants to be. I slide my hands away from his neck and I reach behind me and take his hands into mine. He stares blankly at me as he doesn’t understand what the hell I am doing. I bite my bottom lip to hold back from laughing. I caress his hands in mine and then I lock my eyes on his as I move our hands onto my stomach. His eyes look confused and then realisation flashes in them. A smile comes to his mouth but he quickly distinguishes it. My heart pounds as I watch him consider what I’m silently telling him. Is he happy? I can’t tell. His face is a blank canvas.

  “Are you?” he says quietly. I look into his eyes and I press our hands further into my skin.

  “Yes. We are going to a have baby.” The room is silent and I feel as if the floor is slipping away from us as I wait his reply. I don’t have to wait long as Jonathon leans in a kisses me softly on my lips. He pulls away from me, and I am stunned when he kneels onto the ground in front of me. His hands pull out of mine and he wraps them around my waist. His head moves closer to my belly and I almost faint when he leans in and plants a kiss onto my exposed skin. He looks up at me and whispers.

  “You’ve made me the happiest guy in the world. I love you Mrs Wilde.

  THE END

  Spanish translations

  “Eres hermosa!” - “You’re beautiful!”

  “Claire ¿cómo has estado?” – “Claire how have you been?”

  “Bien y tu?” – “Well, and you?”

  “Odio cuando que eres enojes conmigo!” – “I hate it when you're mad at me!”

  “Estoy hambrienta por ti!” - “I'm hungry for you!”

  “Te Amo!” – “I love you!”

  Wilde Velvet
by Deila Longford

  If you would like any more information on any of my books, please email, [email protected]

  If you enjoyed this book, please check out my other novels now available on Amazon.

  Three thousand miles series

  Three thousand miles to you

  Three thousand miles - jealousy

  Three thousand miles - forever

  Coming soon

  Three thousand miles - closer

  Forever yours series

  Forever yours part 1

  Forever yours part 2

  Forever yours part 3

  Forever yours part 4

  Talking in the Garden

  Coming soon