Just under a year has passed since my accident and since Indi and I finally got back together where we belong. Although Indi and I have kept it quiet that we are together. The only people that know are our families and Kenzi, that way the paparazzi won’t have any reason to attack her. We’re very careful about being seen in public and Indi is working most of the time when I have concerts, so she isn’t able to come to many of them. But soon Staked is going on tour with Slayed for six months and that’s going to prove hard for our relationship. Especially, considering we are with each other most of the time.

Indi did eventually move out and went back to her old home next to Mrs. Latham, but she comes over all the time and I get a taxi to her house whenever I need to. We still see each other as often as possible, so going from seeing each other every other day to not seeing each other for six months is going to be very, very, tough on us both. And I just hope that Indi can handle it. I know she trusts me, and we have had talks about groupies. She’s seen me with some at the concerts that she’s been able to attend and she knows I would never cheat on her. I know in my heart she believes that.

Sasha hasn’t been around at all which is a relief. Indi had a massive chat with me about her, and we decided that if I were seen with Sasha in photographs or anything while I was on tour, Indi wouldn’t hesitate to break it off. She knows I’d never sleep with her, but she’s still a little irrational when it comes to Sasha. I cannot blame her at all. She’s a no-go zone, and even though Indi trusts me, she doesn’t want me to have anything to do with her. So if I do, then we’re over no questions asked, and after everything we’ve been through I’m not going to risk anything happening. If Sasha shows up anywhere, she’ll be politely escorted out by my security team. There’s no way I’m fucking this up. But I haven’t heard anything from Sasha, so I doubt I will now.

Staked’s fame has increased exponentially, and the shows we’re doing now are massive and so much fun. I wish Indi could come to all of them, but I know she wants to keep working. I told her she should quit and come on tour with me, but she said she needed to feel like she’s helping people and doing something constructive. I understand, being the girlfriend on tour is not really her thing. She needs to be saving lives and making a difference. That’s what she’s good at. So I support her completely, just means I’m going to miss her like hell.

We leave for our six-month tour in two days and today we’re heading into Oxfordshire to have a pre-tour meeting with everyone. There’ll be another band on tour with us, they’re from America, but hopefully we’ll all get along well. Indi is driving and the last couple of days she’s been a little quieter.

“Baby, are you okay? I can cancel the tour if you want me to stay?” I ask and her head flicks around and she glares at me.

“Are you kidding?” She turns her head back to the road. “No way are you cancelling the tour. People are expecting you to go. What would your bandmates think? And more importantly, what would people say about me if I forced you to stay home just because I’m going to miss you like crazy?”

I rest my hand on her knee. “I’m going to miss you too, so much. But when we have time off I’ll fly back to see you, or you can come see me if you have a couple of days off. We can Skype and text and I’ll call you every single day. We just have to work out time zones. It will work I promise.”

She glances at me sideways and smiles. “I know, we’ll make it work. It has to work. I knew getting involved with you that there would be long touring stints, and that my life would stay back here in London. I just didn’t think it would be so damn hard watching you leave.”

“I know, but I’m coming back. I am coming back to you, and when I come back, I want to make us more official. I’ve asked you so many times if you’ll marry me and you keep saying no, and that’s okay, but will you at least move in with me? Or if you don’t like my place we can find something we both like and move in together? The back and forth drives me mad, and when you were staying at my place, it felt right. So not a marriage proposal again, but a living arrangement proposal. What do you say?”

“I would love that,” she replies.

“What really?” I wasn’t expecting that to be so easy.

She giggles and nods. “Yes Caleb, I want to move in with you.”

I smile and inwardly high five myself. “Well, who would have thought?”

She chuckles and moves her hand down to mine on her knee and interlaces our fingers. We arrive at the manor a short time later and I press the button on my remote to open the gates. Pulling up to my usual parking spot, which has now become Indi’s seeing as I’m still legally not allowed to drive, we get out of the car. By the time we get back from the tour, I will be able to drive again and have my license back.

“Okay, let’s go listen to some boring bullshit that Colt has to say. His speeches used to be inspirational, but now they’re just annoying,” I say as we get out of the car. Indi chuckles and walks over taking my hand.

“Just listen and take it all in. You haven’t been on a tour this big, so don’t be arrogant, Caleb. Let’s face it, Colt has the experience to back up what he’s saying. Maybe you should sit and learn something for once,” she says and I feign mock disgust.

“Oh, yes ma’am.”

She slaps my arm and holds my hand walking with me to the front door.

 

Indi

 

Lia answers the door and is her usual bright and bubbly happy self.

“Come on in guys, we’re all here. I made some scones. Oh my God, I sound like my mother,” she says and giggles as we walk in. I smile and she winks as I pass by and we walk down toward the music room, the hub and life of this house.

“Oh good, Caleb, you’re here. Hey, Indi, it’s great to see you again,” Colt says as we all walk in and Caleb kisses my temple then walks over to sit next to Chad. I move across with Lia to sit on the white lounge suite.

“So as you all know we leave for our world tour in two days. Well, I guess we don’t leave per se because the first stop is Wembley, but still we start our world tour…”

I tune out as Colt begins to talk about the tour. Looking around the room I check out all the rock royalty, including my boyfriend. I can’t believe that from what I came from growing up, that I’m now sitting here, in Oxfordshire, in the presence of all these amazingly talented people. I really am lucky. Someone grabs my hand and I turn to see Lia smirking at me.

“It’s all a bit awe-inspiring, isn’t it?” she whispers.

I nod my head and take in a breath. “They’re all so talented, and I’m just…a nurse,” I whisper back.

She smiles and nudges me with her shoulder. “Just a nurse? You save lives, Indi, that’s pretty heroic.”

“That’s just training. These guys have talent, and it’s super exciting,” I whisper and she nods.

“I know what you mean. When I first came on the scene, this whole world was new to me too. I had no idea about rock music nor the life it involved. It’s a hell of a ride, but trust me it’s one worth taking.”

I glance over at Caleb, who’s smiling brightly then back to Lia and bite my bottom lip. “How do you handle the touring?” I whisper. She half smiles and nods taking my hand and standing up pulling me with her. We walk briskly out of the music room without being noticed. I wonder what she’s doing as we walk down the hall to the kitchen.

“We can talk better out here. Plus, I need coffee. You want one?” she asks as we make it to the island bench.

I nod and smile.

“I hate whispering, it feels like I’m conspiring,” she says and I chuckle. “So touring, how do I deal with it?”

I nod as she pulls out the coffee machine.

“Well, honestly, when I first got together with Colt I went on tour with him. That was a crazy arse ride, and one I will never forget. The jealousy, the misunderstandings, the groupies, the drugs, it was hectic and depressing,” she says. I open my eyes wide as my heart jumps into my throat. “But in saying that, this tour will be different to the ones I went on back then. Slayed are adults now. Yes, they were back then, but they weren’t responsible adults. They all have children who will also be on the tour with them. They’ll be setting an example by making sure there are no drugs and limited alcohol. There are no fan groups on tour like they used to have, thank God, and the parents will be around all the time so there’s nothing they won’t see. In all seriousness, the kids won’t be able to stuff up at all,” she says and I chew the side of my lip.

“What if…he can’t hold out six months?”

“As in sex?” she asks with a frown.

I look down to the floor and nod. She walks over taking my hands in hers and holding them tightly.

“Indi, sweetheart. You two have been through so much. He has lost you twice already. Trust me when I say that he won’t do anything to lose you a third time. He would chop off his junk if it meant he’d be with you forever. Sex was important to Caleb once, but that was before you. It was used only to fill the gap of being without you. Now you’re in his life, sweetheart, he has no need for it. You’re enough for him. Making love to you is just the bonus,” she says and I exhale and swallow hard.

“How can you ever really be sure that Colt wouldn’t sleep with someone else on tour though?” I ask and Lia smiles.

“Because I trust him. I know him and his love for me and our family. He wouldn’t want to jeopardise that just to get his end in. And that’s the same with Caleb, he wouldn’t want to lose you just for a quick fuck. Trust me Indi, you have absolutely nothing to worry about,” she says and leans in kissing my forehead. Then walks over back to the coffee machine.

“He asked me to move in with him when he gets back,” I say.

“See if he wasn’t serious about you, why would he ask that? He’ll be asking you to marry him soon then,” she says.

I roll my eyes because he asks me all the time. “I know he loves me—”

“Then don’t doubt him. Has he actually ever cheated on you? I mean, I know about the Maddie situation, and I know about Sasha. But you weren’t together those two times so they don’t count,” she says and I smile and shake my head.

“No, he hasn’t.”

“Then why would he start now?” she asks and I smile because I know she’s right. Why would he? We’re in such a good place and I’m worried because of what the media portray rock band tours to be. But Staked is different. They’re not into heavy drugs and alcohol, they don’t have a swarm of groupies, and they aren’t ruled by their libidos. Most of them are couples anyway, and who knows what the deal is with Ella and Chad. Caleb and I can see that Chad has a hard on for her, but she seems oblivious.

“Thanks, Lia, you know how to make me feel better.”

“That’s my job, honey. I was where you are now once too, and I remember how scary it is. The only difference is I didn’t know Colt well. You know Caleb. You know the people he’s going to be surrounded and protected by. Nothing is going to go wrong, and I promise you I’ll keep an eye on him for you. If you want me to report to you every day then I will, just to keep you sane.”

“Thanks, Lia. I wouldn’t mind you watching out for him. And I would love to hear from you, but a daily step by step isn’t necessary though.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think it would be, but the option is there if you need it,” she says and I smile as I walk around helping her with the coffee.

 

***

 

We get back to Caleb’s place and he’s busy packing while I sit on his bed and watch.

“You and Lia disappeared today for a while, where’d you get off to?” Caleb asks as he heads into the en-suite.

“Oh, we just went into the kitchen for coffee and a chat. We didn’t want to keep whispering while Colt was pep-talking you guys up,” I reply and he comes out with his toiletries bag.

“Oh yeah? What were you talking about?”

“Just the usual, groupies, jealousies, minions, all that boring stuff.”

He stops in his tracks and looks up at me furrowing his brows. He huffs and then walks over to me and squats down next to the bed so he’s in line with me.

“I can still call this tour off if you don’t want me to go?”

I smile and bring my hand up and into his hair. “No, of course not. She made me feel really good about it actually. I trust you. I trust the people around you. I know you’re not going to get into any mischief. It’s just I don’t trust the fans not to hurt you. But most of all I don’t trust that I’m not going to miss you like crazy,” I say and he half smiles and rests his hands on my knees.

“Baby, the minions aren’t going to get near me. Dad has got a security detail a mile deep on us at all times, and I know he won’t let me out of his sight. You know that he or Colt won’t let anything happen. And as for you missing me, I hope you do, so when I come back, our reunion is going to be mind-shatteringly pleasurable.”

“Always thinking of the pleasure,” I say and sniff.

“Pleasure with you is not just physical, Indi, it’s psychological too. Being near you, kissing you, knowing that you love me as much as I love you and that one day you’ll say yes to marrying me, is pleasurable for me. You give me pleasure in all things, Indi.”

I swallow a lump that seems to be caught in my throat and sniff back the tears. He’s being such a romantic right now.

“I love you and I’m going to live stream all of your shows when I’m not working, I promise. I’ll be with you as much as I can.”

“I’d love that. When I rub my thumb over my bottom lip that means I’m thinking of you, okay? A signal just for us to know about. So you know I’m thinking about you.”

I lean forward and kiss him which knocks us both off balance and I fall from the bed and he falls onto his back with me on top of him. We both laugh as we lay there.

“Falling for me already, and I haven’t even started my world tour yet, Miss Malone.”

“Oh, Mr. McCormack-Slade, I fell for you a long time ago,” I say, he smiles and leans up kissing me strongly.

“Fuck packing, I’ll do it in the morning. Let me spend all night inside of you?” I smile and nod. “Oh, thank fuck for that,” he says bringing his lips back to mine and rolling us on the floor pinning me under him.

I wrap my legs around his waist and he grinds his hard cock in between my legs and I moan into his mouth. I’m definitely going to miss this for the next six months. I am going to miss his house, I’m going to miss his smell, I’m going to miss his family, his band, his friends. I’m going to miss having someone I can talk to and confide in. I’m going to miss being able to be myself around someone, but most of all I’m going to miss knowing that the love of my life is nearby. Soon he’ll be thousands of miles away from me, and there’s not a thing I can do to make the distance closer. Being without him is going to suck. Majorly. But I guess this is what my life is going to be like if I’m going to spend my life with a rock star. And especially if I want to continue being a nurse. Who knows what this tour will do for Staked. This could be the big break he’s after and I’ll just be sitting back here in the wings waiting for him to come back to me. Which he better, because if he doesn’t I will be broken beyond repair. And if he does anything to jeopardise us again, I don’t know if I could come back from it a third time.

All I know is that Caleb is in my soul and the only thing I could see stuffing us up right now is Sasha. She’s a no-go zone for me, and I know she hasn’t been around at all and that makes me undeniably happy, but if she were to rear her ugly head that could push me over the edge. The rage and anger I hold toward her makes me uncomfortable. But to be treated the way I was when she broke the story of Caleb and me to everyone was unforgivably terrible. Being egged at my own home was something I’ll never forget, and she was the reason that happened. She’s the reason I wasn’t able to go back to my home for over four months because the media stalked me until eventually they figured I’d moved. Only then was it okay for me to go back there. She broke me and Caleb up and she made me feel abhorrent, and not only that, she brought back all the emotional despair of my parents and my childhood. I shouldn’t have ever had to relive that, and she made that happen. So as far as Sasha goes she’s out-of-bounds and a hard limit for me. Any contact with her I will see as a complete disregard for my feelings and Caleb knows this. So I’m pretty sure nothing will happen there, but if she ever shows her butt ugly face around me she better watch out. Because I might be small, and as Annie says like a little pixie, but get me on the war path and it’s like releasing The Kraken. And if Sasha shows her face to me, I won’t be held responsible for my actions. But for tonight I’m going to let all my built up rage go and spend the last moments with my boyfriend before he has to leave for a six-month adventure without me.