I have this tradition… at all of my shows; I get a girl up on stage and sing her a song – ‘Blue Eyed Girl’. I’ve done it from day one, my very first show, and continued to do it, even when that little punk Justin Bieber started asking if anyone wanted to be his baby.

Douche.

Every show, this part was the same. Someone, usually J, would pluck a girl out of the crowd, bring her up on the stage, and I’d sing her the song about the blue-eyed girl. It didn’t matter what colour eyes she had, that girl always turned to mush.

Tonight, was the first time in five years, and over four hundred shows, that I wouldn’t be pulling a random girl from the crowd. It was also the first time I wouldn’t sing ‘Blue Eyed Girl’, which was ironic really, because I knew the girl I’d be singing to had the most beautiful blue eyes.

I gave Jasper the nod. He was side stage, keeping an eye on Charlotte and Hannah for me.

He nodded back with a grin.

I knew I could count on J.

I’d given him strict instructions, and so far, he’d complied.

Number one: They weren’t to go anywhere without protection – if Charlotte went anywhere then one of Sammy’s guys went with her. No exceptions. I don’t think I would have been able to concentrate on the music if I’d been worrying about her getting caught up in any of this madness.

Number two: He was the only person to get them drinks. I didn’t trust anyone working those bars, and I’d brought in a selection of drinks, just for the girls.

Number three: He had to help me get Charlotte on stage, even if it meant throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her out here to me.

I was seriously hoping it wouldn’t come to that. I wasn’t sure I had it in me to watch his hands on her tight body without causing a scene.

I sat down on the front of the stage, my legs dangling over the edge. “Now I know there’s something I usually do about now…” I trailed off as the crowd started screaming for me to pick them.

The beast was in full force this evening.

“But I’m not gonna do that tonight.” I broke it to them with a grimace.

The crowd went eerily silent for a moment, before the groans of disappointment rang out.

I chuckled. “You all want me to be happy, right?” I winked at the mass of bodies.

A chorus of suggestions like ‘I’ll make you happy’ and ‘you’ll be happy with me, baby’, were thrown my way.

“Thing is, ladies, I’ve got someone right here who makes me very happy.”

I don’t know how, over the noise of the crowd, but somehow, I heard Charlotte gasp. Maybe it’s because I was hyper aware of her. I’d watched from the corner of my eye as her body swayed back and forth to the music through my whole set, I’d watched as she sang when she felt like it, and I certainly hadn’t missed the way she’d made eyes at me like I was some kind of god.

Fuck… I’ve missed her.

Every move I’d made, every chord I’d played had been on another level, the fact that she was here, watching, just heightened my awareness and put my senses on high alert.

It was a tough freakin’ gig staying here in the middle of this stage when she was over there looking as appealing as she was. Those over-the-knee, high-heeled boots and loose-fit denim shirt dress she had on had given me a hard-on the minute I’d laid eyes on her. I was glad I didn’t wear a mic, because the strangled groan I’d let slip as I walked out left very little to the imagination.

I turned to look at her and couldn’t help the deep chuckle that reverberated from deep in my chest.

“She looks terrified,” I told the crowd.

Some of them laughed, some let out a big ‘awwwww’… some grumbled and moaned.

Charlotte pointed at herself as if to say ‘me?’.

I nodded in response.

She shook her head furiously and took a couple of steps backwards.

“I’ll do it if she won’t!” Hannah called out with a shit-eating grin.

I chuckled again.

“J, mind giving me a hand, man?” I spoke into the mic.

Jasper appeared behind Charlotte and gave her a not so subtle push forward.

“All yours, Park,” I heard Brock say behind me. I’d requested two chairs to be set up centre stage, facing one another, and that the lights were dropped on the band. I jumped to my feet and handed him my electric guitar, instead, taking the acoustic guitar he had ready for me.

“Thanks, man.”

I glanced back over to Charlotte who was being forced out onto the stage by Jasper.

Shit… she’s nervous as hell.

I sauntered over and stopped directly in front of her. “Hey, babe,” I murmured as I tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “You mind doing me a solid and sitting that sexy little ass down on that chair over there?” I gestured behind me.

She was looking up at me, her eyes as wide as saucers. She gaped, but seemed unable to form any words.

“Thanks, J, I got it from here,” I told Jasper with a smirk.

He looked as though he didn’t quite share my opinion, but backed off to stand with Hannah.

I took her hand and tugged her out further. The crowd went wild the moment they caught sight of her. As jealous as some of those fans might have been, this was unheard of for me… this crowd was getting to see something special, and they knew it.

I led her to the chair and sat her down.

Her body was rigid and tense.

I stood behind her and leant down to whisper in her ear. “It’s just me and you, legs, forget about the beast.” I tipped my head in the direction of the screaming crowd.

I heard her soft giggle and saw her shoulders relax slightly.

I moved around and sat down opposite her, looking right at her gorgeous face.

“Now I know I usually sing ‘Blue Eyed Girl’…” I told the crowd through the mic sitting on the stand in front of me, my eyes never leaving Charlotte’s. “But tonight, I’m gonna ask this pretty girl if I can do something different.”

Charlotte gave me a confused look.

“I wrote a song,” I carried on. “Inspired by the beauty in front of me.”

The crowd let out a series of cat calls and ‘ohhhs’ and ‘ahhhhs’.

“And if she doesn’t mind, I want to sing it for her.”

Charlotte looked like she might be going to pass out.

I swung the mic around so the crowd couldn’t hear. “That okay with you, babe?”

She nodded numbly, but her eyes were alight with fire.

I took it as a yes.

“Well alright then,” I drawled as I put the mic back in its place. “This here is called ‘Captured’.”