Chapter 30

Guys, when I heard the live version of this song...there was no way I couldn't include it in this story.
So the later song (you'll see when) is inspired by this....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c0GbAxnRcA

This is the NEXT TO LAST CHAPTER.
& The sequel is going to be posted on Tumblr because it's easier to navigate and not as messy.  I will let you all know next chapter how to find it.

This chapter is explicit.

My wardrobe team busied themselves with ironing and restitching my pieces for the show.  The makeup artist took care in perfecting my face while I sipped room temperature water and took a couple shots of honey.  My hair was being curled carefully and pulled out to be worked into beachy waves.

And yet...all I could think about was how my relationship was a mess right now, and how I was going to push it all aside to perform properly tonight.  Back at the BBC store, I refused to speak to Kam, and once the crowd dissipated, I left without a second word to him.  I came straight to the venue, hours early, just to lock myself in my dressing room and cry until I had to get it together for my crew to begin preparing me for the show.

“Feeling good tonight?” My vocal coach, Ramona asked.

“Mhm.” I lied.

Ramona went over basic scales and exercises with me, and once I was warmed up, she wished me the best of luck and left.  My wardrobe team helped me into my first outfit and I was left to hang out for the last fifteen minutes until the top of the show.

There was a soft knock at my door.  “Who is it?” I asked.

“Me.” Bruno replied.

I rolled my eyes, “Me, who?”

He opened the door and came in.  “You know who, don’t act like you don’t know my voice.” He teased, but I wasn’t having it.  I saw he was dressed for the top of the show in a graphic tee and distressed jeans, his hair done nicely, but hidden underneath what looked like, to me at least, to be a new fedora.  It was crimson red with black detailing.  He was also absentmindedly spinning his drumsticks in his hand as he leaned against the door.

He was going to be playing for my introduction, and then I would continue with the rest of my set alone, and he would come on afterwards with the Hooligans.

“Your energy doesn’t feel too good, what’s up?” Bruno asked.

“Nothing.” I said flatly, tending to my nails.

He groaned, “Come on baby, seriously? What did I do now?”

“Did you have fun helping your guitarist learn his parts?” I looked up at him, waiting for him to lie.

Oddly enough, he didn’t even flinch.  “I wouldn’t call it fun, per se.  I’d prefer if Kenji hadn’t just disappeared.” Wow.  He really just lied to my face and had I not known the truth, I surely would have believed him.

I looked back down at my nails, “Ok.”

He shoved the drumsticks into his back pocket and came over to the couch, placing his hands on both sides of me as he leaned in to kiss me, but I turned my face.  “Bruno, you’re lying to me.” I finally said, looking at him, our faces just inches apart.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

I looked into his eyes, trying to find some kind of reason behind them.  “I saw you earlier, in Shibuya.  You, Eric and Dre.  You weren’t helping your guitarist, you....you were ditching me.”

He moved back from me and knelt in front of me instead, taking my hand within his own.  “Babe, I just got done early with the guitarist, that’s all.”

“So why didn’t you come get me?” I questioned.

“Because I assumed you were asleep.  You’ve been so tired lately from working so hard, I wanted to give you a break.  Why would I ditch you? I love you, I haven’t seen you in a month...all I want to do is spend time with you.” He said sincerely, but I wasn’t sure if I should believe him or not.  It was foolish of me to think that way, he wasn’t a liar, but damn something just didn’t feel right to me, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“I just want to do this show.  I don’t wanna talk about this right now.” I dismissed it.  I needed to think about things later, and five minutes before the top of the show wasn’t the right time to do it.

“I’m gonna let you go but...” He stood up, kissing the top of my hand, “Can you promise me something?”

“What?” I asked.

He smirked, “If it turns out that you’ve been upset about nothing, I get to fuck you at the afterparty tonight.”

I looked at him, confused.  “You’d probably try do that anyway...?”

“Nah, I mean in public, out in the open.  No closet, no bathroom, right where everyone can see.”

“Bruno!”

“Promise it to me!”

“I promise, but it’s not gonna happen because I’m really upset with you.”

He chuckled and pulled his drumsticks out of his pocket as he left, spinning them in his hands again.  “Remember that.” He said, as he shut the door.

I stared after him, utterly confused.  Here I was, set on ending things with him, being fed up with him...and he ended up leaving more confident in our relationship than I was!  Maybe he glamoured me...but I didn’t feel glamoured.  Usually after he did that, I felt spacey and daydreamy.

The stage manager came into my dressing room, interrupting my thoughts.  “We’re ready.”

I was rushed to the backstage area with my dancers, and Bruno and his Hooligans.  We all formed a giant circle and said a prayer for an amazing performance, before shaking ourselves out and separating.  I climbed underneath the stage, onto my designated platform, and locked eyes with Bruno as he shot me a smile and walked up the ramp out onto the stage.

In that moment, I couldn’t think about being angry or the woes of my life.  All I could think about was how I was sharing the stage, for the first time in my life, with Bruno.  Not as some gimmicked nonsense to get a buzz, but as two actual performers.  Two highly anticipated acts.  Two accomplished musicians who loved their craft.

Even though I wasn’t forgetting what had happened earlier, I had to admit I was damn happy to be able to put on one hell of a show.

I heard the arena go into a frenzy when they heard the beginning synths of the intro.  If it was possible, they got even louder when Bruno started on the drums.  The stage manager came back to check on me.  “You good?”

I nodded, adjusting my mic on my cheek.  She handed me a tiny cup of water that I sipped, before I heard my cue.

On count, I came rising up out of the stage, along with the pyros, smoke encircling the stage.  “Good evening Tokyo.” I said, my voice echoing throughout the dark arena, only lit up by the flashing lasers. “My name is Roxanne, but with the help of my good friend Bruno Mars,”

They screamed again and I chuckled.

“I’d like to introduce myself, as your Nicotine.”

Shots of fire ejected out of the stage as Bruno started playing for my song ‘Nicotine’.  I ran forward and did my set as rehearsed, with my dancers hitting every step perfectly.  I got a rush, a huge rush.  Man, I really loved to do this.

The crowd sang along to every word, and once the song came to an end, the arena went black.  I knew Bruno had returned backstage with his crew, since that was the only part of the show he was involved in with me.  I continued with my next song, and the third and fourth, then I ran backstage to change hurriedly for the fifth.

“You’re killing it tonight.” Ramona said while I wriggled into my costume.

“Thanks Mona.” I smiled.  My makeup artist came and reapplied my lipstick, wiping my sweat carefully; and soon I was handed my crimson red electric guitar and pushed behind the stage quickly.  Damn, they were wasting no time.

When I got the cue, I ran out to the microphone and started to play my guitar....

But I got no sound.

Zero sound.

Puzzled, my eyes widened, my heart racing as I thought up something.  I spoke into the mic, “Technical difficulties guys, sorry about this, damn.” I fumbled with the knobs on my guitar and looked backstage, only to see everyone was gone.

What the fuck!?

Suddenly, the arena went dark, and the fog machine started up, causing smoke to waft across the stage.  I heard an soft jazz keyboard start up chords to a song that was familiar to me because it was one of my favorite all-time songs, but it was not a part of the show.

There Goes My Baby...by...Usher...?
 
A string orchestra joined with it, and I looked behind me to see a symphony rising out of the stage, along with the center platform that had Bruno’s entire band on it.

The crowd went silent, I’m sure they were as confused as I was at the moment.  I looked around, unable to even faux like I knew what was going on.  When the chorus dropped, I heard Bruno’s voice and the crowd started screaming, but I was still lost.

He emerged from backstage, coming out from the pathway that was underneath the center platform.  I noticed he was dressed completely different!  He wore a white dress shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a tuxedo vest and dress pants.  His hair was void of his fedora, instead perfectly coiffed.

I stepped backwards, looking around at everything, wondering if they were pulling a prank on me, because again...I was still lost.  Bruno continued to sing the song as he approached the front of the stage.  He was singing it to the crowd at first, completely ignoring the fact that I was standing onstage with my guitar, looking like a deer in headlights.

On the second chorus, he turned to me, smiling his heart stopping smile, but I probably looked like a fan that had gotten pulled up onstage because I stood there, looking out at the crowd and looking back at him, blinking in confusion.  He walked over to me and took my hand, while the band and orchestra played softer.

“Is it alright if I share this moment with all you beautiful people out there?” Bruno asked, looking out at the thousands of fans who were watching intently.  They all screamed in reply.  He turned back to me.  “Roxanne, I knew I was going to love you the moment I first laid eyes on you, and six years later here we are, even death couldn’t tear us apart.  I feel honored that you chose to be with me, that I get to call you my woman; but,”

He got down on one knee and the realization hit me like a bag of bricks.  I lost it.  I covered my face and the audience started going apeshit as he pulled out a beautiful diamond ring and continued...

“I would feel even more honored, if I could call you my wife.  Roxanne Mays, will you marry me?”

My knees buckled and I had to kneel down as I took my guitar off, setting it aside as tears flooded from my eyes, my hands shakily covering my mouth. I gasped for breath as I looked into his eyes,

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Oh my God!” I managed to say, not wanting to keep him nervous for much longer! Everybody cheered as I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly and sobbing uncontrollably.  I had to rip my mic off my face, just so I wouldn’t sound like an babbling idiot amplified across the arena.

Bruno held me close, “I gotta put the ring on baby.” He said with a small laugh.

“Oh!” I pulled back and held out my hand and he slipped the ring onto my finger and my smile was so wide, fresh tears still escaping my eyes.  The band grew louder and Bruno stood up, helping me to my feet as he continued into another chorus.  I wiped my mascara ridden tears best I could.

Then I realized how stupid I was, here I was, thinking everything was falling apart! I was ready to end things with him, when the reason I was feeling so out of order was because he was planning this whole ordeal!

‘There goes my baby.
You don’t know how good it feels to call you my wife.
There goes my baby.
Loving everything you do,
Ooh girl, look at you.’

“Alright Tokyo, as much as I don’t want to, I’m giving you back your performer now.” Bruno waved to the crowd, kissed me, and then blew a kiss to everyone as he walked backwards to the platform, turning around and disappearing underneath the stage while the band finished out a dramatic ending to the song.

When it was all over, I looked out at the audience and just broke down again, having to kneel down just to get myself together.  They all began ‘aww’-ing, understanding how overwhelmed I was with this.

I finally reattached my microphone and pulled my guitar back on over my shoulder, raising my hand to cue my band to start.  My dancers came out and I continued the show, even though I was shaky and still full of nerves.  Good thing I was near the end anyway.  I changed again for the rest of my concert and ended it extravagantly, saying my goodbyes while the band played my outro and I was lowered underneath the stage.

Immediately I was bombarded with Robyn and Ashley, both of whom I didn’t even know were here! They both screamed and jumped and hugged me tightly.  “Oh my God lemme see! Lemme see!” Ashley grabbed my hand, staring at the giant rock on my finger.  “AGH!”

“It’s huuuuuge! Congratulations Rox, I am so happy for you!” Robyn exclaimed, giving me a big kiss on the cheek.  I heard Bruno’s show starting up, so I knew it would be a while before I saw him, but damn if this was the hardest time to wait, ever!  “So much for having problems huh!”

“Yeah, I told you!” Ashley agreed.  “You impatient whore!”

Robyn added, “She was crazy Ash, all on the phone today getting upset over nothing.  By the way, you’re welcome!”

“I’m welcome? For what?” I asked.

“Yours truly told him about how you used to rave about how you wanted to get proposed to with ‘There Goes My Baby’!” Robyn said proudly.

“And the wardrobe is thanks to me telling him how sexy you thought it was when he wears a tux vest and dress shirt.” Ashley raised her hand, cheesing.

I shoved them both.  “I hate you both so much! How the hell did this happen without me knowing!?” I walked back into my dressing room and began to strip out of my uncomfortable costume.  The way the beautiful diamond ring glinted in the lighting caught my eye every time.

“A lot of planning.” Robyn said, “So...afterparty tonight, Mrs. Hernandez?”

“Afterparty...right.” I recalled my earlier conversation with Bruno.  “Afterparty...”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.  I just...” I thought up a lie on the spot, “I just don’t know what to wear!”
 

“So, I got you something.” Bruno said, watching as I went from room to room inside of the hotel suite, trying to get ready for the evening.

“Something else?” I asked, stopping to kiss him as he sat patiently on the bed, but immediately continuing with my incessant pacing, trying on different pairs of earrings.

“Mhm.” He said, grabbing my wrist before I could walk by again.  “Chill out babe, you’re all over the place.”

“You just proposed to me in front of 70,000 people, I’m pretty sure I can’t chill out!” I exclaimed, jumping atop him and pinning him to the bed.  “I still can’t believe you did that.”

“Kam told me how mad you were.”

“I was pissed Bruno, I was seriously about to end our relationship tonight.” I said, fixing his tie.

He grinned, “I know.  You gotta learn to trust me, babygirl.” He grabbed me by the waist and flipped me over on the bed.  “Now, I got you something” I watched as he climbed off me and reached underneath the bed, pulling out a sleek black box.

“Ooh what could this be?” I mused, opening the lid.  I pulled out a sexy, short black dress with a cage back, and gold detailing around the waistline.  “Damn, this is hot!”

“Go put it on.” He urged.  I rushed back into the bathroom and slipped the piece on, and it fit me like a glove.  It showed off all the right curves, and I felt hot in it.  Especially when I posed with my engagement ring on in the mirror.  I was definitely feeling myself tonight.

“You ready?” I called.

“Ready!”

I slipped on my red, spiked wedge booties and came strutting out, and the moment he laid eyes on me, I heard a click and he covered his mouth.

“Damn it.” He muttered, his voice muffled.

I laughed, “Mission accomplished! I must look pretty smokin’.”

“You do...but I’m also really hungry.” He added.

“You haven’t fed?” I asked, he shook his head.  I walked over and sat next to him, “Here, you should do it now, before we get in a club full of people with racing pulses watching our every move.”

He uncovered his mouth.  “You sure?”

“It’s fine.” I assured him.

“See how unsexy this is when it’s needed all the time?” He complained, maneuvering himself behind me on the bed as he brought my hair all over one shoulder.  “I feel like I’m taking blood tests.”

I giggled, “It’s alright Bruno, we’re not living in an oversexed vampire novel, I’m fine with it.”
 

Paparazzi swarmed our entire star-studded crew as we arrived at the nightclub.  There were also a ton of fans too.  Flashbulbs were going off like crazy while Dre and Robyn’s security took care in guiding us inside.

We went straight to VIP, the club was thumping with Katy B’s “Lights On” and I walked in waving my hands around, excited to get the party started.  I hadn’t been clubbing in a while...since the incident with Rupert, actually, so it felt nice to be here in the comfort of my closest friends.

“Is that tequila?!” I announced, pointing to the Silver Patron that was calling my name.  Robyn and I went running over to the ice bucket of liquor and started going in. Bruno separated with his boys in the other part of VIP, meanwhile Ashley kept it cute with a cosmo from the bar.

I felt a hand on my back and I looked up to see Eric, who leaned down so I could hear him. “Hey! Congrats on the engagement lil sis.”

I grinned, “Thanks!”

He left to join up with Bruno and I took another shot with Robyn, making a face as I sucked on a lime.  I felt the liquor beginning to loosen me up, so I stood up, readjusting my dress as I went over to the balcony, waving to all the fans who had showed up.  The DJ spun the next track, “Niggas in Paris” by Jay Z and Kanye, and I started wildin.

Robyn came up next to me and Ashley was on my other side.  “PUT YOUR FUCKIN HANDS IN THE AIR!” I yelled, and the crowd started grooving with me.  “Ball so hard mothafuckas wanna find me!” I continued, shaking my hair and jumping up and down.  I tripped and almost fell, but Robyn caught me.

“I’m gonna need you to not fall over the balcony!” She said, laughing.  I bent over and took my booties off, setting them aside.  I was surprised to see Ashley going harder than I had ever seen her at a club before.  When she dropped it low, I started cracking up.

“Yo Ash, you’re craaaazy!” Robyn yelled.

“I love this song! That shit cray! That shit cray!” Ashley cheered, popping her ass.  The DJ Spun again and A$AP Rocky’s “Peso” came on next.  I ventured back over to the liquor and poured another shot.  I was a little buzzed, but I wasn’t hammered.  I was more high off happiness than anything else.

Speaking of anything else, I did smell marijuana in the vicinity, but that was to be expected.  “I be that pretty mothafucka! Harlem’s what I’m reppin!” I rapped along the lyrics to the song.  I sat back on the couch, smoothing out my bangs as I scanned the crowd in VIP.  I saw Robyn over with Bruno’s crew and she came back out with a blunt.

“Yo, yo!” I waved for her to come over to me.  She took a drag and sat next to me.  “Why are they smoking that shit, is Bruno smoking?” I asked.

She smiled, “Let him chill out, he just got engaged!” She defended.  “You need to hit it.”

“I have a show in two days, I can’t.” I pushed the blunt away.  Unlike Bruno, my voice didn’t sound very nice when it was raspy.

“Then take another shot, ya little hoe!” She said in a Nicki Minaj voice.  I giggled and took another one.  I looked around for Ashley, and to my surprise I saw her dancing with Phredley.  I knew people were taking pictures, and I wondered what Joe would have to say about that when she gets back to the states!

“Wack shit, I’m about to tell the DJ to spin them freaky tracks.” Robyn said.

My brow furrowed, “What for!? I like this song!”

Robyn waved me off, taking another drag from the blunt before passing it to some random guy in the entourage.  “I wanna freak off someone.  I might get at Ry.”

I burst out laughing.  “You’re crazy! DO IT.  I will Youtube it I swear to God!” I cackled.

“Bout to put on some Drake, nigga!” Robyn stood up and scurried off towards the DJ booth.  I stood up and tried to find my shoes, forgetting already where I had left them only moments prior.

“Where’s my fucking shoes...” I mumbled.  “This is my shiiiiiiit.” I said aloud when the DJ spun Drake’s “Practice”.  I knew I was in for it, once I saw Bruno across the VIP.  The moment our eyes met, he said something to one of his boys and came right in my direction.

Our eyes never wavered from one another until he was mere inches from my face, his hands on the wall above my head as he leaned in to kiss my neck.  I tilted my head back slightly, trying to keep my eyes open to make sure I could keep watch...but the damn tequila was starting to really kick in and all I felt was Bruno’s tongue tracing unidentifiable patterns on my skin.  His fangs were extended, I could feel them lightly drag across my pulse point as he pressed his lips to my ear.

“You have a promise to keep.” He whispered, his hands sliding down the wall to grip my waist.

“But....what if someone sees us?” I asked, looking into his eyes, dark with desire.

“Give 'em somethin' worth talkin' about then.” He bit his lip, looking me up and down.

He knew how to make me want him, that’s for damn sure.

I turned around and placed my hands against the wall as I started grinding against him to the beat of the song.  I could feel my dress riding up a little bit, but I figured it didn’t matter at this point, especially since it looked like we were dancing anyway.  I felt his hardness though his pants as he held my hips tighter, pressing himself against me.

I gasped when I felt his hand slip between my already dripping wet inner thighs, and I spread my legs more so he could move higher, and he gladly obliged, rubbing my clit with his thumb as he pushed two fingers inside of me.  Now I really started grinding against him, aching with need for release.  I realized how long it had been since we’ve had sex...so much so that I lost all inhibition and just wanted him to fuck me senseless.

I felt him grasp my hair with his other hand, wrapping it up in his fist as he pulled me up straight.  “How bad do you want me to fuck you right now?” He asked in a low voice, pulling out his fingers from my pussy and pressing them against my lips.  I licked them clean.

“Do it, please...” I pleaded.  He melted me into putty in his hands whenever he got me like this, I hated it, but loved it at the same time.

Using normal human speed, thank God, I didn’t want to make a scene, he turned me around so my back was against the wall; he lifted one of my legs up and I hooked it around his waist.

Luckily it was nice and dark.  While he kissed me deeply, I unbuttoned his pants, pulling his cock free of its constraints.  I stroked him a couple times, getting wetter, if that was even possible, by how hard he was.

He groaned into our kiss, hiking my leg up higher around his waist as I positioned him at my entrance.  He took no hesitation in thrusting into me, nice and deep.  I bit his lower lip, pulling back and dropping my head back as I moaned.  My sounds were drowned out by Drake’s lyrics over the Juvenile-sampled beat, which was good because I couldn’t stop.  It felt so fucking good, how deep he stroked me, I felt it in my stomach and he brushed my spot with each thrust.

I tried to pull my dress down, because now it was getting too high, but he shoved my hand away, which pushed it up even higher.  He gripped my thigh, pressing his forehead against mine as we looked into each other’s eyes while he went faster.  My eyes rolled back.  “Bruno...” I breathed.  “That’s it baby...oh just like that...” I wrapped my arms around his neck.  I glanced up to see someone sitting on the VIP couch, watching us.  I had no idea who it was, it was another person who wasn’t of my entourage.

“Bruno...someone’s watching...oh god...” I tried to tell him, but he hit a different angle that sent a chill through me.  Somehow, the fact that someone was watching us made things more erotic and I gripped his shoulders tighter.

“You like it...don’t you? I bet you’ve always wanted someone to see you like this.” Bruno licked the shell of my ear and growled.

“Mmm...babe...”

He slowed his pace and tilted my head down so I could see his cock sliding in and out of my pussy.  The buildup and sensations were too much for me and I pressed my hips forward against his roughly as I felt myself explode.  I cried out his name as he fucked me harder until he came in long, nearly endless spurts inside of me.

I was left breathless.

He, of course, didn’t have to breathe.

“You should probably go to the bathroom.” He noted, retracting his fangs with a smirk as he refastened his pants.  I looked over at the couch and the guy was gone.  I pulled my skirt down and snuck away to the bathroom before I could get busted.