Page 70 of Ravaged By Lust

Where have those nights gone?

All I’ve ever hoped for is for them.

And that’s why this girl sitting on her bed next to me is the most important girl in the world.

“Thanks,” Chloe replies. “Wait, are you crying, Bishop?”

“I’m not,” I say.

But I am. I pretend to scratch my cheek whilst I subtly wipe a tear away. I don’t know why I’m crying. I never cry. But something about Chloe’s music… seeing her like this…

“Are you okay?” she asks me.

“Look, Chloe, you’ve done all this on your own, right? You’ve been getting ready for this for seven years on your own. Without a band around you. Not even using your brother’s name to get views or be seen. It’s great.”

“That’s probably because I’m cooler than you.”

And then she knocks back her head and laughs. She’s been wanting to rebuke me with that line for a long time, I can tell.

She is insane, but I love that.

“Are you ready, though?” I ask her.

Chloe shrugs, then her eyes glance downward. “Can you be at the performance tomorrow? For support?”

The fact that she’s asking me that question makes me want to cry again.

“Chloe, I’m definitely going to be there.”

“Thank you.”

“What’s wrong?” I ask her. “I know that face you’re pulling.”

“I’m worried about choking up in front of everyone,” she says softly.

“You won’t. You know the words and the songs inside out. They’re your songs, written about your life. This is your soul you’re revealing to Mickey Miller and his team tomorrow, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Chloe nods. “Okay.”

“You alright?”

“Thank you for those nice words. It’s been… good having you around these last few days.”

Finally, a spark of something.

I can work with this.

I lean over and take her guitar from out of her hands. I gently lower it on her bed.

“I can see that you’re nervous, so how about we stop practicing and go for a nice dinner?” I ask her. “Together. My treat.”

Chloe nods. “I’d like that very much, Bishop.”

30

BISHOP

Harold, the most reviled paparazzi “journalist” in the world, is waiting outside the restaurant when we pull up in my car.