Page 218 of Fame & Chaos

“The usual.” I shrug lightly. “Groupies, jealousy, minions, tour life… all the really glamorous stuff.”

He immediately stops moving. The joking expression slips from his face as he looks over at me properly before walking toward the bed and crouching down in front of me so we’re eye level.

“I can still cancel this tour if you don’t want me to go.”

I smile softly and slide my fingers into his hair. “No,” I whisper. “Absolutely not. Dee made me feel a lot better about everything.”

He studies my face carefully while resting his hands against my knees.

“I trust you,” I continue quietly. “And I trust the people around you. I know you’re not gonna get into trouble.” His shoulders visibly relax slightly. “It’s not even that I’m worried about cheating anymore,” I admit honestly. “I think I’m more scared of the fans hurting you somehow.”

He instantly shakes his head. “Baby, the minions won’t get anywhere near me. Dad’s got security wrapped around us twenty-four-seven, and you know Colt practically watches all of us like a paranoid prison guard anyway.” I laugh softly because, honestly, he’s not wrong. “Nobody’s letting anything happen to me,” he says firmly. “And as for you missing me…” He smirks slightly. “I hope you do miss me, because when I get back, our reunion is gonna be mind-shatteringly good.”

I roll my eyes affectionately. “Always thinking about pleasure.”

His expression softens instantly. “Being with you isn’t just physical pleasure, Indi,” he says quietly. “It’s everything.” The sincerity in his voice catches me completely off guard. “Being near you, kissing you, hearing you laugh, knowing you love me…” He smiles faintly. “Hell, even knowing that one day you’ll finally say yes when I ask you to marry me makes me happy.” My throat tightens. “You make every part of my life better,” he murmurs. “That’s the kind of pleasure you give me.”

How is this man simultaneously the cockiest person alive and also the biggest romantic I’ve ever met?

Emotion burns behind my eyes, and I sniff quietly, trying not to cry. “I love you,” I whisper. “And I’m gonna livestream every concert when I’m not working, I promise. I’ll be with you as much as I possibly can.”

His entire face lights up. “I’d love that.” Then he grins mischievously.

“When I rub my thumb over my bottom lip onstage, that means I’m thinking about you, okay? Like our own secret signal.”

My chest actually hurts from how much I love him. I lean forward to kiss him, but the angle completely throws us both off balance, and suddenly I’m tumbling off the bed while Caleb falls backward onto the floor with me sprawled on top of him.

We both burst out laughing instantly.

“Falling for me, Miss Malone?” he teases while tightening his arms around me. “And I haven’t even started the world tour yet.”

I smile and brush my nose against his. “Oh, Mr. McCormack-Slade,” I whisper. “I fell for you a very long time ago.”

The look he gives me after that nearly melts me into the floor.

He leans up and kisses me hard enough to steal the breath from my lungs.

“Fuck packing,” he mutters against my mouth. “I’ll finish it tomorrow. Let me spend all night with you instead.” I smile and nod immediately. “Oh, thank fuck for that,” he groans dramatically before kissing me again and rolling us across the floor until I’m pinned gently beneath him.

I wrap my legs around his waist automatically as he settles between them, and the second he presses against me, warmth floods through my entire body.

God, I’m going to miss this.

Not just the sex.

Everything.

His house, his smell, his stupid confidence, his family, his band, and the constant noise and chaos and laughter surrounding him all the time. I’m going to miss having someone who completely understands me without needing explanations. Someone I can be entirely myself around.

But most of all?

I’m going to miss knowing the love of my life is only ever a short drive away, and soon he’ll be thousands of miles from me, and there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it.

And honestly, it terrifies me.

Not because I think Caleb will betray me. Deep down, I really do trust him now. We’ve survived too much not to, but distance changes things. Fame changes things. And this tour could change everything for Staked.

This could be the moment Caleb’s entire life explodes into something even bigger than it already is, while I’m left standing quietly back here in London waiting for him to come home to me.