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   Mason is next and I watch Roxie's face light up as he talks.
"Sorry ladies I know you're not going to like this but
,
an extremely beautiful woman has walked into my life."
I think I see Roxie's eyes water as she looks at the radio.

   "Really? So am I hearing that Mason Masse has fallen in love?"

   I hear his deep chuckle as both Roxie and I hang on to see what his answer is.
"Hi Roxie baby."
His voice sounds husky and I grin over at Roxie as she looks back at me wide eyed. She has her hand over her heart and whispers "Hi" back. He may not have spoken the actual words but Mason's answer was perfect. He didn't deny or confirm. Perfect for someone in the public eye and if you're also scared with your feelings. I don't think Mason is scared about his feelings for Roxie, I think he's doing it for Roxie's sake. She strikes me as the scared one.

   "How about you Cole?"
The radio Dj's voice breaks my thoughts from Mason and Roxie.
"Is there a woman who has caught your eye?
" The fucking bitch is flirting with him right now! Live on the radio where everyone can hear. Cole laughs; it's deep and sexy; I know I told him to move on but that didn't mean I wanted to listen to him do it!

   "Beside the woman in front of me?"
Oh smooth Cole, real smooth. I roll my eyes.
"Yes there is a girl who has caught my eye and I want to keep her."
I sigh and I can practically hear the girls throughout the country sighing along with me.

   "Does the girl know who she is?"

   "This is my problem Lauren. My girl is a little mad with me at the minute. She won't answer her phone, so I need to get a little creative. If you don't mind, I want to sing to her a song I wrote for her. Lacey, if you're listening, this is your song baby."

   OH MY FUCKING GOD! I have tears in my eyes, ready to stream down my face. My heart is beating like crazy so I place my hand over it. I hear the strum of a guitar and Cole's amazing voice sings my song, it takes over me completely.

"
I didn't expect to see you there,

dancing all for me, even though they stare.

You're for me baby but you don't even know it,

but I see it. You're mine after tonight.

No other man can love you like I do,

you're for me baby but you need to know it."

   I quickly sit back down before my shaky legs give way under me. The weight of his words are heavy on my heart. When he continues to sing, I begin to blush a little at the memories.

"Your body is perfect for me pretty baby,

smooth sexy curves for my hands. You're for my hands only.

You're for me baby and I think you're finally getting it.

You drive me wild, I need to claim your body for my eyes only.

I love it when you're screaming my name as I sink into your wet lips.

You're for me baby and I know you feel it too.

I'm not innocent but you're my first in everything else,

nobody has gotten as deep as you and I want you to stay.

You're for me baby because I know you were made for me.

Please listen to me because I know we can be amazing.

I'm sorry that I hurt you, let my hands heal you back together.

Let my mouth kiss every scar and lick every cut.

I'll hold you close to me and never let you go.

You are mine baby, you are mine baby.

Take my hand and come with me."

   The guitar strums one last time and then it's silent both here and on the radio. I've heard what type of music they play and that wasn't anything like their regular music. It wasn't a lullaby love song, there was a hint of rock there and some hard back up singing but I loved it. I notice that Roxie is typing away on her phone, probably a sappy text to lover boy.

   "Wow! That was amazing guys! Lacey I really hope you heard that, damn! That was Black Inferno with Lacey's song."
Wow, my own song. I sit silent as she gushes over the band some more. Apparently what they just performed was a big deal, they haven't ever performed a song on the radio and it's different, which I knew.
"Will Lacey's song be on your new album?"

   "No, it's different to our usual sound, but it's still available to download as an extra track."

   "Cool!"
I'm beginning to think she thinks everything seems
cool
because that’s the only word she uses.
"Please forgive him Lacey!"

   Roxie turns to me and grins like an idiot as the interview is wrapped up and their latest single starts to play. She turns it down and there's a knock on the door. I frown at her, who would that be? It can't be Ria or Paige because I know they're at work. Roxie walks past me to answer the door; I didn't want to get up anyway, as I'm still in shock over what has just happened.

   I'm still staring at the radio where it sits on the kitchen counter; my back is to the door, so it's an even bigger shock to my system when I hear a deep and sexy voice say my name from behind me. I gasp and quickly turn around.

   Standing in front of me , looking gorgeous as ever, looking exactly like the rock star he is, is Cole.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Cole

   I wait nervously in the limo outside Lacey's apartment; Mason hasn't looked up from his phone yet. We're waiting for the important text from Roxie to let us know when it's ready. She has already let us know Lacey is listening to the interview, like I had wished for and I'm so grateful to Roxie right now. Without her involvement, this plan would never have worked.

   "Relax man, it will all work out." Mason looks up from his phone and looks at me in sympathy.

   "She's gonna be pissed."

   He shakes his head and smiles. "That's not what Roxie told me." Suddenly he looks back down to his phone and then grins at me. "It’s show time."

   Time seems to pass slowly as we walk into the building and step into the elevator. I see Mason smirking at me through the reflection on the mirror wall. The bastard has loved seeing me suffering over Lacey, and lately that has been a lot. Lacey well and truly has me by the balls. As soon as the elevator doors open, I stride over to their front door and knock; I feel like I'm fucking sweating buckets! Roxie opens the door with a huge smile and nods her head in the direction of Lacey before she jumps in Mason's arms. If I would have told Lacey the truth like I should have, I would've gotten a welcome like that.

   I step inside the apartment; I quickly step behind my girl and breathe in her scent as quietly as I can without her noticing me. I call her name; I notice that she quickly tenses before she turns around to face me. Her beauty hits me full force and I wish so bad she wasn't angry with me right now. The sight of her; with her shiny eyes from crying and her wet face makes me want to badly hold her. I take a step towards her but she takes two steps back and it hurts. "Baby.."

   I reach out my hand but she wraps her arms around herself and sniffles. "Dont." She stomps into the living room and I helplessly follow her with Roxie and Mason behind me. "What are you doing here Cole?" Her voice sounds harsh and I don't like the look of the glare she's giving me.

   "I wanted to see you." I probably should say a lot more than that but at that moment, that's all that comes out. I thought and rethought what I would say but now I'm here with her all my words have gone.

   "But you were just on the radio." Her face looks adorably confused.

   "We recorded that yesterday. I had to come see you." The calls Mason had told me about were to our manager to ask about the radio interview. We couldn't cancel but we could prerecord and let the radio claim it was live, that worked out well for me anyway seeing as I didn't want Lacey to suspect Roxie.

   Lacey looks over to Roxie. "So that's what has been going on all morning."

   Roxie nods. "I'm sorry Lace but I had to think about how you looked. If you still looked like that and Cole showed up and you found out I knew he was coming, you would have killed me." Lacey nods her head to accept what Roxie had said but I frown at Roxie's words. I take a step towards Lacey and I'm relieved she doesn't take a step away this time. Instead she lets out a sigh with her arms still wrapped around her body, fighting herself. I have to win her back; these weeks without having anything from her have been painful for me too. I brave another step towards her because I'm so eager to touch her.

   "Lacey I'm so sorry." She looks up to me and the hurt in her eyes is apparent, and it kills me. She may have acted tough on the phone, but now that she's finally in front of me I can see she's hurting. "I am so sorry I didn't tell you. Trust me when I say I really wanted to tell you. The more I fell for you the harder it got. I know that's not an excuse but I was scared I'd hurt and lose you."

   "If you told me I wouldn't be hurting as much as I am right now." Fresh tears run down her face and they make me feel like the biggest fucking dick. "Do you know what it was like to find out the truth from your screaming fans? It tore me apart Cole! Our friends even figured out who you were first, because I was too fucking stupid to! To top that all off, I find out that you kept your brother from telling Roxie! I would have much preferred to hear it from her than your fans!" She falls down onto the sofa with her hands over her face as she cries. I hear Roxie and Mason whisper that they will give us some privacy and I walk over to Lacey to kneel down in front of her, I remove her hands from her face and replace them with mine. Her eyes are closed and tears continue to fall.

   "Open your eyes please Lace." She shakes her head and whimpers. "Baby please look at me." She slowly opens her eyes and I rest my forehead on hers. It feels so good to be this close to her again. "I regret not telling you Lacey. Every day I hate myself for not telling you. I was scared that I would lose you . I fell for you quick and hard and I was afraid that when I told you I had been lying I would lose this between us. Honestly, it felt good for you not to know who I was because I knew you liked me for who I am not what I do." I'm shocked when I feel Lacey's hand pull my head back and swipe her thumb across my cheek to wipe a tear away. I didn't even know I had started to cry.

   "That's so sad Cole but you can trust me." I'm shocked at her words.

   "It's sad but very true. You liked Cole the man, not Cole the rock star. It felt good."

   "No I don't like Cole the man." I closed my eyes; I don't want to hear her turn me down again. "I love you Cole, the man and the rock star."

Lacey

   I was angry with Cole but when I listened as he explained to me why he did what he did, my anger fades. He was wrong to lie to me for so long and I was still feeling hurt for that but now that I've heard his reason for lying, my heart melts a little for him. Cole is an amazing man and I feel so sorry for him. I can't imagine how I would cope if I didn't know for certain if a person I was with was only with me for what I did for a living and not for the person that I am. It must be horrible and I start to understand why he didn't tell me. I'm not saying it was the right thing for him to do, for as long as he did but at least I can see his reasons and I mentally kick myself for not hearing him out sooner. I could have saved both of us from all of this hurt. I see the raw emotion on his face as he's telling me so I decide to let him out of his misery a little and let him know how I feel. I tell him what I should have a while ago, that I love him. I love both sides of Cole, himself and the rock star. I've watched videos of him performing and I can see how much he loves it, he was made to perform on stage.

   Cole looks shocked at my words and his hands tighten on my face. I love how he holds my head in his strong hands, it feels tender and it touches me. I can see in his face how badly he wants me back and my heart warms to him. I haven't totally forgiven him but I know I can't stay away from him anymore, not after hearing his song for me and now his words.