Motley’s solo continued for a good minute or two before I nodded to the women. They joined Motley as the three began to melt their solos into our closing song. Together, we performed as if it was our sole purpose of existing. The band lost themselves in the lyrics, and we drifted into this high.
I never want to forget this.
A commotion from backstage caught all our attention and broke the high. We all looked to see the same cop from before arguing with Ducky. Motley and I locked eyes, and I could see the fear. Twila and Carmen exchanged a look, and I knew I had run out of time. It was now or never.
“Alright!” I gripped the microphone close. Sweat rolled down my face, and my skin felt as if it were on fire. “I got a little something extra planned for you guys tonight!” The crowd shouted with excitement. I looked over my shoulder at the band, and I could tell they were clueless. My eyes moved to each of their faces, eventually stopping on Motley’s, before landing on Twila’s. “You see, tonight's show is a bit different. Normally, we close things out with our most popular song, but not tonight. No.” I turned to face the crowd. “Tonight we’re going to leave your world rocked!” I smiled and breathed a laugh.
More commotion could be heard offstage, and I watched as numerous cops filed in. They surrounded Ducky and the stage crew as that one damn cop stood there eyeing me closely. I didn’t have much time. I raised my hand and wiggled my fingers at him. I then held up all five fingers and tilted my head before I mouthed the words, five more minutes.
My focus returned to the crowd. “I’m curious. You ever been in love?” The audience erupted. “Yeah, I thought so. Well, I have too. But—” I turned to look at Twila. “It’s not with who you think.” She made a face. “Someone close to me gave me some damn good advice, and I figured it’s time I took it.” I winked in her direction. Twila smiled at me. “Love you, babygirl!” I pointed to her, and the crowd hollered. “But!” I spun back to face them. “Not as much as I love someone else!” I ripped the microphone from the stand and carried it with me as I softly sprinted over to Twila and kissed her on the cheek.
“What’re you doing?” she whispered to me.
I pulled back and spoke to her without the microphone. “Being free.” Twila covered her mouth.
A few police officers tried to approach us, but I dodged their hands and ran past Carmen. “Woah!” I shouted into the microphone. “Talk about a memorable ending!” The crowd laughed as I bobbed and weaved them all over the stage. Two more rushed in my direction, and I ran past them and stopped by Motley’s side.
“What the hell is going on?” Motley shouted while he played his drums.
I looked at him and grinned. “I’m saving you, drummer boy.” The microphone lightly screeched as I raised it to my mouth. The sound of my heavy breathing echoed through the stage and through the speakers. “Tonight is my last night performing for some time.” The crowd gasped and booed. I could tell they were shocked, but the look on Motley’s face was more than that. The cops began to make their way to Motley and me.
Carmen and Twila tried to stop them. One man shoved Twila, and Carmen dropped her guitar and swung her fist straight into his face. “Back the fuck off!” Another tried to grab her arm, and she raised her foot and kicked him hard in the dick. The two women tried to push back, but it was pointless. More and more officers swarmed and surrounded the women.
It pissed me off to see them touch either of them. “Hey! Hey, leave them alone! Get your hands off them!” They ignored me while they restrained and cuffed the two women onstage.
Ducky tried to rush to help them but another officer stopped him. “Get your damn hands off me!”
The crowd went wild and protested what was unfolding before them as the music finally stopped. They shouted and pushed forward, causing security to flood the audience gates.
“Hey!” I shouted into the microphone. All eyes landed on me, and I stood there with a spotlight beaming down on me.
It’s time.
I took a deep breath as that same fucking cop stepped out onto the stage. We locked eyes, and I pointed straight at him. “I’m the one you’re here for. Not them. Let them go.”
The man laughed as his stupid pornstache waved around his ugly face. “I’ll let your little bandmates go…afterI get these handcuffs on you.” He pulled a set of handcuffs from his belt and twirled them around his pointer finger.
“Kash?” I turned to look at Motley, now standing next to me. “What the fuck is going on?”
I guess it’s time.
With a smile, I pulled the microphone close to my mouth. “Everything is okay. Promise. But it’s time to stop living in the shadows.” Motley eyed me closely. “It’s time to be free. Together.” As the words dripped from my mouth, I rushed to Motley and pulled him close as I kissed him harder than I ever had. The crowd and everyone around gasped, but I lost myself. I kissed Motley harder and with all my might because I knew this would be one of the last times I’d get to do so.
Motley’s arms wrapped around me, and he kissed me back with just as much force. It was fucking perfect, aside from announcing ourselves to the entire audience and all the cops.
After what felt like an eternity, I forced myself back from him and looked out at everyone. Twila was crying with the biggest smile on her face. Ducky and Carmen were also smiling. The cops all had a mix of emotions and expressions, but what I was most curious about was the crowd. I looked out into the sea of people, and a sudden weight of anxiety and fear hit me. My heart raced, and I waited for them to freak out. Only instead, they erupted into cheers and shouts of joy. My face ignited, and I looked back at Motley. He was beaming and smiling.
No more hiding. We were safe. Our family was safe. And we were free.
“We are The Broken Muse!” I raised my fist into the air, and the rest of the band did the same.
The cop grunted and rushed to me. “I’ve had enough of you!” He roughly twisted my body, and I dropped the microphone. The static feedback made everyone groan as he forced my arms behind my back and slapped the cuffs around my wrists.
He was being a bit too aggressive, as if he were purposely trying to hurt me. “Hey! Knock it off!” I turned my head, and he elbowed me straight in the face. Pain pierced through my skull, and I felt blood running from my nose. Fuck, it hurt. The crowd and band lost it, and all hell broke loose. Fans began to rush past security. They slowly climbed over the stage, and the cops tried to contain the chaos.
“Kash!” Motley rushed after me, but I was being forced away.
“Motley!” I tried to look back at him but could only see glimpses of him through the swarming crowd while police and fans fought on stage. “Motley!”
