Ignite (The Disciples 4)

“Axel.” I turn to Ammo. He looks good and I nod at him. He gives me a smirk and grins as he takes the stage. Women are already climbing onstage, throwing themselves at him.

“That could have been you, brother.” Blade takes a swig and I laugh.

“Nah, that would never have been me.” Ammo loves it, he eats it up. You can tell the crowd worship is what makes him high.

Cash walks out but sees Antoinette and Eve, then stops and comes back to talk to them.

“What the fuck?” Blade snarls, and I hold him back.

“Relax, man.” Whatever the girls say to Cash makes his eyes shift over to us. I flip him off and he smiles then runs out on stage.

“Granger. Granger. Granger,” is all I can hear from the audience.

“Axel fucking Fontaine.” I turn to stare at my childhood best friend. We used to be called the RockGod Twins because we both had an uncanny resemblance. Aside from our clothes, we look different now. We’ve both grown up. He’s a rock star and I’m a biker. It shows.

“Rhys.” Our eyes lock and we both let time travel back. I have a lot of memories with him, but that’s all they are: memories. I smile and nod and he does the same.

“Go have a great show, brother.”

With a nod, he points. “Be ready, man.” And he walks out like the RockGod king he’s labeled. His eyes find Antoinette as he passes and I nearly strangle him when he leisurely peruses her. Turning, he walks into the raging insanity. People are crying, screaming, dancing.

I walk over to her and snarl in her ear, “No backstage for you.”

She tilts her head back, laughing, and if I live to be a hundred I’ll never forget how she looks and smells and her pure joy at this moment.

“How you all doing, Los Fucking Angeles? It’s good to be home,” Granger yells as the crowd goes wild throwing roses onstage.

He holds up his hands. “How many of you motherfuckers remember any of my old shit? See, I started out in a band called the Dicks.”

He looks over at me and I pull Antoinette tight because I know where this is going. Her breathing quickens, her nails dig into my arm, and she squeals and screams as loud as any groupie.

“That’s right, we called ourselves that because we were Dicks.” There’s so much noise from the screaming I can barely listen.

“So, the thing is, my brother from another mother is here tonight. And I think he needs to get his ass out on the stage.”

“Oh my God,” Eve screams and Blade laughs as I flip Rhys off.

Granger turns to Nuke. “He just flipped me off, Nuke. Axel’s here, man.” He points at me and nods at the roar of the crowd.

Nuke does a small solo and again my ears are vibrating with the massive sounds.

“You need ear plugs. This is fucked,” I yell.

“Get your ass out here, Axel,” Granger screams and suddenly all I hear is Axel. Axel. Axel… being chanted.

“Holy fuck. Axel’s famous.” Eve has her phone out, recording. “Go,” she screams.

“Axel, you have to go.” Antoinette looks up at me, her eyes sparkling.

I wink at her then walk out onto the stage. It explodes. The crowd goes crazy and I laugh because I can’t help but let myself soak it up. Rhys throws his arm around me for a bro hug and I hold up my hand and look out into the sea of faces.

Granger continues. “About two years ago, I was sitting in a hotel room, I don’t even know where. And I get a text saying, ‘I don’t want credit but only you can do this song justice.’”

The crowd roars again. “That song was ‘Untouched,’ my friends.” He points at me. “This fucker wrote it.”

I look over at Antoinette because all of this is nothing without her. As the crowd starts to scream and chant, “Untouched,” I walk over to her.

She looks at me as I hold out my hand. “Come on, baby.”

She can’t possibly hear me, but she doesn’t have to. Eve is pushing her toward me. She slaps her hand away and takes mine as I drag her onstage. Catcalls and screaming wrap around us, and I take the microphone from Rhys.

Holding up my hand, I let the crowd worship us as I say, “I wrote that song as I watched this woman sleep. I didn’t even know what I was feeling at the time. All I knew was this song needed to come out. I didn’t believe in love.”

The crowd boos and screams. I laugh as that old adrenaline of having the audience in the palm of your hands snakes its way through my blood.

“I didn’t. But the words in my head did. I put on paper everything I should have said to her. So, for all you assholes out there who don’t believe in love…”