Chapter 94

He stepped into the arena and aimed for the dressing rooms. He needed to speak to Jon and now. It was time for a little bro on bro chat, It was time to take the situation in hand and make it better, forever.

He sighed as he thought back over the last hour. He'd returned from the Love show and she was sleeping, her beautiful face still blotchy with tears. As he'd stepped further into the room her eyes opened an she'd shuddered for breath. The remorse in her eyes had spoken loudly of how clearly she'd gotten his message, and the trembling body and dull eyes had nearly undone him. When she'd stood and hesitantly came too him, her sadness and apologies swept over him like acid rain. In that exact moment all he'd wanted to do was take her to bed, mostly he wanted to make her smile again. He'd pulled her into his arms shushing the tears the best he could and held her tight as her broken words kept telling him how she understood.

He'd told her it was ok, that she was forgiven and reiterated one last time that he would be there for her now. Things just weren't like they were when she was with Jared. He'd had to make a point, but he wouldn't beat her up about it, nor would he speak of it again. She'd nodded and smiled, but the sadness still shimmered in those eyes of hers.

He hadn't had time to do more, there was all the fan club stuff going on and he had to be at the arena. He had to find some way to show her that she was more than a moment to him though, that he intended to treasure and protect forever. He'd been contemplating the next step in their relationship from the first day he'd met her, oddly enough only one option seemed open to him from the first day.

He'd held off even speaking of it, he'd known how skittish she was, and rightly so. But if there ever was a moment for her to see that he was different it was now.

Stepping up to the dressing room that was noted as Jon's, the flat of his palm slapped against the door impatiently. When no "Come in" echoed from the room he slapped the door again. "Dammit fuck head are you even in there?"

He growled slightly, "C'mon on man I know you're in there;" He balled his hand into a fist and tapped on the door a bit harder this time. "Am I interrupting something? Either or I need to talk to ya so finish up -- if thats what you're doin'. "

He opened the door, phone to ear and motioned him in. Talking for a few more minutes he shut the phone then turned. "What the fuck has your damned britches in a bunch man?"

"I wanted to talk to you about a few things, like maybe the setlist, " Richie mentioned as he plopped down in the chair across Jon.

He lifted a print off and handed it Richie. "Here you are. It's set already you know that."

"Well I was thinkin', why don't we through in a surprise, like there," he placed one finger on the list. "Diamond Ring. Oh look at this Living In Sin? "Richie arched an eyebrow in question.

His brow raised at the suggestion. You wanna throw Ring in after Hallelujah?? Dare I ask why? And yeah, Sin, its one of Geena's favorites.

"Man , I gotta make it up to her, and well I love her -- I want to take the next step. "

Jon's brow furrowed slightly as he shoved down the shock. "You've only known her a month man. Why the fuck you wanting to think that so fast? Forgetting what happened with the ex?"

Richie shrugged, "Why wait when its real? I know it is. It's different that it ever was with Heather. "

"How is it different man?" Jon seated himself on the couch and waited on the reply. He knew Bri was different from Heather in many things, but he wanted his friends input.

"Not only does she accept the darkside of me, she loved me so much she wanted to kill Jared to protect me. ME man, not her. I mean that literally too. She had a 45." Richie paused for a moment to regain his cool, he was still upset on that. " I know, before you say anything I gave it to Rew to give it too someone else. I don't wanna know who, so that she won't try and get it back . Because man she is determined . That's another thing I love about her -- her determination."

"She had a fuckin' .. man those things are bigger than she is, she woulda ended up dead herself thanks to the kickback."

"I know! It scared the shit out of me to think what coulda happened. Jared picking the gun up and -- " Richie shuddered from the visual that plagued his mind.

He leaned forward. "So you took the gun, then gave her the silent treatment along with whatever that perverted nature of yours calls kink to push that thought home to her? That she shoulda trusted you?" He laughed slightly, "Oh don't look put out asshole. You've vividly described what you'd do with a woman that dared to really go against something you wanted."

"I never had a woman willing to put up with that and though it killed me to continue it, I had to. She looked so sad when I got back man, I gotta make her smile again. She's gotta see that once I've made my point its over, "Richie confessed.

He leaned back, placing his hands on his belly, his eyes intent on Richie. "And just what did she put up with Bro?"

"You fucking want details? And you call me a perverted? " Richie's snort filled the space between them.

He nodded. "Yeah, cuz from what I hear she was one quiet little mouse today. How the fuck you manage that one?" He leaned forward, his words soft yet intense. "Exactly what did you to to get that point across Rich?"

"I practically ignored her since LA . No sex , no talking natta. She enjoys everything else too much, it was all I could do to get her to see I meant what I said."

Jon started to laugh, at Richie's woebegone look. "You punished yourself too."

His feet hit the floor with a thud as he leaned forward. "So she took it with little argument, this silent treatment, but you're feeling like a shit and wanna make it up to her by marrying her? Man think about that, not something you can undo that easy dammit."

"I have done nothing but think about it. Kidd," Richie stood up and started to pace. "I have been thinking it since the day I met her. Held off knowing her past and how skittish she might be, but I knew from day one man. You know me and my gut feelings."

He turned back to Jon a quirky smile on his lips. "I wanna do this . I want her to be my wife. She ain't like Heather. I can trully be myself with her."

"You sure you're ready to dip back into that pool man? I mean SURE, because, you've been enjoying being single. Gonna come a time she ain't with ya every minute of the day like now. Then what?"

"You think I can't handle that ? " Richie asked

"More thinking on how she will handle that man. You? You've been doing this for close to 30 years now. How's she gonna handle that damned alone time? We stay on the road alot man. and England? A month solid, You gonna do that to her too?"

"She could come with us . I know you didn't care for Heather but I do know you do care for Bri even when she busts your balls, " Richie chuckled. He turned serious again, "Not like in the beginning Jon, we can afford to let them travel with us, I think I'd like that more than you know, someone to keep the goddamned silence away after concerts."

He stood up and went to his copy of the set list and jotted down a line. "Let me guess, you already have the fuckin' ring."

Richie grinned "You know me too well. Had it since day 2 man, its been my lucky charm." He reached in his pocket, opened the small box, and tilted it so Jon could see. it was a 2.5 caret oval cut diamond ring in a platinum setting.

Jon glanced down at the ring and laughed, "restrained yourself this time?"

"Yea, well, Bri ain't the sparkly kinda girl," Richie smiled "She said the last time I tried to buy her a fuckin' necklace, Keep the bling for the King, I don't do the sparkles babe."

Jon started to laugh. "Well we'll do the song man, but how you plan on letting Her know its for her?"

"Its all 'bout the look. Dontcha know that by now front man," Richie teased.

Well I hope that look works man. Cuz you're gonna feel kinda dumb if she thinks its just the show."

"Not if we do it as a duet," Richie suggested. "But then your girl might think its for her then."

"Nah, she knows I'm not ready for that kind of committment man."

His phone rang suddenly and as he flipped it open he watched Richie leave the room. He just hoped that his friend wasn't in for a let down later.