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He is my harbor. My safe space. With him, we can love each other without worrying about being criticized by the public or my father. I realize I’m most happy when I’m around Rafe, most relaxed and my true self. Even when I’m not in the mood for his shit, he brightens my day.

And with Halmeoni, He Sook and even my mother supporting my decision, my father can’t bully me anymore.

After the final note leaves my lips, I take my first solid breath since I started singing and slowly look around me. Aside from He Sook and Dante hooting and clapping, the rest of the group is dead silent.

“Guys?” I say, worried for the seconds it takes the band to unfreeze. Then Rafe and Danny converge on me, followed by Connor and Callum.

“I can’t believe it,” Danny practically shouts as he bounces up and down like an excited kid. “You made that song so much better.”

“No way,” I deny.

“You did,” Rafe concurs, then leans in and kisses me on the cheek. “Babe, you have no idea how talented you are.”

“Danny and Rafe are right,” Connor adds.

“Sorry, Danny, but Lyric has to sing that last song,” Callum says, then he turns to the main floor, looking for Dante. “Don’t you agree, Dante?”

“Rafe is right. You can sing. But the choice is up to you,” Dante’s words ring out from the speakers, before they appear at the edge of the stage. The gleam of their white teeth exposed by the wide smile on their handsome face reminds me of a cunning fox.

The men around are cheering me on, along with my sister on the side, and I can’t help but laugh at their joyous antics. “Alright, I’ll do it. But we have to do it like we just did. With you all joining in.”

Rafe grabs me around the middle and hauls me off my feet. “You won’t regret it.”

“Don’t say that too quickly, because we still have time.”

“Let him go, Rafe,” Dante chides through the speakers from the sound system. “You still have a half an hour to go over any spots that felt a little rough before we need to leave.”

I’m lowered back onto my feet but not before Rafe kisses me soundly and utters, “I love you.”

I suck in a breath, not able to reply. But anytime I’m not playing, my eyes remain fixed on Rafe for the rest of the practice.

After we lock up, we meet with Club FF’s manager again, then we all head out for dinner at a restaurant known for their excellent food. He Sook joins us but leaves right after she’s finished, to sit with Halmeoni.

I offer to go with her, but He Sook declines my offer and orders a car to take her back to the hotel where her own vehicle sits.

That night, in Rafe’s arms, my mind is spinning with what happened tonight. I got a chance to sing again.

“What’s going on in that brain of yours?”

“I can’t believe I sung one of your songs.”

“You’re good, Lyric—better than good. But I’m surprised you felt like you had to wait this long to showcase your voice,” Rafe says, pulling me close to him. “Why didn’t you try for a singing career in the States?”

“Rafe, you have no idea what I had to deal with once that video went out.” I turn in his arms and face him. “My father’s wrath, criticism from fans, knowing that people who didn’t even know what K-pop was were judging me. I was ostracized by both of my parents for ruining our good name, and from the K-pop industry too, before I was shipped to the U.S. like some leper. I was afraid if I tried to sing again, the video would get new life and I’d get the same backlash. So I focused on school, then nursing, and forced myself to forget about what I loved to do. That’s why I didn’t pursue a singing career in the States.”

“You’re right, I can’t understand what you went through. But that’s then, and this is now. Prove to those who fucked you over that you are better, smarter and even more talented than before. I believe in you, Lyric.”

My tears are making my vision blurry. “I don’t know what I did to make you want to be with me.”

“All you had to do was just be you,” he says before kissing me.

I attack his mouth, wrap my arms around him and swing one leg over his hip. With added pressure to his shoulder, I press Rafe onto his back and climb on to straddle his groin. “I need you inside me, but I want control.”

“You can have me whatever way you want, baby.”

I reach over for the lube. I usually like it rough with Rafe. Like him to mark me up. But I’m not in the mood right now for rough. I want slow, easy. I want to absorb every movement, every sound this man makes as I make love to him. Although, once I’m lost in the passion he always ignites within me, I could easily change my mind.

After I coat his cock with lube, I do the same with my ass. Not bothering to stretch myself because, although I don’t want it rough, I still love… need to the feel the burn when Rafe’s cock enters me. I slowly sink down on his hard shaft, taking him in, inch by inch, until I’m fully seated on top of him. Then I sit there, absorbing the fullness inside me and the moans emanating from him.