Page 161 of Unstoppable Billionaire

"I've heard myself sing, and I do probably sing better than average, but not like Whitney.That's a stretch."

"Did you hear yourself sing a Whitney song?"

"Honestly, I don't remember.I grew up pretending to be the next American Idol, and my doting grandmother paid for voice lessons.But I wasn't serious about singing.I wanted to dance.My voice coach told her she was wasting her money because every time I started to sing, I ended up dancing."

"I can see that happening.How old were you?"

"Gosh.Maybe ten years old?I don't know."I shrug my shoulders.

"I'll record you in my studio, and you can hear what I hear."

My eyes light up."What all do you have in your studio?I thought you only did photography."

"Curiosity killed the cat, Kitten Thang."He smirks.

"I've got nine lives then, so answer, and we will subtract one."

He laughs and looks over my head."I have both a photography and a sound studio.Now you have eight."

"Hmm."I tap my foot and tap my lips, thinking."So ...you have both.Do you record videos?"I grin.

"Yes.Seven left."

"Excellent!We can record ourselves!"I pump my fist in the air."Whoot!Whoot!I got off on watching Scarlett 's video of our kiss.It was fucking hot!And yesterday, the view in the mirror was incredible too."I push off him, grab his hand then pull him.

"Where are you going?The station is this way."He points in the opposite direction.I tug at him, but he doesn't budge, so I let go and walk off, knowing he will follow me.

"Come on.I saw something we have to explore."

He comes alongside me, takes my hand, and follows.When I stop, we are standing in front of a young man a few years younger than we are, sitting cross-legged on the ground, strumming his guitar.He looks like a cross between a vagrant and a hungry college geek.He stops playing and arranges his collection hat for optimum results.He's both.

Aurei slides behind me, slips his arms around my waist, and whispers in my ear."Ah, trickery.I thought you found another place for me to explore you."

I kiss his cheek.The young man speaks to Aurei, and they converse in Italian.I hear Aurei say IL Volvo and English.

"Are you requesting a song from IL Volvo?"

"Yes.Have you heard them before?"He asks as he digs into his pants pocket for his money clip.

"No.I know of them, but never heard their music."He tosses a few bills into the hat, and the young man starts to strum the song's melody."What's the name of the song you requested?"

"'This Time.'Shhhh, Kitten Thang.I want you to listen to the words."

"Yes, Sugar Bare."

Aurei resumes his position behind me.He puts his arms around my waist, mouth at my ear, and he sings softly with the young singer, whose voice is much deeper than his skinny appearance would lead one to believe.I listen as we sway to the song.They sing about empty stars, beautiful illusions, and wondering if she is even real.About being cynical but hoping for someone who can be there year after year.I hear the message Aurei is sending me.He wants me to promise I will stay and not go.He is waiting for me to give him a sign that what we have is real!He sings about hoping that I'm the one he can believe in to truly change his history.He sings about wanting to believe I'm his truth.That he is home.That I will let him in, and there will be no more doubts.No more lonely nights.That I will break his free fall and catch him.When the song is finished, he hums in his throat as he nibbles my ear."You are my Every Thang, Siri."

"Mmhmm, I am."The singer asks us in English if there are any more requests."Yes," I spin around in Aurei's arms and whisper."Give him a big tip, please."

He smirks and growls."I smell more trickery."

I smile sweetly, batting my eyelashes, making him chuckle."Your sense of smell is uncanny.Give him the kind of tip that will make him say 'yes' when you ask to use his guitar to serenade your girl."

"Mmhmm.I knew it!"

I look over my shoulder at the musician, and he smiles at us.I turn back to Aurei and lay my hands on his chest.I flex my fingers on him, kneading the tips of them in."Meow," I say, grinning.

He chuckles."I see the game you're playing.You're the sexy kitten when you want something now."