With Hearts to Hear| ✔

|24|

The girl breathed a heavy sigh. She had done this a hundred times before, but she always seemed to have a rush of nerves and adrenaline whenever she stepped out on stage. It was one of those feelings that never died, nor did she want it to. It reminded her that there were some things that needed the uncomfortable, the bad, the ugly for them to turn out truly beautiful.

She was grateful to the kind older man who had given her the job to play music here, he had seen her potential where everyone else saw a noisy troublemaker; in many ways he reminded her of her father. So, every night she would find him in the crowd and play like there was nobody else watching.

Her colleague adjusted his Violia, hands already warm from the piano keys; she wanted with bated breath, all too aware of the scrutinous eyes on her. As much as she enjoyed the glamorous gowns, sparkling jewels and gilded rooms that surrounded her on her nights like this, she was simply there for the music.

She wondered if they could tell that she didn't truly belong there— that she was just a broke girl, playing dress up whilst she tried to balance the impossibility of working two jobs and being a single mother.

She wondered if they could tell the dress she wore was the one she wore every night she played; if they could tell the suede pumps were old and once been stained with alcohol on her wild nights out; she wondered if they could tell the violin was just as old and well-loved as her shoes.

She kept her eyes focused on her instrument, adjusting her bow and the shoulder rest on the careful carved wood. Just when Rachel was certain she would send herself into a spiral, the first note spilled into her ear, echoing across the room.

Then she was playing, the music carrying her, like a wave swelling on the open ocean. There were no thoughts in this place, only solace— the notes wrapping around her, drowning herself out until all that remained was the sound of her soul.

She fell into place right alongside the other three parts of her quartet. They all moved in harmony with each other, the first notes of music causing the entire restaurant to stop. Killian was pleasantly surprised by the rhythmic nuance of the music. A few of the other patrons looked up too, surprised though not entirely pleased.

They had all expected to hear classical music, something soft and smooth like what the pianist had been gently playing before. But that was not what was played.

Killian supposed he should have expected it, it was Rachel after all.

She always had a way of making things her own, her rebellious heart knew no bounds. His eyes could not help but be drawn to her, the way she stood poised, her violin resting on her arm comfortably as she began to play. How she moved with the music as if it were not coming from her instrument but from her very soul.

The upbeat tune of pop songs on the violin, combined with her voice in song was a pleasant combination. They worked as a choir, with distinct parts and as much as Killian hated to admit it, her male counterpart balanced her well in both voice and violin skill. He had no idea how many songs they played; all he knew was that he was enraptured with her.

"She's your mate, isn't she?" Stephanie recognised the mesmerised look on his face; she had seen it before on the face of her own Alpha when he looked at his mate. Though Killian's look was tainted with a kind of deep seeded pain that she had never seen on anyone before.

"Yes." He grunted, practically forcing out the word. As enamoured as he was to see her again, he couldn't deny the swell of pain that rose up within him. He had wished many times to see her one last time, to just know if she was okay; he hadn't expected to get his wish.

He wasn't sure if he should feel hurt that she seemed to be doing better, or glad that she was not hurting.

Stephanie watched him, in his unguarded wonder she saw his struggle written across his face like an open book.