Categories > Celebrities > Guns n' Roses > Dying in the Waltz
Chapter 10: House of Gold
The next few days were spent catching up on all that had happened in the months the pair was apart. Axl had spent hours with his ear on her growing stomach, listening for any type of movement. Stella was nervous and Axl knew that, so he spent all the time he could reassuring her that all would be okay. Hiding away was growing increasingly hard as the rescheduled tour was approaching and Stella wasn’t going to be getting any smaller any time soon. Axl was now faced with a decision, deny it all or show the world how wonderful their relationship was and face the storm that would certainly come crashing in on them.
“I want to tell everyone.” Axl said one morning, breaking the comfortable silence, they’d been sitting in out in the garden and over looking the sea.
“Tell everyone? About us?” Stella’s eyes widened in surprise as she turned to look at him. “About the baby?”
For a moment, Stella wondered if Axl had lost his mind. Telling the world about the two of them and about the baby would all fall back on Axl. People would talk and judge him, they’d spread awful lies about him. She knew the impact it could have on Axl’s career as well as how it could hurt Axl personally. She couldn’t let him do that, especially when she wasn’t even going to be able to go on tour with him.
“Yes, about us and the baby. Its not right to hide like this, Stella. I don’t want to have to hide you away from the world. You shouldn’t have to live holed up in this house like I did for so many years.” Axl responded, determination set in his expression. “I love you, Stella. I want the entire world to know that.”
“Axl, no. I can’t let you do that to yourself, you know what people on the forum will say, what the news will say. They’ll twist it into something awful and I can’t let that happen to you because you’ve been through enough.” Stella shook her head and slowly moved to stand, her hand moving to her stomach.
“Stella, I don’t care what they say though! Not anymore.” He tried to reason with her, only to have her shake her head in response.
“No. I don’t feel comfortable going public like that.” Stella finally said, hoping he wouldn’t take that the wrong way.
“Are you ashamed of me? Embarrassed by our age difference?” It was now that she saw the vulnerable side of Axl beginning to emerge and she knew she had to make things right.
“Axl, of course not. I love you and I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have you. I just want to protect you.” She reached out to gently touch his cheek. “I’m very proud of you, Axl Rose.”
“Then why do you want to hide this? I’ve spent so long hidden away, I’m tired of hiding.” Axl leaned into her touch.
“I want to protect you and I want to protect our son. Please see where I am coming from.” She pleaded as she moved to sit in his lap, kissing his forehead gently. “I don’t want our son growing up always in the spotlight, I want him to have some sort of a normal childhood. I agree that something must be stated publicly about our relationship, just not the pregnancy, just to let all those skanky bitches know just who you belong to.”
Axl laughed as he looked down at her stomach and nodded once as he placed a hand over it. This was what mattered, this was all he needed. He’d be happy with the compromise if it meant he at least got to show the world that he was in love with Stella.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll tell the publicity team to take the interview with Fallon.” He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, hand running along her stomach.
“And I’ll get Beta to help me in finding an outfit to hide this baby bump.” She grinned and moved from his lap. “Speaking of interviews, you have one in a couple of hours. You should probably get ready for that.”
It wasn’t long before Axl was off for his interview and Stella was left alone in the large home. They were still picking up the pieces of the home that Axl had destroyed and it was in these moments when she was alone, that Stella saw how much Axl had been hurting. As she carefully picked up things around the house, Stella couldn’t help but notice bits of blood on the marble floor. They were more than likely from where Axl had cut himself from the shattering glass. It made her heart ache for the older male, made her wish the fight had never happened. She regretted the words she’d said to him, regretted bringing his step-father and his past into it.
“Don’t dwell, sweetheart.” Beta said as she entered the home and found Stella staring at the shattered mirror on the wall.
“I hurt him, Beta. He’s still hurting. I can see it sometimes when he looks at me. He’s not forgiven himself and deep down he knows he hasn’t forgiven me.” Stella bit her lip and turned to the older woman. “Help me?”
“The only advice I have is to give it time. He doesn’t heal quickly like the rest of us. He dwells and oftentimes beats himself up more than anything. He’s not as strong as he’d like everyone to think.” Beta said as she put away the few groceries she’d brought into the home.
“Has he said anything to you about it?” She questioned as she took a seat on a stool at the island.
“No, he refuses to talk about it, he prefers to keep the things that hurt him bottled up as much as he can. That’s just his nature.” Beta explained. “Just show him you forgive him each and every day, love him. That’s all he really needs…Love.”
“Did he tell you he’s decided he wants to tell the world about our relationship?” She asked as she played with one of the flowers she’d picked from the garden. “He wants the publicity team to take the Fallon interview.”
“And how do you feel about all of this?” She rose a brow as she sensed the nervous tremor of Stella’s voice.
“Terrified. I don’t want Axl to get hurt by the awful things I just know the media will twist the story into. I know that with me being only eighteen, they’ll make him seem like some type of pervert when it was completely consensual.” Stella shook her head at the thought of the awful things that could be said.
“Once Axl makes up his mind, it’s hard to change it. But you must remember that it doesn’t matter what the media says or what lies they spread. All that matters is what you and Axl share, nobody can take that away from you.”
“Thank you, Beta.” Stella smiled gently as her cellphone went off. It was a message from an unknown number.
Pretty girls end up in coffins
Stella frowned at the odd text and deleted it, tossing her phone aside. It had to have been some crazed fan of Axl’s that had gotten a hold of her number somehow. Surely, the men who were after her father wouldn’t be coming after her. She had no information to offer them about her father’s whereabouts nor any access to the family bank account.
Stella continued about her day, trying to ignore the sinking feeling that seemed to stay in her chest as the text message haunted her thoughts. What if she was putting Axl in danger? What if someone was really coming for her? She knew the shooting couldn’t have been the only attempt on her life that was going to be made. She could feel the panic rising in her chest, but she closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths in order to calm herself, she didn’t need to be getting so worked up at this point in her pregnancy.
“Stella?” Axl’s voice filled the home a couple of hours later once Stella had settled in their room at the piano, just allowing her fingers to move over the keys and play any random song that popped into her head. She was still rusty, but she found it had a calming effect on her.
“In here!” Stella paused her playing for a moment before continuing on.
“I didn’t know you played.” Axl smiled gently at her as he took a seat next to her on the piano bench. “But your hands should be positioned like this.” He placed his hands over hers to position them correctly.
“Thank you, Mr. Piano Expert.” She laughed softly and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. “How was the interview?”
“Boring as fuck. I just wanted to tell them right then and there about you.” He grinned as he placed her arm around her waist. “How’s my girl and my son?” He asked.
“Tired.” She grinned and glanced at the clock, it was nearly midnight.
The two climbed into bed, bodies tangled together as Axl quietly promised to treat her kindly and love her. Told her he would love her even after death. Unfortunately, death was a card that could be played in the future.
The next few days were spent catching up on all that had happened in the months the pair was apart. Axl had spent hours with his ear on her growing stomach, listening for any type of movement. Stella was nervous and Axl knew that, so he spent all the time he could reassuring her that all would be okay. Hiding away was growing increasingly hard as the rescheduled tour was approaching and Stella wasn’t going to be getting any smaller any time soon. Axl was now faced with a decision, deny it all or show the world how wonderful their relationship was and face the storm that would certainly come crashing in on them.
“I want to tell everyone.” Axl said one morning, breaking the comfortable silence, they’d been sitting in out in the garden and over looking the sea.
“Tell everyone? About us?” Stella’s eyes widened in surprise as she turned to look at him. “About the baby?”
For a moment, Stella wondered if Axl had lost his mind. Telling the world about the two of them and about the baby would all fall back on Axl. People would talk and judge him, they’d spread awful lies about him. She knew the impact it could have on Axl’s career as well as how it could hurt Axl personally. She couldn’t let him do that, especially when she wasn’t even going to be able to go on tour with him.
“Yes, about us and the baby. Its not right to hide like this, Stella. I don’t want to have to hide you away from the world. You shouldn’t have to live holed up in this house like I did for so many years.” Axl responded, determination set in his expression. “I love you, Stella. I want the entire world to know that.”
“Axl, no. I can’t let you do that to yourself, you know what people on the forum will say, what the news will say. They’ll twist it into something awful and I can’t let that happen to you because you’ve been through enough.” Stella shook her head and slowly moved to stand, her hand moving to her stomach.
“Stella, I don’t care what they say though! Not anymore.” He tried to reason with her, only to have her shake her head in response.
“No. I don’t feel comfortable going public like that.” Stella finally said, hoping he wouldn’t take that the wrong way.
“Are you ashamed of me? Embarrassed by our age difference?” It was now that she saw the vulnerable side of Axl beginning to emerge and she knew she had to make things right.
“Axl, of course not. I love you and I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have you. I just want to protect you.” She reached out to gently touch his cheek. “I’m very proud of you, Axl Rose.”
“Then why do you want to hide this? I’ve spent so long hidden away, I’m tired of hiding.” Axl leaned into her touch.
“I want to protect you and I want to protect our son. Please see where I am coming from.” She pleaded as she moved to sit in his lap, kissing his forehead gently. “I don’t want our son growing up always in the spotlight, I want him to have some sort of a normal childhood. I agree that something must be stated publicly about our relationship, just not the pregnancy, just to let all those skanky bitches know just who you belong to.”
Axl laughed as he looked down at her stomach and nodded once as he placed a hand over it. This was what mattered, this was all he needed. He’d be happy with the compromise if it meant he at least got to show the world that he was in love with Stella.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll tell the publicity team to take the interview with Fallon.” He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, hand running along her stomach.
“And I’ll get Beta to help me in finding an outfit to hide this baby bump.” She grinned and moved from his lap. “Speaking of interviews, you have one in a couple of hours. You should probably get ready for that.”
It wasn’t long before Axl was off for his interview and Stella was left alone in the large home. They were still picking up the pieces of the home that Axl had destroyed and it was in these moments when she was alone, that Stella saw how much Axl had been hurting. As she carefully picked up things around the house, Stella couldn’t help but notice bits of blood on the marble floor. They were more than likely from where Axl had cut himself from the shattering glass. It made her heart ache for the older male, made her wish the fight had never happened. She regretted the words she’d said to him, regretted bringing his step-father and his past into it.
“Don’t dwell, sweetheart.” Beta said as she entered the home and found Stella staring at the shattered mirror on the wall.
“I hurt him, Beta. He’s still hurting. I can see it sometimes when he looks at me. He’s not forgiven himself and deep down he knows he hasn’t forgiven me.” Stella bit her lip and turned to the older woman. “Help me?”
“The only advice I have is to give it time. He doesn’t heal quickly like the rest of us. He dwells and oftentimes beats himself up more than anything. He’s not as strong as he’d like everyone to think.” Beta said as she put away the few groceries she’d brought into the home.
“Has he said anything to you about it?” She questioned as she took a seat on a stool at the island.
“No, he refuses to talk about it, he prefers to keep the things that hurt him bottled up as much as he can. That’s just his nature.” Beta explained. “Just show him you forgive him each and every day, love him. That’s all he really needs…Love.”
“Did he tell you he’s decided he wants to tell the world about our relationship?” She asked as she played with one of the flowers she’d picked from the garden. “He wants the publicity team to take the Fallon interview.”
“And how do you feel about all of this?” She rose a brow as she sensed the nervous tremor of Stella’s voice.
“Terrified. I don’t want Axl to get hurt by the awful things I just know the media will twist the story into. I know that with me being only eighteen, they’ll make him seem like some type of pervert when it was completely consensual.” Stella shook her head at the thought of the awful things that could be said.
“Once Axl makes up his mind, it’s hard to change it. But you must remember that it doesn’t matter what the media says or what lies they spread. All that matters is what you and Axl share, nobody can take that away from you.”
“Thank you, Beta.” Stella smiled gently as her cellphone went off. It was a message from an unknown number.
Pretty girls end up in coffins
Stella frowned at the odd text and deleted it, tossing her phone aside. It had to have been some crazed fan of Axl’s that had gotten a hold of her number somehow. Surely, the men who were after her father wouldn’t be coming after her. She had no information to offer them about her father’s whereabouts nor any access to the family bank account.
Stella continued about her day, trying to ignore the sinking feeling that seemed to stay in her chest as the text message haunted her thoughts. What if she was putting Axl in danger? What if someone was really coming for her? She knew the shooting couldn’t have been the only attempt on her life that was going to be made. She could feel the panic rising in her chest, but she closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths in order to calm herself, she didn’t need to be getting so worked up at this point in her pregnancy.
“Stella?” Axl’s voice filled the home a couple of hours later once Stella had settled in their room at the piano, just allowing her fingers to move over the keys and play any random song that popped into her head. She was still rusty, but she found it had a calming effect on her.
“In here!” Stella paused her playing for a moment before continuing on.
“I didn’t know you played.” Axl smiled gently at her as he took a seat next to her on the piano bench. “But your hands should be positioned like this.” He placed his hands over hers to position them correctly.
“Thank you, Mr. Piano Expert.” She laughed softly and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. “How was the interview?”
“Boring as fuck. I just wanted to tell them right then and there about you.” He grinned as he placed her arm around her waist. “How’s my girl and my son?” He asked.
“Tired.” She grinned and glanced at the clock, it was nearly midnight.
The two climbed into bed, bodies tangled together as Axl quietly promised to treat her kindly and love her. Told her he would love her even after death. Unfortunately, death was a card that could be played in the future.
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