8

Any trace of nerves disappears the minute we get on that stage. Now that Dante and I have returned to our usual selves, the band is back in top form, delivering the head-banging, dynamic performance that our fans have come to expect. The perfect harmony that's put us on this catapult to success.

Heavy drums thud so loudly they force my heart to beat at the same tempo, raw energy rippling through my body in a sonic boom. My pick hits the strings as my fingers dance over the fretboard, and the sound washes over my skin and vibrates through my bones.

The music takes us to a different plane, to a place where everything is perfect and nothing else matters. Dmitri's eyes find mine in the strobes, sweat already pouring off his forehead as he releases his emotions into his drums. He flashes me a grin that makes the flashing lights shine off his teeth, until Eric's throaty, emotion-filled voice hits the mic.

All eyes are on him as he bares his soul for the world, pulling everyone underneath his ocean as he sings. My eyes close, lost in the power of it all, and I thank my lucky stars that I'm here—doing what I love with the people I care about most.

We're flawless through the last beat, and my grin widens as the crowd roars, their infectious energy contagious. In his parting words, Eric encourages the audience to cash in their vouchers for our album.

The agency officially pushed it out for sale as the first song played, and now we're eager to see the numbers. The initial weeks after launch are crucial for our future, and despite the nervousness, there is an undeniable sense of excitement that permeates our crew.

Hands held high, we wave as we exit to the side stage. Once we are hidden from view, we share wide, exhilarated grins as the rush of the performance keeps us on edge. Dmitri checks Eric's headset—something he does without fail after every performance since their fight was broadcast to the world. When he verifies the blue light is unblinking, he turns and gives us a nod.

As if on cue, Tai, Eric, and I simultaneously let out a loud whoop, while Dmitri and Dante exchange calmer smiles and shake their heads at the rest of us jumping and zooming around. "Fucking amazing show, guys!" Eric shouts, gripping mine and Dante's shoulders and giving us a rough shake. He forgets how strong he is sometimes, and jostles me until I lose my balance, while Dante stands there like a concrete pillar, barely affected by Eric's meaty hands.

Monica comes wandering towards us with a giant smile on her face. "I'm with Eric on this one. That was fucking incredible!"

After a few more minutes of high fives and hugs, the adrenaline wears off and a calmer silence takes its place. Monica gives us a chance to decompress before she says, "The party starts in two hours. Make sure you're all there at least thirty minutes early."

"Which means Dante will be there at least an hour in advance," Tai teases, while Dante flips him off without even looking his direction.

"We'll be there at the same time since we rode in the bus together. Hope you remembered to bring your clothes, because you stink."

"You stink," Tai mutters, sticking his tongue out. It's like we're children sometimes, I swear.

Monica grins between them before she claps her hands. "Alright, go make yourselves pretty and prepare to have fun. This is your celebration for your hard work."

"You heard the woman," I say, already grabbing my stuff. "I, for one, have big plans to be fabulous tonight, so I'm not wasting a second. See you bitches soon." We agreed to get ready in the dressing rooms here, since there isn't time to drive home and back.

Especially not when my goal is to transform myself into a living masterpiece.

I dash to the bus, snatch my bag, and hurry inside before locking myself in a dressing room. While semi-public showers aren't my thing, sometimes you have to take what you can get.

It's a choice between sucking it up or showing up sweaty, and that is not an option.

The only shimmer on my body will be my cheekbones, thank you very much.

Once I'm done showering, I style my hair, raking in a handful of mousse before pushing it back and to the side, and then reach for my trusty makeup bag. Tonight, I decide to go for a bolder look, flicking my eyeliner into a dramatic cat-eye and coating my lashes with black mascara. Finally, I apply a darker, matte nude shade to my lips.

Once I'm satisfied with my face, I carefully unzip the garment bag and inhale the faint scent of the freshly laundered fabric, grinning as I admire the outfit. My navy-blue ankle pants are tight and my white button-up is form fitting and tucked in with a brown belt to match my loafers. I slide on my blazer, the same navy as the pants, but several sizes too big.

Usually, I don't draw attention to my petite frame, but the combination of the oversized coat and the body-hugging outfit creates an aesthetic that's to die for.

I twirl in front of the mirror, admiring how the coat flares out as I move.

Fucking fabulous.

Pleased as a peach with my work, I tuck my filthy, sweaty clothes into my bag and head back to the bus, aware I'm likely the last one ready to leave.

"I'd say I'm sorry for taking too long, but I wouldn't mean it," I quip as I approach, and three heads whip my direction as I strut towards them. A low whistle leaves my lips as I take in the view. Eric is wearing a snazzy pair of deep red pants with a classic white button-up, while Dmitri is head-to-toe black with a red rose pinned to his shirt.

Tai, once again, effortlessly outshines me in coolness. He rocks a royal purple velvet suit jacket paired with black oversized pants, and a floral tie covered in a vibrant rainbow of rich colors.

"Goddamn it, Tai!" I shout, and he pops his lapels as he shoots me a sly grin. "I knew I should've worn a dress," I grumble before winking at him to let him know there's no love lost.

"You look incredible," a deep voice purrs in my ear, and I twist to face Dante.

My eyes widen as I take him in. "Oh, my stars," I murmur, gaze sweeping over the delicious man before me. He's wearing a three-piece dark gray suit with a pale pink skinny tie and pocket square. "Holy... Dante, you look..." I shake my head, my thoughts jumbled as I search for the appropriate words.

"Dashing?" Dmitri proposes.

"Studly?" Tai adds.

"Like a street pimp?" Without even turning to him, I can hear Eric's smirk.

Dante steps forward, his fingertips gently brushing a stray strand of my hair back, his attention solely focused on me as he offers a soft smile. "You were saying?"

"Are we fishing for compliments now?" Fuck, I sound breathy. He notices, right? He has to notice.

A shudder works its way up my spine as he leans in close. "Yes," he murmurs in my ear.

"What is happening here?" I whisper as he flashes me the world's sexiest grin. "Who is this charming, debonair gentleman and what have you done with my prickly little cactus named Dante?"

"You never answered the question," he teases, and I swear my entire body tingles at the timbre of his voice.

Placing my hands on his chest, I tilt my head up to meet his eyes, strangely vulnerable as he looks down at me. He doesn't budge, holding steady as I lean against him. "You are perfection," I whisper, and his lips twitch back in the slightest grin.

My head swims as I watch the tug of his mouth.

Every fiber in my body longs to close the distance between us, to taste those lips that I've dreamed of for so long. It's all I can focus on. As I force myself to stay shock still, I use the last of my brain cells that aren't drooling to remind myself that it isn't what he wants, and I have to respect that.

"Does anyone else feel like we shouldn't be watching this?" Eric stage-whispers, and Dante finally breaks our stare-off while backing up and letting my palms slide down his body.

He wraps his arm around me and steers me towards the bus as my heart hammers behind my ribs. "Come on, boys. We have a party to attend."

Rest in peace, my heart. It was nice while it lasted.

"Now this is what I'm talking about, gentlemen." I sit back in the cushy, horseshoe-shaped couch with my flute of champaign, watching as the giant room full of people in gowns and suits swirls like a kaleidoscope. "The high life. Upper crust living. The celebrity lifestyle."

Eric rolls his eyes as I kick my feet up on the table in front of me. "We've been here for an hour, and I've only seen two semi-major celebrities."

"That's two more than you'd seen an hour ago."

"Touché," he mutters as Dmitri laughs and grabs his hand, weaving their fingers together.

My face scrunches up in disgust. "Ew, love." I pretend to gag at the sight of their interlocked fingers.

"So gross, right?" Eric says, squeezing Dmitri's hand. "I only do this for his sake."

Dmitri's eyes narrow as he turns and glares at his fiancé. "Is that so? Well, if these hands are so gross, I guess I'll just have to keep them to myself later."

Eric's face falls as he tugs Dmitri closer. "You know I was kidding," he whines. "I love holding your hand. It's my favorite hobby."

Dmitri and I both chuckle as Eric slips on a smile that's so unnaturally wide it's disturbing. So wide, I'm not convinced his lips won't crack from the strain. Dmitri leans forward to drop a kiss on that creepy clown face, and I twist so I'm facing Dante.

"Hi," I whisper, and his gaze flickers to my mouth before rising to meet my eyes. "I'm proud of you, you know."

His expression turns to one of surprise. "Why's that?"

I wave around, gesturing at the bustling party. "None of this would have happened without you. You've always been the one to keep us on track."

"Well," he says, reaching up and touching the tip of my nose with his pointer finger. " You've been the one who's always kept me on track."

"Did you just boop me?"

He grins again. "I did."

I consider his words. "You hated me when I first joined the band."

"Jesus, Theo, do you honestly think that?" He looks shocked as he backs up to get a better view of me.

A mixture between a scoff and a sigh leaves my throat as I give a slow shake of my head. "You were so opposed to me joining. You tried to convince everyone else I wasn't a fit. If you didn't hate me, then why would you do that?"

There's an intense vulnerability about him as he stares at me, some sort of internal debate going on inside his mind. "Because," he finally says, speaking so slowly it's like he's dragging the words straight from his throat… like they're fighting him, trying to stay hidden from the world. "From the minute I saw you, I knew—"

"Theo!"

Startled by Monica's shout of my name, Dante's eyes shut tight, and I curse everything that is holy in the world as I watch him rebuild his emotional walls. His eyes flutter open, and with an unspoken apology, he nods towards Monica.

Reluctantly, I shift my focus and glance at the brunette, who looks stunning tonight in a cobalt blue satin gown. I stand and force a smile. "What's up?"

"There's someone at the door insisting that he's here on your invite."

My eyebrows furrow as my lips tug back in a frown. "Who is it?"

"Some tall blonde number… said his name was Jesse."

The frown on my face becomes more pronounced as Dante releases a noise that's somewhere between a growl and a grunt. "I didn't…" I turn to him and find he's avoiding my eyes now. "Dante?" He glances at me again, his smile forced and unconvincing.

I can't stand it.

A heavy sigh blows out of my lips, puffing my cheeks out as I face Monica once more. "Yeah, okay, I guess he can come in. I'll walk with you."

"I didn't realize you were seeing someone," she comments as we weave through the throngs of people. My mind is spinning, making it impossible to pay attention to the faces we're passing. If I miss an opportunity to interact with a hot rock star because of this, I'm going to be pissed.

"Well, I wouldn't call it that. We've been on a few dates, but it's nothing serious."

"Hmm."

"What's that all about? What's the ‘hmm'?"

She hesitates, glancing over her shoulder at me, and slows her steps as we approach the entrance. "He just… made it sound like he was your boyfriend and was quite offended that his name wasn't on the list." The gears spinning in my head must be visible, because she plants a gentle hand on my arm. "Be careful, okay? I wouldn't want to accuse anyone of something unjustly, but I've seen enough star chasers to be suspicious."

"You and me both," I say, placing my hand over hers. "I've already drilled him about it, and he swears his attraction is based strictly on how amazing I am."

She squeezes my arm. "You are pretty amazing."

"The most amazing," I agree, and she laughs as she gestures towards the door, where a couple of bouncers have Jesse waiting. The tailored black suit he is wearing contrasts sharply with the sneer on his face—one that disappears as soon as he catches sight of me approaching.

As though he wasn't just shooting death lasers out of his eyes, he turns on a charming smile. "Theo! Holy shit, you are stunning tonight."

Despite the forced nature of it, I manage to smile back. "It's okay, guys, he can come in." The bouncers back up and let him by, and he throws his arms around me and pulls me into a tight hug. Choosing my words carefully, I say, "I, uh… wasn't aware you were coming tonight, or I would've had your name on the list."

He releases me and smiles like I'm being ridiculous. "We talked about it, babe. Don't you remember?"

"Did we?" I ask, leery of his use of the pet name and his insistence on a conversation I am certain didn't happen.

Heads turn our way as he laughs loud enough to draw attention. His fingers lace through mine, and he pulls my hand up so he can kiss the back of it. "Of course, silly. I wouldn't just show up if you hadn't invited me. You were still piecing your outfit together when we went to the movie last week, right? You even showed me pictures. And I said I'd wear black, so it didn't take away from your spotlight... you really don't remember?"

My mind spins as I replay the date. It was the third one we'd been on, Jesse once again persuading me to meet up, despite my reluctance. If the conversation happened as he claims, perhaps I had mistakenly taken his words as a joke while he believed I was serious.

It's possible that I ignored him—I've certainly mastered the art of selective hearing when it comes to him.

Either way, he's here.

I offer him another smile, trying to make the best of the situation. "You're right. I must've just forgotten with all the excitement." He smiles more easily now, and we wander the crowd, people watching and chatting. Jesse is such a social butterfly that he stops and strikes up conversations with everyone he encounters, making it seem like I'm standing in his shadow at my own damn party.

After we make a few loops around the room, he tugs on my hand and leads me through a hallway I hadn't noticed. He pushes on an outside door, glancing through it before pulling me out into the dark evening. The cool late autumn air feels amazing blowing over my skin. "Are we supposed to be out here?" I ask, scanning the small garden.

He grins and tosses me a wink as he kicks a large rock into the doorframe, keeping it from closing. "Just in case it latches automatically."

"Such ingenuity," I tease, and he turns to me, still smiling. Suddenly, he grips my shoulders and walks me backwards until my back hits the brick wall. Holding me at arm's length, his eyes skim down my body before lifting to meet mine.

There's a shift in his expression that puts my senses on high alert. A flicker to something darker underneath his smile. Warning lights blare in my head, and my heart thuds in response.

Something isn't right.

I keep my voice cheery as I say, "We should get inside before we miss all the good photo ops. My makeup will only last for so long before these sharp edges get dull."

With a quiet huffing laugh, he places his hand on the wall next to me and leans in, his closeness making my nerves fire. "We've got time."

Unease gnaws at my gut as I squirm, eyes darting around, but it's dark and we're alone in this garden. "I want to go inside now."

Another deep chuckle vibrates through his body as he presses it against mine. He grabs my chin, fingers digging into my face as he holds me still, and my eyes flare at the strength in his grip. "And I want something, too, Theo. But you're being a very stubborn boy."

"You're scaring me." I hate how small I sound as he gets even closer, his breath hot on my cheek.

"There's no need to be scared, baby. This could be amazing if you would just learn to listen."

"Jesse—"

He jerks my chin in a violent shake that silences me. "Over and over, I've tried to spend time with you, and you blow me off. And then I finally get you to come on a date with me, and all you do is scroll on your phone or talk about your band. Talk about him, " he spits, fingers digging so deep his fingernails bite into my skin.

Fear tightens its grip on me, making it even harder to find my voice. "I told you from the beginning that I couldn't guarantee we want the same thing. We discussed this in detail, several times. Not once did I lead you on or promise you anything."

"You knew what I wanted," he growls, and he shoves his mouth against mine.

I struggle against his bruising grip, my body numb with terror as his lips forcefully move over my frozen mouth. His hot breath is suffocating, and my lungs feel like they'll never find oxygen again. Panic crashes through my insides as I shove at his chest with all the strength I can muster, but he doesn't budge. Even leveraging the wall behind me, I only manage a few inches of relief before he rams me back. In a last-ditch effort, my fingers claw at his cheek, nails digging deep as I drag them across his skin.

"Fucking bitch!" he shouts as he finally rips his mouth off mine.

Breath fills my lungs as I try to shout, but his hand clamps over my mouth, muffling my attempt. Tears fill my eyes as he snarls down at me. "You're just confused, Theo. Confused about how much you care about me, but it's okay. I forgive you."

The hand that isn't covering my mouth drags across my cheek and neck, and soon his finger is pushing my coat aside and trailing down my chest and stomach.

My stifled sob echoes against his palm as he tugs at my belt. "Shhh… it will all be okay, sweetheart. I'll show you how perfect we are together. No one else can make you feel like I can."

The clank of my belt falling open is as loud as a gunshot, and he uses his weight to pin me in place, his mouth hot against my neck. "I'll just have to make you understand," he whispers. Tears scorch my cheeks as I squeeze my eyes shut, pretending that I'm anywhere but here, doing anything but this.

His stifling heat disappears with a grunt, the sudden cold making my body shake uncontrollably as I shove myself against the wall, jerking my head away from where he just stood. A roar that's almost inhuman invades the night, and I open my eyes as Jesse's limp form hits the ground.