His lips curled as he leaned forward and something akin to a growl sent a shiver down my spine. “Don’t test me, Fawn. I’m much better at inserting my dominance.” He finally let me go, blatantly confident in the knowledge that I wasn’t going anywhere. I was too busy picturing him making good on his threat.

He didn’t seem to notice as his gaze moved over my shoulder toward the curtain dividing a crowd of thousands and us before finding mine again. “You’re out of time. Stop stalling and show us what you’re made of.”

“You aren’t ready for what I’m made of, Houston.” Liking the sound of his name on my lips a little too much, I let my attention wander to his cronies, standing closely behind him. “None of you are.”

Jericho yawned, his gaze staying blank. Loren blew a large, blue bubble of the gum he was chewing in response. Houston’s only reaction was to stare down at me in silent contemplation. There was reluctant curiosity there—the insatiable need to test those waters and submerge himself within my depths.

Why did that sound so deliciously debauched? I hadn’t meant it to sound that way.

“If I do this, will you cut the macho bullshit and be professional?”

Before he could answer, Loren spoke, his voice an ingratiating mumble, “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.”

Jericho snickered, and I realized with the daunting awareness of someone up shit creek without a paddle that I’d attached myself to silly boys parading as grown men.

Ignoring the consequences, I centered myself between them. They didn’t miss a beat, surrounding me as if we’d done this before and many times.

My most remarkable feat, while breathing the same air, was pretending the sensation of them pressing in close didn’t smell sweet and spicy like freshly-ground cinnamon. While I’ve been excited before, the feeling had never been quite this sharp. I couldn’t see anyone or anything but them. Even though they kept me on edge, I felt safer within the circle they created than I did out there. It felt like no one could touch me.

Only them.

“Come now, Loren. We both know I was talking to Houston.” I turned to face him, putting Houston and the wall of heat and menace he created behind me while Jericho stood just within my peripheral. I could feel that torturously beautiful gaze of his roving over every inch of me while he thought I was distracted. “He is the one calling the shots, right?”

The sweet smile I gave Loren made his eyes flash with something dark and unreadable. Whatever it was, I secretly wanted in.

“For now,” he admitted readily, blowing another bubble of his gum.

My smile became genuine, hearing the warning growl from Houston behind me. I’d ventured into dangerous waters, and I was only getting started. Loren had blatantly challenged his authority, and Houston was ready to accept. The thrill of what they might do to one another tiptoed down my spine.

Without thinking, I reached up and stabbed the bubble protruding between Loren’s sinful lips. The gum popped and deflated, leaving a sticky, blue mess. Those pools of ink he called eyes widened in shock even as the irises gleamed with retribution.

The last thing I expected was for him to press forward, place his nose against my hair and inhale. He was smelling me and didn’t care if I noticed. I found myself doing the same, breathing in the mint on his breath and bergamot in his expensive cologne.

Fuck me.

“When you least expect it, baby fawn, you’re going to hurt for that.”

Don’t make promises you can’t keep.

I forced myself to step away before crossing my arms. I may have a great poker face, but the rest of me was a different story. Loren’s punishment, coming sooner than later, smelled like cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven. I sensed the thrill stirring in other places too. Apparently, I was a masochist, among other secret things.

“Do you understand what a tautology is?” I waited for his answer, and he didn’t disappoint.

“As unquestionably as your nipples are hard right now.”

Fuck.

I dropped my arms, but to his credit and my relief, Loren’s gaze didn’t stray from my face to confirm.

He knew.

“It’s the middle of winter,” I found myself explaining.

“Oh, is it?”

A moment later, I heard the beginnings of a chant. With each second, the voices grew louder, the crowd’s demand clear.

Bound.

The crowd expected Houston, Loren, and Jericho to take the stage next, and they knew it. They were sending me to the slaughter. I wasn’t who the people wanted to set their souls on fire. It was three assholes entitled to nothing but given everything.

I met each of their gazes—green, silver, and opaque.

I wasn’t the only one hiding.

If Bound expected me to beg for mercy, they were in for a rude awakening well overdue. Without another word, I turned on my heel and pushed through Jericho and Houston. I felt three pairs of eyes on me and squared my shoulders as I headed for the curtains. I should have been relieved to see Liam, Mason, and Abe waiting for me, but the questions in their eyes told me I had a long night ahead of me.

“One of the crew said that Bound was here,” Mason spoke first. “He was shitting me, right?”

“Afraid not.” Their frowns deepened at the apparent fact that I was unhappy about it. “I’ll explain later.”

Gazing at the black curtain and now knowing Bound was on the other side, the guys were too star-struck to do more than nod. Liam eventually handed over my second-hand blue and white Fender Strat, tuned and ready to go.

Why couldn’t they have something to prove? Why couldn’t they lie and claim they hated Bound’s music? At least then, I wouldn’t be subjected to the fanboying I knew would come later.

I let the guys enter the stage ahead of me and cringed when they rounded the massive LED screen and were immediately greeted with a chorus of boos louder than anyone had been subjected to thus far.

Great. Just…great.

Gripping my guitar, I pushed through the curtain without a second thought. This was the hand dealt me, so I’d just have to bluff my way through. If I allowed myself to stop and think…my heart skipped a beat before falling and crashing into the pit of my stomach. No, I couldn’t allow that.

“Pssst!”

Without thinking, I spun on my fabulously wicked heels to find Loren poking his gorgeously infuriating head through the curtain. “Make it good,” he threatened. His gaze seemed endless as he held me with it. “We’ll be watching every second.”

True to his word, I could see Houston and Jericho flanking him through the small opening above his head. I offered him a smile that suspiciously felt real. Like the flip of a switch, I was anxious to get out there.

“Eat your heart out, dick bag.”

That ass. My God, that ass.

I couldn’t remember a time I’d beheld something so…perky. I could feel Houston and Rich behind me, straining to get a peek. Now that Braxton wasn’t looking, they didn’t bother with pretending. They were interested, and so was I.

Like an only child, I hogged the view. I never liked sharing anyway.

This new toy of ours was fucking magnificent.

Exciting, sexy…a menace.

She was the only thing my mind and dick could agree on in a long time. I wasn’t too excited about that, though. I didn’t need Braxton Fawn in my head—just in my bed.

I was so wrapped up in the curve of her ass in those skintight jeans that it took me a second longer than my bandmates to notice the boos and jeers.

“Do you think we should have sent her out there?” Jericho asked, always the first to backtrack. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t commit to being an asshole, though he tried, bless his heart.

“No one made her go out there,” Houston remarked. Unlike Rich, being an asshole came naturally to him. “She’s the one who decided she had something to prove.”

As if she could.

We would never accept her, which made us even bigger dicks for making her think that we would. If she wanted this gig, she must roll with the punches, and because we always got our way, there would be many.

Houston damn sure would make sure of it, and Jericho didn’t have a mind of his own. He was a follower and would do whatever Houston said. As for my reasons…well, life had gotten boring. This was my chance to have a little fun.

While a decent size, the stage still swallowed her up whole as she stood in the center of the blinding lights. I couldn’t wait to see how she’d fare with even bigger crowds. I was patiently waiting for her to tuck tail and run when she opened that beautiful, insolent mouth.

“I know,” she spoke to the crowd through the mic. “I’m not what you were expecting, right?” The crowd answered with a resounding no before chanting our name again.

Unable to help myself, I pushed through the curtain but made sure to stay hidden behind the equipment. It wouldn’t be the first time someone rushed the stage. I could feel Houston and Rich flanking me but paid them no mind.

I was too fascinated by her.

“Recently, I made some new friends. I think you know who I mean.” I was at the perfect angle to see Braxton’s conspiratorial wink. Slowly, the crowd grew silent as confusion and curiosity rippled through them.