Page 29 of Bonding the Band

“I’m happy to go straight to the concert, though. The earlier we get there, the more of a chance we have of seeing your…of seeing Apollo.”

“I suppose so. You know, there’s a good chance we may not see him at all? Security at these things is kind of insane. Don’t you remember all the bouncers they had at the last concert?”

Clover pursed her lips. “I’ve got a few ideas of how we can ensure you get some face time with your sexy alpha. Just trust me.”

We made our way to the concert, the traffic slowly getting more and more congested the closer we got. I knew we were near when I noticed several women wearing Hard Knot Life shirts, all walking in the same general direction.

As I looked down at myself, at the worn sweater and leggings I had opted to wear for the road trip, doubt started to creep into my mind.

“We’ll make a quick stop at a gas station so you can change,” Clover said, noticing me looking at the state of my clothing. There was no need for me to make myself look good to see him again. At the end of the day, we were bonded, whether we liked it or not. Still, I wanted to put in a little effort—he was a famous rock star after all, and I was…not.

I needed him to like me enough to be willing to stay in my presence to make sure I started to feel better.

I didn’t know anything about this guy.

“What are you thinking about?” Clover asked, glancing between me and the road.

“I don’t know…What if he’s a complete tool?”

“He’s a rock star. There’s a damn good chance he could be. Hopefully he’ll do the right thing, though.”

“Just thinking about it is giving me a tummy ache.” I groaned, rubbing my stomach.

“That’ll be the gas station snacks, though the stress won’t help.” She sighed. “Usually, I would offer you a shot to calm your nerves, but that isn’t an option right now.”

“That would just make the tummy ache worse.” I laughed.

“That’s true. Oh! I forgot to mention it, but I managed to book some parking. Naturally, all the parking spaces at the venue itself were booked, but I found a place about a five-minute walk away. Is that okay? Do you feel up to that? I could always drop you off at the door, then go park.”

I nodded. A five-minute walk was nothing, and considering how this show was sold out, we were lucky to find any parking so near. “Sounds good.”

“In that case, let’s give you a quick little polish so you don’t look like you’re about to faint.” Clover dug out the blush and brushes from her bag in the back seat, wielding them with a grin. “You’re gonna look so fucking cute, Apollo won’t know what hit him.”

The concert was packed, the throngs of people overwhelming. The air smelled thick with pheromones and sweat as Clover and I pushed our way toward the front, and I did my best to ignore all the scents clashing together, making my stomach churn.

Despite our best efforts, we couldn’t get to the very front, but we were close enough that we would have a clear view of the band.

“This will have to do!” I shouted over the din of voices. Clover leaned toward me to hear better, nodding. The opening act was already on; we had arrived just in time.

“They’ll be able to see us from here!” Clover confirmed.

Part of me questioned why they needed to see us. It wasn’t like Hendrix would recognize me. He had probably bedded a slew of omegas since me. I had a much better chance of trying to find himafterthe show.

My heart rate skyrocketed as I craned my neck to watch the opening act. It was a band I had never heard of, but their music was a similar style to Hard Knot Life’s.

“How much longer until they’re on?” I asked Clover, my voice cracking with the volume.

“Shouldn’t be long. We’re pretty late—you have no idea how lucky we are to get so close!” Clover shouted, wrapping an arm around me as we turned to the stage.

We didn’t have to wait long at all, which was a relief because the greasy food I had devoured on the way into the concert was sloshing around in my stomach uncomfortably. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but I was seriously starting to regret it. There were so many people in my space, and it was making my anxiety spiral.

The supporting act finished their song, bid their goodbyes, and waved as they slipped offstage.

The room darkened, and the crowd started to roar, a thunderous scream I felt down to my bones.

“Hello, Salt Lake City! Are you guys ready?” came the obnoxiously loud intro through the speakers.

Resisting the urge to cover my ears, I did my best to identify the band members as they entered the stage through the smoke.

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