Page 14 of Forbidden Billionaire Rockstar

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When we get through the stadium, Sweet Surrender is already there.

The backstage bustle igniting that pre-show adrenaline rush. But tonight, it's different. The usual excitement is replaced by a knot in my stomach, growing tighter with each passing minute.

Mallory is waving her arms animatedly in front of the guys. She looks so beautiful in her element that I can’t help but pause in my steps and watch her for a few moments.

There's a confidence in her stance that wasn't there before, a fire in her eyes as she gestures animatedly. This isn't the Mallory I remember from that night - all soft sighs and gentle touches. This Mallory is a force to be reckoned with, with all sharp edges and determination. It's like looking at a completely different person, and yet... I can still see traces of the girl I knew. The way she tucks a stray hair behind her ear, the slight furrow in her brow when she's concentrating. It's a jarring contrast, and I find myself both impressed and unnerved by this new version of her.

She has her hair pulled into a tight ponytail, with baby hairs expertly hidden, and earrings dangling down to her jawline that matches the bright pink of her shirt. It’s not a color I would’ve expected her to wear, but anything looks good on her.

Again, the skirt she’s wearing stops at the tip of her knees and hugs against her thighs like a second skin.

Before it can become too obvious that I’m checking her out, I clear my throat and follow behind Brent as he heads toward the hallway where our dressing rooms are located. Brent is struggling to hide his frustration when he sees Julia waiting for him outside his room.

Even though he’s trying to keep her safe, Julia can’t help but still come to the concerts, and even if Brent looks frustrated, I also know he’s elated to see her. I’ve watched a lot of people fall in love, and each one seems to be better than the last — if only that could happen to me.

Brent pauses outside his room and places a hand on my shoulder, stopping me from moving forward to my room. “Hey, everything okay?”

I frown. “Uh, yeah, why?”

He shakes his head and chuckles. “I’m just so used to you having some kind of comment to make toward Mallory. Thought you would’ve said something to her just now.”

“Just want to focus on the show, that’s all.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. As long as there’s nothing wrong between the two of you, I know how annoying you can be at times.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I mumble, rolling my eyes before pushing away from him and heading toward my room.

Right before I step through the door, a flash of pink catches my eye, and when I turn to steal a glance, Mallory is already looking at me with a frown on her face. I want to step away from my room and walk over to her, but the sight of Trevor sauntering up to her with a smile on his face forces my attention away.

Maybe it would be best if someone else stole her attention. it would help me get my head on right before I blow things up.

As I watch Trevor lean in close to Mallory, laughing at something she's said, I feel a surge of irritation. It's not just about Mallory- Trevor's been pushing boundaries lately, trying to take center stage and angling for more spotlight. If he's making a play for Mallory, too...

Carmen rushes up to me, her face pinched with worry. "Jace, we've got an issue. The sound system's acting up again. If we can't fix it in the next hour, the opening could be jeopardized."

I suppress a groan. This is the last thing we need on opening night. "Didn't we just do a sound check?"

"We did," Carmen nods, flipping through her clipboard. "But something's off again. We need to run through it one more time."

Great. I glance at Mallory one last time before following Carmen. It's time to be a professional and tackle this head-on.

As we walk, Carmen's brow furrows. "Wait, when did we do the last sound check? I've got it scheduled for right now."

I smile at her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We did one yesterday during rehearsal and another early today. Remember?"

"Oh," she blinks, clearly flustered. "Right. Sorry, it's been a crazy day."

"No worries," I say gently. "Let's go see what's wrong with the system this time."

As we head back and stop at my dressing room, I can't help but think that this night is already off to a rocky start. But with Mallory on my mind and the band counting on me, I'm determined to make it work.

“Hey, make sure you leave early tonight. We’ve got Mia here, plus Sweet Surrender’s staff that I’m sure they won’t mind if we use them for the night.”

Carmen puckers her lips, then shakes her head. “No, I can’t possibly do that. There’s too many details to manage.” As if remembering something, she gasps and walks over to the clothing rack where my concert outfits are hanging up. “In honor of the first night, the guys thought you could coordinate outfits.”

She pulls out one of the outfits and drapes it over the chair sitting in front of the vanity, then runs her hands along the fabric to make sure there’s no wrinkle on it. Once Carmen is sure that it’s perfect for me, she turns around and flashes me a bright smile before hurrying out of the room to let me get ready.

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