Page 61 of Claimed By the Band

"No!" I say quickly, probably too quickly based on the weird looks I'm getting. "I mean, yes. Just... five minutes?"

I don't wait for a response, already making my way toward Echo. The crew's annoyed muttering follows me, but I couldn't care less right now.

"You came," I breathe when I reach them, unable to keep the wonder out of my voice.

Echo shifts uncomfortably, tugging at his sleeve. "You didn't really give me much choice."

"He could have climbed out a window, but he didn't," Dante says with a teasing grin.

The blush that spreads across Echo's cheeks is absolutely devastating. If I thought he'd be amenable, I'd say screw the sound check and fuck his brains out in the dressing room right now.

I shoot Dante a grateful look. Getting Echo here and looking like this definitely earns him best wingman status. Even if he is my mate.

"You look amazing," I say softly, enjoying the way the beta's blush deepens. "The blue really brings out your eyes."

"You too," he mumbles, then immediately looks mortified. "I mean, you always look... that is... the crystals are..." He trails off, looking like he wants the floor to swallow him whole. It's possibly the most adorable thing I've ever seen. "You look nice."

I look down at the raw crystal hanging from my neck and the ones studding the leather belt slung as low on my hips as my leather pants, grinning.

"Smooth," Silas snickers, earning himself a death glare from Echo.

"Oh, right," I say, rolling up my sleeve and offering my wrist to Silas and Dante. "How do I smell?"

They both lean in, taking a whiff.

"You don't smell like anything," Dante says, his brow furrowed.

"Good," I say with a smile. "That's the idea."

"Guess the new blockers finally arrived," Silas muses.

"Hey, after last time, I'm not taking any chances," I tell him.

"New blockers?" Echo asks, tilting his head.

Of course. He's a beta. It's easy to forget sometimes. "Well, PheroMaster may not have any interest in creating blockers, but after the incident, I reached out to a company that does," I reply. "I told them I needed something heavy duty. The pharmacy stuff wasn't going to cut it."

"Oh," he murmurs, a look in his eyes I can't quite place. "That's smart."

"Coming from you, that means a lot," I tell him with a wink.

There's that blush again. I think I could become addicted to painting that pretty face with it. Among other things.

"I should go find my spot," Echo mutters, already starting to retreat. "You probably need to finish sound check."

"Wait!" I catch his wrist before he can bolt, careful to keep my touch light. When I notice the way he flinches in response there, I quickly release my grasp. "Stay? Please? I want you to hear this song. I wrote it after... well, after everything that happened."

Those dark eyes meet mine, uncertainty warring with something else. Something that makes my heart race and my omega instincts purr with want.

"Okay," he says finally. "But only because you said please."

I beam down at him. "I'll make it worth your while," I promise, throwing in a wink just to see him blush again.

It works beautifully.

Tonight's not off to a bad start. Not at all.

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