Page 22 of Hollow Heart

A moment of silence passes as he strums his guitar, looking away from me, to Eddie.

“We’re starting withParadise, right?” he asks with a sniffle, and I can’t help but crack a smile.

“Yup,” Corpse deadpans.

I head back to my drum set, catching Lou’s smirk. When I sit down, putting my earplugs in, all I can do is focus on the music.

And damn, does it feel good.

CHAPTER 8

Felix

Staring up at Duncan McKay,I am aware of two things.

One, he’s a lot bigger up close, and his Old Spice scent is practically suffocating me.

Two... I’m more than grateful my guitar is between us right now; otherwise I’d be displaying my massive fucking boner to my bandmates and the tall, towering asshole who smells like the men’s body wash section at Target.

What the fuck?

I blink furiously, the effects of my alcohol-soaked brain making it hard to focus, hard to breathe.

Yeah, it’s got nothing to do with the drummer’s deep brown eyes, or his spicy scent that’s doing weird things to me.

It’s got to be the fucking vodka.

It takes more concentration than I want to admit, to tear my gaze away from him, and try to remain calm.

The beginning clicks of drumsticks ring out, and Corpse dives right in with his screaming guitar. Eddie picks up immediately, as I wait for my cue, fighting the urge to turn around and look at Duncan.

Resistance is futile, though, as I move around with my guitar, trying to be discreet. I glance at Corpse, then to Duncan, noticing the muscles in his arms thick with tension as he bangs away on the drums. I look from Duncan to Eddie, and back at Duncan, at the wet spot forming on his rustic, red-faded-to orange vintage shirt, watching his gaze as he tunes out the rest of the world around him, keeping in time with the music, for the most part.

When Corpse shreds his guitar for the bridge, Duncan slips.

But he catches up pretty quickly, and I can’t say I’m not impressed.

Maybe I’ll have to check out some more of his discography. You know, for research.

His dark gaze flashes up to me, catching me in my stare.

I turn around before anyone can see the weird flush in my cheeks, and my cock twitches against my tight jeans, poking the back of my guitar.

Fuck, I need to concentrate.

Think unsexy thoughts!

Just as we finish upParadise, Lou instructs us to keep going into the next four of our biggest hits.Bitten,Road To Hell,Solar Flare, andBlack Sea.

My cock throbs behind my guitar, and I curse internally. Four fucking songs. Surely, I can get through four songs...

The concentration it takes to fight the haze of alcohol and my raging boner through four fucking songs should land me a gold medal.

Seriously, this has to be a record, even for me.

When Corpse plays the last chord ofBlack Sea, I’m practically jumping out of my skin. I drop the guitar by the door, not bothering to say anything as I head for my dressing room, Lou’s voice touting behind me to take five and grab something to eat in the lounge.

I’m barely in my dressing room before my pants are off and I’ve collapsed on the couch.

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