Page 73 of Filthy Rock Stars

“Did I tell you Mare called me?”

I arch an eyebrow, my attention perked. “She did?”

Elle laughs and shakes her head. Metal music echoes down the hallway outside, but the heavy noise is muffled in the green room. “Wanted to talk,” she says, as though that’s absurd. “Like I would talk to her now? After everything?”

I roll my eyes. “After everything… we did?”

“She’s not innocent,” Elle scoffs. “That fucking ditty is going viral.”

“What fucking ditty? What the fuck is a ditty?”

She scoffs. “That song, not playing their music for assholes. It’s all over TikTok.”

“Oh!” I grin. “We don’t play our music for assholes!” I belt out as Cutter walks up, giving me an exasperated sigh.

Elle frowns. “The point is, I’m not talking to her. And if she calls you, I don’t want you talking to her, either. Got it?”

I lick the back of my teeth. “What? Me and Mare? We’re in a secret relationship. Didn’t I tell you?”

Elle stands. “Sure you are, Shadow.”

“Well, not just her. The whole band, really,” I continue, totally entertaining myself. “It’s been going on for months.”

“Shadow.” She says it like an annoyed parent to a toddler.

“Why don’t you just talk to her, though?” I ask, dropping my voice, serious again. “Bury the hatchet, Elle. She’s giving you an out.”

My hopes lift. I think she’s considering it, but then Cutter grunts his agreement. “You could still save face. Not look so bad,” he tells her.

Elle tenses, clearly going on the defensive again, and when Adrian walks in the room, the mood shifts. My phone buzzes, and before things turn ugly, I hold a finger in the air and answer. “Sorry. It’s work,” I tell everyone and walk abruptly out of the green room.

“Shadow’s secret sex phone,” I whisper, music crashing through the cavernous hallway. “May I ask who’s calling?”

Nico laughs. “How many men did you ask to put on a costume and haul their butts to the arena today?”

“Wait, what? You’re really here?”

“I could go back to sitting in the rear of the taxi and changing my mind repeatedly. Should I? This is a supremely bad idea. This arena is crawling with Forbidden Destiny fans.”

“Whoa.” My erection swells, anticipation surging through me. “I’m impressed.”

“You should be. This costume is tight and quite sweaty. But I made it by security with the pass you arranged.”

The costume is tight? That’s strange.

“Where are you now?”

“In the supply closet?”

I laugh. “What?”

“I saw an opening and went for it. I had to hide behind a massive speaker at one point, but I don’t think anyone spotted me.”

“Impressive,” I tell him. “Don’t move. Be right there.”

I grin as I wander the service hallways behind the green rooms. Nico is more comfortable taking risks now than when we first got together. I’d worry more about us getting caught, except I know he’s thought this through so thoroughly.

And the thrill of taking a calculated risk like this… It’s superb.

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