Page 3 of Bedhead

“Three…two…one—”

The stadium plunged into darkness as the countdown hit zero. I could feel the energy of all seventy thousand people vibrating through my body as they waited with bated breath for the moment their rock gods took the stage.

I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt anything quite like the tension happening right then. It was a palpable thing, especially when the sound of a guitar riffing blared through the speakers, sending everyone into hysteria. Lights flashed in all directions, a dizzying overwhelming of the senses, and it got faster and faster until finally the curtain dropped and all five men exploded onto the stage in a display of lights and pyrotechnics.

The brightness was blinding, and I squinted as the band kicked into high gear and began to play, but with the ear-piercing screams of the crowd, I couldn’t hear a word Halo was singing. Whatever it was, he looked damn good standing there center stage, all lean muscles and golden curls, looking every inch the angel nickname he’d garnered from his fiancé.

And speaking of…

Fallen Angel’s lead guitarist had a wickedly sexy expression on his face as he bit down on his lip, eye-fucking the audience and earning his bad-boy reputation. Dressed all in black with his dark hair falling down to his chin, Viper was the complete opposite of Halo—which just went to show it was true what they said about opposites attracting. The stories about Viper, before Halo, of course, were legendary, the stuff rock ’n’ roll dreams were made of. And from what Viper himself was teasing to the publishing world, those stories were only the tip of the iceberg. He was ready to talk, and there was no way anyone but me was getting that deal.

Which was exactly why I was here, well out of my comfort zone. Especially when Halo began working the mic like a—

“You look scandalized,” Kai shouted over the music. “Did you think you’d come to a Fallen Angel concert and not get an illicit show?”

“I hadn’t thought about it.”

Kai shook his head. “You need to get out more.”

“Iamout.”

“And somehow you’re still on the clock. This doesn’t count.”

“Oh, it counts,” I said as Halo’s hand moved even lower.

“Speaking of things you need…”

Oh God. I knew what that side-eyed look Kai was giving me meant. “Don’t start with me.”

He pointed at the stage with his beer. “That. You need that. Some seriously hot—”

“Stop.”

“—good fucking dick.”

That certainly got the attention of the people in front of us, what with Kai practically shouting for everyone to hear. I quickly apologized to the couple, and when they turned back around, I elbowed my loudmouth friend in the ribs.

“You’re a mouthy shit when you drink.”

“Which is why I do, and why you love me. I say what you won’t. I can only imagine what a night of you on tequila would do— Oh holy fuck.”

My eyes weren’t the only thing growing large at what was happening on the stage. Viper had dropped to his knees in front of Halo, and was doing things I couldn’t believe were allowed in a public space.

“Hell yes,” Kai yelled, joining in with the enthusiastic begging of the crowd for them to keep going.

Okay, fine, I could admit it. It was a hot display, especially with the music pounding out a throbbing beat. But if I wanted to work with this guy, I didn’t need to get an erection watching them perform a song called “Hard.”

As they finished off the song, no pun intended, pyro exploded at the edges of the stage and the lights went out again. A few moments later, a red glow pulsed out with the opening of a song that apparently a lot of people wanted to hear—Kai included.

He threw his arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. “Admit it. Watching two rock gods simulating oral sex on each other is the best night you’ve had in a long time.”

“It’s been…interesting.”

“Interesting? You call documentaries on the History Channel interesting.”

“So?”

“So this isn’t in the same realm, Hudson. Even if you end up working with this guy, you’re still allowed to enjoy this shit. Hell, his ego probably demands it.”

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