Page 28 of Room Ten: Put on a Show

I zipped up the costume Asia had made for me and gave one final twirl before the mirror. It wasn’t easy but I’d managed to reach a middle ground with Baron, Merrick, and CeCe—I could do the concert this weekend as long as there were no dressing rooms and no after parties. I simply went straight to the concert, sang my heart out, and came directly back home with them.

A light tap-tap came at the door of my bedroom.

“It’s open,” I called.

Troy stepped into view, leaning one shoulder against the doorframe as he took in the sight of me.

“You never fail to take my breath away, you know that?”

I beckoned Troy closer and slid my arms around his shoulders. He gave a pleased hum, cupped my waist and kissed my shoulder.

“I was thinking about heading back to my apartment tonight,” he said. “I’m really behind on work and I need to catch up.”

“You won’t come to the concert?” I asked with a stinging needle of disappointment in my voice.

“Sorry, darling. I wish I could. My boss isn’t happy that I’ve gone MIA lately. If I want to keep my job, I have to throw a few articles her way to keep her happy.”

I nodded. Troy cradled my cheek in his palm.

“Promise you’ll be safe out there tonight.”

I threaded my fingers through his hair in reassurance.

“I’ll be fine. Merrick and Baron won’t let anything happen to me.”

Troy nodded but I could tell by his lack of a witty reply or charming comment that he was worried much more than he was letting on, for my sake. I pulled Troy deeper into the room, pushing him down onto the bed. When he tipped his chin up to kiss me, I pressed a finger to his lips, shaking my head.

“No touching,” I said. “You’ll ruin my hair and makeup. It took me nearly two hours to look like this. I won’t let you mess it up.”

“Does that mean I can’t even give you a kiss for good luck?”

“Nope. But there’s something else you can give me.”

I slid my hands under the hem of Troy’s shirt, my fingers mapping the warm skin and firm muscles of his torso. A tempting curl of tattoo ink at his hip peeked out from the waistband of his jeans. I bit the inside of my cheek and unbuttoned his pants, dragging the zipper of his fly down.

When Troy grazed his knuckles over my breast, I caught his wrist and pinned it to the bed.

“No touching, remember?”

He groaned with frustration and dropped his head back against the mattress. I breathed a soft laugh as I lowered my head, pinching the tattooed skin of his hip between my teeth. Then I tugged his pants down just far enough to release his cock.

Troy flinched as I wrapped my fingers around his length, trailing my thumb up to circle that sensitive spot just beneath the crown.

“Kenna,” Baron called, his voice echoing in the corridor. “Time to go.”

I glanced up at Troy, his shirt rucked up around his ribs, cock out, pants halfway down his thighs, and his pupils dark with desire. It wouldn’t be easy dragging myself away from him like this. For a split second, I almost regretted my decision to do the concert after all.

Maybe there was still time to change my mind. Stay home. Baron and Merrick would come when I called and we could get this party started properly…

Troy’s cock surged in my grip while I was lost in thought, idling stroking up and down. I loved playing with him like this, watching the way his body reacted to my touch, seeing him spread out on the bed for me, ready and willing to do anything I asked of him.

“Kenna,” Merrick barked, his footsteps drawing closer.

I wavered, considering ditching the concert altogether. But I couldn’t put my life on hold any longer because of this shooter. I wanted to get back to normal. Troy, Baron, and Merrick would be waiting when I got off stage.

I swiped my phone from my bedside table and clicked a picture—a cropped shot of Troy with skin, tattoo, and cock on display, sharp jawline just visible at one corner, a glimpse of his unbuttoned jeans at the lower left-hand corner.

“Perfect,” I said.

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