Page 29 of Room Ten: Put on a Show

I blew Troy a kiss and hurried from the room, leaving him there. It was his choice whether he wanted to finish himself off or wait until I got back to do the honors.

***

Baron and Merrick were practically attached at my hip on either side of me. The buzz of a thousand voices filled the air, energy from the crowd practically crackling like static electricity. The concert was sold-out—an entire football stadium packed with thousands of people. Giant monitors had been set up outside of the stadium as well to account for the overflow of spectators who weren’t able to get tickets.

Backstage, a flurry of activity milled in every direction, jostling and bumping into each other. But Baron and Merrick created an island of tranquility and security around me.

“Nervous?” Baron asked.

He slid his gaze away from constantly assessing the mayhem around us and he glanced down at me, one eyebrow arched with an inquiring look.

I considered for a moment, weighing that question. He’d never asked it before—there was no need to. I loved being on stage. As soon as the crowd started to sing along with me, it seemed as if time slowed to a crawl, like a dream. I was never nervous before a concert.

This time was different though.

Merrick’s fingers flexed on my arm, but his gaze remained directed elsewhere, scanning the surrounding area. Baron shifted impossibly closer, the heavy weight of his hand resting comfortably at the small of my back.

They wouldn’t be on stage with me. But they wouldn’t take their eyes off me either. They never did.

“No,” I replied. Even as the word left my mouth, I realized that I meant it. “I’m not nervous.”

Baron gave a single nod and his gaze slid away to focus on a frazzled assistant scurrying by. I was surprised he didn’t lecture me about being careful on stage—keep your distance from the audience, don’t touch anyone, if you see anything strange that doesn’t sit right with you, leave immediately. It didn’t matter that I’d heard Baron’s warnings a dozen times before.

“What about you?” I asked.

Baron darted a quick glance down at me. “What do you mean?”

“Are you nervous?”

He hesitated for a fraction of a second. Since backstage was so dimly lit, and there was so much activity churning around us, no one paid any attention when I moved to face Baron, chest to chest. I slipped one hand between our bodies, grazing the front of his pants. He grabbed my wrist with an iron grip.

“Kenna,” he said through his teeth. “Not here.”

“You looked a little stressed,” I pointed out.

He arched an eyebrow. “No.”

“Merrick?” I said, turning toward him.

“Keep your wandering hands to yourself, you little minx,” he said without batting an eye.

“You don’t mean that,” I replied with a joking pout.

I reached out, slipping my hand under the tail of Merrick’s coat, and gave the tight, firm muscle of his ass a squeeze. Between one blink and the next, I found myself sandwiched between Baron and Merrick’s bodies—Baron at my front, Merrick at my back. Merrick grasped my chin, tilting my head up to look at him.

“We can play,” he said. “Or we can keep you safe. Not both. Which one will it be, princess?”

I held Merrick’s dark gaze with a smile.

“I want it all,” I whispered.

Then I was called to the stage and the spell shattered, dragging me back to reality. I had a job to do, and Baron and Merrick fell into their roles as my protectors.

I stepped into the blinding spotlight with the roar of applause. One look over my shoulder showed Baron and Merrick standing at the edge of the shadows, ready to fly into action if anything happened to me.

I opened my mouth and I started to sing.

***

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