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ShannonstudiesRobbieintently.Then, he pulls him in for a bro hug, slapping his back a couple of times.

Iclear my throat, giving my bandmates an earnest look. “Let’sdo this.”

Zakjuts his chin at me. “Startus off, babe.”

Witha beam lighting up my face,Istrum out the hard-hitting opening to “GetFucked,” one of my personal all-time favorites from our discography.Zakgrins, his riffs echoing low and fast.Mysight cuts toAdrianwhen he misses his cue.

Herolls his eyes before hopping into the song on the right beat.Eventually, the anger fades, replaced with small smiles and the nostalgia of past practices, of all the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears that has gone into this precise moment.

Imight’ve died and made a deal to live with my life tied toTimeless, but this bandismy lifeblood—it’s always been and always will be the thing that keeps me alive and going, deal with the devil or not.

Guitarsring and cymbals die off.Zaksmiles at his guitar like a rock star angel that leaves my stomach fluttering.

Aphone pings.Shannonreaches in his back pocket.Zakperks up and reaches into the pocket of his gym shorts to grab his phone, andRobbiemakes a face at his jeans before searching his pocket for his own.

Amoan blares from different phones like an echo. “Oh, fuck yeah, baby.Yeah.”

Mybrows knit when a girl’s boisterous moan follows.

“Whatthe fuck…”Robbiesays, peering closer at his phone.Hiseyes shatter wide open. “Whatthe actual fuck.”

“Oh,Adrian!”

Ipeek up, trying to get a good view ofZak’sphone, only to be visually assaulted with two people fucking in a porn video.

Realizationhits me like a freight train.

That’sAdrianandNorma.

“Youlike that, dirty little groupie?”

“Yes.Yes!”

Adriansnorts behind his kit with a smirk. “Thatwas a fun night.”

Istick my fingers in my ears and close my eyes. “Turnthat shitoff!”

Ten.Nine.Eight.Seven.Six.Five.Four.Three.Two.One.

WhenIfinally unplug my ears and open my eyes in disbelief, my vision turns cloudy asIsearch the silent room forAdrian. “Whatthe fuck,Dree?”

Anevil smirk pulls up a corner of his lips. “What, you don’t like me owning my sluttiness?”

Mynostrils flare. “Fuckyou.”

Helaughs. “Baby, you already did!”

Redcolors the room.Itoss my guitar over a couch and stalk straight for the bastard with fists balled up at my sides.

Shannonswoops in, gripping my arm tightly and dragging me away. “Nope,Iain’t havin’ it,RobbieJunior.”

Islap his hand. “Getoff me and let me handle that stupid fuck!”

Heshoves me out the door.Istumble to gain my footing beforeIface-plant in gravel.

“Tellme right now if you’re gonna beRobbietwo-point-oh,”Shannondemands, blocking the door. “’Cause, if you are, we’ll go ahead and call it quits.I’mnot putting up with this bullshit again.”

“What, just because the girl finally gets mad enough to not take it anymore, you’re gonna give me the middle finger and let me die, anyway?”Iscoff. “Isee how it is.”