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He tipped his head at me. “Letting me meet the band would be nice. I never get to meet them in person. I’m just the label fairy sneaking around in the background.”

“Done. I can even get you backstage if you want.”

He snorted, shaking his head. “Damn, man. You’re excited.” His eyes narrowed for a second. “Is the guy you’re seeing in the band?”

My face flushed, and Henry started laughing again, squeezing my shoulder. “Well, hell, Arthur! When you decide to date men, you go right for the good stuff. A musician? Especially one that good? I’m a little jealous.”

“It wasn’t planned. I went to a bar to drown my sorrows, and they got up on stage. Hendrix only had to sing one line before I was hooked. I never thought he’d look my way twice, but…” I shrugged.

Henry gripped my shoulder, shaking me a little. “Of course he’d look your way. You’re a catch. Now when do I get to meet the band? You said they play every Thursday?”

My excitement was brimming by the time I got home, but I hesitated to tell Hendrix. I didn’t want to get his hopes up. Henry said he’d show his brother, but that didn’t mean his brother would like them or that he’d want to sign them. I decided to wait to tell him until I knew more. Keeping that kind of secret was harder than I thought, though. Every time he called me, I felt it sitting on the tip of my tongue. It was almost painfulto keep it in. When Henry met me at the club on Thursday to hear the band, I was almost crawling out of my skin from the anticipation. He didn’t see his brother until the weekend, though, so I couldn’t even ask if there was an update.

I’d already checked on the band by the time he arrived, so I took my normal seat at the bar, chatting with Henry as the band took the stage. I still got butterflies watching Hendrix on stage. From the first time I saw him, I was doomed. There was no way someone could look at him and not fall for him. His voice wrapped around me like silk, giving me goosebumps no matter how many times I listened to the same songs.

“You look smitten,” Henry called over the music.

I wrinkled my nose to hide my blush. “Shut up. Pay attention. They’re about to play my favorite song.”

He stopped teasing after that and we just enjoyed the music together. I liked having someone to sit with, and when the band came out after the show, I was happy to introduce Henry as my friend. Hendrix tossed his arm over my shoulders as he shook Henry’s hands, still sweaty and gross from being under those lights. When I made a face at him, he dropped his weight on me, ‌rubbing his sweaty body all over me.

“Hendrix!” I complained. Sort of. I couldn’t stop laughing and I didn’t hate him all over me. I could do without the sweat, of course, but still.

Henry watched us with a smirk, raising his eyebrow at me when I shot him a questioning look. “So when I said you went for the top shelf, I got it on the nose, didn’t I?”

I blushed, but he wasn’t wrong. I really did get lucky with Hendrix. He was beautiful, artistic, kind, playful, and he was even good with kids. He was the whole package, and when I tipped my head back to look at him and he smiled at me, I admitted to myself that it was more than a crush. I was in love with him. Probably had been since the first time I saw him onstage. Everything was perfect, thanks to him. I was more social, I had friends, I got out of the house several times a week. I wasn’t that quiet accountant, trudging through life with no genuine happiness anymore. I was living. And it was all thanks to him.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

HENDRIX

Art stayedat the club longer than usual. I knew he was being polite, he invited his friend along and he didn't want to ditch him the second I was through, but we rarely stuck around long after the show. More often than not, Art would hang out for a bit to say hello to the band and then we’d head back to his place for some fun time alone. It took work to keep the irritation off my face. I wanted to get out of here with Art. My blood was buzzing after that show and I wanted Art to fuck me into the mattress until I was too exhausted to stay awake.

Laz snorted, nudging Art’s arm. “You might want to consider heading out. Looks like our man here is about to lose his cool.”

Art frowned, looking over his shoulder at me. I shot Laz a dirty look, but it only made him snicker. And when Art’s eyes widened and a grin spread across his face, I maybe probably owed Laz one for pointing it out. He smirked at me when Art launched to his feet, giving his friend a quick goodbye. I’d thank him later. Right now, I had a man to devour.

We teleported right into his living room and got about as far as the couch before I attacked. Art went willingly, tumbling onto the cushions with me on top of him. We were all grabbing hands and passionate kisses. I had my shirt off in record time and Art’s was halfway down his arms. It somehow managed to trap his arms behind him and I refused to let him loose, using the position to my advantage and dragging my mouth along his chest.

I was so into what we were doing, I didn’t clue in to the noises outside the house until the doorknob rattled. The door flew open and a woman who looked a lot like Sophie strode inside, Sophie right behind her. She came to a halt when Sophie flicked on the lights, her eyes wide.

“Val?” Art’s confusion was in his voice, and it took him a second to remember what we were doing. He scrambled out from underneath me, pulling his shirt closed and running his fingers through his hair. “What– What are you doing here? It’s late.”

Val’s eyes flicked between me and Art, and a very familiar look overtook her face. It was the same look a lot of humans gave us when we first arrived. Disgust, fear, distrust, anger. She took a step back, snagging Sophie and shoving her behind her when she tried to come closer.

“What is this, Arthur?”

Art looked at a loss for words. He swallowed hard, staring at his ex-wife, flinching when she shrieked at him.

“What is this? You are sleeping with men now? You are going to corrupt our daughter with that lifestyle?”

That wasn’t what I was expecting. She latched onto the gay thing first before coming around to the demon thing. I knew it was coming, but it was hard to watch as Art took a verbal beating and said nothing.

“How long? How long have you been bringing our child around monsters? I always knew you were a terrible parent! I should have gone for full custody right away!”

That made Art’s head snap up. He went pale, his eyes locked on Sophie as Val shoved her farther behind her and towards the door.

“Val, wait–”