Page 84 of Blackwood

The crowd cheers.

“Thank you, boys. You can return to your seats… or if you need a few minutes to adjust we can do that too.”

Cal grumbles something under his breath beside me. I don’t hear it. I’m too busy watching her walk away.

We’re back in our seats, the buzz still crackling in the air like static. Cal’s fuming, arms crossed like he’s seconds from punching a wall. August keeps laughing under his breath, nursing whatever is left in his beer.

From behind me, a hand claps my shoulder. “You lucky bastard,” some guy mutters. I don’t even turn. I can’t. Because Bella’s back out there and this time, it’s not a chair routine.

It’s something different. The music is slower, darker, like honey over a knife’s edge. The lights drop, shadows stretching across the floor.

The entire Legacy team moves like one body, but my eyes find her instantly. She’s telling a story and I don’t know the plot, but I do know that I’d follow it anywhere. It’s beauty, yes. But it’s more than that. It’s grief.

Lust.

Rage.

Power.

My phone buzzes.

LEX:How’s the show, babe?

ME:She’s the one, Lex. Trust me.

LEX:The one? You sure about this?

ME:I’m really sure. You’re not here, Lex. You don’t see her. She moves like a reckoning. And when she smiles? Babe, it’s like watching lightning flirt with the sea.

LEX:Jesus Christ. You and your fucking metaphors. Fine. I trust you. Ask her out. Just don’t bring her home until you’re sure. I love you.

After what feels like an entire concert series of routines, Knox finally grabs the mic again, laughing like the smug little shit he is.

“Alright, alright,” he calls out. “Welcome to Legacy. I’m Knox, your humble DJ-slash-hype-man. This is The Trifecta: Bella, Haley, and Ellie. Thank you for coming to watch my girls shake their asses today.”

Chairs scrape and the guys scramble. Half the team looks like they’re about to faint. Cal makes a direct line for Bella. She hugs him tight like they’re close. They are close.

I look away for a second and then she’s in front of me.

“Thanks for coming,” she says, still a little breathless. “What’d you think?”

“That was…” I exhale. “Honestly, that was incredible. You’re a real artist.”

She bites her lip but there’s something softer under it. “Thanks. That means a lot coming from an actual artist like yourself.”

We stand there a second, not quite ready to walk away.

“You want to get coffee sometime?” I ask, trying not to sound like I’ve been dying to ask that.

“Um” she says slowly. “Yeah. I’d love to.”

Behind her, Cal looks like he’s about to commit a felony. August is doing nothing to stop it, too busy laughing his ass off.

But she doesn’t notice. Or maybe she does and doesn’t care.

Either way. It’s a date.

Chapter 29