Page 93 of Bottoms Up

“Amazing is an understatement, but I have no better words. Magnificent, maybe,” Julian said, and he kissed my forehead. “Mia stellina. Davvero magnifico.”

“It sounds so much better in Italian,” Davy said with a sigh, and he leaned into Will.

Will put his arm around his boy, kissed the top of his head, and asked Julian, “How do you say impertinent slaveboy in Italian?”

“Ragazzo schiavo impertinente.”

“Not impertinent,” Davy muttered, and I couldn’t help but smile at him.

“Where’s Mikey?” Micca asked.

“You didn’t see him with the twins at the back of the stage?” Ghost asked. “Mira split off and went with him. Drake’ll send backup. He’ll be fine.”

My phone dinged, and Julian tipped me up so he could fish it out of his pocket. He’d held it for me while I was on stage.

My brother had sent a picture of me on stage from near the front.

He’d been in the fucking audience?

I could’ve gotten you onstage with me if you’d let me know you were here!

You kicked ass baby brother. Love the new song. I’m here with someone. Nothing special, just someone who’ll let me do naughty things to her body since I paid the way for her to check something off her bucket list.

That sounds terribly cold.

Just the truth. I enjoy her company but I’m under no delusions she loves me as she says she does. She loves the lifestyle I can provide. Not me.

You need to see a therapist about that. Are you afraid of dating someone who’s your equal? Because I know the pickings are slim but they aren’t non-existent. Stop fucking around with users already!

Never one to mince words, but it’s okay. Your damned song spoke to me. No more biding time with lovely women who want what I can give them and not me. Time to man up. Love you, Jules.

I love you too. Call me when you get home? I need to kick your ass over video, not just text.

Of course. Ciao.

I smiled at the screen, then looked up. “My brother was in the audience. Didn’t tell me until after.”

Julian had read over my shoulder, which was fine. When do couples reach that level of intimacy, where it’s okay to look over and see who the other is texting? When you share everything, so nothing is secret.

I had a text from Kirsten, too. It’d come in while I was performing, and she knew the bracelet was on my arm. I’d somehow managed to forget about it.

I’m sending someone to ride the plane back with you. She’ll stick with you until we figure a longer-term solution. She’s from Vegas, Ellania. Atlas knows her, and they work well together. Stick with them.

I texted her during your performance, Julian telepathed.

I looked down at my bicep and thoughtGo Homeat it, and a second later, it vibrated a little, but didn’t leave.

I narrowed my eyes.Show me you’re an asset and not a problem, not a threat, and I’ll change my mind about you. For now, I don’t want you near me. If you’re so smart, figure out how to change that.

There are a lot of people in and out of a small airport when you have this many bands performing over a three-day period. Well, the bands with enough income to fly private instead of commercial, anyway.

Heather was waiting for us on the runway, in a high-speed jet so we could get home before sunrise in Chattanooga, but another band was in the small terminal, and we stopped to talk to them.

As we walked through the terminal to greet another band, I felt the torc leave. I’m not saying it fell off my arm, I’m saying itfled.

There was no visible shimmer, no motion, no sound. But Ifeltit slither off my bicep like smoke through skin. A faint cold tingle, a flash of static.

My breath caught. Pulse raced. My face went hot.