The structure was built of coarse, aged bricks, worn from the years the building had been used as a cotton warehouse, covered in soot and dust and old smoke damage from a fire in the 20s.
It was massive, four stories of exposed levels and lofts, years ago transformed into a trendy theatre and club.
I’d been here several times to watch Sunder play. It was one of those intimate venues where you could get up close to the performers.
Reach out and touch the stars.
Right there, lost in the vibe and passion and sensuality of your favorite musicians.
It wasn’t all that hard to figure out who was going to be mine.
Leif rolled to a stop beside a black SUV. He reached down to grip me by the outside of the thigh. Squeezed in some sort of unheard reassurance. Or maybe it was a plea. As if he were asking me for understanding. Maybe support.
My attention drifted to the left to see a group of people standing around at the back door.
All eyes tuned in on us.
There was a woman who was probably about my age standing at the front of the group. Incredibly beautiful in a soft, innocent sort of way. Wearing a sundress and wedge heels and disbelief on her face, blonde waves tumbling over her shoulders.
A man was to her right, hands stuffed in his pockets, shaggy, brown hair curling around his face.
Tattoos littered his arms and outright confidence radiated from his body.
No doubt, that boy was too handsome for his own good.
But it was the burly bear of a man who was ambling toward us with a huge grin on his face that had a small smile pulling to the corner of my mouth.
Leif seemed reluctant to shut off the engine.
The second he did, a booming voice hit our ears.
“Holy shit, the Banger is here. I was wondering if I was goin’ to have to come track you down and drag your scrawny ass over here.”
Leif chuckled a laugh, shook his head with amusement. “That’s Head Banger, to you,” he shouted back while he offered me a hand to help me off.
More of that lightness filtered through the coming evening.
I wanted to slip into it.
Slip into the feel and the sound.
The guy walking toward us let his expression morph into counterfeit alarm. “It’s worse than I thought. He let the heavy metal get to him. Knew letting him get with that band was gonna result in disaster. What did I tell you? Time to kick your city ass back into country gear, brother. We have a show to play. Place is gonna be packed. One day warnin’ and tickets are sold out. Hells yeah. Told you this was our year. Let the awesomeness ensue. That is if you can keep up.”
I tried to follow his crazy-train of thoughts as I undid the strap of the helmet, not even sure who he was talking to except for the fact he never took his attention from Leif. I couldn’t peel my eyes away, watching between the two of them as Leif climbed off his bike, amusement gliding into the atmosphere.
This.
This was what we’d needed after everything we’d been through.
“Would you leave him alone, Rhys? We haven’t seen him in weeks and you’re already tryin’ to scare him off.” This from the blonde who was making her way in our direction.
In feigned offense, he tossed her a glare. “Scare him off? This asshole missed the shit out of me.” He whirled back to face Leif, his arms stretched out to the sides. “Didn’t you, Banger?”
Leif held two fingers up. Just a pinch.
“Piss off, asshole, and tell me you love me. Know you want a kiss. Then after that, get to tellin’ me who the hell this gorgeous girl is right here. You lucky bastard.” He looked at me with his shit-eating grin. “You went and found yourself a rock ‘n’ roll princess.”
Embarrassment blazed, and I bit down on my lip, glancing at my attire.
Yep.
Overboard.
I’d totally, totally gone overboard.
Leif stepped in front of me. “Watch yourself, man.”
The guy’s grin only grew. “Oh, so that’s how it is?”
He basically tossed Leif out of the way and came barreling for me, wrapping me up in his mammoth arms, hugging me hard and flinging me around.
I screeched, caught off guard, but couldn’t help but laugh as he continued bouncing me around.
“Rhys, put her down. You’re going to suffocate the poor girl, and I haven’t even gotten to meet her,” the blonde said, her voice nothing but an amused reprimand.
“But I like her,” he whined, and then he was grinning more, his voice lowered at my ear so only I could hear when he set me onto my feet. “Thank fuck you’re here.”
Confusion wound, and I looked at him, not sure what he was implying, wanting to ask him what he meant.