Hooked by Love (Bellevue Bullies 3)

Clearing my throat, I watch as Markus and Mekena kill it onstage. When they finish, everyone is clapping and cheering them on, and I grin as Jace takes my hand. As our fingers lace together, Caleb and the past are nowhere to be found and all I see is Jace.

He’s the light.

“Come on, our turn,” he says, pulling me out of my chair and toward the stage. “Now remember, you can’t suck.”

I laugh because what else can I say to that? He’s insane. When we reach the stage, he picks the song and I’m a little stunned by his choice. I raise an eyebrow and he smiles as he says, “I love that song.”

“The Beatles are the best band ever.”

“So you know it?”

“Duh.”

“Awesome, I listened to them growing up, know every song by heart.”

Which is so fucking hot. A dude who knows the Beatles by heart? Yeah, sign me up. Wait, that means I’m committing, right?

Crap.

Shaking my head, I say, “Jude and Lucy, named after them, I assume?”

“Yup, I was supposed to be Rocky after ‘Rocky Raccoon,’ but my dad hated it.”

I grin to keep from agreeing with his father and Jace laughs. “Yeah, it’s bad. But still, it would have been cool.”

“Yeah, for sure,” I say just as the guy gives us the go-ahead. “You ready?”

“Um, duh. But the question is, are you ready?”

Rolling my eyes, I push him and he laughs as he leads me up onstage. The countdown to the Across the Universe version of “Don’t Let Me Down” by the Beatles starts, and I wait until it’s time to start the song, and I begin. I love this song, have listened to it a billion times, and even know how to play it. As I expect, the crowd quiets and then the cheering starts. Jace stands there, a big grin on his face as I sing. But when it’s time for him to go, I watch him pause before he opens his mouth.

And then the most godawful noise comes out of his mouth.

It’s like nails-on-a-chalkboard bad, and he knows it! He’s grinning so hard, I want to smack him, yet he keeps going. His confidence, the way he struts as he sings, has the crowd going nuts. Even Markus is cheering him on while I stand there dumbstruck. Where is this amazing voice he spoke of, and why am I so attracted to him right now?

When he comes toe–to-toe with me, singing his heart out, I can only look at him in complete puzzlement before I start to sing. Our voices blend together, badly, mind you, but he is getting it. Singing with all the gusto of Freddie Mercury. It’s insane! All I can think is, holy crap, this is so bad and I should be embarrassed, but I’m not.

I’m blissful.

And he is amazing. Bad singing and all.

As the song ends, I glare at him as he wraps his arms around my waist, kissing me loudly on the lips, which only makes the crowd cheer louder. Shaking my head as we part, I accuse, “I thought you said you were good.”

He grins. “I am!”

“Jace!” I say incredulously and he just laughs.

“Don’t try to bring me down. Go, I’m going next.”

“Seriously?”

He nods. “Um, yeah, I’m working the crowd. Don’t be jealous they like me more.”

Gasping, I break from his arms as he shoots me a wicked grin. “You’re impossible!”

As I walk down the stairs, handing the mic to the guy, Jace’s voice runs down my spine as he whispers into the mic, “Now, for my next song, I want to dedicate this to my Rose. My Avery Rose.”

I turn when I reach the table, and his eyes are locked on me as he lets out a long breath, the guitar starting in the background. I know the song. I mean, I’m pretty sure everyone does. But I don’t