Page 92 of Blacklist

“Bullshit,” we both say at the same time.

The truth is, like any famous person, Kai wants privacy every now and then, but he totally feeds off the attention. It drives him, and no one deserves it more.

A chant begins in the crowd and it takes a moment for my whiskey-marinated brain to process they want him to sing. It’s about that same time that Kai’s hand closes over mine and he drags me to the stage. Sterling and Poppy begin catcalling my name. It’s easy to know it’s them since everyone else is screaming Kai’s.

“Have you lost your mind?” I hiss, trying to escape.

Kai plops his Stetson on my head. “I know you can sing, girl. Now don’t break my heart and tell me you don’t know my songs.”

“Of course, I know them.” I tilt the brim up and glare at him. Like I wouldn’t know every one of his songs! He presses a microphone into my hands, and I realize he actually wants me to sing with him. On stage. In front of everyone.

Oh my God. The first bars of the song start playing before I can chicken out.

Some blood is thicker than water…

I join in with Kai instinctively, belting his first number one hit.

And there’s whiskey hotter than fire.

I know you should treat me better,

But I don’t care if you’re a liar

Cause some love is sweeter than air.

I took you home to meet my family.

My mama cried when she saw you.

She said that boy won’t ever treat you kindly.

Son, some bastards can’t stay true.

I don’t mean to look at Sterling as the words surge from me, because my gaze travels to him like he’s magnetized. People think this song is sad. Maybe if it is if you know better.

I thought our love would last for always,

But you drank me gone one lonely night.

Now I’m drinking to our yesterdays

Cause some bastards can’t treat ya right.

Our love is water and it’s fire,

So pour another and lie to me.

I’ll drink to forget that you’re a liar

Cause I need your love to breathe.

There’s a reason I can’t stop looking at the man in the crowd. There’s a reason why no matter how hard I try to keep away, I can’t. There’s a reason I can’t separate desire from hate anymore. This is the only kind of love I’ve ever known.

And he’s the one who showed me it.

27

Adair