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The crowd laughs. Probably because we’re supposed to be two lovebirds, and David is so gay the action is not at all offensive. Applause echoes off the walls as Danica walks across the stage in front of us.
Adira grabs my hand as we step back for his designer friend. “Love, you were amazing.”
David squeezes my other. “So good.”
Rogue beams at me from over the top of the sea of people between us. Mouths at me, “Sexy as fuck.”
Danica says a few things but I don’t take in a word. I used to believe that my brother couldn’t be the bad guy. He saved my life and that had to mean something. If he scared me it was because I was weak. If he hurt me it was because I wasn’t as strong as I should be. For a long time I thought I was pathetic, but now…I’ve realized Alec Hawthorne is a monster, and I’m sick of running from my monsters.
Especially when it means running from Rogue Maddox. Somehow, I’m going to find a way to tell him that Alec is my brother and we’re going to make it through this. Even if it means for now I have to deceive him while I work out how to deal with Alec.
Danica gestures for our line to move forward and take a bow.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
A thousand flashes blind me.
When I look up Rogue has disappeared from the main event. We shuffle off the stage. It’s loud in the staging area with the crew and press bustling around. The guys are all atwitter about the crowd and the cameras.
Adira grabs me and lifts me off my feet. He spins me around before he puts me back on my Lulu Blues.
“Love, you saved my ass. Seriously, I thought you were going to puke to start with, but you were…” He mimes his head exploding.
“Girl, you were fabulous,” Magnolia Clitterbean says.
I can’t wipe the grin off my face. My cheeks hurt. “It was Uma Cookie.”
“Well, Uma Cookie, is sex-o-licious.” Celeste Le-Coq wraps an arm around my shoulders and squeezes.
The rest of them murmur their agreement as we move toward the changing area.
“I don’t know,” I say. “It was scary. How do you all do that every show?”
“You’ll get used to it,” Magnolia tells me as he leans in to check his hair in a mirror now that he’s taken off his wig.
“No, I’ll never…” That kind of confidence is not within my reach. “I’m going to stay back here with the costumes.”
“I’ve got to talk to Danica. Catch up with you in a minute.” Adira strides away like the bad bitch he is.
“And oh my God, David!” Ivanna Bey Yaluva claps the groom on the back. “I could have sworn you were entirely straight for a second there when you smacked that booty.”
“Who are you, handsome?” Ermine Beaverhousen asks.
It can only be Rogue and Riot. I whip around to rush Rogue. My heart stammers. My lips part on the quickest of breaths as my gaze collides with dark blue eyes. Familiar eyes. Wrong eyes.
Nathaniel starts across the room, dodging props and costumes and half-dressed men. He comes to a stop in front of me before I can escape to Adira’s private dressing room.
“Ivy, it’s good to see you.” He reaches for my arm.
“W-what are you doing here?” Uma can be a flighty bitch; she abandoned me the moment Nathaniel called me Ivy. I wrap my arms around my waist to hold myself together as I avoid his hand.
“That was quite the performance.” He takes in my costume and smiles. He’s wearing one of those overly generic and way too expensive suits he favors. His black hair has the sheen of an oil slick. So do his shoes.
No one ever encroaches on Adira’s and my space unless invited to do so. I don’t like that he’s taken it upon himself to invade it. “Thank you, I guess.”
