I closed the bus door as quietly as possible before turning to face Daze. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he assured me. “I told you we could hang out later, but I didn’t get a chance. I’m sorry.”
“So you woke me up in the middle of the night? What time is it?” I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
He produced a cell phone from his pocket and checked the screen. “Almost one. If you want to go back to bed, you can. I just figured it would be easier while everyone else was asleep.”
I cocked a curious eyebrow at him. “Easier to what?”
“I want to show you something.” He smiled excitedly. “But if you’re too tired, like I said, you can go back to sleep. I’m sorry for waking you?—”
“It’s fine.” I shook my head, unwilling to sacrifice alone time with him, even if it was to get a few hours of much-needed sleep.Besides, I was already up. Might as well see what he was so excited about.
His smile widened, and he held out his hand. As butterflies erupted in my stomach, I took it and let him drag me toward the darkened event center. I thought maybe we would turn and follow the perimeter of the building somewhere else, but he was steering me straight toward one of the back entrances.
My brows furrowed. “Uh, Daze? Isn’t the building locked?”
“It’s supposed to be.” He chuckled once. “But I… might have gotten crafty.”
I glared at him as we climbed a short set of stairs leading to a window-paned door. A plaque on the door readSTAFF ONLY.
“What did you do?” I asked.
Rather than answering, he reached for the door handle and turned it. The door swung open, revealing a dark hallway. “I might have done a little entering.” He smiled bashfully. “Took a page out of your book.”
My jaw dropped.
“I didn’tactuallybreak into anything though,” I whispered sharply. I checked over my shoulder to make sure there was no one in the parking lot; we were completely alone. “What if we get in trouble?”
He lifted a shoulder. “What if we don’t?”
I stared up at him. Maybe I’d been wrong about him all along. Maybe hewouldend up corrupting me before everything was said and done.
“We’re not going to get in trouble,” he assured me. “I promise. Cross my heart.”
I thought about pointing out that he’d broken his last promise, but he hadn’t. Not really. He eventually came to find me.
But I couldn’t risk getting into trouble, especially not when it involved breaking and entering. I was safe from the Stone pack, but not safe from the cops; I had to be cautious.
Daze batted his eyelashes at me, and I shifted my weight back and forth. At least, I wouldn’t be alone.
He could take the fall if anyone showed up demanding answers. I could tell them he forced me against my will.
I cringed internally at the thought. Throwing him under the bus… again?
Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.
He better have a solid fucking alibi.
After another moment of hesitation, I sighed. “Fine.”
His eyes lit up, and I reluctantly followed him into the building. The door clicked closed behind us. He led the way down the darkened hall with ease, like he knew exactly where he was going, despite not being able to see where he was walking.
Had he already scoped the building? Had they performed at this venue before?
We made a left, then a right.
I was easily lost, but Daze seemed to know exactly what he was doing. I barely registered when we stepped into the wide, empty arena, and he reached for a breaker on the wall. Lights popped on overhead when he flipped it, filling the performance space with a warm glow. Meanwhile, my brain struggled to catch up.
