Nodding his head with a smile, he gives me a thumbs-up. Slamming the door shut behind me, I watch as the surrounding city blurs around us.
* * *
Leather pants cover my long legs as I fix the black lace cropped top on my torso. I can’t believe I’m going to see Leonidas. Why am I so nervous? I shouldn’t be nervous. It’s just him, the guy I’m in love with.
When I secretly meet Athena at the back entrance, she pulls me into her body. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
Athena smells like honey, a comforting scent to calm the tornadoes bouncing around in my stomach.
Breathe in and out. Fight your thoughts ten times harder with a smirk.
“I’m happy to be here aswell,Athena.”
A while after just standing there and stressing over every possible outcome, I place the backstage pass around my neck and let out a shaky breath as the door opens.
Following Athena and mom through the hallways, I eye all the people running frantically. Some have clothes in their hands, and others have makeup, shoes, cameras, lights, or microphones. It’s dark in the hallways, setting a vibe down here that I like. It’s not gloomy. It screams X3.
Athena stops abruptly before we round a corner. “He should be in his dressing room. It’s the last door on the right. I’ll take your mom away, so you’ll have privacy.”
I watch as they disappear the way we just came. Taking a deep breath in and out, I mentally prepare myself for what’s coming. Fiddling with the bracelet Leonidas made me, I round the corner.
My steps halter as our gazes connect.
FIFTY-FIVE
TRINITY
Closing the door to his dressing room, which he just walked out of, Leonidas suddenly halts. My hands tremble as he takes a step closer to where I stand, disbelief written all over his face.
I feel like I’m frozen in place, like someone’s pressed the pause button and I’m left standing, amazed. I knew I was going to see Leonidas, but seeing him in person is a shock. He’s standing right in front of me. As his intense eyes bore into mine, I feel an entire swarm of butterflies flying in my belly.
He stares at me as if he feels the same way. From the opposite side of the hallway, his eyes shine with astonishment. Leonidas is looking at me like I’m the most amazing thing he’s ever laid his eyes on.
In this moment, I feel an intense need to touch his skin, to have his arms around me as I breathe in his comforting scent. I’ve missed him so much. My life without him is so boring. I was worried our relationship would strain because of the distance, but as we smile at each other from across the hallway, the thought immediately vanishes.
Nothing and no one can break us.
The surrounding people blur as we stride over to each other. Leonidas drops everything in his hands as he makes his way to me. People rush around to collect the stuff he dropped with a glare. They whisper while looking at me with distaste.
“Trin?” he croaks out and yanks me hard into his body.
As his arms, which I’ve grown so familiar with, wind around my waist, I feel like nothing could ever feel this good. The feeling of reuniting with him sparks a new energy between us.
My face presses against his hot neck as he whispers, “Oh my fucking God, no way.”
I laugh into his neck as my legs wrap around his waist. We couldn’t care less if people are watching. The only thing that matters is that we’re together again. Walking backward toward the door he came out of, he kicks it open and then shuts it to get us away from everyone’s prying eyes.
Pinning me against the door with my legs still around him, he stares at me with wonder. “Am I dreaming? Please pinch me.”
Sliding my hand down from where it was placed on his neck, I lightly pinch the skin on his muscular forearm. “This seems pretty real to me.”
A shaky laugh escapes me as he pulls me tighter into his body. When he pushes his face in my neck, I shiver at the feeling of his hot breath.
“I can’t believe you’re here.” Emotion is thick in his voice as I wind my hand through his wavy locks.
“I can’t believe I’m here either.”
My feet hit the tiled floor as he pulls away. He still has a shocked look on his face, and it makes me want to laugh.
