I whistle. “Appropriate.”
She gives me a wry grin as she turns, adjusting the mic. Her eyes sweep over the crowd, and she takes a deep breath, her fingers dropping to the strings.
And then she plays.
It’s everything I hoped it would be. The crowd silences as her voice rings out across the room. It’s much deeper than I expected, a smoky cadence that curls around the words as she holds the crowd hostage.
In the depths of pain
Where the shadows go
An ember flickers
Sinking low
This weight of hurt
It burns my soul
When is it time
To let it go?
Carefully, my fingers dance softly across the strings.
I’ll forgive the past
Because nothing this good ever lasts
Embrace the journey
Make everything right
Drag those embers
Into the light
When will you see
The light in me
Her voice trails off as she closes it off, and I follow her lead. The final note rings out, and there’s silence. Pure, awed silence.
Sienna shifts uncertainly, and the spell breaks. Her mouth falls open as the cheers ring out from across the room. People are cheering, screaming for more, and her cheeks pink. “Jax…,”
“Listen to them, Sienna,” I lean forward and whisper in her ear. “God, I knew you’d be perfect. They’re screaming for you. Give the people what they want.”
She rolls her eyes, but she’s grinning. “One more, Jax. I mean it.”
Something tells me I’ll never get enough.
We tumble off stage, high on the buzz from the crowd, and Sienna laughs as Gray grabs her, spinning her around. “That was incredible, Bonded.”
She turns to me, her eyes sparkling.
“Am I forgiven?” I ask, a little meek and a whole lot of smug.
She tries to look stern, but her lips twitch. She wags her finger at me. “I’ll decide when we get home.”
