“Is he all right?” I hear Sin ask and I shoot her what I hope is a reassuring grin and thumbs up, but her expression tells me I’ve missed the mark.
Oh well, I can't focus too much on that when I’m so close to losing it.
I just have to hold out for another couple of hours until we can step on stage and I can recalibrate my brain. Until then, I’ll sit in a silent room by myself.
My skin feels sticky with sweat, so I’ll take a long shower too.
And breathe.
I reach the gym and shove open the door, breathing in the faint scent of old socks and sweat and that weirdly ever-present plasticky smell that they must pump through the vents.
It’s blissfully empty. Quiet.
Dropping to the floor, I hug my knees and rest my forehead against them.
Finally, I’m alone.
Chapter 10
Sin
I’m pretty sure I’m missing something as we ride the elevator in silence.
“Is Micah sick or something?” I ask. I noticed the way his hands were trembling in the car and how he kept spasming the entire time. “Or has he got a phobia of traveling?”
It looked like he was in physical pain and I guess that’s why we’ve stopped so early today.
“Micah’s an empath,” Iri replies, barely glancing up from his phone, where he’s texting someone with gusto. “He feels everything we’re feeling.”
It takes a second for that to sink into my brain. That sounds... horrific.
“Everything?” I ask.
“Yep,” Cal grunts. “It gets overwhelming when he’s around crowds or he doesn’t get a break from it.”
“But... you guys gig in front of thousands of people.”
“Somehow, that’s more bearable for him.” Cal shrugs.
The elevator dings and I stumble out onto the penthouse floor, gazing around at the opulence and trying not to let my jaw drop.
This is where we’re staying? It’s bigger than five of my apartments. There’s a sitting room and enough bedrooms for all of us. I hadn’t really thought about any of the logistics to joining the bandon tour, but I guess if this is the kind of place they’ll be staying, I won’t complain.
Iri disappears to make a phone call and Dorian spins on his heel and heads for a bedroom without a word, leaving me alone with Cal.
“Pick any bedroom you like. We’ll probably order some food in soon and then head out later,” Cal tells me with a kind smile.
“Head out?”
He nods. “When things are bad like this, Micah needs an outlet. We’ll find someplace to play to a crowd, and that should get him through the next few days.”
It’s hitting me that I know nothing about these guys. All the information Ally and Lila shared wasn’t exactly useful stuff, and I wonder how much of this is common knowledge and how much they’re trusting me here.
Although, it’s not like I have anyone to tell.
Cal squeezes my shoulder and I head off to find a bedroom to dump my stuff in. I take a quick shower, washing off the grime from the drive. When I’m done, there’s a tap at the door to my bedroom and I swing it open, revealing Iri.
“We have a last-minute gig down at The Smokeshow tonight. Should be a hundred people there if you want to come along too,” he says.
