Iwas so excited. This was my favorite band ever, and I had been IMing Malvor, the lead singer. Or whom I’d hoped was Malvor. We’d been talking for around two years. It started innocently at first. Simple hellos and how are yous. Then my ex disappeared, and he helped me stay afloat. It gave me a reason for living again and helped me feel good in my skin. I started sending risky photos, and he responded well. We’re supposed to meet today after the show. I just hope I’m what he's expecting.
I’m front row and center so I can get a good view. I wanna be able to catch his sweat if it drips. I’m obsessed with this man, and I want to worship at his feet while he degrades me. I told him that, too. After a few weeks of dirty texts back and forth I felt comfortable letting him in on another side of me. Several fog machines went off at once, making it impossible to see on the stage. It looked like rolling clouds for a storm. Slowly, the music began and people started cheering as the smoke cleared and the band was revealed other than the main event. The lead singer, Malvor. Mal. I started bouncing on the balls of my feet, excitement making me giddy. I’d waited years for this day.
The bass started picking up and the one I'd been waiting for walked out. A man in a black mask with purple and blue light up x’s over the eyes and the mouth cut. Body paint over his lips, neck, and chest, down to his fingertips; hiding who he was, he walked out and started vocalizing. I screamed with joy at the top of my lungs. He’d barely begun yet, and I already knew I preferred his live voice over recorded. I could get addicted to just his voice. I started swaying and singing along with the music when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ethan. The security guard from before. It was like time slowed down as my mind tried to decide what it was going to pay attention to. Malvor right in front of me, or the gorgeous security guard who was definitely my type and seemed to like me well enough.Was I enough?Ethan made it easy when I noticed he was watching me.I wanted both. So I gave him a show. I screamed again and put my hands in the air, swaying with the music and rolling my hips. My hands lowered into my hair, and I tugged it slickly, leaning my head back. I had my music and had Ethan’s eyes on me. I felt incredible.
I felt hot. Wanted.
The song ended, and I cheered and clapped, smiling at Ethan. Malvor chuckled and grinned as he held the mic. “Well, hello, everyone.” He rasped into the mic. “Thanks for joining us,The Mistakes, tonight. We’ve never been here before, so we really like the warm welcome you all gave us!”
I gave another little bounce. I knew he couldn’t see me because of the lights, but it felt like he was staring right at me. “This next song, I want you to open the fucking pit!” He yelled at the end, and the crowd went wild as they made room to open it. Panic immediately ran through me. I was both excited and terrified to be in the pit. The thought of violence made me want to throw up but pits excited me, and I loved watching them. However, because of the spot I’d chosen for myself, I was right on the edge of the pit. I had never been so close to one before.The next song started, and people started pushing and running into the middle, laughing and cheering. People were pushing me, and I tried to make my way out, but someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back in.“Hey!” Someone called.I tried to pull away, but the next thing I knew, I was being pushed and fell down. I immediately covered my head, crying out as people toppled over me.“Get off her!” Someone snarled, and the bodies were pulled off, and I was lifted into someone's arms.“Stop the music,” Malvor called. “What's going on down there? Is everyone okay in the pit?”“I got you Rosebud.” Was whispered into my ear as I realized it was Ethan who picked me up and was carrying me. I snaked my arms around him, shaking and crying into his shoulder as he walked off with me. My knee and ankle hurt really bad and somethingwet was trickling down my leg.“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” I cried. The music got quieter as we walked away. I hated this. I was missing the rest of the show and my ankle throbbed and I was being carried by–
I was being carried. “Put me down I’m too heavy.” I sniffed, lifting my head and squirmed.
“Calm down, Rosebud, you’re hurt and weigh nothing.” He said, adjusting his hold to account for my squirming. “Whoever made you think that, is fucked in the head.”
“But—”
“Hush.” He cut me off as we approached a trailer, and he kicked the door open and brought me inside, walking around it and setting me on the table my back to the door.
“Ethan…” I sniffed.
“Let's see what they did to you.” He kneeled down, looking at my knee first before getting up and going to what I assumed was the bathroom, coming back with a first aid kit. “You’re a little cut up. Anything else hurt?” He asked.
“Um…” I blinked at him before shaking my head. “My… My um ankle.” I said, surprised by him. I held my hand out for the kit. My ex had always made me doctor myself, so I was pretty used to patching myself up.
He surprised me again when he knelt down, dabbing up the blood from my knee. “I can do it.”
“Don’t be silly. Let me take care of you.” He looked up at me and my stomach did flips. No one had wanted to take care of me before.
I nodded, biting my bottom lip. “I tried to get out,” I said, clenching my hands on the table.
“I know, I saw. Some prick pulled you back in.” He grunted.
“You saw that?” My jaw dropped.
“I was watching you, Blake.” He said.
Goosebumps rose on my skin, and I shivered. “I like you watching me,” I whispered.
“Do you?” He smirked, patching up my knee and pressing a small kiss over the bandage before moving to my ankle and unzipping my boot slowly, his eyes on mine. It shouldn’t be attractive, him taking off my shoe. At that moment, though, he reminded me of Prince Charming. He gave me a dazzling smile that had my core clenching.
“I do.” I swallowed.
“I like that you do.” He said, gently touching my ankle, feeling over it.
Chapter eight
Ethan
“It’s sprained.” I clenched my jaw. I was pissed and doing everything I could not to show it. I failed her. I wasn’t quick enough. When I had seen that man grab her, I saw red and stormed through the crowd, but it was too late. She was hurt and had been crying, shaking even. I wanted his blood on my knife.
My jaw rolled and I wrapped up her foot to give it support. “I’ll manage.” She said softly, her knuckles white as she gripped the table. “Thank you for taking care of me… it's been a while since anyone did that.” Her soft voice said before her face turned beet red. “I mean—”
I laughed and leaned up, brushing her hair behind her ear. “Pity. If you were my girl, I’d take care of you every chance I got.” I said, staring her right in the eyes. Her beautiful whiskey eyes. I couldn’t get enough of seeing them up close.
“What?” She asked, eyes widening and blush growing. “Why would you say that?”
“Because you deserve to be worshiped Blake. I would love to worship at your altar.” I purred and touched her thighs. “You’re stunning and I’ve wanted you since I first laid eyes on you.”
