Page 256 of My Three Billionaire Rockstars

“Same.”

Xander appears a second later from the opposite hallway, still dressed in black stage clothes from earlier, tattoos disappearing beneath rolled sleeves while sweat dampens the dark hair at the back of his neck.

And even after everything, even after months of this, my stomach still flips a little when I look at him.

His eyes find mine, and just like always, the rest of the room fades.

That look.

I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. Like he sees me first every single time.

“You ready to head back?” he asks, once he reaches us.

I nod. “Please. If I eat one more backstage protein bar, I’m suing all of you.”

Julian gasps dramatically. “Those bars are artisanal.”

“They taste like drywall.”

“Expensive drywall.”

Gabe finally closes one of the laptops with a sigh. “The jet leaves in an hour.”

“Home,” Julian says happily around a mouthful of sandwich. “Beautiful concept.”

Home.

The word catches me unexpectedly, because somehow, somewhere along the way, the compound became exactly that.

Mine, too.

We start moving through the backstage corridors together after that, security trailing a few steps behind while exhausted crew members wave goodnight as we pass.

I barely notice most of it anymore.

The noise. The movement. The attention.

Maybe because now I know where I belong inside all of it.

Outside near the private loading area, cool night air hits my skin.

The city shines around us, lights stretching endlessly into the dark while distant traffic hums below.

It’s strangely quiet after the noise of the arena.

Julian stretches dramatically beside me. “I think I lost hearing in one ear during the encore.”

“You say that after every show,” Gabe points out.

“Because rock and roll is sacrifice.”

“You forgot ear protection again.”

“Details.”

I laugh softly, leaning back against the SUV beside them while security loads equipment nearby. And I’m hit with it. This weird overwhelming rush of affection, for all of them, for this ridiculous, complicated life.

For the fact that, somehow, the sarcastic diner waitress from Redemption Falls ended up here in the middle of Chicago after a sold-out stadium show surrounded by three men who somehow turned into home.