Page 110 of Toxic Kiss

CYRUS

I make it through the night, with Haven by my side for the whole rollercoaster. I know she wants to take me to the hospital, but I can’t go back. I just can’t, and I know she doesn’t understand, but she doesn’t press.

By the next morning, I’m feeling a fraction better, and when we reach the stop for the night, I’m almost back to normal. Whatever that means. The bus is parked behind the stadium. The Nebraska sky stretches wide above us, swollen with gray clouds and wind that howls. I’ve played all of these locations before and yet each time they feel new.

Inside, the guys are scattered across the leather couches in the lounge. Instruments in disarray from our jam session, gaming controllers out, television on, and the remnants of breakfast left abandoned on a nearby table…cold eggs, an empty bottle of hot sauce, and a tipped-over Red Bull. Breakfast of champions.

Ash is retelling a ridiculous story about a bouncer in Boise who mistook him for a K-pop group member and he not only got free drinks but started signing everything as Felix from Stray Kids. I’m still surprised we didn’t get sued for that stunt.

“Yeah, well at least you didn’t get asked if you were nineteen,” Eren says with mock horror, flipping his two-toned hair off his forehead. “Like what the fuck? Do I really look that young? Not that I want to look old, but come on.”

“Well,” Vex mutters, tuning his guitar. “You do have one of those adorable baby faces.”

“Shut the fuck up. I do not,” Eren grumbles.

Ledger snorts from the corner, hoodie pulled over his head, legs stretched out. Ash smirks but remains silent as he flips through notes I made on the setlist. He is tapping his lip with the pen in a steady rhythm like it’s his drums. Everything looks normal on the surface.

But it isn’t.

I stand near the kitchenette, pretending to scroll through my messages, but whenever Haven is anywhere near me, I feel her. Like a fucking magnetic pull, my brain scrambles, and all I want is her.

She laughs at something Eren says as they stare at his phone. The light, sweet sound echoes in my brain as they go back and forth with fans. I don’t look at her, but she is a constant static crawling across my skin. The craving to touch her, hold her, kiss her, fuck her, make her mine grows stronger every goddamn day.

Giving in to the temptation, I look up, and my gaze drags over to where she is sitting beside Eren. She has her tablet in hand, and her hair swept to the side with a funky clip, not an ounce of make up and in a band hoodie. She has no fucking idea how gorgeous she looks, which makes her even sexier.

Eren smiles at her and nudges her with his shoulder. I almost leap across the bus and wrap my hands around his fucking throat.

My fists clench, and I take a deep breath.

“You might want to save the flirting for after the show,” I call out to Eren, voice sharp and laced with more than just jealousy.

Eren looks up and raises a brow. “Relax, man. We were talking about shit the fans are saying. Not orgies.”

I turn away, jaw ticking as I picture grabbing her and dragging her into the bedroom at the back of the bus. Fuck, I want her in the worst way. It doesn’t help that I haven’t gone this long without sex in…God, I can’t even remember.

“I’m going to go check the stage setup,” Vex says, getting up and stretching. “I need to move around.”

“I’ll come with you,” Ash adds.

They both exit the bus, and it feels a little more bearable.

“I need food. Where the hell did Declan go to get lunch?” Ledger grumbles.

“Hell if I know. I think he spends half the time just driving around talking on his phone,” I say.

“Fuck it, vending machine it is. Want anything?”

Haven, Eren, and I all shake our heads no, and he walks off the bus as well.

“Well, I guess I’ll take a shower so I’m out of the way later,” Haven announces, and my cock stirs at the thought of her naked and wet.

She glances at me before averting her eyes and walking past, but it’s enough to send my adrenaline spiking.

Haven slips into the back, while Eren lies down on his bed and picks up a book. I want to toss him out and lock the fucking door.

I wait until the water is running and I hear the door close before heading for the back.

“You sure that’s a good idea,” Eren asks.