I dipped my head to splash some water on my face, but Shade’s face slipped into my thoughts before I could shake it.
That look he gave me...it was almost hypnotic. And those lips…I could still feel the memory of them pressed against me in the most intimate way.
My night with Eli had been great, no doubt. But it still couldn’t touch what I shared with Shade. And that was the wild part…we hadn’t even had sex. Still, the way he touched me, kissed me...it just hit different. Like he’d discovered a part of me that no one else even knew how to reach.
“Babe, you good in there?” Eli called out from the other side of the door.
“Um...yeah...I’ll be out in a sec. I’m about to brush my teeth.”
“Okay. The food should be here in about twenty minutes.”
“Great.” I took a deep breath and stared at my phone.
Nope, don’t even think about it. Texting that man is not an option.
I shook my head and reached for the toothpaste.
A notification popped up on my phone.
It was a DM.
velvet_404: Your man can’t be trusted. If you want to know more, message me and we can meet up.
My stomach dropped.
What the fuck?
16
SHADE
I sat comfortably in my theater room, my attention focused on the large screen in front of me.
“The crowd fucking loves her,” my manager said as she moved closer to the screen, mesmerized.
Arianna loved reviewing show footage after a tour, and this time around, I was right there with her. We were watching the moment Nyx hit the stage during a break, which was something I never got to see because I was usually backstage doing a wardrobe change.
With the spotlight on her, Nyx turned the stage into her playground. Slow, seductive, and unapologetically bold.
“Yeah, they do,” I whispered as I took a sip of my Crown.
“Okay, so this is what I’m thinking,” Arianna said as she turned toward me with a notebook in her hand. “I’ve been watching social media like crazy. Especially since that little video of you and Nyx went viral. I want to use all of that to our advantage.”
I sat up in my seat.
A spark flickered in Arianna’s eyes as she rubbed her hands together. It was something I’d seen many times, and not once had it let me down.
“What do you have in mind?”
“Since the crowd wants to see you guys together, I feel like we should schedule some appearances with the two of you.”
“What kind of appearances?”
“Club appearances,” she replied. “But I’m not talking about anything crazy. I know you don’t like doing too much in public with women, and I know she’s supposed to be with someone, so?—”
“Works for me,” I said, not giving a damn about what else she had to say.
Her brows lifted. “Well, alright then. I wasn’t expecting that to be so easy.” She tossed her notebook into her tote. “I’ll reach out to her agent and?—”
