The music.
It was the force that promised them liberation. In the moment, they could immerse themselves in it. Everyone in the arena was there with a sole purpose in mind.
To jump into the current and ride it over the falls.
Drake started up on the drums, setting a beat that made Kate squirm in her seat. Dead center at the end of the catwalk, she had a seat that normally went for over ten thousand dollars. She could touch the edge of the catwalk and possibly Syon when he made one of his runs down it.
You’ve touched him…
She grinned.
Yeah, and licked, as well as a few other things.
Pressing in around her were women willing to pay for that privilege. They were decked out in Prada and other designer labels, most of them looking like they’d invested in their personal enhancements as well. No one was sitting down. Drake was tearing up the mood with a drum solo that made it impossible to sit. Taz was laying down a bass rhythm that tickled her insides. It was a deep, dark feeling of impending madness.
That insanity was delivered when Ramsey and Syon joined in on either side of the stage, their fingers coaxing sounds out of their guitars that shot through the building and left Kate panting. It was more than their fingers. It was a whole-body experience.
Back in Los Angeles, she’d wondered if she’d just been overwhelmed, if the intensity would fade, but it hadn’t. If anything, she was caught up even more this time, the music hitting her deeper, more intimately as Syon took to the mic to add lyrics.
His voice was rough velvet—smooth when it needed to be, but cutting as he sang out.
His soul was on display.
No one else knew it, but she did. What he was pulling on that stage was his inner demon. The one the rest of the world was too chicken to let be seen.
It was an awesome sight.
Kate realized why the crowd was roaring, why she was on her feet shaking her fist in the air. It was because he was a leader, setting them all free, saying exactly what was on his mind, singing it out without remorse for who was offended.
Everyone wanted sex, but Syon was bold enough to say it out loud. Ramsey backed him up, completing the moment as the lights flashed around them and the song came to an end.
Syon was halfway down the catwalk when he finished, bowing back, pushing the last notes out of him. He forced it into the world, and everyone experienced the intensity of life, that thing everyone thought about, wanted to be, but were too practical to act upon.
Too scared to release.
He opened his eyes, drawing a gasp from her because she recognized the hunger in them. It turned her on, tightening her nipples. He locked gazes with her, caressing the strings of his guitar as he played the first, fleeting notes of “Insatiable Craving.”
He was singing to her, applying the words to her as he prowled toward her. People stretched up, straining to touch him. They ended up stroking his ankles as he passed them, but he was completely intent on her.
The intensity was mind-blowing. She strained toward him, reaching for just a fleeting moment of contact. The people around her were crowding her, pushing their way closer to their idol. She didn’t care. She threw her head back and laughed.
* * *
“Now that was fucking brilliant!”
Cid was in top form. Two of his personal assistants were at his elbows, each of them looking like they’d spent the day doing nothing but getting ready. From head to toe, they were buffed, primped, and dressed to kill. She’d never seen makeup so perfect or detailed.
The performers’ room was hot because of all the bodies in it. The roaring crowd could still be heard behind them.
“Denver PD just called for backup to deal with the party in the parking lot,” Cid crowed. “Perfect!”
“Kate is good for the show,” Taz spoke up.
Cid stiffened, cutting her a quick look. No one else really caught it, but she did.
Ignore him. He’s just pissing on his turf.
The guy saw her as a threat. She was sure of it now. She’d have to keep her eye on him.
“They’ve got more churches than bars in this city, so I want you guys to do a little riding. Got a few private invitations, but what we really need is connection with the masses. I’ve got the guys bringing your bikes around. Kerry and her team are going to fix you guys up with light makeup.”
Cid was good at what he did. Kate had to give him some credit. There were at least ten team members in the room, all of them organized and working together to keep Syon and his band looking top-notch. The makeup crew wore blue polo shirts. They didn’t hesitate to move right in and start using their sponges and brushes. Cid was going down his performance notes with the help of his tablets while the heavier stage makeup was removed and lighter coats applied.
“Costume production is going well, so don’t be afraid to play hard out there.”
Ramsey cut Kate a glance, one eyebrow raised.
“Is there a problem with my note?”
Ramsey snapped his head around to look at Cid. “I like looking at her more than you, Cid.”
The other members of the band laughed, a couple of the crew joining in. Cid’s cronies didn’t though. They cast her long, calculating looks.
The power shifts were like everything else Toxsin did—extreme.
Syon hopped out of his chair and captured her in a hug. “Me too,” he said as he nuzzled her neck.
“If you’re going to fuck, take her to the dressing rooms,” Cid tossed over his shoulder.
“What the hell?” Kate demanded.
Syon stiffened. “Kill your attitude, Cid. Kate’s not a groupie.”
“Yeah,” Taz chimed in, surprising her. “She’s taking me out for sushi tonight. I don’t hang out with groupies.”
“You should,” Cid shot back at Taz. “Your image needs a shot of heat. About ten of them. Time for you to get over that high school sweetheart thing. ”
“I told you before: don’t even make a reference to Joi.” Taz was suddenly dead serious.
Cid opened his arms. “Come on. It’s been what? Three years? At least Kate isn’t a prude.”
“Warned you.”
Taz grinned evilly at the road manager, looking a whole lot like a martial arts fighter who was getting ready to whup some ass.
And love every second of doing it.
Cid actually stepped back. “Okay. Got it. I’ve forgotten her name.”
Taz looked disappointed for a moment.
Syon chuckled. “Yeah. Sushi.” He kissed Kate again, trying to smooth out the hard set of her lips. “We owe Taz sushi. He takes sushi very seriously.”
They did owe him, and the reason made her blush. But it restored her good humor too. Ramsey was suddenly there, falling into step.
“Wait up,” Drake called as his makeup person refused to let him out of the chair.
They walked between rows of security men who had their arms out wide to hold back the fans. Barricades had been set up, but they were being pushed out of alignment by the surging crowd. Syon draped his arm across her back as the cameras snapped around them like fireflies.
Toxsin crew members pulled up on the Harleys, gaining a roar of approval from the fans. They slid off the bikes, and Syon and his buddies took their places.
“Take a ride with me,” Syon cooed to her. She shivered, enjoying the tremor.
She climbed on behind him and pressed up close. “I do enjoy rides…with you…”
Syon pulled away, in command of the bike. The engine roared with a vibration in the seat that teased her clit. The wind was crisp on her face, but it was the hard body she was holding on to that captivated her the most.
Cars slowed down as they passed, windows sliding open to reveal fans. Long-haired guys with tattoos and piercings screamed out. Girls in the bare minimum of clothing sent saucy looks, and more than a few flashed them.
They made several passes through the area around the arena before Taz took off, and the rest followed him. They made their way down to where the streets narrowed and more signs were written in Korean. It had to be close to midnight, but the sidewalks were still full. Groups of teens looked up, some of them gasping with surprise and raising their fists into the air. Taz called back to them in Korean.