I brushed the thick locks back, exposing the skulls and fractured roses that mirrored the ink on my own skin. The daggers on her collarbones. “I know it. I love you too. And I’m prouder of you every fucking day.”
Orla held my gaze for a long moment. Then she let go of me to spread her arms wide. “I can’t believe a bunch of boys built this festival. It’s fucking amazing.”
“It’s ours.” I moved to keep walking. “So we always have somewhere to go.”
I left her with Nash and drifted through the festival, alone again, but not for long. Alexei was a breath of wind on the humid night air. Then he was beside me, as casual as I’d ever seen him in boots, jeans, and the T-shirt Saint had worn when we’d last been at the house.
His cool hand brushed the small of my back, as if he were guiding me.
“Did you call me a hooligan over the radio?”
Alexei smirked. “I suppose you will have to learn Russian to find out.”
“Or I could ask Viktor.”
“He will not tell you.”
Probably not. Viktor and Alexei didn’t seem close to anyone who didn’t know Alexei as well as I did, but I knew the truth. They were friends, even if Alexei was as likely to dance with me as he was to admit it.
The crowd began to thicken again, raucous noise spilling from the indie tent Nash had put his heart and soul into, the headline act just minutes away.
I made for the entrance, for thefront.I’d been on a fucking roof last time I’d seen this band.
Alexei steered me off-piste. “Saint is around the back.”
“He’s not coming in?”
“I do not know.”
Disappointment lanced my heart. It had taken all Nash’s charm to convince Saint to hand over the personal contact information for this act. Saintlovedthis band, and I wanted him to see them as everyone else did. And I wanted to be with him as he did, guarding him for a fucking change. But... as we neared the backstage area and the Rebel King ring of steel around it parted to let us through, I saw something better.
Saint stood beneath a portable downlight, the glare dimmed by a black hood. The dark fabric was marked with a pirate etched in chalk paint. A stupid detail to notice when Saint was right fucking there, chill as fuck and leaning back against one of the many power rigs we’d hauled onto the field, sharing a joke with a fella who made Ranger look stacked.
Tall, slim, chestnut hair. Eyes I knew to be hazel like Rubi’s—like Sacha’s—not green, and yet...
Fuck.
Any shitty feelings threatening the best night I’d had in the longest fucking time faded away. Alexei chose that moment to evaporate, but I kept moving forward.
Sensing me coming, Saint shifted his gaze to me, those forest-greens a beacon even in the dark, his smile reeling me in, words he didn’t speak loud and clear.There you are.
I gave him a head tilt of my own. “You been looking for me?”
“Maybe.” Saint’s smile turned almost shy. “This is Shay...” He fought the devil in his throat and won. “My brother.”
Brother. A simple word we tossed around a thousand times on any given day, but I saw what it meant to Shay as he stepped forward and drew me into an easy hug, his slim frame shuddering with his rough exhale. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Saint’s been talking about you for years.”
Lucky Shay. I hadn’t known he’d existed until after the warehouse fire. If Saint had died that night, I’d never have fucking known, a thought that had me succumbing to a shiver of my own.
I drew back, taking in Shay with his pirate hat and penny whistle, knowing I didn’t have him for long. “Can I see you again sometime? Come to the house and eat with us?”
Shay grinned as Rubi invaded the stage behind to announce the band. “Mate, I’ll go anywhere for food and anywhere for my brother. Get my number off Saint and call me anytime.”
I’d definitely call him more than Saint did. Saint, who for all he so often drifted away when I spoke to people, whoever they were, for once had remained at my side.
Shay grinned at him.
Saint grinned back and tossed him a roll of Fruit Pastilles. Then Shay was gone, bounding onto the stage, and the place went fucking wild, the earth at my feet already pulsing with an energy that matched the metal stage.