She nods. "Yep. Or all three."
I squeeze her hand.
"You don't have to tell them tonight."
"Yes, I do."
She finally looks at me.
Her eyes are wet, but she's not crying. It's the shine that shows up right before she starts swinging at something, which happens to also be the shine that shows up right before she sings.
"I have to," she says. "Not for them. Forme. If I walk off that stage tonight without saying it out loud, I'll hate myself tomorrow. Rex was unmasked. It's time I was, too."
I lean over and press a kiss to the top of her head. "You're gonna kick ass, babe."
"Thanks." She nuzzles my throat, sighing. "I'd better rescue Phoenix from Carmine."
"Yeah."
She doesn't move.
Neither do I.
A full minute passes before she peels herself off my shoulder and stands. She adjusts the knife strap on her thigh one more time and unlocks the deadbolt, then pauses with her hand on the knob.
"Raf?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks again."
"For what? The sex or the pep talk?" I ask, grinning.
"Yes."
The door shuts behind her.
I sit back on the shitty couch with my shoulder throbbing and my jeans uncomfortable and the bond in my chest still humming off-key.
Then it tunes itself.
Because somewhere down the hall, she's already laughing with Phoenix.
CHAPTER 44
REX
The mirror is still my worst fucking enemy.
But I'm looking anyway.
The dressing room at the new venue is bigger than the last one. Better lighting, too, which is either a blessing or a curse depending on how much self-punishment I'm in the mood for tonight. At least the lighting in here doesn't make it look like a fucking morgue.
My face, though?
I stand shirtless in front of the mirror with my hands braced on the counter. The surgical bandage on my back pulls when I breathe, but it's only there to appease the doctors. The feral state I slipped into kicked my healing into overdrive. The wound is closed. Still pulls and twinges, but the infection risk is gone and the muscle knit back together faster than it should.
I'm not in danger of going feral anymore. Not even close. The bond marks changed something fundamental in my nervous system. Three braided threads tether me now to three people who chose me.