He grabs me by the hand and takes my suitcase in the other as he leads us to the master bedroom. Once the door is closed, the music isn’t quite so loud, and I can hear him more clearly.
“Are you sure you’re not upset by what you just saw? I swear I didn’t give her any indication that I wanted—”
“I’m not mad, Bren.”
“Should I be offended, then?”
“Because I’m not jealous?”
He nods.
My brows furrow. He’s serious. “Um, no, Bren. For one, I knew you were a rock star when I met you. I’m surprised this didn’t happen sooner, but I’d be an idiot to think women don’t fling themselves at you.”
“I may be a rock star, but I’d never cheat, Sofia. I need you to know that. While I’m with you, I’m only with you.”
“Look, Bren. I know what you are. And we are long-distance. I also know you’re human.”
“What are you saying, Sofia?” he asks, taking a hovering step closer to me, his face starting to contort into something more...intense and savage.
I keep my eyes locked on him. “I don’t need your body to be faithful, so long as you stay honest with me. Loyalty is more important to me than physical faithfulness.”
His jaw clenches. “You’re saying if I had slept with her before you showed up, you wouldn’t have minded?”
My gaze drifts away from him and fixes on the carpeted floor. “I’m not saying I wouldn’t have minded. Only that I would’ve understood. Your honesty’s more important to me than you keeping your dick in your pants.”
He grabs my chin firmly and forces my eyes back on him. His glare is stormy and brewing with anger. “Are you telling me you feel free to fuck other people when I’m away?”
“No!” I nearly yell. “I’m just not naive about your lifestyle.”
“Sofia, let me make this clear. I want you. I want to see where this can go. But I can only do this if we arebothexclusive.” He runs an exasperated hand through his hair. “Fuck. I didn’t think I had to say that.”
I’m smiling as his annoyance bubbles to the surface because he’s being adorable. “Brenner Reindhart, are you asking me to go steady with you?”
“What?”
“It’s an expression. Never mind.”
“So we’re agreed? We’re exclusive?” he asks, his voice softer now.
“Sure, Bren. I can do that. Though, she was kinda cute. If you wanted to invite her to join us, I wouldn’t be opposed,” I say and bite my lower lip. Heat radiates toward my core at a flashing memory of Bren and Finn together.
Bren’s eyebrow shoots up, and after a short moment, he drops his forehead to mine. “Sofia, I don’t want anyone but you. I have eyes only for you. I don’t want to be touched by anyone other than you.”
Be still, my poor little heart. I never thought I’d be so willing to give my heart to this kind of ownership. It goes against everything I’ve ever felt was right for me, but as wrong as my mind says it is, my heart is fully complicit in letting Brenner Reindhart own this part of me.
* * *
I thoughtAndreas was exaggerating when he handed me the earplugs at the show the following night. Now I have to apologize for the eye roll he got from me. I produce the plugs from my jeans pocket and stick them in my ears because being backstage at anIndustrial Novemberconcert could render a girl deaf.
Despite having already been front row center at one of their concerts, the experience doesn’t compare to being backstage.
Midway through the concert, they get to a fast song where Adrian takes over with an extensive drum solo, and Bren sneaks off-stage. His grin is wide, like a little kid showing me a drawing and expectantly awaiting his praise.
“You’re fantastic,” I yell, and he pulls me in for a painful kiss that bruises my lips, but I can tell he’s grinning through the kiss. My hands wrap around his biceps, and I don’t recoil at the feel of the sweat he’s drenched in. His tank is entirely soaked, and he pulls away long enough to peel it off. He kisses me hard again, then saunters back on stage.
At the sight of a shirtless Bren, the crowd goes wild—as in the true meaning of a crowd going wild. Several bras are flung in the air and land by Bren’s feet.
My gaze stays glued to him as he sings, moves, and jumps on stage. He’s an expert entertainer, and all his movements are powerful, just like his lyrics and voice.