Then Mike speaks into his own microphone and coughs, trying to get the crowd to settle down a bit.
“Okay guys, as you well know, tonight is request night, so go write down your special song and message at the bar.” He points to the right and the crowd screams at the top of their lungs.
“As a rare treat, Damion Grimm will be joining us for our first song, one he chose himself.” Mike looks over the crowd with a big grin.
“And it’s for an angel.”
I consider myself somewhat brave and maybe a little more than somewhat intelligent – but not necessarily cultivated. So right now I’m rather spooked – hence the frozen status of my body.
And for some odd reason, the only thing I can focus on is the howling mob standing at the bottom of the stage, arms reaching out, trying to touch. Their bodies spontaneously emit ‘squeals’ and ‘screeches’ – as they cry and scream, scream and cry, in an eternal circle, obsessed to a sickening degree. Those poor girls are not in control.
Like me.
“I told you so – OOPS, too soon.” Kiara is being annoyingly sarcastic and overdramatic, even placing her hand over her mouth, looking like the school bitch in a teenage movie.
I notice Chloe sitting at a table with Ren and some other friends; her hands pressed against the glass, a big smile on her face, and her eyes on Damion. And I sigh, tension suddenly crawling under my skin like a bug. One of those scarab beetles portrayed in The Mummy.
“Even if I admit I’m in love with Damion, I still don’t trust him with my heart.” She nods, seemingly agreeing with me, her eyes full of pity. I hate that look.
The crowd is silent – as if the whole club is holding its breath, waiting for what’s going to happen next.
The music starts and I recognize the song almost immediately – now the stress bugs settle in my stomach growing bigger and bigger and I’m more lubricated and coiled up than a piston.
Damion begins to sing the words and my mouth drops open.
I can’t count the times I almost said what’s on my mind … but I didn’t
And just the other day I wrote down all the things I’d say … but I couldn’t … I just couldn’t
Baby, I know that you’ve been wondering
Mm, so here goes nothing
In case you didn’t know
Baby, I’m crazy ’bout you
And I would be lying if I said that I could live this life without you
Even though … I don’t tell you all the time
You had my heart a long, long time ago
In case you didn’t know
Steady and unblinking, those lime green eyes flicker with something other than amusement now, something that began to warm me from the inside out.
My breathing becomes urgent and rapid, my heart thumps away in my chest in rhythm with each drumbeat, my tits push against my bra, and my womanly parts start to itch.
I look into his face, trying to read him, but he isn’t giving anything away. His body is still, all that carefully harnessed and leashed power and control, at rest.
The way you look tonight
That second glass of wine … that did it … mm
There was something ’bout that kiss girl, it did me in
Got me thinking … I’m thinking …
One of the things that I’ve been feeling
Mm, it’s time you hear ’em
In case you didn’t know
Baby, I’m crazy ’bout you
And I would be lying if I said that I could live this life without you
Even though … I don’t tell you all the time
You had my heart a long, long time ago
In case you didn’t know
When I lift my gaze to his again, I gulp in some air. There’s a fire there. And smoke.
And, if I want it, a whole herd of trouble.
Trouble I know I’m not going to run away from. Even with my older brothers looking over my shoulder, I’ve always gone looking for trouble like a moth to the proverbial flame.
You got all of me … I belong to you …
Yeah, you’re my everything
In case you didn’t know I’m crazy ’bout you
And I would be lying if I said that I could live this life without you