Page 61 of Key of Kink

Theo coughed. “Can we get back to the subject? Unless I’m disturbing your important conversation.”

Liam cocked his head. “Is that going to be expensive?”

“It doesn’t matter if it is. We still need a sound engineer.” Theo sighed. “I’ll shoulder the cost, okay? Right now I’m just informing everyone that I’m on the lookout for one. I’ll give you more details if and when I find one.” Another tap on his clipboard. “Okay, let’s work on tightening blend today. No ego singing. Listen to each other. Feel the breath. Max, anchor us.”

This was familiar territory, and exactly what I needed.

Theo clapped once. “From the top. And this time, try to sound as though you actually like each other.”

Julian snorted. “That’s a high bar.”

I grounded the first note again, steady, and deliberate, but halfway through the second verse, something pulled at my attention. This time it wasn’t my phone, but Liam.

He came in a fraction late, barely noticeable to most of them, but not to me. I studied him closely. His shoulders were tighter than usual. There were faint shadows under his eyes. He hit the harmony cleanly, but there was less lift in it.

“Hold up,” I said quietly.

Theo glanced at me. “You felt that too?”

“Yes.” I stared at Liam. “I think we should take a break.”

Liam exhaled slowly. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not,” Oliver said from across the room, his voice weary.

Then it hit me. Oliver didn’t look much better. His baritone had depth tonight, but it carried fatigue, the kind that sits in bone and muscle.

Theo set his clipboard down. “Bad week? Or just a long one?”

Liam rubbed the back of his neck. “Multiple car pile-up two nights ago. And then last night—” He stopped. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does,” Milo said quietly. “I know it’s your job, but you don’t have to carry all the weight. Share the load.” He gave Liam a warm smile. “We’re not just pretty faces, you know. We’re your family.”

I gazed at Oliver. “It looks as if you’ve been through it too.”

He huffed out a breath. “There was a warehouse fire early this morning. No casualties, but a lot of cases of smoke inhalation, not to mention dealing with bureaucrats.”

Finnley made a face. “Oh God.”

Zane laid his hand on Oliver’s arm. “You’re coming straight back with us after this, yeah?”

Oliver bit his lip. “I live with you, don’t I? Where else would I go?”

“That’s not what Zane meant,” Finnley cut in. “Are you actually going to sit in the living room like a person, or disappear into your cave again?”

Oliver shot him a look. “It’s not a cave.”

“You have blackout curtains,” Milo said mildly. “And a weighted blanket that looks like military equipment.”

“It’s ergonomic,” Oliver protested.

Zane folded his arms. “You haven’t answered the question.”

Milo stepped closer, his voice soft. “We’ve got leftovers. We can chill together.”

“And we’re watching that ridiculous sci-fi thing.” Finnley grinned. “You know, the one Zane’s pretending he doesn’t care about but he really, really does.”

Zane glared. “I do not.”