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He’s good at getting people to let him in. It’s a useful skill that he honed spying for his family before he won his way into Rowan’s good graces by taking our side against the Vartanians.
Now he’s mated to Orien, Rowan’s second in command, while Ash is mated to Rowan himself. Our two newest members somehow ended up attached to the two Alphas at the top.
It’s probably why they get along. That and Lev just doesn’t give Ash’s prickly defenses anywhere to stick.
On stage, the first band finishes their set, and Kain’s band, Dead Frequency, takes the stage.
Dead Frequency is the first band he’s stuck with for more than a few months since Beautiful Violence, the alt-rock band he played with in high school. He tried a few others in university, but they always imploded before I bothered learning everyone’s names. Dead Frequency has lasted years.
Long enough that most of my favorite songs are theirs.
I lick the lingering salt and chocolate from my lips as Kain’s fingers dance across the frets in a warm-up pattern he’s played a thousand times in our living room. Here, amplified, each note becomes fuller.
Lev’s elbow finds my ribs. “You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Locking on.” He gestures toward the stage. “He’s fine. Talk to me.”
“I am talking to you.”
“You were staring at Kain with your mouth open.”
I snap my teeth together. “My mouth wasn’t open.”
“It was slightly open.” The server returns with Lev’s refill, and he pulls it closer without drinking. “How are things going on the dating front?”
I pull my eyebrows together. “What’s that have to do with Kain?”
His brows lift. “Does it have anything to do with Kain?”
“No?” I frown at him. “We’re just friends.”
“Okay.” He wiggles his brows. “So?”
I huff out a breath. “I’m preparing for the competition. There’s no time to find someone.”
Lev gestures at the crowd. “You could meet somebody tonight.”
I perk up as I eye the nearest group of people.
Maybe I will.
Lev laughs and nudges me with his elbow. “Okay, but still pay attention to me.”
I turn back to him, because Lev is my friend, and paying attention to your friends makes them happy.
Lev carries most of the conversation, talking about the lounge, the band’s set list, and telling me about a design project he’s taking on. I try to follow, my focus dipping in and out as conversations from surrounding tables keep distracting me.
He checks his phone between topics, then looks toward the entrance.
“William was supposed to be here twenty minutes ago.”
“Rowan probably has him doing something.”
“That was my first guess.” Lev taps out a message. “But apparently, it’s his actual job holding him hostage tonight.”
William works in the forensics lab that departments across Ashford Heights and the surrounding cities send their evidence through. Officially, he processes whatever lands on his bench. Unofficially, it puts him in the perfect position to make sure certain things never make it back out when Rowan needs them gone.
