Claimed by the Band (Fameverse #1)

Chapter 23 – ASHER

23

ASHER

I lean against the wall outside the hotel suite, taking a deep breath before entering. Two days. That's all I have left before the PheroMaster party, and then Alex will probably disappear like smoke. Again.

My plans to seduce him are going about as well as trying to charm a particularly skittish cat. Every time I think I'm making progress, he bolts. Dante and Silas think it's hilarious, which just makes me more determined.

I push open the door, and there he is, hunched over his laptop at the kitchen counter like always. His shaggy brown hair falls into his face as he types, intently focused on the screen, and I have to resist the urge to brush it back. He'd probably leap out the window if I tried, let alone if he had any idea about all the other things I want to do to him.

"Hey stranger," I say, keeping my voice light and casual. Like I haven't been planning this conversation for the past hour.

Echo glances up, those dark eyes wary but not unfriendly. "Hey. Any news about the party?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about tonight's show," I say, sliding onto the barstool next to him. Not too close—I've already learned that lesson the hard way. "I was thinking maybe you'd like to come? Backstage passes and everything. You can hide in the shadows and I'll make sure the crew knows not to bug you."

He snorts, but I catch the ghost of a smile playing at his lips. "I don't do well in crowds."

"That's why I said backstage," I point out. "You'll have your own private area, away from everyone. Plus, it might be good research. You know, to see how venue security works from the inside?"

Echo raises an eyebrow. "Are you trying to manipulate me with my work?"

"Is it working?" I grin.

"You're ridiculous," he mutters, but there's fondness in his tone that makes my heart skip a beat.

"Come on," I wheedle, channeling my puppy dog eyes. "It'll be fun. And if you hate it, you can leave whenever you want. No questions asked."

He hesitates, fingers drumming on his laptop. "I really should keep working on these financial records..."

"The records will still be there tomorrow," I say. "When's the last time you actually went to a concert? For fun?"

The way his expression shutters immediately tells me the answer is probably never. Now I have to convince him.

"Look," I say, softening my voice. "I know you're not big on social interaction. But you've been cooped up in this hotel for days, staring at screens. One night of live music and mostly fresh air won't kill you."

Echo's lips twitch. "No promises on that."

"I'll even throw in free snacks," I offer magnanimously. "And I promise none of the alphas will even try to talk to you. Well, except maybe Dante, but he's physically incapable of not being friendly."

That earns me an actual laugh, small but genuine. The sound makes my chest warm in a way I probably shouldn't examine too closely.

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" he asks, resignation creeping into his voice.

"Nope!" I say cheerfully. "I can keep this up all day. I'm very persistent when I want something."

Echo's cheeks color slightly at that, and I have to bite back a victorious grin. Score one for me.

"Fine," he sighs, closing his laptop. "But I reserve the right to leave at any point."

"Deal!" I leap up from the barstool, resisting the urge to hug him. "The car leaves at six. Wear something sexy. Dress code and all that."

"I'm not wearing leather pants again," he says firmly.

"We'll see," I sing-song as I head for the door. "See you at six!"

As I step into the hallway, I can't help but feel high from victory. Phase one of Operation Seduce the Hacker is finally in motion. Now I just have to figure out phase two.

And hopefully convince him to stay past the party.

And maybe forever.

But one step at a time. Tonight, I'm going to show him our world. The lights, the music, the energy of a live show. Maybe if he sees that part of the pack, he'll start to let down some of those carefully constructed walls.

And if not... well, at least I'll get to see him in concert wear again. Those leather pants really did look amazing on him.

I pull out my phone to text the pack about our newest addition to the guest list. Knox is going to give me so much grief about this, but I don't care. For the first time in almost the whole week he's been here, Echo agreed to spend time with us outside of work.

It's progress. Small progress, but I'll take what I can get.

Now I just have to figure out what to wear that will make him forget all about those financial records he's so obsessed with.

Challenge accepted.

I shift impatiently as the sound tech adjusts my in-ear monitor for what feels like the thousandth time. I should be grateful for their thoroughness. It's literally their job to make sure everything's perfect. But all I can think about is how I had to leave Echo in Dante's hands instead of personally escorting him to the venue like I wanted.

Sometimes being the lead singer sucks.

"Your feral kitten will be fine," Dante had assured me with that knowing smirk of his. "I'll make sure he doesn't bolt."

I have to admit, the nickname fits. Echo's exactly like one of those wary strays that Dante works with at the rescue, all bristly defenses and careful distance, but with hints of softness underneath if you're patient enough.

Kitty. I smile to myself, imagining his reaction if I ever dared call him that to his face. He'd probably hack all my social media accounts as revenge.

We're still a hell of a long way from here to the point where playful nicknames are even an option, but a guy can dream.

"Mr. Wilde?" The sound tech's voice pulls me back to the present. "Can you run through the first verse again?"

I nod, launching into our newest single. The lyrics flow automatically. I could sing this song in my sleep by now. Which is good, because my mind is definitely elsewhere.

I catch one of the roadies giving me an appreciative once-over, and I can't help preening a little. Even though I'm wearing brand new, industrial-strength scent blockers and suppressants I switched over to just in case—despite the not-so-fun side effects—he looks utterly infatuated.

That means my choice in clothing was a hit. The sheer black top leaves little to the imagination, and the twin bar piercings through my nipples reflect the stage lights when they hit them just right. Paired with leather pants that might as well be painted on, you can see the full outline of what I'm packing. I may be an omega, but I'm hung like an alpha, minus the knot. Why not let Echo know what's on the table?

I just hope he likes the outfit as much as the roadies do.

Movement in my peripheral vision catches my attention, and my voice actually cracks mid-note when I spot Echo hovering uncertainly at the edge of the backstage area. Dante and Silas flank him like protective bookends, but I barely notice them.

Because Echo... holy shit.

He's wearing black skinny jeans that hug his legs, paired with a deep blue sweater that's deliberately unraveled in spots on the asymmetrical hem and shoulders. I've never seen him in anything other than casual wear, except for the one time I picked out his outfit, but he's definitely got an androgynous goth vibe going on that makes my mouth water. His usually messy hair has been styled into something artfully disheveled that makes my fingers itch to run through it.

But it's his face that stops me in my tracks. Someone—probably Dante—has lined his eyes with subtle smokey shadow, making them look even bigger and more mysterious than usual. His full lips shine like he's just been biting them, and I have to physically stop myself from marching over there and finding out if they taste as good as they look.

"Mr. Wilde?" The sound tech sounds concerned now. "Do you need a break?"

"No!" I say quickly, probably too quickly based on the weird looks I'm getting. "I mean, yes. Just... five minutes?"

I don't wait for a response, already making my way toward Echo. The crew's annoyed muttering follows me, but I couldn't care less right now.

"You came," I breathe when I reach them, unable to keep the wonder out of my voice.

Echo shifts uncomfortably, tugging at his sleeve. "You didn't really give me much choice."

"He could have climbed out a window, but he didn't," Dante says with a teasing grin.

The blush that spreads across Echo's cheeks is absolutely devastating. If I thought he'd be amenable, I'd say screw the sound check and fuck his brains out in the dressing room right now.

I shoot Dante a grateful look. Getting Echo here and looking like this definitely earns him best wingman status. Even if he is my mate.

"You look amazing," I say softly, enjoying the way the beta's blush deepens. "The blue really brings out your eyes."

"You too," he mumbles, then immediately looks mortified. "I mean, you always look... that is... the crystals are..." He trails off, looking like he wants the floor to swallow him whole. It's possibly the most adorable thing I've ever seen. "You look nice."

I look down at the raw crystal hanging from my neck and the ones studding the leather belt slung as low on my hips as my leather pants, grinning.

"Smooth," Silas snickers, earning himself a death glare from Echo.

"Oh, right," I say, rolling up my sleeve and offering my wrist to Silas and Dante. "How do I smell?"

They both lean in, taking a whiff.

"You don't smell like anything," Dante says, his brow furrowed.

"Good," I say with a smile. "That's the idea."

"Guess the new blockers finally arrived," Silas muses.

"Hey, after last time, I'm not taking any chances," I tell him.

"New blockers?" Echo asks, tilting his head.

Of course. He's a beta. It's easy to forget sometimes. "Well, PheroMaster may not have any interest in creating blockers, but after the incident, I reached out to a company that does," I reply. "I told them I needed something heavy duty. The pharmacy stuff wasn't going to cut it."

"Oh," he murmurs, a look in his eyes I can't quite place. "That's smart."

"Coming from you, that means a lot," I tell him with a wink.

There's that blush again. I think I could become addicted to painting that pretty face with it. Among other things.

"I should go find my spot," Echo mutters, already starting to retreat. "You probably need to finish sound check."

"Wait!" I catch his wrist before he can bolt, careful to keep my touch light. When I notice the way he flinches in response there, I quickly release my grasp. "Stay? Please? I want you to hear this song. I wrote it after... well, after everything that happened."

Those dark eyes meet mine, uncertainty warring with something else. Something that makes my heart race and my omega instincts purr with want.

"Okay," he says finally. "But only because you said please."

I beam down at him. "I'll make it worth your while," I promise, throwing in a wink just to see him blush again.

It works beautifully.

Tonight's not off to a bad start. Not at all.