Chapter Ten
EFFA
Mercs’ dark blue eyes brim with hope when I open mine. He reaches for my hand and leads me toward the VIP balcony doors.
We step outside, closing the doors behind us. The heavy rock bass still rumbles, though slightly muted. A fresh breeze kisses my flushed skin, and we walk in silence to the edge of the balcony. The air between us is warm, tinged with awkwardness.
I risk a glance at him.
He’s watching me.
“Honestly, if I could take back what I said the other morning, I would,” he says, facing me. “You’re important, Effa. I want to see where this could lead, but job security means everything to me.”
“You’re forgetting we chose you, Mercs. Your job is secure.
We need you more than anyone. Us being friends, whatever this is, won’t threaten your position here.
I know you and Luke had words, but he’s more worried about losing you than anything else.
So am I. Let me handle Luke. Maybe for once we focus on what we want, not what everyone else expects. ”
He nods, eyes flicking down to the bustling street below. “My job matters. My sister…” he pauses and blinks a few times, “… she needs me right now.”
I wonder what he means, but I don’t push. He’ll tell me when he’s ready. “So? What do you want to do? Try the ‘just friends’ thing? Or keep it strictly professional?”
“Fuck.” He looks at me, eyes burning into mine, then he takes both my hands, and sparks zing across my skin. “I don’t think I can do ‘strictly professional’ with you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you all day.”
“You’ve been on my mind too. Even during the concert, I kept thinking about you watching from the rafters. And about Jett… it was strictly business. We were finalizing Swift Division’s set. I swear, there’s no attraction there. It’s completely professional.”
“That guy gets under my skin.”
I slide my hands up to his chest, trying to ground the moment. Sparks fly through me instead. He catches my hands, pressing them flat to his chest as we stare at each other.
Our breaths grow shallow, and the moment pulses with raw energy. His hand slips from mine, trailing up my arm, the warmth of Merc’s touch leaving goose bumps in its wake. He reaches my neck, fingers fisting gently in my hair.
Aggressive Mercs.
But I like it.
His grip tightens as he tugs me closer. I gasp, stumbling forward, palms flattening harder against his chest. It’s electric, euphoric, and I feel dizzy from it all.
The music fades beneath the thunder of my heart.
His fingers tangle deeper in my hair, tilting my head up. I swallow, staring into those dark blue eyes blazing with lust. If he doesn’t kiss me soon, I might combust.
He leans in. I rise on my toes, clutching his shirt.
He licks his lips, and then his mouth claims mine—hard, hungry, and desperate.
Fireworks erupt inside me, lighting up the night sky.
Every part of me ignites as he presses me back against the balustrade.
I gasp into the kiss, and he grinds his hips into me.
My thighs clench, my heart racing wildly.
He releases my hand, sliding his palm down to grip my hip with delicious authority. My other hand finds his cheek, fingers trailing through the stubble as our kiss turns urgent. My clit throbs, matching the beat of my heart.
He groans, his cock hardening against my belly, and I smile against his lips.
A wolf whistle cuts through the moment.
I laugh into his mouth, breathless and buzzing.
We finally pull apart, our foreheads resting together as we pant.
His grip softens, his hand moving to my cheek, and he kisses me once more, sweet and slow.
“You taste like berries,” he murmurs, smirking.
“Oddly enough, so do you.” I giggle, remembering our first kiss.
“Must be all that berry water I’ve been drinking.”
“My favorite kind,” I reply.
His hold on my hip softens, his thumb brushing gently.
“Mercs, this only works if we keep our communication solid. Touring is intense. It tests even the strongest friendships…” I smile. “And now we’ve added chemistry to the mix. We have to be honest. Always.”
“Agreed. But I need this to be exclusive. That’s non-negotiable.”
“I can do exclusivity.” I try not to beam.
“We’ve got four months ahead of us. Let’s make them count.”
“Yeah, but let’s take it slow. I don’t usually feel this drawn to someone. I want to see where this leads.”
“You’re not afraid to be honest, are you?” he states.
I shrug. “No use hiding how I feel. You ignite something in me, Kaden. Like fucking sunshine and sparks. And I don’t want to mess up something that could be really good.”
He pulls me close, licking his lips. “Say it again.”
“Say what?”
“My name. I usually hate it, but when you say it, it’s sexy as fuck.”
I giggle and wrap my arms around his neck, rising on my toes again. “Kaden,” I whisper.
He groans, kissing me softly. It sizzles over my lips like popping candy, and my stomach flips at the thought of spending the next four months exploring this.
He eases back, meeting my eyes. “Can I ask you something?”
I nod, my heart fluttering.
“What’s your name?”
I let out a laugh.
“Oh, come on, it can’t be that bad.”
“My mum named me after her grandmother. And she’s not someone I admire. So I kind of reject anything linked to her.”
“Hence the stage name?”
“Yeah. Effervescent may not be a real name, but it fits me.”
He smiles wide as I take a deep breath. “Vespa. Vespa Carrington. Nothing rock and roll about it.”
He kisses my forehead. “Well, Vespa Carrington, I like it. But yeah, Effa suits you so well.”
I melt into his embrace. “So, stay at the party, or…”
“As much as I’d love to go back to your room, and believe me, I do…” He exhales. “I respect that you want to take this slow.”
I grin.
He listened.
He respects me.
“You’re one in a million, you know?”
“Thanks. But you’re the catch.”
“Let’s agree to disagree. Come back to my room? Just talk. Get to know each other better?”
“Perfect.”
On my toes again, I take his hand, threading our fingers as I lead him inside. The bass thumps through my chest, matching my anxious heart. We pass the girls and Tank. They grin knowingly, but I ignore them, heading for Raoul and Cooper at the stairs.
Mercs wraps his arms around me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder.
“Raoul, I need a favor.”
He sighs, looking from me to Mercs, then to Cooper, and back again. “You know how much shit I got into last time?”
“I know. I’m sorry. But I’ll tell the right people this time, promise.”
He groans. “Fine. But tell Luke. Before we leave.”
I nod, kissing Raoul’s cheek. He doesn’t smile, just gestures toward Luke.
Giggling, I turn in Mercs’ arms. “I’ll be right back.” Then I make my way over to Luke and Alana, who beam at me.
“You have to try this cocktail, Eff,” Alana says, sipping through a curly straw.
“I’m calling it a night. Raoul’s taking me back. Early flight tomorrow.”
Alana frowns. “You’re not still upset about Mercs, are you?”
I glance toward him, chatting with Cooper. Alana follows my gaze and grins.
Luke groans. “Effa, be careful. We need him.”
“Don’t worry. We’re just going back to talk. We’ve already set boundaries.”
He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, right. You know you can talk here, right? Hotel room… bed… alone. No risk there at all.” His sarcasm is thick. “And enough with the ‘old man’ stuff. I’m only thirty-five.”
“Sorry, Luke. You’re not old. Just… trust me. We need privacy.”
He huffs. Alana nudges him, flashing her smile, and he softens. “Fine. But I’m against this. It’ll end in heartbreak. Or worse… us losing Mercs.”
My stomach knots. That’s what we’re trying to avoid. That’s why I’m taking it slow. Why I’m not letting this become just another casual fling.
I need him on tour… and in my bed. But not yet.
This has to mean something.
I walk back to Mercs, where the guys are laughing, Raoul almost smiling.
“Ready?” I ask, slipping my arm around Mercs’ waist.
He pulls me close. “I am. You good, Raoul?”
He nods.
Mercs slaps Cooper’s shoulder, making him laugh.
No clue what that’s about. Men.
Raoul leads us down the stairs, three more guards flanking us. You never know if an exit will be smooth or chaotic.
Tonight? I’m hoping for smooth.
We weave through the club, and people start to notice. One scream turns into many.
I grip Mercs’ hand when he tightens around me, shielding me as we’re swarmed. Screaming fans reach through the security wall, grabbing at me.
The heat, the sweat, the pulsing music, it’s all so overwhelming.
Mercs wraps his arms around me, a protective shield. The guards force a path, finally breaking through to the exit.
Outside, the noise shifts.
“Effa! Effa! Effa!” they chant.
Raoul rushes us to the waiting car. My breath is ragged, my heart pounding. No matter how often it happens, this still terrifies me.
“I got you,” Mercs yells, shoving me into the car. A girl grabs at his shirt, tearing it as he dives in beside me, and the door slams.
I stare at his ripped shirt, my eyes stinging. “Shit, Mercs. I’m s-sorry.”
Raoul climbs in front as the other guards fend off the crowd.
Mercs grabs my hand. “Stop. It’s just a shirt. I only cared about getting you out safely.”
I rest my head on his shoulder, and his arm wraps around me.
Finally, I feel… safe.
“Thank you. For being so understanding.”
He turns to me, his jaw set and eyes fierce. “Effa, I’m not here to play games or watch from the sidelines. When I say I’ve got you, I fucking mean it. No one gets near you unless I let them.”
The quiet intensity in his voice sends a ripple through me. No one’s ever claimed that space in my life with such certainty, not like this.
“This isn’t my first rodeo,” he continues, his gaze unwavering. “I’ve seen this chaos, lived on the edge of it. But I’ve never cared about someone caught in the middle of it. Not until now.”
My chest tightens as he shifts, turning more toward me. His grip around my shoulders firms, grounding me. “I want to be here for you,” he growls, his voice dropping low. “Not just when it’s easy, but when it’s fucked up and loud and messy. I’m all in.”
I let out a shaky breath. “I think I can handle that.”
His hand cups my jaw as he leans in, kissing me with a fierceness that makes my toes curl. It’s a kiss that says I’m not going anywhere.
And I believe him.
Because this man, this alpha force of calm in the middle of madness, gets it.
He gets me.
And I can’t wait to see how far we can go.