I’m bouncing on my toes, wringing my hands with nerves because I’ve given Teague my sticks for safekeeping. He’s not allowed to screw around with them, just hold them for me. If I can’t have them, putting them in his hands is the next best thing.

We’re in a glorified closet that the emcee described as the green room. No, man, I’ve been in green rooms, and while they might be this shabby, they’re not usually this small. Dylan, Teague, and I barely fit.

Teague grips my shoulders, gives me a gentle shake, and bends down so we’re eye to eye. “Look at my face, Christian.”

I do as he asks, not because he’s huge and he could make me do whatever he wanted—he wouldn’t—but because I know he loves me and he wants the best for me. Wants to help me be successful, however I define that.

“You guys are going to be great. You’re going to be great, and they’re going to love you, and you’re going to have so much fun. You’re going to put on your headphones and get so involved in your music that there won’t be room in your head for anything else. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, but that’s part of what I’m worried about. I can’t afford to get lost. Keaton Lowe is here, and—”

Teague squeezes my shoulder, and it reminds me to breathe before I can pass out. Not that there’s enough room for me to make it full-on to the floor in here anyhow, but still. Keaton Lowe is a really fucking huge deal. Most people have never heard of him, but he’s been scouting some really interesting projects, and he’s not afraid to try to make a go of it with some of his less mainstream clients. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, let’s just say the results are hot. And he has a knack for doing it not by changing what his clients are making, but by convincing a wider audience that they’re missing out.

He’s the kind of dude who can get a clip in a commercial or weasel a song into a soundtrack, and next thing you know, that track is straight up on the radio.

“Hey. Don’t worry about Keaton right now. I’ve got him covered. I’ll go out and schmooze with him and talk you and Dylan up. All you have to do is play your show, and when you’re done and you’ve got space in your head to talk business, then come find me. Should be easy, I’m like a head taller than anyone else in this joint. And then we’ll talk to Keaton together. I’m not going anywhere.”

I shake out my hands and take another breath. Teague is here, and he’s going to handle this for me until I can handle it with him. He’s here to help, and I know Benji, Nicky, Zane, and even Rowan are here. They’re keeping a low profile because this isn’t about LtG. This is about Narrazio—Dylan and me. We’re making our debut, and Teague talked Keaton into coming. Told him it’d be his shot to maybe get a toehold in this scene. Talked about early adopters and taking chances and collaborations and…yeah, he’s way better at this than I’ll ever be, and I’m so glad he’s on my team.

“Okay.”

He bends down farther, brushes his lips over my ear before murmuring, “You’re cute when you’re nervous, you know that? Can’t believe I never got to see you like this before. Woulda kicked you out of LtG and sent you on your way a long time ago if I knew I’d get to see you like this.”

“Fuck you,” I mutter, nipping at him. “You can’t get rid of me that easily. And enjoy it while you can because this is a one-night show. You’ll have to deal with regular phlegmatic Christian when we leave on tour next week.”

“It’ll be my pleasure.”

He busses my cheek and then grins while nodding. “You’re gonna be great.”

Then he looks over my shoulder to where Dylan is pacing as much as he’s able. “You too. You guys are gonna kill this, and the fact that Christian is part of LtG is gonna be like a Trivial Pursuit question in twenty years that no one knows the answer to.”

Dylan and I roll our eyes, but we both give Teague the fist-bumps he’s asking for, and then we’re headed out to the platform that’s to the side of the club. Teague sneaks out behind us to go join the rest of our party, and then the emcee turns down the club music and puts the mic right up to his mouth.

“And tonight, we’ve got a special treat for you. For the first time out in the wild, internet sensation Narrazio.”

Dylan and I wave and then get our headphones on. While I do my last-minute checks, I let my gaze skip to the back, and I see Teague, arms crossed, already chatting up Keaton. Yeah, he’s got me. As much as I’ve got him.