He opened the door and nodded for me to go inside. “I’ll let your man pay your cover. You go on in, sweetheart.”

My cover? Did you have to pay to go inside? Maybe I should pay. This was my idea. I reached for my purse. “No, I’ll pay for both of us,” I told the large man.

“Baby, if you pay, I’m gonna personally kick his ass for letting you. So you need to walk your sweet tail inside.”

Oh my. Okay.

I managed a nod and hurried quickly inside. A low chuckle from behind caused me to blush. I wasn’t sure how I felt about some stranger calling me sweetheart and baby. I wanted to wait for Linc, but I didn’t want to wait close to the door and to that guy.

Inside the club, Krit’s voice filled the place, and I spun around to see him standing on the stage, grinning down at the girls screaming his name. “Damn, y’all look sweet tonight. Got me all kinds of worked up,” he said. He was shirtless, and that in itself was something to scream about. I understood their excitement. He reminded me of a god, standing up there. His beautiful body showcased by a pair of jeans that hung perfectly on his hips gave the crowd a view of his lower stomach and the promise of what was underneath.

I moved closer, wanting to see more. He was laughing at something Green had said, and the dimples that fascinated me flashed out at the crowd. The blue of his eyes was electric tonight. More intense than they normally were. There was an unreal quality to them.

He slid his hand down his lower stomach and just inside the top of his jeans and winked at some girl up close to the stage. The screaming started up again, and he threw his head back and laughed. The muscles in his neck stood out, and my gaze soaked him in. Every inch.

When he looked back out at the crowd, his eyes shined with amusement—until they locked on me. Then he went completely still. I had moved closer to the stage than I thought had. Slowly, a real smile touched his lips, and it was as if no one else was in the room. I stood there, unable to move away. He had me spellbound.

His tongue touched his bottom lip, and then he puckered his lips in a kiss before reaching for the guitar behind him and slipping it over his shoulder. “Let’s do this,” he said, breaking our connection and looking back at Green.

Green was watching me too. I lifted my hand and gave him a little wave. He grinned and gave me a nod.

“There you are. I couldn’t find you in this place. It’s crawling with people,” Linc’s voice was in my ear, and I jumped, startled. I had forgotten about Linc. One look at Krit, and all other thoughts had left me. I was a horrible date. I started to apologize for walking so far away from the door when I heard it: Krit singing for the first time. His voice was already one of my favorite sounds. But hearing him sing . . . It was something more. The thick warmth of his voice curling around the words sent a thrill through my body.

I couldn’t talk to Linc right now. I had to listen to this. Krit had commanded the attention of the entire place with just a few words.

Just another night, baby, and you’re just another girl.

I don’t do mornings and I never will.

You wanted a taste and I wanted a distraction.

Don’t go begging for more because I like the chase, not the kill.

It wasn’t all-consuming, girl—you gave it too easily.

You know what you got into, but you still begged me.

Don’t leave your phone number—I’m not gonna call.

Say it, baby. Scream it all you want. I’ve heard it all.

Krit wasn’t playing the guitar anymore. Both of his hands were on the microphone in front of him as he sang the words with a smirk on his face. It was as if he were singing to all the girls. They called out his name and reached up toward him as he stood there, almost making love to them with his words.

They all want to save me. They all want to own me.

But I’ve been owned before. That ship has sailed.

She took my soul a long time ago when she walked out that door.

So don’t think you’re gonna win me.

I’m not a prize and you won’t score.

Nothing left inside to gain. I’m empty there, and she’s to blame.

I’ve broken hearts and left them in a trail behind me. But they only had me one night.

She owned my heart for years, then took it with her in her flight.

I liked the escape you give me, and I’ll take it without remorse.

I don’t even care if you fake it. I’m using you more, no reason for force.

Krit’s eyes met mine, and I froze. Seeing him like this, in his element, made it difficult to do anything but stare at him. He owned the place. The real smile that I knew wasn’t part of his act tugged at his lips before he leaned back into the mic.

It wasn’t all-consuming, girl—you gave it too easily.

You know what you got into, but you still begged me.

Walking away is my favorite part because I know I didn’t lose my heart.

You want more than I can give. Someday you might see.

They all want to save me. They all want to own me.

But I’ve been owned before. That ship has sailed.

She took my soul a long time ago when she walked out that door.

So don’t think you’re gonna win me.

I’m not a prize and you won’t score.

Nothing left inside to gain. I’m empty there, and she’s to blame.

Walk away now if you want to keep your innocence.

Run like hell girl if you’re not ready for me.

Everybody is the same and no matter how sweet you look . . .

There will always be only one face I see.

You’ve been warned and that’s all I can do.

Let’s forget the talking and the wasting of my time.

This is all about me, babe. I’m not worried about you.

Just another night, babe and you’re just another girl.

They all want to save me. They all want to own me.

But I’ve been owned before. That ship has sailed.

She took my soul a long time ago when she walked out that door.

So don’t think you’re gonna win me.

I’m not a prize and you won’t score.

Nothing left inside to gain. I’m empty there, and she’s to blame.

“You want to find a seat and get something to drink?” Linc asked close to my ear. I didn’t want to stop looking at Krit or miss a word that came out of his mouth. But I was here with Linc, and I couldn’t stand here completely soaking up Krit. That was rude.

“Um, yeah,” I replied.

Linc’s hand wrapped around mine, and he pulled me back through the crowd and toward a tall table over in the corner that didn’t have people around it. A group of people at the table beside it looked like they needed more than one table. Linc must have been thinking the same thing. “Excuse me, but is this table free or are y’all using it?” he asked a guy with long blond hair and a face that belonged on television, it was so perfect. He didn’t even glance in my direction when he answered. “It’s all yours, dude. We’re good with just this table.”

“Thanks,” Linc replied.

“You’re Lilah Keenan’s brother, aren’t you?” asked the girl beside the beautiful blond guy. Her smile was friendly, and she was as perfect as the guy whose arm was possessively wrapped around her shoulders.

“Yeah, Amanda Hardy, right?” Linc replied.

The girl grinned. “Yep. Thought that was you. How’s Lilah?” the girl asked.

“She’s good. She leaves again for Tuscaloosa this week.”

Amanda Hardy turned her pretty eyes to me. She wasn’t even wearing makeup. All that beauty was natural. “We haven’t met, I don’t think. You didn’t go to Sea Breeze High, did you?”

I shook my head. “No. I’m not from here,” I replied, then realized I hadn’t told her my name. I felt like an idiot. She seemed so nice. Nothing like the girls back home who looked like her.

“Amanda, this is Blythe Denton. Blythe, this is Amanda Hardy. Blythe is working at the church for my dad,” Linc informed them for me.

“Blythe?” another female voice asked. I hadn’t looked at anyone else at the table because from the one glance I had taken, the group looked intimidating. Forcing myself to look away from the safe connection I had made with Amanda Hardy, I found what looked like a Victoria’s Secret model smiling at me. Where Amanda was very natural, this woman was all fixed up, but she was still gorgeous. The kind who stopped traffic.

“Yes,” I managed to reply, and returned her smile.

“I believe you live in the apartment beneath my brother,” the blonde said. I didn’t need her to say more. I saw it then. The blue of her eyes was identical to Krit’s, and her hair was the same white blond—except hers was long and full of curls.

“Are you . . . Krit’s sister?” I asked.

Her smile went from pleased to brilliant. “Yes, I am,” she replied.

“Krit?” Linc asked, reminding me that he was there beside me.

“Krit and Green are roommates,” I explained to him. I turned back to Krit’s sister. “Linc has only met Green.”

The blonde flicked her gaze to Linc then back at me. “I’m Trisha. It’s nice to meet you, Blythe.”

“This is about to get fucking interesting. I need another beer first.” A deep drawl from the guy at the back of the table caused Trisha to roll her eyes as she shot an annoyed glare in the guy’s direction. I took a quick glance and saw a well-built guy with dark eyes and thick lashes. He had dreadlocks pulled back in a ponytail that hung down the back of his neck. Intimidating wasn’t even a strong enough word for him. His face was striking, but the rest of him was terrifying.