Kir Vasiliev could be a very intimidating man. He was big with a great deal of muscle. Scarred and tattooed. He looked as if he’d been to prison, which he had, many times. Azelie didn’t look intimidated. She laughed at Kir’s—Master’s—comment. The tone was low and soft but sounded like a melody running through Maestro’s head. He reached for her hand and brought it to his chest.
“Yeah, you did, babe. I think you cast a spell.”
She laughed again, the sound inviting. “First he calls me an angel, and now I’m a witch.”
“Love the way you laugh,” the third man said. “Name’s Gedeon Lazaroff. You have that same perfect pitch Seychelle has. Do you sing?”
Gedeon, aka Player, had striking blue eyes, was tall and muscular. He had light brown hair and wore a mustache and a small, barely there, beard.
Azelie looked horrified. “If I sing, the children put their hands over their ears.”
“She can’t lie worth shit,” Keys said. “That’s one thing you’ve got going for you, Andrii.”
“They don’t put their hands over their ears,” Azelie conceded, “but I don’t push my luck.” She sent Keys a little smile.
“We’re going to have to get this show on the road,” Maestro said. “Are you going to be all right sitting here by yourself?”
“Of course. But I might go say hello to Lana. She’s got a table right near the piano. There’s four chairs, and it’s just her and the man she came in with.”
“I’ll walk you over there,” Maestro offered, and stood up to circle around the small table. Things were working out exactly like he needed them to.
* * *
Azelie took Andrii’s hand as they walked around the tables to join Lana and the man she was with. Lana jumped up and hugged her. “I’m so happy you’re here.” Her gaze flicked to Andrii and their linked hands. “Hi, Andrii. We came to be supportive tonight. You know we’re crazy about your music.” She switched her attention back to Azelie. “I go to most of the Crows Flying gigs.”
“I think everyone knew about the band but me,” Azelie said. “I don’t get out much.”
“They’re all over the internet,” Lana said helpfully. She turned to the man who had stood when Azelie and Andrii approached the table. “This is my brother, Kasimir. He’s not too bad until he gets in his bossy mode. Kas, this is Azelie. She goes to the college.”
Kasimir Popov, aka Preacher, had curls no matter what he did to tame his hair. He looked far less intimidating than the band members because of those curls. That was deceptive, Azelie decided. He had muscle running beneath his clothing. He might look friendly, but he had that same reserve Andrii’s bandmates had.
Preacher flashed a grin. “Someone needs to boss her.” He shook hands with Andrii. “Would you care to join us? We have the room.”
“I’ll be playing shortly, but I’d appreciate your looking after Azelie.”
“You got it, brother,” Kasimir responded easily.
Azelie looked from Kasimir to Andrii. They knew each other. She couldn’t tell with Lana, but she was certain there was a connection to Kasimir. Maybe it was the fact that Lana attended the Crows Flying gigs and Kasimir went with her. Still, Andrii didn’t really look at Lana, and she was gorgeous. She was one of the most beautiful women Azelie had ever seen.
Andrii caught her chin and tilted her face up to his. “I’ll be the one playing either guitar or piano. You can focus on me.” He murmured the command against her lips, his tone low, the words barely spoken aloud, but she heard them, and it made her smile. Did he really think any other man in the room could compare to him?
She licked along the seam of his lips, deliberately inviting his kiss. He was a member of a popular band, and there were bound to be others watching them, but in that moment, she didn’t care. She wanted only to reassure him. Maybe it was a mistake after all. He kissed her. Gathered her into his arms, locked her against him and kissed her. Not gently. Passionately. Claiming her. Demanding surrender, and she gave herself to him because that was what he needed. That was what she wanted. It was only when she was certain she was going to burst into flames that he lifted his head. Even then, his thumb whispered over her lips.
“Be good while I’m working.”
She gave him her mischievous smile. “I’m an angel, remember?”
“Stay that way until I’m with you,” he cautioned and held out her chair.
Azelie obligingly sank into it and watched him saunter across the floor, threading his way easily through the tables to join the other three members of Crows Flying.
“I love their music,” Lana said. She waved her hand to take in the entire bar. “You can see how popular they are.”
Azelie wanted to enjoy the moment. Enjoy watching her man play with his band for the first time. He’d set the date up himself. Chosen to surprise her. The food had been delicious, and he had been totally focused on her, not paying any attention to the female interest directed his way. She’d noticed, but he hadn’t seemed to. Or if he had, he didn’t care. Azelie chose to put aside her questions about Andrii’s friendship with Lana and her brother until she was back home and alone. Right now, she was determined to soak in every moment of her dream date.
Lana grinned at her. “You like that man.”
Azelie nodded. “More than like. I really hope he’s real.”
Kasimir made a sound like a growling wolf. “He’s as real as it gets, honey. I’ve known him awhile now. I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.”
Azelie resisted the urge to ask how Kasimir knew Andrii, mostly because she didn’t want him to lie, and she had the feeling he might. Worse, he would do so convincingly. If he did, it stood to reason Andrii was doing the same.
She flashed a vague smile and turned her attention to the man announcing the band. The applause was thunderous when he said they were fortunate to get the chance for Crows Flying to play in their club. That much was true, then. There was a measure of relief knowing Andrii had told the truth about his band.
The band was well-known to some and clearly had a loyal following. The testament was the amount of people who seemed to know all the lyrics to the songs. Azelie found the band amazing. The music was incredible. They didn’t play cover songs; all the music was their own.
Her heart beat far too fast when Andrii put down his guitar and went to the piano. He leaned into the microphone. “Don’t sing as a rule. I leave that to Seychelle or one of the others. But tonight, I’ll be playing a special song I wrote for my lady. First time playing it, so forgive me if it isn’t perfect yet.”
Azelie could barely breathe. He didn’t have to announce to everyone in the room that he’d written the song for her. Or that she was his lady. He’d made the declaration in his compelling, soft tone, the one guaranteed to send heat down a woman’s spine. Those in the room broke into applause. She could feel eyes on her and was grateful Lana’s table was tucked into the shadows.
Then Andrii began to play. The music was moody at first. Then hopeful. So beautiful it brought tears to her eyes. And that was before he even began to sing.
I was once a broken man, who had learned nothing but hate.
A lonely fearful soul, who did not believe in fate.
There was a darkness around me, a blinding stormy haze.
