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“Like what?” I chirp, and quickly clear my throat. “I know most of your songs.”

“We are doing twelve songs. Four from each album. I’ll text you the list so you have the order.” Danny takes out his phone, taps at the screen and I get a ping from mine.

I quickly take it out and study the list. “I know all these songs.”

“Good. But if you trip up, don’t worry,” Danny adds, then he heads back to the center of the stage and finds his spot.

“Are you good?” Dante asks me. At my dazed nod, they give me a thumbs up before they retreat to the open sound box in the back of the room.

“We will see,” I breathe out before situating myself.

And I was worried for nothing. The first song, “One Last Kiss,” starts the session easily enough. I make a flub in the third song, but no one jeers at me for my mistake. Before we start the last song on the list, Danny looks at me with a smile.

I don’t like that smile, since the singer still has it on his face as he walks over to me. “The next song is ‘Without You.’ Since we learned that you were once a singer, we would like to hear you sing it.”

I shake my head. “I can’t. You wrote it for Tobias, and I feel…” I snap my mouth when Danny places a finger over my lips.

“I know who I wrote it for. But I want to hear you sing it,” he insists.

I glance over to Rafe, hoping he sees my plight. But all he does is grin and begin to chant my name and clap in rhythm.

“Asshole,” I mutter under my breath.

“Do it, sing the song,” He Sook shouts from down on the main floor which, in less than thirty-six hours, will be filled with people. We hope. The happiness on her face fills my lungs and the excitement of singing, which I haven’t felt for so long, begins to sizzle through my body.

“Okay, I’ll try—but if I sound like crap, I’m not doing it,” I announce loudly enough for everyone to hear me.

““Come on, K-pop, I know you still have that voice I’ve heard so much about.”

I squint at Rafe, trying to convey my displeasure. “Will you stop⁠—”

“K-pop?” He Sook cackles and adds, “That’s perfect.”

I glare at Rafe. “No touching me for a month.”

Rafe drops his smile and gives me his puppy dog eyes. But the look is short lived, and he smiles again, his wicked grin this time, and says, “I’ll take that bet.”

I ignore him and face Danny. “Give me the mic.”

Danny and I trade places. Holding the microphone near my mouth, I wait for the boys to start playing, and then for it to be time for me to sing.

Without you, I have nothing.

Life’s adrift in an empty heart,

Without you, anchoring me in passion.

There’s no purpose in me to love.

Without you in my space,

I have no happiness or reason.

And without your love,

I’m no one but a fool, without you.

As I sing the song, one by one the guys add their voices. Danny is the first one to join in, Connor is next, then Callum and, finally, Rafe, who by then is standing next me, sharing the microphone I’m using. The song is like a pulse to my heart, making me realize that the words are so true for me. They perfectly describe the way I feel for Rafe.