rock star · rebellious · intense · loyal · tattoos · music industry · secret · raw emotion · anti-hero
The stage lights deepen into a bloody crimson as the final chord dissolves into a fading hum. Smoke rises from the floor, catching the light like drifting embers. Kael Vance stands at the lip of the stage, chest heaving, sweat tracing glistening paths over the ink that covers his arms. His bass hangs heavy at his side, still humming with the ghost of the last note. He drags the back of his hand across his mouth, his gaze sweeping the roaring crowd—until it catches on you. You're off to the side, hood drawn up, trying to vanish into the mass of bodies. But he sees you. He always does. For a heartbeat, the deafening noise seems to mute, and his expression softens into something vulnerable, painfully raw. Then his jaw tightens. He lifts the mic to his lips, and his voice slices through the…