Love in the Mix (Love in the Mix #1)

Chapter 37

thirty-seven

XAVIER

T he damn alarm won't shut up, and the sun's barely peeking through the curtains. Luna’s blue hair covers my chest, the wild strands tickling my nose. I can't help but smile.

"Good morning, baby girl," I murmur, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"Mm, morning," she mumbles, nuzzling into me like a kitten. "What time is it?"

"Early as hell," I chuckle. "Time to get our asses moving."

She snuggles closer and wraps her arm and thigh around my body. "Do you have to?" she whispers hotly, her lips brushing against neck. "I love waking up to you in the morning.”

My heart swells at her words, and my body heats as her lips continue their tease. "I love it too, angel, more than I ever thought possible." And I mean it. This girl's got me wrapped around her little finger, and I don't even mind.

A groan from beside us breaks the moment, and we shift to see Sebastian stretching slowly, his lean muscles flexing beneath his pale skin. "Do you two always have to be so disgustingly sweet in the morning?" he grumbles, but I can hear the fondness in his voice.

I reach over and run my hand over his sleep-tousled hair. "Jealous, pretty boy?" I tease, my voice low and rough.

He swats at me, but his eyes are gleaming. "Always," he scoffs, already leaning in for a kiss.

I give him what he wants, because I want to. My lips claim his, my tongue exploring familiar territory. He moans into my mouth, grabbing the back of my neck like he's afraid I'll pull away.

Luna's watching us, her eyes dark with want, biting her lip in that way that drives me crazy. "I really love waking up with you both in the morning. So fucking hot," she breathes, her hand disappearing under the sheets.

Pulling back from Sebastian, I stare deep into her eyes. "No touching, baby girl, that's ours," I growl.

She whimpers but surprisingly listens, and her hand reappears above the covers. Sebastian chuckles darkly, his fingers trailing up her arm. "Such a good girl, princess," he praises.

"Hate to be the responsible one," I sigh, "but we gotta move. Car's gonna be here in an hour."

Luna perks up like someone flipped a switch. "I'll make breakfast while you shower. Hurry up!" And just like that, she's out of bed, all boundless energy. It's been three weeks since she came home with Sebastian, and she hasn't stopped spoiling us with her cooking. The house feels alive now.

I watch Luna bounce out of bed, her energy infectious. Sebastian groans but follows suit, heading for the shower. I take a moment to breathe in the scent of our room, burning it into my memory. We'll only be gone for a day, but after weeks in this little slice of heaven, even that feels too long.

The sounds of Luna in the kitchen—her humming, pans clattering, something sizzling— it's music to my ears. The house used to be so quiet, so empty. Not anymore.

Sebastian emerges from the shower, towel around his waist, and I can't help but appreciate the view. "Your turn," he says with a smirk, catching me red-handed. I shower in record time, just as Luna's setting the table.

Holy shit, she's gone all out. Pancakes, bacon, fresh fruit, eggs… She didn’t skip a thing. I can't help the groan that escapes me as I sit down.

“Thank you, baby girl. You know how to spoil us.” She smiles as she approaches with two mugs of hot coffee, setting one down as she bends over to rub her lips against my own.

“My pleasure,” she whispers, and rounds the table to give Sebastian the same treatment. He stares off at her dreamily as she makes her way back to the stove to make her own plate. He glances back at me, smile only growing. I give him a playful wink before digging into the most amazing breakfast the most perfect woman made me.

"Did you finalize your setlist?" Luna says, as she makes her way back to the table. I nod quickly, attempting to swallow delicious pancakes.

"Wish you were coming with us," I say, not for the first time. She starts to sigh, but I cut her off. "I know, I know. We talked about it. We're waiting." I reach for her hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Soon," she says. "For now, I'll be your biggest fan from right here. I've got the livestream all set up to watch."

"We'll be on a plane coming back as soon as we are done," Sebastian promises, giving her hand a quick squeeze. I nod in agreement. Part of me wishes we could just bring her along, but we're not ready for that shitstorm of public attention. Not yet.

“You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine here.” Before we can argue, a car horn blares outside, making us all jump. Showtime.

"That'll be Savannah," I say, feeling a mix of excitement and reluctance. "We'd better head out."

"Knock 'em dead," Luna says, pulling us both in for a hug. "Can't wait to hear all about it when you get back."

I pull her in for one last kiss, deep and promising, before letting Sebastian do the same. As we head out, I can't help looking back. Luna's in the doorway, waving like something out of a movie.

Climbing into the car, I take a deep breath. Time to focus on the music, on Neon Dreamscape, on what's waiting for us out there. But part of me? Already counting down the minutes till we're back home, back to Luna's warm welcome and our little slice of paradise.

The crowd of Neon Dreamscape was far bigger than I could’ve ever expected. A sea of over 100,000 bodies dispersed among the three different stages. The music pulsed out of large speakers, shaking the entire frame of the set.

Yet, in such a big world of festivals, this feels like the smallest. Though we had made sure Ruby was not performing at this festival, it didn’t stop her from being here, making a beeline directly towards Xavier and I. With mere minutes before we are meant to take the stage, we can’t outrun her. I can feel all the tension in my shoulders tingling as she approaches.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Ruby?” I snap out as soon as she’s close enough to hear me.

"Hello, boys," she purrs, trying to sound all sultry. "Oh, I just thought I'd wish you luck, personally. I've missed seeing you around the past few weeks."

“Can’t say I feel the same,” Xavier says curtly. Ruby has the audacity to pout like a child. Her blue eyes widen as big as saucers as her bottom lip trembles. She looks up, hoping for a different reaction. My silence just seems to encourage her.

“Have you heard from Luna? I’m worried about her, she seems to have”—she pauses before smiling brightly—“disappeared again.”

"I don't know what fucking game you're playing at, but keep Luna's name out of your mouth," Xavier snarls. He doesn't even look at her, which is probably for the best. If looks could kill, Ruby would be six feet under.

“Now watch who you’re fuc—” She’s cut off as Xav is announced and he walks onstage. He looks so sexy walking away, from the way his ass looks, to the tight clench in that handsome jaw, irritation coming off him in waves.

Ruby’s fingers suddenly trail lightly down my arm, and I feel my face flush red, clouding my vision. She really can’t take a fucking hint. I jerk my arm away from her quickly.

"I've always loved watching you perform, Sebastian," she coos. "You're so passionate onstage. I'm sure I could show you a passionate night if given the chance. I can absolutely blow your mind, more than she ever could."

"For the last time, Ruby, and I fucking mean it. Fuck off. We don't want you. We know exactly who you are, and you disgust me. Leave us alone."

Xavier turns back, quickly introducing me as we take the stage together, leaving Ruby and her games behind.

Our set was absolute perfection, despite Ruby’s rude interruption. She's still lurking backstage like some creepy stalker, but whatever. Time to put her in her place.

"Neon Dreamscape!" I yell into the mic. The crowd roars back like a monster waking up. "You've been one hell of a crowd. Here's a new one for you. We need to know what you think of ‘Beg For Me!’"

Xavier starts off slowly, the sensual and sexual rhythm of the song moving through the crowd moves the crowd as we loop and layer the different levels of this track. Xavier finally layers his own vocals, letting them repeat over and over. “Fucking beg for me.” The crowd's response is immediate. Women are screaming like it's the second coming. Xavier's got that smug smile on his face—he knows he's got them eating out of the palm of his hand.

We bring it to the peak, and I hit that final button. Luna's moan, sexy as hell and full of want, layers over everything. It's like dropping a match in gasoline. The crowd explodes. Bodies are surfing to the front, everyone's moving like they're possessed.

I barely notice the reaction as I lean back, catching Ruby’s glance one last time. Her face is a mask of fury and humiliation, that earlier facade completely shattered. She stands rigid at the edge of the stage, fists clenched at her sides, trembling with rage. Our eyes lock for a brief moment, and I see the promise of retaliation burning in her gaze. I throw her an exaggerated wink and watch her stomp off like a child. Thank fucking God .

As we transition into the next and final track, I feel a surge of triumph, feeling like we were able to beat Ruby at her own game. Maybe she will finally leave us alone, leave Luna alone. Hasn’t she done enough?

We finish our set drenched in sweat but feeling like kings. The crowd's going nuts as we leave the stage, their screams following us as we push through the backstage chaos. Just as we're about to hit the greenroom, Xavier grabs my arm and pulls me into a corner.

Without a word, he wraps me up in a bear hug. I can feel his heart pounding against my chest, matching my own adrenaline-fueled rhythm.

"God, I love you," he whispers, his breath hot against my ear. He pulls back far enough to pull my lips to his for a quick brush of lips. We pull apart, smiles reaching our ears, looking at each other.

“Let’s go home to our girl and celebrate. What do you say, pretty boy?” he says with a quirk of his eyebrow.

“I’m there. Let's go home. I’ll race you to the car,” I respond, shoving him backwards and making a run for it.