Page 46 of Primal Urges

“Wait. Let me check it out first. You’re liable to shoot someone’s head off accidentally,” Caden ordered. He found it unlikely that a robber would break into the bar and then blast music for everyone to hear.

Caden slowly pushed open the back room door and peeked into the main area of the bar. All the bar lights were on, and a tiny, brown-haired twink was dancing in the middle of the room, holding a mop and belting out the lines to a show tune that sounded vaguely familiar.

“What the fuck?” Blade whispered, peering over Caden’s shoulder with a shit-eating grin that practically swallowed his head.

Grinning, Caden watched as Lucas twirled around the room, belting out lyrics about seasons of love.

The boy was magical. Listening to the depth of emotion and pain in his voice as he sang formed a lump in Caden’s throat that he struggled to swallow.

The song was about love and loss and measuring one’s worth over a lifetime. Was it measured in truths learned or times thatwere cried? The song seemed to describe the various seasons of love. Hearing it sung in Lucas’s voice gave Caden goose bumps.

Was this what Lucas was talking about when he mentioned transporting people to another world and causing them to feel such emotions? The boy was right. Seeing Lucas perform was like watching a butterfly emerge from its cocoon.

It was both magical and life-altering.

Beside him, Blade was recording the performance on his cell phone, no doubt to benefit him at a later date.

“Who knew that the boy could sing?” Blade whispered over Caden’s shoulder.

He didn’t want to disturb the boy. Watching Lucas perform was like nothing he had ever witnessed before.

“He went to school for musical theater,” Caden heard himself say.

“And now he’s working at a dump like this?”

Caden jabbed Blade in the ribs with his elbow. “How about you head home and keep this little performance to yourself?” Caden suggested, giving his buddy a “this is not up for negotiations” glare.

“Sure thing, boss,” the young man answered, locking his cell phone and shoving it back into his jeans.

Over his shoulder, he listened as Blade slipped out the back door and drove away.

He wanted to keep watching but knew that he was now standing in creepy stalker territory once again.

The song finally ended with Lucas striking a pose.

Caden took this as his opportunity to announce his presence. He began clapping as he walked into the main room.

Startled, Lucas let out a yelp and spun around quickly, eyes wide with terror.

“Damn, who knew you had a voice like that?” Caden cheered, making his way over to where Lucas was standing.

The look of shock and surprise quickly faded, only to be replaced with something much more…unfriendly.

Dipping his mop back in the water bucket, Lucas turned his back on Caden and resumed mopping the floors.

“What the hell are you doing here,creeper?” Lucas huffed under his breath.

Well, that was a little more hostile than he was expecting.

Smirking, Caden stepped over the wet spot on the floor and leaned against the bar.

“Had to drop something off for the big man. What areyoudoing here?” He hoped that perhaps some witty banter might lighten the mood.

“What does it look like, Sherlock?”

Ouch, someone had their panties all up in a bunch.

“Well, it looked like you were performing on Broadway.”