The night air outside the venue differed from the warmth they'd left behind. It was cooler, and carried the faint metallic tang of recent rain. The event's noise had collapsed into soft hums behind the closed doors. Out here, there was only the soft pulse of the city and the occasional flash of headlights rolling past the venue's private exit lane.
Noah stood beside him, near enough that his warmth was perceptible through the chill.
Levi leaned against a pillar at the top of the steps and pulled out his phone, thumb already swiping through the feed. The screen lit his face in a soft blue wash, casting shadows beneath his eyes. #LeviBigDebut was exploding—over 300,000 posts and climbing like a fever. Comments poured in: 'That voice is unreal. Omega talent on another level. Thug Music Group played us all—rejecting him post-Blake scandal? Total setup for this epic debut. Marcus is a genius.'
