“You said that the last time.” And we argued about that. In fact, Lucas had been so moody about me confronting him for not seeming to care enough that he handled all of his business transactions himself for a week before finally caving and apologizing to me.
“Yeah, well, I think this is it. He scared himself.” Lucas leaves it at that, but I understand what he’s saying.
Even before Wyatt came after me about the cutting eight years ago, I was determined to stop. I was afraid of where my mission to cope with all of my shortcomings through little slices of pain would take me. I knew that I was messed up, and more than anything, I wanted to fix myself.
But even determination has boundaries, and I’m still thankful that Wyatt McCrae had caught me before I broke through those.
Heidi pokes her head out of the bathroom door. “Hey, ask him if he knows Sin’s address.” Once again, she disappears, and the soft roar of the hotel’s blow dryer kicks in.
Lucas doesn’t have the exact address, but he tells me the name of the rehab, which I jot down using a blue eyeliner pencil, before saying that he needs to go help Sienna arrange an appointment for tomorrow morning. Considering it’s close to 10:00 in Atlanta, it’s without a doubt the lamest excuse that I’ve ever heard.
“Have fun with that,” I say dryly. I start to ask him how things are going with her once again just to see if he’ll answer me straight, but then I decide against it. He’s anxious to get back to her, and that tells me he’s getting his way.
I just pray he treats her right.
Lucas ends the call on a positive note—an “I love you” that makes my head reel. I sink down on the edge of my bed, tapping my fingers together anxiously until Heidi comes out of the bathroom and calls me out.
“Kylie?” I lift my gaze to her. She’s managed to coax her curly hair straight, and she’s dressed simply, in a red silk bustier that my boobs could never pull off and dark jeans. She’s also frowning at me. “Why are you staring at a blank TV screen?”
“My brother just said he loves me.”
She shrugs, undaunted. Heidi has four brothers, and I love you is a phrase that’s common in her house. Don’t get me wrong, my mom and dad are quick to tell me, but Lucas? Not so much. “That’s a good thing, right?”
Pressing my palms into the mattress, I push myself to my feet and return to my makeup. “I think he’s falling for Sienna.”
Heidi slides into the chair on the far side of the dresser and begins rubbing Victoria’s Secret lotion on her bare arms. “The chick filling in for you? He’s known her for, what? Maybe a total of three weeks if you count whatever happened between them a few years ago.”
I brush bronzer across my cheeks and shake my head. “Doesn’t matter. Lucas doesn’t act like this. Ever.” As I drag the hairpins out of my hair, I catch Heidi’s face draw into a network of worried lines. She’s thinking of Lucas’s ex-wife, and I swallow hard. “Yeah, I’m hoping it works out, too.”
“Sam’s been quiet lately. Maybe she’s gotten over him.”
Or Lucas is paying her off again. I force a smile as I turn around to face Heidi, twisting in a slow circle. She rakes her eyes over me before giving me a slow nod of approval. “Ready?”
“We’re late,” she points out as we leave our room. After I slide into my jacket, she squeezes my shoulder reassuringly. “Hey, stop worrying about your brother. He’s a big boy, so you don’t have to play relationship police. Samantha’s crazy ass has probably moved on and found some poor loser to make miserable.”
For Sienna and my brother’s sake, I hope Heidi is right.
***
Since Wyatt and Cal are long gone, and at this point, probably playing the second or third song of their set, Heidi and I walk the four blocks from our downtown hotel to the bar, huddled up close to each other despite the muggy Houston night. I don’t even think about my missing license until we’re about to be carded at the entrance, but a tall, willowy blonde with giant green eyes who reminds me of Taylor Momsen from The Pretty Reckless sidles up to the door supervisor.
“It’s alright, they’re with the Toxic Sequel boys,” she says in a husky voice. Raking her hand through her platinum hair, she winks a heavily-lined eye at me. “Heidi and Kylie, right?”
I nod. “That’s us.”
Moving aside, the bouncer jerks his head back into the bar, and Heidi and I step inside. It’s already steamy in here from the friction of so many scantily clad bodies, so I shed my jacket and ball it up under my arm. “Thanks,” I tell the blonde.
Her lips curve into a little smile. “Don’t mention it. Wyatt said you lost your ID, and I’m pretty close to the staff.” It’s impossible for me not to notice the way her voice slides over his name—the same way mine does when my legs are wrapped around his shoulders, and my nails are digging into his back.
I swallow hard but blame my sudden discomfort on thirst and the guy who accidentally bumps into me. “Glad he’s looking out for me.”
She tilts her head to the side, sizing me up, before she motions for Heidi and me to follow her. As she leads us through the throng of drinkers, she peeks back over her shoulders. “I’m Terra, Hazard Anthem’s manager.”
I’m not terribly old myself—only 25—but Terra hardly looks old enough to be in this damn bar, much less be the band’s manager. I nod anyway as I step over a puddle of booze on the floor. She stops to talk to some guy who stumbles all over her. When he grabs her ass, I can’t help but be a little envious. I modify my initial assessment of Terra.