Kiss the Stars (Falling Stars #1)(97)

Excitement.

Proud to have been here but anxious to leave.

I stuffed my notebook into my backpack, zipped it up. “Think I’m gonna head out. It’s truly been an honor working with you guys.”

Ash cracked a grin. All teeth. “What, you think you have somewhere more important to be?”

Tried to keep the smile from breaking out for fear it was gonna be downright giddy. “Might.”

“Oh, yeah, and just where is that?” There was Ash, pushing all the buttons.

“All right, all right, let the poor guy be. He had to suffer through working with you the last two months,” Baz said, standing from his chair. “Besides, Shea and I are planning a little celebration at our house tomorrow night to toast another Sunder victory. Hope you all will be there.”

He looked directly at me.

On the spot.

Was going to have to get used to this shit.

But she was worth it.

They were worth it.

I gave a tight nod. “That should work.”

“Cool. See you then.”

“Later,” I said, heading out of the studio and toward the stairway that led to the main floor. I climbed to the top, only to stall out when I heard Lyrik calling to me from behind. “Hey, Leif, hold up a minute.”

I turned around to face him as he stepped onto the landing. His black hair a disaster, tattoos bristling with his blunt energy. “Just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you dropping everything for us these last two months. Knew you were going to be good, but I had no idea what you were going to bring to this album.”

Didn’t want to stand there getting puffed up and cocky, but his words were hard to ignore.

“Meant a lot . . . that you trusted me.”

Guess I was speaking of so much more than just the music.

His nod was tight. “And what’s the plan now? You headin’ back to South Carolina?” There was no missing what he was getting at.

I blew out a sigh, wondering how it was that I didn’t instantly feel defensive. “I love her, Lyrik, and believe me, that is not a sentiment that I take lightly.”

Something unsettled moved through his expression. “So . . . how’s it gonna be? They should be locking down the case soon, which means she’ll be good to go back to L.A.”

Knew all of this was between Mia and me, but I figured if it wasn’t for Lyrik, we wouldn’t have collided, anyway.

We wouldn’t be here, in this place, planning a future together.

Huh.

I guessed that bitch Karma had overstayed her welcome.

“Asked her to stay. With me. Know it’s going to take some patience to figure this out, that we’re goin’ to have to make sacrifices, but I don’t think you’re much of a stranger to that.”

“No, brother. I’m not. It’s fuckin’ hard. But believe me, it’s worth it. Music is like any other job. You do it, you do it well, and then you get your ass home to your girl. Don’t fucking get distracted or start making pit stops on your way home, if you get my meaning.”

I scraped out a rough laugh. “Loud and clear.”

Not that I needed to be reminded.

He rubbed his palm over his mouth and down his chin, looked me square. “Take care of them.” He reached out and squeezed me on the shoulder. “And fuck, man, let her take care of you, too.”

Without saying anything else, he turned and bounded back downstairs.

I exhaled. For the first time, it didn’t feel so heavy.

I walked out the door and into the blazing sun that was just beginning to dive to the west, the late afternoon hot and humid and filled with possibility.

That riot continued to go down in the middle of me.

Torn between love and loyalty.

One in the same.

“Only you. Forever. No matter what.”

“Do you promise?”

“I promise.”

I dropped my head, gulping around the memories, knowing that oath was no longer true.

Not sure if it made me a bastard.

A cheater and a liar.

Hating what I’d done. A blight that would lie on me forever.

“I’m sorry, Maddie. I’m so damned sorry.”

It was a silent prayer, held in the wind, kept in the whisper that whipped through the trees.

Then I pulled out my phone and tapped out a message that I’d been contemplating all week.

Me: What happens if I let it go?





Phone rang.

“Braxton.”

“What the fuck is going on, Leif?”

I stalled. Hesitated. Hadn’t given him many details. Even though I trusted him with my life, it was always safer to keep names separated. Identities. Yeah, he knew I was in Savannah, but I hadn’t given him the details of where I was staying or who I was playing with.

He would have lost his shit if he knew.

It was reckless, but I’d been from the beginning. But sometimes you had to wander lost before you found out where you belonged.

“Just don’t know what good it’ll do at this point.”

He breathed out a skeptical sound. “Be straight with me, Leif. What the fuck is going on?”

“Met someone.”

He sighed. Warring, too. “That’s good, Leif. That’s good. But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re hiding out on the other side of the country. Running for your life. Makes it more dangerous, honestly.”