Even before Wyatt confronted me about the cutting eight years ago, I was determined to stop. I was afraid of where my mission to cope with all my shortcomings—no, what I felt were 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 caught me before I could break 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, Melody’s House, which I jot down using a blue eyeliner pencil and the back of a flyer advertising a local pizzeria. Then, he says he needs to go help Sienna arrange an appointment for tomorrow morning. Considering it’s close to ten in Atlanta, it’s, without a doubt, the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard.
“Have fun with that,” I state dryly. I start to ask him how things are going with her just to see if he’ll give me a straight answer, but then I decide against it. He’s anxious to get back to Sienna, and that tells me he’s getting his way.
I just hope he doesn’t treat her like crap, and drive her away again, like he had two years ago.
Lucas ends the call on a positive note. His “I love you” makes my head suddenly start spinning. 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, wearing dark jeans and a red silk bustier that my boobs could never pull off. 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 a very close-knit family, so I love you was a common phrase in her house when she was growing up. Don’t get me wrong. My mom and dad are quick to tell me that. But Lucas? Not so much.
“That’s a good thing, right?” Heidi questions tentatively.
Pressing my palms into the mattress, I push myself to my feet and return to my makeup. “I think he’s falling in love with Sienna Jensen.”
Heidi slides into the chair on the far side of the dresser and begins rubbing globs of 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 watch Heidi’s face as it draws into a network of worried lines. I can only assume she’s thinking about my brother’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 to face Heidi and then twist around 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, making some poor loser 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 then a 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?” When I nod slowly, cocking one of my eyebrows, she shrugs. “You’re the only chick with blue hair who’s come in all night. I’ve been keeping an eye out for you for Wyatt and Cal.”
Moving aside, the bouncer jerks his head back into the bar, and Heidi and I step inside. Because it’s already steamy in here from the friction of so many scantily clad bodies, 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. It’s the same way mine does when my legs are wrapped around his shoulders while 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 twenty-five—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 what I hope is 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.
She’s Taylor Momsen with Kim Kardashian’s ass.
“I want a drink,” Heidi says loud enough to be heard over the screech of the guitar and the lead singer, who is a screamer and a damn good one. “Want me to grab you something?”
“Corona?”
“You got it, babe. Get us a table?”
I slink away from Terra, who’s still in deep conversation with the groper, and find a spot close enough to the stage to get a good view of the band but far enough away so I won’t have groupies bumping into me every five seconds. When Wyatt’s eyes meet mine, he grins and winks. He strokes the tip of his thumb over the neck of his Kramer in a slow, deliberate movement meant to make me think of his fingers between my legs.
He succeeds.
“So, you’re Lucas-Fucking-Wolfe’s baby sister?” Terra slips into the seat meant for Heidi.
I give her a polite smile. “Unfortunately.”
“I met him once...in...” Terra darts her green eyes upward, trying to recall the exact location, and then she lowers her gaze, grinning. “2010.”
“At your high school graduation party?” I mean to keep that to myself, but somehow, it slips out.
She’s obviously not offended because she throws her head back and laughs.
“Rock Fest, but I’m pretty sure I’m older than Lucas and Wyatt.”
She says Wyatt’s name the same way she did at the door—with that desperate hush of admiration mixed with desire. I glide my tongue from side to side between my teeth. Plenty of women are attracted to Wyatt McCrae. There’s no reason whatsoever for me to have a negative reaction to this particular one just because she can appreciate a sexy, talented man.
Heidi’s hand reaches down over my shoulder, plunking a Corona with lime down in front of me. “Here you go, love.” I glance back at her just in time to see her give Terra a long look that’s one part curious and the other part aggressive. “Sorry, did you want me to grab you something, too?”
Sliding out of Heidi’s chair, Terra shakes her head. Her mane of blonde hair flies around her face like a slow-motion shampoo commercial. “I’ve got...” She flicks her green eyes toward the stage. “Band stuff to do, but I’ll catch up with you bitches later.” She winks again.