Redemption (Savior Seires Book 2)

by Callie Anderson

  “You’re in luck tonight, love.” Axel squeezed between Leslie and me and placed his arms around us.

  “Oh really? Why is that?”

  I looked up into his big brown eyes and noticed the new barbell that had found its home in his eyebrow. At least it was a barbell and not a safety pin like the one in his ear. His hair was styled as a Mohawk in the front and a mullet in the back with the ends dyed blue so it cascaded like a waterfall down his shoulder.

  “Your favorite band is performing tonight.” He winked before leaning down and kissing my lips.

  My hands slapped to his face and pushed him away. “Gross, Axel. You taste like cigarettes.” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

  “What? You’re leaving tomorrow and I wanted to give you a proper goodbye,” he said, his hand still coiled around Leslie’s neck.

  Axel paid our cover fee and headed towards the makeshift backstage to meet up with the rest of his band mates. Unfortunately, I had yet to hear Axel’s band perform. The excuse was that they were missing a lead singer. There were times I thought Axel was full of crap, but I loved him like a brother.

  Leslie’s frail arms waved in the air. “Let’s get you hammered!”

  I threw my head back and laughed. “Nothing like a hangover and a nine-hour flight.”

  “Who gives a shit? It’s your last night here, girlie, and your ginger butt needs some shots.”

  Kate and Monica had arrived early enough to scrounge up some seats at the bar. Five minutes in and I had two shots, a SoCo, and a lime shoved down my throat. I wasn’t a big fan of drinking, but occasionally I’d let my hair down, and tonight was one of those occasions.

  “What took you so long to get here?” Monica asked. Monica was stunning, a natural beauty. She was blonde with long, lean legs, piercing green eyes and a smile that could draw any guy in. She wasn’t vain, but she was materialistic. Her clothes were name brand, she never wore the same thing twice, and she only dated men of a certain caliber: trust funds, country club memberships, or any man with a lot of money.

  “This one over here,” Leslie jabbed her finger in my shoulder, “took forever getting home. Then she took even longer getting ready because she’s all smitten over some guy she met.”

  My face burned and I smiled as I reached for my beer. “It’s not a big deal.”

  “Not a big deal?” Monica’s Texas accent made my smile grow wider. “Emmy, you have spent your whole semester avoiding boys.”

  First, I hadn’t avoided boys. I was focused on school, and what would be the point of getting involved with someone when every day was a day closer to me going home? Second, the boys I had met were . . . well, boys. But he wasn’t a boy. Nope, he was definitely a man: tall, tan, and with a smile that would make most girls in this dingy bar drop their panties. Not to mention the sound of his voice. What I wouldn’t do to hear it once more…

  “It’s seriously nothing. And besides, I leave tomorrow. What would be the point?” I lifted my beer to my cheek to cool off my heated flesh.

  “It would be nice to go home with a bang, pun intended!” Kate shouted over the emcee who had appeared on stage to introduce the first band. Her Boston accent was thick over the speakers. Kate was from Irish decent, we had that in common, and her red hair was a lighter shade than mine.

  The bartender lined up another round of shots in front of us. I looked over at Leslie, who pushed hers towards me. Why the hell not? It was my last night, after all.

  The crowd roared when Nose Deaf, a local alternative band, appeared on stage. Axel’s band was fourth on the roster and the only cover band for the night. The first three bands were great, but I was excited to finally see Axel perform. As Flagpole, an all-female band, exited the stage, we moved from the bar to our usual table. I climbed on top of the picnic table so I could see the boys on stage.

  The emcee tapped the microphone. “All right, everyone, let’s give a big welcome to Elephant Room!”

  My hands burned as they slammed against each other. Kate, Monica and Leslie all followed, hollering at the top of their lungs, but then my voice trapped in my throat—like someone had squeezed my neck.

  It was him.

  The guy who had been running laps in my mind was now standing on stage with Axel.

  Fuck.

  “How’s everyone doing tonight?”

  His voice erupted from the speakers and caused chills to run down my spine. Los Angeles was filled with millions of people. What were the chances?

  “We’re Elephant Room, and tonight we have some special songs for you.”

  Axel’s drumsticks rose over his head. Slamming them against each other, he counted to three.

  I didn’t know his name, but when he sang it was as if I had known him all my life. His voice was soothing, yet hoarse. It pulled you in and made you focus on the lyrics. I couldn’t sing, nor could I play an instrument, but I knew talent when I heard it. He was the real deal, and soon I would be watching him perform all over the world—I knew it. I had this feeling in my gut that music executives would be lined up at his feet to sign him. He had that look about him, the look that most mothers would warn their daughters to avoid. The look that screamed trouble. The look that sucked me in.

  Love, music, and me: the perfect, deadly combination.