Love Damaged: Rock-N-Roll Heiress Book 2

by McCracken, Kelli

  I obliged. As the bourbon disappeared down my throat, Darius drank from his beer. When he finally finished, he set the bottle in front of him. “To answer your question, I was here about four years ago, not long before our band hit it big.”

  “So you met Brandon Brooks?” I was envious when he nodded, but I didn’t miss the way he snorted and took another drink of his beer. He released a sigh once he finished. “Yeah, I knew Brandon. He had a part in Rebel Stone’s success.”

  I waited for him to finish, but instead, he glanced away. Something about the tone of his voice said there was more to the story than what he’d told me. I wasn’t sure why he didn’t finish, but it only increased my curiosity.

  “Then I take it you know Mia Brooks?”

  “Yeah.” He took another drink of his beer. “She had a part—”

  “D?” Andi’s voice came from behind us. Confusion and excitement wavered within it as well as her eyes when we turned to greet her.

  “Andi. Good to see you, beautiful.”

  “You too.” When she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug, I noticed Bentley’s face darken. His jaw flinched as he stood silently observing their interaction.

  Once they broke free, Andi grabbed Bentley’s arm and drew him closer. “You remember Bentley Price with Breaking Silence, right?”

  “Hell yeah, I do.” They bumped fists much like he and Max had. “How’s it going, Price?”

  “It’s going great. We finally recorded our first album and got a contract with a label. Life is good.”

  “Glad to hear it. I was hoping things would work out for you guys. You’re too talented not to make it in this business.”

  “I guess Mia Brooks thought so too. She’s the reason we’re here.”

  Bentley said the forbidden word. Mia. It gained him a glare from Andi. A second later, her lower lip trembled.

  Darius jerked his head back when he noticed. “Girl, what’s the matter?”

  “I didn’t realize Mia had spoken with you before she left. You haven’t heard the news. Mia is missing.” Her eyes found me a moment later, but it wasn’t to accuse me. It was to see how I was handling the conversation. She did it every time someone brought up Mia around me.

  When I glanced at Darius, I noticed the way his forehead wrinkled as he scrunched his face. “What are you talking about?”

  Andi leaned against Bentley’s chest as she crossed her arms. “Mia left two weeks ago, after getting in a fight with the guy she was seeing.”

  “Oh.” Darius’s short response puzzled me. A few seconds passed before he said anything else. “Who was she seeing?”

  Andi faced me and nodded. I felt Darius gawking at me, but when I acknowledged him, he looked away. “I see.”

  “Wesley struck again,” Andi continued. “It didn’t quite happen the same way it did last time, but close enough.”

  Darius rubbed his face then shook his head. “Close enough, eh? Does that mean Izzy is still here?” He waited until Andi nodded then pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

  As I listened to them discuss what happened, I questioned how many people knew about Mia and Wesley’s history. Max knew. So did the sheriff. I wasn’t sure why Darius was privileged to the information unless he’d been around when Wesley screwed up Mia’s previous relationship.

  That had to be the reason. It would also explain why Darius and Max knew each other well. Rebel Stone must have been guests around the time Mia’s heart was broken. That meant he knew the first guy she dated.

  Andi motioned for Max to bring her a drink, then she continued her conversation with Darius. “Wesley and Izzy took things too far this time. I will find out the results in the morning, but Mia had her blood tested to see if she was drugged.”

  Her response caused Darius’s back to straighten. It was easy to see how much the news frustrated him. “Who drugged her?”

  “Izzy. She was the only one around when it could have happened. It made Mia sick, so she went to her suite and went to bed. That’s when Wesley and some guy showed up.”

  Darius blinked a few times as if he hadn’t heard what Andi said. She must have noticed too. Her shoulders slumped, and she winced as her head shook slowly.

  “Bentley spotted this guy, Eddie, leaving Mia’s suite. Ayden went in to check on Mia. She was asleep, but Ayden found a condom in the toilet. He assumed she and Eddie had hooked up.”

  I cringed at the memory. Looking back on everything that transpired, I realized how easily I played into Wesley and Izzy’s scheme. I never saw it coming either, and I hated myself for being blind to what was obvious.

  “There’s one more thing you should know.” Andi leaned away from Bentley and inched toward Darius. “Mia was worried about what Eddie may have done while she was knocked out. She went to the ER to have a rape kit performed. The results will be available tomorrow too.”

  Her eyes flashed toward me then darted in a different direction. This time, I was the one left blinking and speechless. We’d have answers tomorrow. Yet Mia wouldn’t be here to hear the results. It wasn’t right.

  “Wesley’s such a douche. I swear to God, I’m going to punch that little weasel when I see him,” Darius growled. “He’s messed with Mia’s life one too many times.”

  “He did more than mess with her life this time,” I snapped. All three looked at me with wide eyes. “You forgot to tell him that Wesley’s the prime suspect in Mia’s disappearance. The sheriff brought her car back and had evidence I identified as the clothing she was wearing the night she left. It had blood splatters all over it.”

  No one said a word. I couldn’t say anything else either. A lump formed in my throat as I closed my eyes and faced the bar. When I reopened them, I concentrated on my glass. I didn’t want to think about this. It’s why I came to drink. Now I was being forced to relive every horrible memory.

  “You really think she’s dead, don’t you?” I wasn’t sure who Darius was asking, but I nodded my head. “Listen, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard some of what you guys just told me. The only thing I didn’t know was who Mia was seeing when all of it happened.”

  I met his gaze. “Well, now you know everything.”

  “Yeah, but you don’t. Mia isn’t dead. I wasn’t invited to come here until a few days ago.”

  “What?” Andi blurted the question before I could.

  Darius regarded both of us, as well as Bentley, and then took a drink of his beer. When he set it back on the bar, he looked at me. “Mia is alive and well. She may have a broken heart, but she isn’t dead.”

  “How do you know?” Bentley asked this time.

  Shifting in his seat, Darius took turns looking at each of us. “She called me after she left here. I could tell she was upset, especially when she admitted that she was heading to Death Valley.”

  I thought back to the moment when Andi revealed that Dante’s View in Death Valley was the place where Mia’s mother, Morgan had met Izzy’s mother, Selena. It’s where she learned that her husband had cheated on her and had another child. It was the last place she ever stood.

  “When she told me where she was going, I got worried. I know what that place means to her. After we hung up, I couldn’t sleep, so I packed a bag and hopped on my Harley. I just so happened to be in L.A. when I got her call.”

  “So you just drove to Death Valley on a chance that you might run into her?”

  “Yeah,” Darius answered me. “I got there around daybreak and found the ‘Vette. She was sitting in the back. When I saw she was hurt, I took her to the closest ER to see if she needed stitches. She checked in under a pseudonym.” He paused a moment to regard me. “When she said she needed time away, I took her back to where I was staying in L.A. and reported her car as stranded to the local authorities.”

  “Gary said someone called it in. Still, if this is true, why hasn’t Mia called me? The least she could have done is text.”

  “It’s not my place to answer that.�
� Darius peered over his shoulder toward the main doors. “Why don’t you ask her yourself? She just walked into the bar.”

  By the time I realized what he’d said, Andi had bolted away. I glanced past her in time to see Mia meet her a few barstools from where we were sitting. Darius had been telling the truth. Mia was alive, and judging by her flawless appearance, she was perfectly safe.

  I was overcome with relief and anger at the same time. Seeing her was the highlight of my last two torturous weeks. Knowing she hadn’t bothered to contact us and let us know she was alive had me pissed. It was cruel.

  Then again, I had been cruel to her.

  “Oh my God!” Andi squealed as she hugged Mia. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

  “I’m sorry I haven’t called.” Mia’s apology sounded sincere. So did the way she looked at Andi when they broke their embrace.

  “Don’t think for a second I’m not pissed as hell. How could you leave like that and not call me? You should have at least texted. We thought you were dead.”

  “Dead?”

  Andi nodded. “Gary brought your car back and started asking questions. Then he showed us the clothing you were wearing the night you left. There was blood everywhere.”

  As Andi raised her hand to her mouth, Mia rubbed her arm. “I’m sorry I worried you, but the blood came from this.” She raised her hand and pointed to a purple line in the center of her palm. “I broke a whiskey bottle and sliced my palm. The first-aid kit wasn’t in the “Vette, so I tore some of the frayed edges on my shirt and used them as a bandages.” Her eyes shifted toward Darius. “I’m sure D explained everything else.”

  “He did,” Andi replied. She grabbed Mia’s upper arm and tugged her toward the corner of the bar. “You need to talk to Ayden, Mia. He’s been a mess.”

  My face burned when I heard Andi mention me. The heat in my cheeks increased when Mia pulled her arm out of Andi’s grasp and peered at me. It wasn’t long before she lowered her eyes. “I don’t want to talk to him.”

  “Mia, please. You don’t know how much your disappearance has affected him. He regrets everything that happened, including believing Wesley’s lies. He still loves you.”

  “She’s right,” I confessed as I stood from the stool and approached her. “I’m sorry, Mia. I’m sorry for everything. I never should have doubted you. I’m an idiot.”

  She said nothing as I took my last step. I was inches away from drawing her into my arms and begging for her forgiveness. I wanted to feel her close to me. This ache inside me wouldn’t go away until I did.

  Before I could act on my thoughts, Mia’s eyes trailed over me. Then they switched to Andi. I half expected her to ask me to speak in private, but she didn’t. Instead, she walked away.

  Chapter 2

  ~Ayden~

  This couldn’t be real. Mia’s return. Watching her walk away from me yet again. Every step she took toward the left bar had my gut feeling like a professional boxer’s punching bag. It rocked me to the core.

  “I can’t believe she just walked away,” Andi said as she stared at her friend. She drew her brows lower as she huffed. “She’s lost her mind. I’m going to talk to her. I’ll be back.”

  My face was on fire. I couldn’t believe I put myself out there just to have Mia reject me. It was my greatest fear.

  Who was I fooling? I should have expected this. I’d hurt her.

  Trudging back to my stool, I lowered myself onto it and grabbed my glass. The liquor disappeared once I placed it to my lips and chugged the rest of the bourbon.

  I waved at Max then pointed to my glass. He signaled for me to give him a minute as he finished speaking with one of his customers. By the time he was ready to make my drink, Darius had motioned for him to bring him another beer. Bentley held up two fingers to let Max know he wanted one too then he sat on his usual stool.

  Max didn’t stick around to chat, but he did express his relief at seeing Mia. There were too many guests inside the bar tonight to leave him time to talk. It surprised me that he’d been as attentive to me as he had.

  Darius, Bentley, and I sat at the bar, our elbows leaning against the top as we remained quiet. I wasn’t sure what to say. I doubted they did either. Guys didn’t like seeing their friends being humiliated, which is precisely what Mia did when she walked away from me without even so much as hi, bye, or a fuck you. I could have handled her lashing out at me. What I couldn’t take was her silence. It was worse.

  “So, you and Mia . . .” Darius didn’t finish his sentence.

  “Yeah,” I answered.

  He tapped his index finger against his bottle. “Mia admitted to me that she didn’t tell you the whole story about what happened with her and Wesley.”

  “I know he broke up her first relationship. I also know he’s obsessed with her.”

  Darius grunted. “Did she tell you anything about her former relationship?”

  “We didn’t really discuss our exes in depth. Otherwise, I would have known she and Izzy were sisters. I used to date Izzy, and when Mia found out, it hurt her.”

  “That’s understandable. Izzy has made it her life mission to fuck over Mia every chance she gets.”

  “So you knew the guy she used to date?”

  Darius took a sip of his beer then nodded. “She got involved with him when she was around twenty-one. He was older than her, like Wesley, but there was a huge difference between them. Wesley just used her for his benefit. The other guy loved her.”

  “I’ve heard other people say the same thing. No one wants to give out all the details though.” I wasn’t sure Darius would be able to fill in the missing pieces from the stories I’d been told. Part of me hoped he could, but I was sure the only person who could do that was Mia.

  “I think the details will blow your mind, but if you want to hear them, I’ll tell you.”

  Bentley’s face came into view as I glanced at him. When he nodded, so did I. “Yeah, I think it’s time I heard everything.”

  Darius nodded then cleared his throat. “Mia left Music Haven to be the manager for this guy’s band. It was the first one she’d managed by herself without any interference from her grandfather or her dad. Long story short, Mia and the guy fell in love. She brought him here to meet her family then left to go on tour with him again. She did so against her family’s wishes.”

  So Mia had been a rebel in her past. I didn’t expect to hear about this side of her. From the moment we arrived in Music Haven, I’d witnessed nothing but a hardworking woman who was devoted to her career and the lives she touched because of it.

  “When Mia got word that Brandon’s health was failing, she didn’t hesitate to return, but the guy still had another show, so Wesley volunteered to bring her back. That’s when things went downhill.”

  “How come?” I took a drink of my bourbon as I watched him do the same with his beer. When he finished, he returned the bottle to the counter and slumped his shoulders.

  “It’s when Izzy showed up. It wasn’t long before Mia and her boyfriend were arguing about stupid shit. When he left to go on his next leg of the tour, she stayed behind because of her grandfather. When she rejoined her boyfriend, things got better for a little while.”

  “Yeah, but they broke up. What changed?”

  “A rumor got back to her boyfriend that she started talking to someone else before she rejoined him on tour. She caught him checking her phone, and they had a huge fight. She felt like he didn’t trust her. After the fight, the guy took off for a drink with his bandmates. Mia met up with Andi who flew in to see her.”

  Andi wasn’t around to confirm what he’d said, but I had no reason not to believe him. Still, I didn’t know how Darius knew so much about Mia’s previous relationship. Had they become friends while he stayed here?

  “Is that what broke them up?” I finally asked.

  It didn’t surprise me when Darius shook his head. “No. When Mia returned to their hotel room, she found him drunk as hell and in bed with anoth
er woman.”

  His admission made my blood turn cold. A million questions ran through my mind. I wasn’t sure which one to ask first. Darius didn’t give me a chance before he spoke again.

  “Mia was devastated at what she found and ran out of the room. Wesley is the one who found her. He gave her the emotional support she needed, and when she returned to Music Haven, she brought Wesley with her.”

  “So was the guy set up to look like he’d cheated?” I couldn’t help but ask the question after finding Izzy in my bed the morning after Mia and I had our huge fight.

  “No. The guy did cheat on her. He came to Music Haven and tried to win her back, but it was too late. Several months later, Mia and Wesley started seeing each other. I think you know the rest.”

  I did for the most part. I wasn’t sure how Mia found out about Wesley’s lies, but she had. Unfortunately, she didn’t learn the truth before he secured his job and a board seat from her grandfather.

  “Wesley truly is a piece of shit,” I grumbled.

  “Yeah, but he’s not stupid. He was able to get what he wanted before Mia figured out what a low life he is.”

  The thought made me sick. I hated knowing how badly Wesley had taken advantage of Mia or how he’d played a part in her first break up. The guy deserved to rot in jail, but now that Mia had returned, he was no longer a suspect.

  “I’m still confused about something. Andi and Mia have both said that Wesley and her sister Izzy interfered with her last relationship. How does Izzy fit into all of this?”

  Darius lowered his gaze to the bar and laughed half-heartedly. “That’s the kicker. The woman Mia found in her boyfriend’s bed was Izzy.”

  I processed what he said for a moment, trying to wrap my head around all the horrible things Izzy had done in her life. Then it hit me. “Wait a second. You said all of this happened about four years ago?”

  “That’s right,” Darius took another drink of beer then glanced at me. “Why?”

  “Before I answer that, can you tell me the name of Mia’s first boyfriend?”