By the time she made it to the river, her limbs were frozen solid, and she swore icicles hung from her eyelashes. That was probably dramatic, but it was cold.
An unfamiliar car drove by and slowed. It looked like it had seen better days. Wylder glanced around, hoping to see people walking through the park stretching along the banks of the river from Defiance Falls to the bridge, but who was she kidding? Only she was crazy enough to go for a walk near the river in Ohio in December.
A window rolled down, and she kept her gaze on the ground. If she was about to be kidnapped, she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her fear. Her heart kicked up a notch, hammering against her ribs.
“I have mace,” she yelled. Though, she hadn’t thought to bring it with her. Who needed mace in a town like this? But it was always the quiet towns that ended up in those documentaries about bodies being found in the woods or floating down the river.
She chanced a glance at the river. She could probably make it down the bank, but that water would—
As if sensing the direction of her thoughts, a voice finished them. “The water is freezing this time of year. Trust me, I’d know.”
Wylder squeezed her eyes shut before opening them and turning toward the car. “Julian.”
He flashed her a grin. “You going to get in or continue to freeze?”
Wylder didn’t know how long it had been since she’d seen her old bandmate. A year, at least. She didn’t hesitate before yanking the passenger side door open and practically falling into the warmth.
Julian closed his window and turned to her, one eyebrow raised. “Thought my eyes were deceiving me when I saw you. Isn’t the great Wylder Anderson supposed to be locked behind high walls that keep her out of trouble?”
He was teasing her, and the familiarity made her smile. Playing with Anonymous were some of the best times of her life. Julian, Becks, Nari, and Wylder had been a force. When Becks and Nari went off to Nashville, Julian became a writer, a romance writer to be exact.
Wylder didn’t answer his question, looking around at his beat-up old car instead. “Aren’t you supposed to be a bestseller or something?” She pointed to the broken stereo. “What? Publisher stop paying you?”
He laughed. “No. My car is in the shop.”
“This can’t be a rental.”
“Borrowed, actually. Where were you headed?”
“My house.”
He nodded and drove across the bridge, his hands gripping the steering wheel especially tight until they made it to the other side. Years ago, Julian’s twin brother died when he crashed a car off the bridge. In fact, it was coming up on the anniversary. Julian had jumped into the water to save him, but Cooper never made it out.
Wylder reached over to grip his warm hand with her icy fingers. “Where were you headed in this elegant car of yours?”
“The diner.”
“Of course.” She laughed. Julian was a Callahan. His parents owned the place, and it was a well-known secret the Julian Callahan wrote many of his bestsellers sitting in a corner booth drinking copious amounts of coffee and eating fries all day.
“So,” he said as he turned down the road that would take them to her house. “What has Wylder been up to?”
“You saw it, didn’t you?”
“Saw what?” He didn’t look at her, but she knew the tone.
“Everyone saw my YouTube video.”
“Leave it to you to get mixed up with Nashville’s newest scandal.”
“They’re more than a scandal, Jules.”
“Yeah?” He looked sideways at her, one corner of his mouth lifting.
“Ugh, stop. You’ve known my brother too long, and that look is totally his.”
“What look?”
“The ‘Wylder is so cute’ look.” She leaned back and crossed her arms.
He reached over and nudged her. “I’m sorry. It’s just… I was so happy when I saw that video. I think I watched it like ten times in a row. Seeing you playing again… it just felt right.”
“Yeah, well, it’ll be a while before I get another chance.”
“Why?”
She scowled when she thought of Ms. Jones’ edict. “I wanted to perform in this Winter Review thing. It’s like a talent show, but everyone who goes to the academy for music or theater is pretty talented so it won’t be like those lame ones at Twin Rivers High.” Except for the weird skits and dances some groups would do.
“You mean like the talent show we crushed?”
She smiled, remembering how they’d revealed who Anonymous was in front of their entire school. Not everything about her old life was bad, just once all her friends graduated.
“Anyway, they’ve canceled it.”
“Why?”
She sighed. “The video. Defiance Academy has all these important kids, or kids of important people. We have to sign NDAs and such to be there, and now they think it’s a risk because of the leak.”
They pulled up outside her house. She stared up at it. For a moment, she thought she saw the front curtains move, but no one was supposed to be home. She shook her head. “Anyway, my plan for a comeback for me and a friend is kind of trashed now.”
“Is Wylder Anderson giving up?” Julian asked.
“There’s nothing I can do.”
“There’s always something. Come on, give me a hug before I decide not to let you go back because I’ve missed you.”
She hugged him tightly, not knowing when she’d see him again. “Thanks for kidnapping me along the side of the road.”
He laughed. “Anytime, kid.”
She climbed from his car and waved as he drove off. Fishing her keys out of her pocket, she ran toward the front door. But it was already unlocked.
“Hello?” She pushed it open. This was when she really needed her mace. Her parents were never home in the middle of the day. Had someone broken in?
There was no light on in the living room or kitchen, so she moved from room to room, searching. Maybe they’d just forgotten to lock up. She gripped her phone, thinking she should call Julian to come back.
But she didn’t.
Instead, she pushed open the door to the stairwell leading to her favorite room in the entire house. The finished basement with soundproof walls that her dad had set up as a music room for her and Becks.
Taking the steps slowly, her eyes did a sweep of the room, landing on the person who didn’t belong.
He sat on the couch, staring at her, his eyes narrowed.
“What are you doing here, Luke?”
6
Neither Wylder nor Luke said anything as they stared at each other. She was the one who deserved to be mad, to be shocked. So, why did he look like he’d rather be with anyone else?
“What are you doing here?” she repeated. Was this why Becks hadn’t answered her calls? Why her parents were being so weird? She’d thought Becks might know where Luke was, that he’d have talked to him for advice. But it never occurred to her that Becks was actually hiding him from his own brothers.
Or that her parents would help.
Luke crossed his arms over his “I’m Luke. I’m here to rescue you” Star Wars shirt. The actual quote was “I’m Luke Skywalker. I’m here to rescue you.” Of course this dude even got his graphic tees custom made.
“Are you going to say anything?” He was the intruder, down here in her favorite place.
“Who was that guy in the car?”
“What?”
“The one you hugged.” His jaw clenched. “Who was he?”
“Julian? An old friend. Wait, were you spying on me?” So, she had seen the curtains move. At least she wasn’t going crazy.
“When I hear a car outside, I go look. It’s a part of the whole hiding from the reporters thing. I needed to make sure they hadn’t found me.”
“Yeah? And what about the hiding from your brothers thing? Got an explanation for that?”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
S
he brushed past him to throw herself on the familiar couch. “Ditto.”
He took slow, measured steps toward her. “If you hurt Logan—”
She cut him off with a laugh. “Now you’re worried about Logan? Newsflash, bucko, it’s not me hurting Logan.” Her eyes held his in accusation before she sighed. “Julian is just a friend who gave me a ride. He’s been engaged to like the nicest woman on the planet for forever, and he’s one of Becks’ friends.”
“That doesn’t exactly spell good judgment.”
“Excuse me? Aren’t you the one hiding out in Becks’ parents’ basement right now? Seems to me you don’t fall into the nemesis category anymore.”
The tension melted from him, and he collapsed onto the couch next to her. “Did you really call me bucko?”
She shrugged. “Sometimes I talk like an eighty-year-old grandpa. Get over it.”
“I like how you said grandpa and not grandma.”
“Eh… the truth is the truth.” Her words trailed off, and silence stretched between them before she pulled her legs under her and turned to face him. “What are you doing here, Luke? No more games. Just tell me.”
He pushed a hand through his unkempt hair. It was the first time she’d seen him less than put together, the first signs of the toll this was taking on him. Sympathy entered her gaze.
“Becks said I needed to get out of Nashville. After the label dropped me, it was best to go somewhere no reporters would ever anticipate. They probably all think I’m holed up in some remote cabin.”
That was what she had thought. “And the childhood home of your nemesis, Beckett Anderson is low on their list?”
He barked out a laugh. “It’s not even on their list.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Since the Sunday after Thanksgiving.” The day she went back to school. “Your parents…” He blew out a breath. “They’re kind of amazing.”
She smiled at that. “Yeah, some epic mothering from my mom and advice from my dad is all I’ve ever needed to feel better about anything.”
“When Becks offered, I was skeptical. I mean, who takes in someone they don’t know, let alone a media nightmare?”
“What you’ll come to know about this town, Luke, is that nothing in Twin Rivers is normal. The people here—my parents included—practice a special brand of compassion.”
“Yeah, I’m starting to get that.” He leaned back against the cushions.
There was so much Wylder wanted to know from Luke, from her brother and her parents. About this arrangement, about Luke’s plans. Yet, the only thoughts popping into her head were about Logan.
It seemed Luke was on the same page. “You said you weren’t the one hurting him.” He met her gaze. “You meant me, didn’t you?”
She nodded, not taking her eyes from his. “He’s worried about you.”
Abruptly, he stood and started pacing in front of the couch. “I know that. Don’t you think I know that?”
His personality shifts were going to give her whiplash. She got to her feet and stepped into his path to block him. “Then why do it? Why don’t you at least text him and tell him you’re okay?”
“You’re not the person I owe any explanations to,” he practically growled. “I’m sorry for hurting your boyfriend, but I’m not ready to talk to him.”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” she mumbled.
Luke narrowed his eyes. “Whatever you say, Doll.”
“Don’t call me Doll.” She turned away from him, the anger dripping from her voice. “Don’t you get it, Luke? It’s not about if you’re ready to talk to Logan. You screwed up, you hurt both you and him. It’s up to you to make it right, and the longer you hide away, the harder that will be. I understand what it’s like to regret choices you’ve made.”
“You don’t understand anything.” He darted past the drum kit she’d come to play to the stairs.
Wylder wasn’t letting him off that easy. She ran after him, reaching for his arm when they stepped into the living room. She pulled him to a stop. “Talk to me.”
“No.”
“Luke.”
“Leave it alone, Wylder.”
“But I want to help.”
He shook his head, the venom in his gaze unmistakable. Where was the boy who’d just told her how amazing her parents were? “No, you don’t want to help. You want to butt your head in where you aren’t wanted or needed.”
“Come on, you know that isn’t true.” Her words lacked confidence. Was that what she was doing? She had a tendency to overstep, to pry.
“Isn’t it? You say you aren’t Logan’s girlfriend, so what’s your stake in this?”
“My stake? Logan is a friend.”
“Friends don’t do this, Wylder. They don’t drive to Nashville when their friend isn’t answering their calls or try to save said friend’s brother. How do your parents know Logan?”
“He came to dinner.”
He nodded as if that confirmed something. “Friends?”
Something rose in her, but it wasn’t anger. It was sympathy. “I’m sorry.”
“You sho—”
She didn’t let him finish. “Not for sticking my nose into your family business. I’m sorry for you, that you’ve never had a friend who would go the extra mile for you, one you could count on when everything is falling apart.” She thought of Nicky and Killian and Diego. Logan. Even if he was nothing more than a friend, she trusted him not to let her down. “I feel bad for you, Luke. I truly do. What a lonely life you must lead.”
He stared at her for a moment, his chest heaving. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“No, that’s true. But I do know the two people you count on most in the world, the ones you’ve always counted on… well, you’re letting them down right now. You did something monumentally stupid in torpedoing your own career with that YouTube video. I won’t pretend to understand why you did it. But shutting Logan and Sebastian out isn’t the answer. I would hate for you to need them one day and realize you’d driven them away.”
A throat cleared, and Wylder turned toward the front door, where her dad removed his hat. “I got a call.”
Ah yes. The Academy. She hadn’t thought of the ramifications of leaving during the actual school day. That teachers would notice she wasn’t there. Security would most likely check her dorm to make sure she was okay.
It was a whole thing.
Wylder sighed, not daring to look at Luke after everything she’d said to him. “Come on.” She hadn’t removed her boots or coat inside, so she brushed right past her dad, angling for his still-running car. “You knew I’d be here?” she said when he caught up with her.
“I checked the diner first where I ran in to—“
“Julian.” The traitor.
They got into the car without another word. They’d made it almost to the bridge before her dad spoke. “Wylder, you can’t keep leaving campus.”
“I know, Dad.”
“You go to a prestigious school that has rules. As much as I love seeing you, it has to be done the right way.”
“I know, Dad.”
“You…” He looked sideways at her. “Why aren’t you fighting me?”
She pressed her forehead to the cool glass of the window. “I just need breaks sometimes.”
When she looked back at him, his expression softened. Her dad could never stay stern for long. She’d have gotten more of a lecture from her stepmom. “What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Is it classes?”
“No.”
“A boy?”
“Dad!” She was so not talking about this with him.
“Logan?”
“Just stop, okay? Unless you want to explain to me why you’re keeping Logan’s brother hidden for Becks and didn’t tell me.”
A beat of silence passed between them as he breathed deeply. “I wanted to, but your mom said we needed to give the kid some time, a break as you’d say. He’s been t
hrough a lot.”
“So have his brothers.”
“Yes, but Luke is currently the laughingstock of the country music world. Not his brothers.”
“Wow, way to make me feel awful for yelling at him.”
He reached over and gripped her hand as they neared the gates. “Just… think about it before you spill the beans to Logan. Maybe wait a little while.”
“You want me to keep this from him?” And from Sebastian.
“I would never ask you to lie to a friend, but Luke is struggling right now. That’s why Becks sent him to us. It wasn’t only because Twin Rivers is off the media’s radar.”
It was because her parents made a habit of helping their kids’ friends. Did Luke qualify now? “I’ll think about it, Dad.”
“That’s all I ask.” They pulled up to the gate, and she expected her dad to turn her in for sneaking off, but he was full of surprises. “Hello, I’m Wylder’s father. She had an appointment today, but the gate pass slipped out of my pocket. I’m probably in your computer system though.”
“Does she have her school ID?” the guard asked.
Wylder handed over the keycard that had a picture of her on it. The guard retreated inside to his computer, returning a moment later. “Next time, keep better track of your pass.”
“Will do.” Her dad smiled, whistling as he drove by.
Wylder couldn’t help laughing.
“What?” He stopped whistling.
“Now I know where I get it.”
“Where you get what?”
She lifted a brow. “My troublemaking. You just lied to the school to keep me out of detention.”
He pulled to a stop on the circular drive and leaned over to kiss her head. “Do better, Wylder.”
She gave him a look. “You too. No more lying to me.”
He crossed his fingers over his heart. “And about those boy problems—“
“Bye, Dad,” she cut him off, jumping out of the car.
He stuck his tongue out at her before driving away.
Classes had ended by the time she got back to the dorms, and she found Logan sitting outside her door. He jumped to his feet when he saw her.
Wylder and the Rising Rockstar (Reluctant Rockstars Book 3) Page 5