Finding Forever: Band on the Run Part Two — A Rock Star Romantic Suspense

by Lara Wynter

  More glass shatters, and I spare a fleeting glance back as I run. They’re in the house. Shots sound as I reach the back door. If there are more of Gadsden’s goons out here, I’m screwed.

  Glancing quickly to my left then right, I make a dash across the yard. I feel a little more secure as I enter the cover of the trees. More shots ring out and then stop.

  “You’d better be alright, Jasper,” I mutter. Reaching the high wooden fence that separates the house from its neighbor, I glance back, both relieved and terrified that no one is following. I drop the laptop over the fence and swing my leg up and over. Following close behind the computer, I land awkwardly in a bush.

  The shattering sounds of more breaking glass comes from back at the house. Followed by more crashing and banging sounds and a grunt. It sounds like Jasper is fighting at least one of the men. I turn. My heart wants me to go back and help Jasper. But my head overrules. Jasper has drilled it into me on more than one occasion that if I stay and help, he’ll never work for me again. And he means it too. He refuses to work for someone who won’t follow orders, and my orders now are to get to somewhere safe.

  Picking up the laptop, I sprint through the unknown neighbor’s yard. A dog barks from inside the house. I pick up the pace. The barks turn to growls. I reach the front gate. Pulling the lever, I curse under my breath. It’s locked. The barking and growling intensifies. The dog sounds like it’s out in the yard now.

  Tossing the computer over the gate again, I pull my body up, using my forearms. I pull one leg up and over the fence as the dog flies toward me. I race to pull my foot out of the way as he leaps. His tan and black muzzle closes over my shoe as I pull. His teeth clamp down and pain explodes through my foot. I lurch over the fence. My momentum and body weight pull me up and over. My foot comes away from my shoe as I fall. My jeans tear as I crash down. There’s no bush here to break my fall, and the breath whooshes out of my lungs as I land on my back on the concrete path.

  The growling from behind the gate intensifies as I lie, gasping for breath. If the owners are home, they’ll be here soon, or they will have called the police. I don’t really want to explain why I was breaking and entering. Forcing myself back up, I hobble toward the road, the smashed laptop under one arm. My sock-covered foot protests with each step, aching from where the dog's jaws clamped tightly around it. The cool night air flows over my exposed left leg, my pants ripped from thigh to calf. My skin stings. I probably gashed it on the fence.

  A rueful laugh escapes me at the sight I must look right now. If the paparazzi were ever to get a picture of me now. My mirth dies as I think about Jasper. What if he didn’t make it? Gadsden’s gun is still locked in the safe back at the house. Without the gun, I have no way of ensuring Willow’s safety. How much worse can things get?

  A large brick wall looms before me, the bricks mostly covered in thick ivy. Our prearranged meeting spot. With a grunt, I drop my shoeless, bruised, and battered body to the ground and wait.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Willow

  I’m still in a happy haze as we speed along the highway, leaving Seattle behind. Devlin has a cousin in Salem he’s planning to stay with for a while. I’m relieved to know he’s taking my warning seriously. He even bought me a cheap disposable phone so I can let him know when it’s safe for him to go home. Although, like me, I get the distinct impression he’s feeling pretty good about leaving Seattle behind. I don’t think things were that good for him there, even before all my crap came raining down.

  “Do you mind if I play some music?” Devlin asks me.

  “Sure, that would be good.”

  He hands me his phone, open at the music app. “Pick what you want. I like most stuff.”

  I raise my brows. “Even classical.”

  Devlin nods. “Sure, classical is great.”

  “You’re very easy to please,” I reply, looking through the music choices. Rudy only let me play CDs — no internet access allowed for me, of course.

  Devlin chuckles. “Maybe it means I’m just not very decisive.”

  “You agreed to help me. That was a pretty big decision. Don’t sell yourself short.”

  “Thanks, Mea. You know, I’m glad I agreed to help you. It’s about time I grew a backbone and discovered what it is I want.”

  “Call me, Willow.”

  “Okay… Willow. Are you sure you don’t want to come to Salem with me? Sandy would be happy to have you.” Devlin pauses, as if considering his next words. “And I would too.”

  Heat creeps into my cheeks. “I appreciate the offer. I truly do. I haven’t had many real friends before.”

  “I was hoping we could see where things lead.” He gestures with one hand. “You know — between us.”

  “Oh.” I put my cool hands against my flaming cheeks. “I’m sorry, Devlin, but I’m in love with someone else.” I look out the car window as the scenery flashes past.

  “Oh, I just thought with your arranged marriage and everything…” Devlin’s voice trails off.

  “I met him before… before Rudy found me and dragged me back again. I’m sorry.”

  “No, don’t apologize.” Devlin’s hands clutch the steering wheel. “You have nothing to be sorry about. I’m glad you’ve found someone.”

  “Thanks.”

  “So,” Devlin glances at me. “Is there a reason I can’t take you to this mystery man?”

  I bite my lip. “Um, this is going to seem a bit weird, but I have no way of contacting him.”

  Devlin frowns. “That does sound odd. Are you sure he’s legit? You aren’t trading one shady character for another, are you?”

  A giggle escapes me. “You have an odd way of talking. Shady characters and pennies and pounds. Where did you grow up?”

  “In Seattle with my grandad. He grew up in England. I guess I picked a few things up from him. Are you trying to distract me from the guy you’re dating?”

  “No, of course not.” Well, maybe a little, but he deserves to know. “It’s just a little hard to explain.”

  “We have time,” Devlin replies easily, indicating the empty stretch of road ahead of us.

  I look down at the phone in my hands again. “Rather than trying to tell you, perhaps I can show you.” I type ‘Chasing Forever’ into the search engine and the band's music pops up. My heart stutters as Joss’s handsome face appears on the screen. I stare longingly at his image. If only I could make him appear in real life. I hit play on the top song, which promises that it’s a brand new release. I hold my breath. This must have been something they were working on at Horsham House.

  “Free at last but the scars run deep

  Free at last but their yours to keep

  Even time won’t erase the memories

  Even faith won’t erase the pain

  You can try and take it back

  Contemplate how to make amends

  But it just doesn’t matter anymore

  It’s too late for that, so hide behind your lies

  Free at last but the scars run deep

  Free at last but their yours to keep

  Even time won’t erase the memories

  Even faith won’t erase the pain”

  My heart aches at the pain in Joss’s sultry voice, the pain of the lyric. I just want to hold him tight and tell him it will all be alright now. But will it? Will we ever escape this with our lives? Will we ever really be able to be together? To have a normal life? It feels as if that possibly is slipping further and further out of reach. I sniffle as tears fill my eyes.

  Devlin glances my way. “Are you alright? Do you want me to pull over?”

  I shake my head. “No, keep driving. I’ll be alright. Hearing his voice was just a shock, that’s all.”

  “Who? Jossen Reid?”

  “Yes,” I whisper.

  Devlin pulls the car off to the side of the road, and we roll to a stop. He turns to me. “Willow, are you saying the man that you’re in love with is Joss from Chasing Forever?”
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  I sniffle pathetically again. “Yes.”

  His eyes widen. “And he… he feels the same way?”

  I laugh and hiccup all at the same time. “Well, I’m not sure he loves himself the way I love him.”

  Devlin frowns.

  “Sorry. Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Joss is the man I was talking about.”

  Devlin just looks at me without saying anything.

  “You think I’m crazy again, don’t you?”

  A half smile lifts one corner of his mouth. “You are either the craziest person I’ve ever met, or you have one amazing story to tell.”

  A lightbulb goes off in my head. “I can’t prove what I said about Joss, but I can prove that I’m not crazy! I know where I want you to drop me off now. When I was with Joss, he introduced me to some of his friends and they live in Portland.”

  “Let me guess, he’s BFF’s with Jackson Durant?”

  “The actor?” I shake my head. “No, much better than that. Sophie and Hunter Hawke.”

  Devlin gasps out an expletive, and I try not to laugh.

  “You’re serious,” he finally spits out. “You want me to take you to the home of music’s hottest duo?”

  I nod. “I think I remember how to get to their house. Although, my memory isn’t the most reliable since my amnesia.”

  Devlin nods quietly before turning back to the wheel. “Next stop Portland.” He runs a hand through his short hair. “I think when this is all over, you should consider turning your life story into a movie.”

  I chuckle. “If I get through all of this in one piece, I’ll happily spend the rest of my life living quietly away from everyone.” I picture the beautiful serenity of Joss’s ranch. I could quite easily spend the rest of my life sitting on his back porch and watching the horses.

  Using a map on Devlin’s phone, I manage to take us to the correct area of Portland.

  “Can you pull over?” I ask Devlin. “I was only awake when we left, so I’m trying to remember how to get there in reverse.”

  Devlin pulls over to the side of the wide leafy street. “There’s an easier way to do this. Give me the phone for a minute.”

  I hand it to him and watch as he does an internet search.

  “Most celebs' addresses are online if you know where to look.”

  “Oh, I had no idea. How do they keep their lives private?”

  Devlin shakes his head slowly. “They don’t, Willow. Price of fame and all that.” He looks up from his phone. “Are you sure you know what you’re getting into by dating a famous rock star?”

  I chew on my lip. Have I really thought this through? When I first got to know Joss, we were locked behind the gates of Horsham House. And then we had the privacy provided by the vast empty hectares of land around his ranch. But that’s not all there is to Joss’s life. He has concerts, interviews, and public appearances. The thought sends a shiver through me. I’m used to living hidden away, not talking to many people. Can this really work between us? Am I that naïve?

  “I don’t mean to scare you, but it’s something you need to consider if you haven't already.” His eyes lock with mine. “We don’t have to do this, you know. If you want to come with me to Salem, the offer still stands.”

  I shake my head. “No. I still need to do this. I need to find Joss. I need to get my life back.”

  “Okay, then.” Devlin pulls back onto the road and follows the directions from his phone.

  Several minutes pass before we pull up to a set of tall steel gates. I stare up at the imposing structure. Of course, we wouldn’t be able to just drive straight in or everyone would be able to harass them. What do I do now?

  “There’s an intercom on the side of that brick pillar,” Devlin suggests helpfully.

  Did I voice that last thought aloud? I slowly get out of the car. What if they aren’t even home? They must lead busy lives too. I walk haltingly over to the intercom device and hold my breath as I press the button. It feels as if all my hopes hang on this single moment in time.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Joss

  A bright light shines in my face, and I groan and blink as I try to rouse myself from sleep.

  “If I was the enemy, you’d be dead right now, Reid.” Jasper's gruff voice is a beautiful sound to my ears.

  I clamber stiffly to my feet, my cramped and cold limbs aching in protest from sleeping outside. The brick wall at my back hides us from the street. I throw my arms around Jasper and pull his unwilling body in for a hug. His arms pat my back awkwardly a few times before he takes a step back.

  “I thought you were dead.” My voice is raspy from the cold.

  “I almost was.” Jasper states matter-of-factly.

  “I knew I should have gone back to help you.”

  “Just as well you didn’t. I would hate to have quit working for my favorite employer.”

  I grimace. “I would have hated losing you. You’re more than my head of security — you know that, right?”

  Jasper grunts. “Don’t make me regret staying. I don’t do emotional.”

  I shake my head. Jasper could benefit from loosening the reins occasionally, but I guess now isn’t the time to push the issue. “What now? Are they still after us?”

  “For now, we’re safe. But we can’t go back to the safe house.”

  “And the gun?”

  “Everything has been accounted for. We need to go. Are you injured?”

  I glance down at my leg, but it’s too dark to make out much. “Nothing serious. Let's get out of here.”

  Hobbling behind Jasper, we make our way back out onto the street and over to a black sedan I’ve never seen before. Jasper has contingency plans for his contingency plans. My leg and foot ache as I manage to stay upright long enough to get into the front passenger seat. The tint on the window is so dark I can barely see anything on the dim, gloomy street.

  “I may be more injured than I thought.”

  Jasper looks me over from his position in the driver's seat. “If you ain’t about to bleed out, you’ll have to manage for a while longer.”

  “Where are we headed?” I ask as the car starts smoothly and pulls away from the curb.

  “To a friend.”

  “You have friends?” The joke falls flat. Jasper remains silent as he focuses on driving and making sure no one is following us.

  I make the good decision to shut up and wait. I trust Jasper with my life, and part of that trust means not always getting all the answers I want. He’s never been very forthcoming with his past, but I know enough. He makes James Bond seem like a child’s bedtime story. I let my eyes close again as the hum of the engine and the warm air sets my mind adrift.

  “Naptime’s over.”

  It takes me a moment to reorient myself. Jasper’s timing sucks. I was dreaming about Willow, and my head of security certainly wasn't part of the dream. I push away thoughts of my gorgeous girl. I miss her like crazy, but there’s nothing I can do to change that right now. It’s still dark as I get out of the car. We’re out of the city. A lone cabin sits, surrounded by forest. It’s the sort of lonely, out-of-the-way place you’d expect to see in a horror flick. I follow Jasper over to the cabin, and he knocks out a rhythm on the front door.

  “Code.” A rough voice sounds through the thick wooden door.

  “Peking duck.” Jasper answers with no hesitation.

  The door opens to reveal a tall, stocky man with brown hair and a beard; more mountain man than hipster. He’s holding a shotgun aimed our way, but he lowers it and reaches forward to clasp hands with Jasper.

  “Dolton! Good to see you again my man.”

  Jasper nods his head. “Gunner, this is Joss Reid. Don’t be fooled by his pretty-boy looks. He’s alright.”

  Gunner gives me a once over then thrusts out his hand.

  I clasp it and nod. “Good to meet you, Gunner.”

  “Likewise, m’boy. C’mon in to Chateau Off-the-map.” He chuckles as he makes it all sound
like one word. “Make yourselves at home.”

  We enter the open plan cabin. The main room holds a basic kitchen table and lumpy looking sofa. One wall holds two doors that must lead to other rooms and a door on the far wall that looks like it leads out the rear of the cabin.

  “Coffee?” Gunner asks as he pulls out a battered tin kettle and places it on the gas stove.

  “Please.” I nod. It’s been a long night, and it looks like sleep might not be in my immediate future.

  Jasper grunts his affirmation. If Gunner knows Jasper well enough to let him into his private mountain home, I’m guessing he understands Jaspers grunts at least as well, probably even better, than I do.

  Gunner makes three coffees and serves them in chipped mugs as we settle around the table. Jasper sets his duffle bag down close beside him. I’d put money on the fact that everything important is in that bag, Gadsden’s gun included.

  “So, what next?” I ask, hoping whatever it is will bring us closer to rescuing Willow. Not knowing if she’s okay is tearing me up inside.

  Jasper slurps his coffee before setting it down with a thunk. “You’re going to stay here for a couple of days with Gunner. I need to get closer to Gadsden’s main residence and do some reconnaissance.”

  “You’re leaving me here to be babysat?” I ask incredulously. “If you’re going after Willow, I want to come. I need to know that she’s alright.”

  Gunner throws back his head and roars with laughter. “Slow down there, Romeo. Unless you want to jeopardize your young Juliet, you’d better listen to ‘The Man’ here.”

  I push back my chair and stand. It clatters to the floor behind me. “I’m no princess that needs protecting! I know I’m not in the same league as you both, but I know my way around a gun. It’s not like I’m some incompetent idiot. I grew up ranching. I know how to defend myself!”