by Cari Quinn
“It’s not that impressive.” I cinched her chin-strap.
“Don’t care.”
I flipped her visor down. “Here we go.” I got on the bike and kicked up the stand. I put on my helmet and groaned when she slid on behind me. “Been on a bike before?”
“Oh, yeah. Plenty.” She hugged my middle tightly. “Fast. Go very fast.”
I pulled onto the main drag and went north. The lanes narrowed to two, and the wind pulled at me. I hit the throttle and we tore down the winding roads.
She screeched behind me and held on. I heard her laugh and it was one of the sweetest sounds I’ve ever heard. She laughed so easily that it was very apparent when she wasn’t happy. And I knew the last few weeks had been hard to bear.
The sun slipped behind the hills as we came upon my parents’ farm. The horses were being led in before dark, but I’d timed it so she could at least see them from afar.
Her nails dug into my belly as we slowed and puttered to a stop at the main barn.
She tore off her helmet and her huge blue eyes were dazzled. “What was that about not impressive?”
I took her helmet with a laugh. “By Saratoga standards, we’re small potatoes.” I waved to the hands corralling the quarter horses.
“This is awesome.” She turned around, her gaze eating up everything.
I took her hand. “We don’t have much time to stay.”
“Aww, why?” Her eyebrows lowered. “We don’t have to be back right away. This is probably the safest place ever.”
“You’re right. So I should kill the surprise.”
“This isn’t my surprise?”
“Nope.”
Her grin spread. “Now, I’m even more intrigued.”
I followed the path to the main house and up the stairs. I’d only given my mother a few hours’ head start. When I opened the door, I took in a deep breath. “Bless her. I figured she’d cook my favorite if I mentioned I was coming in.”
She tipped her head sniffing the air. “Are those peaches?”
“My mom makes the best peach cobbler ever.”
“Quinn?”
I took a deep breath and brought Faith through the kitchen door. “Hi, Ma.”
“Oh, it’s been so long.” She rushed over to me and folded me into her arms. She smelled like the outdoors and violets, just like always. “You did not warn me there was company.” She looked around the house. “I could murder you.”
I grinned. “I didn’t want you to go to any trouble.”
“You don’t bring girls home.”
Faith wound her arm into mine. “Yeah well, he didn’t give me any warning that I was going to meet his mom.” She held her hand out. “We’re even. I’m Faith Keystone.”
“What a pretty name. Ellis!” She called over her shoulder. Then turned back to Faith. “I’m Maggie Alexander.”
“Cripes, Maggz. I’m in the living room, not the barn.” My dad came into the room. “Q Ball.”
Faith looked up at me. “Q Ball?”
I gave my dad a look. “Thanks, Dad.”
He shrugged and hauled me in for a hug. “I can’t help it if you decided it was a good idea to play pool shark with the guys.” My dad looked down at Faith. “He swindled all of them. They came to the farm and held him down, shaved his head. It was dead of winter and he was white as hell.”
Her lips quirked up. “Q Ball indeed.”
“Now that we got the embarrassing stories out of the way. Faith this is my dad, Ellis.”
“Pleased to meet a pretty girl.” My dad took her hand and settled her at the table. “Now, we need to know all about you.”
I tried not to sink into the floorboards as my parents threw me under the bus left and right. At least my sister was overseas or she’d be doing it far worse. At least I got peach cobbler out of the deal.
While my father was telling her more embarrassing stories I cleared the table and went into the kitchen to help clean up. My mother was elbows deep in suds when I came in with another stack.
“She’s amazing, Quinn.”
“Yeah. She really is.”
She scrubbed a plate and spared me a glance. “Is she the girl you’ve been protecting?”
I slipped the pile of dishes into the sink and lightly pushed my mom to the side. “You can dry.”
“I’ll take it. I always have to dishes,” she said with a smile and picked up a towel.
“She’s Noah’s friend.”
My mom frowned. “What kind of friend?”
“Ma. I’m not dumb enough to go there.”
“Not again?”
“You know it wasn’t like that with Lissa.”
“But it is with this girl?”
“I’m friggin’ terrified.”
She tipped her head back and laughed. “Oh, took you long enough.”
“This isn’t good. Being involved with a client is bad enough, but…” Being in love with her was far, far worse.
“It was bound to happen sometime. You don’t get to see anyone else but clients.”
“Yeah, well, it’s very ill advised. Aidan’s going to skin me alive. And Noah? Christ—pardon, mom.”
She inclined her head. “It’s all right.”
“This girl is family to Noah. I can’t let anything happen to her. Not like last time.”
“That wasn’t your fault, and you know it.”
I fished around for another plate and scrubbed it until it squeaked. “I know. I just can’t get clear of it.” I gripped the side of the sink. I woke every night in a cold sweat, reaching for her. I had to be inside her and around her just to remind myself she was safe and there with me.
The end of the tour was barreling at us like a runaway train, and I was no closer to an answer about anything. How I was going to protect her, how I was going to figure out who this girl was, and how the hell I was going to tell Faith how I felt.
My mom gripped my arm. “It’s scary to love someone even when it’s just a normal relationship. I was the same with your father. I didn’t know if I wanted to spend my life on a horse farm in the middle of nowhere. The first year we got married we had the worst winter in the northeast. We lost three of our horses, and almost lost the whole damn place.”
I looked down at her. “I didn’t know that.”
“Of course not. It was our problem to deal with long before you and your sister came along. The important part of that story is that we all have tough times. Maybe this is yours.”
“She’s pretty headstrong.”
“Good. You won’t roll over her like a freaking bulldozer.”
“Gee thanks.”
“You’re a very forthright young man.”
“Is that the nice way of saying pigheaded and stubborn?”
“Don’t forget blunt.”
I laughed and kissed her temple. “Thanks, Ma. I don’t know how the hell I’m going to figure this out, but I’m glad I stopped in to talk.”
“Me too.” She set a plate into the cabinet. “You’ll make me very pretty grand babies.”
“Oh, God.” I didn’t really want to go there. I couldn’t go there.
“Can I help?”
I spun around to find Faith in the doorway. How long had she been there? I cleared my throat and took the last plate out of the suds and rinsed it. “All done. Besides, we have to get going to the concert.”
“Concert?”
“My bad, didn’t I mention we were going to a show tonight?”
Her eyes lit up. “Are we going with guys to Gin Blossoms?”
“No.”
“Oh. Who are we going to see?” She came further into the room. “Who?” She dug into my ribs and I couldn’t defend myself.
“Hey!”
My mother laughed as she dragged me away from the sink and shook me. “Tell me!”
“It’s a surprise.”
She glanced at my mom. “Your son is a masochist.”
“You got him to willingly go to a concert. That’
s more than his sister could do.”
“My sister likes terrible music. At least Faith has eclectic taste.” I usually liked every third band, but she didn’t need to know that.
Faith squinted at me. “When are we leaving?”
I laughed. “I guess we’re going now.”
“I mean…” Faith turned to my mother. “I’m having a great time. We could totally skip the concert.”
If I didn’t love her before, I would have after that statement. I hooked my arm around her neck and dragged her into my chest. “We’ll come back and see them again.”
Faith beamed up at me. “Yes, we will.”
34
Keys
I hugged Quinn as we motored down pitch black roads. Were there even street lights in this town? The only light was the narrow beam from his bike and miles and miles of nothing.
Finally, we crested a hill and the whole area changes. A streetlight, a few dozen stores, and an old bar came into view. I couldn’t make out the marquis, but felt his bike throttle down as he slowed.
The parking lot was full and a folksy beat streamed out of the doors. I took off my helmet before we even parked. A raucous crash of a piano made my heart beat so fast. “No. No way.” I climbed off and ran a few steps before Quinn snagged my arm and hauled me back. “Hey!”
“We still have rules. You stick by me, no exceptions. I don’t care if he plays every single favorite song of yours ever. That you have to get up the near the stage. Do. Not. Care.”
I jumped next to him and tugged at him. “Let’s go. Let’s go.” My brain whirled with happiness. Of all the things he could ever have done for me—this. This was the one that made my heart absolutely swell. “Frank Turner!”
“Yeah, I saw something on one of your Twitter feeds. He was doing some impromptu show to raise money for a friend of his.”
“And you bought tickets?”
“Yes. Absurdly expensive tickets. Especially when we are in backwater Glens Falls for this.”
“Quinn.” I love you madly.
Hmm.
Well, this probably wasn’t the time for that. At all.
“You are so getting laid tonight.”
He laughed. “Babe, I get laid every night.”
“Yes, you do. Mostly because you’re a beast who cannot be sated.” And I absolutely loved that about him.
He laughed. “You say the damnedest shit.”
I jumped up and down and curled my arms around his neck. “Gah! Frank Fucking Turner!”
“Then let’s get in there.”
I nodded and dragged him forward. We had to give our names at the door, and then we were in. Frank’s upright piano was jammed into the corner of the stage and he was standing with the microphone stand swung in front of him as he screamed out the lyrics to “A Love Worth Keeping”.
The crowd was a mix of fans and people that were obviously other artists, or friends. There was a decidedly anxious crowd near the front that were singing along. The rest raised their glasses for certain songs.
I knew every one. I sang at the top of my lungs and leaned back on my guy as the most perfect of moments was mine. The night wore on and Frank played deep cuts, bar songs, sing-a-longs, and ballads.
The drinks were plentiful and the stories amazing.
Did I mention the drinks were plentiful. There were a lot of United Kingdom boys in the room. The first rumblings of a quarrel made its way to us. Quinn curled me closer and headed for the fringes of the room.
“Stay with me. Things are—crap.”
The swing of an arm and a body blundered through the crowd of people. That’s all it took. A chain reaction blazed through the bar. Drunk men and women in a small space was always a volatile mix.
A hand gripped my arm and dragged down to my hand. I frowned and swung around. A flash of blonde hair and huge blue eyes swam into my vision. I shook my head.
Quinn.
Had I yelled it?
My mouth suddenly felt dry as dust and the room twirled. I heard him in the distance. The group of people near me passed me around like a doll. Round and round, the room spun like the teacups at an amusement park.
Spinning.
So much spinning.
The woman.
Focus, Faith.
Quinn.
I screamed his name.
At least I hoped I did.
“I’ve got you, Keys.”
I pushed at the soft hands on mine. Those weren’t his hands. Not Quinn’s hands. He didn’t call me Keys. I was Faith. His Faith.
Faith Mine.
That’s what he called me in the middle of the night with his face buried in my neck.
Quinn!
The sing-song voice was at my ear. “Finally, I’ve got you.”
35
Quinn
“Faith!”
I pushed through the crowd and ducked as a hand came at my face. I shoulder blocked and plowed the huge guy back a few feet. I searched the crowd for her blonde crown of hair.
My blood pressure drowned out the music as my head pounded.
The singer was pounding on the piano and frowning. He stopped the song in the middle. “Okay guys. I like a good brawl as much as anyone, but I want all the money to go to Richie, not the bar because of you miscreants.” He held up a bottle of Coke. “Give me a sing, not a punch.”
The carnival tones of the song and the sway of the crowd calmed.
I still couldn’t see her.
“Faith!”
A woman looked over her shoulder. Huge blue eyes made up just like Faith’s. High cheekbones and bow lips, even the same fringe of bangs. Not my Faith though. Not at all.
Then I saw another blonde bobbing and weaving behind her.
“Stop!” I pushed through the crowd, then lost sight of them. Panic drowned out sense and I bashed through the people. They pushed me back and a guy that was about six-five swung at me.
“I. Don’t. Have. Time. For. This.” I used my fists for each word and punctuated it with a hit. I took out four people before I got to the side of the room.
Fuck.
Which way? I ran down the narrow hallway to a kitchen. A woman looked up with a cigarette dangling from her lips. “This is my kitchen for fuck’s sake. Stay out of it.”
“Did someone come through here?”
“Yes. A drunk girl and her friend. You find ‘em tell them they’re out.”
I swallowed down fire in my throat as bile rose. No. No. No. “Which way?”
The woman pointed the back door.
I ran through the back door. A hatchback was pulling away as I came out, my gun in my hands before I even remembered doing it.
I had a second to make a decision.
It could have been no one. Just someone leaving.
I aimed for the tire and instead of stopping, the car fishtailed and careened for the back roads. I took off after it, but even on a dead tire she was going to out run me.
“Fuck.”
I ran into the crowd of people and trucks. A guy was standing outside his laughing with his friends. I didn’t think. I didn’t pause. I held my gun to his face. “I need your truck.”
The guy held his hands up. “Whoa.”
“I’ll bring it back. Move.”
“Fuck. What the fuck?” the guys spluttered.
I hit the gas as I was closing the door. Gravel spit from the tires as I bounced up the dirt road. I gunned the engine and took off after the lights bouncing in the distance.
Thank God for backwater guys with stupid big trucks. I ate up the distance between myself and the car and rammed the bumper. The car careened off the shoulder, then righted itself.
I slammed into her again. “Pull over,” I yelled out the window.
She took a left and I rammed her again. Her axel caved in on itself and she slid down the embankment. I slammed the truck into park and leapt out.
“No! She’s mine.”
“Not yours!” I skidded down the dusty shoulder an
d into the gravel and garbage strewn on the side of the road.
The woman inside of the car was crawling over the backseat, her arms around Faith. “She’s mine, don’t you understand. No one loves her like I do. No one could ever love her like I do.”
I shoved my gun into my belt and held my hands up. “Please. Please don’t do this.”
Faith was slumped in the woman’s arms, her eyes open but not aware. She pushed at the woman, but her hands just fell away—useless.
Fear clutched my chest. I didn’t know what to do. Was she dying? Was she drugged?
“Get back!” The girl screamed.
“Okay, okay.”
I stepped away from the car. “Just come out. You don’t want anything to happen to her right? She doesn’t look very good.”
She pet her hair. “Why does everyone think they know what’s best for her? Only I do. Only me.”
“Then help her.” It killed me to say it, but her color was getting worse as we stood there. I heard the sirens in the distance and so did the girl. “Just step away.” She held up a glove. “If you don’t I’ll use this on me and her.”
“What is that?”
“It just makes her more sedate. It’s just to make her quiet. But I can use more. I can make us both quiet and we can always be together.”
“What is that?” I roared.
She looked down at Faith. “If I can’t have her.”
I reached behind me and got my gun. I didn’t think. Didn’t pause. Didn’t do anything but react.
Her or Faith.
It would always be Faith.
I fired.
The girl’s face was shocked and seemed to fall in the slowest of motions. I didn’t wait I pulled the door open and dragged them both out of the car.
“Faith.”
The cops came up and there was so much chaos.
But she was here.
And she was breathing.
Manipulated
TBD
Coming July
PREORDER NOW!
Lost in Oblivion Series
USA Today Bestselling Rockstar Series
