Audrey pretended she hadn't heard that remark. "Mauro's brother and his construction crew will be here in a bit to scrape the paint off the windows. It will be nice to have sunlight coming in again."
"So, we'll have a full house with the bands in here and those guys out there."
"I'm hoping for a combination of chaos and a circus." Enough distractions to keep her mind off Luke and off seeing that mutilated dress in her mind.
A short while later, she received her wish.
Wild Intention arrived first. Hugh, Chelsea, Autumn, and Spike wandered in, talking over each other, and pointing out clothes. Audrey immediately began working with the guys and let Renee handle the girls. While she helped Spike try on different jackets, Mauro's brother arrived with his crew and set up outside.
Fifteen minutes later, The Fury trooped in. The space filled up fast with eight rockers, plus Jayne and Irisa.
Audrey met Luke's gaze. He stared at her with so much emotion that her own eyes stung with tears she refused to shed. She let Landry catch her attention and turned away from Luke.
Behind her, Renee spoke to him, asking his opinion on something for Hugh. The nervous new singer relied on Luke's opinion for everything. Thank goodness for Hugh. Audrey moved from person to person, ignoring the unspoken questions in Irisa and Jayne's expressions.
A few people from Mauro's brother's crew came inside to meet the band. In the corner of her vision, Luke shook hands with one of the guys and then stepped outside to talk to another. Curiosity piqued, she strained to listen but was too far away to hear. Was he talking about the vandalism or something as simple and happy as a past concert?
Brendan cleared his throat, startling her. "Hey. Audrey?"
She forced a smile onto her cheeks. "Sorry. I'm a little distracted. Did you want to see a different shirt? I have more of the organic cotton you like in the back."
"We're all sorry about what happened yesterday. That's pretty scary."
"Thank you."
He leaned in. "Talk to Luke."
She couldn't have this conversation. Not when emotions were so close to the surface. She patted the soft mossy green shirt he held. "That color will look good on you. If you're all set, I'd better help whoever hasn't made a decision yet."
Before he could answer, she backed away and helped Chelsea make a final decision on a leather dress.
Luke's voice carried to her from a few feet away. He stood arms crossed, in front of Renee. "Audrey always picks my things for me."
"Audrey is busy. I can help you." Hands on her hips, Renee stared back, looking just as stubborn. Her tiny assistant could be a bulldog when she wanted to be.
Luke narrowed his gaze. "I can wait."
Those three words brought back the image of him standing in her sun-drenched studio the first day he'd arrived with his crazy proposition. Biting the inside of her cheek, Audrey crossed the few steps separating them and pointed out the blue shirt, faded jeans and braided leather bracelet she'd set aside. "How's this?"
"It would be better if you'd talk to me." His fingertips grazed her knuckles as she handed him the clothes.
Goosebumps pebbled on her skin. "We talked yesterday. I agreed to fulfill my promise on this job. Professional is all I can do."
"No. It's not." He leaned in, face earnest, until all she could see was him. "Audrey..."
"Excuse me." Renee stepped in between them and cupped her hands over her mouth, raising her voice to carry over the other conversations in the room. "Guys, it looks like everyone is all set. Audrey and I have an appointment at two o'clock, so we only have a few more minutes here to wrap things up."
Wild Intention crowded between her and Luke, exuding profuse thanks and asking if she'd help them get ready for the show. Renee kept control and had everyone cleared out of the studio in under ten minutes.
Ignoring Luke didn't mean she hadn't been aware of him. She'd felt his gaze as surely as if he'd been caressing her skin and missed it as soon as the door had closed at his back. Silence lay heavy in the absence of the ten voices that had filled the space for the past two hours. Too heavy. She again relied on Renee to distract her from her heartache and tried to psych herself up for the real estate appointment.
Viewing four potential studio spaces made her head spin. Finally, they were through with the showings and she headed home. The hallway mailbox was her first stop. Her spare key lay at the bottom of the otherwise empty box.
Alone.
Just like her.
***
Friday evening, Luke paced the green room at Hard and Heavy Live. He needed to talk to Audrey.
She'd arrived with Renee just after he'd come in with the band. They'd made eye contact but hadn't spoken, separated by too many people clambering for their attention. By the time he'd settled his obligations, she and Renee were busy with the show's hair and make-up people, helping Wild Intention get ready. The new band members were still finishing prep and Landry and Brendan had joined them to calm any last-minute nerves.
Zander and Jayne sat on the couch to his left. They'd given up talking to him. He couldn't blame them. He couldn't concentrate on anything but Audrey and the speech he planned to give.
He wasn't worried at all about the performance itself. He'd spent all day rehearsing with his band and the new kids. Kids. Hell, how jaded was he? He wasn't even ten years older than the youngest one but inside, he felt ancient.
Zander held out his phone. "Stop pacing and check this out—a group of fans from Anaheim have dubbed themselves Audrey's Army. They're going around stomping down the nasty comments fans are leaving on every social media site."
"Seriously?" He grabbed Zander's phone. His final contestant, Nicole, and her sisters Coco, Serena, Desiree, and Olivia were leading the charge. When he got back to L.A., they were definitely going to talk and get something lined up for the sisters.
"I contacted them and expressed our thanks." Jayne smiled, her cheeks growing pink. "Olivia responded back. They're gaining momentum. A lot of people are tired of the mean comments. She's turning this into an anti-bullying campaign."
Finally, some positive news. Maybe the tide was turning. "I'm glad to hear it. I'll make sure I contact her too."
He resumed pacing. The TV mounted on the wall broadcasted the live show. With the sound muted, he watched Owen and his band chat with Jett.
Zander sat with his arm around Jayne's shoulders, threading his fingers through her hair as she scrolled through her phone. "Luke, you're never this keyed up before a concert. Did you talk to Audrey yet?"
"No." He paused in front of the couple. With every passing second, he felt like he was that much closer to spiraling out of control. He raked his hands through his hair and admitted his greatest fear. "Maybe there's no coming back from this. Maybe she doesn't love me enough. Or maybe this is what I get for all the crap I put you two through."
Jayne tossed her phone onto the cushion, jumped up and hugged him. "Don't even think that. We don't hold it against you. You were hurting back then and you've more than made up for it."
"Don't mention the past again, man. It's forgotten. We're good." Zander hugged him too. "We're rooting for you. You'll get this thing with Audrey fixed."
He didn't deserve friends as good as these guys, but damn, he was lucky he had them.
The door swung open. Wild Intention came in. They were confident. They were ready. Good thing, because they were about to go on.
He glanced behind them, seeking his brunette beauty. "Where's Audrey?"
Landry came in, followed by Brendan. "She left."
He forced a breath through his tightening chest. "What do you mean, she left?"
The bassist shrugged. "She said the clothes were purchased, not on loan, so she didn't need them back. And she had a headache and was going home. Renee went too."
Emptiness enveloped him. Was this how his life would be? Goddamn, it sucked.
A knock rapped on the door. "Five minutes, guys."
Zander motion
ed for the new band to come together. "Hugh, Chelsea, Autumn, and Spike, break a leg out there. You're going to rock this place. Get the crowd nice and warmed up, and then when we join you, this place will explode."
They gathered for a group high-five and then trooped toward the stage. Luke stayed near Hugh, watching the young singer for signs of nerves. "Want to do some quick breathing exercises?"
Maybe they'd help the ache in his chest.
"Sure." They worked through three sets, until Jett welcomed Wild Intention and the newly formed band got ready at the instruments on the left of the set.
Brendan dropped his hand onto Luke's shoulder. "I don't know about you guys, but I feel like a proud teacher now. They've been working so hard."
Luke grunted his agreement. He wanted Hugh to do well. The kid's performance would be a reflection on him and the band's performance would be a reflection on The Fury.
The set lights dimmed. Lights flashed in the background, highlighting the logo Audrey had designed. Drums broke out with a pounding beat. A heavy guitar riff followed. And Hugh launched into Lights Out.
They rocked the song. Fucking rocked it. Around him, the guys were grinning and exchanging high-fives.
Luke smiled, nodding his head to the beat. Pride for them warmed the empty void within. He continued his breathing exercises, waiting for The Fury's cue to join in.
The audience roared when his band walked on set. Just as they'd practiced, Wild Intention jumped into Cut Down, and the bands played together. As he sang with Hugh, Luke let the music take him. It had been his first love. Maybe it would be all that he had left.
Applause rolled over him like thunder. Loud and long and deafening. Breathing hard, he hugged Hugh and congratulated the bands on a job well done.
As the cheers slowed, Jett joined them, waving his arms for quiet. "As I mentioned at the start of the show, Luke has a special announcement he'd like to make. Luke, take it away, buddy."
Jett and Wild Intention moved off to the side. Luke grabbed hold of the mic again. At the corner of his vision, Brendan, Zander, and Landry moved in closer, forming a solid unit of support at his back.
He'd been planning his tirade to smash the haters into silence. But standing there, his heart swelled. He stared into the camera. "I've been in a relationship with Audrey Pierce for a while. But fan comments on our relationship and especially on her as a person are tearing her, and us, apart. You've ignored my requests to stop the comments. I've always been grateful for my fans, but not when you try to steal my life. And that's what you're doing. You deem yourselves judge, jury, and executioner on a situation you know nothing about."
He paused and felt the support pouring in from his band behind him and Jayne and Irisa at the side of the set. "You've made me what I am. But now, you're ruining the best thing that's ever happened to me. And for the first time in my life, it's made me resent you. Someone recently sent Audrey a direct threat on her life. That's going too far. All of this is going too far. It needs to stop—now. I don't want the kind of fans who want to kill my happiness. You don't know what's best for me. I do. I love Audrey and I'm not letting her go. If you can't deal with that, then I suggest you stop following me on all platforms. Because if I ever meet one of the fuckers who made her doubt herself or our relationship, they're going to feel the full brunt of The Fury."
Jett crossed to him and touched his arm. "Luke, do you have anything you want to say directly to Audrey, in case she's listening?"
He must have learned that Audrey had left. Luke checked his emotions. "Yeah." He cleared his throat and took a breath, and then began singing the old love song he now thought of as Audrey's song. Hopefully, wherever she was, she was watching.
When he finished, he looked straight into the camera and imagined staring into Audrey's captivating eyes. "I'm not letting go, Audrey. We need each other. Come back to me."
Waves of applause washed over him. The show ended, and Jett clapped him on the back.
He'd done all he could do.
Luke headed backstage while the rest of the band chatted with Jett. When he reached the hallway, Owen waited by the green room. "I can't believe they cut three minutes of my band's air time for that drivel."
Luke raised an eyebrow at him and walked past. He finally saw Owen for what he was—petty and pathetic and not worth his time.
"What, no comment?" Owen followed him. "You pussy. A little red paint on an old dress and window is enough to send you and your little woman into a tailspin?"
The words sunk in fast. The damaged dress hadn't hit the news. Anger flowed faster than lava. Luke whipped around ready to rage at Owen. "What the fuck? You sent the dress? You did the spray paint?"
Owen smirked and raised his chin a little higher. "Consider it payback for embarrassing me at the launch party. Pretty good prank, huh?"
In the span of a second, Luke had Owen pressed up against the wall. "You brought that fucking embarrassment upon yourself. That doesn't justify what you did to my girlfriend. You fucking scared her. That isn't a prank. That was way beyond a fucking prank."
Owen fought against the hold. "Messing with you is too easy. Those girls posting all the hater comments gave me the idea. And the way you've been acting over her... I figured I'd mess with Audrey because she's such a touchy subject with you."
All the fury he'd tamped down for the sake of Audrey busted free of his worn out control. Luke grabbed Owen by the throat and slammed the back of his head against the wall so hard it left a dent. "I could put you in the hospital for six months. But unlike you, I'm not a sadistic asshole. You hate me. I hate you. But I never extended that hatred to your family or friends. You're going to jail, fuck-face."
"Whatever." Owen pushed him off by shoving his hands into Luke's chest.
Luke's reflexes were faster than ever. He landed a right cross squarely into Owen's jaw. The singer stumbled backward and slumped down. Luke went after him, ready to pound him into the concrete floor.
"You got in a solid shot, now rein it in." Landry's Texas drawl pulled him back to the reality of his surroundings.
He loomed over Owen, boot resting on his stomach, but kept his fists to himself. "You fucking bastard. You went too far. She thought someone was deranged enough to try to kill her."
Vanessa stepped into his view. "Owen? Is this true? You did those things to Audrey?"
Zander pulled Luke away. "Let's go. We're done here."
"I can't let him get away with this."
"He won't. We all heard him." Face grim, Zander jerked his thumb over his shoulder, indicating his band mates, Jett, studio employees, Wild Intention, and members of Swindle Ox.
Vanessa stalked to Owen, still on the floor. "What were you thinking? Do you know how many shows I've been in with her? How much she's supported me? You worked with her too. And you'd do this to her?"
Owen opened his mouth to speak, but she rolled right over him. "You're going to apologize. Publicly. Or we're through. Hell, we're through anyway. But you're still going to apologize for this and accept responsibility."
Jayne's hand on his arm drew Luke's attention away from the arguing couple. "Audrey needs you. You have to go to her. We'll handle this. Go get your girl."
He walked away from Owen. Getting to Audrey, getting her to listen, mattered more than anything else.
Chapter Sixteen
In the quiet of her apartment, Audrey lay across the bed watching the video clip Jayne had sent her. Luke's impassioned plea brought tears to her eyes. His song caused the tears to fall fast.
As sweet and heartfelt and moving as it was, it might not do any good. He couldn't control the fans, and whoever had sent her the sliced dress was still out there somewhere. Reasoning didn't work with some people.
She rolled onto her back and watched the video again. She missed him. Had she made a mistake in ending things? Fear had pushed in, demanding she break off all ties. As badly as her heart ached, Luke's probably hurt just the same. She was making them both miserable becau
se she didn't want to spend her life worrying about crazy fans, or bodily harm, or targeted attacks.
Being alone meant no drama but also no love. The ache in her soul intensified.
She pushed off the bed and stared out at the romantic view of the city at sunset. Glittering lights dotted buildings against streaks of pink and orange.
Along with her design space, her apartment lease would be up soon. Maybe finding new digs for both places, far away from everyone and everything familiar, would be smart. Maybe something in a gated community that would keep away knife-wielding maniacs.
Her gut said New York wasn't the right spot anymore.
L.A. felt right.
She pushed that idea from her mind. L.A. would be too close to Luke. She couldn't do that to herself. No matter how much she liked Irisa and Jayne. No matter how happy she'd been there.
Happy.
Luke made her happy. Why wasn't she taking the risk? Being with him, no matter how long they had together, was better than not being with him at all, and was better than this constant ache in her soul. She felt like half of her heart was missing.
The guys had security guards when they needed them. Would life be so bad with one around full time? Didn't she owe it to Luke and to herself to at least try?
A knock sounded at the door.
Rubbing her arms, she crossed her small apartment and peered through the peephole.
Luke stood on the other side of the door. He knocked again. "Audrey, I know you're in there."
Tears pierced her eyes and her heartbeat galloped, pushing her to go to him. This was her chance. She flipped the locks and flung the door open. "Hi."
He looked worn out, exhausted, but his eyes sparked with fire. "I need to talk to you."
"I do, too." She stepped back for for him to pass.
"Let me go first." He stood in the center of the living room, so big and so right in her space. "Owen was the one who sent the dress and did the spray paint."
The shock was overwhelming. Vanessa's attentive boyfriend hadn't seemed capable of such deeds, but then again, he'd done some pretty bad things to Luke over the years. "Are you serious? But why? How did you find out?"
Love Song (Rocked by Love #2) Page 14
