“Wait! Just in case. Tell her… tell her the truth lies where a false king reigns. Love bug promises, princess wishes, and young love’s tortured pains… and… I’m sorry.” He hangs his head.
Once we are in the hall, I start, “That was fucking weird.”
“That was actually the least weird thing that has happened in months. She’ll probably know what he meant.” Jaxx unlatches the door, leading us out to the main portion of the basement.
“Now we just need to find-” I spot Richard at the bar watching us. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Looking for Andrew.” Richard shrugs, staring back where we came from, “You?”
“Same.” I say when we all sit down on the couch.
“Fuck!” Abel quickly stands and runs up the stairs. “We need to roll.”
Following behind, we don’t speak until we are sure we’re alone.
“What the hell, Abel?” Jaxx huffs.
“I know what she’s doing…” Jaxx and I move to either side of him, looking at the screen.
“Oh, for fucks sake, is she cooking? Who the hell is that?!” I yell as Abel turns up the volume.
“Shut up!” Abel growls. Then his eyes soften watching her. “Are they singing? She’s amazing. She looks so free.” We listen as Isa streams a video of Eliana smiling in the arms of that dick from the club last year. They are singing, not even aware they are being recorded. She looks happy, and he looks like a problem. When he kisses her deeply, we all lose it.
“I’ll kill him!” I yell.
“Where are they?” Jaxx reaches for the phone, but Abel steps back.
“Use yours dick; we need to split up. Location services are off on Isa’s phone, which is good but inconvenient.” Abel gets on his bike. “Social media, gossip, twitter. Some weirdo fan will know where to find the band, and that will get us to her. I’m heading out.” I look down at my phone, confused as fuck. I don’t use that shit.
“Jaxx, man, what are we looking for?”
“3J, the band. Says here that’s Jonah.” He curls his lip, pointing at the screen.
“Does it say where they are?”
“No, just that they fly out tomorrow to record in LA and that they are somewhere around here until then.”
“You think she would go to LA?” I panic.
“I think she’s pissed and drinking. So yeah, she might end up in LA. Hit the streets. Find out something, and stay in touch. I’m going to find Andrew before he hears about this on his own.”
Heading into town, I both want to find her and I hope that Abel gets to her first because I will gut anyone that touches her.
Andrew
“What do you mean she’s gone? How?” I bellow. If someone took her, I will burn this entire state to ashes.
“Andrew.” Richard turns the laptop in my direction with a smirk. “Looks like she ran off to party.”
“Yeah, seems our girl is pissed at us and found a very dramatic way of showing it.” Jaxx leans against my desk, rolling his eyes.
“And the medication?” I raise a brow.
“Andrew, really? She is your daughter, and she grew up with all of us. Does it really surprise you that she found a way out?” Jaxx snorts.
Good fucking point, but I don’t like it.
“Get her back here now! I won’t be disobeyed. I want everyone out looking, and when she is found, bring her to me. It’s time I have a serious chat with my daughter.”
“Andrew, remember she is 17.” Jaxx stands and walks to the door. “I’ll bring her home, but if you push too hard, she will just push back. Drugging her was unfair. She’s not weak; she’s Eliana Jameson. We are the ones who forgot that, not her. Don’t push. Apologize. Trust me.” Jaxx walks out. He makes sense.
“Apologize?” Richard snorts. “What a little bitch. So, you admit you’re wrong and what… let her call the shots now?”
“Get out, Richard. I have to find my daughter. The day I answer to anyone is the day I’m in the fucking ground.” He’s right. Admitting I was wrong isn’t an option. I did what I thought best for all of us. Let her have her fit. She will be back.
Chapter Four
Eliana
“You are a shit cook, E. Never again. Someone call for takeout. She burnt the pizza bites.” Jeremy fans the smoke as Isa giggles, holding up her phone.
“Okay, Nat, your turn.” Isa hands her phone off to Nat, joining us in the kitchen with another bottle of rum.
“You two are too cute,” Nat yells over the music as we pass the bottle around, and Jonah leans over, kissing the tip of my nose.
“Dance with me.” He takes my hand, spinning me in his arms when Just a Kiss by Lady Antebellum comes on.
“Only if you’ll sing for me.” I grin.
“Only if you’ll sing it with me. I mean, unless you’re scared.” He raises a brow.
“You’re on, rock star.” I grin at his shocked expression when I start in on the first line, singing and dancing through the entire song.
“Well, you sure are full of surprises.” Jeremy laughs beside Nat when the song ends. “You bewitch Jonah, and you can sing? Hell, bring her to LA with us.”
Jonah smiles, kissing me. “You’re something else, ya know that? Not many girls would have sung while all of our followers watched.”
“Wait, what now?” Fucking hell.
He points to Isa, laughing, and wraps me in his arms. “Embarrassed now?”
“Embarrassed? No, never. However, seems my hiding is over,” I whisper.
“Come on.” He takes my hand, leading me to the bedroom as our friends hoot. “Cut the feed guys. That’s enough for tonight.”
Leading me over to the bed, we sit.
“Are you safe?”
“I’ll be okay.”
Jonah stands, looking at me. “Not what I asked, Eliana. Are you safe? What happened to-“
“Joshua?” I study him, weighing my options, deciding to be as honest as I can. “We were attacked, and he… he didn’t make it.” I shake with a sob, and he quickly wraps me in his arms.
“God, I didn’t know. I’m sorry. The girls said there was an accident. They didn’t say- Fuck!” He rocks me.
“They don’t know.” I sniff. “I just had to get away, and then they brought me here. You are the only one who doesn’t look at me with pity, so I went with it. I like the me I am with you.”
“There is nothing to pity, beautiful. You captivate everyone around you. I don’t know how you can’t see it, but that just adds to your beauty.” He touches my cheek, kissing me. “So now that you’re a celebrity, what will you do?” He smiles.
“A celebrity, huh?” I laugh and then sigh. “You leave in the morning.”
“I do. Come with me?” he asks hopefully.
I kiss him gently, “Help me chase away the shadows?”
“Anything,” he breathes.
He lays me back, undressing me slowly and running his fingers over every inch of my skin reverently. Every touch is tender, each kiss a caress, and when we finally climax together, I thank the stars I found him when I did. We aren’t forever, but this moment in time was perfect. He gave me shelter in the storm when I needed it most.