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“Who said I had the Harley? Now, let’s load up.” He wasn’t fucking around. Turntable, records, clothes, toiletries. Everything was loaded up into his truck, but what was more terrifying was the fact he hadn’t said a single word the entire time.

Yeah, I’d fucked up.

While Wolf took the last of my stuff out, I fired off a text to Bowie.

Me: Guess I’m moving out tonight.

Bowie: Yeah, kinda heard that. You okay with it?

Was I?

Me: I hope so.

Bowie: Need us to come out and stop it? I don’t want you to do anything you’re not cool with.

But I really was, just kind of afraid of how mad Wolf may be.

Me: I want to be with him, so I need to give this a try.

Bowie: I’m here for you, however you need me to be. Even if it means kicking an old man’s ass.

I shouldn’t have laughed but knowing Bowie he’d try.

Me: I appreciate that, but it’s all good. I fucked up by not checking in and I’d be mad too if it was the other way around.

Bowie: Tru dat, my brother. Be safe and holler if you need us.

Me: Will do. I’ll leave the key on the counter so lock up behind us.

Bowie shot me a thumbs up emoji.

Guess I was starting my new life now and not after the tour.

Fingers crossed I don’t fuck this chance up like I do everything else…

Chapter Six

Wolf

To say that I was steamed would be an understatement. All day I’d sent messages only to see the icon frozen in place on the last one he’d responded to. Wondering what I’d said or done wrong had added to the layers of pissed off, until finally, I’d said to hell with it and followed through with my plan.

Showing up with a truck could have gone badly and wrecked this new relationship of ours. That’s why I’d made several attempts to discuss it with him first. His reluctance to return home with Pressley and Bowie at the end of the night might have gone unnoticed by everyone else, but not me. His eyes, his posture, the restless dance of his fingers along the seam of his jeans, stemming whenever he had something heavy on his mind, they were all tells.

He needed a place where he could let go and be himself without feeling like he was invading someone else’s space. I hoped he wouldn’t see it as an invasion if I purposely brought him into mine. He was here most nights anyway, exactly where I wanted him.

In my arms, snuggled up beside me.

Another reason today’s radio silence had bugged me so much. I’d already heard reports of how the first interview had gone and the way it had shaken all but Claude’s confidence. That guy…I’d been as disappointed as the rest of the band when Diamond had selected him over Slade, who from all I’d observed backstage would have been a better fit for the laid-back vibe of the band. His arrogance had better not wind up costing the rest of them or he was one piece of talent that might wind up lost on some lonely highway somewhere. I’d just explain the oops a few hundred miles or more down the road and hope the buzzards plucked some of the arrogance out of him before sending someone to retrieve him.

Had I not made it clear that Tony could turn to me for anything, even if it was just to vent over text until he’d gotten it all out of his system? This better not be a case of him thinking it would be a bother to me or so help me…

Inhale.

My simmering temper needed to be reined in better before I sat him down for the conversation we needed to have because there were a few things I needed to lay out on the table to ensure there was no miscommunication, or lack of communication again.

Exhale.

Everything was inside now. Tony stood in the kitchen with a slightly bewildered look on his face, so I stepped past him, grabbed two sodas out of the fridge, handed him one and pulled his chair out for him.