Page 96 of How to Love a Rockstar

You’re the strongest person I know.

I straighten my shoulders. Despite the fear clinging to every pore of my body, I won’t be weak. I won’t let these a-words see how much they bother me. How much they scare me.

“Let me through,” I manage to say through gritted teeth.

When no one moves, I decide to take matters into my own hands. I shove my way through the crowd toward the door. Every touch from another body makes my skin crawl but I’m not stopping.

By the time I make it to the door, I’m gasping for breath and sweat is rolling down my back. But I’m here. I’m at the door.

My hand shakes as I fit the key in the lock.

“Don’t run away!”

“We only have a few questions!”

“Come on, Virginia. Help us out here.”

I ignore the shouts and concentrate on fitting the key in the lock. I can do this. The key finally slips into the lock and I hurry to open the door. I’m afraid they’ll follow me inside but they don’t.

But I’m not safe yet. I won’t be safe until I’m locked in my apartment with Dylan.

Dylan! I need to phone Dylan. He’ll help.

I run up the stairs to my second floor apartment. This lock is much easier to work. Once I’m inside, I lock the door behind me and collapse against it fighting for air.

I dig my phone out of my purse and dial Dylan. The phone rings and rings and rings, but he doesn’t pick up. When his voicemail engages, I end the call before dialing once again.

I don’t know how many times I do this, but he doesn’t answer any of my calls. I message him instead.

Me:Where are you, Dylan?

Me:I need you, Dylan.

Chapter 30

Break – what you take when you’re a chicken

Dylan

“Calm down, man. I’m sure she’s fine,” Cash says.

I glare at him. “She’s not answering her messages and she’s not picking up her phone. She’s not fine.”

Damn it! I failed Ginny. She needed me and I wasn’t there for her.

“Have you heard from Indigo?”

He hands me his phone since he’s driving. “Check the messages.”

I scroll through his phone. “Nothing.”

He frowns. “She promised to message before she went to bed.”

Before I have a chance to ask him, he increases our speed until we’re flying through the Colorado countryside on our way back to Winter Falls. We were supposed to return tomorrow morning but after I read Ginny’s messages and couldn’t reach her, I insisted we leave directly after our interview.

We don’t speak for the rest of the journey. I’m too busy imagining a million doomsday scenarios to make conversation.

We reach the border of Winter Falls and zoom past a cop car.

---