Page 67 of Reckless

“I’m genuinely worried about you, Jude. What’s wrong with that?”

I believe her. I’m out of sorts because some of the things she is saying about Krista are hitting home. And they’re things I don’t want to hear.

“Krista wants nothing from me. I walked into her life, not the other way around. Hell, I gave her no choice but to pick me up on the side of the road. And, for whatever reason, she gave me a chance. It’s helping.”

“Well, I’m happy for you,” she rolls her eyes. “I want you to get better because I’m all fucking messed up about how things are changing. What is up with me being left in LA alone? Before you say it, Ethan doesn’t count, and you know it. He’s a clown.”

“Where is Ethan?” I ask.

“In his room, as far as I know.”

“Do you really believe he’s stayed in his room?”

“Probably not.”

Her brother is not the kind of guy who will relax in his hotel room. He’s in a new city, new people to meet, new women to screw. Nope, Ethan will not be keeping a low profile. My fingers itch to check Instagram and find out what hell he’s creating. Or how much attention he is drawing.

“So he’s out in the city. Everyone will know where he is.”

Solene ducks her head. She knows what I’m getting at.

“All I asked for was two weeks.”

“I know.” She still doesn’t lift her head.

“And I let you have my tracking information for peace of mind, not so you could follow me here and potentially make shit worse.”

She rubs her brow. “That wasn’t what I meant to do.”

She gets up and starts pacing in front of the fireplace. She’s a ball of nervous tension, which she is trying to hide by showing how concerned she is for me.

“Everything is going insane back in LA. The whole thing with you needing your space. Then Cody turning out to be a god damn snake. The record label is losing their shit over that. They’re talking about having Fisher take over managing us. And then Paul ups and leaves. It’s falling apart.”

“Nothing is falling apart.” I pour another shot and down it. “Paul is going to work with a producer who is free while we’re taking the break. He has said nothing about leaving the band. I’m not leaving the band. And Fisher? That guy who kept hitting on you before Ethan lost his chill and threatened to rip his tongue out of his throat.”

“Yes, that one. Although since then he’s not been a bother.”

“Will you be alright if he becomes our manager?”

“Atlas will kill him if he tries anything.”

I glance towards the bedroom where her bodyguard disappeared to earlier. I’ve always had my suspicions about Sol and Riggs. No one else ever calls him by his first name, Atlas. I guess he’s around her a lot, so their relationship differs from how he is with me. He’s always professional. I’ve never seen him staring at Sol weirdly. There is just something about the way she talks about him.

“Did you talk to him?” she bites her bottom lip. “He wouldn’t answer my call tonight either.”

“Who?”

“Paul. Keep up. I don’t give a shit about Fisher. So long as he doesn’t steal from us, or work us to the point of everyone leaving the band.”

“Stop being dramatic. And yeah, I spoke to him, and he told me about the situation. He told us he was working on a solo album. He’s got the means and the opportunity to do it right now, so I don’t see the issue.”

“It’s weird. Why does he even want to do a solo album? What’s wrong with Reckless Soul? Aren’t we enough for him?” She half laughs, but it’s more manic than amused.

“Sol? What the fuck? This isn’t you. What’s going on?”

She turns her back to me. Her arms are wrapped around her waist. Like she is hugging herself. Shit, I didn’t realize she was this affected by everything. When she lays it out the way she has, it seems a lot. She’s usually stronger than this.

Setting down my drink, I get up and walk over. “Sol?”

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