Page 1 of Wild Heart

PROLOGUE

TATE

“Ivy!”

My voice carried through the house and up the stairs to the eldest of my two younger sisters. I was growing impatient.

“I’ll be right there, Tate. Just two more minutes,” my sister shouted back.

I let out a frustrated sigh, turned, and walked away from the stairs. Then I began pacing in hopes it’d calm me down and prevent me from saying something I might regret.

I loved my sister to death, but she was going to make me late. I hated being late to anything.

It shouldn’t have mattered that I was doing something fun for myself. I’d committed to meeting up with my friends at a specific time, and now there wasn’t a hope I was going to make it on time.

When my sister, who’d just turned fifteen last month, asked me a few days ago if I’d give her a ride today, I hadn’t given it a second thought. I was seventeen, seven months away from turning eighteen, and there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for any member of my family.

But I wished Ivy had a better sense of time. No doubt she was upstairs changing into her third or fourth outfit to find theperfect one. And that made absolutely no sense to me. She was only going to be going to watch her best friend’s dance recital. Did it really matter what she was wearing? From what I knew, it would be dark in the theater.

When I heard the rapid descent of footsteps on the stairs, I moved in that direction. Glowering, I declared, “I’m going to be late.”

“Okay, okay. I know. I’m sorry. I’m ready now. Let’s not make it even later because you want to scold me.”

I jerked my head toward the door. “Let’s go.”

Without another moment of delay, Ivy and I walked in that direction, and the second I opened it, she called out, “Mom, we’re leaving.”

“Okay, honey. Call me when you’re ready for me to pick you up.”

“I will.”

“Later, Mom,” I shouted.

“Have fun, Tate! Thanks for taking your sister.”

Seconds later, Ivy and I were out the door. I turned on my car, glanced at the time on the dash, and decided that if I didn’t get stuck in any traffic along the way, I might just be able to make it on time to meet with my friends.

But just before I had the opportunity to put the car in reverse, Ivy’s phone rang. She pulled it out of her purse and said, “It’s Ava. Hang on.”

My impatience was growing by the second. Ava was Ivy’s best friend, and it was her recital I was going to be dropping my sister off at. I got the distinct feeling Ava was already at the theater, forgot something, and would need Ivy to bring it, which meant my hopes of making it on time to meet with my friends were dashed again.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down, Ava. What’s going on?”

My head snapped in Ivy’s direction. Between the words she’d just said and the look on her face, it was immediately clear that something wasn’t right.

“Oh my God,” Ivy gasped. “Are you okay?”

The color had drained from my sister’s face, a sight that forced fear to claw up my throat. With each second that passed, my grip grew tighter on the steering wheel. I didn’t know the ins and outs of Ava’s life all that well, but I knew she was like a second sister to Ivy. Ava meant just as much to her as our actual baby sister, Jules, did.

“We’ll be right there.” Pause. “Yes, I’m sure. We’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Ivy said goodbye and disconnected the call.”

“What’s going on? I asked. “Is everything alright?”

She shook her head. “Ava needs a ride.”

“I gathered that much.”

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