Page 77 of Fallen Stars

“A couple weeks?”

“Yep. Then our little birds leave the nest.”

“Can’t fucking wait. This batch has been particularly stubborn.”

The other man chuckles. “Definitely testing our patience.”

More creaking fills the air a second before the door fully closes and the locks outside are secured.

“I anticipate Two Sixty-Three will fetch a pretty penny at the auction,” Guard One says loud enough for me to hear.

“If I had the money, I’d shell it out to keep that one under lock and key.”

With that final comment, the contents of my stomach make a reappearance.

I push away from the mess and move to the cleanest part of my cell. Slowly, I lower to the floor, lie on my side and draw my knees to my chest.

Auction.

In a couple weeks, they plan tosell meto one of the countless dirtbags that’s paid me a visit.

The backs of my eyes burn as my throat swells. Saliva pools in my mouth seconds before the first tear trails down my cheek.

“Please,” I croak out into the darkness. “Let me die. I beg you.”

I repeat the words over and over in my head until they are the only ones I know.

Let. Me. Die.

TWENTY-ONE

OLIVER

I bangthe drums in time with Hailey and Trip as our second-to-last song comes to an end. Sweat rolls down the back of my neck as the space quiets for a pulse-pounding second. A beat later, every patron in Dalton’s claps, whistles or hollers excited expletives.

Exhausted doesn’t remotely cover how I feel after back-to-back shows, but the crowd’s enthusiasm makes every second on this stage worth it.

“How’s everyone doing?” Hailey screams into the mic.

As always, the crowd goes wild in response.

“Before we play our last song of the night, we just wanted to say how much we love you.”

More cheers.

“Our Stone Bay family and those of you visiting us from parts unknown.” She bounces in place. “You mean the fucking world to us. We wouldn’t be on this stage without you.”

The cheers grow impossibly louder.

While Hailey talks to the packed pub and gives us a moment of reprieve, I glance over at the table with Levi and the rest of our friends.

Kirsten, Skylar and Delilah talk animatedly about something. Phoebe appears to be giving Travis and Law a dose of her insight. And Levi… he hasn’t taken his eyes off me. I have no idea if he has struck up a conversation with anyone at the table or if he is content sitting and listening while he gives me all his attention.

Hailey announces our final song and kicks it off with a few chords before Trip and I join in. For the next three and a half minutes, I focus on my drums and get lost in the music. In what feels like seconds, the song ends and we thank everyone for coming out tonight.

After one last wave, we step off the stage and join our friends.

As I near Levi, he reaches for my hand, hauls me between his legs, wraps his arms around my waist, and presses his lips to mine. I moan into his mouth as his tongue caresses the length of mine. Fist his shirt and crush my chest to his. Deepen the kiss as we ignore everyone and everything around us.

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