Page 50 of Verses

A dark mark on my soul.

There wasa natural place for a pause, because I’d sung most of my words, lots that weren’t in my phone at all but had just flowed from my heart. Wolf took my cue and played a mournful solo, something I hadn’t expected, but it wrenched my entire soul and I closed my eyes, letting it continue to fill me.

As the crescendo of his solo made its way back down to the underlying melody, I picked up with the bridge of the song again, changing up the sound as the emotions flooded my voice.

It wasn’t until it was over, with Wolf striking the last few chords quietly and Adrian softly touching the cymbals that I realized a couple of things.

First, we had a fucking amazing song here—even if I’d never be able to remember the words or if the guys couldn’t quite duplicate what we’d done, it was a fantastic start for our gelling band with this new member breathing life into our band.

And second…what the fuck? I was crying. I wiped the tears off my cheeks just in time to notice that we had three peoplein the bar on their feet, cheering and clapping. “Thanks,” I managed, gulping down a sob in my throat.

Pedro said, “Holy fuck. That’s the best shit you’ve ever written, Hayley.”

Wolf nodded, a small smile on his face. “That was beautiful. It almost feels like…I don’t know…like it’s better than metal deserves.”

Shaking his head, Kyle rolled his eyes before speaking. “Oh, so now we’re gonna write classical music. We’ll beartistsinstead of musicians.”

Pedro laughed. “Shut the fuck up. Kyle. Don’t you see that we actually have a good thing here?”

Letting out a breath, my ex let his ego go along with air from his lungs. “Yeah, I do see that. Wolf, I’m glad you joined us. Welcome aboard. And Hayley, keep knocking it out of the park.”

Wow. Would miracles never cease?

Yes, of course, they would. Because our next argument was always right around the corner.

And I was also on to practical things. “I don’t know that I’ll be able to remember everything.”

Adrian started crashing his cymbals. “You don’t have to, Hayl.” Holding up his phone, he said, “I started recording that shit when you asked us to start over…‘cause I could tell something magical was about to happen.

That was the best news I’d heard all day. “You’re the best, Ade.”

Kyle said, “We need to save that shit somewhere and write it all down—but, in the meantime, let’s not rest on our laurels. We’ve got an entire setlist to go through before Wolf has to clock in.”

“Yeah,” Wolf agreed. “Daylight’s burning.”

Pedro grinned. “Can you keep up, old man?”

“Old man?Kid, I could leave you in my dust any day of the week.”

“Let’sdothis shit!” Pedro shouted, his enthusiasm infecting us.

But I started wondering if maybe I needed to stop writing personal lyrics, because I didn’t want to cry on stage every night.

Maybe with Wolf nearby, it would be all right.

At least, that was what I told myself.

CHAPTER 14

“Hay-hay, didja ever think that you earned my attention? With your coy glances, your come-hither looks through those long eyelashes.” I didn’t understand any of what Jeff was saying, but answering always drew out these sessions, made them far worse.

But he wouldn’t shut up. “Your sister’s lookin’ pretty juicy, but I’d have to shove a sock in her fuckin’ mouth. I can’t stand to hear her talk with that little snake hiss comin’ out of her lips.”

I finally found my voice. It was bad enough that he teased her mercilessly—but I wouldnothave him ruining her. “Leave her alone!”

“Leave her alone…orwhat?” he asked, looking at her in the living room from his vantage point at the table in the kitchen where he and I sat. “Or you’lltell?”

I wished I could threaten him…or, better yet, hurt him. I even considered the knives in the butcher block, but I knew that was dangerous. It could backfire and I might die.

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