Page 39 of Wicked Rockstar

My blood ran cold in my veins, and the disappointment I’d felt for Killian turned to disgust. He wasn’t just a user. The truth hit me and I stumbled. How full circle his life had become as he followed in his father’s addiction footsteps.

And now I was going to die because he screwed up.

It all happened so fast. In a blur, I was off the boat and inside an SUV. Surreal. Like my body was there, but my mind watched it all happening. At least they removed the bag from my head once we were in the vehicle. The city lights winked at me in the distance through the heavily tinted windows. In my numbed state I realized there were no flashing red and blue reflecting off nearby walls and windows. I must not be in a cop car.

I rested my forehead against the cool glass of the passenger window. A wry laugh escaped my dry throat. My gaze swept the street, and the dock in the distance. No cameras or reporters, but that didn’t mean anything. Often, they were hidden.

Who were they and where were they bringing me? Where was Killian? Was I being kidnapped? Why?

Today really sucked.

I was surprised when we pulled into the local police station and they cut the zip ties. I was sure it had been bad guys that abducted me. With a heavy hand, one of the men yanked me outof the car and pushed me toward the entrance. I was taken inside without a word spoken. It was unnerving and creepy.

I opened my mouth then snapped it shut. Each time I wanted to talk to fill the void, I held my tongue. I had no idea what I was going to be charged with. I hadn’t been in possession of drugs or taken any during the party, but clearly, I’d been caught on a boat that had an unknown quantity of drugs.

What if they used my nervous ramblings against me?

I’d expected there to be more people crowding the lobby as the man in charge pushed me through to the back. Or that some kind of paperwork would need to be filled out. My mind raced with possibilities, one more awful than the next.

If there was no record of me arriving at the station, did that mean they could do whatever they wanted to me and no one would know? Would they send me to one of those underground locations thinking they could torture me for information?

What if they just made me disappear?

With each new thought, the chill that had started in my extremities engulfed every inch of skin. My teeth clacked loudly with uncontrollable shivers. I rubbed my hands up and down my arms to warm them, but the attempt was useless.

The man who’d pointed the gun at me opened a door off a long corridor and motioned me to enter. “You can take a seat. Someone will be right with you.”

I had no idea where my purse was, but they hadn’t taken my jewelry or searched me. Didn’t they do that first when they booked you? I also didn’t remember getting my Miranda warning. Now I wish I’d paid more attention to the crime shows I watched.

A tiny whimper escaped my mouth. I was a pumpkin spice latte, fluffy mattress, fuzzy slippers, mani-pedi kind of girl. I wouldn’t survive in prison.

The door opened again, and Killian was shoved inside. His back was to me, but I’d recognize that lean, muscular build anywhere, as well as the tattoo that peeked out from his shirt collar, now visible with his hair pulled up into a man bun.

Killian.My heart lurched. Half of me wanted to run to him for comfort, the other half wanted to strangle him.

“Fuck you, asshole,” he shouted and rubbed at his wrists.

I must’ve made a noise because he whipped around. He took a step forward and stopped short when he realized it was me. His face paled and he looked back at what I assumed was a two-way mirror. “Tink,” he whispered. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“I was on the yacht,” I said, my voice sounding far more normal than I expected.

His eyes widened. “No, Max was supposed to?—”

“I jumped out the car, ran off, and snuck on board.” I fought the urge to take his neck in my hands and squeeze his throat, demanding an explanation. I still couldn’t get past the fact that he had allowed himself to get caught up in this. He was better than what he let his life become.

“I’m going to fucking kill him. He’s fired,” Killian growled.

“It wasn’t his fault.” Anger surged in my veins. The numbness and chill finally wearing off. “I can’t believe you. You… you… ” I stood, my finger jabbing the air, pointing at him. “Drugs!” I sputtered. “How could you?”

How could you become everything you hated?I wanted to hurl those words at him, but my emotions were on overload, and the words stuck in my throat.

“Tink, I?—”

“Don’tTinkme.” If I could have breathed fire, he would have been charred ash on the ground. “After everything you went through growing up. Why would you do this?”

He stood there and crossed his arms over his chest. “There’s a lot you don’t know.”

I wanted to scream, say something else. Anything.Give me a reason to believe in you again.

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