Page 206 of Redeemed

I rest my forehead against Xander’s while I blink back my tears. This gives me hope that maybe Lucas and Colton can come around, too. God, I hope so.

“Now tell me what’s wrong,” Xander says softly. “You’ve been staring out the window all day.”

“I’m tired of hiding,” I mumble. “Isaiah isn’t here, yet he still has me trapped.”

Xander hums, thinking. “I’m running sound at a concert tonight.”

“You… are?”

What an odd subject change.

He nods. “I do it on occasion when the venue’s regular sound guy can’t make it. Got a call earlier that he’s sick, so they need me to fill in.”

“Oh.”

I never thought about it, but it makes perfect sense that Xander is involved in the music scene. He always has earbuds in, and he’s constantly humming different tunes.

“It’s in the next town over, so if Isaiah is back, he shouldn’t find you there—for real this time.”

“Really?” I ask, perking up. Getting out of this goddamn house is exactly what I need. “You think Colton and Lucas would let us?”

“Already talked to Luc about it.” Xander shrugs. “And Colton can find out once we’re back. Don’t want him spoiling our fun.”

“That’ll lead to a punishment of some sort.”

Xander keeps me in his arms as he stands, and then he carefully sets me on my feet. “Not if I take all the blame.”

“Fair enough.”

Fifteen minutes later, I’m meeting Xander in the mudroom. He does a double-take when he sees what I’m wearing. Black jeans, a tight black shirt with a low neckline, and my boots. I’ve got some of my favorite necklaces on, but unlike Xander, I’m not wearing mine under my shirt.

“Fuckin’ gorgeous,” he says as we pull on our coats. “Ready?”

“Please. I want to get out of here.”

. . .

Xander takes me to a small city about forty-five minutes from Birchwood. The venue is just outside downtown, and when he parks on the street, my stomach flips with excitement.

The moment I’m out of the car, Xander grabs my hand. “Stick close to me, okay? It can get a little overwhelming inside, especially since it’s your first time.”

“I’m not a kid, Xander. I can handle myself.”

He stops on the sidewalk and cuts me a no-nonsense look. “You’ll either stay by my side voluntarily, or I’ll cuff you to me. Understood?”

“You brought handcuffs?!”

“Keep them in the car.” He doesn’t wink or crack a joke, which has me thinking he doesn’t keep them there for sexual purposes.

Tightening his grip on my hand, Xander leads me across the street. The brick building we’re heading toward is a little rundown, and graffiti covers a lot of it. Some guys are hanging out near the entrance, smoking and talking. Xander nods to a couple of them as we walk past.

Inside, Xander moves confidently into a large room. There’s a stage on the far side, but he immediately hops up into the sound booth and pulls me with him.

“Sound check is in five minutes,” he tells me. “Well, if everyone has there shit together on time, which never happens. We’re probably looking at another twenty minutes, which means Brad—” He nods to a plus size man in his forties. “—is going to stress out about not starting the show on time, even though no one really gives a fuck.”

“Got it.” I don’t think I catch everything he says. I’m too busy taking the place in. Wooden floors, some chairs near the perimeter, what looks like a cool lights setup, and some posters on the walls.

Xander pulls a stool over so it’s directly next to him. “Sit right here.”

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