Page 69 of Hard Ride

“You don’t even understand.”He puffed up at that, as if she’d been complimenting him instead of wondering how unbalanced that made him.“I’ve had to do some things—bad things—to get the money to do this.It’s not cheap.I try to take buses when I can, but sometimes the shows are too close together and I have to fly.Plus I have to buy tickets to every concert and whatever the last performance is before yours at each arena so I can sleep in the bathrooms and make sure I get in here first.Before everyone else.”

And there it was.That over-the-top factor.She tried to sound unfazed as she backed away, inching closer to the exit.“Wow, that’s…intense, Number One.What’s your real name, anyway?Where are you from?”

“I’m nobody and not from anywhere important.”He shrugged.“But…there’s something I read online and I was wondering if it was true.Do you have a boyfriend now?”

Maybe all she had to do was say yes and he’d back off.Okay, not likely, but it was about the only chance she had.So she took it.“Yeah.His name is Van and he’s ginormous.The head of security.I’m sure you remember seeing him around at the meet-and-greets.”

“That meathead?”Number One flung his hands out and let them drop.“Come on, you’re better than that, Kyra.”

“No, I’ve loved him for a long time.We’ve been friends forever and recently…things got even more amazing between us.”She couldn’t say why she was telling him except that it was true.She hoped Van believed it as completely as Number One seemed to.

In fact, she might have laid it on a bit thick for his liking.

“What about me?I’ve done all this for you.Given you everything I have and more.Stuff that wasn’t even mine.I’ve slept in the streets for you.Cheered so loud I ruined my voice.”That explained the unnatural rasp.

“I’m sorry that happened to you.”She was, truly.Horrified, even.Number One needed help.She wasn’t angry at him.Just sad.And, fine, scared shitless.

Where was Van?Was he coming back?Why hadn’t he come to check on her?Probably because he thought she was safely ensconced in the heart of the arena.

He never would have thought someone could get through his rings of protection.

Because they couldn’t.

Unless they were there before the barriers went up.

Shit.

“I’m not.I’m not sorry at all.You’re worth it.But if you have a boyfriend now, then none of it matters.I should give up.What’s the point of living if I can’t have you?”

“Hang on.Don’t say things like that.There’s plenty of reasons.”Kyra didn’t know how to walk this line.She was terrified for herself and for Number One.She couldn’t live with it on her conscience if he did something to harm himself.

“Name one.”He wrung his hands as he climbed onto the stage with uncoordinated and labored movements.She retreated some more, her shoulder knocking one of the metal light stands.Startled, she dropped her sticks.Her only possible weapon rolled toward Number One, making her curse herself.

“How about a private concert for you alone?”

“You just gave me one.”

“Yeah, but now I know you’re here.It won’t be practice, but the real thing.How about it?”

“Okay.Play for me,” he demanded, plucking her sticks from the ground, caressing them reverently, then handing them back to her.With her only chance at freedom presented to her, she reached out and grabbed them.

She tried to buy herself some time.If she started playing again, Van or the roadies or whoever else would stay away, like she’d told them to.If it was quiet, maybe they’d come see what was up or if they could continue their work.

“Like you said, I never practice before the show.If I play more right now, I’ll be too tired to make it through the whole set list.You wouldn’t want that, would you?”She tried to reason with him, already knowing it was futile.His eyes were wide and dark, no reason to be found in their depths.

“I don’t care about everyone else.I’m finally going to get what I’ve always wanted.What I’ve been too scared to ask for.”He grinned, showing off uneven teeth that had been the victim of years of neglect and poor hygiene.

This man needed her help.She tried once more.“Okay, what if I play one song for you now?Then will you let me take you backstage and show you around?Introduce you to the rest of the band…”

And security.

“Oh no.”He shook his head vehemently.“I don’t care about them either.Only you.Once you start playing, you won’t be able to stop.I want you to play and play and play.For me.Forever.No more chasing you every night.No more bad things.No more.I can finally rest and have you all to myself.”

“No one can play forever.”She laughed until she realized he was dead serious.He thought she was the key to escaping his obsessive behaviors.No wonder he was so insistent.So…unrelenting.

“You will.Do it.Play for me.And if you stop—please, please don’t stop—because then bad things will happen to you, too.”The steel with which he promised it made her sure he meant it.

“Number One, I’m tired.I need to rest.I—” She stopped short of saying she had a horrible day, because compared to his…was it really?

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