Page 27 of Crossroads

I locked myself in my cabin, my chest aching. I was stronger than this. I had to be stronger than this. A single photo shouldn’t make me break down.

I needed to make plans for the future, not only with the band but what I was going to do for my trip. I needed to put down roots, settle down, and live my life where I didn’t have to worry about my past trying to kill me.

Or maybe if I just took one step forward, I would be able to breathe again.

I immediately scrolled through my contact list to find Max and hit the call button.

My agent answered quickly, and my shoulders immediately relaxed.

“Kiera. I know you’ve been emailing me updates saying that you’re fine, but this whole hiding in the mountains thing is kind of worrying me. Are you okay?”

Max was an older man who had seen it all when it came to rock bands and all of the issues that came with so much talent and ego in one place. He had been the band’s agent since the beginning and had dealt with the pain and loss of losing Malcolm and so much more. The ebbs and flows of this business weren’t for the faint of heart, and Max would handle anything. I’d had a different kind of agent before I had joined the band, because I had been more of a studio artist. So when Max had taken me on, I had jumped in feet first, ready to go.

“I’m okay,” I lied. “The fresh air’s a great thing. No wonder Gabriel visits often.” At least they visited often now that the Ashfords’ dad was dead. But that wasn’t something I was going to mention.

“I’ve been there once, and it was nice. Though there is no takeout. So, therefore, I can’t stay.”

My lips twitched, and some of the weight that had been on my shoulders finally began to ease off. However, it hadn’t been as heavy as when I had first come here. Being with the Ashfords, being with Bodhi, had changed things. Not that I was with him.

I shook my head, pushing those odd thoughts out of my mind. “You and your takeout.”

“You’re barely a better cook than I am, Kiera.” There was a pause, and worry settled in my gut.

“Max?”

“Everything’s okay,” he began, but didn’t start up again.

I swallow hard, dread coiling in my stomach. “What’s wrong?”

“Jeremiah has been by to see me.” The steel in his tone made me stiffen, and I nearly dropped the phone.

“Are you okay?”

“Kiera. Are you going to tell me what happened with him?”

“I’m fine. And if anything had happened and I went to the police, you know he would’ve just blown it out of proportion, and I would’ve been the bad guy. That’s how it works for women in this business. You and I both know it.”

Max didn’t say anything for so long that I was afraid he was disappointed in me, but then he gave a long, drawn-out sigh. “Just be safe in Ashford Creek. I know you’re staying on Malcolm’s brother’s compound or whatever. He apparently likes security, so keep it up.”

“You’re starting to worry me, Max.”

“Jeremiah isn’t anything new. I can handle him. I just don’t want you to have to handle him. So make a record of everything that he’s done, save all his texts and phone calls and harassment. Because one day we might need to go to the authorities for this.”

“I’m already the replacement in the band, Max. I can’t be the one who brings so much trouble too.” I hadn’t meant to say those words. Hell, I wasn’t even aware that I had been thinking them. But there they were, out in the real world, and there was no taking them back.

“You’re not the replacement. You are your own person.”

“I never got to meet Malcolm. But he sounds like an amazing guy.”

“He was.” Another pause. “He was an amazing man. And we miss him every single fucking day. You don’t have to be Malcolm. You can be Kiera fucking West. And that’s all that matters. Do you understand me? You are a talent all your own. You’re not in his shadow. You’re your own bright light. And that’s why people like Jeremiah want to douse that flame. They want to steal that light. So fuck him. And just remember that you are a talented kick-ass drummer who can out-drum most of the men out there in these bands who think that they have something to prove. Now, be safe and get that idea that you’re his shadowed replacement out of your mind. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Max,” I said, though it wasn’t truthful.

The sigh Max gave me told me he didn’t believe me either. But we said our goodbyes, and I let out a deep breath. Fine. I would be okay. At least, I thought so. Of course, I hadn’t talked to him about anything that I had wanted to when I called him. But the idea that Jeremiah was practically stalking Max? No, that changed everything. What would happen when they found me here? Would I put my friends and the people of this town in danger? I didn’t want to think that could happen, but drugs made people unpredictable. I had never once thought Jeremiah would hit me, and then he had, and there was no going back from that. I let out a deep breath, slid my phone back into my pocket, and figured I would go back and maybe hit something in order to get out whatever frustration was bubbling beneath. I felt like I was drifting, and I hated that. I was a woman with a plan, usually, and I didn’t have one.

I rolled my shoulders back and headed outside and back toward the barn. There was the sound of an axe hitting wood, at least that’s what I thought it was, and I veered off to the side, hearing what exactly it was. Of course, now I sounded like I was a woman with zero brains and ability to defend myself, since I was going toward the sound of an axe, and now I just wished that perhaps I had brought that bat with me.

When I turned the corner, my breath stopped, and I took a deep breath, wondering if perhaps I’d fallen asleep in the cabin, and this was one of those dreams I didn’t want to wake up from.