Page 76 of All Tied Down

GARRETT: Can’t wait to see you guys

MAVERICK: Feels like finally

LACHLAN: Hell yes brother

Dropping my phone onto the table, I let my eyelids flutter closed, my fingers tapping out the cadence, the words smooth as fine whiskey playing in my mind. I wrote the whole song in an afternoon—something different from what I sat down to write.

I thought the page would be filled with angst and bitterness from the way Darren had forced my hand, but when I was finished, it was nothing like that.

Resilience.

Rebirth.

Rising from the ashes.

Descending North is more than just a band; it’s my life’s work—my passion and the beat of my soul.

And I’m done making myself feel less in order to hold space for Darren and his bullshit. Because at the end of the day, all I wanted was for him to care. I wanted him to apologize and show me that the guy that played in garages and rode in a cramped van with us is still in there.

Maybe I am too nice.

The sound of an incoming message pulls me back to the present. Sighing, I grab it and try to push the heaviness down.

ROAN: Darren’s lawyer is a slimy son of a bitch

GARRETT: Should we be worried?

ROAN: What? No. I’m the fucking best—I’m just telling you

ROAN: Just don’t say anything to Darren

ROAN: If he contacts you at all ignore it and send everything to me

GARRETT: I’ve been doing that

ROAN: I’m reminding you

ROAN: I don’t want him to take advantage of you

GARRETT: I’m fine

ROAN: This is me as your lawyer and not your friend. He will try and manipulate you if you give him even the slightest opening. They’ve filed three bullshit motions today—time wasters—but this is a marathon and they’re going to try and exhaust us

I want to be offended at the insinuation that I’m too weak and emotional to handle Darren, but that’s the only side I’ve shown him. Roan has had to deal with lots of different issues for me over the years but nothing like this.

Darren is personal.

So it makes sense that Roan is concerned about me fucking it up.

Still…

GARRETT: I won’t be a liability

ROAN: You’re never a liability—I just don’t want this to be any more painful for you than it already is. I need you to be aware of what’s going on so that if they come after you I can squash the little pissants

GARRETT: You must be a hell of a sight in the courtroom

ROAN: You have no idea