Page 75 of Finding Storm

But I can’t bring myself to talk to them yet.

I know I will at some point. But not today.

And it’s not a conversation to be had over the phone. I’ll have to go back and face them at some point.

But that day isn’t today.

It’s not like I can leave anyway.

My car is here.

I can’t go anywhere until she’s fixed.

Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, Slater.

It has nothing to do with Stevie or the way she makes you feel when you’re around her. Or the fact that you want to nail her.

Okay. I could leave anytime. I could get a rental and drive back and have my car sent to me when she’s fixed.

But I like being around Stevie. Like the way she makes me feel when I’m with her.

I’m not ready to leave that feeling quite just yet.

And, honestly, I think the break from LA will do me good.

I do need to let the boys know though.

I’m sure the news of me assaulting that journo has hit the press. The boys are probably wondering what the fuck is going on.

I turn on my phone and wait for it to come to life.

The screen lights up, and it instantly starts buzzing in my hand with incoming messages.

I don’t look at them. I swipe the screen up and go to the Call app. I hit Raze’s number, put the cell to my ear, and wait for it to connect.

He answers on the second ring. Raze never answers his phone that quick. He must be worried.

“Where the fuck have you been? I’ve been calling you all day. Cash and Levi too. You hit a journo, man. What the fuck happened?”

I sigh. “I didn’t hit him. I just … roughed him up a bit. It was a setup. He told me stuff … about Jonny. Goaded me. He wanted me to hit him.”

“Jake called, looking for you. He didn’t tell me anything. But it’s all over the news. The video of you and the journo. The stuff about Jonny … I’m so sorry, man. I can’t believe Jonny knew about you. That’s fucked up. You okay?”

“Getting there.” I sigh.

“Where are you? Come to mine. We’ll sink some beers, talk it through.”

“That’ll be difficult … I’m in Arizona.”

“The fuck!” He chuckles. “What the hell are you doing there?”

“I went to TMS Records, saw Jake, Tom, and Denny … it didn’t go well.”

“Fuck … I can imagine,” he says low.

“After that, I got in my car and just started driving. Somehow ended up in Arizona.”

“Well, get your ass back!”