Page 84 of Anthem of Love and Loathing

Golden gets up and envelops her in a hug. “No one is fucking with our girl. You hear me, Special K?”

“Yeah, Scary Girl.” Kodiak ambles over and fills in the space the three of us have left. “We’ve got you.”

Rook is the only one outside of our square. He watches over us like we’re all his kids. Though I have no idea if the man has any of his own. “You’re safer here than you would be alone. Surrounded by security. And the public is everywhere we go.”

“If he has worked out where you are,” I tell her. “Coloring your hair... trying to hide... it doesn’t matter. He is never going to get close enough to do anything.”

“I love you, guys.” She shares watery smiles and hugs with Golden, Bronx, and Kodiak. When she turns to me, she offers a tentative smile, but her arms drop to her sides. “It’s only temporary. I won’t stay any longer than I have to.”

Don’t leave. I scrape a hand over my hair, tuck my fingers into my underarm. Forget that. I hurt her. She hurt me. She shouldn’t stay any longer than she has to. “Sure. Not a problem.”

“We should head out,” Bronx says. “Car is waiting.”

In the parking garage we pile into our ride and head over to the concert venue. By the time we leave the concert we’ll be boarding the buses and heading to our next destination.

I send a text to my brother, West. The only one of us born to a different world. One where the silver spoon between his teeth was laced with poison. He has all kinds of contacts.

I need to locate someone.

Friend or foe?

Foe. Can you put me onto that friend of yours. Micah?

I’ll call him. Who are you wanting to keep eyes on?

A guy by the name of Marco DeLuca.

He a problem? Do I need to worry about my baby brother?

Your youngest brother can handle himself. This is someone else’s problem, and I’m making sure they are going to be safe.

This someone else a woman?

Yes. But it’s not like that.

You’re not jealous, and possessive, and wanting to locate this man because you see him as a threat that needs to be dealt with??

I glance at Kelsey. The truth is I am all those things. In wanting to keep her safe from Marco. And in the way West means. I’m not going to tell West that.

He’s dangerous and a threat to her personal safety. That’s all.

How dangerous?

Enough that I might want to do something about it if he finds her.

We should talk. In person. When does your tour swing through town?

“What are you doing?” Kelsey asks.

“Organizing a hairstylist to give you any look you want but that one.” I find the best stylist in the city and organize them to come to the venue to work with Kelsey.

“You hate it that much?” She fluffs the bottom of her hair.

“Remember when you said she was trying to look like you?” My heart starts to race. Sweat breaks out on the back of my neck.

Kelsey presses her lips into a barely visible line.

“You are far too fucking beautiful to even accidentally try to look like her. Do you want the public to assume that’s what you’re doing? Do you want them to talk about it? Speculate on it?”