Page 52 of Wilde About You

"What about you, Nate? Not like you to stop a tour short. What's really going on?"

"Fuck, I don't know. I was loving the whole thing, singing for a living, fans following us around, and the women, shit the women."

"Yep, I get that. But …?"

"Not making me happy anymore. We keep thinking we're going to bust through that barrier, the one that lets you step into the big time. We'll get on the charts for a week or two, but nothing holds. I don't think we've got what it takes, and I'm not sure I want to keep going."

"Maybe you just need a new band. That's like me—looking for a new team, but it's not easy. That crash fucked up my knee and my career."

Sadie rode past us and blew a kiss. She was having a blast.

"Where the heck did she learn to ride like that?" Nate asked.

"The Philippines, apparently."

"Seriously? Cool. I guess you're back home because things aren't going well with sponsors. Things were pretty sweet for a while, weren't they?" Nate pulled his sunglasses back down. Our dirt trails didn't have much shade. Turned out shrubs and trees didn't like to grow in the middle of a dirt bike track.

"Yep, things were going well. Ace kicked me in the ass on that, too. Anyhow I'm thinking about asking Zander and Jameson if I can join them. They've got the business running well. What about you?"

"Don't know. Just needed to come here and clear my head." Nate laughed. "Wow, was that a statement we all thought we'd never hear. Going to Dad's place to clear my head."

"Fuck, guess I'm doing the same thing. Sadie thinks Dad is cool."

"Yeah? Then you better hang on to her cuz she's a rare bird. Although I guess the old man is getting a little more likable in his old age."

"He'd already mellowed when you were young," I said.

Nate looked over at me. "I know I didn't have it as bad as you guys, but that doesn't mean life wasn't a mess growing up. Think we're all doing OK considering."

"Yep, I think your mom gets part of the credit. How is she doing?"

"Mom? She's good. She came to my show when I was in Michigan. Don't like her new boyfriend though. Kind of a dick. One of those know-it-alls. Guess she's not great at picking mates."

The phone buzzed in my pocket. I'd been hoping to hear back from a team. I pulled it out. It was an image from Ace. I slid my thumb over and opened it. "Fuck."

"What's going on?" Nate asked.

Ace had black eyes and a fat lip. He was staring at the camera with the barrel of a gun pointed at his head. He looked plenty scared. There was a text with it.

Don't call the cops tell Sadie we need to talk.

"It's a long story, but I need to catch up to Sadie. I'll tell you later."

Sadie was at the far end of the track. I raced toward her, each bump jarring my ribs painfully. The wrap wasn't helping much, but the adrenaline pumping through me took the edge off.

Sadie turned with a big smile, then saw my expression. Her smile faded, and she rode toward me. "What's wrong?"

I hesitated, almost not wanting to show her. "I got a text from Ace … with a picture. He's in trouble. Those assholes must have found⁠—"

"Show me," she said frantically. Again, I paused.

"Damn it, show me, Colin."

I lifted the phone. She grabbed it to get a good look at the picture. Her face had been a dusty pink from the ride, but the color drained.

She handed me back the phone. "I'm so done with this. I need to get to my phone." She turned the throttle and took off in a cloud of dust.

twenty-five