Duet (Rockstar Book 8.5) Page 4

  "You want him to fly across the ocean by himself?" Dad's tone tells me he can't believe she's serious. I can't blame him.

  "Screw that. I'm not flying to Paris and spending my summer eating slimy snails. I won't go. She can't make me. If she leaves, she can't make me go, right?" I ask them.

  "I don't think you have to. Your dad won't make you do anything you don't want to. Your dad's cool as hell," Jesse answers.

  I nod. "Yeah. My dad'll have my back."

  "Heck yeah, he will," Linc agrees.

  "I'll come back for the rest of my things later in the week," Mom announces and I hear her high heels click as she walks down the stairs.

  "You're not going to say anything to Xander before you go?" Dad inquires.

  "Not tonight. He's got his friends over. I don't leave until next week."

  "Don't worry about it, Lynn. I'll talk to him. Besides, I'm sure he's already heard you with the way you were carrying on," my dad bites out.

  "Seriously, Matthew," she scoffs.

  "What about your practice? You're just going to leave your patients high and dry?"

  "I'm taking a three-month hiatus and then hopefully I'll have my credentials so I can open my practice in Paris."

  "You've got it all figured out. I hope it all works out for you, Lynn. Sincerely. But I want the keys to the house and the cars. They are, after all, in my name."

  Mom huffs. "Fine."

  Tera snickers as we hear keys jingle. "Your dad is so awesome."

  That makes me smirk. He really is.

  "I'll have someone pack up your shit this week. Call on Monday. Your stuff will be waiting for you."

  "You're being petty, Matthew. I expected better of you."

  "Petty? No. That's not what I'm being at all. I'm being logical. You no longer live here. You don't get a key. The security code will be changed. Your boxes will be waiting on Monday. Have your movers come during the day when Xander's in school so he isn't subjected to that as well as this," Dad scolds.

  Mom takes a breath. "Fine. I thought we could be civil—"

  "Lynn, this is civil. Less than civil would be me dragging you down these stairs and throwing you out on your ass like you deserve. Instead, I'm having a calm discussion, which is now over. You can get the fuck out now," Dad tells her and I laugh.

  "Go, Dad."

  We're all laughing quietly in my room—even if it's totally screwed up right now. My mom's pretty much abandoning me. It's not like I see her much anyway. It's Dad who takes care of me, who's always there when I need him, who makes sure my clothes fit and are clean—he even makes sure I wash behind my ears.

  The front door clicks shut and I hear footsteps coming up the stairs.

  "My dad."

  Everyone nods.

  There's a knock. "Xan?" Dad probes.

  "Yeah, Dad. Come in."

  The door opens and there's my dad. He's pretty darn tall for just a doctor. I think he could have played basketball or something but he said he couldn't make a basket if he was standing right beside it. His black hair matches mine, as do his ice blue eyes.

  He always makes my friends feel welcome. Always.

  "I take it you heard?" he asks, looking around the room at all of us.

  "Yeah. She was pretty loud."

  "Your mother has a flare for the dramatic."

  I just nod.

  "We can talk more about it later or tomorrow—whichever works out best for you."

  "Okay," I answer.

  "You going to be okay, Xan?" he asks.

  I nod again. "Yeah, Dad. I'll be fine. It's not like it was a surprise."

  Dad shakes his head. "No. I suppose not. Are you all finished with your homework?"

  We all tell him 'yes'.

  "I'll order some pizzas. Let's take over the TV room tonight," he invites.

  "Cool, Dad. Thanks."

  "See you in a few," he replies.

  As he begins to close the door, I call out to him. "Dad?"

  "Yeah, bud?"

  "I don't have to go over there, do I? To Paris? I don't want to spend my holidays and summers over there where I don't know anyone. I want to spend it here with you and my friends. You're my family—she's not," I tell him honestly.

  "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. I'll fight for you, Xander. Don't worry. It'll all be okay."

  I stand up and walk over to my dad and hug him.

  "It'll be okay. I promise," he murmurs again.

  "I love you, Dad."

  "I love you too, Xander." He kisses the top of my head. "Now for those pizzas…"

  ***

  My dad was true to his word. He fought for me. Mom tried to get me over there more than once and each time I said no. We went to court and she lost. She left. In truth, she'd left a long time ago and that's what I told the judge. He gave my mom one of those looks that you hate to ever get from anyone, but she still acted like she didn't do anything wrong.

  When we hit eighth grade, my mom had been married and divorced again. I wasn't surprised. I didn't go to her wedding and I didn't ever take her calls.

  What was of real concern to me lately was Tera. She was getting boobs. Her body was getting curvy and I started having thoughts about kissing and touching her. I didn't want to think of her like that. She was one of my best friends, for shit's sake.

  She didn't seem to notice my discomfort, but the guys did and they gave me hell when she wasn't around. I got hard every time I smelled her hair—which was a lot since she slept in my bed with me when we had sleepovers. It was getting harder to hide from her. One of these times she'd see it or feel it and call me the sick pig that I am. Christ. What the hell? I guess I should just talk to her about it when she comes over after band practice.

  Yeah, Jesse, Ben, Ethan, Kennedy and I formed a band, Falling Down. Linc wasn't very musical but he was part of it all—as was Tera. I'm not sure how or when it happened, but her singing went from nails on a chalkboard to throaty and hot.

  I don’t want to think of Tera being hot—but I do and she is.

  The girls all flock to our practices and that's when Tera disappears. I don't know where she goes, but she's never there anymore. In fact, she's starting to hang out with us less and less unless it's just us. I know Linc doesn't like it and I don't either.

  The girls start hanging on us but I shrug this one off. She's too loud, her laugh is fake, and I can tell she's a clinger. I'm not looking for a relationship. I'm only twelve, but these girls, all they think about is getting a steady boyfriend. I hate to break it to them, we guys think about sex, not relationships. And this group? We think about music more than that a lot of the time.

  "You guys want to hang out?" one of the girls asks.

  "Nah," Jesse tells her. "We've got stuff to do."

  She pouts. Like, sticks her bottom lip out, pouts. Whoever told her that was cute, lied. She looks ridiculous.

  "Aww, Jesse. Not even for a little while?" she whines.

  I know what's coming next and I fight back the grin.

  "I already told you once. No. You trying to overstay your welcome, Darla?" he bites out.

  She huffs. "No. The only time I see you is when you're practicing and at school."

  He nods. "That's my life."

  "No time for girlfriends?" one of Darla's friends asks. I think her name is Luanne.

  "Hell no. I don't do girlfriends," Jesse answers, curling his lip. "Later, girls."

  With that, they scatter and we all burst out laughing.

  "Harsh, man, harsh," Ethan teases.

  "Fuck that. Those chicks are clingers and they don’t put out," Jesse replies.

  "That's the truth," Kennedy agrees. "Last week I was barely able to cop a fucking feel on Tori. She got all shy and covered up and took off right away. I almost wish she'd have stayed a few minutes more to watch me jerk off. I think she'd have been scandalized at the sight of my cum."

  I chuckle. "No doubt."

  Tera walks into the kitchen as we're fi
lling our plates. Our housekeeper can seriously cook.

  "Where've you been?" Linc growls.

  Tera rolls her eyes. "Out."

  "You've been 'out' a lot lately. Care to fill me in on where?" he asks.

  "If you must know, I've been hanging out with Shea Dawkins," she answers, grabbing a plate.

  I sit down at the table and just watch and listen since Linc is asking all the questions I've been thinking.

  "The geek painter chick?" Linc adds.

  Tera spins, color flushing her cheeks. Oh boy. She's pissed.

  "She is not a geek. She just likes to paint, and it just so happens that I do too."

  "You paint?" Ben asks.

  "Yep, and it turns out I'm good at it."

  "Cool," Ben mused.

  Linc narrows his eyes and lifts his fork to point at Tera. "Doesn't Shea have a brother?"

  Tera sits down at the table. "Yep."

  There's a moment of silence. I want to know more of this and if Linc isn't going to ask—

  Linc takes a drink. "What's his name again?"

  "Shawn."

  "He's a wrestler, right?"

  "Mhmm," she answers between chews.

  "I know who that guy is," Jesse announces. "He's bad news."

  Tera rolls her eyes. "He's not. Besides, I hardly ever see him. He's usually at wrestling when we're painting."

  "Usually," Ethan points out.

  "Don't start," Tera snarls.

  Ethan chuckles because we all know it's started.

  "Yeah," Linc states. "What about the times when he's there? You interested in him?"

  This part I'm particularly interested in. I never took Tera for the relationship kind.

  "So what if I am?" she says, with a lift of her chin.

  I scoff. "Seriously? That guy? The one who wears tights?"

  She snarls. "He doesn't wear tights. He wears the required uniform."

  Kennedy grins. "A leotard."

  Tera whirls on him. "It's called a unitard, for your information."

  I laugh. "Whatever it is, it's made out of spandex and that shit's for chicks."

  "Ugh. You guys can kiss my ass," Tera declares.

  Linc pats her back. "I'm just trying to look out for you."

  "Yeah, well, I'm looking out for myself just fine. Worry about the girls who are trying to tie you all down. They've set their sights on you and they aren't going to give up," Tera informs us.

  "How do you know that?" Jesse asks.

  "You should hear the talk in the locker room." Tera rolls her eyes again. "They're pathetic. They think if they hang around you enough you're going to ask them out."

  "Meaning… steady girlfriend?" I inquire.

  "Yep. You should have known better than to mess with those prissy girls."

  I shrug. "I didn't mess with anyone."

  "Uh-huh," Tera replies, rinsing her plate in the sink. She turns around and the light in her eyes is gone. Something major's about to go down. "Look…"

  "What's going on?" Linc asks.

  "I stopped home to pick up my sketch pad. Mom was 'entertaining' again," Tera says softly, looking down.

  "What happened?" I ask. "Did someone hurt you?"

  Her head snaps up and she looks at me. "No."

  "But?" Jesse prods.

  "But they wanted to. I managed to get out of the house before they could catch me."

  "What the fuck?" Linc shouts. "And mom was going to let them?"

  Tera nods.

  I stand and walk over to her, pulling her to me. She's shaking.

  "It's all right, T. It'll be all right. You can stay here as long as you need to," I inform her. I know my dad won't have a problem with it, and even if I do have issues dealing with Tera being a hot chick, friendship comes first—and she's one of the best ones I've got.

  Linc looks at me. "I think it's time to talk to your dad when he gets home."

  I nod. "Yeah. It's time he knows what's going on—with all of you." I give Kennedy and Ethan pointed glares but they're looking at their plates. I've seen enough bruises on those two to know something bad is going down.

  Their moms are into drugs and whoring for their next fix. It's why they spend most of their time here. I think my dad already knows, but it's time they tell him straight out. I think I know what's going on over there, too, and if it's as bad as I think it is, something needs to be done fast.

  Coming Soon!

  DUET PLAYLIST

  Spotify

  Undone by Hailey Reinhart

  Safe & Sound by Julia Sheer

  I Can’t Not Love You by Every Avenue

  Where I Stood by Missy Higgins

  You by The Pretty Reckless

  How Dare You by Sarah Darling

  Tired Of You by The Exies

  Stupid Boy by Keith Urban

  Say Something by A Great Big World with Christina Aguilera

  Need You Now by Lady Antebellum

  All Of Me by Jason Chen & Madilyn Bailey

  Make You Miss Me by Sam Hunt

  Breathe by Michelle Branch

  If I Were A Boy by Beyoncé

  Back To Home by Tristan Prettyman

  Bad Intentions by Niykee Heaton

  Heartbreak Warfare by John Mayer

  I Won’t Let You Go by James Morrison

  Kiss Me Slowly by Parachute

  Anywhere But Here by SafetySuit

  Stay by SafetySuit

  Unlike Any Other by Delta Rae

  She is Love by Parachute

  Next to Me by Emeli Sandé

  Make You Miss Me by Sam Hunt

  Come Wake Me Up by Rascal Flatts

  A Beautiful Life by Thirty Seconds To Mars

  Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been by Relient K

  Making Memories Of Us by Keith Urban

  Sugar by Maroon 5

  Edge Of Desire by John Mayer

  Zzyzx Rd. – Pop Version by Stone Sour

  That’s Gonna Leave A Memory by Easton Corbin

  Stay by Thirty Seconds To Mars

  Little Things by One Direction

  Beautiful Disaster by Jon McLaughlin

  Because Of You by 98°

  Brass Bed by Josh Gracin

  I Found in You by Sarah Darling

  Just Tonight by The Pretty Reckless

  Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

  Push by Matchbox Twenty

  You by The Pretty Reckless

  What I Did For Love (Feat. Emeli Sandé) by David Guetta

  Loveliest Things by James Reunion

  It’s Not Just Me by Rascal Flatts

  Glass by Thompson Square

  Bring On The Rain by Jo Dee Messina

  Raining On Sunday by Keith Urban

  Titanium – feat. Sia by David Guetta

  Human by Christina Perri

  Brass In Pocket by Pretenders

  Shadows Of The Night by Pat Benatar

  Little Too Late by Pat Benatar

  Wasted by Carrie Underwood

  Wanted by Hunter Hayes

  Different Than You by The Exies

  Won’t Go Home Without You by Maroon 5

  Somebody’s Heartbreak by Hunter Hayes

  Again by Lenny Kravitz

  Let Me Let Go by Faith Hill

  A Little Bit Stronger by Sara Evans

  Gravity by John Mayer

  These Are The Days by The Exies

  Forget It by Breaking Benjamin

  Never Be The Same by Red

  The Memory Will Never Die by Default

  Heaven [Little By Little] by Theory Of A Deadman

  My Escape (Radio Mix) by Sonic Syndicate

  18 Days by Saving Abel

  Wait For Me by Theory Of A Deadman

  Wherever You Will Go by The Calling

  The Last Worthless Evening by Don Henley

  Not A Bad Thing by Justin Timberlake

  Easy To Love You by Theory Of A Deadman

  I Can’t Love You Back by Easton Corbin

 
Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding

  You & I by One Direction

  Best I Can by Art of Dying

  Runaway Baby by Bruno Mars

  Running Out of Reasons by The Wanted

  Get Through This by Art of Dying

  Broken – Featuring Amy Lee – by Seether

  Bed of Lies by Nicki Minaj, Skylar Grey

  This Means War by Avenged Sevenfold

  Head Games by Foreigner

  Call Your Name by Daughtry

  You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This by Toby Keith

  How Dare You by Sarah Darling

  WHERE TO FIND ANNE

  Website: https://AnneMercierAuthor.com

  Facebook Author Page: http://smarturl.it/FBAuthorPg

  Facebook Personal Page: http://smarturl.it/FBpersonal

  AM Rockstar Group: http://smarturl.it/RockstarGroup

  AM Spoiler Zone: http://smarturl.it/AMspoilerZone

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  Spotify: http://smarturl.it/AnnesPinterest

  BookBub: http://smarturl.it/AnnesBookBub

  Goodreads: http://smarturl.it/AnnesGR

  OTHER AVAILABLE TITLES

  THE ROCKSTAR SERIES

  Falling Down (Rockstar Book 1)

  Blush (Rockstar Book 2)

  A Very Xander Christmas (Rockstar Book 2.5)

  Amplify (Rockstar Book 3)

  Interlude (Rockstar Book 4)

  Ballad (Rockstar Book 5)

  Lullabye (Rockstar Book 6)

  A Very Xander Christmas 2 (Rockstar Book 6.5)

  Kadence (Rockstar Book 7)

  A Very Xander Christmas 3 (Rockstar Book 8)

  Duet (Rockstar 8.5)

  Rockstar Box Set 1 (Books 1 - 3)

  Rockstar Box Set (4 - 6.5)

  THE WAY SERIES

  The Way Back To Me (The Way Book 1)

  The Way With You (The Way Book 2)

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Anne Mercier is the author of the bestselling Rockstar, Truths, and The Way series. She was born and raised in Wisconsin and still lives there today.

  She's an avid reader who gets inspired by reading the stories from her favorite authors as well as listening to various types of music. She is a huge fan of music, chocolate, fruit, desserts, autumn, M. Shadows, Avenged Sevenfold, and Milo Ventimiglia. Through her books, she is proudly creating new Avenged Sevenfold and Milo Ventimiglia fans one reader at a time.