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“And you’re okay with that?”

“Are you okay with belonging to your fans?” He turned the question back on me

“Who is this?” I held up the picture, trying to change the subject I hadn’t come here to feel trapped I came here to be freed Freed the way a man like Luke could release me

Luke stood “That is my brother, Linc He used to play too”

“Not anymore?”

“No He blew out his ACL in college his senior year It ruined his chances in the pros After three surgeries he finally accepted he was done, but he’s rinned “And he doesn’t give ”

“Jake has his days” I didn’t want to reet the chains and the ropes that kept me bound to him and my brand

“That guy needs to find soe”

“And you know so about the music business?”

Luke took the picture from my hand and placed it on the shelf “I don’t know shit about the music business”

The air felt thick between us He would have kissedcellist hadn’t interrupted us Noere alone No crew No fans No benefit guests Just the two of us alone on a ranch in the middle of nowhere

I thought about the blanket of stars outside covering the ranch I thought about how I snuck out of h, hard ht And it worked I was here, ready to fall into his hands

His thuing through the speakers There was so uish in the words I felt the if he heard what I heard Did the lyrics move him like this?

“Are you a fucking angel, Lexi Wilde?”

I shook my head “No,” I whispered