More of Us ( A Love You More Rock Star Romance #3) - Laura Pavlov Page 0,48

“Only one.”

I smiled. “Hey, do you guys still hear from Dex?”

Cruz’s posture stiffened. “No. Why?”

“I just wondered if he was still pushing to get back in the band?”

“Yeah. I mean, he and my dad can try all they want, it’s never going to happen,” he said, picking up a water bottle and tipping his head back as he chugged it.

“Good. And he moved, right? He lives in California?”

He studied me before he responded. “Yeah. Why? He didn’t reach out to you, did he?”

“No. No. Nothing like that. I was just thinking about everything and wondered where he ended up.”

“Last I heard he moved to California. I know he’s gotten together with my dad out there too,” he said rolling his eyes. “I’ll check with Luke and make sure he’s still out there.”

“Oh no. No worries. I just wondered.”

“So… what are you doing tonight? You going out?” he asked, and his shoulders tensed a bit as he waited for an answer.

“Nah. It’s a bubble bath, studying kind of night,” I admitted.

“Damn. I wish I was there.”

I laughed and rolled my eyes. But I wasn’t really annoyed at all.

I wished he were here too.

Chapter Twelve

Cruz

“So, how often do you see Dex?” I asked my father over the phone.

I got a weird vibe from Jade and wanted to make sure nothing was up. Luke checked in to see what was going on with Dex and was told that he was still in Los Angeles. But, if anyone knew what was going on with him, it was my father. Just like with everyone else, Dex was controlled by daddy dearest. The drugs, women, money, career, my father had a way of making you dependent and if you weren’t strong enough to see that he’d take you down with him. That’s what Lennon and I—and Mom now, were trying to break free from.

“I haven’t seen him in a while. I think he’s actually cleaning his act up. Heard he’d checked into a program out in Los Angeles. But I bet he still wants back in Exiled.”

“That’s not happening. You do understand that, right? He was a train wreck to begin with, but he went out with a big bang when he hit my girlfriend and left her lying on the ground unconscious. You do see that there’s no coming back from that, correct?” I said, dropping to sit at the desk in my hotel room.

“I don’t believe anyone is ever at a point where redemption isn’t an option. Hell, if that was the case, I may as well throw in the towel with your mother.”

“Yeah. I’m not getting in the middle of that, but I can tell you this. Mom is doing well. She’s never been better. She’s sober and healthy and she seems really happy. You’re still partying twenty-four, seven. You’ve made no effort to clean yourself up,” I hissed. He was grating on my nerves and I regretted taking his call.

“Why fix what isn’t broken. Just because Mom couldn’t handle herself does not mean I have a problem. Do you know if she’s dating anyone? She won’t even take my calls.”

“Well, you did have an affair with a teenage girl, and she nearly took her own life over it. I’m guessing she isn’t going to be taking your calls anytime soon.”

“That’s where you come in. You need to help me. Tell her I’m doing better. She listens to you,” he said.

“Yeah, I can’t do that.”

“Why?”

“Because it isn’t true. You aren’t doing better,” I said, scrubbing a hand over my face and wondering why the fuck I agreed to open myself up to this man again. Dr. Roberts claimed forgiveness was a two-way street. It was one of her favorite sayings. If you want it, you also have to extend it to others. But this man just might be the exception.

“You judgmental little fucker. So now you’re drinking the Kool-Aid too?” he snapped, and I could feel his rage through the phone. He wasn’t used to things not going his