He picks up the sledgehammer and gives it a swing.
Liam and I stand. “I think we’re done here,” he says.
“So, the gasoline?”
“Ella was right. I’d probably go to jail for arson. I don’t need that shit hanging over my head too.”
As we step over the rubble, I ask, “What now? You’re not going to live here.”
“I’ll pay someone to refurbish it, then I’ll sell it.” He laughs. “I’ll never get near what I paid for it.”
“Was it worth it?” Crew asks.
“Destroying the walls, tearing through the doors, pummeling the wood? Every swing was another punch to the bastard’s face.” He glances around. “So yes, totally worth it.”
Crew pats him on the back. “I’m glad, brother.”
Liam holds out a hand. “Thanks for having my back.”
Crew pushes Liam’s hand aside and brings him in for a hug. “Always.”
We exit the house and go to the cars. Liam doesn’t look back. He catches my arm and spins me against his chest. “Thanks for finding me.”
“I’ll always find you.”
He kisses me. “Thanks for saving me too.”
I shrug. “Conjugal visits just wouldn’t be the same.”
He laughs, then sobers. “I’m not only talking about today. You’ve saved me, Ella, in so many ways.”
“I’ll do it as many times as you need me to.”
He traces my bottom lip. “The same goes for you. I promise I’ll always find you. I’ll always save you. I’ll always be there for you.”
His words sound like promises—vows even. I’ve never been more confident that one day, I’ll be his wife.
Chapter Fifty-one
Liam
Ella and I enter the bar and look around for the others. “There they are,” she says, pointing to a corner. I carry the gift we’re giving Garrett—a charcoal sketch of him sitting at his drums. Ella drew it, and I built the frame.
Someone brought balloons, probably Bria. She’s always doing that sort of thing. A huge helium 25 floats behind Garrett.
“Happy birthday,” I say, shaking his hand.
“Thanks. Glad to see your knuckles are healing nicely. He hasn’t bothered you again since that night, has he?”
I shake my head. Garrett, along with the rest of the band, now knows my father is a scumbag, and Dirk was covering for him. I didn’t share details, but they can put two and two together.
Many drinks are brought to the table as Garrett opens his gifts. He opens ours last. “Holy shit, Ella, this is fantastic.”
“My girl is talented, isn’t she?”
“Hell yes, she is, but we already knew that.” He pulls out an envelope. “I have something for you. Well, it’s for everyone, but mostly you. I’m no stranger to family bullshit. I hope this will make things better for you.”
“But it’s your birthday. You’re the one who’s supposed to get gifts.”
“This will benefit me too. Go on, open it.”
I slip a finger under the seal, rip it open, and pull out a check. It’s made out to Indica Record Label, and it’s for a million dollars. My eyes snap to his. “What are you doing?”
“I’m buying us out of the contract.”
“But this is your inheritance.”
“Every damn penny.”
I hand it back to him. “You can’t do this.”
“I can, and I will. Everyone at this table knows we’ll all be making this kind of money in a year or two anyway. This way we can get out from under Ronni and Dirk. We’ll find a label that wants to work with us on our terms. We have a lot of leverage now. Anyone would kill to represent us.”
I can’t believe this is happening. “Are you fucking serious?”
“As serious as the numbers on that check.”
I turn to the others, who are all smiling. Thoughts fly through my head. No more of Ronni’s bullshit rules. And Dirk—I’ll finally be free of him, once and for all.
I hug Garrett. “You have no idea what this means to me. I don’t even know how to thank you.”
“You can thank me—you can all thank me—by playing the best damn music anyone has ever heard.”
“You got it, man.” I call the waitress over and ask for shots, then hand one out to everyone. “On three.” I count off, and we all yell, “Let’s get Reckless!”
Ella giggles. “That was fun.”
“You like that?”
“I do.”
“You’ll have to come backstage and join in when we’re on tour.”
“Do you think there will still be a tour?” Bria says. “I mean, if we’re not with IRL anymore, all bets are off.”
Crew says, “It might take a while longer, but we’ll go national. Maybe even international.”