looks different. He had his hair different and wore glasses, but …”
“Who is he?” Brix asks.
“He fixed my phone a few months ago. Like, right before you went on tour. He’s from Rent A Geek.”
Webber laughs. “Okay, there goes the rest of my secrets.”
“He’s been in her phone,” Brix says.
“Cloned it,” Webber says. “It’s amazing what information you can get from an iPhone. Places you’ve been. Touring schedules. You can record phone calls with a simple app. Find out the user’s current location …”
“Wait, before the tour?” I realize something. “You didn’t follow me home from the concert that night, did you? You weren’t even there.”
Webber laughs some more, and it’s either me or it’s starting to sound maniacal. “Oh, I was there.”
“Honest mistake, my ass,” I mumble.
“I asked about your precious Evah. I asked about your plans now the tour was done. I asked you a million questions in that VIP room, and yet you still didn’t recognize me when I was in your kitchen. You don’t give a shit about your fans.”
That hurts more than anything he could’ve done if he’d have gotten to me tonight. I also know it’s complete bullshit. I respect the hell out of my fans, and I’ve sacrificed a lot of myself over the years to give them what they want.
I glance at Brix. “I’m done here. I don’t need to hear anymore. Are the cops on their way?”
The sound of whirring helicopter blades gets louder and louder.
“Is that them?” I ask.
“Uh, no. That will be Trav. One thing about him is he doesn’t like cops snooping around his shit. So, uh, yeah, he’ll take care of … this.” He gestures to Webber.
I cock my head. “Is this another joke about burying bodies and shit?”
“Who says we’re joking when we say stuff like that?”
Webber lets out a pained noise and fights against his restraints. Brix watches him like it’s entertaining.
The ties break skin until Webber’s wrists look angry and bloody.
“Ugh, don’t bleed all over the rug,” Brix tells him. “Trav will kill me.”
Just as he says that, Trav, Iris, and Gideon appear from down the hallway, having come through the back of the house.
Iris and Trav are armed up to their eyeballs. Gideon looks like Gideon. Always put together.
“Who am I killing?” Trav asks.
Brix points to Webber. “Him. He’s bleeding all over your dead zebra. He, uh, also smashed up some stuff. It was all him.”
“Damn,” Iris says. “Looks like you had fun.”
“I don’t even care about the mess. I’m more fixated on the fact you didn’t kill him,” Trav says. “My little boy is all grown up.” He sniffs and wipes a fake tear away.
Gideon rolls his eyes. “Please, all you motherfucking badasses are like rottweilers. You all look scary but are just big puppy dogs.” He reaches over to mess up Trav’s hair.
“You promised your mom you wouldn’t do that anymore,” Trav grumbles.
“I will never stop giving you shit for naming your company—”
My eyes widen. “Wait … MB. Motherfucking badasses? That’s what Mike Bravo stands for?”
Gideon laughs, and I can’t help joining in.
“You know, considering the amount of weaponry in this room right now, you two are pretty cocky,” Trav says.
“Brix will never let you hurt me.”
Brix rubs his chin. “I dunno. Never get in between a man and—”
“His motherfucking badass friends?” I quip.
Brix pushes me toward his boss. “Trav, he’s all yours.”
“Traitor!” I exclaim.
Gideon approaches and looks at me sympathetically. “Are you okay?”
I let out a loud breath. “You … you came all this way to see if I’m okay?”
“Free helicopter ride.” He smiles. “But seriously, are you okay?”
Am I even able to answer that right now? “I … think so? It’s over, right? So I should be fine.”
“I don’t think that’s how traumatic events work, but I’ll let you have that for now.”
Ugh. He’s so going to bring up seeing a therapist. He mentioned it once or twice after the break-in, and I refused.
“Right. So …” Trav cuts in. “How are we handling this?”
“What do you mean, how are we handling this?” I ask. “With cops.”
Trav winces. “Eww, fine. Play it that way. I have a DEA agent who owes me a favor.”
Iris, behind him, makes a kissy noise and lets out an “Ooooh.”
Trav levels him with a single look.
I wish I knew that trick.
“Let’s clean this up,” Trav says, and he and Iris cut Webber’s legs free and lead him outside.
He struggles the whole way, throwing obscenities and more threats my way. “I’ll be out in two years