Page 77 of Raise Me Up

“No shit. How many speeding tickets do you have?”

Tightening my hands on the wheel, I gun it to switch lanes between traffic. “Three.”

“Woah. I expected way more. Cops are slacking.”

A few cars litter the cul-de-sac outside Hail’s house when we roll up. His house is the only one built so far at this end of the neighborhood, but give it another year and the neighborhood will be bursting at the seams.

Beau looks over the small ranch with a frown. “For metal gods, you two don’t really know how to live the lifestyle, do you?”

“I’ve known Hail most of my life and still can’t say I understand the eclectic workings of his mind.”

Then again, I’m the one who made the sudden decision to retire from playing music to start up a recording studio. Seems we’re both pretty unpredictable.

Beau chuckles at the welcome mat.No thanks, we’re good. Hail told me all about how solicitors swarmed his house when he first moved in. Wonder if the mat’s doing its job.

I bring my tattooed fist down on the black door, hot from the sun beating on it. Muffled shouting commences. No one comes to answer, so I burst in like I own the place.

“Liam mother fucking Beckner in the house!” Malek shouts from the open living area, an Xbox controller in his hands. His long, tan, lean body is on display, broken up only by a pair of neon blue swim trunks.

Griff crouches like a gargoyle on the arm of the sectional. When he sees me, he tosses his controller aside and charges at me. Leaping up, he attempts to hook an arm around my neck. It’s a far jump, considering our height difference. I’ve probably got fifty pounds of muscle on him, too.

Catching him, I hold him off the ground like a toddler having a meltdown. His flailing comes with a smile. Angelic little blonde curls peek out of his black beanie. He kept it buzzed for so long, I almost forgot what his hair actually looked like.

“You’re gonna put holes in Hail’s drywall, asshole,” I mumble.

Once I’m sure his bare feet are planted on the floor, I release him.

I expect another attack from Malek. Instead, he fist bumps Beau. “Hey, man. Good to see you again. You livin’ in the Dallas area now?”

Beau’s eyes dart over to me. “Nah. Just…uh…here for an extended visit.”

My teeth clench together. I don’t want to linger on the idea of him leaving, but I have to remember he has a house in Phoenix. And as much as he might believe his musical career is over, he has the talent to get back out there whenever he’s ready.

“Sorry to hear about Lithos. You were the heart of that band,” Malek says sincerely.

I study Beau for the slightest changes in his expression. He simply shrugs off the comment. “The break hasn’t been so bad.”

Malek finally turns to me and extends a hand. I blink down at it, expecting some sort of trick. “What the fuck is this, maturity?”

He flashes a wicked grin. “Someone had to grow up when dad retired from the band. Still can’t believe you dropped out.”

“Don’t make me walk back out this door.”

“Liam, noooo!” Malek lunges at me. I snap a hand to his head, keeping him away without much effort.

Griff smacks Malek on the arm. “Quit it with the clingy shit. You know he’ll ghost us.”

I frown. Yeah, the reputation I’ve earned isn’t something I’m proud of.

Malek stalks off with a feigned attitude as Griff turns his focus to Beau. “You any good at Call of Duty?”

“Don’t think I’ve played that one…”

Griff tugs him down the hall by the arm. “Great. We’re getting our asses handed to us by a bunch of ten-year-olds.”

While Beau gets sucked into video games, I haul the cooler into the kitchen where more people linger.

It should come as no surprise that my eyes fall on my best friend’s sister first.