Chapter 11 #2
I took a deep breath and reached up to squeeze Cruz’s hand still on my shoulder. It was strange, but it made me feel stronger and more grounded, like I could actually do this.
“Life in the spotlight isn’t as glamorous as we make it out to be. In truth, I’m kept cut off from everyone. I’m not allowed to get close to anyone. I’m not allowed a phone, social media, basically anything. And they keep me drugged to suppress my wolf.”
Cruz’s hand tightened on my shoulder, and I felt a vibration of anger ripple through him, but I continued.
“So, I pretended to take the meds, but I spit them out and stayed up that night. It was a very rare act of defiance. When the driver stopped to pee on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere while everyone else was asleep, I snuck off the bus. At first, I just wanted to stretch and breathe fresh air, but something smelled familiar and called to me. So I just stood there and watched the bus drive away. I wasn’t thinking about the consequences of my actions, I just did it, and then I went for a run for miles and miles until I came across the territory line into Collier. ”
“And that’s where I found you,” Cruz added.
I nodded.
“You don’t have a phone?” Audrey asked, sounding disgusted.
“Nope. I never have. Ronnie, my manager, is pretty strict and controlling on stuff like that.”
“That’s bullshit,” Cammie blurted out.
“Cammie!” her parents said in unison.
“Sorry, but it is.”
“Since everyone was sleeping and the driver never noticed, they wouldn’t even have discovered I was gone until well into the next day. And now I don’t have a clue how to get in touch with them.”
Cammie ran from the room and returned with a laptop.
“All your band members have social media accounts. It’s a long shot, but we could try to DM them,” she suggested.
“Try Jed. He’s always checking his DM’s and is the most likely to reply. The other guys tease him constantly for it.”
Cammie nodded excitedly. “Okay.”
She sat next to me as she pulled up his account and clicked to get a pop up where she started typing.
Hi Jed. My name is Cammie Collier and I’m sitting here with Daisy Brooks. This is not a joke. I’m serious. She’s safe.
She hit enter then stared at the screen. “He’s never going to believe me. Is there something I can tell him to make him believe this is real?” she asked.
I thought about it for a moment then smiled. “May I?”
She passed me the laptop, and I quickly added a message.
Jed, it’s really me, Daisy.
Tell Knox that I’m still working on those lyrics for Jonny and Cassidy’s wedding song:
Doesn’t she know?
Doesn’t she understand?
Doesn’t she realize I don’t give a shit about this crap?
I just want to love her for the rest of my life.
“Is there a phone number I can give him to call me?”
“Use mine,” Cruz said.
I quickly typed one more message asking him to have Knox call me at that number, but not to alert Ronnie.
“Jonny’s getting married?!” Cammie squealed.
“Keep that one to yourself because they have not publicly announced anything and he’ll kill me if it gets leaked.”
Cruz growled again.
I grinned. I kind of liked that he was so protective.
My stomach rumbled, and Cruz walked around and pulled me to my feet.
“Now we wait, right?” he asked.
I nodded. “And pray he reads it and believes it.”
“Okay, well, we’re going to head out then and get some food.”
“Kate’s?” Thomas asked.
“Yeah. I figured we’d swing by there on our way home.”
“Mind if we join you? After seeing how my girls reacted to her, I’d like to make a few calls and ensure we do not start a riot or something before I get word out and silence the Pack.”
“That’s probably a good idea,” Sydney agreed.
Cruz scowled. “Is that really necessary?”
I bit my bottom lip and nodded. “It can happen,” I admitted.
He growled. “I can protect you. That’s my job now.”
“It is,” Thomas agreed. “But there’s no shame in having backup.”
Begrudgingly he agreed, and we left the Alpha House with the others trailing behind.
Cruz’s phone rang just as we were pulling into a cute little diner with a big sign reading “Kate’s Diner.”
He looked down at it then up to me. “No one I know,” he told me, then put it on speaker as he answered.
“Hello?”
“Dammit, I knew it,” Jed said.
“How the hell could anyone else know about the wedding?” Jonny demanded.
My heart soared and tears pricked my eyes.
“Guys, it’s me. I didn’t know how else to get in touch with you.”
“Give me that,” Knox insisted. “Daisy?”
“Hi Knox. It’s really me.”
“Where the hell are you? What happened? Are you safe?”
“I’m fine. More than fine even.”
“Who was that guy that answered?”
“That’s Cruz. It’s a long story.”
“Ronnie is pissed, baby girl,” Cash yelled in the background.
I cringed. “How bad is it?”
“He’s convinced you’re either dead or kidnapped.”
I sighed.
“Want to talk about it?” Knox asked.
“Not really. I just wanted you guys to know that I am not kidnapped, nor am I dead. I’m fine, happy even. We still have the rest of the week before the concert in Cheyenne.”
“We’re still a go for Cheyenne?” Jonny asked.
“Of course we are. When have I ever missed a concert?”
“I told you. Pay up, boys,” Cash said.
“Do not let Ronnie cancel. Okay?”
“We’re on it. Now when are you coming home?”
Home.
“I feel like I am home,” I admitted aloud.
Cruz reached over and squeezed my hand. When I looked up, he was nodding.
“The guy who answered?”
I blushed. “Something like that.”
“I’m going to have meet him and make sure he’s acceptable. Don’t do anything stupid in the meantime,” Knox warned me.
Cruz was watching me, and I was horrified at Knox’s insinuation. I had to diffuse the situation quickly. So, I said the first thing that popped into my head.
“Now you sound like Ronnie.”
“Ouch. Low blow, sister.”
Hearing their voices made me relax in a way I didn’t know I needed.
“So where are you?” he asked.
“I want to tell you, but I’m not ready to deal with Ronnie.”
“None of us will tell that asshole,” Jed insisted. It wasn’t like him to speak up like that.
“I kind of have a favor to ask. Do you think you can get away, keep the concert from being canceled, and not alert Ronnie to my whereabouts?”
“Yes,” they agreed.
“Alright, here’s what I’m thinking . . .”
The concert was still six days away, and I wasn’t going to give up any of that time with my mate.
Everyone was already inside, along with a dozen or so others, when I hung up and we finally walked in.
Cruz kept staring at me with a funny look on his face.
“What?” I finally asked.
“I don’t know. I’m just really struggling with this whole big star thing. I mean, I saw it in the way everyone reacted to you, but it also didn’t feel like you.”
“I get it, and I’ll understand if it’s too much for you to deal with.
It’s a lot even for me sometimes. But I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy as I have been these last few days.
My life is very sheltered and restrictive.
Ronnie won’t like any of this, and you’re going to hate him.
He is a shifter though, so I’m hoping he understands.
Maybe? I don’t really think he will though. ”
“If he’s that bad, then why do you put up with him?”
I shrugged. “Can we talk about it later? I really am starving.”
He linked his fingers with mine and walked me to the door.
On the other side was a restaurant full of expectant fans. They didn’t have to make a scene for me to recognize it.