Chapter Ten
Annie
Caleb counts us in, and we launch straight into one of our originals, “Saving Grace.”
It’s one of my favorites. The first song Caleb and I ever wrote together.
Chad kicks in with sharp, steady drums. Aston follows, locking in instantly, and then Ella and I join on guitar. The second my fingers hit the strings, everything else disappears.
I glance over at Aston, and he’s smiling, that easy, familiar grin that hits me harder than it should.
It sparks something new inside me, something bright and electric, and suddenly the entire room feels alive with color.
The music surges through me, flooding my system, pulling me deeper into that perfect balance we somehow always find when we play together.
Caleb starts to sing, and I close my eyes for a second, letting it all wash over me. The opportunity. The moment. The fact that Rob Luxley is here listening to us.
When I open my eyes again, Aston is right beside me.
I smile, still playing, and turn so my back presses lightly against his. A second later, he leans into me, and just like that, everything clicks into place. The world steadies, the rhythm settles, and I’m playing harder, sharper, better than ever.
There’s something about that contact, about him, that grounds me. I can feel his energy, the pulse of it, feeding straight into my own, and it drives me further into the music.
This is it.
This feeling right here.
This is what I want.
A stage. A crowd. This.
Nothing else matters.
I jump in on backing vocals as we hit the chorus, my voice blending seamlessly with Caleb’s.
And I know that she’s my saving grace.
She came right from another place,
And fell straight into my heart.
I loved her from the start.
My saving grace. My saving grace.
The sound swells, filling the room, and I lose myself in it completely. It’s overwhelming in the best way, like I’m floating, like nothing can touch me here.
This must be what being high feels like.
Pure, unstoppable energy.
The song builds toward the end, and I resist the urge to glance at Rob. If he looks unimpressed, it could throw everything off. Instead, I glance back at Aston over my shoulder. He’s completely locked in, just like me, leaning into me as we ride out the final stretch together.
Chad hits the drum fill, signaling the end, and we crash out of the song perfectly.
And I already know—we nailed it.
I finish on the final riff and look over at Caleb. He’s grinning, and I know he feels it too.
We’re on fire.
I finally look away from the band and catch Dad’s face. He’s smiling so wide it looks like it hurts.
“We’d like to welcome everyone here tonight,” Caleb says, stepping forward, all confidence and charm. “We are Staked, and this next song is our latest. Get ready to be blown away by “Don’t Mess With The Best.” ”
I kick off the intro, and a surge of adrenaline hits me so hard it almost takes my breath away.
I love this song. It’s bold, loud, unapologetic—everything we are. And somewhere in the back of my mind, I know this is Dad’s favorite too.
As Caleb starts singing, my thoughts flick to the solo coming up halfway through. I’ve been playing around with an idea, something bigger, something more dramatic.
And now… I want to try it.
This is our shot.
If I’m going to do it, it has to be now.
The section builds, and Aston leans into my back again, steady and grounding. That tiny bit of contact is all it takes.
Decision made.
When the solo hits, I step forward, breaking away from him, and start strong. I glance back at Caleb, and his expression shifts—surprise, then concern.
I smile and give him a small nod.
Trust me.
Then I push it further.
I extend the solo, digging deeper, pulling out everything I’ve got. The sound grows bigger, sharper, more alive, and I close my eyes, letting it take over completely. Every note hits harder than the last, the music pouring out of me in a way it never has before.
This is better.
This is what the song needed.
I can feel it.
I keep one ear on the band, making sure they’re still with me, but I’m lost in it now, riding the wave of sound as it builds and builds.
This is it.
This is the moment.
I open my eyes… and the room hits me all at once.
Caleb isn’t smiling anymore.
Ella looks tense.
Chad’s concentrating too hard.
Dad looks furious.
My stomach drops.
I glance at Aston.
He’s still smiling, but he tilts his head slightly, a subtle signal.
Enough.
Come back.
I hesitate for half a beat, then pull the solo back in, stepping into place just as the band snaps into the chorus.
We recover.
Clean and tight.
But something feels… off.
Still, the adrenaline is too strong, the high too good. I push through, riding it out as we bring the song to a powerful finish.
When the final note hits, I finally look at Rob.
He’s grinning.
Wide.
Almost unnaturally so, like the Cheshire cat, and relief floods me.
We did it.
We continue through the final beat, and when we stop, Rob claps, stepping forward.
I take a small, cocky bow, the energy still buzzing through me, and laughter bubbles out of me before I can stop it. The rest of the room joins in with the applause, but I barely hear it over the rush in my ears.
“Well,” Rob says, “I’ve seen enough.”
He turns to Dad, and they step aside to talk.
I blink.
That’s it?
Just two songs?
A flicker of doubt creeps in, but I shove it down quickly. We were incredible. I know we were.
Aston steps up beside me. “Nice solo, Lennox,” he murmurs. “Really added something.”
Relief hits instantly, and I grin and lean into him, wrapping an arm around his waist. He slides his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer, and I settle into him without thinking. I glance over at Ella, who’s smirking at me like she knows exactly what’s going on, and I smile wider.
We nailed it.
I wrap my other arm around Aston, holding onto him as the adrenaline slowly starts to settle.
He leans in, his nose brushing against my hair—
And my brain finally catches up.
Wait.
Is he… nuzzling me?
I feel Aston shift closer, his body brushing mine, and then he presses a kiss to the top of my head, and my breath catches.
That… is not something friends do.
And as much as a part of me wants to stay right here, wrapped up in him, I know what that looks like. I know what it means.
I pull away, stepping back, putting space between us, my brows furrowing as I look at him.
He stares back, confusion flickering across his face.
Seriously?
Aston’s doing this again? Here? In front of everyone?
I screw up my face, and he shakes his head slightly, like he doesn’t understand what he’s done wrong.
That only makes it worse.
The anger hits fast and sharp—the kind I know always gets me into trouble. I yank my guitar off and set it on the stand a little harder than necessary.
Aston reaches out and grabs my elbow. “Annie, I’m sorry,” he murmurs.
I glare at him. “Don’t. Touch. Me,” I whisper, keeping my voice low so no one else hears, then I turn away before I say something louder, something I can’t take back.
But he steps closer again, right behind me, and I feel his breath against my neck, warm and too close, and my body betrays me instantly, a shiver racing down my spine.
I hate that I want it.
I hate it.
That only fuels the anger more, and I spin back around.
“Lennox, stop,” he whispers.
“Fuck you,” I shoot back under my breath.
Goddammit! I can feel it building—the pressure, the emotion, the inevitable explosion—and I know if I stay here one second longer, I’m going to lose it.
So I walk.
Fast.
Out of the music room before I completely blow up in front of everyone… but more importantly, in front of Rob. I’m aware people are watching me, probably calling my name, but there’s a ringing in my ears that blocks everything out.
I just need space.
I just need to breathe.
Music is everything to me, and I am not letting this—whatever this is—ruin our chance.
Even if part of me knows…
I don’t actually want him to stop.
I shut that thought down immediately.
No.
The band comes first.
Always.
I make it to the kitchen and drop into a chair, staring out through the glass doors toward the willow tree.
Our tree.
The place Aston and I go when we need to escape everything else. Where it’s always been just us… just music… just easy.
But now? I don’t even know if that place is safe anymore.
Footsteps approach, but I don’t look up.
“Interesting timing,” Ella says, sliding into the chair beside me. “You go from cuddling Aston to storming out like he set you on fire. What’s that about?”
Relief washes through me that it’s her, and not Dad. I lean forward, elbows on the table, dropping my head into my hands.
“I don’t even know.” I groan. “He’s my best friend. So why the hell do I want to cuddle him like that?”
Ella nudges me with her shoulder. “Because you like him?”
I lift my head and shake it immediately. “No way. He’s basically family. I’ve grown up with him. I know everything about him. I can’t like him.”
Before she can argue, Chad strolls in, spinning his drumsticks. Rob wants everyone back in there,” he says. “And Uncle Colt looks like he’s about two seconds away from losing it.” He disappears again just as quickly as he came.
“To be continued,” Ella murmurs.
I nod, pushing up from my chair. “Yeah… definitely.”
We head back toward the music room, and thankfully, I feel calmer now. Still rattled, but at least I’m not about to explode. When we walk in, everyone is gathered around the sofa, waiting.
Dad’s glare hits me instantly.
I roll my eyes.
Seriously? I needed a minute. Surely that’s better than a full-blown meltdown in front of Rob.
“Oh, good, you’re back,” Rob says easily. “Come sit down. I want to talk to all of you together.”
Ella grabs my hand, and we squeeze onto the floor beside Mum.
I don’t look at Aston.
I can’t.
“All right,” Rob continues. “Let’s talk about Staked.”
My stomach tightens.
“I only needed to hear two songs to make my decision.”
I swallow hard.
Here it comes.