I laugh. “What?”

“Hmm.” He smirks. “I don’t deserve a good girl like you.”

“Well, I am a hundred percent sure the girls who have had you would disagree.”

He is dozing off, so I take his hand.

“Tales?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t deserve you, but everything inside and outside of me wants to take you and keep you.”

“You should rest; you’re talking—”

“Truth. I’m talking truth.”

“Under the influence, so I won’t hold you to it, Memphis.”

He slowly drags my hand to his stomach and then down … there. “Take them with you.” He uses my hand to grab his … balls. “You should have them.”

Wow, just, wow. I am blushing from head to toe and slightly turned on, while he’s a mess. What the hell is wrong with me?

“Sweet cheeks?”

“Yeah, Memphis?”

“The least you could do is give them a tug.”

“A what?” I laugh.

“Hmm,” he sighs.

“You really want me to …”

“Fuck, yeah,” he says in a medicated, slow drawl. “When I wake up, I want them slapping POW!”

I’m totally confused, so I stand, hands still under his … on his … balls. I lean over him and kiss him.

“I fucking love your mouth. I can’t wait to taste your—”

I kiss him again, then tug.

He groans in my mouth, and … I do it again.

***

Four hours. That’s how long it has been since we arrived here at this godforsaken hospital. Between the band, Madison, and me, I think the nurses are growing tired of us.

I look up when I hear Finn say, “X-Man, what the fuck are you doing here?”

This guy… X-man is in jeans and a T-shirt. His arms are covered in tattoos and he’s bulky, like he works out. He’s very, very good-looking, just like everyone Memphis hangs out with, but none of them are as handsome as Memphis.

“Forever Steel, man. How is he?”

“Still in surgery. He’s a fucking mess.”

“How’s your head, man?” Xavier asks, walking around him.

“Twelve stitches. I’ll be fine,” Billy answers. “This shit’s my fault. If he can’t play, it’s—”

“Then you’ll play,” the man covered in tattoos that looks very intimidating walks over to me. “Rough night?”

I nod.

Finn introduces me and Madison, who is asleep on my lap, in his own way. “That’s his sister and the girl he wants to—”

“His sister’s best friend,” Billy interrupts.

“I’m Xavier Steel.” He reaches his hand out. “Someone call his parents?”

“I’m Tallia, and yes, Madison called them.”

“He has a great team of doctors; he’ll be fine.” Xavier sits down. When he’s not hovering, he looks far less intimidating. “Billy here is gonna learn acoustic—”

“I can’t.”

“The fuck you can’t; you will.” Xavier laughs, but I really don’t think he’s joking.

“Xavier …” Billy begins.

“Forever Steel, Billy,” is all he says before he turns back to me and shakes his head. “Where’s his head at?”

I look up at Finn and then River who is sleeping on the hard plastic waiting room couch.

Xavier clears his throat. “I saw you in the video monitor during our call the other day, saw him looking at you. So, I’m not asking them, I am asking”—he points at me—“you. Where’s his head at?”

I swallow back tears. “Scared, doesn’t think he’s going to be all right, but he will. I know he will. He has an amazing voice, and his talent is God given and—”

“Where’s your head at?” he interrupts.

“I don’t understand.”

“You gonna keep his head straight and mind focused?”

How? I scream in my head. How am I supposed to do that and what the hell is he talking about?

“I don’t understand,” I repeat.

He nods. “I see.”

I can’t find her. Fuck, I don’t even know who it is I’m looking for. I just know I need her, like now. Someone has me. Someone is keeping me away from her, and I don’t know who they are, either.

I look around. Darkness is everywhere. I see shadows, but nothing recognizable. They still have me, and I fight with all I am, all I have.

“Please, stop. Just leave him alone. God!”

I hear a cry, and then I see a light. And nothing good comes when you see a light. Fuck, what happened? Where am I? Why is she crying?

“Memphis, just open your eyes. Please just open your eyes.”

I force myself to do just that. I blink at the brightness a few times then finally …

“Fuck,” I groan.

“He’s awake,” I hear Mads. “He’s awake.”

“Shit, Mads, did you think I wouldn’t wake up?” I growl at her. “Fucking throat hurts.”

“You had a tube down your throat. That’s normal after surgery,” the nurse says.

“You shoved a fucking tube down my throat? You never said you were shoving shit down my throat. So help me God, you better not have fucked that up.” I try to sit up, but I can’t. “Am I tied the fuck down?”

“You were fighting. We had no choice but to restrain you for your own—”

“Un-fucking-believable,” I groan. It hurts. It hurts really fucking badly. “How long am I gonna feel like shit?”

“A few days. And you’ll—”

“Then knock me the fuck out. Fuck, I have to piss.”

“You have a catheter in—”

“Fucking masochists. I will end your lives if that shit doesn’t work again.”

“Memphis, shut it down, man. You’ll be fine.”

I look left. “X-man, if they fuck everything up for me, and I’m back to serving coffee—”

“I’ll hire you on to wipe River’s ass.” He smirks at me.

“Fuck you.”

“If it still works, I’ll get you a hooker, but you aren’t fucking me,” he jokes.

“Man, what a fucking mess.” I look toward Madison, who starts sobbing.

“I’m sorry. This is all my fault. If I—”

“Mads, you’re fine. Just muffle that cry; my fucking head hurts, okay?”

“I have to tell you something,” she says, standing beside me.

“Mom and Dad here?”

“No, I didn’t call them,” she says and that lip pokes out.

I laugh. “You didn’t what?”

“They don’t deserve to be here. They’ve only come to two of your shows and—”

“They’re busy, Mads. Shit, Dad busts his ass making bank, and Mom busts hers making everything perfect for all of us.”

“Dad’s been cheating on her. I caught him, and I don’t know how to tell—”

I gasp. “What the fuck did you just say?”

“Madison,” I hear X as the room spins. “Not a good time for this conversation.”

“Someone knock me the fuck out,” I beg.

***

I wake up in the dark. I swallow, finding my throat is still sore. I try to move my hand, but it hurts like a bitch, and my head is spinning, and not because of the drugs, but because of what Madison told me.

“I am gonna kill that mother—”

“You’re awake?”

I look right to find Tally is sitting there. I give a nod.

“You’re in pain?”

I nod again.

“The nurse said you can drink. It might make you feel better.”

“I don’t see how it could.”

She looks at me sadly.

“Don’t look at me like that, Tales. I mean, shit happens. Maybe not all at once like today, but shit happens.”

“You’re going to be okay.”

“Yeah.” I nod.

“Wasn’t asking.” She gets up and sits on my right side, taking the cup off the rolling stand then bending the straw as she leans toward me. “Hydrate, rest, heal.”

“It’s that easy?”

She nods. “Hydrate, rest, heal.” Then she leans in and kisses my head.

“Where’s Mads?”

“Your band mates took her back to the house to sleep. She’s kind of … tired.”

“She okay?”

“She will be.”

I take a drink, and then she sets it down and turns her body toward me.

“You will be, too.”

“My old man fucked around on a woman he told he loved every day on the phone or in person.”

“Things happen. I know it sucks, but they do.”

“You lost your old man,” I whisper because it hurts to talk.