He shrugs. “I don’t know. She said maybe if she got the right script and the right co-star.”
“How’d you feel about that?” Linc asks.
Jesse looks over. “Petrified. There are a lot of what ifs that go along with Lucy going back to acting.”
I nod. “I can see that, but I don’t think she sees any what ifs when she looks at you.”
“You think?” he asks.
Linc smacks him. “Idiot.”
Jesse smirks. Lucy looks over and her eyes find him immediately. The love shining in them is so easy to see.
“This is so exciting,” Spenser says as he walks up with his boyfriend, Carmine.
“I’ve only been to one of these,” Carmine tells us.
“I love seeing Lucy like this,” Spenser smiles, then looks over to Jesse. He rolls his eyes. “You have absolutely nothing to worry about… unless you go back that butcher of a barber. Then I’ll stab you with my scissors.”
“I already said I was sorry,” Jesse tells him.
I snicker.
“Jesus,” Linc mutters. “Is everyone in this group scary?”
“They’re definitely not shy,” I inform him.
There’s a loud noise, like a car backfiring. I look to the street for the piece of shit, but Linc’s shoving us all to the ground as another pop, then another and another, and then there’s a blast. Fire and heat close it singes the hair on my hands.
“Lucy!” Jesse bellows.
She coughs and crawls her way over. “Jesse.” He pulls her close.
“You okay?” Linc asks.
“Fine. What about everyone else?”
I see Damian and Celeste, Sera and Cage all checking on the others. I spot Meggie’s bright pink hair and Trace rolling off of her. They’re all okay.
“Where’s Joey?” Damian asks.
Spenser and his guy are shaking, but fine. Simone and Carmen are unscathed.
But no Joey.
Everyone’s looking, and when I move forward, Linc pushes me back.
“Don’t, E. Don’t look,” Linc says, and it’s then I know it’s bad.
Linc signals Damian over. “I think he got caught up in the blast,” Linc mutters.
Damian looks over and frowns, anger and grief come and go quickly.
Lucy’s running over and Damian stops her. “Where is he? Where’s Joey?”
“Luce,” Damian starts. She looks at him and shakes her head.
“No! No, no, no!” she screams and wails, her heart breaking as she catches a glimpse of her brother lying amongst the rubble and debris—and not in one piece.
“Motherfucker,” Cage yells. He’s on the phone, likely with Gio, telling him what just went down. The fire department and ambulances, police sirens all fill my ears.
I look over and what I see isn’t Joey Russo. It’s devastation. It’s carnage. It’s telling me someone had a point to make and they didn’t care who got hurt while they did it.
We’re all gathered together, just as we were when we arrived.
“Is anyone hurt?” Damian asks.
No one’s hurt.
“Let’s go back to CFD and we’ll call in our personal physicians and nurses to make sure. We’re going on lock down,” Damian announces.
“What does that mean exactly?” Spenser asks.
“It means, no one leaves CFD or what is now known as the compound, until we figure out who the hell did this and we can make sure it never happens again,” Cage tells us. “Let’s go.”
He leaves no room for argument, and I don’t honestly think anyone would disagree with him at this point. That could have been any one of us—or all of us.
I look to Linc and grab his hand.
Jesus. Someone blew Joey up.
53
IT’S A SAD DAY
It is with a heavy heart I bring you the news that our favorite actor Joey Russo has passed away. There was an attack at the premiere of his sister’s (Lucy Russo) latest blockbuster.
Terrorism hasn’t been a word used thus far, but I believe anything that involves a bomb and assault rifles constitutes that very thing.
Stay safe out there, my friends.
~ Margo Phelan, Announcements
WHERE’S DAVE?
Hi all, Reena Rathford here, filling in for the absent Dave Richards. He was last seen covering the premiere of Always You, featuring Academy Award Winning actress Lucy Russo and her co-star Aiden Jensen.
Did Dave get caught up in the attack? If so, was he injured? Killed?
If anyone has seen Dave, please contact our office at (323)555-2123.
~ Reena Rathford, The Tattler
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US Residents
International
Acknowledgments
This is the hardest part of the book to write. I always worry I’m leaving someone out.
Special thanks to Mellisa Montes-Sanchez for taking the time to translate the English to Spanish rant of Mrs. M. Hugs!
Tons of thanks to all of you, the readers, for your love of the Rockstars.
To the members of the Facebook La Famiglia group - I adore you. Every day you make me smile. I feel like the luckiest person/author ever. I have the best readers and friends EVER!
Super thanks to the bloggers. You are marvelous! You are invaluable. You promote me and my books so selflessly—words will never be enough to thank you.
To Tianna, Anita, Alyssa, Melissa, and Mandi: Thank you for your input. It means the world to me.
Thank you, Mom, for always reminding me why I do what I do.
To Mandi Wathey - My sister from another mister: I adore you. Thank you so much for unwavering support and love.
To Melissa Mendoza - Words will never be enough to express my thanks for all you’ve done for me.
To Soph: Love you!
To Smithy: Mwah!
I’m sure I’m forgetting someone and for that I’m sorry.
Refrain Playlist - Ethan
Spotify
Love-Hate-Sex-Pain – Godsmack
Face To The Floor – Chevelle
Best of You – Foo Fighters
Ghost – Ella Henderson
Start of Something Good – Daughtry
Clarity – Zedd, Foxes
Here’s To The Heartache – Nothing More
Uninvited – Red Sun Rising
Fade Into me – David Cook
Losing My Mind – Daughtry
Rescue Me – Daughtry
By The Way – Theory of a Deadman
If You Only Knew – Shinedown
The Dark of You – Breaking Benjamin
The Sound of Silence – Disturbed
I Can’t Not Love You – Every Avenue
Born To Be My Baby – Bon Jovi
Walk Away – Five Finger Death Punch
Rain – Breaking Benjamin
Million Reasons – Lady Gaga
Body On Me – Rita Ora, Chris Brown
Bad Intentions – Niykee Heaton
Walls Could Talk – Halsey
Move Your Body – My Darkest Days
Death of Me – Daughtry
Edge of Desire – John Mayer
Treasure – Bruno Mars
Alive – Adelitas Way
Tired of you – The Exies
Just Between You and Me – Lou Gramm
Refrain Playlist – Linc
Spotify
Mad Hatter – Avenged Sevenfold
Bullets – Creed
When Legends Rise – Godsmack
Absolute Zero – Stone Sour
Bodies – Drowning
Pool
Walk – Pantera
Under and Over it – Five Finger Death Punch
Sin with a Grin – Shinedown
Sabotage – Beastie Boys
In The Air Tonight – Nonpoint
Closer To The Edge – Thirty Seconds To Mars
If Only For Now – Pop Evil
18 Days – Saving Abel
Yours To Hold – Skillet
Love Falls – HELLYEAH
Be Legendary – Pop Evil
Other Books By Anne
THE ROCKSTAR SERIES
Falling Down (Rockstar Book 1)
Blush (Rockstar Book 2)
A Very Xander Christmas (Rockstar Book 3)
Amplify (Rockstar Book 4)
Interlude (Rockstar Book 5)
Ballad (Rockstar Book 6)
Lullabye (Rockstar Book 7)
A Very Xander Christmas 2 (Rockstar Book 8)
Kadence (Rockstar Book 9)
A Very Xander Christmas 3 (Rockstar Book 10)
Duet (Rockstar Book 11)
Xander: Part 1, The Beginning (Rockstar Book 12)
A Very Rockstar Holiday Season (Rockstar Book 13)
Xander: Part 2, The Present (Rockstar Book 14)
Pulse: a #JUCY and #SAGE short story (Rockstar Book 15)
THE WAY
The Way Back To Me (The Way Book 1)
The Way With You (The Way Book 2
FORBIDDEN FANTASIES
Unzipped (Short Story 1)
Undone (Short Story 2)
THE KISS DUET
Kiss This (Book 1)
Kiss This Too (Book 2)
TRUTHS
Whispered Truths
About Anne
Anne Mercier is the International Bestselling author of the Rockstar, Truths, Forbidden Fantasies, The Way series, and the Kiss duet. She writes adult contemporary romance, new adult contemporary romance, and mature young adult romance. She was born and raised in Wisconsin and still lives there today.
When Anne’s not writing she enjoys reading amazing books, listening to music, keeping up on all things Avenged Sevenfold and Milo Ventimiglia, chatting with readers and friends, and binging Netflix series.