Maggie Alabaster - Pound (Saving Abbie Book 2)

Evidently she found his head on her front doorstep in a cardboard box."

The words spun through my head over and over again like a song on repeat.

Somehow, I ended up sitting on the couch inside Zeke's inner-city Sydney townhouse, surrounded by the members of Wolf Venom, one of the hottest rock bands in the world. I didnt remember how I got there. At some point, I must have stepped inside. Everything was hazy but those words, spoken by a member of the press. Part of the pack which gathered outside on the sidewalk.

Someone pressed a cup of coffee into my hand. Judging by the smell, there was something harder in there than caffeine.

Fingers trembling, I put it to my lips for a sip. Yeah, there was a healthy dose of whiskey in there.

"Drink up, it will help to settle your nerves." That was Landon, his voice low and soothing. "Coffee and alcohol solve all problems."

I wasn't sure about that, but I took a big gulp anyway. It certainly took the edge off. The shock started to fade into acceptance. Vance was dead. Murdered. Left in a cardboard box, just like Jonah, the guy who pulled a gun on Zeke and I.

I was vaguely aware of Tully talking on the phone to someone.

"Jackson is on his way." The lead guitarist slipped his phone into his back pocket and sat in the chair opposite me. "Apparently Vance was found a couple of hours ago. Somebody leaked the story to the press. He's going to talk to them on your behalf and will deal with them. Jackson that is, not Vance." He managed a lopsided smile.

I nodded and gave him a watery smile in return for his attempt at humour.

"Thank you. I just" I shook my head. "I can't believe it. I mean I hated him for what he did to me, but I didn't want him dead. Not exactly. Who would do something like this? Why?"

Someone left Jonahs head in a box on Zeke's doorstep, and now this.

"This has to be aimed at me, doesn't it?" I looked around at the guys. "It can't be a coincidence."

Would the killer come after me next? My stomach churned and I regretted drinking the laced coffee.

"Itll be okay." Channing, the bands saxophone player, put an arm around me. He smelled of soap and a hint of something I couldnt put my finger on. A cologne maybe? Whatever it was, I liked it.

I leaned my head against his muscular chest and tried not to give in to uncontrollable trembling.

Under the circumstances, it was difficult. I kept imagining Vance's head looking back at me from inside a box. In my mind, his eyes were wide open, accusing me of somehow doing this to him.

Fuck off, I told my imagination. I had absolutely nothing to do with it. I hadn't seen him in person for over a year. Thank goodness I had plenty of alibis for the entire day. I was in the studio, recording a new album.

"What the hell is going on?" Asher's voice made me jump so hard I almost spilled what was left of my coffee.

He and Zeke stepped in through the back door, identical expressions of confusion and worry etched on their gorgeous faces.

"We saw the circus out the front so we had to come around the back way." Zeke crouched down in front of me and placed his hands lightly on my knees.

Are you okay? he asked, his voice rough with worry.

Yeah, I said. "Vance is dead."

He blinked in surprise, then set his mouth in a hard line. "The asshole who married you as a publicity stunt? I'm not sure if I can be persuaded to give a shit. Sounds like good riddance to me." He was uncompromising when it came to people he cared about.

People like me. I could hardly believe how close I got to him and the other guys in such a short time. Already, they meant more to me than anyone else ever had. It was becoming more and more evident the feeling was mutual all around.

"Yeah, I guess, I said. But he was found the same way Jonah was. Just his head in a cardboard box." I swallowed to keep from throwing up. No one deserved to end up like that, no matter how shitty they were.

I didnt want to, but had to ask. "Where were you and Asher?" Did I even want the answer to that? They could have been up to something shady I was better off not knowing about.

Zeke looked surprised, then laughed, just slightly. "Not killing Vance. I can promise you. I wish I thought of it, but I didn't do it."

I wasn't sure if he was joking or not. He actually looked like hed give the killer a high five for their trouble. That was both hot and oh-so-wrong at the same time.

I looked over at Asher. The drummer shook his head, but he too looked like he wished he was in on it.

He raised his hand. "I solemnly swear we didn't kill him."

"I believe you," I said. I really did.

Asher and Zeke exchanged glances.

"She might feel better if she knew where we were," Asher said reluctantly.

Zeke shrugged, then nodded. "I guess so." He sighed through his nose and said, "We went to see Reuben, to tell him to leave you the fuck alone."

Zeke's brother was a lot older, and the head of his family. Not just family of relatives, but criminal activity too. Mobsters, mafia, whatever you wanted to call them. Reuben was adamant Zeke would quit the band and return to the family someday. Zeke was adamant he wouldn't. Reuben tried to recruit me to convince Zeke, but that hadn't gone down very well. With me or Zeke.

"Let me guess, he didn't like that," I said. "You don't think he had anything to do with what happened to Vance, do you?"

Zeke was certain Reuben wasn't behind killing Jonah, because Jonah worked for Reuben. That didn't mean he wasn't behind Vance's death.

Zeke frowned. "It's his style, but I don't know why he would have Vance killed."

"So I would be put back under scrutiny," I suggested. "This could have a really negative impact on the tour." As in, make everything ugly as shit.

In only a couple of weeks, I was supposed to leave with Wolf Venom to tour the world. It was supposed to resurrect my career and reputation after my very brief marriage and very public affair with the owner of my former label, Onyx Riot Records.

"I might get kicked off the tour." Tears prickled in the corners of my eyes. "The label might cancel my new album."

If that was the case, I was done for. My career would be over once and for all. I would be lucky to get a job waiting tables. It was so unfair. I hadn't worked this hard just to have it all come crashing down on me for something I had nothing to do with.

Zeke put an arm around me, so I was held between him and Channing, drawing warmth and comfort from them both. "No one is kicking you off the tour. Or cancelling the album. I promise. I'm not going to let that happen to you. Or to us, because the band needs you along on this tour."

"That's debatable."

I hadn't realised Penn arrived until he spoke. Now, he stood a couple of metres away, his arms crossed over his chest, his usual pissed off expression on his face.

"What the fuck is going on?" he asked. "Jackson called and told me to get here as quickly as possible. You're all moping around here like you're at a funeral. Who died?"

"Hey Penny," Asher greeted. "Abbie's ex-husband died."

Penn's scowl deepened. "Who gives a shit?"