She's Still The One: A Brother's Best Friend, Rockstar Romance Kaci Rose (essential reading txt) 📖

"Okay, thanks," I say and mindlessly walk to my car. My first thought is to call Landon and talk it out, since he stayed home with Austin today. Knowing she’s okay will steady me, and then I can focus.

"Hey, what's wrong? I'm getting ready to head into a meeting," Landon says, and I hear people talking in the background.

"What meeting? You're supposed to be home with Austin. I had the meeting with the private investigator today."

"I'm meeting with the lawyer for the label contract, your meeting was tomorrow." He says, as I get a sinking feeling.

"No, it was today. Did you call Mason, before you left?" I ask.

"No, I assumed you were home with Austin, since she was still in bed, when I left. Shit." He says, as he realizes Austin is now home alone. "I'm packing up now, but I'm an hour out."

"I'm on my way now. Depending on traffic, I might make it back just before you, but Landon, what the private investigator found? It's not good."

"How not good?"

"Branden's real name is Jimmy Buckerton. He's Dave's son." I say and let it soak in.

"Son of a bitch!" He yells, and I hear his car door slam, as he starts up the car, and I get switched to the blue tooth.

"Give me all of it." He says.

I tell him about the drugs, the jail time, and what Kurt said about checking our books.

"I think we should take his advice and have someone else not connected to the label look over our books," I tell him.

"I agree. I’ll take care of it, as soon as we know Austin is safe."

"Also, I have him looking into Dave, and everyone who works with him. My gut says whatever Branden is involved in that Dave is connected to it as well. I think it's why he was so shocked to see Austin that day at the label, and it wasn't a coincidence Branden showed up at the house a few days later."

"Want to bet that Dave is how Branden got the address? Remember Austin was trying to figure out how he found her?" Landon says.

"Shit, I bet you're right." I agree.

"Call me as soon as you get home and let me know she's okay." He says, before we hang up.

I send up a silent prayer that she is and press down on the gas pedal, speeding ticket be damned.

Chapter 33

Austin

Finally! I’m alone for the first time in weeks. Weeks! No one is watching my every move, timing my bathroom breaks, giving me weird looks, and making notes of every little thing I eat. I love those guys, but they can be too much! I didn't think I’d mind it, until they were always right there.

I hit my limit, when I went to take a bath to get a break from my brother, and he knocked on the door and threatened to barge in, because I had been in there too long. Seriously, I had only rewarmed the bathwater once!

I know they’re trying by inviting Ivy and Dom over, so I can have some much needed girl time. I didn't leave Ivy's side, and she had a good laugh at how protective they were being. Glad she thought it was funny, but what I need even more is to soak in the bathtub without someone waiting for me in the next room, which is exactly what I'm doing right now.

The hot water soothes most of my nerves, and the wine takes care of the rest. I don't care that it's not even lunchtime yet. This wine is hard earned. I'm reading one of the books Deanna recommended and not paying much attention to the time, until the water gets cold. After the third time of rewarming the water, I bite the bullet and get out of the bath.

I dress in sweats and one of Dallas's shirts and keep my hair in the messy bun I had it in from the bath. I head downstairs and crank up the stereo in the living room and have a dance party for one, complete with all the crazy, stupid dance moves you wouldn't dare do in front of anyone. It's a good workout though, and after half an hour, I'm sweating and muscles I didn't know I had hurt.

I debate on letting my little girl out and running upstairs to jump on the bed and hide things in the guy’s rooms to drive them crazy. But settle for grabbing a water from the mini fridge, and then sitting down to watch the shows I’m way behind on, because the guys refused to watch them.

There’s nothing like the guilty pleasure of reality TV shows. I don't care how many times the guys try to tell me it's scripted and not real, it's still fun as hell to watch. After a few episodes, I'm starving, and I think I hear the guys coming in from the garage, so I head to the kitchen to get lunch going for us.

Only it's not the guys I find in the kitchen, it's Branden. He's standing in the kitchen, but this isn't the Branden I remember. This one looks like he hasn't slept in days, his clothes are wrinkled, he's dirty, he smells, and his eyes are red-rimmed and glassy.

My best guess is he's on drugs. I've seen people on tour look like this after a night out of heavy partying with drugs and alcohol. I know they can be unpredictable, so I have no idea what my next move is.

"Took long enough to get you alone." He sneers.

I suddenly realize no matter how annoying Dallas and Landon have been the last few weeks, they were right. Now, I have to wonder, why am I alone? Why didn't they call Mason? Why aren't the extra guards around the house? How did Branden get on to the property, much less inside?

With all the questions in my