Page 76 of Wild Stars

“You have been walking around with your head in the clouds for the last four days, man.It’s like you are somewhere else completely.I just want to make sure you’re good, you know?”

I sigh in exasperation.When did my brother become thetalk our feelings outguy?

“I just have a lot on my mind, you know, with the tour.”

Spike brushes against my side as he messes with some chords and wires.

“We’re all nervous about the tour, Dare,” Richie says with a sigh of his own.

“And then there’s the next big hit,” Spike grunts.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”I ask.

Spike shrugs.“We haven’t worked on theSlayeralbum in weeks, man.All I’m saying, is we need to get our shit together, you know?”

I shoot my brother a look, and he holds his hands up.

“He’s not wrong, Dare.Every time weaskhow Wild Stars is coming, you tell us we’ll be working soon, but...”

I purse my lips as his words settle on me.He’s not wrong, but then again, how could I tell them—any of them—that I was struck with the worst case of writer’s block—until recently, that is.

“We will.We’ve got the next three months on the bus, that’s plenty of time to work on the album,” I say.

After the last week, I think I’ve got more than half the lyrics out to a point where I like them, but I’m still missing something.

Richie turns on his guitar as one of the engineers signals our test.

“I hope so, Dare,” he says, and I don’t miss the sadness in his eyes.

I promise myself that once everything is settled—this show, getting my shit packed, and of course, my impending insanity regarding the one and only Mateo Star—once we are on that bus, I’ll get to the bottom of whatever is bothering my brother.

I hang out in the alcove, watching Geo rock his sound check.I don’t know the guy well, but I like a few ofGravedigger’s songs.But I can’t deny that the guy puts on a good show, and definitely commands a presence of his own.

And just as he wraps up the last notes of his last song, I see them.

Mage Of Mercy.

Matty walks out in a pair of ripped, darkwash jeans, a heathered black shirt, and a pair of black converses, while his sister dons a similar outfit, except she’s traded jeans for shorts that show off her long, lithe legs.Her hi-top converses and her long bouncy ombre waves only add to the youthful look she has.

I watch as they breeze through their sound check, hiding in the shadows.

Matty strums away on his guitar, his stance dominant and commanding, even though there is no audience to woo.

But I have a feeling that’s just who Mateo Starr is.He’s a force of nature, like a supernova.

And as I watch him, I can’t help but get swept up in his performance.His voice, the way his fingers dance along the frets, and the way he commands his stage.

Fuck.

I know it’s only been a few days, but the one thing I’ve realized during that time is that I know without a doubt what Iwant.

I don’t waste any time the moment he tears off the stage, and I practically sprint over to him.

“Hey,” I say, pulling his and Hailee’s attention.

Matty stops, and so does Hailee.

“Dare...”He clears his throat, looking from me to his sister.“I didn’t see you there.”

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