Page 99 of Wild Stars

“Yeah, and you helped.Thus credit,” I repy as I take the lead.

Richie and the rest of the bandlovedthe final cut ofWild Star, and after only a few days on the road, we’d written a damn good hook, and managed to cut the song pretty clean.

I know it is different than anything else we’ve done, after all,Heart Killerisn’t the type to do power ballads to begin with, but I think it’s got a lot of potential.

I think it would make one hell of a next single.

But right now, the only reason I’m even talking about the damn thing, is so that I can keep Matty’s attention span onanythingelse, because I feel like I’m going to explode from holding on to this fucking secret right now.

“I have reservations for us at the restaurant.Figured you wouldn’t mind too much.I know you get fucking bitchy if you don’t stick to your routine,” I taunt him.

Matty hip checks me, nearly knocking me and my backpack over.

“Yeah, and you get bitchy without your damn rice crispy treats.Those things are terrible for you, you know.”

“You know what else is bad for me?You.On an empty stomach,” I bite out.

“When you have a black balloon birthday, Dare, you’ll understand.”

I roll my eyes.

“So fucking dramatic.You’re forty, not a hundred.”

“I am one year closer to death,” he nips.

“Still sexy, though,” I declare, trying to appear flirtatious and not like I’m harboring knowledge that in t-minus five minutes I’ll be dropping Mateo Starr into a room full of rockstars.With cake.

Matty shakes his head as he commands me to drop off my shit, but his bark is worse than his bite.

Regardless, I drop off my bags to the bellhop while Matty checks us in, texting Hailee and my brother to let her know we’ve arrived.

“I’m fucking starving,” he groans as he slips his hand around my waist.“I could really use a good glass of whiskey and a nice, juicy steak.”

“Uh huh,” I reply as I lead us around the bend to the restaurant, giving the host my name, knowing in just a matter of moments, Matty will probably have plenty more reasons to punish me.

The host opens the door, and the moment Matty steps in, the resounding hollers ofsurpriseandhappy birthdayring out in tandem.

His eyes widen as he turns to me, jaw tense.“You?—”

“Are going to pay for this later?Yeah, I know.”I chuckle nervously as Hailee comes up and throws her arms around her brother.

Richie waves to me, grinning from ear to ear.

“Happy Birthday, Mateo!”Hailee says sweetly as she kisses him on the cheek.

“It is a very merryun-birthday, but thank you.”

Geo comes up next to us, clapping his friend on the back.“You’re only as old as you feel, right?”

Matty grumbles, shooting me a scathing glare.“Yes, well, that’s easy for all of you to say, you’re not the oldest one here.”

“Technically,Duncanis the oldest one here,” Felix’s voice makes me turn around, along with Matty.

Felix grins as Duncan extends his hand to Matty.

“You know dating someone over a decade younger than you will age you faster, right?”he says with a laugh.

I can’t help but laugh as Felix shoots him a dramatic look.

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