Page 21 of Wylder and the Almost Rockstar
“I get it.” Luke sipped his coffee in silence for a few awkward moments before speaking again. “You care about my brother, don’t you?”
“Sebastian and I are in the past.”
He laughed. “Good to know, but I meant Logan.”
“Oh.” She hid her embarrassment behind her mug. “Then yes. I do.”
Luke sighed. “Has Logan told you anything about our family?”
Wylder turned to look at him and got a view of the shiner for the first time. She winced. It looked like it hurt. Purple and yellow bruising circled his right eye.
“Examining your handiwork?” he asked.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
She smiled. “No, I’m really not.”
He studied her for a moment. “I’m a jerk. I’ve always been a jerk. It’s not just a persona, it’s me. I don’t shy away from that. But my brother… he tries to be like me sometimes, but it’s not him.”
“I know that. He used to hate me, and even then, fighting with him was just kind of fun. I liked goading him.”
“I doubt that. Logan has never hated anyone in his life. Look, I know he must have told you some things. Or Sebastian did. Anyway, for a long time, it’s just been the three of us. Since our mom died, we’ve only had each other. We have an uncle, but he’s more of a business manager than a relative.”
He sucked in a breath, and Wylder waited for more. “What you said to Logan about him not messaging you back… it isn’t because he blames you like I said.”
“Has he told you that?”
“Well, no. He actually won’t talk to me about his time at Defiance Academy at all. I only know about your friendship from Sebastian and from watching that video of you two. It blew up our world, you know. My new tour was put on hold for the moment.”
“I know.”
“But it was kind of amazing.”
“What?” She turned her entire body to face him.
He shrugged. “Logan is talented. I’ve always known it. It’s why he sings on the albums instead of me. I haven’t written a song with him in so long, though, I forgot how good he is at that part too.”
“He’s…” Wylder searched for a word. “He deserves to be seen.”
Luke looked away, staring back at the house. “I’ve never disputed that. Logan is the one who wanted our arrangement.” He turned back, a striking honesty in his eyes. “How did you get him on stage?”
“I encouraged him.” Was it as simple as that?
“In the beginning, I wanted us to form a band together, but he wouldn’t sing in front of anyone. I tried everything. You have no idea how much I wanted my brother up there with me. And then you come along… a girl he’d known for a handful of months… and he performs no problem. I need to know why.”
Wylder met his gaze, her opinion of Luke softening at his words. It was obvious how much he cared about his brother. “It wasn’t without problems. The holograms were supposed to be what people saw, what they focused on. When they didn’t work, we had no choice.”
“There’s always a choice.”
“Logan and I…” How did she explain this to the person who knew Logan best? “We’re connected. I don’t know how or why. Maybe it’s because we get each other or that we’re so similar. I… for the last year of my life I hadn’t touched my drums. They used to be everything to me, and I couldn’t make myself give in to the music again. And then a music class forced me to write with Logan, and it was like it unlocked this part of me I’d thought gone forever.”
Luke held her gaze, clinging to her every word. “Are you in love with my brother?”
“I don’t think so. No. We’re friends, Luke. Can you understand that? He’d never go there after I dated Sebastian, and me, I’m not exactly a relationship girl. Whatever there is between Logan and me goes beyond attraction or love. It’s music. You’re a musician, surely you get that.”
He paused for a moment, his coffee completely forgotten. “He brought you back to music?” It was like he was in awe of his brother’s power. No jealousy. No anger. None of the patented Luke snark.
