Page 136 of The Jaded Notes

“Right.” Hawke twirls his drumsticks between his fingers. “And I’m not the best drummer in the world. What do you call sitting outside someone’s house taking photos?”

I whip around to face him. “I didn’t take any pictures.”

“But you thought about it.” His knowing smirk makes me wanna throw something. “Bro, you’ve been obsessing over this mystery man for a week. Maybe it’s time to accept that she’s moved on.”

“She hasn’t moved on.” The certainty in my voice surprises even me. “I know her, and what I saw wasn’t love. It was...something else.”

“Like what?” Bren sets down his guitar, giving me his full attention for the first time since I started this tirade.

“I don’t know. Comfort, maybe? Security?” I run my hands through my hair, trying to find words for the feelingthat’s been eating at me. “The way she laughed on that phone and the way she moved... It wasn’t the way she used to be with me.”

“Maybe that’s a good thing.” Cooper flicks his lip ring with his tongue. “Maybe she’s found something healthier.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut because part of me knows he’s right. What Livianna and I had was explosive, consuming, and toxic. We burned through each other like wildfire, leaving nothing but scorched earth and broken promises in our path.

But fuck if I don’t miss the burn.

“I hired three different private investigators.” I turn my back to Cooper. “Each one came back with the same story. The property records are buried so deep it would take an expert years to unravel them, and even then, there’s no guarantee.”

“So what’s your next move?” Hawke shoves his sticks in his back pocket. “Because we’ve got rehearsals starting next week, and we need you present, not chasing your ex in Malibu.”

Bren shifts from side to side like he’s praying I don’t ask him about his sister. I study his face, searching for tells I’ve learned to read over years of friendship, the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. The way he won’t quite meet my eyes.

“Guns.” My voice drops to the dangerous tone that usually makes smart people back away. “What the fuck do you know about this?”

“I don’t know anything about who owns that house in Malibu.” He tries to twist away.

I grab him by the shirt and slam him against the wall hard enough to rattle the drum kit. “Don’t fucking play games with me. What do you know about Livianna?”

Cooper and Hawke are on their feet immediately, ready to intervene if this goes too far.

Bren eyes them and shakes his head, signaling them to stay back. “Let me go, asshole, and I’ll tell you what I know.”

I release him, but don’t step back.

“Talk.” I keep him pinned with my glare.

Bren straightens his shirt. “I met up with her a while ago for coffee.”

“And?”

“And we had something hot to drink. She’s my fucking sister, you arrogant dick. I have the right to be around her.” He holds up his hands when he sees my expression darkening. “Fuck, okay. She asked about you. Wanted to know how you were doing, if you were clean, and if you were happy.”

The information hits me like fairy dust. She asked about me. She still cares.

“What did you tell her?”

“The truth. That you’ve been pretty clean for a while and that the label is doing better than ever. Mayhem is on top of the world, and she was curious about us.” He pauses. “I also told her you haven’t been sleeping around.”

“What’d she say to that?”

Bren glances at Cooper and Hawke before answering. “She said she’s got some boy-toy she uses to blow off steam when work gets overwhelming, but it’s nothing serious. Her fashion brand is exploding right now, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship.”

Relief floods through me so fast it makes me dizzy. A boy-toy. Someone casual. Someone who doesn’t matter.

But then I remember the way she skipped into that mansion, the genuine happiness in her laugh, and doubt creeps back in. “You sure she was telling the truth?”

“When has Livianna ever lied about something like that? She’s many things, but she wouldn’t keep that from me.” Bren crosses his arms. “The question is, what are you gonna do with this information?”