URGENT (Book 2 of the Soundcrush Series)

Chapter 17: Nice Guys Pray. No, Really.

Adam

By the time we get back to the hotel, it's around 4am. Mac and I walk into the lobby hand and hand. I probably look exactly like what I am..a partied out, sexed up rock star—bare-chested with boot-cut jeans and Mac's boots tied together over my shoulder. Mac looks cute as hell, barefoot and drowning in my gray button down that is longer than her shorts.

When the elevator doors open, Trace is on the other side. His hair is wet and mussed, his eyes are horror-filled and his face is absolutely gray. He takes one look at us and reaches for Mac, pulling her quickly into an enclave across from the elevators. I step in close, blocking the two of them from view with my back, but incognito is hardly necessary. There's no one in the lobby at 4am.

I can tell something is bad wrong. The way Trace has latched onto Mac...god, please not...

Mac is thinking the same thing. She pulls back, her voice panicked, "Where's Leed?"

"He's fine," Trace says quickly. "It's Ashlynn. Car accident. She's at a hospital in Tennessee, near Nashville. I don't know anything...they said she's out cold. They don't know what she's on, if she has more head trauma, maybe internal injuries..."

Mac wraps her hand around Trace's wrist. "You have to go to her," she says firmly, and Trace nods, although he glances at me, and I see the conflict in his face. It's killing him to leave Kat. I wonder if she knows.

"Riley's getting me a flight...I can probably just make the gate..."

Mac's mind is at work better than mine right now. "Adam, your dad—he's probably good in these kinds of situations, right?"

Smart thinking, Shortcake. I get my dad on the phone and Trace gives the 411—Ashlynn's info, the hospital. My dad promises he can be there in an hour and half—a good four hours ahead of Trace.

"What else?" I ask Trace grimly.

Trace closes his eyes, like he's in pain. He sways slightly. "After you guys left the club, everything got more fucked up. Kat is rollin' right now, and I...I...she accidentally found out that Ashlynn and I are married.She's freaking out, and she doesn't want me around. Ben's with her. She doesn't know that Ashlynn's hurt. She doesn't know I have to go. I don't know what to do...if I should see if she'll let me back in the suite...and explain...Christ...motherfucking shit!" He turns away from us and paces a few feet away, clearly trying to get a grip on himself.

Mac, always the only one unafraid to push up on Trace in a temper, wraps her arms around him. He plants his chin on the top of head. "Macaroni, I've fucked it all up," he whispers hoarsely.

"Yeah, but you'll fix it," she soothes. "You have to go to Ash, Trace. We'll be there for Kat, in the morning. All of us. Me, Adam, Leed, Riley, Bodie if we can find him—we'll be there. She won't be any happier with us than she is with you, but she's family and we'll be there."

Trace gulps and his voice is a little shaky when he says. "Thanks, Mac. I can always count on you. Love you, girl."

Then Mac loses it completely. "Trace, I love you so much, too! I'm sorry I've been such a bitch since Kat got here. I feel so bad for you. I know you love Kat, and I know you care about Ashlynn so much,and I know how horrible and helpless you must feel right now, and oh god...I'm so fucking sorry...poor Ashlynn!...poor Kat!...oh TG, I'm so sorry!"

He looks down at her like she's a stranger. "What the hell?" he mouths to me.

I shrug. "Yeeaaaahhhh, she's kind of...gotten in touch with her feelings tonight." I mutter, but Mac ignores me because she's still sobbing. "Poor Ashlynn, poor Kat! Fucking hell!"