URGENT (Book 2 of the Soundcrush Series)

Chapter 88: Rock Stars (and Front Men) Piss Off Dads

This chapter is from Trace's point of view, but I think we see alot of Leed's motivations coming through here, too. Basically, Trace and Leed are both trying to get Ash and Kat  to claim their independence and happiness. I think this song is a perfect fit for this scene...both of these rock stars are feeling this way about these two sisters...

Trace

Well, I knew it wouldn't last.

My summer of being the Golden Boy in the eyes of Michael Ballard?

Oooooover.

All it took was for Ellen to burst into tears at the explanation of Kat's injuries, and Michael is looking at me like I'm the demon sent to burn down his family.

"Goddammit, Trace! You never change, do you? Brawling and hurting my daughters in the process," he growls, jerking his tie loose as Ellen wanders up the stairs, muttering polite apologies and saying she'll be back down when she 'collects herself.'

"Sit!" Michael commands to Ashlynn as she moves to follow her mother upstairs.

Now the dutiful daughter again, she sits, immediately. I don't know why, but it fucking pisses me off. She's lost so much of her life to pain and drugs. She's finally getting it back, she shouldn't have to live it under her father's thumb. She's twenty-four years old and has been through more than people twice her age...probably more shit than Michael Ballard could imagine in three of his perfect whitebread suburbian lifetimes.

Fuck Michael Ballard. These daughters he thinks are his to command like they are still children? They actually mine to protect, and I would never order them around and expect them to obey blindly.

I stop Ash by the elbow and murmur, "If you want to check on your mother, go ahead, I'll deal with this." I turn to her dad. " You're right, Mike, I'll never change. I'll never stop loving Kat or looking out for Ash. And they know it, because when the shit hits the fan, they come to me, don't they?"

"Trace," Ashlynn admonishes me. Ashlynn looks from me, to her dad, and then as if can't help herself, she shoots an embarrassed glance toward Leed. That's fucking great. The Lion lays his charm and his paws on her for even a few minutes and now she's looking to him, maybe for help, or maybe just worried for him to see our dysfunctional family dynamic.

Another dysfunctional family. Cause, yeah, these Ballards are my family now. Between the connection I have with Ash, and the love I have for Kat and the marriage I plan to make with her one day, there's no point in standing on ceremony. Mike Ballard is basically my father-in-law, past and future, if not quite present. Just another Dad I have an uncomfortable situation with—but one I'm determined to see through to a better place.

He knows it, too. He doesn't order me out of the house, like he would have done three years ago if I had talked to him like that. He just sighs and repeats "Goddammit, Trace. I thought you had made a lot of progress. Now we are back to square one," he gestures at Kat's hand. "How can I trust you with Kat, when you bring her home hurt, at your hands?"

"Because I am bringing her home. I didn't have to. She didn't want to come. I had to convince her taking a few days to rest up was better than going right back to the LA, to her job and her social commitments. I could have been selfish with this week that my tour is busted because my face is busted. I could have taken her somewhere...anywhere...and been selfish with her. But I brought her here. Home, to you and Ellen. She needs to take a beat. She needs a little normal. I'm trying to do the right thing."

"Now, maybe," Michael say heavily. "But what about when you were causing that? You weren't doing right then. You were out of control." He points with an open hand to Kat's bandaged hand.