Page 122 of Knox
His gaze landed on a security guard in the lighted tunnel closest to him. He wore the dark pants and white shirt of arena security, but something about him…
“This song is for all those who want a second chance at their first love. Who wish they’d said something differently, maybe turned around and tried again. Who realize that they made a mistake…”
He tore his gaze off the man and back to Kelsey, so sweetly sitting on the stool, her knees drawn up. He could picture her sitting across from him at the family campfire.
She looked up then, as if searching the audience, and his breath caught.
What if—
No. She was just performing, acting like—
“I can’t see beyond the front row, but…Knox Marshall, if you’re out there… This is for you.”
He couldn’t move.
She began to strum, adding a beat with a thump on her guitar body and moving slightly to the rhythm. Looked up at the audience, her eyes clear and full. Then leaned into the mic and released her beautiful voice.
He said hold on to me, and don't let go
Don’t be afraid, don’t say no.
Hold on, lean in
What if I said yes, what if I believed
What if I reached back until I could see
That my tomorrow was with you.
He couldn’t breathe, his chest so tight he thought it might simply close in on him.
Kelsey.
She hit the chorus, and his eyes freakin’ welled up.
My mind said no.
My heart said yes…
My mind said whoa…
My heart felt his caress.
Hold on, lean in
He couldn’t tear his eyes off her, but something in his periphery buzzed his attention away, just for a second.
The security guard. He held—
The man had a rifle. And maybe that wouldn’t have stunned Knox if he hadn’t seen the tattoo—a swastika between his eyebrows—hadn’t recognized the scar across his chin.
No.What—?
He swiped up his phone and pushed through the crowd toward the platform that ringed the arena, his eyes on Vince Russell.
He speed-dialed Tate, who of course didn’t pick up. “Tate, I’m here, and so is Vince Russell. The jerk isn’t dead—”
Someone jostled him, and he dropped the phone.