Chapter Two: Almost Home

Performed by Mariah Carey

Just like everyone else in the room, Leya was trying not to watch the little showdown going on by the door. It wasn't Landry holding herself tightly back with anger that surprised her. After all, Landry was always the first into every battle, defending them personally or the band as a whole. Instead, it was the fury on Paisley's face that had the entire band holding their breath.

They'd never seen Paisley stand up to Landry like this. Just the night before, Leya had told Landry she was trying too hard to protect Paisley from heartache, even if it was heartache coming from a boy with an iffy past and a violent streak. But she'd gone all Landry, refusing to give in. Refusing to let any of them be hurt on her watch.

Nikki joined her, adjusting the sloppy bun she'd wrapped her long strands in that morning. Every day, Nikki threatened to cut it all off, and every day, each of them talked her out of it. It wasn't just because it bonded them in some strange way for all of them but Fee to have black hair. It was because everyone knew Nikki would regret it if she did. The long hair suited her almost more than any of them, and when she left it in her natural, onyx curls, it was even more stunning.

Their first album cover had played up their similarities. They'd all worn white leather jackets with their backs to the camera. Only Paisley, who was over half a foot shorter than the rest of them, and Fiadh, with her deep-red hair, had stood out. The rest could only be told apart by the daisies emblazoned on their jackets. It had been their manager's idea to emphasize the band's name by having them choose a favorite daisy to be etched and painted onto their instruments, mic stands, and clothes until the flowers had become almost synonymous with their names.

"Wow, I didn't think Little Bit actually had it in her," Nikki said quietly.

Leya nodded as Adria joined them, twirling her sticks unconsciously. Concern filled the air around them as they watched the sisters argue like they never had before. The tension growing between them was why the album had been struggling.

Paisley slammed her way out of the studio with Jonas hot on her trail, and Landry's shoulders slumped. She rubbed her fingers into her forehead and then turned to face them.

"Don't," Landry hissed before any of them could even breathe a word.

"I warned you." It was Adria who dared to voice Leya's thoughts aloud.

"I said don't," Landry growled. The emotions in her voice made it husky, dropping until it sounded like a wounded animal.

Fiadh bounced over to Landry and slung an arm around her. "Lan, it's going to be okay. She's just the first one of us to fall head over heels in love—so much so that she can't live without him. It's going to happen to all of us at some point."

"Lust isn't love." The words slipped out of Leya before she could take them back, and she instantly regretted them when her friends' faces spun to hers.

Nikki chuckled. "Better not let the documentary crew hear you say that tonight. We make our bread and butter on passion and sin."

Leya rolled her eyes. They knew how she felt about people's misconceptions that lust was love.

"I don't trust him. You didn't see how he went off yesterday on that photographer," Landry said.

"We're all on edge," Adria said quietly, and Leya's stomach turned, thinking of the gruesome notes with their faces scratched out that had caused their security team to double overnight and the FBI to show up in force.

"Hell, I almost lost it the other day, remember?" Fiadh said.

"You didn't, though," Landry grunted out. Silence surrounded them except for Landry's rings tapping together with her hands held prayer style. "It isn't just his anger that worries me. What happens when we leave?"

Leya knew exactly what Landry meant. If Paisley had convinced herself that what she felt was love, and then it all fell apart, she'd have a broken heart. One her sister wanted to protect her from.

"Trying to protect her before it happens isn't going to help. And who knows, maybe it will last," Nikki said.

Landry scoffed. "They're not even twenty. What the hell do they know about forever?"

"You're only five and half years older than her, Lan," Fee said.

"Exactly, and there's no way I could make a permanent relationship work."

"You're not her, Lan," Adria said. "Just because it isn't what you want or need, doesn't mean it isn't right for Little Bit."

Landry groaned and headed for the door. "I'm going for a run around the pond to clear my head before Ronan's crew and Nikki's mom shows up. I'll meet you back at the farmhouse."

As Landry and her bodyguard disappeared through the studio door, Leya's phone rang. It was with a twist of pleasure and dread that she saw her mother's face on the screen. Her parents were concerned about what was happening with the creepy notes. While they seemed aimed at Jonas and Paisley rather than just the band, no one was sure. Not with the hate group, For Greater Tomorrows, spewing gross rhetoric toward her dad and their entire family in an attempt to sway the public away from the Matherton-Singh ticket.

When Leya had first joined the Daisies in high school, everyone in her family, including Leya, had thought it would be temporary. It had been a way for her to honor her grandmother and the Indian instruments Nani had taught her to play. But then it had become home…a place for her to truly be herself in a way she rarely was around her genius family.

"Mom," Leya answered, drifting over to the side of the room for a bit of privacy.

"Leya, we need you here." Her mother's voice was firm and demanding, whereas her father's would have been soft and cajoling.

"I'll be there tomorrow night, just like we planned," Leya said with a confused frown. She was going even if she was dreading putting on a suit and closed-toe pumps and wearing a somber face.

"The plan was to have you here for your father's acceptance speech, but now we need you earlier for interviews with the entire family."

"I can't come tonight, Mom. The documentary crew is shooting some final scenes," Leya reminded her.

Her mom huffed. "It isn't even being released until January, with the album, right? This is happening right now. We can't put this off."

She sighed. Even though her mother didn't understand Leya's career choice, she'd never asked her to quit. Not even when it could have been a detriment to her dad's political career. They'd just asked to see and be able to veto any marketing or publicity beforehand. What none of them had predicted was for the success and attention her dad had garnered in his first six years in Washington D.C. to lead to a nomination for vice president.

When she didn't say anything, her mom pushed. "This is important, Leya. We need you. I've arranged for a helicopter to pick you up."

Her family rarely asked her to be there anymore, so denying them this made her stomach twist. And the truth was, she was really proud of her dad. She was proud of all her family. Her mother and brother were saving lives with their surgical knives and her Dad had the chance to change the world. To truly make a difference.

"Fine. I'll come," Leya said, giving in while grimacing at the thought of telling an already upset Landry she was bailing on the filming tonight.

"Thank you." Her mom's voice was filled with relief, and Leya knew she'd made the right decision. "The helicopter will be at Grand Orchard General Hospital in thirty minutes."

"Okay, I'll see you soon."

In her normal fashion, her mom hung up without saying goodbye.

Leya turned around to where Adria, Nikki, and Fiadh were still in deep discussion about Landry and Paisley's blowup and the boy who was coming between them all. Leya's chest hurt at the thought of leaving them like this, but at least Nikki would be there—the peacemaker of their little group.

Leya joined her friends and said, "I'm not going to make the bonfire."

"What?" Fee demanded.

"Dad needs me at the convention earlier than planned."

"Maybe we should just reschedule the entire thing," Adria sighed. "We don't want them filming Landry and Paisley going at it again."

Leya felt torn in a way she'd never been before between her family and her friends. Remorse and worry filtered through her, and Nikki seemed to read it, saying, "Go be with your family, Leya. We'll figure this out."

Fiadh looked like she was going to protest again, but the look Nikki sent her had her closing her mouth. Leya wrapped her arms around Fee, but held them open and waved the other two women into her embrace. The four of them hugged, and Leya whispered into their ears, "Make sure they remember how much they love each other."

Then, she let them all go and walked out the door of the studio with two of the security detail following her onto the street. One of them was a Secret Service agent who'd joined her with her dad's bid for Vice President. Holden Kent was a tall wall of muscles who screamed typical American boy―everything Leya had never been attracted to―and yet, for some ungodly reason, her body seemed to not agree.

This made Leya extra prickly with him. She hated the way her nerve endings tingled whenever he was close, but she refused to give in to his magnetic lure. Not that he'd even think twice about kissing her the way she sometimes found him doing in her dreams. He'd never once sent her a look that was anything but professional.

Holden turned to the other bodyguard. "Miss Singh and I are taking a helicopter to the convention. The Secret Service will take over her protection. You won't be needed."

Her annoyance sparked even more, partly because he'd already known about the helicopter, but more because he was dismissing her security team without her okay or approval.

"I don't think so, Special Agent Kent. My team goes with me."

The dark-haired Garner bodyguard grimaced. "I don't think we can do more for you than the Secret Service. Let me just get Garner's okay to hand you off."

He pulled out his phone and stepped to the side of the sidewalk while Leya glared at the agent. His face remained expressionless, except she could have sworn his lips twitched just a hair. There definitely was humor in his eyes when the Garner bodyguard came back and said, "I'll drive you both to the helicopter pad. Garner said to let him know when you're heading back so we can meet you."

Leya huffed, shouldered her bag, and headed for the SUV waiting for them on the street. While she hoped with every fiber of her being that her father and Guy Matherton would win the election, she also hoped they didn't, because she was already tired of having this cocky agent following her around. If they won, it would mean he'd be shadowing her for a lot longer than just a few months, and she wasn't sure her body could take it.