Chapter 7
Drew’s P.O.V
"Insanity comes like a whisper at night,
Telling tale to my hollow mind.
I believe them.
I write them on the wall..."
I’d lost count of how many takes I’d done of this track. Ten? Fifteen? Every word was blurring into the next. I couldn’t concentrate—I was doing a shit job.
Jeremy sighed heavily from the booth, but didn’t say a word. Bono, on the other hand, never needed an invitation.
“I’m sorry, okay?” I said, raising my hands before he could go full rage mode.
“Nope. You’ve got nowhere to run.” He stormed in, smacking the back of my head. Hard.
“Ughhh,” I groaned, yanking at my hair in frustration.
“Do I need to smack you stupid?” he shot back. “’Cause I would love to do that right now.”
“You woke us up at six in the fucking morning!” D.D’s voice blared through the mic in the control room.
“I know, I know! I’m sorry, okay? One more take—just one. Bon, get out. I need space. I’m suffocating.”
“I’m here if you need to talk,” Jace said softly through the mic.
God, the guy was a saint. I shot him a grateful smile. Bono finally exited, and I refocused.
Deep breath. Try again.
"I believe them.
I write them on the wall..."
I cut the take short, this time satisfied.
The room behind the glass was still. Then I said the first thing that came to mind.
“Audrey’s in L.A.”
Dead silence.
They all stared at me like I’d just grown horns.
D.D blinked. “What the fuck does your neighbor have to do with anything?”
I stepped out of the recording booth.
“Why would the guys care, Drew? They don’t even know her.”
“Audrey as in…” Bono trailed off, then caught the look in my eyes.
“Ohhh fuck me,” he finally said, practically howling with laughter. “I’m gonna burn L.A. to the fucking ground for the look on your face right now.”
“So that’s what’s been screwing with your head,” Jeremy nodded. “Makes sense.”
Bono launched into a half-mocking, half-epic rendition of an old song:
You’re my obsession—
My fetish, my religion—
My confusion, my confession—
The one I want tonight!
Jeremy joined in, singing backup like the smug bastard he was.
“Okay, OKAY! Cut it out!” Jace shouted. “Stop harassing him. We all remember how he used to act.”
“Someone wanna fill me in?” D.D asked, genuinely confused. “I’m still lost.”
________________________________________
Audrey’s P.O.V
I stretched, cracking my knuckles as I stepped out of the car. It had been a long but productive day. My whole body screamed for a shower—and maybe a beer.
The elevator dinged. I stepped off and headed to my front door...
Only to find five black-haired, leather-wearing men standing there, grinning like idiots.
They held a giant banner that read:
WELCOME TO L.A CHIEF!
“Surpriiiiiiise!” they all shouted at once.
I blinked. Drew, you absolute goof.
Before I could even react, Bono launched himself at me, practically knocking the wind out of me. Jace and Jeremy weren’t far behind, and suddenly I was buried under a mountain of testosterone and band sweat.
“Okay, okay—shoo! Scoot over!” Drew barked, trying to drag them off.
Once the human pile was cleared, he helped me up, wearing that smug, proud smile that made me want to slap and kiss him at the same time.
“Oh, wipe that grin off, Andrew. You nearly had me killed,” I joked, trying to sound serious.
“She still hands you your ass. That never gets old,” Bono laughed.
“Welcome to where you belong, Lovey,” Jace added, pulling me into a gentler hug this time.
“You finally made it to the States, little one,” Jeremy said with a warm smile as he hugged me too.
“Come on in, guys. Let’s catch up,” I said, unlocking my door. “Please tell me someone filled D.D in? He’s too quiet—and weirdly not flirting.”
That got a laugh. D.D pulled me into a hug.
“Okay, that felt weird since I don’t know you like they do, but I’ve wanted to do that for a while.”
I shook my head, laughing as they filed inside. They were like oversized puppies—excited and loud and constantly bumping into things.
“Who would’ve thought the same layout could look this good?” Bono said, gazing around. “Drew’s place looks like shit.”
Drew made a mock-wounded face.
“No offense, man. We all agree,” D.D added.
“Interior design isn’t really my thing,” Drew muttered.
“You should give his wife some pointers, Audrey,” Jace said casually. “Like...how a home should feel.”
Bono chimed in. “You ever met his wife?”
I felt a twist in my chest at that. I glanced at Drew, looking for any sign of discomfort.
Nothing. He just shrugged, like the whole subject was a dead leaf he couldn’t be bothered to sweep up.
“Hey, come on, not everyone’s a neat freak like me,” I offered, trying to steer the mood back.
“So, Audrey,” D.D said, eyeing me, “you and lover boy go way back, huh?”
“Yeah,” I said, meeting his gaze. “I needed to settle some things with him first before I could let anyone else in. And for the record, please stop calling him ‘lover boy.’ I’ve always hated that nickname.”
“That explains why he was acting like a possessive little bitch that night I flirted with you,” D.D grinned, throwing Drew a wink.
“Damn! That’s off-limits, man!” Jeremy laughed while Bono whistled.
“You can’t go around flirting with her,” Jeremy added, this time more serious.
“Hey, I’m right here, boys. I can speak for myself,” I cut in, raising a brow.
“Lovey,” Jace said, “let us do our jobs as big brothers.”
Great. I now had an American father and three big brothers. Awesome.
“Message received,” D.D said with mock solemnity.
“So, Audrey,” Jeremy asked, “what’ve you been up to all this time?”
“Just...life,” I shrugged. “University, job, career. Nothing as wild as you guys.”
He chuckled. “Well—music, marriage, divorce, music, marriage, baby.”
“I’m sorry about you and Sam. I mean, I know it’s a long time, but I never got to tell you that back then.”
“It’s alright, love. Sometimes you gotta let go. Constant purgatory is no way to live. I found my real wife later. And the baby—he’s my whole world.”
A quiet sigh broke my focus.
Drew.
He stood and wandered out onto the balcony, cigarette already lit.
My stomach tensed.
“I’m gonna go check on him,” I murmured, already walking toward the door.
________________________________________
He stood with his arms braced on the railing, blowing smoke slowly into the night. The air between us felt heavy. Quiet.
“Hey,” I said softly. “What’s troubling you?”
He didn’t look at me. Just exhaled, his jaw tense.
“I’d like to say ‘nothing’... but you know me better than that.”
Then he turned. One step brought him right in front of me.
“I’m overwhelmed,” he admitted.
His eyes were glossy, unreadable, full of things he wasn’t saying. Pain. Guilt. Something deep, buried, and breaking loose.
And somehow... I understood.
A quiet storm was building inside me.
“Is there something I can help you with?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
That’s when it happened.
His hand reached for my waist.
His lips found mine—soft, cold, and sudden—like a dam breaking.
I gasped, stumbling back slightly from shock, but his arm caught me, pulled me in.
It was heat and memory and danger, crashing into one forbidden second.
And in that moment...
I let it happen.