Page 238 of Silver Sweet

Tom jumps off the bed, heading to the bathroom. “I need to tell Eliot and Luna.” He swings back to me with outstretched arms and a smug smile. “And I thought no feeling would surpass beating Nothing Personal.”

I choke on a laugh. “We didn’tbeatthem, Tom.”

“The Carraways surpassed their follower count bytwo million, dude. They took a big ugly L.”

“Great, I can’t wait for you to tell them that when they join the tour in Detroit tomorrow.”

“I will,” Tom grins.

I shake my head, smiling back.

We’ve been without an opener for weeks, and I asked Scally if he’d want to join us. Nothing Personal will go on first in the evening, and we’re taking the late-night slot. So it feels like a co-headlining show.

Scally was all-in immediately, and Riot loved the idea of pushing two of their higher-profile bands at once. All of our venues were upgraded to accommodate Nothing Personal’s fanbase too, and we’ve sold out of the east coast leg already.

I’m so excited to be back on tour with my friends and my brother. But Tom is right. It doesn’t beat this moment with him.

Ninety-fucking-four.

There was a moment I thought maybe we’d never chart. Especially after Tom’s entire family posted about the release ofSilver Sweetand it didn’t boost our sales much.

Tom said that the same people who follow the Cobalt Empire don’t necessarily care about rock music. He was never going to build a fanbase off his notoriety. He’s always needed people to discover him as The Carraways first and son of Rose Calloway and Connor Cobalt second.

In the hotel, Tom disappears to start a shower and share the news with his family. The second the water cuts on, my phone buzzes.

CHARLIE COBALT

I know about Sophomore Summer. I’d like to talk.

And just like that, my smile is gone.

PHOENIX

Can I meet you in your room?

He sends me the room number.

“Hey, I’ll be right back, Tom!” I call out to him.

“Okay!” He’s too distracted to ask where I’m going.

Maybe that’s for the best.

When I getoff the elevator, I recheck the room number in my messages. And my eyes glaze over, stuck on the recent text from my brother—the one that crowded my thoughts all night, making sleep difficult.

BIRDIE

Heard mutterings Riot is going to extend your tour. So don’t pull a muscle yet. You prob have several more months left to make magic onstage with your cocky little bf.

I wanted to tell Tom, but my first reaction was,He’s going to find a reason to take Adderall for years.He’s never going to quit.

I almost wish he were snorting coke. Then it’d be so easy to point out how detrimental it is to his health.

Maybe then he’d listen to me.

Shoving my phone in my pocket, I rap on the door, and it flies open abruptly.

Charlie has an irritable expression. “I see neither of us got dressed for this.” He’s wearing black boxers and dark-blue slippers.