“I have, Anna, several times. It doesn’t make a difference, and it never will. This is the only way.” Please accept that. Please stand by my side again. I’m not sure I can get through this without your support.

Her lips compressed in a familiar expression of frustration. “We’re supposed to be a team. Why are you suddenly making deals behind my back and deciding everything that happens to this family? Don’t I have a say? Don’t I have a vote? I mean, can’t we at least negotiate about this?” Even though she looked exasperated, her eyes were full of pleading, full of hope that I’d let her earn a chance to win the argument. I couldn’t afford to though. Not this time. I was going to have to be a chauvinistic jerk to help her past her unfounded fears, but she’d thank me before this was all said and done. We were going to come out of this even stronger. I knew it.

Knowing I was being a bossy asshole, I shook my head and firmly stated, “We’re leaving Seattle, Anna. This is happening. End of discussion.” She opened her mouth, but I turned away to go find my daughters. Hopefully they would be excited for me, since nobody else was.

Like Kellan had predicted, a shitstorm sprang to life after I very publicly dropped out of the band. I think every branch of the media called me; it was kind of awesome. I was finally getting a chance to speak, and I told them all the same thing: I’d hit a wall with the D-Bags, and I was branching out to try something new, something where I could be the star.

Some assholes asked me if my rash decision was due to jealousy. I told those guys to suck it. I wasn’t jealous, I was tired. Tired of being chained and restrained. It was time for the Hulk to be free.

“So we’re going to move to Daddy’s hometown. That cool with you?” I was explaining to Gibson that we’d be getting on a plane tomorrow and might not ever be coming back. I wasn’t sure how she’d take it.

She tilted her head of blond curls and gave me a look of complete and total trust. I stuck my thumb out in an A-okay gesture and with a big grin, she copied me. “Okay, Daddy.” At least someone had my back.

I patted her head, then gave her a kiss and stood up. Anna was holding Onnika while she watched Gibson and me. “We all packed and ready to go?” I asked her. A car was coming in the morning for us and some of our stuff. We’d send for the rest of our crap once we found a permanent place down south.

Anna nodded in answer, but she didn’t look happy about doing it. She wasn’t one to stress about things, so her reaction to my announcement was wiggin’ me out. Once she got over the fact that I’d sort of lied to her…and basically forced her to go along with my plan…I thought she’d be 100 percent on board. Especially after I explained how kick-ass our life was going to be when the show got huge. She didn’t seem moved by our upcoming awesomeness though. She seemed moody, pissy, and full of doubts, more like her sister than herself. Motherhood had sucked some of the carefreeness out of her.

I cupped her arms, just above her elbows. “We’re gonna be fine. Better than fine, even. You don’t need to worry about anything…except making sure we all get up on time to make the flight, because you know I’m unreliable as shit when it comes to stuff like that.”

“Shit.” Gibson giggled.

Anna sighed as she glanced at our little mockingbird. When her eyes returned to mine, they were a little lackluster, like she was just going through the motions. She’d looked like that ever since I’d told her we were leaving. “Don’t worry…I know my job. Just don’t be out late, otherwise nothing I do will wake you up.”

Hoping to see the smile I knew and loved, I crooked a grin and told her, “There’s always one thing you can do to wake me up…” I wriggled my eyebrows so she’d know exactly what I was talking about. She gave me a humoring smile as she shoved me toward the door, but that was about it. I’d kind of been hoping she would take me up on my suggestion. My bed had been so frosty last night it had made the Antarctic seem warm in comparison. It concerned me some. Anna usually attacked me when I came home from a trip, but she’d told me she wasn’t in the mood and had turned onto her side when I’d started nibbling on her. She hardly ever turned me down. And I’ll admit, the rejection hurt a little.

Thinking maybe a date night would cheer her up, I asked, “You sure you don’t want to go out with me? We could get a sitter for the girls?”

Anna looked around our home like she was memorizing it. “No…I want to be here tonight…”

I really didn’t understand the sadness that had been hovering around her since our argument. I’d expected the burst of anger, but the lingering melancholy…I just didn’t get it. I wanted her to be as excited about our new life as I was. It worried me that maybe she wouldn’t get over this…but we were L.A.-bound tomorrow, our new life awaited, and it was going to be epic. The Griffin Show: all Griff, all the time.

Hopping into my Hummer, I left my house for one last hurrah in Seattle. I really was going to miss it here, especially Pete’s, which is where I was headed. Even though I’d been raised in L.A., I felt like I’d grown up at the bar…come into my own, if you will. Since I didn’t know when I’d be back, I felt like it was the only place I should be tonight. As I pulled into the parking lot, I wished Anna had decided to come out with me. Since we’d met in this bar, it felt wrong to not say our goodbyes together. Pete’s was a milestone location for our relationship. She should be here.

Pushing aside that pensive thought, I shoved open the double doors to Pete’s like I was breaking them down. I wanted everyone to hear me coming. Since it was Saturday night, the place was packed. Numerous heads swiveled at my grand entrance; my skin sizzled as their eyes devoured me. Yeah…I loved being the center of attention.

A cheer went up in the bar when people recognized me. That was one of the best things about Pete’s—I was always recognized here. By the regulars, if nothing else. As expected, the fans started swarming around me, fondling me and asking questions. Their questions weren’t the kind I’d been expecting though, and their touches were more violent than usual. “How could you break up the band! How could you leave! Why are you doing this to us, when we’ve supported you for so long!”

The heat in their voices surprised me. I’d been expecting nothing but congratulations from the fans. “What the fuck are you going on about? I’m switching one awesomeness for another, that’s all.”

“You’re changing the band!” One red-faced girl shouted at me. “You’re ruining everything! How do you sleep at night, knowing you destroyed the D-Bags!”

I stared at her, dumbstruck. Ruining everything? I was making it better. For me, anyway. And I slept just fine, thank you very much. I was about to tell her that when a voice from the middle of the bar broke through the chatter.

“Yeah, Griffin! How do you sleep, knowing you fucked over the people who gave you the great life you resent so much?”

I looked over the various heads surrounding me until I found the owner of the voice. Matt. I should have known. He was standing near another clump of people, holding a beer and sneering at me like I was committing a sin just by being here. Rachel was with him, and by the way she was supporting him, I figured Matt was plastered. That would explain the outburst. Matt generally didn’t like to attract attention to himself.

Shoving some customers out of the way, I strode forward. “You got something to say to me, cuz?”

Matt tapped a finger against his jaw. “I’m not sure…but I think I just said it.” He turned to Rachel. “I was speaking out loud, right?”

Rachel sighed, then said something quietly and tugged on his arm. She looked like she didn’t want to be here anymore. I kind of agreed, but I was too mad to leave. “Screw you, Matt. I’m only doing this because you left me no other choice.”