Page 215 of Goodbye Note

“Like I said, they aren’t giving you a choice. They will lock you out.” John sat back, crossing his arms.

“Fucking try me.” He looked at both of them in turn. “You don’t get to fucking tell me what I can post. You don’t get to fucking tell me what’s best for me. And if you try to lock me out of my account, I will make another. If any of you don’t like it, you can fucking quit. Tell the label I said the same thing because, in case anyone forgot, I’m out of contract.”

I gasped. “Are you serious?”

“Entirely.” He looked into my eyes.

“Where do you stand, Varian?”John asked.

My heart jumped to my throat, cutting off my oxygen supply.

I’d spent my entire life making the wrong choice. I wore a scar and lost Arik to prove it. After getting it wrong so often, how did I even trust myself to get it right?

I tore my gaze away from John, looking at Arik. “The label isn’t going to do shit with the threat of losing their biggest band. We all know how well re-records do, and with our narrative, I think people will stand with us.”

Arik picked up my hand and kissed the palm. “I’ll be careful of what I say so Lindsay doesn’t have any room to hurt you or Nova.”

“Thank you, but I don’t want you to do that. When Lindsay brings Nova here this weekend, I’m going to talk to her about putting a joint statement out. If she’s not onboard, I’ll do it myself.”

I don’t want to create a happily ever after, only to have it redacted

How much black ink can they use to cover our truth?

Strike out every inconvenient detail

They can’t blot out the sun and all the stars

Pour ink over everything we are

We’ve fought black holes before

I pressed my back to the door when I closed it behind our managers. “Will you meet my kid?”

“I’ll do anything you ask me to.” Arik smiled, showing off his dimples. He was too fucking sexy to be real.

“I only want you to do it if you want to.” I searched his face.

“Of course I want to meet a little human you made.” He grabbed my wrist, pulling me off the door.

* * *

“Lindsay isn’t going to be happy, but I’m not going to hide it from her.”

Arik raised a brow from where he stood. “She should be happy I haven’t killed her.”

I gave him a flat look.

A Range Rover pulled up, and my kid pressed her face against the window.

As soon as it stopped, she launched herself out and sprinted over to jump in my arms. “Daddy!”

I hugged her. “I missed you, sweetheart.”

“Daddy?” Arik muttered.

“Do not start,” I said out of the corner of my mouth.

Nova picked up her head and looked at Arik. “Dad, is that Arik?”

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