Page 57 of The Omega Verse

I bite back a retort, since she’s clearly trying to provoke me into a quote for her stinking book. “If you don’t leave, I’m calling the police. I know Hoover is already thinking about a restraining order, so you should take me seriously.”

Celine’s eyes narrow to vicious slits. “You really want me to air Steven’s dirty laundry here? We could start the promotional tour right now, if you want. Or we could go somewhere private, and you could hear me out.”

I don’t hide my distaste at the idea, but she also knows she’s won, because she grabs her purse and gives me a smug look. There’s no way I’m taking her into the office – or up into my trashed apartment, for that matter – so I jerk my chin at the door. “I’ll give you two minutes at the picnic bench across the road.”

She nods at the guy opposite, and they climb out of the booth and sail out of the shop. Not easy to do when it’s packed to the gills, but I’m disappointed to see my customers parting for her like she’s royalty.

“What a bitch,” Dusty says under his breath as I head over. “Good work kicking her to the curb, boss.”

“I haven’t got rid of her yet,” I tell him grimly. “Can you hold the fort while I go deal with her?”

Dusty looks at the line of customers in dismay. But then his shoulders straighten, like he’s the one going into battle. “Okay, but if you’re not back in five, I’m calling reinforcements.”

We both know that means my mates, and as much as I’d like them to back me up against Celine, I don’t need World War Three on my doorstep. “Won’t come to that,” I promise, nodding to the curious regulars as I head across the road.

I’m relieved to see she’s alone, but she doesn’t seem in any hurry to get to the point. She’s drumming her fingers on the old picnic table, her big, black sunglasses pointed in the direction of some kite-surfers. “I really don’t get what they see in you. This is all so… small town.”

“Celine, I meant it when I said two minutes.”

“And I meant it when I told you I have dirt on your brother,” she snaps back, her lip curling. I’m at a disadvantage squinting into the sun while she can watch me behind her glasses, but I don’t care. I’m just out here to do damage control, and then the issue can be handed over to Hoover, or whoever deals with this sort of crap for the band.

“I heard,” I tell her with ice in my voice. “And that you blackmailed him with it. Pretty shitty thing to do to someone you were meant to be dating.”

She ignores that, taking a gold cigarette case from her bag and lighting one. “This doesn’t have to be any different to that arrangement. You give me what I want, and I’ll keep your name out of my book.” When I don’t respond, her red lips turn up in a chilling smile. “I did my research on you, Cassandra Lynch. I know all about your crappy childhood and the things you did to survive it. I could have a whole section about the sad little sister who turned tricks and robbed supermarkets while her brother was off becoming a superstar.”

“That’s bullshit.” But the problem is, she can spin any story she wants about me and people will eat it up, because everybody wants a piece of Steven right now. “Just tell me what you want, Celine.”

She flicks cigarette ash my way. “Same thing I’ve always wanted. River Ryder.”

I gape at her. “You can’t be serious.”

“The night of the Hall of Fame awards, I want River on my arm.”

Is this bitch for real? “You want him to go as your date?”

“Full service.” She flicks her hair and smirks around the edge of her cigarette. “After the show, he does an interview with me, and then he comes back to my hotel room. And he stays there until I’m satisfied.”

I’d laugh if I didn’t know she was deadly serious.

“You’re fucking crazy,” I spit instead. “He hates you, Celine. And Jett would kill you before he let you get your hands on him.”

“Then I suggest you find a way to convince them both.” I don’t miss the fact she doesn’t respond to River’s feelings about her, grabbing her purse off the table. When she looks past me, I turn and see her sleazy photographer headed our way. The smile on his face makes my hackles rise, but Celine grabs my arm, her red claws digging in. “I’ve already got a publisher, and I’m leaving nothing out. The abortions, the drugs, the domestic abuse. It’s going to be a bestseller for years. Or you can get me a night with River and maybe…” She flicks her cigarette at me. “I won’t completely massacre your brother’s memory.”

It’s two days before I get a chance to talk to River about Celine’s ultimatum. I’ve been run off my feet trying to make up for lost time at the bakery, and he’s been busy with meetings for the band. They’ve been going to Hoover’s hotel in the next town over and I don’t know if it’s because their manager prefers it that way, or if the guys don’t want to bring their business into the house. We still catch up for dinner both nights, but River barely eats anything and then goes straight to bed. I’m still trying to think of a way to broach the subject when he suggests we go for a walk on the beach.

We’ve just finished cleaning up the kitchen from dinner. Jett is headed out for a late surf, so we follow him onto the deck and down to the private beach. We’re barefoot, and our toes squeak in the cooling sand as we watch Jett enter the water and paddle out through the rolling surf. The sun has just set, but the sky is tinged with red and gold, and for a moment I think about snapping a picture of him. But that reminds me of Celine’s sleazy photographer, so I keep my hands in the pockets of my shorts.

“I hope you don’t think I’ve been avoiding you,” River says as we start to wander along the sand. “There’s just a lot going on with the band.”

“I get it. This is a really hard time for you all.”

“It is, but it’s not something we want you to worry about.” He pauses to link our fingers together. “No matter what happens with The Sundowners, you’re part of our life now, Cass.”

I don’t try to rein in my smile. “That makes me really happy, River. I want us to stay close, no matter what.”

We walk in companionable silence for a while, and even though I love being out here with him like this, I can’t ignore the cloud on the horizon. I know I need to tell him about Celine, but before I can bring her up, he says, “I’ve been thinking about Steven a lot lately. Nothing new there, but knowing he was missing you all that time, I’ve started to see things differently. He punished himself a lot, and there were dark days when he really struggled. But I know he found some happiness with me, too.”

My eyes sting at the raw tone in his voice, but I just squeeze his hand. “I bet he did. You’re impossible not to love, River.”

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