Page 52 of Pretty Little Rocker

Her pain and heartache, both caused by Hadley, was something I was familiar with. I’d let my stepmother get into my head. She’d turned me into a person I didn’t like for many, many years. But I’d moved on. Maddie’s trauma from them went deeper than my own. She’d given birth, then had to face the guilt of giving her child up for adoption, all while being called a whore to her face by people who didn’t know the real her.

Jamie nudged me, causing me to turn my head to find three women walking into the conference room. One looked so much like Hayat, my breath caught. That had to be Trinity, her aunt and Maddie’s stepmom. The other was Natalie Cutter, but the one we all couldn’t take our eyes off was the green-eyed woman with gray-streaked red hair.

Emmie Armstrong was a legend in the rock world, and her temper was something that even powerful men in the business cowered away from. Right at that moment, her eyes glittered at Maddie for a long moment before the blonde ducked her head, her cheeks heating with shame.

“Mom, I know I messed up,” Maddie started, sounding remorseful.

Trinity held up her hand, cutting off her stepdaughter. “We’re going to sit down and discuss that later, honey. Right now, let’s focus on work.”

Turning slowly, Emmie drifted her gaze over my bandmates and me assessingly, looking for any and all faults. The longer she looked at us, the more her eyes glittered, her lips pressing into a hard line.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” she said in a voice devoid of any emotion. “Maddie is going to go to her office, and she will not be involved in any capacity where Autumn’s Slumber is concerned. Actually, Maddie, we will be hiring two more social media content creators to help lighten your load.”

“But—” Maddie tried to interrupt, appearing unhappy about this new development.

“I’m still speaking.” Emmie cut off the younger girl, not sparing her so much as a glance. “I will personally find a social media content creator for Autumn’s Slumber. They will be focused solely on your band because, as I told Hayat in my email earlier in the week, her popularity is going to drive the numbers into another orbit for you. That is, if you still want Havoc as your drummer. If, however, you’ve changed your mind, I will hand your social media calendar over to one of my other content creators. Someone mentioned a drummer named Atticus. If he’s who you prefer, speak up now.”

“We want Hayat,” Sparks told her, speaking for the three of us. Jamie nodded.

One light-red brow lifted at me. “Is that a unanimous decision?”

“Hayat is ours,” I told her point-blank. “We’ve been waiting our entire lives for her.”

“Smart choice.” Emmie turned her back on us to speak to the other two women. “She goes back into therapy starting now. Get her in to see someone this week. Today, if possible.”

Trinity nodded. “I already called Dawson. He’s making a few calls.”

“I don’t need therapy!” Maddie whined.

Ignoring her, Emmie shifted her gaze to Natalie. “This puts you and Trinity in a tight position. Your loyalties are pulled in opposite directions. Natalie, they are both your granddaughters. I understand how hard this must be for you to handle. That’s why I’m stepping in. Autumn’s Slumber is my responsibility from here on.”

Natalie nodded. “I agree. Maddie made some very questionable choices, and I’m going to let Trinity sort that out. I don’t want to cause more friction between Hayat and Maddie, so it’s best I stay out of the business side of this. That doesn’t mean I have any control over how Devlin handles what took place today.”

“That’s family business, not work,” Emmie said with a shrug. She glanced over her shoulder at us. All three of us stood up a little straighter. “Jamie and Sparks, if you would please follow me?”

My friends rushed forward, ready to follow her anywhere. I took a step in the same direction, but green eyes zeroed in on me, freezing me in place. “Ky Carver, your services are no longer needed today. Security will show you out. You can leave the same way you came.”

“I need to see Hayat,” I argued.

“What you need is irrelevant to me. Hayat has no wish to see you. And since there will be no meetings for Autumn’s Slumber here today, your presence is no longer required or desired.” She sneered at me. “In case you can’t understand basic English, let me dumb it down for you. My niece doesn’t want to see you, so get the fuck out of my building before I have you thrown out of a window. Which would be a pity, really. I’ve seen the videos of your performances. It would be such a waste of talent. But trust me, I’d have you replaced before the end of the week.”

And now I understood firsthand why her clients called her the fire-breather. She had just roasted the skin from my bones, leaving me in a pile of ash.

But I wasn’t going to back down until I saw my girl. “Hayat can tell me she doesn’t want to see me herself. If she does, I’ll leave willingly.”

“Of course,” Emmie said with a sigh. Dialing something on her phone, she placed it on speaker, and we heard it ring twice before someone answered.

“Em, is it taken care of?” a deep voice demanded. In the background, I heard a few sniffles, and I clenched my hands at my sides. Hayat. She was crying.

Sparks whispered something vicious in Spanish, while Jamie’s hands curled into fists.

“Almost, Jesse. I’ll be down with Sparks and Jamie momentarily. First, let me speak to Hayat.”

“Emmie,” Jesse warned.

“Just a few moments,” she soothed. “And then I won’t bother her again.”

Cursing, I heard him shift and then Hayat’s soft voice. “Aunt Emmie?”

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