Page 24 of Backstage with a Billionaire Rockstar

This could all be a trick, someone working for the stalker, and Evan’s just walking right into it without a care in the world. He said he would take things more seriously.

“Just a few questions,” Travis says while pulling out a small notepad from his back pocket.

While he flips through the many pages filled with words, Evan angles himself closer to my back enough that I suck in a sharp breath – just in time for a gust of wind to blow through, not making my reaction seem all that inappropriate.

“I will not be answering anything,” Evan grinds out. “How did you find us?”

The guy scoffs, then glances around the area. “Are you kidding me? It’s not that hard to see the big bus sitting in the middle of an empty lot. If you don’t want to be found, you’ve gotta do better than that, man.”

Unfortunately, he’s not wrong, which is why I tried insisting that things get switched around. Everyone already knows that the guys are in the city today. They’ve got a show to put on in about five hours, so it wouldn’t surprise anyone to find the bus parked somewhere busier. At least if it was more crowded, Travis wouldn’t have been able to ambush me because he’d spend more time pushing through the crowd.

“Are you sure you want to take the risk of not answering my questions?” Travis asks, arching a brow while sliding his gaze lazily over to mine before winking at me.

“If you look at her one more time,” Evan growls out, my eyes widening at the sudden anger pouring off him. He could be standing another foot or two away from me, and I’d still be able to feel the sting of the heat.

I look between the two guys, not at all missing the amusement shining in Travis’s eyes.

This is going to get ugly.

“We’re not answering anything,” Evan snaps. “Get away from here.”

“Looks like the past might come to bite you in the ass after all, Mr. Knight.” Travis whistles as he turns away from us and heads back across the lot. He doesn’t turn back around; he just disappears around the building until it’s only me and Evan standing outside.

With Evan standing behind my shoulder, I realize I’m shaking. It could be from the wind. I’m sure that’s what Evan will assume, but it’s much more than that. Everything is about to be out in the open – I could lose my job.

I whirl around and narrow my eyes at Evan’s frame. “You couldn’t just give him a couple of answers? Entertain the guy a bit?”

He blinks, surprised by my reaction, and steps away from me with a shake of his head. “Why would I do that? I’m trying to lay low as much as I can with the tour going on, and you’re the one who recommended that.”

“It’s me,” I blurt out. It’s the only way I can convince him to do what needs to be done.

If this story gets leaked, Liam’s life will no longer be private. I know how these people work. They’ll dig and dig until they find another story—and there’s that and more where Liam is concerned.

Evan’s eyebrows furrow. “What on earth are you talking about, Mia?”

“You were right,” I say with ragged breaths. “About me.”

When he still doesn’t understand what I’m getting at, I throw my hands out to my side and say, “I’m Summer, Evan, the one you met at a club six years ago.”

“What?”

Evan's face cycled through a kaleidoscope of emotions—shock, hurt, anger, and finally, a glimmer of something that looked like relief. His jaw clenched, and his hands balled into fists at his sides.

"All this time," he said, his voice low and rough. "You've known who I was, who we were to each other, and you said nothing?" He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. "Why, Mia? Or should I even call you that?"

The pain in his eyes made my chest ache. I wanted to reach out, to explain, but the words stuck in my throat.

“Travis is threatening to bring that out into the open, and we can’t let that happen,” I choke out, suddenly having a harder time breathing.

My heart raced, thoughts of Liam flashing through my mind. If this got out, how long before they dug deeper? How long before they discovered the little boy with Evan's eyes and my smile? I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't let anyone disturb the peaceful life I'd built for our son – the son Evan didn't even know existed.

While he comes to terms with the truth, which is something I should’ve told him when he approached me about it in the first place, I pull at the t-shirt I’m wearing in hopes that it will help me get the air I need.

My head is swimming, tears stinging, and I feel like I’m going to fall over any second from now. I need air, but how do I get it when I’m standing in the middle of it?

Liam.

I need to check on Liam.

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