Page 28 of Backstage with a Billionaire Rockstar

“Uh, do you know where Brent is?”

“Haven’t gone out of the room yet, but I assume he might be taking a tour of the city with Julia.”

It’s what he’s been doing since we started the tour, and I blow out a resigned sigh. “Remember when I said I knew Mia from years ago?”

“Yeah.”

“Then managed to believe I’d gotten it wrong?”

“Mhm.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t get anything wrong.”

“Okay… what does that have to do with the sour mood?”

“I just came across some information that changes everything,” I whisper into the room before lying back on my bed, which feels more like bed springs than a mattress. Instead of worrying about the uncomfortable feeling, I focus on the ceiling above me and wonder what the hell I’m going to do.

Mimicking my thoughts, Jace blows out a rough breath and asks, “What will you do?”

“You aren’t going to ask what it’s about?”

“That’s your business, man,” Jace says. “As long as you know what you’ll do with the information, I’m not going to pry.”

I’m starting to wonder if Jace is taking over my spot in the band as being the more level-headed one. With the way my life keeps taking turns, it’s sure starting to seem that way. In all the years since our fame started, I’ve never gotten an attitude with reporters looking for a story.

I’d politely tell them to leave me alone because I knew it was good for our image, but I wasted no time snapping at Travis when I saw him looking too suggestively at Mia. The idea of him flirting with her when I was standing right there didn’t sit right with me.

The floor creaks under someone’s weight outside the door, and I glance toward it, wondering if it could be Mia coming back inside. I want to get up and make sure she’s okay, but I can’t forget what she’s kept from me.

She’s had years to tell me about Liam… and I’m not sure if this is something we can come back from.

11

Mia

As soon as Kenzie answers the phone she says, “I told you that he was okay, there’s no need to worry.”

“It’s— it’s not that,” I choke out.

She frowns on the phone, then sits on the couch in my living room. “Okay… what’s going on?”

“He found out.”

Kenzie sighs heavily. “I figured he would once he saw Liam. They resemble each other a lot, Mia, you had to know it would happen eventually.”

“I didn’t think he’d find out this quick,” I say, then suck in a sharp breath. “What do I do, Kenzie?”

She gives me a sad smile. “You really don’t know?”

We both know what I need to do and I’m terrified. What if Evan gets close to Liam, then decides that being a parent isn’t what he wants? Worse, what if he does want to be a parent and tries to gain custody of him?

The thought of losing my baby makes my heart ache and more tears start flowing down my cheek. I swipe at them and look at my best friend. “This could go bad,” I say, like that makes my decision right even though I know it wasn’t.

Regardless of what Evan would’ve decided, I never should’ve kept this from him. When I found out I was pregnant, I should’ve tried finding him again and immediately gave him the news. As soon as I stepped foot on his front porch to start the job, I should’ve spilled everything right then and there.

Instead, I kept it all inside and hoped that we would never have to worry about it.

I should’ve known life never does me any favors and prepared for when Evan would find out the truth.

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