Page 95 of Not Mine to Keep

“Braden may be secretly seeing her,” I finally managed, “but do you think he’d stoop this low to blackmail me with her? I can’t believe that. But I also can’t deal with this now. I need to find a way to go back in there and finish.” I pulled back to get a read on him, and he kept his hands locked around my waist. “How do I go back in there, though?”

“Because this is your dream,” he said with grit in his tone, “and you’re not letting them win or take this night and what it means from you.” His brows slanted as he peered at my mouth. “Also, you took my breath away back in there, and I want to hear you sing more.” His unexpected compliment had me wanting to cry. “And I wasn’t even a fan of country music before you.”

“You just didn’t know what you were missing,” I whispered as his eyes made their way back to mine, and that sincere look was somehow everything I needed and then some.

“I’m thinking I didn’t,” he rasped, and we both stared quietly at each other before he added, “You can do this, though. You’re one of the strongest women I know.”

I attempted to killjoy the moment. “Guess that’s saying something since you know a lot of women.” At his eye roll, I slid my palm up his chest. “There you go again. But your eye roll is way broodier than mine, and a bit more subtle. I’ll have to teach you to do it more dramatically. Like how my students have taught me.”

“Work in progress, remember?” A teasing smile played across his full mouth. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s get the show back on.”

“Pretty sure you added a southern twang to that ‘sweetheart,’ just to get me to bend to your will and do whatever you want. Almost as effective as when you speak Italian to me.”

“If I knew that’s all it’d take to get you to bend to my will, I—”

“Forget I said that,” I interjected and chuckled, then he freed me from his hold and offered his hand to walk side by side back to the show.

“You good?” Leo asked us once we joined him and Javier on the sidewalk, and Alessandro only quietly nodded.

When we returned to the bar, Alessandro walked me over to the stage, and at the sight of me, Braden snatched his guitar.

“You got this.” Alessandro palmed my cheek, then took me by surprise and leaned in and kissed me. It was soft and sweet, and probably for show, but my heart fluttered at the gesture anyway.

I forced open my eyes after the kiss ended, finding his grays focused on me. That was a look I’d never seen him wear before; my writer’s block snatched the words from my head as to how to describe it, but I wanted to cement it to memory. It sure as hell looked a lot like love.

He cleared his throat, like he was trying to break free from whatever bubble we both seemed to be locked inside. A little nod of reassurance from him, then I climbed the short steps to the stage.

“What was that all about?” Braden asked on my way to the keyboard in preparation for the next song.

“I’ll tell you after,” was all I could get out. The only way I’d survive the show was to keep my eyes on Alessandro.

That plan worked. He somehow grounded me by his very presence, helping me survive the rest of the evening.

When our time was up, Braden set down his guitar and came right for me. He scooped me into his arms without warning and bear-hugged me.

Oh, shit.I went still, my arms outstretched, not wanting to return the embrace, and from the corner of my eye, I noticed Alessandro on his way over. “Let me go.”

“Shit. Sorry.” Braden quickly unhanded me.

“Did you know?” I whispered, catching sight of Nala and Imani near the stage, anxious to talk to me.

“Know what?” Braden stared at me, confused.

“Britt sold photos to a reporter claiming they were of me and you. She told the reporter I cheated on my husband with you. During the show, the woman asked for money, and—”

“Are you serious?” He tore a hand through his hair, stumbling back, nearly tripping over the guitar stand.

“What?” Imani blurted in shock, clearly overhearing me. I discovered Alessandro now at the steps, waiting for me alongside her.

His restraint tonight was impressive, because mine was being tested at every turn. “Tell me you had nothing to do with that,” I said to Braden, needing to finish this conversation before my husband did it for me.

“Of course I didn’t,” Braden answered, adding a shake of his head.

With the next band coming up to prep, we’d need to go and talk outside.

Not wasting time, I headed down the steps and nodded my thanks to one of the guards on Javier’s team swapping places with me to pack up my equipment.

Nala hugged me. Imani next.

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