Page 98 of Lawbreaker

“Maybe we can get you back in time,” Stasia was saying.

“I’m not going back,” Odalie said quietly. She turned to her friend, noting that the window to the front seat was closed, so that Ben couldn’t overhear what she said. “This is not what I want, Stasia. I’m not sure it ever was.” She went over the misery of the past few years and the truth of her so-called great career.

“But you’ve had therapy,” Stasia argued.

“And it didn’t work” was the quiet reply. “I’ve gone through half a dozen therapists, I’ve tried all the steps except for hypnosis—and there’s no way I’m risking that. Nothing has made it any easier. One of the doctors even said that considering some of my risk factors, the constant stress could even result in a heart attack.”

“You never told me that!” Stasia exclaimed.

“I was afraid you’d tell Tanner. You guys don’t keep secrets. And if Tanner mentioned it, Mom would worry herself sick.” She didn’t add that she’d had some fainting spells lately that had her concerned, and that was just because of the audition.

“I didn’t realize it was that bad,” Stasia said gently.

Odalie drew in a long breath. “I’ve been pretending. It was a lovely dream. But I can’t bear going out on a stage night after night after night feeling this way. Especially now,” she added softly. “I never knew what love was, before.” She met Stasia’s eyes. “Part of me wishes I’d never found out,” she added with a laugh.

“What do you really want to do?” Stasia asked.

She looked at her sister-in-law. “Marry Tony and have half a dozen kids and sing in the choir on Sunday?” She shook her head. “That will never happen. I don’t know what I want. But it isn’t a career on the stage—I’m absolutely sure of that. My voice teacher suggested doing recordings. That’s not a bad idea. Maybe I’ll look into that. But right now, I just want to go home and put tonight behind me.”

“You poor kid. You’ve got it bad for Tony,” Stasia said.

“I love him, Stasia,” she said softly. “I love him with all my heart. For a little while, I thought it was mutual. We were almost never apart. He seemed to be just as crazy about me as I was about him.” She laughed harshly. “Then he invited Mauve over just before I left the apartment, and he kissed her half to death in front of me, to make sure I knew how little I meant to him.”

Stasia flinched. “Odalie, I’m so sorry.”

The other woman fought tears. She looked out at the bright lights dotting the darkness along the streets. “Life teaches hard lessons,” she said sadly. “We learn them, sooner or later. I just need...a little time. I hope the family won’t take it too hard.”

“Don’t be silly,” Stasia said. “They love you. We all do. It will be all right.”

And it was. They were all sympathy, especially Heather, who knew from personal experience how little a career mattered beside the love of a good man. Of course, she hadn’t shared her own past turmoil of career versus love with her husband or either of her sons. It was Odalie’s business.

Poor Odalie. She looked as if she’d lost the world. How odd that Tony would be so close to her and then suddenly develop a taste for his former girlfriend. It didn’t really make sense.

Or perhaps it did, Heather thought as she read her daughter’s drawn face. Odalie was like her mother. She was capable of loving only once, just once, with her very soul. She’d give up anything for that love, sacrifice anything. Maybe Tony already knew that. But he was making the decision for her. Probably he thought she’d be sacrificing a great career and he deliberately chased Odalie away. Could it be that simple? Maybe it was. Anybody with eyes could see how Tony felt when he looked at Odalie. It had been that way from the time they met.

A day would come when Odalie would want to talk. When the memory of tonight wasn’t so raw, Heather could talk to Odalie about this and help her find a solution. Tonight, of course, was for tears. So the sooner the family went home and let her cry it out, the better things would be. They all hugged Odalie on the way out.

“You’re sure Ben’s got your back?” Tanner asked while he and Odalie were briefly alone at the stretch limo that would take the family to their plane at the airport.

“Ben’s got everybody’s back.” Odalie teased, “Even yours, while you’re up here.”

“You trust him a lot,” Tanner said gently.

“I do. He was a navy SEAL before he went into wrestling and then forged a career as a bodyguard. They don’t come any tougher.”

“Okay. I’ll stop worrying,” Tanner said.

“I’m tough enough, mostly.” She grimaced. “Well, usually. There was this guy who tried to get into my apartment...”

“What?” Tanner exclaimed.

“Ben found out who he was and told Tony. Tony made a phone call...” She closed up. She hadn’t meant to let that slip out.

“Who was the guy? Did Tony tell you?”

She nodded and grimaced. “He was a contract employee of that man who’s been after you, Tanner.”

“Phillip James,” he said through his teeth.

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