Page 53 of Key Change

He crossed the road, waiting for Cillian’s response.

He mentioned Bianca, and the impending divorce, and wants me to lie about her. No doubt to lessen the settlement. I can’t do it. So now I’m fucked in the not fun way.

Anthony didn’t want to make the mess bigger. He was supposed to be helping. So far he was doing a shit job.

I’d better only mention the tail.

It wasn’t as though his brother could be reasoned with. To him, it was a game, and whoever screwed over the most people, and had the most money, won.

Yeah… make it seem like we don’t talk about anything. Just fuck.

He pictured Cillian raking his fingers through his hair and scowling. He wanted to call him, but as neither of them had a solution, what was there to say?

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to stop him from starting gossip, and he’ll keep pushing and demanding more. It’s what he does.

Yes. I see that now…

You have a solid career.

?? Do you remember what I do for a living?

It was a better career than what Anthony had at the moment, though that was a low bar. Cillian was respected and people requested him… That had to count for something. Didn’t it?

Have you told your agent?

No. She might drop me because of the comp thing.

That might have been true a couple of years ago, but you’re about to record a movie soundtrack. You make her money.

And people liked money. An agent wasn’t going to pre-emptively kill the golden goose, but they might protect the goose from the wolves.

Ah, but will I afterwards?

I bet she’ll have ideas. I’ll talk to H about the tail, you talk to your agent about the blackmail, and then we can discuss the results.

Anthony hoped that Cillian’s agent was smarter than both of them and knew which strings to pull. The strings probably wouldn’t choke Hayden, but he was allowed to dream.

God, that sounds dull.

I can make it interesting. ??

LOL. But I hate this.

But continuing will be worse?

Cillian’s initial reason for approaching him had been to end the blackmail, but Anthony understood the fear that standing up to Hayden provoked. He had the scar to prove it, and a long list of times that left no scars.

Got to go. I’ll call my agent tomorrow. No time today.

Anthony slipped his phone into his pocket, crossed another road, and turned the corner. Then stopped.

Hayden’s car sitting in his sister’s driveway swept away every thought. His heartbeat drowned out every other noise. For several seconds, he stood there. Sure, he’d just talked about speaking to his brother, but he hadn’t meantnow.

He exhaled. It didn’t have to be now.

And he didn’t have to go home. He could head to a café and hide until it was safe to return. But by running away, he gave Hayden a certain power over him which he didn’t like. He didn’t like admitting that running was his first thought, either.

Hayden must know that he’d seen Liam and was now here to blackmail him.

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