Page 2 of Key Change

CHAPTER

TWO

Cillian air-kissed Hayden’scheek and pretended they were friends the way he had for the last six years. “Happy birthday.”

He managed not to choke on the words.

“I’m so glad you came.” Hayden’s lips crashed into Cillian’s cheek, a little too wetly. He’d started the party early and was well on the way to being drunk.

“Wouldn’t miss it.” Though it was less of an invitation and more of an order that he couldn’t refuse. He took a large swallow of his drink, vowing to only have one. He was there to prove what a success Hayden Davidson was, so the man could say, “Look who I got to play at my private party… Cillian Fraser.”

For the right price, Cillian played at any private party.

Unfortunately, Hayden didn’t pay, and Cillian couldn’t break the strings without bringing down the life he’d created. He should’ve called Hayden’s bluff the first time he’d made threats, but he’d worked too damn hard.

It was too fucking late to go back now. He was neck deep, and the tide was rising. Better to act the part and play the game, so no one got to peek beneath the armor. Everyone here had secrets, and they all knew Hayden’s. His wife had left him.

Cillian smiled and declined the offered glass of bubbly from the waiter, lifting the wine glass in his hand to show he was fine. He knew most people here, if not personally, then by name and gossip. Bianca, Hayden’s ex-wife, had left the country, which meant Hayden’s friends didn’t need to pick sides in the separation. That said, Cillian had known Bianca longer than Hayden and would never call Hayden a friend. He was a prick who’d step on his own grandmother to get ahead and then lie about it.

He’d hoped that with the separation, Hayden might forget about him. If anything, Hayden had gotten worse.

Cillian sipped the wine—it was expensive and French. No doubt some of the people here could tell the brand from one sip. Hayden was trying to impress. Was he hoping to snare a new wife? Would he go for a younger woman? Rush into something to prove that Bianca’s betrayal meant nothing? Everyone wanted to see what happened next.

Hayden stood a little too close. “Remember, I can send you back to the farm where you’ll be shoveling shit for the rest of your life.”

Cillian froze. It was that or dump the contents of his glass on Hayden.

“So don’t go getting any ideas about following Bianca to London.”

Cillian forced a laugh. “Why would I leave when I have people begging me to play?”

He wasn’t good enough to make it in London, where the music scene was much bigger and grander. Sure, he’d put in the hours, but sleeping with the wrong person shadowed all his work. Was it his success, or had it been a well-timed and unasked for favor, and now no one wanted to speak the truth that the pianist had no clothes?

Fuck. Cillian took a deep drink instead of nursing it.. He hated this shit. He loved playing; he loved performing. What he hated was the shmoozing and making connections.

Let me smooth the way…

He should’ve said no, but he hadn’t found the words. He liked to pretend that he’d been dazzled by talent and power. That was much nicer than admitting that he’d been taken advantage of. Somehow Hayden had found out about the affair, and Cillian’s subsequent successes, and he’d played on Cillian’s own doubts and fears…

From Bianca, he’d learned that’s what Hayden did. He collected people to make himself look good. He found leverage, and he used it. People who walked away were destroyed.

It wasn’t worth the twenty years in prison to break the glass and shank Hayden in the neck to rid the world of the cancerous excuse for a human. That he’d considered it on more than one occasion wasn’t healthy and something he couldn’t discuss with his therapist without discussing everything, and there was no way he was cracking open that lid.

He needed to accept that this was the game. And who wasn’t playing a game? Everyone was always looking for the right introductions because their next job depended on it. Everyone wanted to be at the right party, in case they missed an opportunity that might make their career.

Even this one. These were the people with money to throw at things. They might hear him tonight and consider him for their next corporate event, or they’d come to a performance… He needed someone with more power than Hayden to pull him out of this mess.

But then he’d be in a bigger one. What was the point in looking for a bigger shark if they all bit and wanted their chunk of flesh?

At least Hayden didn’t want to sleep with him.

“When would you like me to play?” Cillian spun the stem of the glass.

“I’ll tell you.” Hayden walked away, calling out to a man across the room.

Great.So until he was told to jump, he needed to act as if he was having fun. His gaze skipped over the room, looking for someone to talk to, but Bianca wasn’t there. There were several people he’d met at other events, or through Bianca, so he made his way over to what could be called the arts cluster.

Were they Hayden’s friends, or did he have something on them too?

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