Page 88 of Rockstar's Accidental Marriage

As the night stretches on, the weight of the world feels lighter, and I allow myself to simply be—here, with Sam, the man I love, under the stars.

Twenty-Eight

Sam

The past two weeks have been a blur of rehearsals, performances, and whispered conversations in Cass’s office. Every spare moment seems to find me sitting across from him, trying to untangle a web that feels increasingly sinister. And today is no different.

I lean back in my chair, watching as Cass paces the room, his phone pressed to his ear. His brow is furrowed, his movements sharp, like he’s barely containing his frustration. It’s a side of him I don’t see often. Cass is usually the epitome of calm under pressure, the rockstar who can charm a stadium full of screaming fans without breaking a sweat. But this? This is different.

“Thanks, Jaxson,” he says finally, his tone clipped. “Keep me updated.” He ends the call and tosses his phone onto the desk with more force than necessary.

“Still nothing?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

Cass shakes his head, dragging a hand through his hair. “Not yet. Jaxson’s investigative team has been tailing Jeb, but so far, it’s all circumstantial. The guy’s been meeting with Derrick, but we don’t have proof of what they’re up to.”

“Derrick, as in our previous manager?” I let out a low whistle at Cass's nod, leaning forward. “You never did tell us why you let him go.”

Cass snorts, dropping into the chair across from me. “I fired him because he’s a manipulative bastard.”

Raising an eyebrow at the venom in his voice, I state, “I can’t say that I’m surprised. Derrick was a hell of a good manager, but he didn’t have much else going for him.” I look over at Cass with a grimace. “I, for one, was glad to see him go. I never liked him–the guy gave me bad vibes.”

“Bad vibes don’t even begin to cover it,” Cass mutters grimly.

My eyes continue to study Cass, guessing there’s more to the story.

Exhaling sharply, Cass’s gaze remains fixed on the desk. He looks up, and there’s something raw in his expression. “I guess I should tell you the real reason Kendrick left all those years ago.”

That gets my attention. I straighten in my seat, my focus narrowing on him. “What do you mean?”

Cass leans back, his jaw tightening. “Kendrick found out she was pregnant with Cassidy, and…” As Cass tells me the details of Kendrick leaving twelve years ago, my eyes widen in stunned disbelief. The weight of his words hit me like a punch to the gut. I’ve always suspected there was more to Kendrick’s departure than she let on, but hearing it laid out like this makes my stomach churn.

“She left to protect you and your career,” I say quietly, my voice low.

Cass nods, his eyes dark. “Yeah. Do you know Derrick was even going to tamper with the paternity test?” Cass tightens his lips. “Kendrick was young, scared, and she didn’t want to be the reason I lost everything. So she left.”

“Jesus,” I mutter, running a hand over my face. “That’s... that’s messed up.”

“That’s Derrick,” Cass says bitterly. “The guy’s a master manipulator. And now he’s sniffing around again, using Jeb to stir up trouble. I don’t know what his endgame is, but I’m not letting him get away with it this time.”

The room falls into a heavy silence, so silent I can hear the faint hum of the air conditioning. I can feel Cass’s frustration and anger, and I don’t blame him. Derrick’s actions didn’t just affect him and Kendrick—they had a ripple effect on all of us in the band. And now, it seems, he’s trying to do it again.

“What about Emily?” I ask after a moment. “Should we tell her?”

Cass hesitates, his expression conflicted. “I don’t know. She’s already dealing with enough. The pregnancy, the tours—I don’t want to pile this on top of everything.”

“Neither do I,” I say slowly. “But if Jeb is working for Derrick, Emily should know. Not just because she’s the band’s manager, Cass–what if she’s the target? I don’t want her in danger.”

He nods reluctantly, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re right. But let’s wait until we have more concrete proof. I don’t want to stress her out unless we have to.”

“Fair enough,” I agree, though the thought of keeping something like this from Emily doesn’t sit well with me. Still, Cass is right—there’s no sense in worrying her until we know exactly what we’re dealing with.

The conversation shifts after that, the tension in the room easing slightly. Cass leans back in his chair, his gaze softening as he looks at me. “So... you and my little sister. How’s that going?”

I can’t help but smile at the question. “It’s going great, actually. Emily is... amazing. Strong, smart, funny. I mean, you knowall that, but seeing her like this—pregnant, managing the band, keeping everything together—she’s really something.”

Cass’s lips curve into a small smile. “Yeah, she’s always been like that. Stubborn as hell, too. Must run in the family.”

“Must,” I agree with a chuckle.

---