Page 48 of Pervade London
“Oh, like you do?”
James looked at me with a sympathetic expression.
“I won’t let you get away with this.”
“The only reason you’re still alive is because Xander used it as a bargaining chip. I have agreed to his terms for now…as long as you follow my instructions.”
My chest heaved. “I need to see that he’s okay.”
“He’s not coming back.” James reached out and took my hand in his, holding it tenderly. The comforting gesture surprised me.
Then he pulled off my engagement ring and tucked it into his pocket.
“Give that back to me!”
“Your life with Xander never happened, Emily.”
“I have friends who’ll believe me.”
“They never met him, right? He’s simply a figment of your imagination.”
He walked out of the sitting room and headed toward the front door.
I followed him, caressing my ring finger. A faint dent in my skin was the only evidence I was engaged. “Can I stay here tonight?”
James pivoted and held my stare. “No. This is your last chance to accept my offer to get you into a nice place.”
“Fuck off.”
“We’re changing the locks to this flat within the hour.” He headed out and left the door open behind him.
My breathing was so erratic I knew I was close to having a full-blown panic attack.
I slammed the door shut and collapsed against it, letting my body slide to the floor.
Even with James gone, his presence lingered.
I hugged my knees to my chest as I replayed his words. How had I helped them find Xander? There’d been no sharing of photos on social media, no sharing of phones, no breaches in privacy with my friends. But James was right…Xander had never met anyone in my life.
We were both in danger because of me.
And I’d never forgive myself.
Istood resolutely in front of the crimson velvet curtains on the grand stage of the Barbican Theatre.
It had been my audition to seize, my moment to shine.
Becoming a member of the London Symphony was a real possibility for me now—but only if I’d somehow managed to impress my austere audience of six with Chopin’s “Nocturne” in C-sharp minor.
I’d played my Strad like my life depended on it. And in many ways it did. The dream and agony of loss had left each sweep of my bow like silent tears for my lost lover.
My life had been stripped to nothing.
If felt like years, but it had only been two nights ago that everything had begun to fall apart after I’d left Kitty in the bar at The Savoy. I’d hunted down my wayward boyfriend after seeing him walking into Simpson’s-in-the-Strand. And a day later James Ballad had swept in and out of my life like a tornado, taking my boyfriend with him.
Finally coming down from the adrenaline rush of my performance, I braved a look around the grand auditorium, only now noticing the beauty that surrounded me.
This had been my one chance to accomplish my dream.
