Page 261 of Enemies

Harrison: Something I can fuck you to later.

“He’s Harrison,” I say at last.

“So, you’re back together.”

I roll my eyes. “It’s a work in progress. Our relationship has some… extra pressure points.”

“I’m glad you guys found each other. I had a hard time picturing the perfect guy for you. If I’m honest, I wouldn’t have picked him.”

“Smug, gorgeous, rich as sin with a reputation to match?”

“Yeah. But you’re sarcastic, unselfconscious, and anti-materialistic. He’s perfect for you.”

Since I moved in, Harrison’s been consolidating what we learned from Eva and communicating with the police. He’s spent time down at the local station and on calls with Interpol.

Still, he’s here, and he’s more attentive than a week ago.

I haven’t told him about the feeling I have about Eva. I’m not going to. I can’t make him more concerned.

Though concerned Harrison isn’t all bad.

Last night, he was tracing my palm with his thumb from the moment he picked me up in his car.

On the steps to the house, his hands were squeezing my ass.

By the time Ash shut the door to his room, Harrison had his hand up my dress and his hard mouth whispering filthy things in my ear.

He kept me up all night.

He’s also bought me gifts. When I ordered a custom outfit for my gig at La Mer from a designer in Barcelona, Harrison swooped in and paid for it before I could.

He also found my bracelet under the bed.

What a fucking domestic thing.

I haven’t taken it off since.

Even though there’s a real chance something could go wrong at La Mer, I need to believe there’s good on the other side.

“I’m ready for a vacation. It’s mathematically impossible that one tiny person can create more havoc than an entire Broadway crew pulling eight shows a week, or an international rock tour hitting twenty countries, but she manages to do it.” Annie’s voice brings me back.

“You guys should get away somewhere while you have the time off. Get Beck to go with you. I’m sure he’d watch the baby. Or Jax and Haley.” I think of her semiretired rock-star dad and coder-genius stepmom, their own kids about six and two.

“An A-list nanny,” Annie muses, her smile teasing and intrigued at once. “That’s a good idea. Maybe I can talk Dad into it. He’s been working on bringing Wicked back from the dead.” The label he and Tyler bought as an investment last year wasn’t only a business deal—it was personal. “He’d never say he’s ready for a break, but when I talked to Haley the other night, she told me she caught him scribbling on organizational charts and muttering about restructuring. Of course, he’s chewed his nails down to the nubs too.”

I laugh, picturing the former biggest rock star in the world trying to do Harrison-like things. “Jax Jamieson’s always going to crush the music part. Sounds like he needs help with the ‘running the company’ part.”

“He does, though he won’t admit it. And he doesn’t trust anyone left over from the old management.”

“He should call Harrison. Harrison might not have experience running a label, but he knows how to grow a company. And he definitely knows how to deal with the unexpected.”

“That’s a great idea. I’ll tell Dad and Tyler. They might take him up on that. Anyway… What are you doing for this huge, career-capping show?”

I glance at my computer, anticipation surging through me. “I’m working on a few things.”

I sound casual, but I’ve had ideas for this set for years. A file on my computer. Things I swap out with new tracks from time to time. Thanks to that, preparing should be simple, but it’s not.

I picture the open-air venue packed from wall to wall. The thrill of imagining it for years doesn’t match the reality now that it’s so close. I’m nervous, and it’s not only about Mischa. It’s about me.

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