Page 69 of Follow the Rhythm
Kieran glared at me. There was nothing but cold fury in his eyes.
“I’m done,” he said, looking at me, and then at Charlie.
“Wait, what? What do you mean?” Charlie sounded panicked.
“We’re done. I’m done. I won’t deal with his shit anymore, and Grace certainly doesn’t deserve it,” he said, pointing at me.
Charlie looked over his shoulder, his warm brown eyes concerned. I felt lower than a worm as I dabbed blood from my cut lip. “Hold on. Everyone just needs to calm down. I’m sure we can figure it out.”
“Nah, mate, I’m done.” Kieran loomed over me. “You’re going to help me buy out the contract option with Echelon. I’ve been trying to have patience, to be the bigger man. You can play the damaged rockstar all you want, but I’ll be on the first flight out.”
I had run out of steam. I watched him go in silence. And I would buy out the contract, of course. No matter how much I wanted to hurt him, I wouldn’t letRewardsee the light of day. I just wished he’d called my bluff earlier and saved everyone the trouble.
“Shit,” Charlie whispered. “What the hell am I going to do?”
I rolled to my feet; I had some drinking to do. I patted him on the shoulder. “You’ll figure it out.”
Hotels never made it as hard to get on the roof as they thought. Even while pissed, I could usually find my way up. It was hot, so I tucked myself into a corner with some shade. I looked out at the skyline that could have been anywhere. I didn’t even remember what city we were in.
I brought a bottle of whiskey with me. It was nearly empty.
My phone buzzed a few times, but I ignored it. I needed not to feel.
Time slipped. I must have dozed off, and Jess’s scent haunted my dreams.
“There you are, you fucker,” her voice said, as sharp as her scent. Not a dream then. “Come clean up your mess.”
I opened my eyes. I was reclining against the wall behind me. The sun had slipped lower in the sky.
“Is the show starting?” I asked.
“There is no show. Charlie cancelled it when you disappeared,” she said, glaring at me. “You can’t even stand up, can you?”
I scoffed. “‘Course I can.” I didn’t move, though.
She sighed and sat down next to me, wrapping her arms around her bent legs so she folded into a tiny ball. Her scent curled towards me, the spicy ginger more prominent than usual. It cleared my mind just a little.
“How did you know where I was?”
“The roof was always the best place for brooding,” Jess said wryly. “What the hell was that? I thought you were done with the temperamental bullshit. You made Grace cry.”
My heart sank. I didn’t reply because there was nothing to say.
“Kieran wouldn’t tell me what you said to piss him off. I had to convince him we should even look for you, so I’m guessing it was awful. What’s going on? Did Bea leave again?”
I scoffed, but my eyes burned with unshed tears. “Everything is wrong.”
“You’ll have to narrow it down a little if you want some help. I can’t fix ‘everything.’”
She paused. “Is it because of Michael? Kieran told me that what happened wasn’t an accident.”
The truth, like all the worst secrets, wanted to come out. I could feel it climbing up my throat. Would it feel better to tell someone? Maybe it would be like exorcising a demon or cutting out the rot at its root. A surgical excision of the worst thing I’d ever done. Would that absolve me?
The sun was shining through the curtain of Jess’s hair that fell over her shoulder, bringing out a warmer tone. Her scent had mellowed as her anger faded, turning sweeter again. Those wide, dark eyes locked on mine could surely see the depths of my soul.
But no, burdening Jess wouldn’t help anyone.
I sighed. “It doesn’t matter. It’s better this way.”
