Page 35 of Shattered Dreams

“I know she’ll leave. She never wanted this.”

“You’re wrong, Kai. She loves music. I even saw her writing songs again while we were waiting in the dressing room. She left because she was still raw over Ezra. If she leaves again… well that will be on you,” Willa gives me one last glare before leaving me standing alone and questioning everything.

Will pushing her away and making her leave for good be more or less painful than if I let her close again, and she stays? I don’t fucking know.

“Why is Lindsey calling me?”

Cal looks up from the pair of tits he was staring at. There’s some busty redhead sitting in his lap in our dressing room. Mav has a blonde that might be her sister. I refused to let anyone back here, but those two don’t care.

“Probably because I’m not answering her,” he says before shoving his face into the groupie’s chest.

I roll my eyes and brace myself for the phone call with our agent.

“Hi, Lindsey. We’re going on stage soon.”

“I don’t give a fuck! Why isn’t Callahan answering me? He sends me an email stating his sister is joining the band. What the fuck is that? This isn’t some garage band that plays at a local dive bar once a month! You can’t just add people!” she screams into the phone. I hold it out so I maintain hearing in my ear. “And who is the bitch the tabloids keep reporting you with?”

“Stop screaming for two fucking seconds,” I tell her sternly. “Cal is busy. Belle is already in the band. Check the fucking contract before you scream at people. You make yourself sound like an idiot.”

“Don’t you fucking speak to me —”

I hang up my phone, not allowing her to finish. Sleeping with your agent, who is also the daughter of the CEO of the record label you signed with, is a terrible idea. Hanging up on her might have been worse, but I don’t care.

“What did you mean about the contract?” Mav asks.

“We made sure there was a clause stating that if Belle or Ezra wanted to rejoin the band, they could do so at any time,” Cal says without taking his attention from the redhead.

“And the tabloids?” Mav asks. He seems to just be tolerating the woman on his lap.

“No idea. You know I don’t follow those.” I shrug, but pull up the browser on my phone anyway, ignoring all the angry texts coming in from Lindsey.

The moment the results come up from searching my name, I immediately tense.

Malikai Irons and His New Beau

Can Irons Keep This One?

The Playboy and the Beauty

The only pictures they have is one someone took of my hand on Belle’s back at the airport and another of all of us leaving the hotel earlier today. I opened the door of the car for Belle, and they cut everyone else out. There’s nothing negative about Belle here, so I don’t see any issues with it. Her face also isn’t visible in any of the pictures, but it wouldn’t be difficult to figure out who she was if anyone tried.

“Uhh. Kai, did you see the one that was just posted?”

I look over at Mav to see him looking horrified. The moment I refresh my browser, I immediately see what he’s talking about. I grip my phone so tightly as I read, I’m surprised the screen doesn’t crack. I vaguely hear Mav telling Cal to get our PR team on the phone.

Stolen Love? Malikai Irons Spotted with Dead Brother’s Love! His Mother Tells All!

Right under the title is a picture of my mother holding a silver frame that has the word ‘Love’ etched into it. Instead of the picture of her and my dad that used to be in it, now there’s a picture of Belle and Ezra as teenagers. Belle’s hair is shorter and a tangled mess of curls around her face. She’ssmiling at the camera, silver braces on full display. Ezra is next to her, arm around her shoulder, smiling down at her like her smile solves all his problems. I know because it used to do that for me. Back when she used to smile at me. Now all she does it glare, not that I haven’t earned it.

My chest feels like it’s caving in, and my face might be on fire with the way it’s burning up. I suck in as much air as I can before moving on to read the article.

Ezra Irons had the entire world in his hands. He had his twin brother, his best friends, a band that was about to make it big, but most importantly, he had the love of his life. Bellamy Griffin and Ezra grew up together. They were friends from a young age and grew into more as the years progressed.

“They were made for each other. Everyone knew it.” Adira Irons told us when we sat down with her. As the mother of Malikai and Ezra, she knew him best.

Malikai and Belle have been spotted together quite a few times in London. Questions have begun to swirl around the pair.

“I’m not surprised.” Adira says when asked about her son’s relationship. “Malikai was always jealous of Ezra. He wanted everything Ezra had. I’m surprised it took him this long to go after Bellamy.”

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