Chapter 32
The wind howled through the trees, carrying echoes from seven years past, Leaves drifted down in the grove around them. When she didn’t respond Nathan pressed, “Say something.”
Staring at Nathan’s long shadow stretching across the ground, Amélia said, “Maybe you should ask her what she told me.”
Nathan’s jaw tightened. “Vivian doesn’t even know you.”
Translation: she was making it all up.
“Nathan.” She looked up, meeting his dark stare. “You really trust her that much?”
He didn’t answer right away, but that nagging feeling stirred in his chest again
“Look, I’ve got nothing to gain from going after Vivian,” she said. “She’s your girl. Your reputation, your status here in New York–I’m nobody compared to that.”
“If I didn’t have a damn good reason…” She gave a bitter smile. “Why would I basically sign my own death warrant?”
Nathan’s frown deepened. What she said made sense, but then again, why would Vivian–who only had six months to live–target some random stranger? In the end, his loyalty still lay with Vivian.
“Elena, I don’t know what went down between you two, but I need you to remember something–she’s dying. Six months, maybe less.”
“Part of why she’s doing this show is to inspire other people fighting the same battle.”
Amelia studied Nathan–his creased brow, those dark eyes, the conviction in his voice–and remembered Vivian’s words from earlier.
“It’s all about the brand these days.”
“You think you’re here just to compete? To show off your songwriting?”
“Cavendish Entertainment didn’t invest in you for charity. They want returns. Commercial value. Cash. Get it?”
Was Vivian really that good at playing him, or was he choosing to be played?
She didn’t know and didn’t want to figure it out. So Amelia looked away.
“Nathan, sometimes you can’t see what’s right in front of you. What looks perfect might not be what you think.” Her final warning.
His eyes went cold. She’d read his mind.
From luring him into the woods to this whole back–and–forth, to that last comment she seemed to see right through his doubt, his uncertainty, every thought in his head. She could even steer him where she wanted, mess with his judgment. Only someone who knew him inside and out could pull that
off.
“Who the hell are you?”
That inask was suddenly driving him crazy. He reached to tear it off.
Amelia stepped back instinctively, but her stilettos sank into the soft ground. She stumbled, and Nathan automatically grabbed her arm to steady her.
Lightning split the sky, thunder rolling after. The flash lit up the grove, and as he lost her balance, her long coat fell open.
His hand was on her thin arm, the lightning revealing bruises covering her pale skin–dark purple marks, worse than what he’d glimpsed on stage.
“CRACK…”
The thunder hit like a bomb in Nathan’s head. Buried in his memory was someone else with injuries like these, badly hurt. Amelia from seven years
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Chapter 32
ago. Those heartbroken eyes still haunted him.
“You…” Nathan started to speak, but she’d already pulled away.
She wrapped her coat tight and found her footing. “Thanks for catching me, Mr. Harrison.”
“Mr. Harrison.” The formal address snapped him back to reality.
Right. Amelia had always called him Nathan.
She’d said it felt intimate, like how her dad used to talk to her mom. The woman in front of him was way thinner than Amelia anyway.
Plus, this woman was Louie’s kept girlfriend, who’d just miscarried his baby ten days ago. He and Amelia had gone to city hall six days ago. The night before that, they’d slept together. So this couldn’t be her.
Louie was already heading over, looking concerned.
“Hurt this bad and Louie still dragged you to a reality show?” The words came out before Nathan could stop them.
He wasn’t even sure why he cared.
“Not your problem, Mr. Harrison.”
Nathan’s frown deepened. He wanted to say more, but Louie had reached them. Amelia’s vision blurred–she really couldn’t take much more and
leaned against Louie.
“Shit–Elena!” Louie was freaking out, immediately wrapping an arm around her, then shooting Nathan a death glare.
Louie looked ready to explode, but Amelia just waved him off. Nathan’s mouth was a hard line.
Watching them together, Nathan felt an unexpected stab of jealousy. “She’s this messed up and you’re still making her work?”
Louie’s eyes rolled so hard they nearly fell out. Like Nathan wasn’t the one who’d put her in this state?
When he’d visited Amelia in the hospital, Harper had filled him in. Originally, amelia only had a mild concussion from the hit–and–run. The baby could’ve been saved if she’d just stayed in bed. But Nathan–trying to protect precious Vivian–had shoved Amelia down a flight of stairs.
Lost the baby, got banged up from head to toe. She was lucky nothing was broken.
They’d been about to leave when Nathan insisted on this little chat. What right did he have to lecture anyone?
Louie wanted to unleash hell on Nathan, show him exactly why they called him New York’s hottest temper. But seeing how rough Amelia looked, he just snarled, “Mind your own damn business!”
He scooped her up and stalked toward the car.
Nathan watched them go, something twisting in his gut as her dark hair spilled over Louie’s arm. The wind kept blowing, more leaves falling. One landed in his palm.
He stared at the leaf. Can’t see the forest for the trees.
Was that really it?
Before he could work it out, rain started falling. Drops hit the leaf in his hand like tears.
They drove for a while, then switched cars to head to the hospital. Amelia was feeling a bit better. She gazed out the window while Louie kept trash talking Nathan, but she’d stopped listening.
Nathan’s power in New York was untouchable. She and Louie together could dent it.
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So what was the point? She needed to focus on what she could control, get done what she came here to do. That was enough.
“Buzz buzz.”
Her phone vibrated again. Amelia glanced down. A text from Nathan.
The rain was coming down hard. People were leaving the “Voice of Heaven” venue however they could–cars, rideshares, whatever.
For the live broadcast, audience members couldn’t bring phones or cameras inside, so only now could they check their devices.
“Voice of Heaven” had owned the trending topics all day. Tons of people who’d been there were jumping online to join the gossip. But some were asking questions: Why didn’t “Yesterday Once More” hit the same way online as it did live?
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Chapter 33
Chapter 33
