Page 87 of The Bitter Words

“No.” She stares at me like a deer in headlights. “I want to go back to the hotel. There are too many people here. All who would defend you at any cost. You’re their meal ticket, so why wouldn’t they?”

“Hey! I’m your brother.” Bren’s hands fly into the air and he addresses her. “Blood is thicker than anything. You’d think you’d know that by now considering how many times I’ve had your back.”

She covers her wrists by holding each of her palms over them. “Helping me is one thing. Covering for yourbrois another.”

“You’re right, Livianna.” Bren storms by, stopping by the door and glaring at her. “Everyone’s out to get you. We all lie to you because in your fucked-up brain you think you’re not worth shit.”

Her eyes swell with tears. She trembles and lowers her head.

I can’t stand seeing her this way. “Guns, stop. She doesn’t need you confronting her right now.”

“Sure, anything for her.” He spins away, cursing, and marches down the hall.

Hawke and Cooper settle onto a couch and keep their mouths shut. I inch toward her, take her in my arms, and lead her out of the building.

We say nothing to each other on the way back to the hotel. There’s no doubt in my mind she believes Zara on some level. I would if I were in the same position.

I push the door open to our room. “When you’re ready to talk, I’d like to get this cleared up.”

“I want that, too.” She ambles into the room. “How did Zara know you were on an antibiotic?”

I let the door close behind me and stand in the middle of the room. “Everyone at work knew, Lily. I was sick for two weeks. My illness was causing migraines and I was holding up production.”

“That makes sense.” She places her purse on the table and sits in one of the chairs. “She’s not going to stop with this. Every time I come to visit you while you’re on tour, she’s going to do something to aggravate me.”

“I know.” I gesture to the minibar. “Do you want that cocktail now? There are mixers in there.”

“Sure.”

“Vodka soda?”

“Yeah, that’s perfect.”

As I make us a drink, she watches me, but she’s somewhere far from here.

“What are you thinking about?” I take her drink to her and sit in the chair across from her.

“Thanks.” She sips on it and gives herself a moment of silence. “When Zara said I have secrets, she wasn’t making that up. That’s why I believed her about you.”

“What are you trying to tell me, Lily?” My stomach spins and my breathing picks up. “What have you done?”

“I’m eighteen now, Callum. I can make my own decisions and I’m going to.”

“What does that mean?”

“We’re struggling. I’m not blaming you, so don’t think that. But if we don’t get things back on track, we’re not going to make it.”

“I worry about that, too.” I move my glass over and reach for her hand. “What does that have to do with these secrets you have?”

She slides her palm into mine. “I quit the show right before I left to come here. I didn’t even tell my parents I was doing it.”

My eyes bulge. “Whoa, Livianna. They’re gonna be pissed.”

“I know, but you’re going to be on the road for what…another six months?”

“Something like that.”

“I want to be able to come and visit you whenever I want.”