But standing there on The Strand, with sweat drying on my skin and Elise’s laughter echoing in my head, I realized something that gutted me.
I could build a hundred more empires, sign a thousand more artists, and it still wouldn’t mean a damn thing.
Because what I wanted, the one thing I couldn’t buy, negotiate, or win, was gone.
And I had no one to blame but myself.
I drew in a sharp breath, the decision crystallizing in my chest like glass.
I’d been telling myself that giving her space is what’s best for her, that she’ll come back when she’s ready. But in that moment, watching her in Titan’s arms, I realized how foolish I’d been.
I couldn’t keep waiting to see how all of this would play out. I couldn’t keep pretending like everything was fine. Elise was slipping away from me. The tour with Titan was set to kickoff soon and if I didn’t do something about it now, I was going lose her for good and that wasn’t a fucking option.
I turned, already walking toward my car.
“Where the hell are you going?” Ryan called after me.
“To get Elise back.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
ELISE
THE MUSIC CARRIEDme through the weeks. Each routine was sharper than the last, and everyone saw the dancer I’d become, but no one saw the part of me that still ached for him.
Between rehearsals, costume fittings, and the rush of imagining performing in front of thousands of people every other night, I barely had a moment to breathe, let alone dwell on the heartbreak. Rehearsal demanded all of me, and for that, I was grateful.
This tour was exactly what I needed. It was movement, purpose, and something to pour myself into besides heartache.
“You looked good today, Elise.” Titan said as he gathered his phone and hoodie that he had removed some time during rehearsals, which left him shirtless for the remainder of the session. “Honestly, you’re raising the bar for everyone in this studio.”
I managed a small smile, the compliment hitting differently than it had the first day he scolded me for lagging behind. “Thanks, Titan. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at the airport before we head out to tour.”
I slung my bag over my shoulder, pushed open the studio door, and froze.
Nathan was waiting for me, holding a bottle of water in his hand just like he had for the last few weeks.
Only right now, he didn’t see me.
His back was turned as he spoke into his phone, voice low but audible.
Seeing him stirred something inside me. Every evening he’d been here, waiting after rehearsals, offering the bottle of water like a quiet anchor, and I hated it and loved it at the same time. It was frustrating how he could be so present and yet so unavailable. How he could still affect me after everything. I’d grown used to ignoring the flutter in my stomach, the rush of warmth that pooled in my chest whenever I caught sight of him. But seeing him scruffy and exhausted and desperate in the small way he let show, I couldn’t help but feel the ache of him all over again.
“…I’ll be out of the office for a while. Not sure how long, but starting tomorrow.” I caught the last bit of his conversation, and a pang shot through me. Maybe he was flying off somewhere with Sadie. She’d been seen leaving the office a few times since Nathan and I broke up. Every time I’d spotted her lingering around and smiling a little too smugly, I’d felt that flicker of irritation. Now the thought of him with her made my chest tighten, jealousy clawing its way up my throat.
I kept walking, deliberately brushing past him, trying to act like I hadn’t seen him, though every step felt heavier than the last.
“Elise,” he said softly, reaching out to stop me, and for a moment, I hesitated. His hand hovered, offering the bottle of water. “For you,” he added softly.
I took it. My hand closed around the cool plastic. “Thank you.”
I started walking again, careful to keep my steps steady, the water bottle felt cool in my hand.
“How was the rehearsal?” Nathan wondered, falling into step beside me.
“Good. Titan really pushes me to be a better dancer.”
Nathan gave a low hum that was not quite an agreement, but not quite a dismissal either. “You’ve always been good. Even when you didn’t believe it.”
