I continued to watch her move like magic across the stage. I clenched my hands into fists when the singer from Fatal Promise came onstage to sing with her. I knew they’d done the song together, and the music video was all the rage. I hadn’t seen it yet, but I’d heard it was good. It must have been damn good because Cole left for a week and sulked at the bed and breakfast he’d stayed at with Rosalie many years ago after it released.
But it was when this Riley prick wrapped his hand around Rosalie’s throat onstage and put her on her knees that I tightened my hand so hard that my nails dug painfully into my palms. It was bad enough that I’d already watched Fabian-Fucking-Henry, some Hollywood heartthrob, kiss and touch her in the video.
I watched as Riley leaned in and crushed his lips to hers. The crowd erupted in shouts. Security surged forward as the fans tried to run at the stage. I suppose they were all excited for confirmation of the rumors.
It pissed me off to see her live, at this very moment, kissing someone else. In my mind, I’d pushed away those thoughts, but seeing it for real, with someone the tabloids always linked her to, made me physically ill.
“What the fuck?” I snarled, sitting forward. I didn’t like seeing another man touch her like that, and her… she definitely kissed him back.
My phone rang.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the screen, but I managed to answer and put the device to my ear.
“Enzo?” Cole called out, his voice choked.
“I saw,” I said tightly as the song ended and the arena went black. The roar of the crowd was still blaring over my speakers as people chanted“Bishop! Bishop! Bishop!”
“It’s a performance,” I said. “Just a performance. They’re acting. It’s for press and attention.”
“It’s not. The rumors say she’s with that guy! This confirms it! What the fuck, man?” He sobbed into the phone. “WHAT THE FUCK? I can’t do this shit anymore. It’s killing me. I-I can’t.”
I didn’t know what to say to him to make it better. The truth of the matter was, I knew a long time ago she’d meet someone and fall in love. Maybe this was it. Maybe it wasn’t. All I knew was that Cole was suffering.
And that was killing me.
“I’ll handle him.” E’s voice came over the line. “He’s been drinking and smoking anyway. He’s pretty lit up right now. He likely won’t remember it tomorrow.”
“I’ll be home soon,” I murmured. “We’ll talk when I get there. Put him to bed. Let him sleep it off.”
“I will. Talk soon. Be safe.”
“Always.” I disconnected the call and watched the rest of her performance, which wasn’t much. She performed two more songs on her own before closing out the show, with Anson joining her on stage with his violin and playing an upbeat tune I was sure they’d likely written together, his voice belting out in perfect pitch with hers. It got the crowd pumped, and I knew many of them would be leaving with great memories. She’d debuted a new song with Anson, some new singles, a music video, and she’d kissed the lead singer of Fatal Promise.
Maybe it was a diversion to take the focus off the shit bag following her around, and if it was, it was excellent PR, and seemed exactly like something Anson would orchestrate.
I sighed and rubbed my eyes as I closed my laptop after Rosalie’s show ended.
The only thing that made me happy about watching it was that she was safe. No one hurt her. Now, she’d go to her next show, and hopefully they’d catch the prick who was stalking her.
And if they didn’t, I wouldn’t stop until I did.
I owed her that.
17
ANSON
Iwas furious.
I stormed around backstage after the show ended, ready to kick Riley’s ass for the stunt he’d pulled.
Klaus was already on him when I burst into his dressing room. I shoved Riley hard in the chest. We were friends, and I repped him, but what the hell was he thinking?
“What the fuck was that?” I demanded.
“Hey, easy,” he said, shoving me back. “I was doing us all a damn favor!”
“You know the rules!” I shoved him again.
